Mark wrote how Jesus said, “if your hand offend you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. And if your foot offend you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched”, and in chapter nine and verse forty-seven of his book, Mark shared how Jesus said, “if your eye offend you, pluck it out” where we read:
And if your eye offend you, pluck it out: it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God
with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
The verse reads, “And if your eye offend you, pluck it out:” Mark began with the words, “and if your eye offend you” which means “and whether a disciple of Jesus' physical eye for seeing stumbles or impedes them”, “pluck it out” or “expel, cast and tear out the eye”. Mark shared how Jesus said an “offensive eye” should be torn out by the one it offends.
The verse continues, “it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:” Mark added the words, “it is better for you” which means “it is more excellent, advantageous, surpassing, precious and useful for the disciple” “to enter” or “to make entrance and come forth” “into the kingdom of God” which refers to “into God's reign, rule dominion and royal power” “with one eye” or “having one physical eye for seeing”, “than having two eyes” which means “than possessing two physical eyes for seeing” “to be cast into hell fire” or “and to be thrown into and poured into the place of the future punishment called "Gehenna" or "Gehenna of fire””. Mark shared how Jesus declared it to be more advantageous to “make entrance” into God's Kingdom with only “one eye” rather than being “thrown into” “hell” and it's “burning fire” with two eyes.
When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we discover another reference to “hell” by Jesus. This time the “offense” is caused by what one “sees” through their “eyes”. Though “plucking out” one “eye” would not prevent the other “eye” from seeing the same things, Jesus employed this example to demonstrate how important it is to remove “offensive” things from one's sight. God desires a pure, holy relationship with people through believing and trusting in His Son Jesus, and when a person “confesses” their “offenses” to Him, Jesus “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. (See 1 John 1:9). Those who come to God shall be forgiven, cleansed and made righteous so they can live “eternally” with Him in His Kingdom. Those who do not will remain in their sins, and woe be to those who are “cast into hell fire” because they refuse to receive Him.
Next time Mark shares how Jesus for the third times says, “where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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