First, I want to give the biggest thank you ever to my daughter Jamie!
THANK YOU !!!! None of you know this but she has been editing all my writings for the OnLoving Blog and the EStudy Blog. I would not be able to keep doing these writings without her. She is amazing and quite a writer herself, although she is too shy to take a chance at writing publicly. If you all would do me a favor, next time you do your prayers, please ask God to continue to bless her and thank Him for her and all she does. Obviously, I am not going to get Mark 5 done in time for the end of the month. I have a commitment this weekend that will not give me the time to do it as far as I can tell. I plan to write the Chapter 5 blog early next week. My wife has been telling me the chapters in Mark are longer than what we have been reading and I guess I am realizing that as I try to comment on each chapter. So for September let's study Mark 6,7,8,9. It should help those of you who may also be finding it difficult to get 5 chapters of Mark done at one sitting and it will help me get my blogs done on time.
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Mark four is mostly about the parable and teaching of the farmer scattering seed. We see Jesus once again teaching at the lakeside. The crowds grew giving cause for Him to get into a boat and teach from the water. While in the boat, He taught many things in the form of parables. A parable is a figurative comparison to teach a truth. As Jesus continued to move about and teach, His popularity grew as did the numbers of those who desired to stop Him.
Throughout this chapter Jesus addresses His use of parables. We learn that those who believed in Jesus could understand what was meant by the parables. We also learn that those who resisted the truth of who Jesus was would never understand the truth of the parables. Jesus' disciples were among those who were given the ability to understand. Sadly, there were many who wanted life to keep on going the way it was and had no desire to learn these new teachings and truths. Jesus said that the things He taught were important and that anyone with ears should listen. Just as today, there were many that heard but few that understood. He also spoke of those with closed minds who would see and hear what He did and said but would not understand. He states that if they were open to Him, they would hear, see, understand, and be forgiven. When the truth of Jesus is desired and He is accepted as Lord, that truth and understanding leads to forgiveness. The secret of the kingdom of God in this parable is His plan of sowing seeds in the world. Jesus taught that as the sower (who the sower is is not defined- it could likely be Jesus and those who follow His example) sows the seed (Jesus' message, the Word of God), those truths fall on all kinds of listeners. As large crowds are spoken to, many are there for a variety of reasons and all have different experiences and responses to what is taught. That was the same with Jesus' teaching. Some of what He taught was heard by people who were not open to what He was teaching and never really let it settle into their mind or heart. As they listened it would be easy to see them frown and listen in disbelief. Satan would be close at hand as such people listened and would quickly take away any impact it might have in their hearts and minds (that is the seed that fell on the footpath and the birds immediately ate it). If the sower would stop and watch how his efforts of sowing turned out at that point, he would see that his efforts produced nothing. An uncommitted sower might give up at that point in time. However, the parable shows the sower continuing to sow. I think we can take that as a lesson of encouragement to not give up based on preliminary results but rather to keep sowing. The sower then continues to sow. This time we see people in the crowd hear His teaching and get excited by what He taught. In fact, they are filled with joy for what He offers and want to follow. The problem is that this group of people, while excited about the teaching, don't hang on to it for long. Their depth of conviction is shallow and when their thoughts wander back to things of the world and when hard times come along or they are mocked for their faith, they let go of it and return to what they were before hearing the truth of His teachings. (These are those who are defined as a shallow layer of earth over a rocky bed. What they heard excited them and they accepted it eagerly but when things got tough they fell away and their faith died, just as a plant in shallow dirt cannot survive the heat of the day). Again, the sower keeps sowing, he never gives up. If we think of Jesus as the sower, isn't it amazing and comforting to see that now matter whether people accept or reject Him, He continues to reach out, to make the effort that more and more people are given the opportunity to hear and believe. Also notice that He doesn't force His seed to grow. He doesn't sow it then stand over it and wave His almighty hand making it take root. The crop that is to come is dependent on the condition of the surface the seed falls on. This time Jesus' teachings to the crowd is heard by another type of person. While this person hears what Jesus teaches, his heart and mind become consumed by his thoughts of all the problems of his life, chasing after wealth or a stronger desire for things other than what Jesus offers. What he heard Jesus say to him is quickly overpowered by his worldly concerns and while there may be a glimmer deep inside, nothing ever happens and he never acts on what he hears nor does he share what he heard with others. (This is the seed that falls in an area full of weeds. The weeds (or concerns of a worldly life) choke the plant, stopping it from growing into the great plant it could be. Such a plant never becomes mature thus never bearing fruit.) The sower continues to sow. He never gives up. He is on a mission and is determined to see it come true. His desire is to see a huge field of healthy thriving plants that will bear fruit and feed many. So, Jesus continued teaching. This time His teaching is heard by those who listen intently. These people hear what He teaches and accept the Word of God. Jesus' teaching and words settle deep within them and their life in Christ grows. They not only live in the awesomeness of a relationship with Him but they share what they have learned. Then those that they shared with share with others and those share with still others. By the Word planted in such people, multitudes of people hear the Word of God and share with even more people. (These are the seeds that fell on fertile soil.) This is the parable of the sower. If we look at the progression of the state of the soil that the truth of Jesus fell on and compare it to the ages it has been being taught, we can see that initially the world at the time was evil and consumed by darkness. The world was hard hearted and determined to not accept anything that would change it. Those people then simply rejected what Christ offered and went on living the life they had been living. As time passed, some heard His teachings and were excited. Perhaps they didn't fully understand and because they were attacked for following Jesus, they gave up. Still later, there were those who heard and believed but their desire for the kingdom that Jesus offered did not compete with the worldly kingdom they desired. They were more interested in riches and fame and power than a life in Christ. While they heard and maybe had some belief, the things of the world prevented them from becoming mature in what they heard an understood. These people might even be seen as believers but not believers who do anything with their faith. Then we see a time where many believe and they share what they have learned and believe. Now we see many times more come to a faith in Christ than were initially exposed to His Word. The message is multiplied over and over again and the fields grow full of those who follow Jesus. Jesus continued with another parable. He spoke of the purpose of a lamp. He showed that no one ever lights a lamp with the purpose of not using it in the way it was intended to be used. A lamp is lit intending to light a room, so for it to be lit then covered over was a misuse of the light the lamp gives off. When a lamp is lit and put in a place that it lights the entire room up, everything in the room will easily be seen and nothing will be hidden. Again, Jesus said that everyone should pay attention to His teaching. I have read many thoughts on the meaning of this parable and they vary quite a bit. I think that the fact that it followed the parable of the sower is significant. The truth of who Jesus is and His message illuminates the darkness, lies, and misdirection caused by the things of the world. The light is His truth that exposes all things. Jesus came to earth to teach and illuminate the world. He came to show the powers of darkness up for what they really are. Without Chirst and His teachings, we would all still wander in darkness having no idea that there was anything other than what we saw in a worldy sense. Jesus did not come to earth to be kept a well hidden secret but to be the one who teaches the truth of what life and death are all about. When Christ comes into our lives, He should light up our lives. He should light up every area and aspect of our lives. We should see our lives more clearly and we should see how we live understanding the good ways we live and the wrong ways we live. Having this understanding we can then make the right choices, adjustments, and decisions, and share what we have learned with those who come into our circle of life. In the sower parable we get an idea of what kind of people we can be when the Word is sown in us. Christ is the Light of the world, He is the way, the truth, and the light. In Him is hope, forgiveness, and salvation. Only through Him can we come to the Father. He was sent into the world to be the light of the world. Now what do we do with that information? Do we put it under a bushel or cover it up? No, we put it on a stand for all to see so that their life becomes illuminated by the truth of who he is. Again, Jesus instructs to pay close attention to what you hear. The closer we listen and the more we pay attention, the more we will understand. In verse 25 He tells us that those of us who listen to His teaching will receive more understanding but for those who are not paying attention, for those who do not listen, even what little they did understand, they will lose. In the following parable we see a different view of the farmer. Previously, the farmer scatters the seed. That is his job and once he scatters the seed he waits patiently. And we see that no matter what, whether he is awake or asleep something is happening. The seed begins to grow. With no further involvement on his part, the seed sprouts and grows. The farmer or sower doesn't know how this happens but watches as it does. When the seed takes root in the earth, the crop is produced on it's own. First it breaks ground, then the heads of wheat form and finally the grain ripens. The farmer/sower watches this happen with no help from him. When the time is right, he harvests the crop. At just the right time, the reaper is sent forth to reap the harvest of his labor. Again, there are several views on this parable but parables are comparisons and often speak to each of us in different ways. I look at it as when the seeds that grew and finally became mature and ripe with no further intervention on the part of the sower, he then harvests them unto himself. Perhaps, Jesus came and planted the seeds of truth about who He is and that He is God. That seed grew in those who heard Him teach it directly. The truth fell on good hearts and minds and it grew and they shared what they had been taught with others until the whole of earth has heard the Good News. When all the seeds have been sown and all the seed that has fallen on open hearts and minds have grown and matured, Christ gathers them all to Himself for a life eternal with Him. Next, Jesus again offers a parable about the kingdom of God. He likens it to a mustard seed. The mustard seed is the smallest of all garden seeds yet when fully grown it is the largest of all the garden plants. It is so large that while all the other plants are too small for birds to nest in, they nest in the mustard plant. This makes me think of all the mighty powers of earth, boasting in their military might and financial power. We see tons of special interest groups flexing their muscles and imposing their might on those around them. We see and hear how big and mighty companies are like Walmart and others. We see all these groups marketing and reaching for more to become bigger and bigger. We daily watch adds on television coaxing us to help them attain massive growth by giving them our money. We see and hear it in political parties. In Jesus' time, it was the Roman Empire. There have been such powers as the Philistines, Alexander the Great, Stalin, Hitler, Nebuchadnezzar, mighty Babylon, the Persians, the egyptians of old. We have seen and read of their conquests and might and power, but where are they now. Where is any world power of the past today? Where are any of the mightiest of leaders? My daughter, Jamie, offered a thought that just has to be added regarding the mustard seed. She took it to a personal level. Can we see that way back the Word of God (the mustard seed) was planted in us (as the garden)? That little tiny seed just sat there, growing little by little, quietly but steadily. All the while we were running about trying a variety of lifestyles, changing our highest priorities over and over. Seeking and finding but then what we found may not have been all that we hoped it would be. So what did we do? We sought and found and sought and found. We had plants of hundreds of varieties in our garden. But none of them ever took center stage, none of them ever fulfilled us. All the years of seeking, the little mustard seed (the Word of God) kept doing it's thing. It grew and grew until one day it became the largest of all the plants in our garden. One day it took center stage and here we are today. Followers of Christ in ways we never even thought of. WOW. In the time of the Romans, a light came to earth and a seed was planted. It was Jesus telling the world of the kingdom of God and His mighty plan. For centuries, the world (or garden) has grown. Plants have become mighty and fallen. Then other plants and still others. Yet all that time, the seed of the kingdom of God has quietly continued to grow. It grows and grows and grows. No fanfare, no marketing, no boasting of power and might. It just grows slowly and steadily. When all is done and earth has run it's course, the kingdom of God will stand strong and mighty in the garden. It will stand as the only plant in the garden that can offer safety and comfort to the creatures of the garden. Mark 4 ends with the story of Jesus and his disciples getting into the boat to cross to the other side of the lake. We have all read or heard this story many times but I want you to pay particular attention to a few words in verse 36, which I will put in bold letters. Verse 36 is as follows (NLT) "So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind, although other boats followed." The story goes on to tell that soon a fierce storm came up and waves were washing over into the boat (also into the boats that followed, I would imagine). Jesus was sleeping in the boat and the disciples were panicking for they feared they were going to drown. They said to Him, "Don't you care that we are going to drown?" Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and waves and suddenly there was a great calm. Jesus then asked them why they were afraid. He asked "do you still have no faith?" So, here are my thoughts; what were the guys in the other boats thinking? What were they going through? Here they are following those who were closest to Jesus. They were following those who believed in Jesus and have committed their lives to Him. All was nice and comfy and cozy as they floated across the calm water on a lovely evening. In fact, the experience of those in the boats following them was no different from those who were in the boat with Jesus. Out of nowhere a big storm pops up. Huge waves are bouncing the boats around like corks in a Jacuzzi. Let's consider those in the boats who are following Jesus' boat. They must have panicked too. They must have thought they were going to drown. Okay, now let's think of what is going through their minds as they are watching the disciples panic. Here is a bunch of guys who live day after day with a guy who does miracles. They are in the boat with the same guy they tell everyone about. They talk of His power and might, His goodness and oh yes, that He is the Son of God, and yet, they are in a boat with Him in a storm fearing for their lives. What kind of witness is that? What kind of example of belief in what they are telling people is that? What kind of support of their beliefs are they exhibiting? Sure it's easy to believe in this guy when there is smooth sailing but what did they do when things got tough? The disciples eagerly jumped in the boat with Jesus when things were calm, would they have eagerly jumped in if the storm was active when they started out? Sure they jumped in when the journey looked easy but when it got tough, they cried out "Don't you care about us?" Jesus told them over and over how much He loved them and all people. He showed them through teachings, healing, and miracles. He showed them in every way imaginable how much He cared. But even with all that, when things got tough, they had no faith that He cared. I think that is what Jesus was saying. I don't think He questioned their faith about His ability to calm things down. I think this was all about believing Jesus cared enough to save them. I will end this with something for us to think about. In this chapter there are many challenges to us to hear and learn, to share, teach and spread the Good News and to be part of the mightiest plant in the garden. It comes down to this. We may believe and do all the things the Lord would have us do. We may teach and preach, help and be kind, be generous and loving. We may know every story of Christ in the Bible and do our daily devotions. All those things are wonderful and important and we need to practice them. But our walk with Jesus is a personal one. We often refer to it as a "personal relationship" with Him. So what does that relationship look like. When life gets sideways and things fall apart do we maintain a faith that knows He cares? When we lose homes or jobs or our health, do we maintain a faith that believes He cares? When the storms of life pop up and all about us is in chaos and we fear the worst, do we maintain a faith that is sure He cares? What is our witness of faith to those in the boats following us in our walk with Jesus? What do they see when they are in the storms of life with those of us who are believers in Christ? Is our witness of faith and trust in Him the same in hard times as in times of easy sailing? Do we cry out, "Jesus, don't you care?" Honestly, I have and on more than one occassion. After this blog today, I am alerted to my faith and perhaps how it waivers during some of the tough times. Hmmm. Something for me to repent of and work on. How about you? Sadly, we move into chapter 3 with some of the same things. Once again, Jesus' enemies were trying to paint Him as being disrespectful of the Law and therefore of God Himself. They were again trying to discredit Him for working on the Sabbath. Jesus was in the synagogue and noticed a man with a deformed hand. He knew that if He healed the man His enemies would attack Him for it. Jesus used the opportunity to teach once again. Jesus asked if the Sabbath was a day to do good deeds or a day for doing evil deeds. If He healed the hand He would be doing a good deed. If He did nothing, He would be doing an evil deed. Of course, they would not reply.
The NLT writes that Jesus, "looked at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts." I imagine He was angry that obedience as they wrongly believed would lead them to not help someone in need. I imagine He was saddened that they had hearts so hard that they could not see the need to help or that they could not see the intent of the Law as being such that God wants people to care for one another on any given day. Of course, Jesus healed the man. And, of course, His enemies didn't get it and went off to try to figure out how to kill Jesus. Jesus continued to help those who came to Him from cities all around there. He healed and cast out demons, giving people new hope and life. Jesus had a large group of disciples that followed Him. At this point, He went into the mountains to choose those who would be closest to Him. He called this group His apostles. A disciple is one who believes in the teachings of another and is a follower. A disciple also helps to promote those teachings and principles. An apostle is, in this case, the twelve who were called out of the group of disciples and into His inner circle. Jesus commissioned them to go out to preach and spread the Gospel to the world even after His death. Jesus also gave them the power and authority to cast out demons. These are the twelve He called to be His apostles; Simon, called Peter, James and John, Andrew, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon, the zealot, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. As Jesus began His public ministry, He first called Peter and Andrew to follow Him. They were fishing in the Sea of Galilee. They dropped what they were doing and immediately followed Jesus. Peter was not one most would think Jesus would call but he became the most prominent of Jesus disciples. Jesus changed Peter in amazing ways which prepared him to basically lead a religious revolution and start the Christian church. Peter's name was Simeon or Simon (for short) bar Jona which meant he was Peter/Simeon the son of Jonah (bar Jonah was an Aramaic term.) We know he was born in Bethsaida at the Sea of Galilee. We interpret Bethsaida as meaning "the house of fisherman," which I imagine means a fishing village. When Jesus met Peter, Peter was already married and had moved from Bethsaida to Capernaum. Andrew was Peter's brother. Andrew, which is a Greek name, was also in the fishing business. They both probably spoke Aramaic and Greek. Peter and Andrew had gone into the fishing business with James and John, the sons of Zebedee. This put them in the same spot as James and John when the four were called to follow Jesus. Peter and Andrew had knowledge and an expectation of Jesus coming. They did not know Jesus was the Messiah they were watchful for. They had knowledge of the coming of the Messiah because they had traveled to her John the Baptist teach of the coming judgement of Israel and the call for the people to repent. Peter was a huge part of Jesus ministry and teaching. His life with Jesus teaches us much. Peter worked hard and went through horrible things to the point that he finished his life being crucified. He requested that he be crucified upside down as he was not good enough to be crucified upright as Christ was. It is said that Peter was crucified on Vatican Hill. Excavations have turned up a very old memorial shrine that was built on the spot to remember Peter and his sacrifice. The work Peter did in Rome contributed greatly to the authority of those who followed Peter such as the pope and his office. It is said that Jesus called Phillip third. Phillip may also have been a follower of John the Baptist. He was also from Bethsaida and most likely knew Peter and Andrew. Phillip played a part in the feeding of the 5,000 by saying that even 200 denari was not enough money to even buy a little food for each person. Shortly before Jesus death, some Gentiles wanted to speak with Jesus. Phillip and Andrew were the ones who tried to set such meetings up with Jesus. Phillip was the one who asked Jesus to do something to help him believe more deeply. Phillip was one of the 11 who were in the upper room after Jesus was crucified. Next, came the brothers, James and John, sons to Zebedee and referred to as the "Sons of Thunder." These two were among the very first Jesus called to follow Him. They were fishermen in their father's fishing business. Jesus called them while they were fishing in the Sea of Galilee. Hearing His call in the middle of a work day while fishing, they dropped their nets and went after Him. Jesus nicknamed them the "Sons of Thunder," most often thought because of their hot and aggressive personalities. James was killed by Herod Agrippa the first and is the only death of an apostle recorded in the book of Acts of the New Testament. James was to have taken the Gospel to Spain and is the patron saint of the people of Spain. He is supposed to be buried in Spain and his burial site has been one of great visitation for centuries. We don't know for sure what happened to John. He is reported to have lived a long life to die of old age. Some say he was a martyr just as was his brother James. Bartholomew was sometimes thought of as being Nathaniel but now it is accepted that they are not the same person. Little is known of him except that he was one of the 12. Matthew was a tax collector who was sitting at his booth when Jesus walked by. Jesus told him to follow Him and Matthew got up and followed. Many say that Matthew was also called Levi. Some suggest that Jesus gave him "Levi" as a new name like he renamed Simon as "Peter." If all that is correct, then, Matthew may have been the brother of James, the son of Alphaeus, however, that is not written in the Scriptures. The way such tax collectors worked was that to get to the office of a tax collector, they would have to agree to pay Herod Antipas an agreed on sum of money in advance. Anything the tax collector collected above that, he would then keep. Matthew would have set up his booth like a toll booth taxing goods moving from one area to another. Tax collectors were hated by pretty much everyone because they made their profits by adding charges to the established taxes. Matthew was part of a group often referred to as unclean due to his business. Jesus ate at his home with other such unclean persons as we discussed earlier. He was author of the Gospel of Matthew. It is thought that Matthew had some schooling in the temple, was a Jewish Christian, and lived in Syria. Matthew's ministry was to other Jewish Christians who showed opposition to the local synagogues. Matthew preached in Ethiopia, Persia, Macedonia and he died a martyr's death. Thomas was one of the twelve and is well known for his desire to touch the hands and side of Jesus after He resurrected. However, when Jesus was planning His return to Jerusalem facing certain death, Thomas was willing to go with Him and die with Him if need be. Later, Thomas was with the others who were fishing at the Sea of Galilee when Jesus made them breakfast and revealed Himself to them. When the apostles divided the lands into areas that each were to minister to, Thomas was charged with Parthia, Persia, or India. It is said that Thomas sent Thaddaeus to minister in Edessa. Thomas wrote several works including the Acts of Thomas about his works and the miracles he saw while ministering in India. There are two schools of thought on where Thomas died and was buried. Some claim he was buried in Edessa and others claim somewhere near Madras. James was the son of Alphaeus which suggested that he and Matthew may be brothers. This thought is due to the fact that Matthew is also called the son of Alphaeus. That fact is not written of in the Scriptures. Nothing much is know about this James and not much is written of him in the Scriptures. Thaddaeus is another one of Jesus' apostles that has little written about him. There is a fair amount of confusion about Thaddaeus. He is listed in one place as one of the twelve and in another, he was listed as one of 70 disciples Jesus sent out to minister. One of many holding the name Simon is Simon, called the zealot. Simon (the zealot) was one of the twelve. In some places he is referred to Simon the Cananaean. We might think this refers to him being from Cana but it does not. Here, Cananaean is the Greek use of a word that was written in Aramaic letters. The Aramaic word that means "zealous one." His zealot description is not clearly understood. He could simply have been a zealous person or been a member of a party that was opposed to the Romans occupying Palestine. That group was of a revolutionary nature. Jewish followers of Jesus and also those who opposed Jesus were enraged by Rome taking over the lands. However, Simon was able to work and minister in both groups of people. Nothing more is said of Simon. Last we have Judas Iscariot who will always have the words "who later betrayed Jesus" attached to his name. Judas has no other role in the Scriptures other than the role of the one who betrayed Christ. Some think he may have been part of the revolutionary "Zealots" mentioned earlier. Interestingly, those zealots were known to carry daggers, and follow and murder selected Romans. There are others who think Iscariot is derived from a Hebrew word that means "the liar." Most seem to conclude that Iscariot comes from the town of his birth, Kerioth in Judea. This conclusion is drawn upon the fact that his father's name was Simon Iscariot. It is noted that Simon is the only Apostle who came from Judea. Jesus always knew what Judas was made of and made mention of his character in a variety of places in the Scriptures. Earlier in his involvement, Judas was seemingly a born leader within the ranks of the Apostles. In fact, without the issues in his character, he may have become a great Apostle. As we know, his greed got the best of him and he sold Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver or an average laborer's income for 2-3 months work. The amount was minimal and in those times would be paid as a fine for accidentally killing another person's slave. Scripture is clear that Judas was not on his own in the betrayal of Jesus. The Bible is clear and makes mention that Satan entered Judas and had put the desire to sell Jesus out in his heart. We know Jesus identified Judas as His betrayer during the Last Supper. We know of the identifying kiss given Jesus by Judas in the garden and we know of the shame that came over him later. Matthew describes that time as one in which Judas confessed his betrayal, repented and returned the blood money. He convicted himself and hanged himself. Although in Acts it is written that Judas fell headfirst and burst open and his bowels gushed from his body. Both accounts tell of his death connected to the Field of Blood. That field is located where three valleys connect, the Kidron, the Hinnom and the Tyropoeon. (Much of this material has been collected from The NLT Bible, the Walwood and Zuck Bible Knowledge Commentary, the Archaeological Study Bible, and Reader's Digest Who's Who in the Bible, as well as Google.) Chapter 3 continues with Jesus casting out demons and His lecture to the religious leaders that a house divided cannot stand when they accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan. Jesus ends that encounter by saying that they were blaspheming the Holy Spirit and that blaspheming the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable sin and carried eternal consequences. The chapter closes by Jesus teaching that anyone who does God's will is His brother, sister and mother. We saw chapter one end with Jesus healing a man of leprosy then telling him to not tell anyone what happened but rather to follow the Law of Moses regarding becoming cleansed of leprosy. The man did not follow Jesus' instruction which contributed to Jesus being mobbed and having to stay in secluded places. Even though Jesus was trying to avoid the crowd, people sought Him and found Him no matter where He was.
Several days following that experience, Jesus returned home to Capernaum and of course, news spread that He was there, and again, great crowds came to Him. The place He was in was so filled with people that no one could even get in the door. Jesus used this time to preach God's Word to them. There were four men bringing a friend to Jesus to be healed. They could not get to Jesus, but notice that they did not give up and would not be turned away. They were determined. They hoisted their friend up onto the roof and dug a hole in it and lowered the friend to Jesus. All of them knew beyond a doubt that Jesus cold heal the man. They did what they had to do, even though it was not easy, so they could get him before Jesus. I imagine the whole room was stunned at this guy coming through the ceiling. Some may have even been angry for being interupted. Some may have called these guys names or told them to go away so they could listen to Jesus' teaching. In chapter 2 verse 5 we read, "Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My child, your sins are forgiven." We have a moment of the expression of complete faith in Christ. We see Jesus respond to their expression of faith and trust in Him. When we come before Jesus, do we come with enough faith and enough determination to dig a hole in the roof of our lives and lower ourselves into His presence with all the trust we can muster? Or, do we walk near, see the crowds, make one feeble attempt by shouting out for Jesus to do what we want Him to, and if things don't change in a moment, do we walk away grumbling that He didn't answer our prayer? Do we come before Jesus but not really believe that things will change? Do we ever walk away never fully believing that He can or will help us? These guys came fully committed. They were not going to let some traffic jam get in their way. They believed so much so, that somehow they hoisted their friend on a mat up onto the roof of a building. Somehow they dug a hole in the roof and lowered him right down in front of Jesus. I might add that I find it easy to believe that once they lowered him into the room, they would not be able to hoist him back out. I can easily see that these guys believed it was within their ability to get their friend in front of Jesus but it was Jesus who had to be the one to get the man out of the room. He went in through the roof but would have to either be carried back out the front door or would have to walk out by the power of Jesus Christ. I believe they had no plan to carry him out the front door. They had to feel that if they couldn't get in through that door to carry their friend to Jesus, there was no way they were going to be able to walk in and bring him out. Their faith and trust gave them the drive to do what had to be done on their part and leave the rest, "in trust," up to Jesus. The last thing I want to point out in this encounter is that none of the four men making the effort to get to Jesus was doing it for himself. These four men had a friend in need. They may have called in sick from work or taken a PTO or vacation day to get their friend to the man who could change his life. They saw the need, they made the time taking time out of their own life to take their friend to the only man who could or would heal him. Also, notice there is no mention of where the men came from or how they got there. They could have been next door or they may have been five buddies who had no pickup truck or van to get him there. Maybe they came from 20 miles away and had to carry their friend every step of the way. Maybe it took them three days of walking to get their friend to the man they knew was the only person who could change his life. Do we believe and trust that Jesus can and will change the lives of those around us? Do we believe and trust that He can change lives and even eternal destinations? Is our trust big enough and our faith strong enough to take on such a journey? Do we love those around us enough to take time out of our overly busy lives on behalf of another person in need? Just how much will we trust and believe? Just how much will we care and love? Over and over again in Scripture, Jesus responds to faith by doing great things in the lives of those who come to Him desperate and filled with faith and trust in Him. We can surely learn from these examples. We can surely grow in our faith and trust by studying Jesus' responses to those who call out to Him in faith. Of course, as soon as Jesus does something great and wonderful, there are those who attack Him. What is their goal? Is it to undermine Jesus' work? Do they believe so much in the rules that they cannot see the truth standing before them? I imagine the answer to both of these questions is yes. Jesus responded with a teaching that begins with the words, "Why do you question this in your hearts?" We cannot understand some things in our heads, but I think, somehow our hearts understand things our minds cannot. Why question what our minds cannot understand? Why not move forward with faith and acceptance in our hearts and trust in Christ? Jesus said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home." And the man did. The man walked out the front door and did not need to be hoisted back out the way he came in. The man came in one way but after being with Jesus he went out the door a new man. A man looking forward to a better life, a more whole and complete life. His biggest struggle of life had been healed by the power of Christ. He was new, never to be crippled by life again. The onlookers were stunned. I think that to be stunned something has to happen that you did not expect. Maybe that tells us the crowd was not expecting Jesus to heal the man. Now they knew better. We are told they were all amazed and they began praising God. When Jesus changes our life and circumstances, do we stop and realize what has happened? Do we stop and praise God with all that is in us for what He has done? Do we shout from the rooftops that Jesus Christ is Lord? Does the path of our life change? Jesus then calls Levi (Matthew, a tax collector) to be one of His disciples and he left and followed Jesus. No excuses, no delay. He simply heard the call and got up and went. Levi brought Jesus and the disciples to his house for dinner. They dined with some of Levis' friends and business associates. There were other tax collectors, and a variety of other sinners gathered. Of course, the Pharisees just weren't getting Jesus' ministry and couldn't figure out why Jesus would associate with those they considered scum. Jesus heard their comments and responded ( I love His response in the NLT translation) "Healthy people don't need a doctor - sick people do. I have come to call not on those who THINK they are righteous, but those who KNOW they are sinners." Okay, wow! If you think you have it all together, if you think you are tight with God, maybe then you also don't think Jesus has anything you need. Maybe Jesus knows people with such a mindset won't hear or get what He is saying. Jesus' heart is to help those who know they need help. Jesus was asked why He and His disciples weren't fasting as others were. Fasting was typically an act done in atonement or to express sorrow. Jesus talks of His being among His disciples like a wedding feast. A wedding feast is a time of great joy and celebration. Who, if they found themselves at a wedding, would fast? Would they not celebrate while they were with the groom? Just as there will be a time that the groom will be gone from them, Jesus will also be taken from them. Jesus was talking about His arrest and crucifixion. When that time comes, fasting will be appropriate. However, now that He is with them, this is a time to be full of joy. Jesus then went on to explain that the religion of Judaism was old compared to the newness of the Gospel He brings. His first expression of the differences between the old and new related to fasting. Then Jesus compared the old religion to His Gospel by saying that the old wineskin was like the old religion. It has been used and shrunk and worn out. It was in need of repair. For it to be repaired and last, it would have to be repaired with a a part of an old wineskin. Jesus' Gospel was like a new wineskin that was of new material and had not been shrunk. If you try to take an old material and repair it with new material, the new material would simply pull away and make the old material even worse. Likewise, new wine is put into new, soft and supple wineskins. As the wine ferments, the wineskin ages and changes with the fermenting wine. As you use the fermented wine, the wineskins it fermented in become stiff, unyielding and not flexible. Should you pour new, unfermented wine in the old hard wineskins, they would burst. Pouring new wine in old wineskins would burst the old wine skin, ruining it and the wine. What He was telling His listeners was that you cannot mix the Salvation and Good News He brings with the old religion. He was then attacked again, for as they were walking through the fields, some of them were breaking off the heads of wheat and eating them. They were accused of "harvesting" on the Sabbath. I won't even spend time on this becasue to me breaking a few heads of grain off is hardly what anyone could call "harvesting" or work. This was a weak attempt to find wrong with Jesus and His followers again. Jesus did respond by sharing David's feeding of his men who were in desperate need. The point was that the way the Pharisees continued to interpret the Law was not the intent of the Law and they were doing so wrongly. Jesus ends chapter two by teaching that God made the Sabbath for people. He made it so they could rest and rejuvinate. Maybe so they could spend time with their families. He then spoke to how the Pharisees have taken what was meant to give men rest and turned it into rules that had to be followed or be punished. Instead of being thankful and grateful for the Sabbath, as God intended, the religious leaders had people worshipping, being imprisoned by and fearful of the Sabbath and it's rules. It had become one more day of stress, not a day of peace and rest. Mark, called "John whose other name was Mark." This is the same Mark that Peter went to after he was released from prison. In the book of Acts and in the letters of the New Testament, he is referred to as John called Mark. Dual names such as this were common in his day. His Hebrew name was Johanan (John) and his Latin name was Marcus (Mark).
While in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas enlisted Mark to go with them when they made their first missionary journey. Mark went with them to Antioch then to Cyprus. When they got to Perga on the south coast of today's Turkey, Mark left them and went back to Jerusalem. It seemed, for some reason, he was not happy with Paul which was evident by Paul not wanting Mark to go with them on their second missionary journey. Whatever issue existed, it led to Paul and Barnabas each going their own way. Following that, Barnabas and Mark went on a missionary journey together to Cyprus. Paul ended up taking Silas to Cilicia with him. Mark had a relationship with Peter to the point that Peter called him, "my son." Papias was the one who proposed that Mark write a gospel now called Mark. Papias was the bishop of Hieropolis in Phyrgia. Papias knew many of the New Testament people and was even a student of John. Papias wrote 5 works called, "An exposition of the Lord's Oracles." Mark joined Peter in Rome where he wrote of the activities of Peter. Mark was sometimes mentioned as "the young man" who was with Jesus when He was arrested. Mark barely escaped his own capture that night losing his garment and running off unclothed. This story is somewhat disputed because Papias had written that Mark had never been with theLord or even heard Him speak for that matter. (From "Who's Who in the Bible by Readers Digest.) Mark begins his gospel speaking of "The one who prepared the way" for Jesus. He speaks of the crowds that followed John, confessed their sin and were baptized with water. He describes John the Baptist as long haired in scraggly clothing eating locusts and wild honey. John announced the coming of Jesus declaring himself to not even be worthy enough to untie Christ's sandals. John declared that while he baptized with water, Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit. Mark describes John's encounter with Jesus baptizing Jesus with water and then describes Jesus' baptism of the Spirit. The Spirit's descent on Jesus was followed by God's voice from heaven declaring Jesus to be His dearly loved Son who brings Him great joy. (NLT). The Spirit compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness alone where He would be tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus was in the wilderness with wild animals but cared for by angels. As we know, He did not fall for the lies, promises, and temptations of the devil. A time after that, John the Baptist was arrested and Jesus went into Galilee preaching the Good News of Salvation through the Messiah (which He was and is). He told the people the Kingdom of God is near and they should repent and believe in the Good News. Mark then tells the story of Jesus' call of Simon and his brother Andrew, telling them He will show them how to be fishers of men. Farther along the shore Jesus then calls the brothers James and John who were the sons of Zebedee. Simon - later named Peter by Jesus, Andrew, James and John later became part of the original 12 Apostles. Jesus nicknamed James and John "the sons of thunder." There is no scriptural explanation of the nickname but I have read two thoughts. One is that their father spoke with a deep thunderous voice filled with authority and another more common suggestion is that James and John acted in a thunderous way, filled with passion. When Jesus and the disciples were on their way to Jerusalem, some of the villagers opposed them to which James and John responded by offering to call a rain of fire down on the villagers and destroy them. Mark writes of Jesus' encounter with the man possessed by an evil spirit and that Jesus silenced the spirit and cast him out of the man and how news of Jesus' healing spread. Mark goes on to tell of the many healings and casting out of evil spirits that Jesus performed and how those coming to Him for healing grew and grew in numbers. Jesus was so surrounded by people wanting His help that He went off to pray in an isolated area. He then went on to preach because as Jesus said of himself, "That is why I came." Mark closes chapter 1 with Jesus healing a leper and how that healing just led to more and more people coming to Jesus to be healed. |
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