GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 9:44
The Undying Worm
On my morning walk, I noticed something small wiggling on the pavement. I looked closer and saw a worm that had crawled onto the pavement and was now thrashing in its death throes. I scooted the little creature back to the grass, where it might survive.
Earthworms, the most common of these species, are valuable to farmers. They burrow into the soil, creating channels that allow oxygen to penetrate and nourish plants. They improve water infiltration and drainage; they consume decaying organic matter, enriching the soil, and they increase microbial activity. Given the right conditions, earthworms live from 2-8 years—if they can avoid pesticides or crawling onto the pavement.
Garbage dumps host many different types of worms: compost worms (Red wigglers), brandling worms, white worms, and fly larvae (maggots, which are not actual worms). They help decompose garbage into usable compost.
When Jesus described the destiny of anyone who allows their metaphorical hands, feet, or eyes to destroy their faith, he used the image of Gehenna, Jerusalem’s massive garbage dump south of the city—“Where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.” (Mark 9:44) The image is similar to that used by the prophet Isaiah: “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.” (Isa. 66:24)
The unique worm in Jesus’ lesson—one that never dies—has attracted considerable commentary. St. Bernard of Clairvaux (c. 1090-1153), for example, said that “the worm that never dies is the memory of the past, which never ceases to gnaw the conscience of the impenitent.”
Jesus’ graphic exaggeration likely shocked listeners into examining their own moral stance and emphasized the urgency of repentance.
(Mark 9:44 and 46 are not included in many modern translations because of their absence in some early manuscripts. Their insertion may have been a copyist’s error in these later manuscripts.)
Previous
Next
Directory