Who Is the Greatest? A Child as the Model of Service
Mark 9:33-37
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Mark.9.33 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- ηλθον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- εις: PREP
- Καφαρναουμ: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- οικια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- γενομενος: VERB,aor,mid,ptc,nom,sg,m
- επηρωτα: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτους·Τι: PRON,acc,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- οδω: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- διελογιζεσθε: VERB,pres,mid,ind,2,pl
Parallels
- Mark 9:34 (structural): Immediate continuation in the same episode: the disciples keep silent because they had been disputing on the road about who would be greatest.
- Luke 9:46 (verbal): Parallel report that an argument arose among the disciples about which of them would be greatest, using language very similar to Mark’s account.
- Matthew 18:1 (thematic): The disciples ask privately who is the greatest in the kingdom — a thematically similar concern about status and rank among Jesus’ followers.
- Mark 10:35-45 (thematic): James and John’s request for places of honor and Jesus’ subsequent teaching on servanthood echo the dispute over greatness and Jesus’ corrective about true greatness.
- Matthew 20:20-28 (thematic): Parallel to Mark 10:35–45 (James and John’s mother’s request) and Matthew’s portrayal of Jesus’ teaching that greatness is measured by humble service rather than status.
Alternative generated candidates
- And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?"
- And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, 'What were you arguing about on the way?'
Mark.9.34 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- εσιωπων: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- προς: PREP
- αλληλους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- γαρ: PART
- διελεχθησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- οδω: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- μειζων: ADJ,comp,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Luke 9:46-48 (verbal): Direct parallel account: the disciples argue on the road about who is greatest and Jesus answers by welcoming a child and teaching about humility (very close wording and context).
- Matthew 18:1-4 (thematic): Disciples ask who is greatest in the kingdom; Jesus replies that one must become like a child and be humble—same concern with greatness and humility.
- Mark 10:35-45 (structural): Later episode in Mark where James and John seek places of honor; Jesus again rebukes ambition and teaches servant leadership, developing the theme of who is 'greatest.'
- Luke 22:24-27 (thematic): The disciples dispute about which of them is considered greatest; Jesus contrasts worldly greatness with servant leadership, echoing the same issue and teaching.
Alternative generated candidates
- But they kept silent, for on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest.
- But they kept silent; for on the way they had disputed with one another who was the greatest.
Mark.9.35 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- καθισας: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,m,sg
- εφωνησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- δωδεκα: NUM,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Ει: PRON,dat,pl,m,3
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- θελει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- πρωτος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ειναι: VERB,pres,act,inf
- εσται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- παντων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- εσχατος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- παντων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- διακονος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 10:43-45 (verbal): Repeats the same teaching nearly word-for-word: whoever wishes to be great must be a servant/minister of all, and cites the Son of Man as example.
- Matthew 20:26-28 (verbal): Parallel saying in Matthew: greatness is achieved by serving others; the Son of Man came to serve and give his life as a ransom, framing the same servant-first principle.
- Luke 9:48 (verbal): Direct parallel in Luke's account of the same dispute: 'whoever is least among you all, he is great,' linking humility and greatness like Mark 9:35.
- Luke 22:26-27 (structural): Places the servant-leadership teaching in a different context (last supper): the greatest must be as the youngest and the leader as one who serves, echoing Mark's reversal of status.
- Matthew 18:4 (thematic): Related theme of humility as the criterion for greatness—'whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom'—connecting humility with status in God's kingdom.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he sat down, and he called the twelve and said to them, "If anyone wishes to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."
- And he sat down, and called the twelve, and said to them, 'If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.'
Mark.9.36 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- λαβων: PART,aor,act,nom,sg,m
- παιδιον: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- εστησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτο: PRON,acc,sg,neut
- εν: PREP
- μεσω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- εναγκαλισαμενος: VERB,aor,mid,ptc,nom,m,sg
- αυτο: PRON,acc,sg,neut
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·: PRON,pers,dat,pl,m
Parallels
- Matthew 18:2-5 (verbal): Jesus brings a child into the midst of the disciples to teach about humility and receiving the kingdom; wording and setting closely parallel Mark 9:36–37.
- Luke 9:47-48 (verbal): Luke records Jesus taking a child and placing him by his side as an object lesson about humility and receiving children in Jesus' name—closely parallel in action and teaching.
- Mark 10:13-16 (verbal): A later Markan pericope where children are brought to Jesus, who welcomes and blesses them—same concern for children and receiving them into Jesus' presence.
- Matthew 19:13-15 (thematic): Parallel account to Mark 10 in Matthew: children are brought to Jesus, he rebukes the disciples and blesses the children—echoes the theme of receiving children.
- Luke 18:15-17 (thematic): Luke's parallel to Matthew 19/Mark 10 emphasizing that whoever does not receive the kingdom like a child will not enter it, resonating with the lesson implied in Mark 9:36–37.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he took a child and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms he said to them,
- And he took a child and set him in the midst of them; and when he had taken him in his arms, he said to them,
Mark.9.37 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- αν: PART
- εν: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- τοιουτων: DEM,gen,pl,n
- παιδιων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- δεξηται: VERB,pres,mid,subj,3,sg
- επι: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ονοματι: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- εμε: PRON,acc,sg,1
- δεχεται·και: VERB,pres,mid/pass,ind,3,sg
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- αν: PART
- εμε: PRON,acc,sg,1
- δεχηται: VERB,pres,mid/pass,subj,3,sg
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εμε: PRON,acc,sg,1
- δεχεται: VERB,pres,mid/pass,ind,3,sg
- αλλα: CONJ
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- αποστειλαντα: PART,aor,act,acc,sg,m
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
Parallels
- Matthew 18:5 (verbal): Almost identical wording and setting: receiving 'one such child' in Jesus' name is equated with receiving Jesus — same theme of welcoming the lowly.
- Luke 9:48 (verbal): Parallel scene (Jesus placing a child among them) and near-verbatim wording: receiving the child in Jesus' name equals receiving Jesus and the one who sent him.
- Matthew 10:40 (verbal): Shares the structural formula: 'He who receives you receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me,' linking reception of Jesus' messengers to reception of Jesus and the Father.
- Luke 10:16 (allusion): Thematically related: reception or rejection of Jesus' envoys is equated with reception or rejection of Jesus and of the one who sent him — a broader application of the same principle.
Alternative generated candidates
- "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me."
- 'Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me receives not me but the one who sent me.'
And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, 'What were you discussing on the way?' But they were silent; for on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve, and said to them, 'If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.' And he took a child and set him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms he said to them,
'Whoever receives one of these little children in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me only but also him who sent me.'