Handling Serpents and Drinking Poison: What Did Jesus Mean?
They Shall Take Up Serpents
In Mark 16:17 and 18, Jesus said, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents.…”
In the remote back hills of some states in America, there are religious groups who literally “take up serpents” as a part of their church services. These groups have taken Jesus’ words in Mark 16:18 literally, where He said, “And these signs shall follow them that believe...they shall take up serpents….” Based on this scripture, these people have concluded that Jesus was actually ordering believers to “take up serpents” as a way to demonstrate the strength of their faith!
Back behind the pulpit and next to the wall in these churches are cages that contain rattlesnakes and other poisonous snakes. At an appointed moment in the church service, the cages are popped open, the snakes are brought out, and those who are daring enough pass those serpents from one person to the next. But is this what Jesus was talking about when he said believers would “take up serpents”? Of course not!
Let’s consider the times in which Jesus uttered these words. Then we can better see how these words of Jesus apply to us today.
The word “serpents” is the Greek word ophis, which was simply used to depict snakes. Snakes were considered to be dangerous, life-threatening creatures. People were especially afraid of snakes because the road system at this time was very much undeveloped. This meant people often had to blaze their own trails to travel to some cities or remote places. Hiding in the rocks or wild grasses along the way were dangerous, poisonous snakes that frequently bit travelers, causing premature death. These snakes were a concern to all travelers, especially to those traveling by foot.
In Luke 10:19, Jesus said, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” When Jesus uttered these words to His disciples, it was right after He had commanded them to go into the harvest fields of the world to reap the souls of men (see Luke 10:2-11). This verse was Jesus’ supernatural guarantee that when believers went to preach the Good News, they would have divine protection against serpents, scorpions, and anything else the enemy might try to use to stop or hurt them. This is why Jesus concluded by saying, “…Nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
But notice that in addition to serpents, Jesus also mentioned scorpions. The scorpions in the Middle East were extremely feared because they were loaded with deadly poison. With one sting from the tail of such a scorpion, a person could be permanently paralyzed or even killed. When people took journeys on foot, the prospect of encountering a scorpion was just as scary as the thought of snakes. Scorpions hid in the rocks and in the ruts of the road. Therefore, sitting on the wrong rock or accidentally stepping on the wrong spot in the road could result in disaster.
Jesus’ promise to His disciples that they would “tread upon serpents and scorpions” was therefore very important. The word “tread” is the Greek word pateo, which simply means to walk. Jesus was telling them that even if they walked right over a scorpion or snake, they didn’t need to worry because He was giving them special, supernatural protection against these natural dangers. This was a specific promise of protection for those who would be journeying long distances or through rough terrain to preach the Gospel!
To make sure the concerns of all travelers were completely covered, Jesus added, “…and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” The word “hurt” is the Greek word adikeo, which means to suffer injustice or to suffer some kind of wrong or wrongdoing. This was the Lord’s promise that we need not fear injustice or wrongdoing as He sends us into His harvest field. In fact, the Greek uses a triple negative in this phrase. It literally says, “…and nothing (first negative), no (second negative), by no means (third negative) will injure or harm you.” Jesus said this in the strongest terms available to assure followers that as they obey His leading to go into their part of the world to preach the Gospel, they could exercise their authority in His name to remain divinely protected from all forms of evil and demonic strategies.
Now let’s go back to where we began in Mark 16:18. Jesus said, “These signs will follow them that believe...they shall take up serpents….” What did this mean to the disciples, and how does it apply to you and me today?
For the disciples, it meant they were divinely guarded by the power of God. This divine protection was so powerful that even if they were to be bitten by a deadly snake or a highly venomous scorpion, it would have no effect on them. An example of this can be found in Acts 28:3-6 when the apostle Paul was bitten by a deadly viper. Paul simply shook off the snake into the fire and went away unharmed.
You see, Jesus gave His disciples supernatural protection because He was sending them to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Things that would normally injure or kill others would have no effect on them whatsoever. Since they were required to walk by foot through dangerous and rough terrain, this was a very important promise!
What does this have to do with you and me? First, it has nothing to do with passing rattlesnakes around a congregation! Although believers who do this may be sincere, they are sincerely wrong. This is foolishness and presumption. Jesus never intended for us to deliberately endanger ourselves!
But it does mean that we can claim God’s power to protect us when He calls us to carry the Gospel to parts of the world that are considered to be unsafe. We may not deal with serpents and scorpions like the early believers did, but there may be times when we are required to fly on rickety airplanes, drive on dangerous roads, pass through highly volatile areas, or work in regions that are considered dangerous.
We can claim God’s power to protect us when He calls us to carry the Gospel to parts of the world that are considered to be unsafe.
But as noted earlier, this divine protection is activated in those of us who believe that God’s promise of protection will work for us. Whenever we enter dangerous territory in fear, doubt, and unbelief, we are likely to get in trouble. But if we will go believing and claiming that God’s protection is ours and that the enemy can’t do anything to hurt us, our faith in this promise will activate it and cause it to be manifested in our lives!
If They Drink Any Deadly Thing, It Shall Not Hurt Them
As we read further in Mark 16:18, Jesus said, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them.…”
Jesus went on to say, “…And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them….” Based on these words, some sincerely misled groups also deliberately drink deadly poisons, such as strychnine and arsenic. Just as they take up venomous snakes to prove the strength of their faith, these groups intentionally subject themselves to deadly poisons for the same purpose. They actually believe Jesus intended for Christians to consume lethal chemicals to prove that when their faith is strong, such substances will have no effect on them. But is this really what Jesus meant? Let’s look at this verse to see what He was talking about!
The word “drink” is actually the Greek word pino, which means to drink or to consume. Although this word usually refers to drinking, it can also picture a person who is consuming something, such as meat or some other kind of food. The word “deadly” comes from the Greek word thanasimos, a derivative of the word thanatos, which is the Greek word for death. However, the word used here in Mark 16:18 describes something that is deadly or fatal. The word “any” is the small word ti, which means anything. This means that Jesus wasn’t referring only to liquid chemicals, but to anything that is deadly or fatal, including chemicals or foods. Hence, this part of the verse could be translated, “…and if they consume anything that would normally be fatal.…”
Jesus continued by saying that if believers consume something fatal while they are on a God-sent trip, this fatal substance “shall not hurt them.” The word “hurt” is the Greek word blapto, which means to weaken, to disable, to hurt, to harm, or to injure. It depicts something that is probably not powerful enough to kill, but strong enough to make one sick or ill. Because the word thanasimos (“deadly thing”) is also used in this verse, it tells us that Jesus meant the following: “…And if they consume anything that would normally be fatal or anything that would usually make a person sick, it will have no effect upon them.…”
Remember that Jesus was speaking to His followers, whom He was going to send to the farthest ends of the world. To fulfill this assignment, they would be required to eat foods they had never seen before. In fact, their journeys to pagan lands would no doubt necessitate that they eat foods they previously considered to be dirty or unclean. For them to take the Gospel to new places meant they would have to eat “mystery food” — not knowing where it came from, who killed it, how long it had been dead, who cooked it, how clean or dirty the kitchen was in which it was cooked, or what effect the food was going to have on their stomachs.
Remember, the Lord had previously told His disciples, “And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give...eat such things as are set before you” (Luke 10:7,8). If the disciples had rejected what their hosts had prepared for them, they could have greatly insulted or hurt them. Therefore, Jesus said in effect, “If your hosts have prepared the best they can give you, eat it with joy!”
As one who travels worldwide, I can personally tell you that sometimes it is difficult to eat what is set before you. But when you look into a plate of food that looks scary, you must shut your eyes, bless it in Jesus’ name, lift your fork from the plate, open your mouth, insert that bite, and eat the “mystery food” by faith!
I’ve seen people come on mission trips expecting to eat the identical kinds of food they eat at home. When they discover they can’t have the same food, the same restaurants, the same blend of coffee, and so on, I’ve seen them get very upset. But they’re not at home. They are on the other side of the world where those kinds of foods either don’t exist or are difficult to come by. If a person is going to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, he must be willing to eat food that is prepared at the ends of the earth!
This is precisely the reason Jesus told His soon-to-be world travelers that if they consumed anything deadly or sickening, it would have no effect on them. Jesus wasn’t encouraging His disciples to deliberately consume poison. Rather, He was assuring them of the divine protection that is available for those who take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
But as noted earlier, this promise belongs to “those who believe.” If you want this promise of supernatural protection from bad foods or fatal substances to be a reality in your own life, you must release your faith and activate this promise. So before you sit down to eat, take a few minutes to bless that food. Call it sanctified, and speak health, wholeness, and freedom into your body. Then eat the food, believing that it will only bless you and that nothing negative can happen to you as a result of eating it!
Jesus provided everything needed for those of us who would follow His call to the ends of the earth. He supplied us with supernatural protection from disasters, calamities, snakes, scorpions, and all the works of the enemy. He also promised traveling mercies and protection from acts of injustice. He even guaranteed that if we accidentally consume bad foods or deadly substances, they wouldn’t weaken us physically or injure our health. He covered the gamut of protection, provision, and prosperity as we obey His calling and do His will! (For more on this subject, see my book Will of God — The Key To Your Success.)
It’s time for you to quit worrying and start believing that Jesus meant what He said. If God is giving you an assignment that takes you to a foreign state, a distant country, or an unfamiliar culture, just keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and start moving forward in that assignment.
Rick Renner
