"What was it you disputed among yourselves?"

"Jesus and the Little Child" by James Tissot

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Mark 9:30-50


TO CHEW ON: "Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, 'What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?'
But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest." - Mark 9:33-34

Jesus obviously knew about the disciples' argument for He addressed it in the very next verse (Mark 9:35). So why did He ask them?

Perhaps it was because He wanted them to confess this petty discussion. The fact that they kept an embarrassed silence tells us they knew it was unworthy. I wonder how many other similar conversations they had had and never thought twice about them. But Jesus' question put the spotlight on this rather ordinary event.

What if we put ourselves there with the disciples and heard Jesus questioning: "What is it you were discussing?" or even more personally "What is it you were discussing with yourself (i.e. thinking)?" If we are hesitant to answer, could it be we're feeling the disciples' guilt over subjects unworthy of a child of God because they are conversations or thoughts of anger, worry, judgment, self-exaltation, unforgiveness, deceit, hatred...?

Maybe after we answer Jesus honestly in confession, He will give us insights about us and our concerns like He did the disciples here. Most certainly we will be aware of and hopefully avoid hopping on these ungodly trains of thought and discussion when they next pull into the station of our minds.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, as I think about answering Your question, I am aware of conversations with others and myself unworthy of one of Your children. Help me to admit and confess these symptoms of sin. Please change me at a heart level. Amen.

MORE: Jesus on:

Anger - Matthew 5:21-24
Worry - Matthew 6:25-31
Judgment - Matthew 7:1-5
Self-exaltation - Matthew 6:3-4
Unforgiveness - Matthew 18:21,22
Deceit - Matthew 5:37
Hatred - Matthew 5:43-48


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.