Interesting things happen between Jesus and his disciples in this passage. It begins with Jesus wanting to spend some time with them, withdrawing to the lake. However the crowds continued to follow him. He never seemed to discourage them from following him, he never seemed annoyed by them, but intent upon serving them. People were coming from all around now, word was getting out about him not only among people but in the spiritual world as well.
11 Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell who he was.
When the evil spirits saw him, they knew exactly who he was and out of submission to His authority, reverence and obligation they bowed before their creator (yes - Jesus even created them too - see John 1:3; Col 1:15-16; Lk 10:18; Job 1:6-7; Phil 2:10-11). They had to acknowledge who Jesus was, and Jesus remained in authority as He ordered them what to do. Do you and I have even the reverence for Jesus that the evil spirits have? Does He have that kind of authority over your life?
When Jesus finally gets away for a few minutes and He called some of His followers to him, twelve of them. In those few minutes those 12 men's lives were dramatically changed for the rest of their lives. In those few minutes Jesus appointed them as apostles and commissioned them to their life's callings. Right there - they went from being disciples - ones who are learning the ways of the master, to apostles - ones carring a message, entrusted to carry on the work that Jesus had taught them and gave them.
It is no mistake that this occurs just after Jesus encounter with the evil spirits. What a dramatic contrast to the rest of the world. The new apostles had just witnessed the extraordinarly authority and power that their master possesses. They were to have that same authority over the spiritual powers of evil (v15), but not in their own authority. They were to be with Jesus and He would send them out to preach (v14). Jesus just uped the stakes for them, they were to be with him always, to learn, to serve, to grow in understanding, both intellectually and experientially. They were not going to miss anything with Jesus; what an extrordinarly relationship. They would also have to respond to Jesus' direction to go out and speak publically of His message of forgiveness and love. Those were the prerequisites to having authority over evil.
Jesus lived with the constant awareness that His departure was ahead of Him. His time on earth as a human was limited but the effects of His presence was to be ongoing for the rest of time. As a result, His followers and apostles were His succession plan, to continue His redemptive work after His departure. He called not only followers, of which he gained many, but He also appointed and designated some to be appostles, those who would carry on and carry out His work for the rest of history, in the power of having been with Him and in His authority.
He is still appointing apostles from His followers today, people who go out with His message and in His authority. Are you one of those?
Friday, September 26, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Mark 3:1-6 -- Pursuing Good
Psa. 36:1 An oracle is within my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For in his own eyes he flatters himself
too much to detect or hate his sin.
3 The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;
he has ceased to be wise and to do good.
4 Even on his bed he plots evil;
he commits himself to a sinful course
and does not reject what is wrong.
Jesus was "on trial" from the moment he stepped on to the world stage. His trail did not start when he was drug before Pilate about to be crucified, but he was on trial from the beginning of his ministry. He was not on trial because he did something wrong, but because he did everything that was good to do and he called everyone around him to do the good they saw to do.
Two of the most significant mentors that I have had, are men whose godliness shows up in goodness. They look for the good to do, their words are used to highlight and draw attention to the good in a situation. They are two men who know each other, but live hundreds of miles apart, yet both have discovered God is in the good. Neither of these men would be call "up-beat" or "positive thinking" for they both think very critically about people and situations, but their thoughts are disciplined to discover and draw out the good. They have often been in situations where they could have been critical in their attitudes or actions, but they did not respond as others around them might have, like the popular opinions of the people around them. Instead their attitudes, words and actions stepped above acceptable social norms and in the process drew me and others to pursue the higher road of the good - for the sake of and to be like - God.
Jesus constantly looked to bring about good wherever and whenever. The good always highlighted God and provided an opportunity for people to interact with him. The good he did either caused people to glorify God or despise him, and so he was on trial. Not everyone wants to do good, except what is good for them.
Do you focus your thoughts on what is good regardless of the implications it may have on you personally? Do you discipline your minds attention to discover and do the good you can do? It is not an easy road to get on and like Jesus you encounter critics who will put you on trial, but you will discover the strength of God's goodness in the process. I encourage you to memorize, meditate and activate Philippians 4:8-9 in your life to help you focus on doing the good that is around you to do.
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For in his own eyes he flatters himself
too much to detect or hate his sin.
3 The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;
he has ceased to be wise and to do good.
4 Even on his bed he plots evil;
he commits himself to a sinful course
and does not reject what is wrong.
Jesus was "on trial" from the moment he stepped on to the world stage. His trail did not start when he was drug before Pilate about to be crucified, but he was on trial from the beginning of his ministry. He was not on trial because he did something wrong, but because he did everything that was good to do and he called everyone around him to do the good they saw to do.
Two of the most significant mentors that I have had, are men whose godliness shows up in goodness. They look for the good to do, their words are used to highlight and draw attention to the good in a situation. They are two men who know each other, but live hundreds of miles apart, yet both have discovered God is in the good. Neither of these men would be call "up-beat" or "positive thinking" for they both think very critically about people and situations, but their thoughts are disciplined to discover and draw out the good. They have often been in situations where they could have been critical in their attitudes or actions, but they did not respond as others around them might have, like the popular opinions of the people around them. Instead their attitudes, words and actions stepped above acceptable social norms and in the process drew me and others to pursue the higher road of the good - for the sake of and to be like - God.
Jesus constantly looked to bring about good wherever and whenever. The good always highlighted God and provided an opportunity for people to interact with him. The good he did either caused people to glorify God or despise him, and so he was on trial. Not everyone wants to do good, except what is good for them.
Do you focus your thoughts on what is good regardless of the implications it may have on you personally? Do you discipline your minds attention to discover and do the good you can do? It is not an easy road to get on and like Jesus you encounter critics who will put you on trial, but you will discover the strength of God's goodness in the process. I encourage you to memorize, meditate and activate Philippians 4:8-9 in your life to help you focus on doing the good that is around you to do.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Mark 2:23-38 -- Relationship or Duty?
also read 1 Sam 21
How quickly we can make rules. Rules make life more orderly. A parent who does not establish rules for their child has just established exhausting chaos. The rules are to support life, to help it be enjoyable, for everyone involved. When our children were young and we were going to a restaurant or shop, we would go over the rules before we went in, to remind everyone of how our time there was to go, so everyone could have a good time, us, those waiting on us, friends or family we might be with, and the strangers also in the same place, our rules were to help everyone have an enjoyable time, while we were there.
the rules were not to make life extraordinarily difficult, dull or discouraging, but to make the most of the time together. We did not establish the rules to be mean to our children, but because we loved them. The rules were not set in stone, but able to change as the children grew and situations demanded it. The children did not set or interpret the rules, we did. Whenever we let the kids set the rules we quickly found ourselves in negotiations with them and the focus was solely on what they wanted.
God longs for us to enjoy him in relationship. So much so that he created a day and set it a part solely for that purpose and called it the Sabbath, a time to be with Him. He established some boundaries for the relationship but over time His children had established a whole series of rules to define and organize what that meant, and soon the negotiations began to try to discover how to keep the rules, get what I want and, oh, by the way, I'll give God a little attention if I remember.
David went to God's house because he had a living relationship with God and knew he could find help from God. He wanted to be with God, to honor Him, to trust and rely on Him, and so God allowed the rules to be changed in that circumstance to provide David and his men with food.
When you God to God's house, do you go to be with Him or to fulfill some duty, to satisfy some expectation, some rule? He wants to be with you, that is what the Sabbath was made for, do you want to be with Him? God wants to make your time with Him enjoyable, to renew your sense of purpose and restore hope.
When David was in God's house, he received more than bread, God provided other things he needed as well. check it out, what was it / why?
How quickly we can make rules. Rules make life more orderly. A parent who does not establish rules for their child has just established exhausting chaos. The rules are to support life, to help it be enjoyable, for everyone involved. When our children were young and we were going to a restaurant or shop, we would go over the rules before we went in, to remind everyone of how our time there was to go, so everyone could have a good time, us, those waiting on us, friends or family we might be with, and the strangers also in the same place, our rules were to help everyone have an enjoyable time, while we were there.
the rules were not to make life extraordinarily difficult, dull or discouraging, but to make the most of the time together. We did not establish the rules to be mean to our children, but because we loved them. The rules were not set in stone, but able to change as the children grew and situations demanded it. The children did not set or interpret the rules, we did. Whenever we let the kids set the rules we quickly found ourselves in negotiations with them and the focus was solely on what they wanted.
God longs for us to enjoy him in relationship. So much so that he created a day and set it a part solely for that purpose and called it the Sabbath, a time to be with Him. He established some boundaries for the relationship but over time His children had established a whole series of rules to define and organize what that meant, and soon the negotiations began to try to discover how to keep the rules, get what I want and, oh, by the way, I'll give God a little attention if I remember.
David went to God's house because he had a living relationship with God and knew he could find help from God. He wanted to be with God, to honor Him, to trust and rely on Him, and so God allowed the rules to be changed in that circumstance to provide David and his men with food.
When you God to God's house, do you go to be with Him or to fulfill some duty, to satisfy some expectation, some rule? He wants to be with you, that is what the Sabbath was made for, do you want to be with Him? God wants to make your time with Him enjoyable, to renew your sense of purpose and restore hope.
When David was in God's house, he received more than bread, God provided other things he needed as well. check it out, what was it / why?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Mark 2:18-22 -- Analog vs Digital
Digital living - A completely new way of doing life.What Jesus offers you and I is life on a completely different wave-length than what the rest of the world operates on. Jesus did not come to patch up the old system. His interest is not in reforming the existing but transform into something completely different with no obvious need or connection to the former. There can be no concessions, no accommodations and no compromises with the old.
It is like trying to pick up a digital signal on an analog piece of equipment, it doesnt work. I once owned an old cell phone and the provider was going to a completely new and different signal type and so I had to replace my phone with one that could operate on the new type of signal.
Jesus says "you used to operate on an analog spirituality and I am offering you a high-definition, digital spirituality" the two ways of living are not remotely compatible.
The old ways where sinners were condemned and excluded are not part of the new ways where they are received and transformed.
There is no fasting where piety is distinguished by withholding and imposing limitations is not a feature to be valued in Jesus presence.
Life with him is marked by an intimate relationship, and time is marked by celebration.
What Jesus brings into a persons life is incompatible with the former ways of living.
How often we attempt to modify and adapt the things Jesus said to make them more palatable and implementable into 'regular-analog' life. When indeed what he calls each of us to demands different systems and values of living, with no connection or resemblance to the former ways of living.
To live a life of giving, to the poor, to the needy, and giving not only financially, but of our attentions and affections. Reaching out to the sick, the spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally sick to bring healing and hope. A life of celebration instead of overwhelm and grief. A life that extends grace instead of judgment. Where love is marked by sacrifice rather than investment. Where 'digital' people have stepped into the eternal resources of life. It is those eternal resources we have to offer, and we can offer them generously, without efficiency.
It is easier I suppose, when the demands that life brings us would seem to fit more conveniently into the former wineskins; in the analog world, where we know better what to expect, what the limitations are, and the lowered expectations are not only acceptable but prudent. And so, we must trust that the changes that Jesus proposes will actually accommodate the demands and stresses that life will bring. We have to trust him with not only the new wine but the new wineskin too, that the new digital system and the new equipment will still allow me to relate to the world I walk and live in.
Are you trying to live a digital life with analog equipment? Are you trying to use old ways of living with a new lifestyle? Is it making a mess? Don't give up on the digital, let him replace your analog way of living, trust him...High definition is coming...
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Mark 2:13-17 -- An Eye for the Ill
Out of a large crowd, Jesus picked one and called him to follow him. Levi would seem to be an unlikely pick of a follower. As a tax collector, he was despised by everyone Jesus might be trying to reach and yet Jesus saw something in the man we would eventually come to know as Matthew. Like the other new followers whom Jesus had called to be with him, Levi also got up from his booth and left a most likely profitable source of income to follow him.
Jesus had dinner at Levi's house. He entered Levi's world before Levi entered his, and Jesus brought all of his disciples with him too. Jesus became known here as the 'friend of sinners' as he ate and seemed to enjoy the company of people so very different from himself.
When challenged by the religious keepers of the law challenged him in his actions, Jesus responded with an insightful picture. "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Jesus clearly makes a connection between a healthy life and a sinful life.
some observations:
Jesus saw and called the sick out of the crowd - Levi was sick, his friends were sick and Jesus knew they would respond to his offer of life.
Jesus led his followers to the spiritually sick. He taught them how to 'see' them and to 'see their illness' when they saw it.
Jesus went to the sick, he didn't wait for them to come to Him. How many times have I heard, or said, "have you gone to see the Dr. yet?" We know Dr.'s don't come looking for sick people, sick people have to go looking for the Dr. Jesus had an entirely different approach, he looked for people willing to take the prescription. He was surrounded by sick people - everywhere he went he saw their illness, but he seemed to look for people who would get up and take what he had to offer.
Jesus also stood up for the sick. It was clear to him that is why he was there. They were not a bother or inconvenience to him. He did not heal them to make his life better nor the world a better place, but he came to them to make their lives whole again; and he had no patience for anyone who was going to look down on them, especially considering that everyone who might look down on a sick person was also sick themselves, and yet not willing to admit their own illness.
Churches often have a way of taking a moral aspect of themselves. Agents to make the world a better (and cleaner) place, morally. Like a fine hotel where people enjoy the amenities of good friends, pleasant music and inspiring messages in a pleasant and comfortable environment. Surrounded by people like themselves and helping new ones become like them.
Jesus I wonder, might view the church more like a hospital than a hotel. Where the focus is on the sick and hurting and the smell of antiseptic assures one of the attempt to control the spread of germs. A place where healing is happening and people are re-gaining strength so they can re-enter a world to live a healthy life and with the strength to help other sick and hurt people.
I am confident Levi and his friends found life, like none other, in the presence of Jesus. More than merely being comfortable with Jesus around, they found comfort in him as their lives were being restored.
Do sinners (sick people) find comfort when they are around me as they regain a healthy life, or are they merely comfortable in their sickness around me.
Jesus had dinner at Levi's house. He entered Levi's world before Levi entered his, and Jesus brought all of his disciples with him too. Jesus became known here as the 'friend of sinners' as he ate and seemed to enjoy the company of people so very different from himself.
When challenged by the religious keepers of the law challenged him in his actions, Jesus responded with an insightful picture. "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Jesus clearly makes a connection between a healthy life and a sinful life.
some observations:
Jesus saw and called the sick out of the crowd - Levi was sick, his friends were sick and Jesus knew they would respond to his offer of life.
Jesus led his followers to the spiritually sick. He taught them how to 'see' them and to 'see their illness' when they saw it.
Jesus went to the sick, he didn't wait for them to come to Him. How many times have I heard, or said, "have you gone to see the Dr. yet?" We know Dr.'s don't come looking for sick people, sick people have to go looking for the Dr. Jesus had an entirely different approach, he looked for people willing to take the prescription. He was surrounded by sick people - everywhere he went he saw their illness, but he seemed to look for people who would get up and take what he had to offer.
Jesus also stood up for the sick. It was clear to him that is why he was there. They were not a bother or inconvenience to him. He did not heal them to make his life better nor the world a better place, but he came to them to make their lives whole again; and he had no patience for anyone who was going to look down on them, especially considering that everyone who might look down on a sick person was also sick themselves, and yet not willing to admit their own illness.
Churches often have a way of taking a moral aspect of themselves. Agents to make the world a better (and cleaner) place, morally. Like a fine hotel where people enjoy the amenities of good friends, pleasant music and inspiring messages in a pleasant and comfortable environment. Surrounded by people like themselves and helping new ones become like them.
Jesus I wonder, might view the church more like a hospital than a hotel. Where the focus is on the sick and hurting and the smell of antiseptic assures one of the attempt to control the spread of germs. A place where healing is happening and people are re-gaining strength so they can re-enter a world to live a healthy life and with the strength to help other sick and hurt people.
I am confident Levi and his friends found life, like none other, in the presence of Jesus. More than merely being comfortable with Jesus around, they found comfort in him as their lives were being restored.
Do sinners (sick people) find comfort when they are around me as they regain a healthy life, or are they merely comfortable in their sickness around me.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Mark 2:1-12 -- The Healing Power of Forgiveness
Friend help friends live well. Real friends will do all they can to help.
We have had some wonderful friends who are helping Sarah our daughter establish her life where she has moved to. They have been taking her out driving to help her get experience. They are helping her move into her new home, helping her get a vehicle. Without our friends we would have no way to help Sarah do what she wants to do with the next step in her life. Friends help friends live well.
We help our friends move, find jobs. But other times we see our friend hurting and we want to help.
We see our friend in great need and our hearts, and schedules, and pockets are moved to help.
Here we have a man who was paralyzed and he had four friends who cared deeply about him. They know their friend is paralyzed – unable to move. They hear about this new teacher, prophet, healer in town. They want to help their friend so they do all they know to do, they pick him up and take him to where Jesus is. Only, once they get there the place is packed, no way to get in.
Now they must have really loved their friend, perhaps something had happened to him to make him paralyzed, they knew him before the accident, when he was a different person, but they have seen the bitterness well up in him over the time since he was unable to move freely.
I have a friend who was paralyzed from an accident, though he doesn’t say it, and might actually deny it, you can see the anger in his heart because of what has happened to him.
Sometimes things happen in a persons life and they paralyze you. A physical action or a word, a lot of things can paralyze a person and keep them from living free.
Sometimes what you and I mostly see are the physical things that paralyze a person, a physical thing in their body, or a relational problem that paralyzes a person, or financial issue, or even emotional issue that seems to be a huge barrier to helping the person move forward in their life and to live freely.
Back to our passage – here we have four guys who in their refusing to give up hope for their friend, begin to think creatively, if we could just get him infront of Jesus I just know he could heal my friend. And so they cut a new door into the room from the roof. I just love creative people who think outside the box. The combination of love for their friend, a deep desire to help him and faith that Jesus could actually help him caused them to be a kind of living sermon of the text of
James 2:26
26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
When Jesus looked at a person – he saw their soul first and understood their deepest need
We see people’s physical problems, financial problems, relational problems,
but Jesus seemed to have a kind of ‘x-ray’ vision that looked beyond the obvious and honed in on the root of the mans problem, what was truly keeping him from responding to God.
1 Sam 16:7
The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
Jesus regarded spiritual blessings far more significant than material blessings; and claimed to posess “authority” – the right and power – to not only heal the body but heal the soul as well.
Jesus knew that what truly paralyzed this man was not the damage to his legs but the damage to his soul. He also knew that the only thing that would truly bring healing was forgiveness. Now we do not know what the man needed to be forgiven of, we do not know what sin he had committed, and the fact that scripture doesn’t reveal that to us is a blessing, because ALL sin brings death, not physical death but the paralyzing sting of ongoing death. The guilt of sin that limits life and keeps you and I from truly living, and living eternally
The World is looking for the antidote to guilt
ER Video
A Dutch poet has called man’s guilt “the root of all human problems”
A British psychologist has called mans sense of having been forgiven “the most healing force in the world”
How often have specialists informed us that many patients could be dismissed from mental institutions if the were only able to convince themselves that their guilt had been truly blotted out..
Jesus never took sin lightly – he never told people “do you have a sense of guilt? Forget about it, move on...”
Instead Jesus saw sin for what it is – an inexcusable departure from God’s holy law (Mk 12:29-30)
29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.e 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'f
Sin has a ‘soul-choking’ effect (mk 4:19)
Mark 4:19-20
19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 2
He knew that getting rid of guilty feelings by allowing a little cruelty, promiscuity, infidelity and saying that “a little is not so bad” ultimately creates more problems than it solves.
He also knew that it was entirely impossible for a person to rid his soul from a sense of guilt by offsetting his sins by good deeds, that philosophy only leads to tragic failure and despair
Instead Jesus knew that the only solution to healing the soul, absolving a person’s guilt – which he proclaimed and provided – was FORGIVENESS – and this on the basis of his own atonement (10:45,
Mark 10:45
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
14:22-23) so he says to the paralyetic “forgiven are you sins.”
The forgiveness Jesus offers does not stand alone – it is “pardon plus” In Christ, God dispels the invalids gloom and guilt and embraces him the arms of his protection and adopting love - “My son, your sins are forgiven” (Rom 5:1)
Now there were some scribes / teachers of the law who accused him of blasphemy
V7 “who can forgive sins but God alone?” a good question – and they are right. No one can forgive sin but God alone.
And even more – how do you know that the sin has been forgiven? How do you know the holy and divine God has been sufficiently appeased?
There are no outward sign of an inward reality of the forgiveness of sin that can be tested and verified – or is there?
9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'?
You can see when someone has been physically healed = they are better
What is the sign that a person has been forgiven – how do you know
How do you know when you have been forgiven?
So often, Jesus took his enemies on their own terms and refuted their acquations and in v8 He acted in full knowledge of their thought process = he knew what was going on inside of them.
It was – in fact – a much easier thing to heal the body than to restore a soul. For even a prophet might heal – but no prophet could ever forgive sins. But Jesus did both before their very eyes, leaving them speechless.
10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ."
There are 2 ways to understand this verse – both of which are good and
A paraphrase “you say that only God can forgive sin, but i will show you that here is a human who has the same power” – that the “Son of Man” has authority =
Emphasising a human Jesus ‘Son of Man’ extraordinarily relating to the divine God
Understand ‘Son of Man’ as Jesus own self-chosen title for himself and would then paraphrase as ‘to show you that I – in person – have the power to forgive sin’.
Either way, the miracle becomes evidence to prove the divine authority of Jesus who able to forgive sin and free this man from every bondage.
Once again, the word of Jesus proves to be effectual, a word of power and authority. As in Genesis, God created from nothing by a word
Heb 11:3
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
So at a word, Jesus, God’s Son brings strength out of weakness, freedom from the bondage of paralysis, forgivenss from the bondage of sin.
Something that was impossible by nature became possible and a paralyzed man walks home with his mat under his arm.
The natural reaction of the crowd was to praise God. All that they saw with their physical eyes was a paralyzed man get up and walk and Jesus, the newest – and most entertaining prophet just stood up to the scribes who were constantly heaping guilt on them through their teachings. The crowd was mesmerized and amazed, but the man who walked home walked away in the freedom of his soul.
A feature of this passage is the faith that the paralyzed man had to exercise to live in the reality of his new gained freedom. It is one thing to be forgiven, another to stand up and walk out by faith – is what we might say because we look at everything backwards. And Jesus know that about us. – but from his point of view – it is one thing to heal a persons body, but another thing entirely to provide their forgivenss – he knows it is ultimately taking him to the cross to provide that forgiveness. We are often too satisfied to mearly be healed physically.
And so he says to the man
He said to the paralytic, 11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
Today, I often hear “I know Jesus has forgiven me, I just can’t forgive myself” and so the person continues to live in bondage to the sin that Jesus has provided the forgiveness for.
For some reason we still feel we must forgive ourselves, that we have some power or ability to forgive ourselves. And so, many of us stay paralyzed.
That is like a doctor giving you a prescription for an illness - and you deciding once you get home with the medication that you wont take it until you are able to reproduce the drug with what you have in your kitchen = and the truth is you cant make penicillin at home – even if it is made from bread mold.
You cant provide forgiveness on your own.
Also when we say “I just cant forgive myself” really says that you owe yourself a debt, that your sin was a sin against your own holiness – and that is a lie that we buy in to. In saying that, we have replaced the holy God with ourselves, that we are not ultimately accountable to him, but to ourselves and that is really matters.
It would be like that paralyzed man saying “as soon as I get over my paralysis in my own mind then i will get up and go to work” He could no more do that than you or i forgive our own sin.
The truth is – Jesus alone forgives sin, and we receive that forgiveness by faith. We believe the reality that he sets us free and we get our souls up off the mat and live free. We apply the prescription of His grace to our souls – and it is his grace that softens our hearts so they can beat again.
More than that, we apply his grace liberally and regularly to counteract the deadening strength of sin
As soon as we begin to think we don’t need it, we have come up with our own homecooked concoction of forgiveness and grace, we begin to move back onto the mat and become paralyzed again.
Then our friends, who care about us, are going to see that things are not right in our lives again, the paralysis is coming back,
Why? What are we going to do? Friends want to help friends live well,
They are going to look for the next solution – “I guess Jesus really wasn’t able to help our friend” when that is not true at all = we just replaced his forgivenss and his grace with our own, we stopped living free by faith.
Jesus offers you freedom – the ability to walk out of here free – truly free
You must receive it by faith – the only thing you do is get up and walk
Maybe you have been living paralized for a long time, something has held you down, You know the bitterness of guilt and you cant seem to get away from it. You can today, you can trust Jesus - that his death on a cross was sufficient to forgive you all your sins.
Maybe you have moved back on the mat and paralysis has crept back over your life. Jesus set you free and you tasted what it was to live free, but when that guilt comes back you try to tackle it yourself instead of saying “no” to that sin and “yes” to the forgiveness of Jesus. STOP trying to come up with your own homecooked concoction of forgiveness and begin to apply the grace of Jesus to your life again, receive his forgivenss again.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Mark 1:40-45 – Intentionally crossing barriers
Jesus compassion drove him to cross any barrier to free someone so they could respond in faith to him.
In Jesus day there was a huge social stigma associated with anyone who contracted the dreaded disease of Leprosy. Leprosy knew no boundaries, it was not an exclusive disease that plagued a particular social, economic, racial or geographical group of people. It did not particularly care how much education a person had. Leprosy could infect anyone from the king to the common merchant to the lowest beggar.
Anyone infected with the disease immediately became a threat and outcast to the community. They were forced to live outside the city walls, often gather with other lepers in caves or anyplace they could find a bit of shelter. Not only were they excluded from the community, but if a healthy person were to come around them, they were required to cry out "Leper, Leper" as it to take the responsibility to announce their shame to the world. There was no hiding the fact they were the lowest, most dispised and threatening people on the earth. And to make matters worse - there was no cure, no hope of cure, they would live every day of the rest of their life and then die an out cast.
Philip Yancey, in his book "The Jesus I Never Knew" tells the story of a trip he made to India. He describes how 2000 years has not lessened the wretching impact of the disease. He met a well educated man in India who contracted leprosy and sat in his car weeping while his daughter was getting married inside the church. He did not dare to go inside and ruin the day for his daughter, for all the guests would run out in fear at one glance of his disfigured face.
In this passage a man came to Jesus, the very act of which would normally cause him to be stoned, so he most likely stopped several yards from Jesus and yelled to him "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus - filled with compassion, moved to him, reached out to him and touched him. "I am willing, be clean" There was no barrier that prevented Jesus from offering compassion, healing, love, except perhaps the barrier of lack of faith. The other lepers - who are not mentioned, but likely there - did not receive healing, but all that Jesus could possibly do to bring healing - physical & spiritual healing - he did.
What barriers did Jesus cross to come to you? - have you forgotten those barriers that kept you from living life?
The man who was healed would likey carry the scars of his leprosy for the rest of his life. He will have a choice, to try to hide the scars so he would fit back into the community around him or live each day with those scars exposed for the world to see and take each opportunity to proclaim how he encountered Jesus who healed him and brought him back to life.
Which option have you chosen? Do you hide your scars so you can fit in to the rest of the world, who works hard to hide their own scars. Or, do you let the world see the scars of your lfie and take each opportunity to tell how Jesus brought you back to life?
Jesus commands the leaper not to tell anyone, but instead he goes out and begins to talk freely. Because of the mans disobedience, Jesus was no longer free to travel openly, instead staying outside in lonely places.
Jesus and the Leper traded pillows.
In Jesus day there was a huge social stigma associated with anyone who contracted the dreaded disease of Leprosy. Leprosy knew no boundaries, it was not an exclusive disease that plagued a particular social, economic, racial or geographical group of people. It did not particularly care how much education a person had. Leprosy could infect anyone from the king to the common merchant to the lowest beggar.
Anyone infected with the disease immediately became a threat and outcast to the community. They were forced to live outside the city walls, often gather with other lepers in caves or anyplace they could find a bit of shelter. Not only were they excluded from the community, but if a healthy person were to come around them, they were required to cry out "Leper, Leper" as it to take the responsibility to announce their shame to the world. There was no hiding the fact they were the lowest, most dispised and threatening people on the earth. And to make matters worse - there was no cure, no hope of cure, they would live every day of the rest of their life and then die an out cast.
Philip Yancey, in his book "The Jesus I Never Knew" tells the story of a trip he made to India. He describes how 2000 years has not lessened the wretching impact of the disease. He met a well educated man in India who contracted leprosy and sat in his car weeping while his daughter was getting married inside the church. He did not dare to go inside and ruin the day for his daughter, for all the guests would run out in fear at one glance of his disfigured face.
In this passage a man came to Jesus, the very act of which would normally cause him to be stoned, so he most likely stopped several yards from Jesus and yelled to him "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus - filled with compassion, moved to him, reached out to him and touched him. "I am willing, be clean" There was no barrier that prevented Jesus from offering compassion, healing, love, except perhaps the barrier of lack of faith. The other lepers - who are not mentioned, but likely there - did not receive healing, but all that Jesus could possibly do to bring healing - physical & spiritual healing - he did.
What barriers did Jesus cross to come to you? - have you forgotten those barriers that kept you from living life?
The man who was healed would likey carry the scars of his leprosy for the rest of his life. He will have a choice, to try to hide the scars so he would fit back into the community around him or live each day with those scars exposed for the world to see and take each opportunity to proclaim how he encountered Jesus who healed him and brought him back to life.
Which option have you chosen? Do you hide your scars so you can fit in to the rest of the world, who works hard to hide their own scars. Or, do you let the world see the scars of your lfie and take each opportunity to tell how Jesus brought you back to life?
Jesus commands the leaper not to tell anyone, but instead he goes out and begins to talk freely. Because of the mans disobedience, Jesus was no longer free to travel openly, instead staying outside in lonely places.
Jesus and the Leper traded pillows.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Mark 1:35-39 -- Prayer Fueled Purpose
From Intentional Prayer comes Intentional Purpose
Prayer was not a spiritual discipline of Jesus life, but a distinguishing feature of his life; as common and necessary as sleep or eating a meal. Just as sleep provides rest and a meal brings physical strength, prayer fueled the priorities of Jesus life. His abiding relationship with the Father grew from the foundation of his intentional prayer life of hearing and communing with his Father.
"Very early in the morning..." This was the first thing Jesus did, hearing from his Father was a priority to Jesus and it was more important to him than was his sleep. Mark tells us he "left the house and went off to a solitary place"; Jesus separated himself for a time from the demands and responsibilities of his life, and the people around him - all the other voices who would like to tell him what he should be doing. What was important yesterday was left behind.
Jesus seemed to reserve very little - if any - time just for himself, even in his prayer time, he was not alone with his own thoughts. For Jesus, everything was done in relationship, even the early morning hours were reserved for an intentional time with his Father.
Simon Peter, woke up, found him missing and went looking for him. At this time, Peter was not particularly a help to Jesus, but a demand upon him, like a young child to his parent. Others priorities will always come looking for you, but Jesus was not swayed. His time with his Father renewed his own sense of priority and purpose. Many will loose their sense of priority and purpose in their life and get caught-up in the swell of others demands upon them. No one has the strength, on their own, to set and maintain their own priorities for a sustained length of time, even though we might think we can. How many christians have struggled to maintain a consistent prayer life, even though they know it is important. We try to "balance" it with all the other things in our lives and negotiate our priorities. In Jesus' life, there was no negotiating of priorities, instead they were fueled by his prayer time with his Father and his response was obedience.
"let us go somewhere else..." "This is why I have come" These were very clear directions and priorities.
Jesus spent time with the Father, regularly, in prayer. He made that the highest priority, not one good thing among multiple good things, but THE BEST thing he did all day. As a result he received the strength to do what he needed to that day.
Would the purposes of your day be fueled by your prayer life? How are the directions for your day determined?
Prayer was not a spiritual discipline of Jesus life, but a distinguishing feature of his life; as common and necessary as sleep or eating a meal. Just as sleep provides rest and a meal brings physical strength, prayer fueled the priorities of Jesus life. His abiding relationship with the Father grew from the foundation of his intentional prayer life of hearing and communing with his Father.
"Very early in the morning..." This was the first thing Jesus did, hearing from his Father was a priority to Jesus and it was more important to him than was his sleep. Mark tells us he "left the house and went off to a solitary place"; Jesus separated himself for a time from the demands and responsibilities of his life, and the people around him - all the other voices who would like to tell him what he should be doing. What was important yesterday was left behind.
Jesus seemed to reserve very little - if any - time just for himself, even in his prayer time, he was not alone with his own thoughts. For Jesus, everything was done in relationship, even the early morning hours were reserved for an intentional time with his Father.
Simon Peter, woke up, found him missing and went looking for him. At this time, Peter was not particularly a help to Jesus, but a demand upon him, like a young child to his parent. Others priorities will always come looking for you, but Jesus was not swayed. His time with his Father renewed his own sense of priority and purpose. Many will loose their sense of priority and purpose in their life and get caught-up in the swell of others demands upon them. No one has the strength, on their own, to set and maintain their own priorities for a sustained length of time, even though we might think we can. How many christians have struggled to maintain a consistent prayer life, even though they know it is important. We try to "balance" it with all the other things in our lives and negotiate our priorities. In Jesus' life, there was no negotiating of priorities, instead they were fueled by his prayer time with his Father and his response was obedience.
"let us go somewhere else..." "This is why I have come" These were very clear directions and priorities.
Jesus spent time with the Father, regularly, in prayer. He made that the highest priority, not one good thing among multiple good things, but THE BEST thing he did all day. As a result he received the strength to do what he needed to that day.
Would the purposes of your day be fueled by your prayer life? How are the directions for your day determined?
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Mark 1:21-34 -- The Power of Intentionality
Intentionality has amazing power. So much of life we “take it as it comes”. We become responders to life. There is a driven-ness and purposefulness that begins to arise in the life of Jesus. The man whose life was only months before, hidden from public attention in the little village of Nazareth, now he stands in the synagogue in Capernaum, a major trade center for the region. People were amazed by him, there was something very different about this Jesus. He was not like the other teachers who they are used to hearing, He actually had authority in His teaching, a power they were not used to experiencing.Then an interesting situation develops; there was a man IN their synagogue that was possessed by an evil spirit, and he was not alone “what do you want with US… have you come to destroy US?” It is not clear whether the people in the synagogue knew the man was possessed by an evil spirit, and allowed the spirit to control the man and influence the community without knowing how to handle it, or, perhaps they did not have the spiritual awareness to recognize what was really going on and responded to the man as a 'troublemaker' or just 'odd'. Regardless, the man was in their spiritual community with an evil spirit.
Then the evil spirit identifies Jesus – “the Holy One of God”. The evil and unholy knows the holy, and not only does he know Him, but responds as Jesus commands the evil spirit to come out of the man.
There are evil influences and spirits at work still today. They can be hiding anywhere, in anyone. Notice, Jesus does not condemn the spirit, he does not destroy it, but commands it, to which it must obey. Jesus chief concern is the life of the man who he cleanses and sets free from the evil spirit. God created each person with a free will so they can freely respond to Jesus. Jesus mission was not to destroy evil, that day is still to come, but His mission was to set people free to respond to Him out of their own – unencumbered will.
After Jesus left the synagogue, He encounters Peter’s mother-n-law who is sick, and Jesus heals her. Notice what she does next – she begins to wait on Jesus. When Jesus heals someone, or sets them free from an evil spirit, it is not for their comfort, but it is so they – and / or others can respond to Jesus in some way. He wants to free each of us from anything that hinders us from responding to Him. He truly desires relationship and will remove any barrier that prevents us from knowing Him in a relationship. Every sickness is not a hindrance to responding to Jesus, but some are and He will heal.
Do you need to experience the freedom from evil so you too can respond to the holiness of God in some way? You may be “in the church” but still controlled by an evil power. What is preventing you from responding to Jesus? The authority of Jesus has the power to set you free.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Mark 1:14-19 -- Intentional Followers of Jesus
In an intentional gospel, timing is crucial.After John is removed from the scene, with his calling completed and his time coming to a close, Jesus now picks up not only his own mission from God, but Johns message of repentance as well. "The time has come" he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Jesus came to call all humanity to a new and different way of living and experiencing God. In a "kingdom of God".
The notion of God having a kingdom, or that it was part of God's 'good news' was a new phenomenon. Encountering this kingdom required an intentional activity on the part of each hearer - "repent and believe". He called each person to a new way of living life - He completely changes the direction of your life, based on your faith.
From the beginning, Jesus was calling people to follow him. In first century Jewish culture, for a young man to follow a rabbi was a great privilege. To be a disciple of traveling teacher was a highly sought after opportunity. Often a young man would approach a rabbi and ASK to be one of his disciples. The rabbi might ask the young person to recite for him the Torah (the first 5 books of our Bible). This was to be memorized by every Jewish young person. Assuming the young protege could recite this to the rabbis satisfaction, then the rabbi might ask him to recite sections of the writings of different prophets. Then he might pose the question "Why should I let you be my trusted disciple?
For a rabbi would pour his own life into his disciples, they would travel, eat, and be with the rabbi closely to learn not only what the rabbi taught, but what they thought, how they were influenced, how they lived. The disciple was to become "like" the rabbi in every way to be a good follower.
Often, the rabbi might reply to a prospective student "you are a fine student, and you will make a very good farmer..." The young person did not make the cut, either based on what he didn't know, or his response, or sometimes based on his family connections, or status in the community, a rabbi would not accept the young man.
Now Jesus comes along. He is not waiting for people to want to follow him, but rather calling them to an immediate life change. (consider 10:17-22) He is not looking for disciples with a standard of intellectual or social or charismatic abilities based on what the person knew or had accomplished, but rather the responsiveness of their hearts. He was not calling them to be like Him, but to be themselves (fishermen) with a new purpose - his purpose - to call people to His Fathers kingdom, for he knew that the people in His Fathers kingdom would be like him, in the ways that they needed to be.
The intentionality of following layed with Simon, Andrew, James and John. Jesus was not like other rabbi's to accept or reject them, but they - themselves - determined their own acceptance - will they follow Jesus? Do they have the propensity to lay down their lives? They passed their first test "At once they left their nets and followed him"
What about you? Does your heart have the intentionality to follow Jesus? Would you have laid your nets aside and immediately followed Him? How would you prove that today?
Reply to me and let me know how you would show your intentionality to follow Jesus today.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Mark 1:9-13 - The Baptism & Temptation of Jesus
The gospel of Mark is a fast paced gospel in comparison to the others. Generally, the book is written in short and simple sentences, but don’t confuse that with simple meanings or understandings. His short sentences raise lots of deep questions about just who Jesus is and what his life was about. In this passage, Mark packs a lot of punch into a few short verses.
In this short passage three amazing things occur that have significance for our own faith.
First – In verse 9, Jesus came to John to be baptized. Yesterday, we considered how the baptism that John conducted was a baptism of repentance and forgiveness of sin (Mark 1:4). In 2 Cor 5:21, 1 Peter 2:22 and 1 Jn 3:5 it is clear that Jesus was sinless. As an additional challenge, consider what Jesus says of his own baptism in Mark 10:38-39 or Acts 19:1-6 and Romans 6:1-4
If Jesus was sinless – why was he baptized by John?
Some have suggested that it was to provide an example that all of his followers should be baptized.
Or, a way for him to identify with humanity; Or, an example of Christ’s submission to the Father
Read Matt 3:14-15 – He was baptized to “fulfill all righteousness” – what does that mean? Wasn’t he already righteous?
Question one that you can reply to me about – Why was Jesus baptized, and more importantly, what does that mean for your faith?
The next amazing thing that Mark tells us is that as Jesus was coming out of the water we have a picture of the Father and Holy Spirit bearing witness of Jesus, one of the great Trinitarian passages. This is one of the few places in scripture where we see the entire Godhead at the same place at the same time. As in Genesis 1, here we see God speak his Word and the Spirit ‘hovering’ over the water. In Genesis, God was creating. Jesus was already God’s Son according to Mark 1:1, so God was not endowing a human Jesus with divinity (as some might wrongly derive), but what was going on? It is interesting the next time we hear God's voice is at the transfiguration and in Mark 9:17 the Father says the same message.
Question 2 – What is the significance of the appearance of the Trinity at Jesus baptism, and more importantly, what does that mean in regards to your own relationship with him?
The last amazing thing that happens in this passage is immediately after his baptism, the Spirit sends Jesus into the desert to be tempted by Satan. We see the Spirit of God in two very distinct lights, one as a gentle dove that is hovering over him in the water and then next as a powerful and demanding force that is sending him into a wilderness to be tempted. To the first century readers of Mark, the wilderness was no fun or glamorous camp trip, but a place of great danger and anxiety. To the first century person, the wilderness was the place of evil spirits, danger and wild animals who would see you as either danger to themselves or food. It would be in someways as if Jesus were to be lead to spend 40 days homeless in the streets of the downtown eastside, though not to minster to the inhabitants but to survive alone.
Considering that Jesus was both man and God, Question 3 - Why would the Spirit lead Jesus into a place of great risk, danger and temptation? If the Spirit would lead Jesus to this place would he not lead you to times of great testing as well? Why does it not seem Jesus was anxious to get out of the wilderness, could you rely on that same strength and resource?
The Intentionality of God – by words
Isa 40:3-5; Matt 3:1-6; Luke 3:3-6; John 1:1-2
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Mark 1:8 “...he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
John 1:1-2
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
Mark begins his writing declaring a gospel – a message of good news.
There is amazing power in a word. A simple spoken word can change everything. A word spoken from a parent to a child can influence a child’s entire life. A word spoken from a spouse can bring love or discord into a relationship.
· They have already responded to the preaching of sin and in conviction confessed and repented their sins;
· They have received forgiveness and experienced their public declaration of faith through baptism by water;
· And like John, they humbly recognized the power and position of Jesus the Son of God who baptizes them with the Holy Spirit.
Mark begins his writing with God’s invitation for he knows God’s Spirit longs to reveal the incredible good news of Jesus Christ on the subsequent pages of his book.
Study of the Gospel of Mark
At The Bridge this fall, we will be walking through the gospel of Mark. I have titled this series "an intentional message; an intentional life" because I believe Mark has a lot to say about living our faith in today's world. There are 16 chapters in Mark. Each Sunday I will be preaching from a successive chapter in Mark, and during the week I will be posting additional devotional Bible studies from that chapter.
I encourage you to use this blog in your devotional time over the fall as we will walk through the book of Mark together. I also encourage you to post your own thoughts, questions, or ways this study is challenging your own life.
I will be moderating the posts. Any response that you want to ask me personally and do not want publicly posted please start with "Private" and I will respect your request.
I look forward to our study together, and even more, I look forward to seeing how God shapes us through His intentional message for an intentional life.
Monday, September 8, 2008
The Gospel of Mark – Background Notes
This is a compilation of notes to assist a study of the book of Mark.
Mark is generally considered the first gospel account of Jesus that was written. Matthew & Luke likely drew on the writing of Mark as those subsequent gospels were composed.
The vast majority of commentators believe the gospel of Mark was written by John Mark, the student of Peter and traveling companion of Paul and Barnabas.
The life of John - Mark
Time-line of John Marks life
HELLENISM
The Gospel according to Mark
Theological Contribution
Mark is generally considered the first gospel account of Jesus that was written. Matthew & Luke likely drew on the writing of Mark as those subsequent gospels were composed.
The vast majority of commentators believe the gospel of Mark was written by John Mark, the student of Peter and traveling companion of Paul and Barnabas.
The life of John - Mark
Jewish name – John / Roman name – Mark - he gradually came to supersede his Jewish name – called John in Acts 13:5, 13 and then Mark in Acts 15:39, 2 Tim4:11
John Mark lived in Jerusalem.
Father – no information – presumed dead
Mother - Mary – of some financial means / influence – owns a large home with servants. The family is originally from Cypress. She likely had given significant resources to the apostles (Acts 4:32-37) as her home seemed to be a main meeting location for the church. No known siblings.
Cousin – (Joseph) Barnabas –(Col 4:10); A Levite (of priestly background) who "sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostle's feet" (Acts 4:36-37), He was one of the first believers in Jerusalem to support Saul (Paul) in the authenticity of his conversion to the other brothers (Act 9:27). Barnabas was sent by the church in Jerusalem to Antioch to guide the new church as it began to grow (Acts 11:22-23). He went to find Paul in Tarsus and bring him to Antioch where they stayed together for a year helping the new church get established in the faith. Barnabas convinces Paul to take John Mark with them on their first missionary journey.
Converted to Christianity by Peter who calls him "his son" (1 Pet 5:14). Peter gave John Mark much attention in helping him grow in his faith – likely as a result of the prominence of his family in the faith community and his earnest desire to grow. Mark was at his mothers home when Peter arrived after his miraculous release from prison (Acts 12:12) - the only man identified by name from the "many people gathered there to pray".
Papias (AD 60-130) and Clement of Alexandrea (AD 150-215) report that Mark was the close attendant and "interpreter" of Peter and wrote his gospel from the recollections and teachings of Peter. (Nelson, ISBE)
Other tradition says Mark had been a priest (Barnabas, and the family, was a Levite) and after becoming a Christian he amputated a finger to disqualify himself for that service and gained the nickname kolobo-daktulos, "stumpy fingered".
Time-line of John Marks life
Date | Description | Location | Reference |
34 (approx age – 15yrs) | Probable that Mark is the young man running from the soldiers at Jesus' arrest. – Eyewitness of Jesus arrest. Likely he would have been a teenager since he was called a young man. In Jewish culture a boy became a man at 12. (Eastons Bible Dictionary, Fausset's ) | Mount of Olives, outside of Jerusalem | Mark 14:51-52 A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, 52 he fled naked, leaving his garment behind. |
41-43 (22 yrs) | Mary's home (mother) after Peter's release from prison Peter was imprisoned by Herod Agrippa I (reigned 41-44 AD) Agrippa died Some believe it is in this time John-Mark is converted to Christianity by Peter | Jersualem | Acts 12:12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. |
45 (26 yrs) | Accompanies Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. Paul and Barnabas are part of the first church in Antioch. | First Christian church – in Antioch | Acts 12:25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark. |
46 (27yrs) | Accompanies Paul and Barnabas on first missionary journey as an "assistant" Begin preaching in Jewish Synagogues. | Cypress – Salamis - hometown of Barnabas & John Mark | Acts 13:4-5 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. |
Late 46 | Traveled through island of Cypress with Paul & Barnabas Arrive in Paphos – encounter popular Jewish sorcerer / false prophet Elymas – Attendant of Sergius Paulus – Roman Proconsul (gentile) – Saul curses Elymas who becomes blind – Sergius Paulus becomes believer through faith in Jesus. First known gentile convert on Pauls journeys | Paphos – on Island of Cypress | Acts 13:6-12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord. |
47 (28 yrs) | Paul, Baranabas and JohnMark travel by ship to Perga John leaves Paul and Barnabas and returns to the home of his mother in Jersualem | Perga | Acts 13:13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. |
49-50 (30 yrs) | Paul rejects Mark from going on next journey A "sharp dispute" between Paul & Barnabas over Marks involvement in the ministry divided the partnership. Barnabas leaves Paul and takes John Mark to Cypress Tradition states he stayed in Cypress until Barnabas' death (who was living in 57 AD according to 1 Cor 9:5) | Jersualem | Acts 15:37-40 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, |
60-62 (41 yrs) | In prison with Paul Paul wrote Colossians during his first imprisonment in Rome (Acts 28:16) Paul now calls him Mark Letters to Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon sent at this same time | Rome | Col 4:10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) Philem 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. |
63 (44 yrs) | Mark wrote the gospel of Mark Strong tradition that Mark derived his information mainly from the teachings of Peter | Rome | Papias (60-130) Clement of Alexandria (150-215) Eastons Bible Dictionary; |
65 (46 yrs) | With Peter in Babylon in the Euphrates | Babylon (Rome?) | 1 Peter 5:13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark |
66-67 (47 yrs) | 2 Timothy was written by Paul in Rome near the end of his life(68?) Mark is likely with Paul and Peter near the ends of their lives (68-69) | 2 Tim 4:10-11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry | |
68 (49 yrs) | Tradition states that Peter sent Mark on a mission to Egypt. As the first evangelist to Egypt, Mark founded churches in Alexandria; becomes first bishop of the city. According to Eusebius: "So great were his converts, both in number and sincerity of commitment that the great Jewish philosopher, Philo, was amazed" Mark dies in Alexandria, some say martyred– date unknown Tradition states that in 815AD Venetian soldiers stole Marks remains from Alexandria and place them under the church of St. Mark in Venice. | ISBE; Fausset; Unger; |
( age timeline purely speculative and for general understanding of possible age of Mark at different stages of his life)
HELLENISM
"The Hellenistic age is rather the sudden unfolding of a flower whose bud was forming and maturing for centuries."
Hellenism – was a time of great political and social change in world and a name we give to the manifold achievements of the Greeks in social and political institutions. It is represented by the spread of the Greek culture and civilization that spread through civilization in the wake of Alexander the Great. He proposed to solve to problem of ruling the heterogenous world by applying a narrow nationalism and instead impose a culture that would transcend national boundaries – where all people could be accepted and 'at home'. This basically meant that the greek way of life would be extended to non-greeks, but in the process there became an amalgamation of Greek and non-Greek ideas and resulted in Hellenism. Hellenism was far from being 'pure Greek', but the Greek culture dominated the whole. It's affects were revealed through the expansion of the arts, science and philosophy, both in morals and religion.
Sometimes the Greek influence was most obvious in 'surface matters' like the wearing of Greek dress or a focus on athletic contests like the Greek games. Other times it penetrated deeply in to the relms of religion and philosophy. Hellenism was 'all embracing' and 'tolerance' it's chief value. Alexander encouraged a thorough mixing of the conquerors and the conquered by intermarriage; marriage was redefined by Hellenism.
Generally, Hellenism was not seen as a 'bad thing' by the populous, but the Jewish culture struggled greatly and did not welcome these 'new ways of thinking'. Though the traditional Jewish culture began to accept the Greek language they rejected the religious plurality and immorality that accompanied the Hellenistic culture. On the whole, most cultures, excluding the Hebrew culture, welcomed Hellenism with it's notable scholars, artists and scientists and many were impressed by the superiority of the Greek achievements. It became fashionable to adopt the latest Greek fads.
The Greek language was the influential force in the whole process, the whole known world spoke Greek and was a great convenience to the first Christian missionaries who took the gospel abroad because they did not have to learn another language. The world came together and was unified by the Hellenistic force of the Greek ideals and culture.
When Socrates was asked what country he belonged to, he supposedly replied "I am a citizen of the world" and Diogenes adhered to the same idea when he called himself kosmopolites – a "world-citizen" – the worlds first cosmopolitans.
In a cosmopolitan world – the local issues and concerns of the city-states were never allowed to dominate over the 'wave' of the Greek culture and thought that was overtaking the world.
The world was giving birth to the concept of democracy that was marked first by the inclination to permit the free development and expression of individuality that was subordinated to the common good. There was a recognition that no individual should subject their own individuality over the whole, but that as an individual subjected themselves to the whole and became part of the common good they were free to express their individuality and in fact they began to change to become part of the whole.
(from International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, All rights reserved.)
The Gospel according to Mark
The second book of the New Testament and the earliest of the four gospels, according to most New Testament scholars. The Gospel of Mark portrays the person of Jesus more by what He does than by what He says. It is characterized by a vivid, direct style that leaves the impression of familiarity with the original events.
Although Mark is the shortest of the four gospels, it pays close attention to matters of human interest. Mark is fond of linking the episodes of Jesus' ministry together with catchwords (for example, "immediately," "then"), rather than editorial comment; and frequently he interrupts a longer story by inserting a smaller one within it (Mark 5:21-43; 6:6-30; 11:12-25; 14:1-11).
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
- It is the current and apparently well-founded tradition that Mark derived his information mainly from the discourses of Peter. In his mother's house he would have abundant opportunities of obtaining information from the other apostles and their coadjutors, yet he was "the disciple and interpreter of Peter" specially.
As to the time when it was written, the Gospel furnishes us with no definite information. Mark makes no mention of the destruction of Jerusalem, hence it must have been written before that event, and probably about A.D. 63 AD.
According to Eusebius, the place where it was written was probably Rome. Some have supposed Antioch (comp. Mark 15:21 with Acts 11:20).
It was intended primarily for Romans. This appears probable when it is considered that it makes no reference to the Jewish law, and that the writer takes care to interpret words which a Gentile would be likely to misunderstand, such as, "Boanerges" (3:17); "Talitha cumi" (5:41); "Corban" (7:11); "Bartimaeus" (10:46); "Abba" (14:36); "Eloi," etc. (15:34). Jewish usages are also explained (7:3; 14:3,12; 15:42). Mark also uses certain Latin words not found in any of the other Gospels, as "speculator" (6:27, rendered, A.V., "executioner;" R.V., "soldier of his guard"), "xestes" (a corruption of sextarius, rendered "pots," 7:4,8), "quadrans" (12:42, rendered "a farthing"), "centurion" (15:39,44,45). He only twice quotes from the Old Testament (1:2; 15:28).
(from Easton's Bible Dictionary.)
Theological Contribution
Mark begins his gospel with the statement, "The beginning of the gospel [good news] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (1:1); and the last human to speak in the gospel is the centurion who confesses at the cross, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!" (15:39). One of Mark's key objectives is to portray Jesus as God's Son. At decisive points in his story, he reveals the mystery of Jesus' person. At the baptism (1:11) and transfiguration (9:7) the Father in heaven calls Jesus "My beloved Son," thus indicating that Jesus shares a unique relationship with the Father. Demons recognize Jesus as God's Son, too (1:24; 3:11; 5:7), testifying that Jesus is equipped with God's authority and power.
Mark, however, is careful to avoid portraying Jesus as an unrealistic superstar whose feet do not touch the ground. The Son of God is not immune from the problems of life, but enters fully into them. He must be obedient to the will of the Father, even to death on a cross. Mark portrays Jesus according to the model of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah. Thus, Jesus tells a parable, which ultimately reflects His own fate: the only son of the owner of a vineyard suffers rejection and death at the hands of rebellious tenant farmers (12:1-12).
Furthermore, Mark does not emphasize Jesus' deity at the expense of His humanity. Jesus appears sorrowful (14:34), disappointed (8:12), displeased (10:14), angry (11:15-17), amazed (6:6), and fatigued (4:38). In no other gospel is Jesus' humanity presented as strongly as in the Gospel of Mark.
For Mark, faith and discipleship have no meaning apart from following the suffering Son of God. Faith is not a magic that works independently of the believer's participation (6:1-6); rather, it draws the believer into intimate union with Jesus as Lord (9:14-29). Jesus' disciples are to be with Him as He is with the Father, and they are given the same tasks of proclamation and power over the forces of evil as He had (3:13-15; 6:7).
As the Son of Man serves in self-abasement, so too must His disciples serve (10:42-45). Discipleship with Christ leads to self-denial and suffering: "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (8:34). This, however, is not a matter of a religious desire to suffer; rather, when one loses his life, he finds it in Christ (8:35). Thus, one can only know and confess Jesus as God's Son from the vantage point of the cross (15:39). It is only through the Son of God who suffers and dies that we may see into the heart of God (symbolized by the tearing of the Temple curtain, thus exposing the Holy of Holies) and enter into fellowship with the Father.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
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