Mark 9:33-34

Questions About the Greatest

9:33 Then they came to Capernaum. After Jesus was inside the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 9:34 But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.

Genesis 44:16

44:16 Judah replied, “What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? God has exposed the sin of your servants! We are now my lord’s slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”

Romans 3:19

3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God.


tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-C3; Map3-B2.

tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

tn The imperfect verbal form here indicates the subject’s potential.

tn The Hitpael form of the verb צָדֵק (tsadeq) here means “to prove ourselves just, to declare ourselves righteous, to prove our innocence.”

sn God has exposed the sin of your servants. The first three questions are rhetorical; Judah is stating that there is nothing they can say to clear themselves. He therefore must conclude that they have been found guilty.

tn Grk “in,” “in connection with.”