Mark 8:37

“For what can a man give in return for his soul?” Mark 8:37

In Mark 8:36 Jesus asks, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” Now in verse 37 He asks yet another question, “For what can a man give in return for his soul?”

I believe that these two questions go hand in hand, that is, the question posed in verse 36 helps to explain and answer the question in verse 37. In looking at Jesus’ question in verse 36, I realized how important it is to pursue the things which are eternal. I saw how meaningless it is to possess great earthly riches and yet not have Christ. Now as I come to verse 37 I can’t help but tie these verses together. “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?” I believe that in these verses Jesus desperately wants His disciples to understand that there is absolutely no profit in being rich in this life if you are heading into an eternity without Him. After Jesus makes it clear that there is no profit in earthly riches if you are spiritually bankrupt, He then goes onto ask what a man can give in return for his soul. I believe that here Jesus is saying that there is no earthly thing you can give in return for your soul. It doesn’t matter if you are the richest man on this earth, because in the end those riches can never buy you eternal life. There is nothing that you can do or give to buy yourself eternal life with Christ.

I am so thankful that before the foundation of the world, Jesus already knew this truth. He knew that there would be nothing I could ever do or give to save my soul. He knew how desperately I would need to be bought back from sin; how desperately I would need a Savior. This reminds me of a quote: “If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.

But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.”

I am so thankful that God new my greatest need and He fulfilled that need in His Son, Jesus. God sent Jesus to die to pay the price for my sin, the price that I could never ever begin to pay. He raised Him to life again so that I could have eternal life. Jesus has paid the price for me, He has ransomed me, and He has redeemed me. I am eternally His.

Application: Today I will spend time thanking Jesus for redeeming me, and I will ask Him to remind me every day that I am His.