These verses seem rather violent.  The previous passage (Mark 9:42) dramatically alerted the disciples to the eternal danger of preventing others from entering God's kingdom.  Then the finger is pointed at the self-destructive ability of human nature - to exclude its owner from the presence of God (Mark 9:43).  That theme is continued.  From a hand to a foot to an eye: all parts of the body which can do things, go places and see things that bring no glory to God and judgement on the offender.  Persistent and unrepented sin is such a serious problem because it leads to hell.  Hell is a massive problem because there is no relief from its agony and no way out ... ever (Luke 16:24).

The disciples needed to understand that the ministry of Jesus was not just about well-fed crowds, stilled storms or exorcised demons - they were all signs (a little foretaste) of Jesus' eternal kingdom.  Those signs pointed to an everlasting enjoyment of the presence of Jesus.  However, such enjoyment was not intended as a nice 'bolt-on' to a rebellious human life, but a life that pleases the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:1).  It was the purpose of Christ's ministry.

To miss that purpose is to invite the opposite destiny - hell itself. The description of eternal torment in Mark 9:43,45,47 is a triple warning.  Three verbal witnesses which must not be ignored, with pictures of an unquenchable fire and a malignant worm which consumes everything and never stops eating.  Hell is not just a danger for those people who the disciples might obstruct, but for them as well.  That is why Jesus needed to warn them; and for them to teach it to the Early Church (2 Peter 2:9-10).  Quite apart from their ministry responsibilities, they were also accountable for their own moral decisions (1 Timothy 4:16).  And this was tragically realised by Judas Iscariot.

Jesus was not advocating self-mutilation, but self-discipline.  This is not to limit the grace of Christ through faith as the gospel is announced, but rather to define the nature of our relationship with the King of heaven.  The consequences of our actions are not limited to this life, so there is an even greater need to make wise moral choices. Those decisions may well limit our 'personal freedom' but are important for our eternal liberty.  Inevitably we all fail, but when we know that we have strayed, we have a Saviour who is our Advocate in Heaven (1 John 2:1). Unless we are clear about the need to repent and be changed, we will not be bothered to ask for His mercy and grace.  There is no way we can ever be good enough for heaven, except through the Lord's mercy through Christ's atoning sacrifice.  But there is no way we can show Him how much we love Him unless we let Him help us make the choices which will result in pleasing Him.  Our choices, especially the choice to repent and ask for His help to change, matter more than most of us realise.  Is it time for a personal review?