The document summarizes a Gospel reading where Jesus teaches his disciples that the greatest is the one who serves all people, including children. It recounts how Jesus explained that the Son of Man will suffer but rise after three days, though the disciples did not understand. They had been arguing about who was the greatest, so Jesus said the greatest is the one who serves others.

1. Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM

2. Gospel reading: Mark 9,30-37
 30 Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey
through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
 31 He was teaching his disciples and telling them, "The Son of Man
is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days
after his death he will rise." 32 But they did not understand the
saying, and they were afraid to question him.
 33 They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began
to ask them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" 34 But
they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves
on the way who was the greatest.
 35 Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, "If
anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant
of all."
 36 Taking a child he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms
around it he said to them,
 37 "Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives
me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the one who sent
me."
The focus is on being the greatest.

3. A simple outline!
Gospel reading: Mark 9,30-37
Fate of the Son of Man, teaching not understood
 30 Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through
Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it. 31 He was
teaching his disciples and telling them, "The Son of Man is to be
handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his
death he will rise." 32 But they did not understand the saying, and
they were afraid to question him.
Argument on the way: who is the greatest?
 33 They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to
ask them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" 34 But they
remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the
way who was the greatest.
The greatest is the servant of all.
 35 Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, "If anyone
wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." 36
Taking a child he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around
it he said to them, 37 "Whoever receives one child such as this in my
name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the
one who sent me."

4. Textual Context of Mark 9,30-37
Part I The Mystery of the Messiah: Revelation of Jesus' Person (1,14--8,30)
Three sections, each beginning with a summary of the activity of Jesus and a narrative
concerning the disciples and concluding with the adoption of an attitude in regard to
Jesus.
A. Jesus and the Crowds 1,14--3,6 (1,14f, 16-20; 3,60)
B. Jesus and his Own 3,7--6,6a (3,7-12.13-19; 6,1-6a)
C. Jesus, the Disciples and the Gentiles 6,6b- 8,30 (6,6b; 6,7-31; 8,27-30)
Conclusion and Transition 8,27-33
Confession of Peter
First Prophecy of the Passion
Correction of Peter
Part II The Mystery of the Son of Man: Revelation of Jesus' sufferings 8,31-16,8
A. The Way of the Son of Man 8,31--10,52
Indicated by 3 announcements of the fate of the Son of Man and 3 instructions
on the lot of the disciples.
B. Jesus in Jerusalem 11,1--13,37
C. Passion and Resurrection 14,1--16,8
The Later Ending 16,9-20

5. Jesus was teaching
somewhere here.
v.33 They came
to Capernaum

6. Gospel reading: Mark 9,30-37
Fate of the Son of Man, Commentary
teaching not understood  In v.30, Jesus and his disciples leave
 30 Jesus and his disciples left the Mt. of Transfiguration and journey
from there and began a through Galilee.
journey through Galilee, but  Jesus wants to move incognito.
he did not wish anyone to  In v.31, Jesus informs what will happen
know about it. 31 He was to him (again):
teaching his disciples and
 To be handed over to men
telling them, "The Son of
Man is to be handed over to  They will kill him
men and they will kill him,  He will rise after 3 days.
and three days after his death  In v.32, the author comments:
he will rise." 32 But they did  they don’t understand; they are
not understand the saying, afraid to ask.
and they were afraid to
question him.

7. Gospel reading: Mark 9,30-37
Who is the greatest?  In v.33, they arrive at
 33 They came to Capernaum (Jesus’ headquarters).
Capernaum and, once  In v.33b, Jesus asks what the
inside the house, he disciples were arguing about
began to ask them, along the way.
"What were you arguing  The author, not the disciples,
about on the way?" 34 gives the answer in v.34b.
But they remained  About who is the greatest? A
silent. They had been different subject matter.
discussing among
themselves on the way
who was the greatest.

8. Gospel reading: Mark 9,30-37
The greatest is the servant  In v.35, Jesus takes this occasion
of all. to teach the Twelve about the
 35 Then he sat down, called greatest (the first).
the Twelve, and said to
them, "If anyone wishes to  He is the last of all, in the list.
be first, he shall be the last
of all and the servant of  He is the servant of all, not just
all." of some. V.36
 36 Taking a child he  He receives the child in his
placed it in their midst, name. (= receives also the
and putting his arms
around it he said to them, Father) V.37
37 "Whoever receives one
child such as this in my
name, receives me; and
whoever receives me,
receives not me but the
one who sent me."

9. Reflections on the gospel reading
 Jesus defines who is the greatest. The greatest is the
one who serves all, without distinction and
discrimination, including little children.
 Jesus serves all. He is the greatest, in his passion,
death and resurrection.
 The world has a different definition on who is the
greatest:
 Materially well-off
 Successful in business
 Prestigious, wields power

10. Reflections on the gospel reading
 The greatest according to the world serves only the
ones who can give him more power, more money
and more prestige.
 They serve themselves.
 If we want to be the greatest, we are obliged to serve
everyone in the community, including those we
don’t like.