Mark 10 Study Notes

10:26 The astonishment of Jesus’s disciples increased from “astonished” in v. 24 to even more astonished in v. 26. Be saved (Gk so-zo-) is equivalent to “enter the kingdom of God” (vv. 23-25), “eternal life” (vv. 17,30), “heaven” (v. 21), and “the age to come” (v. 30).

10:27 The phrase looking at connotes great intensity. It recalls how Jesus looked at the young man (v. 21).

10:28 As usual, Peter served as spokesman for the disciples (8:29,32; 9:5; 11:21). In his judgment, he and the disciples had done what Jesus commanded the rich man to do (10:21).

10:29 Truly I tell you was Jesus’s solemn oath formula. He placed equal importance on himself and the gospel.

10:30 The promised compensation (a hundred times more) covered this time (see 3:34-35) and the age to come. Following Jesus provides no protection against suffering, but the reward includes eternal life. The rich ruler sought this (v. 17) but walked away from it (v. 22).

10:31 Jesus emphasized the reversal of values that is so prominent in Christian discipleship (cp. Mt 19:30; 20:16; Lk 13:30).

10:32 The road trip continues (vv. 1,17; 8:27; 9:2,30,33-34). The eastern approach to Jerusalem goes up because of the city’s elevation. Jesus was walking ahead of them, showing he was not afraid of what awaited him.

10:33-34 This is Jesus’s third and most detailed prediction of his passion and resurrection. Jesus’s use of we must have frightened the disciples even further. In this final prediction, Jesus declared that the chief priests and the scribes would condemn him to death (see notes at 14:53 and 14:64) and hand him over to the Gentiles since they lacked authority to carry out the sentence (15:1-2).

10:35-45 James and John failed to realize the implications of Jesus’s suffering and death.

10:35-36 This is the only time in Mark that James and John acted on their own apart from the other disciples, and they did so selfishly. Most likely they asked Jesus to grant their request even before they spelled it out because they knew they were being selfish.

10:37 The right side was the highest position of honor, the left the second. James and John caught a glimpse of Jesus’s glory in the transfiguration (9:2-13); now they wanted more. It was their mother who suggested they make this request (Mt 20:20-21).

10:38 The cup and baptism refer to Jesus’s suffering and death (14:36).

10:39-40 You will may predict James’s martyrdom (Ac 12:2) and John’s exile (Rv 1:9). It is for those for whom it has been prepared is a divine passive, indicating that God would decide who would receive places of honor.

10:41 The other disciples became indignant, the same verb used of Jesus in v. 14.

10:42 That Jesus instructed all his apostles in this lesson shows that all of them struggled with the same greed that led James and John to seek places of honor.

10:43-44 Becoming great in Christian leadership means becoming a servant—that is, doing your Master’s will and humbly working for the good of others.

10:45 The greatest example of servant leadership is the Son of Man. Giving is the essence of servanthood, and Jesus gave his life as a ransom for many (cp. Is 53:10-12). “Ransom” refers to the price paid to release a slave. The words of v. 45 are crucial to Jesus’s self-understanding of his death.

10:46-52 Mark concludes the “on the road” section just as he began it—with the story of a blind man (8:22-26). This account contrasted what the blind man could see with what the disciples could not (10:35-45).

10:46 The city of Jericho lay seventeen miles northeast and 3,500 feet below Jerusalem. The large crowd was made up of Passover pilgrims.

10:47-48 This is the second time Mark identifies him as Jesus of Nazareth (1:24), and the only time in Mark that someone addressed Jesus as Son of David, a messianic designation based on 2Sm 7:11-14 (cp. Mk 11:10; 12:35-37).

10:52 In contrast to his healing of the blind man in 8:22-25, Jesus simply announced your faith has saved you, and Bartimaeus could see.