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A
Doctrinal
And
Devotional
Commentary
On the
Gospel of Mark

Part 2

Written by Rénald Leroux Jr.

Info Page

A Doctrinal and Devotional Commentary of the Gospel of Mark

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author except as provided by the Canadian copyright laws.

Scripture quotations are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Bibliography

Adam Clark Commentary (On Line)

Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible (On Line)

Arno Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (On Line)

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible(On Line)

Complete Word Study N-T by Spiros Zodhiates Editor (AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.A.)

Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible (On Line)

Expository Dictionary of N-T Words by W.E. Vine (Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A.)

Expository notes of Dr. Thomas Constable (On Line)

Interlinear Hebrew/Greek English Bible by Jay Green (Associated Pub. and authors, Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.A.)

John Gill’s exposition of the whole Bible (On Line)

Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible (On Line)

Strong’s exhaustive concordance of the Bible (Abingdon Pub., Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A.)

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible (On Line)

Word Studies in the N-T by Marvin R. Vincent (Eerdmans Pub., Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A.)

Word Study Concordance (Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, U.S.A.)

Word study New Testament (Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, U.S.A.)

41. Questions on divorce (10:1-12)

42. Jesus and the little children (10:13-16)

43. The rich young man (10:17-31)

44. Jesus predicts his death again (10:32-34)

45. James, John & Jesus (10:35-45)

46. Bartimaeus by the road (10:46-52)

47. The triumphal entry (11:1-11)

48. Jesus clears the Temple (11:12-19)

49. Jesus and the fig tree (11:20-26)

50. Jesus’ authority is questioned (11:27-33)

51. The parable of the Tenants (12:1-12)

52. Paying taxes (12:13-17)

53. Marriage and the resurrection (12:18-27)

54. The greatest commandment (12:28-34)

55. Whose son is the Christ? (12:35-40)

56. The widow’s offering (12:41-44)

57. Signs of the end of the age (13:1-27)

58. The day and the hour (13:28-37)

59. Jesus is anointed (14:1-11)

60. The Lord’s Supper (14:12-26)

61. Jesus predicts Peter’s denial (14:27-31)

62. The garden of Gethsemane (14:32-42)

63. Jesus is arrested (14:43-52)

64. Jesus is before the Sanhedrin (14:53-72)

65. Jesus stands before Pilate (15:1-15)

66. The soldiers mock Jesus (15:16-20)

67. The crucifixion (15:21-32)

68. The death of Jesus (15:33-41)

69. The burial of Jesus (15:42-47)

70. The resurrection of Jesus (16:1-8)

71. Jesus appears to his disciples (16:9-20)

Table-of-contents

Introduction to the Gospel of Mark

1. Author

Strictly speaking this gospel is anonymous. There are no reference within the text that reveals who the author is.

Outside sources state that it was John-Mark (the cousin of Barnabas, Col. 4:10) who was the author. This is a short list of men who thought John-Mark was the author:

Polycarp (c. 110-150)
Hermas (c. 115-140)
Papias (A.D. 140)
Ireaneus (c. 130-202)
Justin Martyr (c. 150-155)

2. Date

Again this is difficult to pin-point exactly but most believe that Mark was written anywhere between A.D. 64-69.

3. Place of origin and destination

The text does not give us a direct answer. The Church Fathers believed that the gospel of Mark was written in Rome for Gentile Christians.

4. The purpose of Mark

To encourage Christians who were suffering because of their faith by showing that Christ also suffered in many ways.

5. Theme of Mark

To manifest that Christ was the ‘Suffering Servant’.

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The gospel of Mark

41 – Questions concerning divorce

10:1-12

1 Getting up, He went from there to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; crowds gathered around Him again, and, according to His custom, He once more began to teach them.

2 Some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began to question Him whether it was lawful for a man to divorce a wife. 3 And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” 5 But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, 8 and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

10 In the house the disciples began questioning Him about this again. 11 And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; 12 and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.”

(NASB)

1. The setting (10 :1)

Every story has a setting and the one we are going to investigate has one that is becoming more and more familiar.

1 Getting up, He went from there to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; crowds gathered around Him again, and, according to His custom, He once more began to teach them.

Jesus is once more on the move and this time he is passing through Judea which is located in the southern part of Israel between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. He is traveling eastward beyond the Jordan River. Our text does not mention where exactly this event happens. The recording of this same event is also found in Mat. 19:1-12 and the village where this event happened is also not revealed.

A usual crowd of people ‘gather around Him again’. It seems that wherever Jesus arrives news spread of his presence like a prairie wild fire. It is important to understand this to comprehend the growing hatred the religious elite have against Jesus. The people are turning to HIM for their spiritual guidance thus abandoning the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes and the other teachers of the Law. This, in-turn, means that they are losing their power and control over them.

Here we also see that ‘according to His custom, He once more began to teach them’. The ministry of teaching has a predominate place in Jesus’ life. He used every occasion possible to speak concerning His Father and the kingdom that was at hand. This noble cause should also be carried out by ALL who declare themselves Disciples of Christ. We need to remember the Great Commission that was given by Christ as he left to be with His Father.

Matthew 28:18-20

(18)And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

(19)"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

(20)"teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

(NKJV)

And also in:

Acts 1:8

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

(NKJV)

2. The tricky question (10:2)

2 Some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began to question Him whether it was lawful for a man to divorce a wife.

Now the Pharisees (who were the main adversaries of Christ) ‘came up to Jesus’. This wasn’t by ‘chance’ that they passed by and saw Jesus and decided to ask him a question. This was intended, for in Mat. 19:3 it is written:

(2) Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking…

The word ‘testing’ (PEIRAZO) in Greek means: to test, to scrutinize. It is obvious that they wanted to find some fault in the teachings of Christ. If they could do this then they could accuse him and have him put away for good. So what was their question?

(v.2) …and began to question Him whether it was lawful for a man to divorce a wife.

This happened to be a BIG question in his days. Actually there were two schools of thought that were very opposite to one another. The two opposing men were Rabbi Hillel and Rabbi Shammai. Rabbi Shammai taught that the grounds for divorcing a spouse had to be on sexual grounds. While Rabbi Hillel taught that one could ask for a divorce based on ANY reason. The entire debate depended on the interpretation of Deut. 24:1,

Deuteronomy 24:1

"When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house,

(NKJV)

By answering one way or the other Jesus would have been automatically a target for the ‘side’ he did not choose. So what is Jesus going to do?

3. Jesus’ question (10 :3)

3 And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?”

Here we see the wisdom of the Lord, he brings the Pharisees back to where it all began – with God giving his commands to Moses. Now, for the most part, the Pharisees did not respect Jesus but ALL did respect Moses. None could disavow this great man of God. This is a perfect lesson that we should all acquire. As a Disciple of Christ I am called to base all of my spiritual understanding on what the Scriptures teach and not on human philosophy and wisdom (Col. 2:8).

4. The Pharisees answer (10 :4)

4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

The Pharisees were referring to Deut. 24:1 that is mentioned above. This verse was the ‘key’ to the entire dispute between both ‘clans’. Notice that they mentioned that ‘Moses permitted’. Moses never obliged a person to divorce! A person could always manifest forgiveness, mercy and compassion. As Jesus will explain still today when our spouse offends us even with an immoral sexual behavior – one can forgive like Christ has forgiven us at the cross (Col. 3:13).

5. Jesus’ explanation (10:5-12)

5 But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, 8 and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

So that it will be easier for us to understand I will separate Jesus’ response into various sections.

Section one is found in verse five:

5 But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.

The whole matter of divorce is founded on ‘your hardness of your heart’. The term ‘hardness of heart’ (SKLEROLARDIA) means: hard heartedness, fig. destitution of spiritual perception. In other words we have a hard heart when we do not perceive things like the Lord God does; the subject here being a husband-wife relationship. It is our hearts that bring divorce into being. The lack of forgiveness, mercy, compassion and grace are the ingredients that makes divorcing our spouse attractive. THIS is the reason why such an exit from marriage was in the Law of Moses.

Section two is in verses six through eight:

6 But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, 8 and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.

In this section Jesus brings the Pharisees back to the original intent for marriage, what God had in mind when marriage was instituted. We first see that the intent for marriage is strictly between a man and a woman (male and female). No other form of marriage is acceptable before the Lord no matter what mankind says!

A second thought is that of the creating of a new family cell (leave his father and mother). A newly married couple is not an extension of the family cell of their parents but rather an independent entity. A third thought is the sexual aspect (the two shall become one flesh). A marriage includes a physical union between the man and the woman. It also gives the idea of the two becoming one. They are two individuals that have sex but rather two people that through marriage and an a sexual act become one in all aspects.

9 What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

This phrase ‘seals’ the original goal of God for a marriage. Normally a marriage is not to be broken. Are there any exceptions? There are two. The first taught by Jesus in Mat. 19:9.

"And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."

(NKJV)

If one of the two is unfaithful to his/her spouse then then the spouse to whom this offense has been done against can divorce. Note that permission is granted but it is not automatically done. An offended spouse may manifest compassion and, forgiveness and shower his spouse with grace. Never the less permission is given in this case.

The second is taught by Paul in 1 Cor. 7:15:

But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace.

(NKJV)

If a couple is unevenly ‘yoked’ and the unbelieving spouse no longer wants to be in a marital relationship – then we are to let the person go and can re-marry (not under bondage in such cases). There are no other Biblical reason for divorcing. This was God’s original ideal. Unfortunately SIN has made this very difficult to accomplish.

After Jesus leaves the Pharisees and arrives at a familiar house Jesus continues on the subject of divorce. He speaks of a man who unlawfully divorces his wife and tells his disciples what happens when this is done.

“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; 12 and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.”

Without a divorce founded on biblical grounds you become an adulterer (commits adultery against her and she is committing adultery). Notice that both genders are used as an example. Both men and women are referred to here. There is no distinction, no difference, and no discrimination. Divorces always has its roots in a hardened heart and everything should be done to save a marriage. Unfortunately we live in a sinful world.

CONCLUSION:

Still today the question of divorce and remarriage is tricky and often brings confusion.
To find the right answers we must come back to the initial intent of God towards marriage.
Only sexual immorality, abandonment and death (of course) can end a marriage.

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41-mark

The gospel of Mark

42 – Jesus and the little children

10:13-16

13 And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” 16 And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

(NASB)

1. The disciple’s rebuke (10:13)

13 And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them.

There are very few stories, in the life of Jesus, where children participate. This is one of them. So let’s listen to what Christ has to say. In this first verse we see that there are four participants in this episode.

The first are the parents for they were the ones that ‘were bringing children’. This wonderful teaching for all of us who are parents or older family members. We see the importance of bringing our children to the feet of Jesus. It is what every Christian parent should do. It is their responsibility to teach them about the Lord and his wonderful works and grace. This reminds me of what the Father instructed Moses to write:

Deuteronomy 6:6,7

(6)"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.

(7)"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

(NKJV)

As we can see from our text these parents were doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord and when we bring our children closer to our Great Redeemer we also are acting well. Let no one discourage you from your calling as a parent or a close relative to bring your little ones to Jesus.

The second participant is the Lord Jesus. The parents brought their children ‘to Him’ – Jesus. There was a reason why they brought their children to Christ for they knew who he was:

John 8:12

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

(NKJV)

He was a shining light in the very dark world that they were living in. They could have also seen in him the possibility that he just might be the Messiah! Who else could have done all these miracles and spoke as no other man has? The children that we have should only be brought to Christ. No church or religious institution can ever save from the judgment to come. Christ and only Christ should be introduced to our children as Savior and mediator between mankind and God the Father.

Acts 4:12

"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

(NKJV)

Our third group are the children for the parents brought their ‘children to Him’. This tells us a lot. For the parents to willingly bring their children to Christ manifests that they knew that their little ones would be welcomed by him (as we will see in verse fourteen).

I can not but ponder on the following: do we welcome little children in our lives? If we represent Jesus to the little ones (because we are his disciples) what do they see in us? Are we stern and grouchy, cold and unaffectionate? Or do their little faces brighten up when they see us? Remember what Jesus said concerning the way we act with children!

Matthew 18:6

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
(NKJV)

Our last group are the Disciples of Christ. One would think that they would have welcomed the parents bringing their children. Quite the contrary! They acted the opposite since ‘the disciples rebuked them'. The word rebuked (EPITIMAO) means; To censure, forbid or admonish. In other words the Disciples of Christ were telling the parents to ‘go away’ or to ‘leave Jesus alone’ or ‘not to bother him’. Quite a welcoming committee! Imagine an usher of your church telling parents to leave their children at home and not to bring them in the sanctuary! As we will see they did not have the mind of Christ. It always surprises me to see that even after being with Christ and learning from him for so long the disciples ‘mess up’ so easily.

2. Jesus’ indignation (10:14-16)

14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” 16 And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

Notice in verse fourteen that Jesus ‘saw this’. There is nothing that slips out of his eyesight. I’m glad that this is so. Jesus knows and sees all that occurs. As the Good Shepherd he keeps a watchful eye on each of his sheep.

It is comforting when I live difficulties knowing that I am under his care, but stressful when I stray from the narrow path. One way or another a disciple’s life is always under the Lord’s radar.

It is written that Jesus was ‘indignant’ (AGAN) meaning: to be greatly afflicted. Jesus was not happy with what he saw. The disciples telling the parents to ‘go away’ or ‘stop disturbing the Master’ irritated him. I wonder how many times the Lord sees what we are doing and it brings forth the same sentiment? So this is what he said to them:

“Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

The disciples were trying their best to keep the children away from Jesus. I wonder if they thought that children were not important enough or worthy enough for the Master to attend to them? We need to remember that two thousand years ago children did not have the same status as today. This is how Jesus reacted to his disciple’s claims: ‘Permit the children to come to me’. This is in direct opposition to his disciples. When in our lives the Holy Spirit opposes our thoughts we need to take heed!

Jesus says ‘Permit the children to come’. The idea behind the word ‘permit’ (APHIEMI) is: to send, to go. Jesus is telling the disciples to let them go and allow them to ‘come to me’. He is telling them that they are terribly wrong and their attitude concerning children is not to be repeated! He then tells them: ‘do not hinder them’. The word ‘hinder’ (KOLUO) means: to stop, prevent or forbid. Often our attitude can hinder children one way or another. Children are often watching adults: the way they act and talk and how they interact with other people. Once again, a warning is given concerning our relationship with children. Children should always be welcomed in church and not seen as a nuisance!

(v.14)… for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

What did Jesus mean when he said that ‘the kingdom of God belongs to such as these’? The term for ‘such as these’ is (TOIOUTOS) meaning: of this sort (denoting character). In our text we are dealing with children, small children (PAIDION): an infant, young child. Now what trait of character do ‘such as these’ have that is so particular? I believe that in a corresponding text we have a clue:

Matthew 18:3,4

(3)and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

(4)"Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

(NKJV)

Our clue is found in verse four where Jesus says: ‘whoever humbles himself’. In general little children are humble, they are unpretentious and meek. Being ‘humble’ is a key trait of character to enter the kingdom of God. The opposite to being humble is to glorify oneself. Do you know the one who first tried to glorify himself before the Lord and what happened to him? Lucifer was cast from the heavens (Isaiah 14:12-15) and is waiting for his eternal judgment. Remember what James wrote:

James 4:6

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

(NKJV)

After telling his disciples not to stop them from coming to him and also telling them ‘why’ it is so, Jesus now gives to all of them a severe warning.

15 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

This is an absolute truth, there are no exceptions. NO ONE will ever enter the kingdom of God if he first does not ‘receive’ (DECHOMAI) meaning: accept, take or receive it with the attitude of a child which is in all humility. It is said that pride is the greatest of all sins and here we have a perfect example of this. It will stop you from entering the kingdom of God. Pride has no place in anyone’s life especially one who calls himself a Disciple of Christ.

16 And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

Notice how warm and affectionate Jesus is. ‘He took them in his arms’. He is not a distant person, he loves the little children and welcomes them openly. Can you imagine being embraced by the Lord? It just might be that when we will be with him we also will feel his welcoming arms around us! Notice that Jesus did exactly what the parents had hoped for (v.13… that he might touch them). He did more than that he also blessed them by laying his hands upon them. Jesus always gives more than what we hope for.

CONCLUSION:

Bring your children to Jesus and don’t hesitate to do this.
Never be a stumbling block for children.
Always keep a humble heart.

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42-mark

The gospel of Mark

43 – The rich young man

10:17-31

17 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

23 And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

28 Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.”29 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, 30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”

(NASB)

1. The million-dollar question (10:17)

17 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

I often call this the ‘Million dollar question’! There is no question more important for you and I to receive a biblical answer to than this one. It will determine where you will pass eternity!

This story is also told in Mat. 19:16-22 and Luke 18:18-23 and they will be helpful for us to get a complete understanding of this event. In Luke we see that this man was a ‘certain ruler’, which tells us that he had authority, power, either political or civil. Rulers have great possessions (as we will later see). People usually are respectful and even, to some decree, fear them. Now this man was not very old for in Mat. 19:20 it is written ‘the young man’.

As Jesus was just about to set out (EKPORENOMAI) meaning: to depart, for a new journey this rich young ruler ‘ran up to Him’. It seems that this man could not restrain himself from getting his question answered. By this we see that it had been pressing on his mind – where shall I be for all eternity?

This manifests that no matter what the riches of this world you possess they will never ease your conscience from thinking about the afterlife! What the world offers does not quench your spiritual thirst. May this be a lesson for all who have ears to listen! This man had it all: money, power, authority, admiration and respect but his soul was as dry as the Arabian Desert. So this was his big opportunity to speak to Jesus and it seems that nothing would stop him from doing so.

(v.17)…a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him,

This is quite a feat for a rich person to do. He set aside his pride and ‘ran to Him’. He may have hesitated and seeing that Jesus was getting ready to leave he ‘ran to Him’ before it was too late. May we never hesitate but run to Jesus before he also gets out of our sight! He did an even greater thing because he ‘knelt before Him’. This man was determined to get Jesus’ attention. He humiliated himself before Him. I do not believe that a rich person does this very often – humility is not a trait of character often found in rich rulers especially in those days!

As we can see this question concerning the afterlife is truly pressing his heart. He recognized that Jesus had the answer he needed but will he accept what Christ says?

(v.17)… and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

We can understand that Jesus stopped when this man humbled himself and was attentive to what he was saying. Jesus always has an open heart for those who are honest in their approach. This is when he asks the BIG question. I believe that this is the only story where such a question is raised. I wonder why?

He calls Him ‘Good Teacher’ He sees in Him something that was different than all the others who taught. He saw Him as being ‘Good’ and as we will see this becomes one of the corner stones of Jesus’ discussion with him. This man is asking how he can ‘inherit eternal life’. In both Matthew and Luke he asks ‘What good thing shall I do’. In his mind he has something to DO to be able to ‘inherit’ (KLERONOMEO) meaning: to be an heir to – eternal life. People were taught that to obtain God’s favour one MUST DO this and that, follow the Laws and the tradition of the Elders and so forth. This is what RELIGION is all about – doing in order to receive from God. All religions have this same base. Follow the rules and God may give you his favors. This man didn’t know what rules and regulations he had to follow – he was mixed up and wanted a clear path to walk on. Still today the vast majority of people are in complete confusion regarding ‘how to be O.K. with God’. Do you personally know the way to the Father (John 14:6)?

2. Jesus’ first answer (10:18,19)

18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”

Before answering, Jesus sets one thing straight: ‘No one is good except God alone’. This was a real blow to this man’s understanding of himself as it is to countless others. The vast majority of people truly believe that there is some ‘good’ in them. We are taught that we were born ‘good’ and that it is life that makes us sometimes to be ‘bad’. Let’s be very clear and once and for all ‘No one is good except God ALONE’. In his great epistle to the Romans Paul discusses this very openly that ALL have sinned and NONE are good (Rom. 3:9-18).

Since this man thought that he needed to do things to inherit eternal life Jesus places a test before him and names him six of the Ten Commandment. Please notice that these six have to do with his relationship with others and not the ones that deals with his relationship with God (the first four). The test is very simple ‘how are you doing with people around you?’.

3. The young man’s answer (10:20)

20 And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.”

As with most of us this man does not see himself as he truly is. He still believes that he’s a good person and that his relationship with others was following God’s standards. He is totally blinded as the Scriptures write:

2 Corinthians 4:4

whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

(NKJV)

4. Jesus’ final recommendation (10:21)

21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Jesus kept ‘looking at him’. Even though, after being told that only God was good, this person still thought too much of himself and could not grasp his profound state of sinfulness not only does Jesus continue on ‘looking at him’ but also ‘felt a love for him’. Rare are the occasions where it is written that Jesus loved a specific person. We see this with Martha, Mary and Lazarus and also with the apostle John. Here lies another case before us. The word ‘love’ (AGAPAO) means: to love in a social or moral sense. We know that Jesus loves sinners, plain proof is set before your eyes. One might wonder why Jesus said the following:

(v.21)…“One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

A hint is given to us in Mat. 19:21:

Matthew 19:21

Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

(NKJV)

Remember that the young ruler was looking for something to do to inherit eternal life. His belief system told him that work and rules are necessary to gain God’s approval. After telling the young man that it is impossible because ‘no one is good except God alone’ Jesus places another test to show him who he really is – a great sinner. In other words Jesus says: ‘If you want to be perfect and work your way to heaven (which is impossible) well do this:

(v.21)…go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Jesus told him to do three things, which are all bundled in one main idea. The first is ‘sell all you possess’. Don’t forget that he was rich. He was told to abandon all that made him who he was. The second is ‘give to the poor’. He was to willingly abandon what he had and loved but give it to people that he did not know. People that were totally the opposite to who he was. Third ‘come and follow me’. He needed a new direction in life, no longer living for himself but being totally devoted to following Christ. Now a promise was given if he would do this ‘you will have a treasure in heaven’. Wasn’t that the answer to his question – having eternal life. One might find Jesus’ answer very strange and it is. But be reminded that the person wanted to WORK to get to heaven. Here Jesus is just showing him that it is impossible to go to heaven by OUR own means.

5. The young man’s response (10:22)

22 But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

Please notice what the fruit of the man ‘who owned much property’ is. It is described in two words. The first is ‘saddened’ (STUGNAZO) meaning: to render gloomy. The second is ‘grieving’ (IUPEO) meaning: to distress. All that his wealth brought to him caused him to be saddened and to feel sorry and inward pain. This man was torn apart. He wanted the heavenly blessings but COULD NOT RECEIVE THEM because his heart was attached to earthly treasures. Remember the words of Christ:

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

(NKJV)

This man had come to Jesus, humbled himself and asked the most important question that a man needs to know the answer. He was not ready to accept what Jesus said. As with many we come to Jesus wanting him to say what we would like him to. He left empty handed and broken hearted – all because of his love for money! Is there something that is keeping you from following Jesus?

6. The disciples concerns and Jesus’ response (10:23 – 31)

Verse twenty three is a warning for all whose aim in life is to gain all that is possible while setting God aside. In reality they have their own god – Mammon!

23 And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!”

Amen that Jesus did not say that that it was ‘impossible’ for them to ‘enter the kingdom of God’ but rather ‘How hard it will be’. But why? It is because the riches of this world had possessed their hearts and blinded their desire for any true spiritual life. Remember what Paul wrote to the Corinthians concerning their salvation:

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

(26)For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

(27)But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

(28)and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

(29)that no flesh should glory in His presence.

(NKJV)

Not many among the Corinthian believers were: wise, powerful and noble of birth. The words of Christ are true, it is difficult for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God.

24 The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

I can understand why the ‘disciples were amazed’. They also wanted to enter the kingdom of God but by hearing the words of Christ they wondered if THEY would ever enter! Now the word ‘amazed’ (THAMBEO) means: stupefy, astonished – they just couldn’t believe what they had just heard. So Jesus will continue speaking on this very important subject.

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Jesus compares the impossibility of a camel to ‘go through the eye of a needle’ (This was a proverbial expression is Jesus’ day). There are different view concerning this but the Greek is very revealing. The word ‘eye’ (TRUMALIA) means: an orifice. The word ‘needle’ (RHAPHIS) means: puncture, a needle. So Jesus is truly comparing a camel with a rich person. See the image and how difficult it is for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God!

26 They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

It seems that the further Jesus explains how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God the more the disciples ‘were even more astonished’. I can understand because it is the same today. It happens that when we search and study certain theological subjects that it seems that we understand less and less.

So they asked this question ‘Then who can be saved?’ If the rich and noble and important people can’t enter easily how can the rest of us (poor and negligible people) enter? In other words they were saying ‘What about us’! Jesus then reveals to them a secret:

“With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

Jesus transfers the capacity to enter the kingdom from the person unto God himself. Isn’t that the Gospel story? What man can never do God does for mankind. Christ died in our place. Christ was judged in our stead. He was our substitute at the cross. What Jesus is telling them is the following: ‘You can’t do it on your own but it is possible for God to do it for you’. The prophet Isaiah wrote:

Isaiah 12:2,3

(2)Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; 'For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.'"

(3)Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.

(NKJV)

It seems that Peter is not satisfied with the answer that Jesus brought. He may also want to be very certain concerning the future for himself and the eleven others.

If the rich hardly can enter the kingdom of God – what about us for ‘Behold we have left everything and followed You’. They had left fathers and mothers and work and business and their own families. What Peter had said was true. Some today may feel the same that they have left all for Jesus. The Master has not forgotten them and will reward them.

Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, 30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.

Here is Jesus’ promise to all who follow him with a heart that is true. We see that they will not be forgotten, quite the opposite, for ‘he will receive a hundred times as much now’. How can I receive a hundred times as much – now?

I can clearly understand and it is simple. Before I came to Christ through repentance I had one set of parents, one home and a few friends. Now as a believer in Christ I have friends all over the world, homes, ready to receive me across the globe. A family of millions upon millions in every continent. Christ has truly fulfilled his promise.

There is an aspect of this promise that many shun to receive: ‘along with persecutions’. We don’t want ‘persecution’ and we try to avoid this at all cost. Yet Jesus says that they will come and depending where you live on this planet persecution will differ in form and fashion.

Jesus ends with ‘and in the age to come, eternal life’. Notice that Jesus made a full circle on the subject that was brought to him by the rich young ruler – eternal life and how to get it. Be a real Disciple of Christ and eternal life is yours.

CONCLUSION:

Have you asked Jesus to become your Savior and repented of your sins?
Do you understand and accept that there is nothing good in you and that only God is good?
Do you really believe that you can keep all of God’s commandments?
Do you have any idols that keep you from following Christ?
Have you left all to follow Christ because of what he has done for you at the cross?

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43-mark

The gospel of Mark

44 – Jesus predicts his death again

10:32-34

32 They were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were fearful. And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him, 33 saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. 34 They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again.”

(NASB)

1. Jesus leads the way (10:32)

Have you ever noticed that it is never the Disciples that lead the way or decide to go here or stop at the next village? Disciples follow their Teacher and never the opposite. Jesus is leading his disciples and their destination is Jerusalem. Far too many believers have this notion all wrong. They want to lead. They want to tell Jesus what to do or what things ought to happen in their lives. They believe that they have the right to plan their own lives and choose what their future will look like. They are the leaders and they want Jesus to follow them in their dreams and aspirations – what folly! Here ‘Jesus was walking ahead of them’ and they followed. Are you trying to follow or lead in your life? Are you the master or the servant? Do you decide or wait for instructions? Failure is clothed in leading one’s life instead of being led by Christ.

Jesus was leading them to Jerusalem – the Holy City. Jerusalem lies about 60 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea and about 38 from the Jordan River. The most ancient name of Jerusalem was Salem (Gen. 14:18). It later became known as Jebus (Judges 19:10,11). It was David that took the city from the Jebusites (2 Sam. 5:6,9) and that is why it is also called ‘The city of David’. It is at this point that Jerusalem becomes the religious and political center of Israel. After the kingdom was split in two, Jerusalem continued to be the capitol of Judah. Afterwards it was plundered by the Babylonians but was rebuilt by the Israelites in 536 B.C. It passed through the hands of Alexander of Macedon, then Ptolemy of Egypt. In 170 B.C. it fell into the hands of Antiochus Epiphanes who set up the image of Jupiter in its temple. Jerusalem recovered its freedom in 163 B.C. and a century later it was conquered by Rome. It was taken and totally destroyed by Titus in 70-71 A.D. When Jesus lived, Jerusalem was the religious center for all Jews whether they lived in Israel or were living elsewhere in the world.

(V.32)… and they were amazed, and those who followed were fearful.

This phrase can be difficult to analyse. Before continuing my question is: ‘why are they amazed and fearful?’ Is it because of what was said in our previous section concerning how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God? Or is this phrase a description of the atmosphere that the Disciples felt as they followed Jesus who was describing what will happen to him?

One thing we do know is that they were both ‘amazed’ and ‘fearful’. The word ‘amazed’ (THAMBEO) means to be stupefied or astounded. It is as though they could literally not believe what they either were hearing or presently living with Jesus. There are times when walking with Jesus brings an overwhelming sense of peace and wonder but other times it is just too much for our minds to receive. A bit like when Peter walked on water or when Jesus calmed the storm. The other interesting fact is that ‘those who followed were fearful’. The word ‘fearful’ (PHOBEO) means: frightened and by analogy to be in awe of. Walking with Jesus can be frightening. Think of the persecutions that are described in the book of Acts, especially when Saul received permission to persecute followers of Christ. He brought them to jail and even killed some of them. It is NOT TRUE that once you are born again all will be well. Paul wrote the following:

2 Timothy 3:12

Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

(RSV)

Please notice that even though the Disciples were amazed and fearful they continued to follow Christ. Far too many because of fear, stop being witnesses of Christ. They shrink away and live a life in the shadows. They are ashamed to be known as believers. Remember what Jesus said:

Luke 9:26

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

(RSV)

While they were following Jesus the Master he begins to do the following.

(v.32)… and again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him.

The word ‘again’ tells us that Christ is repeating what he once has said. In this case it is in Mark 9:30-32 where he first spoke of his coming death. Notice that he only takes ‘the twelve aside’. There are things that are meant only for the true disciples. When one follows Jesus on a daily basis as the Disciples did they are bound to learn things that sporadic followers never will. What a lesson for all of us who call themselves believers in Christ! The closer we walk with our Master the more we will be taught deeper insights of our faith. Never miss an opportunity to be with Christ. So Jesus tells them once again ‘what was going to happen to Him’. I believe that Jesus is preparing his Disciples for the coming events that will change their lives – His leaving! We will see that to the very end they did not grasp the full extent of his words concerning the sufferings of the cross. Another reason for studying the Scriptures is that we also will be prepared in life and not be astounded or worried by the current events of this world.

2. Jesus tells it all (10:33,34)

33 saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. 34 They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again.”

There are five main statements that the Lord tells his Disciples. Let’s briefly look at them.

The first is ‘Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem’. This is very important because Jesus had to die in Jerusalem. Have you ever wondered why? It is because Jesus is the ‘Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29,36). The Passover Lamb was sacrificed once a year and its blood was poured out for the forgiveness of sins of the Nation. This was done at the Temple situated in Jerusalem. The High Priest would enter the holy of holies with the lamb’s blood and the Lord God would be appeased and forgiveness be given. This was what is called a ‘type’ of Christ in the Old Testament. It pointed to the ‘real’ offering that would come. As I said this Passover celebration was to be done ONLY in Jerusalem. Since Jesus was ‘the lamb of God’ he automatically had to be sacrificed in Jerusalem.

The second is ‘and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes’. The chief priests and the scribes were the religious elite. It would be through their hands that the Son would be given over. How ironic is that! Those were the guardians of the Law and the teachers of the multitude. Those who were to prepare the people for the arrival of their Savior - the Messiah, are the very ones that will be the instrument that brought death to Him. Beware of religious people that say they represent God for many of them are false prophets and false teachers. They play the ‘religious game’ for their own benefit! In Mathew 23 Jesus calls them: hypocrites, blind guides and sons of those who murdered the prophets.

The third is ‘and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles’. Why would the religious elite hand Jesus over to the Gentiles? Why would they not just arrest him and kill him? Simply because they were under Roman authority and because of this they were not allowed to kill a person that had broken a law. They could beat him and whip him and bring any other form of punishment but not kill a person. It was only the Roman authorities that could do this. For Christ to ‘hang from a tree’ he had to pass into the hands of the Roman authorities. In fact Jesus had six trials! Three before the Jewish tribunals and three before a Roman court.

The fourth is ‘They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him’. Jesus was prophesising how he would be handled by both the Jewish and Roman authorities. His death would not be in any way ordinary! He would be hated for no other reason for than saying that he was the Son of God!

The fifth is ‘…and three days later He will rise again.” This might be the most unbelievable statement of all. Being put to death and then to live again after three days! Actually the resurrection of the Messiah was the Father’s proof to all humanity that Christ IS THE MESSIAH!

Acts 17:31

because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead."

(RSV)

I believe that is why so many are ferociously trying to demolish or belittle the death and resurrection of Christ for this is the central point, the corner stone of our faith – Christ died and was raised from the dead to give us victory over sin and death.

CONCLUSION

Allow Jesus to lead the way – follow him!
Stay close to Christ and you will learn greater and deeper spiritual truths.
Following Christ is not easy. There is a cost.

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44-mark

The gospel of Mark

45 – James, John and Jesus

10:35-45

35 James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. 40 But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

41 Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. 42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

(NASB)

1. The request of James and John (10:35-37)

This story is also told in Mat. 20:20-28 and it is necessary to put the two together to get the full picture of our present segment. In Matthew we see that it is the mother of John and James that speaks for the benefit of her two sons. This can mean two things. First of all their mother can come on her own behalf and speak for her sons without their full consent or second it can also mean that the sons ask their mother to do so because they feel awkward in doing it for themselves. One must remember that this episode in Matthew comes after Jesus tells his disciples the following:

Matthew 19:28

Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

(RSV)

It may be logical to believe that one follows the other since both speak concerning sitting on thrones. We may presume that Salome the mother of James and John has a motherly desire for the best for her sons and participates in this story. The demand was the following:

(v.35)…“Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.”

You need also to remember that in Mark 9:33-37 Jesus teaches his disciples concerning being humble and serving one another. Telling them that whoever wants to be first needs to be the last. And here we are with John and James who seem to have totally forgotten that lesson. I guess we are all like the two brothers so forgetful about what true servanthood is all about. They were thinking about having the best places in the kingdom of God and what about us are we also always looking for the ‘best’ and forgetting what the true best really is?

Notice the tone of the communication unto Christ ‘we want you to do’ and also ‘whatever we ask of you’. It is not a favor but a demand that is made upon Jesus. I don’t believe that we see this anywhere else in the gospels. Their attitude is certainly not from a humble heart. Again I must say that this kind of communication between people and Christ has not changed much in 2000 years. How much demanding is there in our prayer meetings or in our hearts! We want Jesus to absolutely do this or fix that.

We demand and claim what our flesh desires and believe that Jesus is like a ‘genie in a bottle’ which we rub with our prayers. Have you noticed that all who came to Jesus for healing did it in a very humble manner? All the people that did not know Jesus personally had a better attitude towards Christ than these two disciples who have known him for quite a while. It seems that we also can get too ‘friendly’ and forget who Jesus truly is.

36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

Notice that Jesus doesn’t get irritated even though what they had done was insulting. You see if he would have gotten exasperated and ‘told them off’ then they would not have been able to receive the lesson that was intended for them. This is the perfect model for all Disciples. When someone annoys us we also should keep our calm and bring something good out of it all. Remember this proverb:

Proverbs 26:27

He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back upon him who starts it rolling.

(RSV)

So Jesus extends his hand and continues what John and James have started: ‘What do you want me to do for you’. At this point it seems that after Salome asks a request for her two sons Jesus turns to them and speaks to both of them.

37 They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.”

The word ‘grant’ (DIDOMI) means to grant, to give. They turned to Jesus because they thought that only Jesus could give them what they asked for. We see that they recognized his authority and capacity to be able to do such a thing. They wanted to sit ‘one on your right and one on your left’. These were the best and certainly the most honorable places one could have at an important event. This reminds me of the parable of the ambitious guest in Luke 14:7-11.

This parable speaks of a person who desires the best place at a wedding. Jesus warns not to do this because someone more important can come along and you will be asked to leave your place for someone else to have and you will be publicly put to shame. The conclusion of this parable is the following:

Luke 14:10,11

(10)But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.

(11) every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

(RSV)

This is a lesson that both James and John had not yet understood – humbling oneself and letting the Lord exalt you at his chosen time.

2. Jesus’ question and the brothers’ foolish answer (10:38-40)

38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. 40 But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

In response to the demand of James and John we see that Jesus does not give an answer right away because there were issues that needed to be dealt with first.

38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”

There was a price to be paid to be able to sit at the right and left hand of Jesus. There is always a price to be paid for anyone who desires to follow Christ whole-heartedly. Jesus makes it very plain when he said the following:

John 15:19,20

(19)If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

(20)Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

(RSV)

This price is often forgotten. A true Disciple of Christ understands that he or she can no longer ‘fit in’ with the rest of the world for he has become a child of God. But not all believers see themselves as ready to do so. Why are so many ashamed of following Christ?

Jesus says ‘You do not know what you are asking’. Their demand was a foolish one. It seems that they only saw glory and greatness but had not even thought if it was the will of God for them to be able to. Are we also too swift to ask things of Christ without taking time to see if it would be for the greater glory of the Lord? Jesus is saying: ‘Do you think you able to pass through what I will pass through to be able to get the reward of sitting on my right and on my left?’

39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.

They answered in a twinkling of an eye: ‘We are able’. How imprudent it is to answer too quickly. Jesus had just told them ‘you do not know what you are asking’ and they still did not know what they were talking about. May we always take time and think and also pray before we answer important questions.

The cup is often used as a symbol of suffering ( Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17; Jeremiah 25:15-28) James and John (wanting to sit on his right and left) thought they were strong enough to suffer. Jesus confirms that they will suffer (to a point that they never knew they would) but he also confirms the following:

40 But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

The Father has prepared certain places and honors for certain people. This is the Father’s prerogative and not the Son’s. In reality they were asking the wrong person!

3. The apostles get upset (10:41)

41 Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John.

In the past we have seen that the Disciples talked among themselves concerning who was the greatest (Mark 9:34). What presently seemed to irritate the other ten is that James and John were actually doing something to try to be the greatest in the eyes of Christ. The word ‘indignant’ (AGANAKTEO) means: greatly afflicted, to be displeased. What James and John were doing got the rest of them angry and upset at them. Their ‘best friends’ were back-stabbing them. May we never be the ones that cause strife between brothers and sister in Christ! We need to be very watchful of our actions and our speech.

4. What it means to be first (10:42-45)

42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Jesus comes to the rescue for this can destroy the fellowship and in part the work of Christ’s training of the twelve – so he steps in. I believe that there are times when we need also to ‘step in’ when the situation in front of us demands leadership from us. Jesus will give an example of what IT DOES NOT MEAN to sit on a throne and have glory and power. He points to something that they could easily identify with – ‘rulers of the Gentiles’ and ‘great men’. He points to them how they unfairly exercise their rule and their authority. The disciples could instantly think of the Roman rulers that treated them with cruelty and understand the words of Christ. Then Jesus tells them what IT DOES MEAN to have authority and glory.

43 But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.

Jesus says ‘NO’ this is not the attitude that you should have. Being great IS NOT sitting on my right or on my left. Being great is being ‘a servant’ for all and if you desire to be first (as John and James did) ‘you shall be slave of all’. That’s not the picture that the two brothers had in mind. It is also often not the picture that Christians have in mind today.

CONCLUSION:

Don’t make any demands on the Lord – we are just servants.
Don’t make any foolish requests – think before you ask.
Let God glorify you and not the opposite.
True glory rests in serving others.

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45-mark

The gospel of Mark

46 – Bartimaeus by the road

10:46-52

46 Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.”50 Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.

(NASB)

1. Poor Bartimaeus (10:46,47)

This is the first and only time that the town of Jericho is mentioned in Mark. Jericho is a city found in Benjamin (Jos. 16:7). It is situated about 25 klm. North East of Jerusalem. It was the first city that was overtaken by the Israelites after entering the Promised Land (Joshua 6). Jericho was later rebuilt on another site and it had also been known as the ‘City of palm trees’ (Deut. 34:3). It flourished so much that it became second only to Jerusalem. It was the residence of the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 2:4,18).

Jesus was leaving this town. This story is also told in Mat. 20:29-34 and Luke 18:35-43. Whatever business Jesus had in Jericho it was finished and he was leaving. He was leaving ‘with His disciples and a large crowd’. We have often seen that when Jesus arrives it does not take a long time before a crowd forms to see him.

His reputation grows from day to day and the people of Jericho were more than pleased to have the opportunity to actually see Jesus. The person that this story focuses on is a man called Bartimaeus. In Hebrew the prefix ‘bar’ means ‘son of’ so Bartimaeus was the son of Timaeus. It is written that Bartimaeus was ‘a blind beggar’. If being blind was not enough he had to beg for his sustenance. It seems that his family was not wealthy enough to take good care of him. Being blind made him an outcast in society. Many considered the illnesses of a person as a God given punishment for some sin in their life. Usually no one really wanted to have anything to do with sick people. They even feared that their sickness would fall upon them if they were touched. So Bartimaeus had to beg – that’s all he could do.

Please notice that he ‘was sitting by the road’. That was all he could do. He just sat there probably from morning to night. He was by the road because people were coming in and out of Jericho and he hoped that some would give him alms. But today someone would pass that would change his entire life. Jesus still passes by the lives of people and wants to help them.

47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Let’s not forget that there was a crowd that followed Jesus and when there is a crowd one thing is certain you can hear them coming. There was a different type of noise that Bartimaeus could hear – not the usual hustle and bustle. At one point ‘he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene’. By his reaction we will see that Bartimaeus had already heard of Jesus even if this had been the first time he had been in Jericho. He knew that Jesus was the great miracle worker and a prophet from God. This was his chance his one-time opportunity and he was not going to let Jesus just walk by. How many times can we let Jesus just pass us without calling upon his name to come to our aid?

So Bartimaeus ‘began to cry out’. The Greek word (KRAZO) means: to call aloud, to scream. Bartimaeus did not shyly call out to Jesus as though he was holding his breath. He was literally ‘crying his lungs out’, screaming and screaming his name. I believe that we need to learn more and more to call forcefully out to Jesus like Bartimaeus did.

He called him ‘Son of David’. This title given to Christ was more than just being a descendent of David, how would Bartimaeus have known this? The term ‘Son of David’ had a Messianic meaning. To point this out we need only to read the event when Jesus came to Jerusalem sitting on a colt of a donkey in Matthew 21. Notice that in verse five a prophecy is brought forth and the one sitting on a colt was ‘your king is coming to you’. In verse twenty five we read:

Matthew 21:9

And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

(RSV)

The crowd cheered ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’. The crowd expected Jesus to be their coming King, who is ‘the Son of David’ who is the Messiah for ‘comes in the name of the Lord!’ We can easily believe that Bartimaeus actually though that Jesus was the coming Messiah – and he was right.

Notice that he asked for only one thing – ‘have mercy on me’. He did not ask for a specific thing, he only wanted Christ to look at him and have compassion and mercy. If Jesus could do that he would instantly recognize his need and (he hoped) bring forth a miracle in his favor. Is it not better to let God decide what is best for us than to always demand what we believe is best! Have you asked Jesus to have mercy on you and heal you from your sinful state?

2. People’s disapproval (10:48)

48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

It seems that the crowd did not appreciate Bartimaeus shouting out to Jesus. It is written that ‘Many were sternly telling him to be quiet’. The word ‘sternly’ (EPITIMAO) means: To censure, admonish, forbid. We can understand from this that they were not politely asking Bartimaeus to be quiet – they were strongly telling him to “shut up’. We can see the disdain the crowd had for this poor man. Instead of thinking that this could be his opportunity to be healed and lead a normal life – they just put him down. How different they were from the four friends that brought the paralysed man to Jesus and opened the roof to get him to be with the Lord (Mark 2:4).

The word ‘quiet’ (STOPAO) means: muteness, voluntary stillness. They wanted this man to cease calling out the name of Jesus. How many around us are trying to do the same, doing all they can to make his followers be silent about Him? They often succeed but will Bartimaeus cease his crying to Christ? It is written ‘but he kept on crying out the more’. The more they tried to silence him the louder he got! Nothing was going to stop Bartimaeus from trying to reach Jesus – his life depended on it. And so does the life of every person on this planet.

3. Jesus calls Bartimaeus (10:49-51a)

49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.”50 Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

Hearing the cries of Bartimaeus ‘Jesus stopped’. How I love these two words. Jesus stops everything he was doing for ONE PERSON. Remember that the disciples are following him and the crowd of people is following him – a great many people, but ONE PERSON caught his attention. A blind beggar, a non-person, a man that people despised. How wonderful is the heart of Jesus, how great is the Messiah filled with compassion, mercy and grace. If you are crying out to him with a sincere heart as Bartimaeus was – Christ also hears you.

Once he stopped he said ‘Call him here’. I wonder how the crowd felt. The one they pushed away and loathed has become the one Christ commanded to be brought to him. Once more this shows me the difference between the heart of man and the heart of Christ. Look how the people changed their attitude towards Bartimaeus for they said ‘Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you’. A minute ago they were crushing him and demeaning him, trying to take away the little dignity he had. Now they are encouraging, cheering and reassuring Bartimaeus. When Jesus speaks –everything changes. Just as the waves and the tempest became still (Mark 4:35-41) so the lives of men are in his hands.

What did Bartimaeus do when he heard that Jesus was calling him? We see him ‘throwing aside his cloak’. This was his outer garment. This man was sitting by the road all day long and he was dirty. He instinctively throws off his outer garment for he knew he was unclean and did not want to present himself that way before Christ. What a wonderful spiritual picture of a person coming to Christ and wanting to be unclothed of their sins! Bartimaeus knew who he himself was and who Christ the Messiah was also. He didn’t slowly walk towards Jesus ‘he jumped and came to Jesus’. No one was going to stop him now – Jesus called his name and wants him to come to him. Have you heard Jesus call out to you? Have you turned away from His calling? Are you still sitting on the road of life? What is stopping you from ‘jumping up’ like Bartimaeus did?

The BIG moment has come and Jesus said ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’

4. Bartimaeus request (10:51b)

(v.51)… And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!”

Bartimaeus was not afraid to speak to Jesus, he knew he would not be reprimanded like the crowd did. So he spoke to him and told him the desire of his heart ‘Rabboni, I want to regain my sight’. His most precious, valuable and prised need was to see again. If he could see again then everything would be different. Could you give me my eyesight? The first time we come to Christ our most important need is salvation – the forgiveness of our sins and that is what we should ask for.

5. The miracle (10:52)

52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.

In this case the faith of Bartimaeus was strongly manifested and it was his faith that made him persevere and ‘catch’ Jesus’ attention. True faith is always the key to our life as a disciple of Christ. Remember what is written:

Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

(RSV)

Now, is faith ALWAYS the key ingredient for a person to obtain God’s favour? Some people teach that person will not be healed if he has very little faith. In the Gospels we do find miracles where faith has little or nothing to do with the healing or miracle. In Mat. 12:9-14 the man with the withered hand did not even speak or ask Jesus anything and was healed. In Luke 7:11-17 Jesus raised the widow’s son from death and no one asked anything from him. In Mat. 8:28-32 Jesus chased away a demon from a man who asked for nothing. In John 5:1-17 Jesus healed a man who again did not ask for healing he did not manifest any faith needed to be healed – quite the contrary. So NO it is not always the faith of a person that is required but ALWAYS the grace of God upon that person.

(v.52)… Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.

The point I would like for you to notice is the following ‘and began following Him on the road’. In the beginning of our story Bartimaeus was ‘sitting by the road’, he now is walking with Christ. When our eyes are opened to spiritual truth concerning Christ there is only one thing we ought to do and that is to also begin to follow Him on the road of our life. Is that what you are doing?

CONCLUSION:

Do you see yourself as also being spiritually blind or have you been born again?
Have you ever cried out to Jesus so he can have mercy on you? If not what is stopping you?
Do you allow ‘the crowd’ to silence you as a Disciple of Christ?
Are you openly able to speak to Jesus like Bartimaeus did? If not, don’t be afraid, just speak with an honest heart.

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46-mark

The gospel of Mark

47 – The triumphal entry

11:1-11

As they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, 2 and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ you say, ‘The Lord has need of it’; and immediately he will send it back here.” 4 They went away and found a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they untied it. 5 Some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission. 7 They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it. 8 And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields. 9 Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting:

“Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord;
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David;
Hosanna in the highest!”

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

(NASB)

1. Preparing his entrance (11:1-6)

You can also read this present story in Mat. 21:1-11 and Luke 19:29-40. The days of Jesus’ crucifixion and departure are drawing closer. This is the beginning of the final phase of the ministry of Christ. It is believed that about three years have passed since he was baptized by John. His triumphal entry into Jerusalem will be his last major public appearance before the cross. In a unique way this is how it should have been if the Jews would have received Jesus as their Messiah. But God had other plans since salvation was also to be given unto all the Gentiles.

Jesus is heading for Jerusalem but before he arrives he makes preparations for his stay with his disciples. Bethphage was a little village on the eastern foot of the Mount of Olives. Bethany was also a small village near Bethphage on the same side of the Mount of Olives. It was on the road towards Jericho about 4 klm from Jerusalem. It was here that Jesus ‘sent two of His disciples’ on an errand. We see that preparation is important in ministry. May this be a lesson for all of us. Too much time is wasted because of lack of preparation. In my office I have a plaque that says: ‘I did not plan to fail, I failed to plan’. So what were the two supposed to do?

“Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ you say, ‘The Lord has need of it’; and immediately he will send it back here.”

Jesus was asking the disciples to do something out of the ordinary. They had to take a colt and bring it to Him. Now the colt did not belong to them and just taking it was not permitted (it would be stealing). Jesus knowing that this might bring up trouble he prepared the disciples with what to do.

3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ you say, ‘The Lord has need of it’; and immediately he will send it back here.”

Jesus was reassuring His disciples that everything would go well. Actually, as we will see, this had been prepared before the foundation of the world. Did you know that there are ‘good deeds’ that the Father has also prepared for you before the foundation of the world? As they were sent to get the colt for the Lord so are His present day disciples sent all over the world to do His bidding.

Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

(RSV)

The disciples trusted the Lord and did exactly what he had told them. Is it not comforting and reassuring to see that everything lies in the hands of God!

4 They went away and found a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they untied it. 5 Some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission.

What I also notice is that there were some people who objected to the disciples doing God’s will. There will always be people who try to hinder the Lord’s work. But notice that as soon as the words of the Lord are spoken ‘They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them’ the entire situation turns around and they are able to do as they were told. The Word of God always has to be central to the ministry that the Lord gives his disciples.

2. The people’s reaction (11:7-10)

7 They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it. 8 And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields. 9 Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting:

“Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord;
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David;
Hosanna in the highest!”

It seems that some of the disciples made a ‘saddle’ for the Lord because they ‘put their coats on it’. Once this was done Jesus took his place on the donkey. It is interesting to know why Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. What Jesus was doing is that he was manifesting that he was the ‘servant ruler’ of the people. When a king rode on a donkey it manifested that he was here to serve the people over whom he ruled (Judges 10:4, 12:14) and not to dominate them. On the other hand when a king arrived on a horse it was for political or military purposes. Jesus chose a donkey because he was a servant-king and this is the main theme of the gospel of Mark.

8 And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.

The crowd responded by doing two things. The first is ‘many spread their coats in the road’. This was actually an homage that they were giving Jesus. It was a royal homage. We see that the people did this when Jehu became king (2 Kings 9:12,13). The crowd was declaring that they recognized Jesus as their coming king – the Messiah. But the hearts of men are fickle and it will only take a few days before they cry out for his execution! The second thing is ‘and others spread leafy branches’. In John 12:13 it is written that these were palm tree branches. In those days palm branches were commonly used as a symbol of joy and victory. They were also used by the Roman soldiers and the Jews as a symbol of peace (Rev. 7:9,10). This is exactly what the Lord Jesus brought to the people.

9 Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting:

“Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord;
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David;
Hosanna in the highest!”

This was a Messianic prophecy that was accomplished before the crowd’s very eyes. It may be that many understood what was truly happening – the Messiah was with them.

Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass.

(RSV)

They shouted out ‘Hosanna’ which means ‘save now’. This was a shout of joy coming from the people’s hearts towards their God. The cry ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord’ is from Ps. 118:25,26 which again is a cry of joy unto the Lord God.

10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David;
Hosanna in the highest!”

This was the promised kingdom that they referred to (1 Kings 2:4, 8:25). At this point if the religious leaders rejected Jesus as the Messiah we see that the crowd welcomed him. They rejoiced at what they were seeing – Jesus entering Jerusalem sitting on a donkey – just as it was prophesised!

3. Jesus’ destination (11:11)

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

Was this a sign that Christ was giving. As he entered Jerusalem he headed straight for the temple. This reminds me of the first occurrence where Jesus manifested his goal in life.

Luke 2:49

And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"

(RSV)

His time had not yet come and after his triumphal entrance he humbly went back with his disciples. I wonder what the crowds thought at this point seeing him going back to Bethany.

CONCLUSION

Preparation in life is always necessary. Christ has prepared his triumphal entrance to Jerusalem. Has he entered your heart?
Do you still react with joy and reverence at the thought of Christ in your life? Are you still laying down your coats and waving palm branches before him?

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47-mark

The gospel of Mark

48 – Jesus clears the Temple

11:12-19

12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening. 15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; 16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. 17 And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.”18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

19 When evening came, they would go out of the city.

(NASB)

1. Jesus is hungry (11:12-14)

Here we see that Jesus and his disciples were heading back to Jerusalem. He had a triumphal entry but left the Holy City to head back to Bethany.

It was customary to be able to take whatever fruit one needed from the trees that were on the road-side. This was not against any law and anyone doing this would never be punished. So Jesus and his disciples are returning to Jerusalem because they are but a few days from Passover. It is believed that there were four or five days left before this great feast.

On his way ‘He became hungry’. This provides further proof that Jesus was fully man for he had needs like you and me. He came to a fig tree which brings us to verse thirteen and fourteen. These verses, if not well understood, might seem very strange.

13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

Passover has been calculated to be in the very beginning of the month of April so we are at the end of March. In Judea we are entering summer and it was very possible that fig trees would bear fruit. Actually the fig tree had fruits before the tree is in leaf but the fruit mature with time. Jesus being hungry ‘He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it’. He was hoping that the tree had mature fruits, that it was ready for harvest.

It is written that Jesus ‘found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs’. There was a season for figs but figs could be found on certain fig trees all year round. There are two types of fig trees. The ‘Baccore’ which bears fruits in June. The ‘Kermouse’ which is used for preservatives and cakes, bears fruits in August. Some of the ‘Kermouse’ fig tree (long and dark type) had fruit that hangs on it all winter long. This fruit could be eaten at any time once it was ripe.

14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

Expecting to find fruit but seeing none Jesus cursed the fig tree. This entire section is prophetic and must be seen this way as we will see later in Mark 12:1-12. The fig tree is a symbol of Israel and God was expecting fruits from His people but they had none. They were His people, they had received the Law and the Prophets. They knew exactly how they should have lived to glorify the Lord God – but they did not. They were spiritual hypocrites and like this fig tree outwardly seemed to be ready for harvest but had no fruit. The curse that Christ brought forth was a sentence of destruction upon Israel.

Time had come, the Messiah was in their presence but they rejected His very presence for the most part. Because of this, Israel would soon be devastated.

2. Jesus is angry (11:15-17)

15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; 16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. 17 And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.”

When you look at the last verse of our last section and we look at what he did in this section we can see something particular.

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

(NASB)

First notice that ‘after looking around at everything’ (PERIBLEPO) meaning: to look ALL around, Jesus took a careful look at the state of the temple. He inspected his father’s house and how the caretakers were looking after it and how it was administered. He did nothing ‘He left for Bethany’. It was after the event with the fig tree not bearing any fruit, after the cursing of the tree that when he came back he begins to execute the sentence he had just brought forth! This was the beginning of the end of God’s patience with his beloved Israel.

The Holy Temple had become more of a market place where one could make business selling different articles such as animals for the sacrifices or exchange monies for Temple money. The people were exchanging the spiritual aspect and reverence to the Lord into a lucrative commercial trade industry. This time Jesus ‘cleans’ the house, by doing three things.

The first is that he ‘began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple’. The word ‘drive out’ (AKBALLO) means: expel, send away. In other words Jesus kicked out those who were buying and selling in the temple. People were allowed to buy animals for a given sacrifice. One did not bring an animal on a long trip to Jerusalem, he would buy one once he arrived. The problem was that this was done ‘in the temple’. People had taken their business ‘inside’. There are things that you do outside the temple and things that you do inside the temple. I wonder what the Lord thinks of all these churches where merchandise is sold and publicity is made to go and buy this and that after the conference is finished. A church building is not a place for commerce it is a place of worship.

The second is that Jesus ‘overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves’. The word ‘overturned’ (KATASTREPHO) means: To turn upside down, overthrow. The temple had it own currency and since people came from different parts of the world they needed to exchange their currency into temple currency. So there was a commerce for this. We still have them – places where you can exchange your money for the currency of the country that you are visiting. This also was done inside the temple and Jesus vigorously turned every table upside down. By kicking the seats ‘of those who were selling doves’ he was telling them to ‘get out of here’. He was causing quite an upset in the temple.

Third is that Jesus ‘would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple’. Again this dealt with the commerce and the business done inside the temple. Jesus stopped all provision of selling ‘goods’. He went to the source of the merchandizing and cut off its foundation. Have you noticed that the religious leaders had let all of this commerce just pass by and had done absolutely nothing to stop any of this? I believe that this clearly manifests their spiritual state. Woe to many so called churches of today!

17 And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.”

Jesus brings back the true perspective or the true reason for the existence of the temple. It was to be a place of communion between God and His people, a place where one could be in the presence of the Lord a place where forgiveness was to be poured out and worship brought not a place of commerce.

The temple was to be ‘a house of prayer for all the nations’. This was taken from Isaiah:

Isaiah 56:7

these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

(RSV)

People had changed the House of God and ‘made it a robber’s den’, a place where people would steal from those coming to the temple. Does this not resound in your mind? Does this not still happen? Some churches and ministries still make money from people who come to them for spiritual guidance! What would Jesus do if he would be here today and visit those who say they speak in his name!

3. The reaction of the religious authorities (11:18,19)

18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

19 When evening came, they would go out of the city.

Notice that the chief priests and the scribes did not try to stop Jesus for they had their hand in this by giving permission to do commerce inside the temple.

They did not dare try to stop him because of what people thought of him. The people believed that he was a great for prophet a few days ago he had entered Jerusalem and was acclaimed as a great man from God. Some even thought he might be the Messiah. The religious elite ‘were afraid of Him’, so they set out to see ‘how to destroy him’.

CONCLUSION:

Jesus expects that we bear fruit.
The House of God is a place of communion and not commerce.
Some of our churches and ministries need to reflect on how they are doing things and repent!

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48-mark

The gospel of Mark

49 – Jesus and the fig tree

11:20-26

20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. 24 Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. 25 Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. 26 [But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”]

1. Peter’s statement (11:20-21)

This ‘block’ can actually be separated in two. The first deals with faith (v.20-24) and the second dealing with prayer (v.25,26).

20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.”

In our last section Jesus, after cleaning out the temple, leaves Jerusalem. We can gather from v.20 that night time had passed and Jesus and His disciples are once again on their way back to Jerusalem (v.27). As it was noted before we are looking at the very last days in the life of Christ. As they did last time they passed by the same fig tree. We can see by this that there were not many different roads to take from Bethany to Jerusalem – there was probably just one main road. Now there was something particular with this tree ‘the fig tree withered from the roots up’.

Naturally this has to do with the cursing of the fig tree (11:12-14) which Jesus had done previously. It’s one thing to say something extra-ordinary but it’s quite another for what you said to happen! For the cursing of a tree to actually occur you need to be more than a man for only God can do such a thing. No man has power over nature.

The fig tree was ‘withered’ (XERAINO) meaning: to desecrate, to shrivel, and to dry up. One day it has leaves which gave the passerby the impression that the fruits were ready for harvest and the next it is completely dead. Something important is mentioned about this tree - ‘from the roots up’. The word ‘root’ (RHIZA) simply means a root. Remember that this fig tree symbolizes Israel and its spiritual state. On the outside it look pious and spiritual like the fig tree with its luscious leaves. But inside Israel was not spiritually alive and did not bear fruit like the fig tree who had no fruit for Jesus to eat. This tree withered up ‘from the roots up’ just as Israel did. It had dried up spiritually from the inside and the very roots of their attachment to God had become dead. And once the roots dry up the entire life is destroyed. May this also be a warning to all who are Disciples of Christ, if the inside is drying then the outside will be dying!

2. Faith, prayer and forgiveness (11:22-26)

22 And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. 24 Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. 25 Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. 26 [But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”]

Peter is astounded by what he saw and calls out to Jesus for an answer to something that happened that he just doesn’t understand. May this be a model for all of us. When we are confronted with a situation that is out of our reach our natural instincts should be to call out to the Lord and speak to Him about it. Jesus responds first of all by saying: ‘Have faith in God’. When confronting difficult situations or incomprehensible facts of life we must not be frightened but instantly place our faith in God.

Mic 7:7

But as for me, I will look to the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

(RSV)

But what is ‘faith’? The book of Hebrews answers that quite clearly.

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

(RSV)

In the following verse Jesus explains what perfect faith can do. Since no man has perfect faith it is understandable that no man can do what Christ did.

23 Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.

Jesus is speaking in what is called a hyperbole. A hyperbole is a figure of speech that contains an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis. Christ did not mean that one’s faith could do this but accentuates the power of having faith in God. In other words it is faith in God that opens up the doors in doing unbelievable things. A history of 2000 years of Christianity is filled with men and women of great faith that have done great things for the Lord. When reading the Bible it is so important to recognize what type of language is being used for if we don’t we will actually believe (as it is presented to us) that we can move mountains by faith.

24 Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

Is Jesus giving a magical formula for receiving from God what we desire? A bit like Aladdin who only needed to rub the magic lamp and a genie would do what he commanded? Obviously he is not. First, all that is granted by the Father is according to his own will. Notice in Hebrews 11 how many great saints did not receive what they hoped for! It was simply not in God’s will for them to receive – the time had not come yet. Second, the emphasis is on faith not your own but faith in who God is and what God can do. If we truly have faith in the perfect God of Israel we need to say as Christ did: ‘Not my will, but yours be done’. It is evident that in His prayer in the Garden Jesus had perfect faith yet he placed everything in His Father’s hands.

The third aspect concerning prayer deals with forgiveness. How many Christians believe that their prayers are heard and yet are not because of this.

25 Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.

Forgiveness is the third aspect of Jesus’ teaching concerning prayer. The first is having true faith in God, the second is praying according to the will of the Father and the third deals with forgiving others. Here we see that people who do not honestly forgive others are not forgiven by the Father! In other words he will deal with you as you deal with others. If we remain unforgiving God does the same. Does this mean that our salvation is lost? Absolutely not but what it means is that our relationship with God is broken because we do not forgive as He has forgiven. Remember the parable about the servant who owed a fortune to his king and was released from his debt (Matthew 18:21-35) because he begged him? And what the same servant did with his friend who owed him a hundred denarii – he did not release him of his debt because of his lack of forgiveness. Remember the last verse of this story which is the focal point of it all.

Matthew 18:35

So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

(RSV)

Beloved make certain that your heart has forgiven everyone of everything before you go to prayer because that is what the Lord God has done to you because of Christ.

CONCLUSION:

Have faith in the person of God and do not rely on your own faith.
When you pray do so in the will of God and not your own.
Be certain that you have forgiven everyone before you pray.

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49-mark

The gospel of Mark

50 – Jesus and his authority

11:27-33

27 They came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him, 28 and began saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?” 29 And Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.” 31 They began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 32 But shall we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet. 33 Answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

(NASB)

1. The authorities question Jesus’ authority (11:27,28)

In section forty-eight the religious authorities fearing Jesus ‘began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him’ (11:18). We can only assume that they now had a plan and began executing it.

The ‘they’ are the disciples and Jesus. In our last section we saw that they headed for Jerusalem and came across the fig tree. Once the teaching concerning this tree was over they continued towards their goal which was Jerusalem. In life we must not be deterred from the goal that the Father has set for us. On our walk on the narrow path events will occur (like the fig tree) but these must not prevent us from marching forward.

Once he arrived Jesus ‘was walking in the temple’. He went to the most important section of Jerusalem – His Father’s house which he had ‘cleaned out’ a little while ago. It did not take long before ‘the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him’. We can see by this that they were on the ‘look out’ for Jesus. Let’s not forget that they had decided to do away with him (11:18). When they saw Him they asked the following questions:

28 and began saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?”

These two questions really have the same answer. ‘By what authority’ or ‘who gave you this authority’ sound the same. What they wanted to know is ‘who gave you permission to act this way and where did you get the capacity to do it’. Let’s keep in mind that THEY thought that THEY were the religious authority and since Jesus had not obtained THEIR authority then they believed that he did not have permission to act the way he did.

2. Jesus’ response (11:29,30)

29 And Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.”

This is another incredible example of the wisdom that Christ had. He could have told them the answer – ‘It is with my Father’s authority that I do these things’ but Jesus wanted to go deeper and teach them about themselves. So instead of directly answering them he asks them to answer his question first promising that he would answer their question. You see the religious authorities wanted to trap Jesus with their trick question but the tables have turned and Jesus will set his own trap and win.

30 Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.”

If asked, the vast majority of the common folk that saw and heard John would have automatically answered – from heaven. The crowds thought greatly of John because Christ had revealed who he really was:

Matthew 11:7-10

(7)As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind?

(8)Why then did you go out? To see a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment are in kings' houses.

(9)Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

(10)This is he of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.'

(RSV)

Why was it so difficult for the religious elite to see what was so evident? Sometimes the answer is difficult to accept for Jesus had already told the religious leaders that they were spiritually blind (Mat. 15:14). How difficult it is to accept our faults, how blind we often are to our personal sins! The question Jesus asked was quite simple to answer – from heaven or from men.

3. The authorities reaction (11:31,32)

31 They began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 32 But shall we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet.

The word ‘reasoning’ (LOGIZOMAI) means: To take an inventory, to estimate, to think. Confronted by this seemingly simple question they began to seriously think of all the consequences of their answer. The more they thought the more they understood that this was a ‘trap’ question. There were two possibilities”

“If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’

If they answered ‘from heaven’ then the logical conclusion is that they should have accepted that John was the forerunner of the Messiah which would be Jesus. They would have to conclude that they were wrong and would have to bow down before Jesus and worship him.

32 But shall we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet.

On the other hand if they said that the baptism of John was not from heaven there were also consequences that they did not want to face – the people. They knew that the people thought that John was a prophet. They had ignored him but not so with the common people. There would have been a riot if they would have spoken against John. So what are they to do? Even today when we willingly deny the truth we may try to reason things but to no avail. Let us never be spiritually blind like they were. May we joyfully accept the Lord’s authority over our lives.

4. Jesus’ final response (11:33)

33 Answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Having thought and discussed about it, seeing that one way or another they were ‘caught’ with not having a good answer they simply said: ‘We do not know’. The whole point of Jesus asking them a question was that they would reflect and come to the conclusion that he truly is from the Father and that the Father gives him authority to do all these things. But they didn’t want to lose face, their pride had taken over. By not taking this opportunity they missed the chance given to them to get right with God. Are we passing up opportunities that God places in front of us? Do we let our pride get in the way?

By saying ‘Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things’ Jesus manifests that he actually had the ‘upper hand’. They had come to try to catch him one way or another but Christ turned their own ‘tables’ upside down as he did with the sellers in the temple.

CONCLUSION:

Before coming to Christ with our complaints and grievances let’s make certain that our heart is pure before him.
When Christ places his finger upon a sin that we have, let us be humble enough to accept the truth and repent.

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50-mark

The gospel of Mark

51 – The parable of the tenants

12:1-12

And He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and put a wall around it, and dug a vat under the wine press and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. 2 At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, in order to receive some of the produce of the vineyard from the vine-growers. 3 They took him, and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent them another slave, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully. 5 And he sent another, and that one they killed; and so with many others, beating some and killing others. 6 He had one more to send, a beloved son; he sent him last of all to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those vine-growers said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ 8 They took him, and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vine-growers, and will give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not even read this Scripture:

‘The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the chief corner stone;
11 This came about from the Lord,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12 And they were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the people, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so they left Him and went away.

(NASB)

1. The parable of the tenants (12:1-9)

One must know what a parable is and its usage before continuing. The Oxford dictionary defines a parable as: a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels. What we will see in this section is Jesus telling a story (real or invented it does not matter) to bring his audience to understand a spiritual lesson.

It is written that Jesus ‘began to speak to them in parables’. The ‘them’ refers to the religious elite that had just questioned his authority (Mark 11:27-33). You can see this new section either as a continuing confrontation or a continuing teaching hoping that some will come to the truth. What I see is that Christ continues to communicate spiritual truth to his adversaries. May we never cease to hope to see family, friends and people in general come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

This parable must be heard in the context of Jesus dying in a few days and trying to reach the hearts of these men. Remember that they are very familiar with Jewish history and well versed in spiritual matter and the tradition of the elders. They should have understood both the story that Jesus was telling them and the conclusion that he had drawn.

Before we continue it must clearly be understood that Jesus is speaking concerning Israel. It is clear from the Old Testament that God considered Israel as his vine that he planted himself.

Psalms 80:8,9

(8)Thou didst bring a vine out of Egypt; thou didst drive out the nations and plant it.

(9)Thou didst clear the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land.

(RSV)

Jeremiah 2:21

Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?

(RSV)

Another section that you must absolutely read is Isaiah 5:1-7 which describes the disappointment God has towards Israel his vine. Once you have read this section you will easily notice the direct links between what Jesus is saying and what the prophet Isaiah wrote. It is undeniable that Christ makes a direct reference to the state of Israel and how it discarded the will and exhortations of God.

(v.1)…“A man planted a vineyard and put a wall around it, and dug a vat under the wine press and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey.

Here we see the tender care that the Lord God had for his vine. He first determined a place to plant his vine (in Palestine). Then he ‘put a wall around it’. That speaks of his protection, how he guarded Israel from its enemies. He then ‘dug a vat under the vine press’. He provided everything needed for its growth and well-being. Finally he ‘built a tower’. A high place for looking outward to be prepared in case of an attack. Every detail mentioned is to manifest the tender care and love God had for his people. All he did was for their benefit. Once this was done, once everything was in order and the vine had taken roots in its vineyard the owner ‘rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey’. God left the administration of the vineyard to his people and went away.

2 At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, in order to receive some of the produce of the vineyard from the vine-growers.

Harvest time is the time when the vine should have grapes that are mature and ready for the taking. This speaks of the time that Israel should have been mature, bearing spiritual fruits, and ready for the second part of God’s plan which deals with establishing his kingdom on earth. Remember that the Lord God had done everything so that his vine could grow, be secure and well taken care of. The owner of the vine (God) was expecting a harvest ‘in order to receive some produce of the vineyard’. So he sends a slave to the vine-growers. This represents the Lord God sending prophets and God fearing people to His vine Israel.

3 They took him, and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

This was the vine-grower’s response to the owner of the vine sending someone to get his share. They had no respect for the person ‘beat him and sent him away empty-handed’. In other words they rebelled against the owner of the land.

4 Again he sent them another slave, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully.

So the owner is patient and he sends another messenger but when he got there ‘they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully’. Notice that the treatment the second messenger got was worse than the first one. The first one got beaten and the second one was wounded in the head and was treated shamefully. This manifests that the vine-growers despised more and more the owner of the vineyard. This manifests Israel that was growing further and further away from its God, how they became even violent against the messengers that were sent to them.

5 And he sent another, and that one they killed; and so with many others, beating some and killing others.

Jesus continues his parable and introduces new factors to his story. Not only do the vine-growers wound the messengers that were sent now they kill them! Did Israel kill prophets that were sent for them to repent of their ways – yes and this is what Jesus said:

Luke 11:47,48

(47)Woe to you! for you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.

(48)So you are witnesses and consent to the deeds of your fathers; for they killed them, and you build their tombs.

(RSV)

Also notice that ‘and so with many others’ by this we see that the Lord God perseveres and send more and more servants to warn his vine about their spiritual lack. May He be blessed for His patience and perseverance! This reveals the heart of Israel that is growing harder and harder – reacting so violently against their Lord.

6 He had one more to send, a beloved son; he sent him last of all to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

The parable now speaks of the owner who decided to send his own beloved son. This is a clear picture of God the Father sending His beloved Son into the world. The father in the story thought that the vine-workers would never do any harm to his son for ‘They will respect my son’. In real life Israel should have respected their Messiah, they should have greeted him with respect and dignity – worshipping Him as their divine Savior.

7 But those vine-growers said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ 8 They took him, and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.

This is another prophetic picture concerning Israel. In our parable the vine-growers seeing the heir (the son) believed that by killing him they will become owners of the land! This perfectly reflects how the vine-growers (the spiritual leaders in general) also thought. They did not really want God to rule over them and by getting rid of all the messengers (prophets) and now the heir (the Messiah) they think they will continue to rule as they desire. So what did the vine-growers do?

8 They took him, and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.

Not only did they kill the beloved son but they also ‘threw him out of the vineyard’. This is exactly what the religious elite will do the Son of God. They will take him, then they will kill him (on the cross) and they will also ‘threw him out’ because he will die just outside of Jerusalem on mount Golgotha. No one, unless they are spiritually blind, could not have understood the parable Jesus had spoken.

9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vine-growers, and will give the vineyard to others.

This is the conclusion or the spiritual lesson of the parable. It tells them what will happen to them. Once the vine-growers go as far as killing the son of the owner he will unleash his fury against them.

(v.9)…He will come and destroy the vine-growers, and will give the vineyard to others.

The taking care of God’s kingdom will be taken away from Israel and he ‘will give the vineyard to others’. These ‘others’ are the Gentiles (for there are only two groups of people on earth).

Acts 13:46

Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

(RSV)

We are now in the times of the Gentiles where the gospel is preached to all Jews and non-Jews. All can now enter into a new covenant with God. A covenant sealed with the blood of Christ shed on the cross, a covenant which is perfect and eternal (Heb. 10:10-14). This was a promise that the Lord God had made to Abraham that through him ALL NATIONS would be blessed (Gen. 12:3).

2. The question (12:10,11)

10 Have you not even read this Scripture:

‘The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the chief corner stone;
11 This came about from the Lord,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

Then, as though to seal his parable, Jesus asks a question. This question points directly to the Holy Scriptures. Since they were the teachers of Israel they knew the Torah very well. Jesus is using the Words of God to ‘drive a nail’ in the story. He is telling them that they are the ones the vineyard owner (God) is talking about. He is also telling them that he is the ‘chief corner stone’ that the builders had rejected! A picture of them rejecting the ‘corner stone’ that the Lord had placed for Israel.

3. The reaction (12:12)

12 And they were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the people, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so they left Him and went away.

They didn’t understand anything, their minds were blinded. They wanted to ‘seize him’ but again we see that ‘they feared the people’. The Scriptures testify that ‘they understood that He spoke the parable against them’. What is so unbelievable was that they understood yet they were so spiritually blind that they rejected Christ. Something in them burned against Jesus and whatever proof was set before them they disregarded it.

CONCLUSION:

May our hearts be open to the Messiahship of Christ.
May we serve the coming King – God’s beloved Son.

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51-mark

The gospel of Mark

52 – Jesus and paying taxes

12:13-17

13 Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Him in order to trap Him in a statement. 14 They came and said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.” 16 They brought one. And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar’s.” 17 And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed at Him.

(NASB)

In our last section we left the religious elite wanting to seize Jesus but since they were afraid of the crowds they refrained from arresting him. By the first verse we can imagine that they went and gathered together and thought about what they could do.

1. The trick question (12:13-15a)

It seems that the opponents of Christ thought of another attack. They knew that people in general hated to have to pay taxes to the Roman Empire so their trick question would deal with this subject. If Jesus would say that they should pay taxes to Rome then people would rise-up against him. If he would say not to pay taxes then he could be accused of sedition towards Rome. So they thought that this was a win-win situation for them.

It is written that ‘they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Him’. It is incredible how opposing forces can team-up and be in accord to fight Jesus together! You see the Pharisees and the Herodians normally were common enemies. The Pharisees had a disdain for Rome and hoped that God would establish his kingdom on earth. They loved and taught the tradition of the elders and did not want to be polluted with the ways of Rome. On the opposite of the spectrum you had the Herodians. This was a political party that sympathised with Rome. They followed Herod who was the representative of Rome for that region. They welcomed the reign of Rome and also accepted the Roman culture. In everyday life these two groups of people detested each other but for this cause, because Christ was a threat to both groups, they decided to work together to have victory over him. This is so even today, various groups who are drastically different will join forces to try to demolish any Judeo-Christian belief and walk of life. This was their plan ‘to trap him in a statement’. If they could catch Jesus saying something wrong then they could use this against him. This was their trick question:

14 They came and said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay or shall we not pay?”

They first flatter Jesus with four statements. We should always be very careful when people who normally do not like us speak well of us in such an unusual way. The first flattery is ‘we know that you are truthful’. How devilish of them! If Jesus was ‘truthful’ (ALETHES) meaning: true as in not concealing, why would they not listen to him in the first place? The second flattery is ‘and defer to no one’. The word ‘defer’ (MELO) means: to be of interest to. Since Jesus was truthful he did not take in consideration anyone or any party when he talked. He did not say one thing to a certain person and something else to another. This is a rare quality that we all should possess. The third flattery is ‘you are not partial to any’ This is a continuation of the second flattery but gives a sense that Jesus does not look to or regard certain people for his own benefit either. The fourth flattery was ‘but teach the way of God in truth’. Notice that all four flatteries are actually true. They were not flatteries because flatteries exaggerate and embellish and this was not the case. Jesus was all that they said he was. But because they had twisted evil minds they thought that flattery was a way to break his defense against them! So here is the question.

Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay or shall we not pay?”

The ‘poll-tax’ was a tax that everyone who had been listed on a Roman census had to pay. The question dealt with how Jesus felt towards the Roman Empire and their rule over them. Did he embrace them or did he reject their authority? We must remember that Israel was a theocracy – God ruled over them as supreme Lord. But Rome was a dictatorship – Man ruled over them. The poll-tax was not a great one, quite small actually but all women between the ages of 12 and 65 and all men between 14 and 65 had to pay it. As I said before, the people in general despised paying this tax because for them it meant that they accepted ‘Caesar’ as their ruler. It was like paying a tribute or giving an offering to him which would be idolatry. So, Jesus, ‘shall we pay or shall we not pay’?

2. The amazing answer (12:15b-17)

But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.” 16 They brought one. And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar’s.” 17 And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed at Him.

Notice that when the Pharisees and the Herodians approached Jesus they used flattery against him. Jesus being truthful and not partial did not react as they did for he began answering them by reflecting upon them who they really were. Jesus ‘knowing their hypocrisy’ (HUPOKRISIS) meaning: to act, actor, deceit. Jesus could see right through them. He knew that they were trying to fool him and planned to use his answer against him. May we also remember that we can not ‘play the fool’ with Christ for he can see right through us! He asked them ‘Why are you testing Me?’ The word ‘testing’ (PEIRAZO) means: to entice, to test. This was no friendly discussion. They were not really interested in the true answer but were looking for any answer to use against him.

So Jesus asks ‘bring me a denarius to look at’. A denarius was the standard silver coin in the days of Caesar Augustus. It was a normal day’s wage for a soldier or a day laborer. This was the coin that was used to pay tribute to Caesar. That is why Jesus asked for a denarius.

16 They brought one. And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

This denarius bore the image of the emperor and the inscription "Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus" on one side and "pontifex maximus" on the other. The Jews viewed the term of "pontifex maximus" (chief bridge-builder) in the sense of high priest. You can understand why both inscriptions were offensive to them. So Jesus asks ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this’. The word ‘likeness’ (EIKON) means: likeness, representation or image. The word ‘inscription’ (PIGRAPHE) means: superscription, inscription. For the coin had a stamped picture of Augustus Caesar and a phrased describing him. The answer was quite simple for they did not hesitate and said ‘Caesar’s’. It may be that they thought ‘we got him – he’s going to say that we should pay to Caesar’. That’s all that they would have needed!

17 And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed at Him.

In his great wisdom Jesus answered perfectly. If something belongs to somebody – give it to him and if something belongs to God – give it to Him also! No one could refute such an answer. There are some Christians today who refuse to pay taxes to their governments because they are worldly and not of God. This teaching manifests that even if we would live in a country as mean and cruel as Israel which was under the ‘boot’ of Rome we still would need to pay what was asked.

I wonder if sometimes, as Christians, we forget to give ‘God the things that are God’s’ with our time, energy, capacities, monies and so forth? Do we preciously keep OUR part and openly neglect GOD’S part?

‘And they were amazed at Him’. They just could not believe what they had just heard! They had mastered a ‘win-win’ plan. They were confident that they had Jesus in the palm of their hands for whatever way he chose he would automatically lose. Yet with a few words they had been humiliated before everyone that was there.

CONCLUSION:

Fools will always fail in their relationship with Christ.

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52-mark

The gospel of Mark

53 – Marriage and the resurrection

12:18-27

18 Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and leaves no child, his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. 21 The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; 22 and so all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” 24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”

(NASB)

1. The Sadducees and their trick question (12:18-23)

Before we begin our section I must explain who the Sadducees were. First of all the Sadducees were a religious group or school of thought. One of their main points was that they did not believe (contrary to the Pharisees) that the oral law was a divine revelation from God. They believed that only the written Law (the Law of Moses) had divine authority. They also did not believe in the resurrection after death, or in angels and spirits which the Pharisees believed (to their credit). In other words they were very much in rivalry with the Pharisees. In general the Sadducees were wealthier than the Pharisees and even if they were less numerous this gave them political power. It must be noted that Jesus confronted the Pharisees on more occasions then he did with the Sadducees.

21 The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; 22 and so all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”

In our last section we see that the Pharisees (12:13) came to Jesus with what I call a ‘trick question’ and they failed to trap him. This was a golden opportunity for the Sadducees to prove that they were smarter than their rivals the Pharisees. So they also came to Jesus with their own ruse.

19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and leaves no child, his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother.

What the Sadducees were referring to is found in Deut. 25:5-10. Up to this point, what they said was true. They did not mention that a man did not have to do this if he really did not want to. It was an insult for the widow and shunned upon but he did have a choice.

20 There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. 21 The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; 22 and so all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also.

As you may notice the story that they invent is so outrageous that it is impossible to believe – even though it is a story! A woman marries one man who dies and then marries his brother who also dies and so on until all seven brothers pass away without leaving her with child. As their premise it is just plain senseless. It is a ridiculous story because they don’t believe in an afterlife and think they can discount it with this fairy-tale.

23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”

They finally come up with their trick question. You must remember that the Sadducees DO NOT believe in the resurrection. If all brothers had this woman for a wife once they rise from the dead who will be her husband? Will it be the first, second or all the way down to the seventh husband? I can imagine a grin on their face thinking that they will prove Jesus wrong. If they can do this he will be declared a false prophet and people will stop following him.

2. The fundamental reason for spiritual mistakes (12:24)

24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?

This is a very important verse not only for the Sadducees but for EVERYONE to understand. There are so many false teachers, prophets, pastors and so forth today simply because they perform the same mistake as these men did. First of all Jesus tells them straight out ‘Is this not the reason you are mistaken’. Jesus tells them ‘you are wrong – totally wrong’. At this point I can also imagine their faces growing long and their eyebrows sinking over their eyes! Jesus does not fool around with TRUTH. He continues with what grounds he declares that they are mistaken. There are two points that he brings forth.

The first one is ‘you do not understand the Scriptures’. When Jesus speaks of the Scriptures (GRAPHE) meaning: document, holy writ he is speaking of ALL of what we call the Old Testament. For Jesus quotes not only from the books of Moses but also the Prophets which the Sadducees do not believe have authority. So they were mistaken because they did not use the entire Scripture to base their belief on. In other words they chose the section(s) that they wanted and left out the section(s) that we unfavorable to them. Still today we see this all the time. People speak in the name of the Lord but use the verses to prove what they think instead of leaving the Scriptures speak for itself. How shameful this is and Jesus openly condemns those who do this.

Matthew 15:14

Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

(RSV)

Matthew 23:15

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

(RSV)

Is it important for us to ‘understand the Scriptures’. Of course it is. It is vitally important so we do not get swayed by smooth talkers.

The second ground for them being mistaken is that they did not know ‘the power of God’. Not only did they not know the Scriptures but they did not understand ‘the power of God’. In other words they limited their concept of God and made for themselves a little god that was able to do only certain little things. For them the miracle of life after death just could not be. They believe that angels and spirits don’t exist because God is not that powerful! We may not go as far as that but how many times do we believe that a particular situation can not be resolved. –We also limit God in our thinking. The power of the God of Israel is limitless. I hope you believe this!

Psalms 115:3

Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases.

(RSV)

Psalms 135:6

Whatever the LORD pleases he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.

(RSV)

3. Jesus answers the Sadducees (12:25-27)

25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”

The answer is quite simple. People ‘neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven’. One of the purposes of marriage is procreation (having children). Since Adam and Eve were under a curse and were condemned to die, procreation was necessary. On the other hand spirits (good or bad) are beings created to live eternally – they never die. Because of this there is no procreation. This is the point that Jesus is bringing. Once we rise from the dead there is no marriage, no need for procreation since people have now been given celestial bodies (1 Cor. 15:40) that are somewhat like the angels in heaven. They had it all wrong!

But Jesus does not stop there, he continues his explanation and goes even further.

26 But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”

Notice that Jesus will use a verse that is found in the Books of Moses (the only ones that they thought had any authority). He will show them how little they actually knew of the Scriptures! They gloated about their knowledge! There is a difference between knowing and understanding. One can recite entire books of the Bible yet understand very little of what he knows.

Jesus makes a statement ‘He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.’ Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were not dead but were alive with the Lord God. Our God is life and gives life. Our God gives live even unto those who have physically died (Rev. 20:12,13). For the second time Jesus says ‘you are mistaken’ but adds the word ‘greatly’. The Sadducees really had no clue about what they were speaking about.

CONCLUSION:

Don’t think that you are smarter than everyone else – you will be surprised!
Use the entire Scripture on which to base your theological understanding and not only the sections that you prefer.
Allow Christ to reprove you when you are mistaken.
There is no marriage after death.

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53-mark

The gospel of Mark

54 – The greatest commandment

12:28-34

28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; 33 and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.

(NASB)

1. The scribe and his question. (12:28)

There are many major players in this gospel: Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, teachers of the Law. In our present section we have another group who are called the ‘Scribes’. Who are they and what do they do? We can find the history of the scribes from the times of King David to the times of Jesus.

It first of all seems that they may have had some sort of duty to record military events (Judges 5:14).
The scribes (SOPHERIM meaning: to write, to set in order, to count) later filled an office with King David and Solomon (2 Sam. 8:17; 20:25; 1 Kings 4:3).
We can also see them as treasurers and managers of the King’s monies (2 Kings 12:10).
In the days of Hezekiah the scribes transcribed old records and interpreted the Law (Jer. 8:8).
After the captivity this office became more dominant as they were the ones who preserved the Sacred books, the laws, the hymns and prophecies of the past (Neh. 13:13)
With time ‘the words of the scribes’ were honored above the Law! It became a greater crime to offend them than to offend the Law! This became the first step in annulling the commands of God in favor of the traditions of the elders (Mark 7:13).
They evaded the Law and tampered with the conscience of men (Mat. 15:1-6; 23:16-23)
They and the Pharisees were constantly denounced by the Lord (Mat. 7:29).

(These 8 points were taken from Smith’s Bible Dictionary)

28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”

The word “arguing’ (SUZETEO) means: to investigate, discuss, reason, dispute. What the scribe was hearing was the discussion between the Sadducees and Jesus concerning marriage after the resurrection. We can gather that this scribe was present when the Sadducees confronted Jesus with their ‘trick question’. Being a witness of this and ‘recognizing that He had answered them well’ he also wanted to talk to the Lord. Now the word ‘recognizing’ (EIDO) means: to know, to be aware, behold. So he knew that Jesus was right and because of this he wanted to know Jesus’ opinion concerning a question he had in mind. We will later see that contrary to the Sadducees this scribe had good intentions.

(v.28)… “What commandment is the foremost of all?”

Since the Torah was at the heart of Jewish life it was natural for this man to ask this question. There were 613 different laws in the Old Testament but which one was the most important? Which one stood above all the others? Now the word ‘foremost’ (PROTOS) means: best, chief, first of all. So this scribe wanted to be certain concerning the most important of all the commandments. If the answer was important for the scribe it should be just as important, even more, for all true believers today. So let us listen to the answer Christ gave.

2. Jesus’ answer (12:29-31)

29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’

31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Jesus uses the same Greek word for ‘foremost’ (PROTOS) so we know that his answer is in line with what the scribe is asking. There can be no mistake about it. For the first part of His answer Jesus quotes Deut. 6:4,5.

The first part of the greatest commandment deals with who God is: ‘The Lord God is one Lord’. This speaks of the ‘oneness’ of God, that God is a single being and no one else is like Him. The Israelites were surrounded by countries who worshipped different gods and idols. By giving what is called the ‘Shema Yisrael’ the Lord God identifies Himself as the only true God'. Jesus emphasises the importance of knowing God before you can do anything else in relationship with Him.

The second part of the greatest commandment deals with our love for God. Notice that it is written ‘with all your’ on three occasions. This term comes from the Greek word HOLOS which means: complete, all, throughout. The greatest commandment deals with the ONLY God and also our love towards Him. We are to be ‘complete’ in our worship towards Him. Our relationship with God must envelop our entire being. We must give Him our fullest, complete and total devotion. God does not accept ‘part-time’ worshippers!

Jesus goes on to explain the different aspects of life where the Lord God is to be loved. It must be said that the word ‘love’ is difficult to explain. May we just say that loving someone is giving our whole-hearted attention to him. Our entire being is to be involved with our deep attachment to God. It begins ‘with all your heart’. This manifests where our devotion rests. The heart is portrayed as the seat of all of our emotions. We were created as emotional beings and we must encompass this aspect of who we are in our relationship with God. The second is ‘with all your soul’. This refers to who we are for we are living souls. All of me (all the different parts which makes me) should love the Lord God. The third is ‘with all your mind’. This speaks of my intellect, my thoughts and so forth. And finally ‘with all your strength’, with all the capacities that the Lord has allowed you to have. This gives the idea that I should use my God-given gifts and capacities to manifest how important God is for me.

31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Notice that the scribe asked for the first and greatest of all the commandments. Also notice that Jesus gives him more than he asked for! Not satisfied with teaching what is the greatest commandment Jesus moves on to explain the second greatest commandment which deals with people.

It is relatively easy to ‘love God’ and not care about people around us! That’s what most of the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the scribes were doing. It is very easy to be comfortable in our own little world while shutting out the rest of the planet. So Jesus knowing that a balance is needed includes a second commandment of greatest importance – our relationship with others.

The word ‘love’ in relationship with our neighbor is the same as the one used in relationship with the Lord God. It is a deep attachment which touches our intellect and also our volition. The second commandment deals with our ‘neighbor’. Remember when one asked Christ ‘Who is my neighbor?’ in Luke 10:29-37. This parable teaches us that our neighbor is actually anyone who is next to you – whoever he is. Now we are given the standard of what our love should be for our neighbor. We need to love that person just as much as we love ourselves. Remember what Jesus said:

Matthew 7:12

So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

(RSV)

3. The scribe’s response (12:32,33)

32 The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; 33 and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

The scribe acknowledges that Christ answered wisely. What I would like for you to notice is the last phrase: ‘is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices’. This is so important for us to understand. The Lord God desires our love and devotion and that we treat others just as we love ourselves MORE than all the sacrifices one could offer to receive forgiveness for his lack of love of God and his neighbor. Remember what Samuel said to King Saul:

1 Samuel 15:22,23

(22)And Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

(23)For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king."

(RSV)

4. Jesus’ declaration (12:34)

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.

The declaration of Jesus is unique in the gospels. He sees that the scribe answered ‘intelligently’ (NOUNECHOS) meaning: intellect, the mind, mindfully. His reasoning coincided with the thoughts of Christ so Jesus approved. Because the scribe accepted the teachings of Christ on this matter Jesus replied ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God’. The word ‘far’ (MAKRAN) means: at a distance. This gives the idea that the scribe was near the kingdom of God. He was not yet IN the kingdom for he had not accepted Christ as the Messiah. There are people that agree with most of the Christian doctrines but for some reason have not taken a stand for Christ and follow Him. They are near but not yet IN the kingdom. Have you made up your mind? Is Christ your Messiah and have you repented before him?

CONCLUSION:

Do you practice the first and second greatest commandment?
Are you NEAR or IN the kingdom of God?

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54-mark

The gospel of Mark

55 – Whose son is the Christ?

12:35-40

35 And Jesus began to say, as He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself said in the Holy Spirit,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet.”’

37 David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?” And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.

38 In His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, 39 and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 40 who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.”

(NASB)

1. Jesus’ teaching concerning the Christ. (12:35-37a)

In our last few sections we have seen the Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes come to Jesus and ask him questions. What we now see is the opposite. Jesus is asking and no one seems able to answer!

35 And Jesus began to say, as He taught in the temple,

It was accustomed for Jesus to take every opportunity to teach people concerning the kingdom of God. He preached to masses as with the Sermon on the Mount (Mat. 5-7) and on the last day of the Feast of the Tabernacles (John 7:37-39). But he also preached to individuals like the Samaritan woman (John 4:1-42) and the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). This time Jesus teaches in the temple. It was normal for Jesus to do this. As we will see later, when he will get arrested he will openly say that he taught daily in the temple (Mark 14:49).

(v.35b)… “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself said in the Holy Spirit,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet.”’

37 David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?”

The question is a difficult one. The religious elite understood that one day a descendant of David would re-establish a God given throne in Jerusalem. Some even thought that this king to be would actually be the Messiah. The problem deals with the relation between David and the Christ (which means Anointed = Messiah). How could the Messiah be both lesser than David (being his descendant) and yet at the same time be greater than David (being his Lord)? Here Jesus quotes Ps. 110:1. This is a Messianic prophecy, notice that there are two LORDS ‘The Lord said to my Lord’. Who was David’s Lord if not God the Father? So God the Father spoke to another Lord but who is he if not God the Son. So the father told the Son to ‘sit at my right hand until I put Your enemies beneath your feet’. Jesus today is sitting at the Father’s right hand (Rom. 8:34, Eph. 1:20, Col. 3:1, Heb. 1:3, 1 Peter 3:22). So Jesus asks ‘in what sense is He his son?’ Now the Pharisees (Mat. 22:41) were not able to answer Jesus’ question. More than that the religious elite was so humiliated before the crowds that Matthew tells us the following:

Matthew 22:46

And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did any one dare to ask him any more questions.

(RSV)

2. The response of the crowd (12:37b)

Let’s not forget that all of this happened in the open at the temple. Jesus lives in the light. He does not hide as we sometimes do. He is not afraid to bring the truth forward and also teach lessons to those who are for Him and also to those who oppose Him.

(v.37b)… And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.

The crowd ‘enjoyed’ (HEDEOS) meaning: sweetly, pleasure, gladly ‘listening to Him’. Why would they do that in this particular case? I believe it is because Jesus had the upper hand with the Pharisees. He ‘shut them down’ with one question. We must remember that in general people were afraid of the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin because of the power they had over them. Remember the story of the blind man that was cured by Christ and how his parents were so afraid of them?

John 9:22

His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if any one should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.

(RSV)

So, for once someone stood up to these men and put them in their place. And the crowd just loved it. Justice was being served and the hypocrites were openly rebuked! No wonder Jesus was loved by the common people and hated by those who proclaimed to be ‘men of God’.

This is a lesson for all who are Disciples of Christ. We must not be afraid to stand up for the truth. Paul writes to Titus that he must stand up to some Cretans because of what they say – ‘Therefore rebuke them sharply’ (Titus 1:13). He also tells Titus ‘Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority’ (Titus 2:15). He also tells Timothy to do the same thing (2 Tim. 4:2). People of God need to rebuke when falsehood about God is shared by anyone.

3. The warnings against the scribes (12:38-40)

Jesus ends this confrontation with a word for the crowd that was present. He warns them: ‘Beware’ (BLEPO) meaning: to look at, behold, take heed. Jesus was warning them concerning the scribes. May we also take heed to what the good Lord has to say for we live in times of great religious hypocrisy! There are six things that the Lord points out.

First: ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes’. Some scribes like to make a ‘fashion statement’. They wanted to stand above the crowd and dress so much better than the common people. What a contrast with John the Baptist who was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt and Jesus himself who only had a tunic to his name!

Second: ‘and like respectful greetings in the market places’. The scribes loved attention. They manifested it not only by what they wore but also by the ‘greetings’(ASPASMOS) meaning: salutations people gave them as they walked about. Again this is something that Jesus had taught not to do.

Matthew 23:8-11

(8) But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren.

(9) And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.

(10) Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ.

(11) He who is greatest among you shall be your servant;

(RSV)

Third: ‘and chief seats in the synagogues’. Again this has to do with prominence. The synagogue was to be a place of worship and communion with God. They turned this around and instead of having people focus on the things of the Lord they wanted the focus to be on themselves! Remember Jesus on the night he was betrayed, he washed his disciples’ feet (John 13:5). He was humble and served instead of being served.

Fourth: ‘and places of honor in banquets’. Even when they were out of the synagogue they wanted the best. Being invited to banquets they wanted to be at the ‘head of the table’ but Jesus warned that this should never be done.

Luke 14:8-11

(8) "When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him;

(9) and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.

(10) But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.

(11) For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

(RSV)

Fifth: ‘who devour widow’s houses’. The word ‘devour’ (KATESTHIO) means: to eat down. These scribes would take advantage of widows and their weaknesses. Paul also speaks of men who take advantage of certain women.

2 Timothy 3:6,7

(6) For among them are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses,

(7) who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

(RSV)

Sixth: ‘and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers’. The scribes wanted to show how spiritual they were. The word ‘appearance’s’ (PROPHASIS) means: outward showing, pretence, show. They made a public spectacle of what should have been done in private like Jesus taught.

Matthew 6:5,6

(5) "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

(6) But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

(RSV)

Jesus ends with a terrible warning that should make all of us shiver!

(v.40)…these will receive greater condemnation.”

There will be a judgment and the scribes will ‘receive greater condemnation’. The word ‘greater’ (PERISSOTEROS) means: in a more superabundant way. The word ‘condemnation’ (KRIMA) means: avenge, condemned, damnation. So the scribes that love to do these six things will be judged in a far greater way than others will. May we also be warned not to have such an attitude!

CONCLUSION:

The Christ is also the Lord God.
May we never bear the fruits of the scribes.

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55-mark

The gospel of Mark

56 – The widow’s offering

12:41-44

41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

(NASB)

1. Jesus observes (10:41,42)

What is the ‘treasury’ that Jesus sat down opposite from? Its origin goes back to the early days when the Israelites would bring to the House of Yaweh their tithing, offerings and even spoils of war. We see this as early as Joshua 6:19 and 24. When David secured provisions for the construction of the temple it was placed in the ‘treasuries’. We also see that David made certain that Solomon would build the temple with a room for the ‘treasuries’ (1 Chron. 28:11). Later when the temple of God was plundered by enemies it is written that they carried away its treasures (1 Kings 14:26; 15:15,18; 2 Kings 12:18, etc.) Under Nehemiah, with the rebuilding of the temple, the treasury chambers were also included (Neh. 13:4). This is where the people brought their tithings and offerings of all sorts. In the times of Jesus the ‘treasury’ were 13 trumpet shaped chests that were in the ‘court of women’ for the reception of the offerings of the people coming to worship in the Lord’s house.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary writes: "Nine chests were for the appointed money-tribute and for the sacrifice-tribute, i.e., money-gifts instead of the sacrifices; four chests for freewill-offerings for wood, incense, temple decoration, and burnt-offerings" (Lightfoot's Hor. Heb). The apostle John mentions them in John 8:20. With this verse we can imagine that the ‘treasury’ in the court of women was a place where Jesus openly taught in the temple.

Notice that Jesus ‘began observing’ (THEOREO) meaning: to be a spectator, behold, perceive. It seems that Jesus was in the ‘women’s court’ where the ‘treasuries’ were and since the thirteen chests were there he simply looked at how people reacted to them. Would I dare say that Jesus does the same today? If he truly is with us ‘until the closing of the age’ (Mat. 28:20) then Jesus – God the Son can not only perfectly be with us but also see everything that we do. As a child of God we are called to remember to do all things for His glory (1 Cor. 10:31). We see that Jesus is also interested in what people do so he watches them pass in front of the treasury chests.

What he observed is ‘how the people were putting money into the treasury;’ There seems to be an imbalance in churches concerning money. Either it is over stated – give, give, give or God wants you to be rich, rich, rich – both are incorrect! On the other hand if you believe that God is not concerned with your giving then you are wrong. The text reveals the opposite. In this section Jesus will deal with offerings in relation to our heart. In our church setting it would be Jesus observing what we give when the offering plate passes in front of us.

(v.41)…and many rich people were putting in large sums.

The first group of people that Jesus noticed were ‘many rich people’. The word ‘rich’ (PLOUSIOS) means: abounding, fullness, richness. There were wealthy people that came to the temple, passed through the ‘court of women’ and before entering the temple they ‘were putting in large sums’. The word ‘large’ (POLUS) means: much, many, largely. So they put in the treasuries a good amount of money. Since they were wealthy they put in MORE than those who were less fortunate. Just like in our churches some who have more give more – or do they?

42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.

We also see ‘a poor widow’ that comes along. The word ‘poor’ (PTOCHOS) means: beggar, poor, in distress. WE can see the contrast with the ‘many rich people’. One is rich and gives much and the other is poor and she gives ‘two small copper coins’. The coins that she placed in the treasury were the smallest denomination of Roman coinage available. It is said that it was worth one eighth of a cent. The word ‘cent’ (KODRANTES) means: the fourth part of something, so the poor widow didn’t give much – right?

2. Jesus responds to what he sees (10:43,44)

43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

It seems that what he saw touched him so much that he wanted his disciples to also benefit from what he had seen. One might say that it is normal that the rich give more and the poor give less that there is no lesson to be learned from this. How wrong we are if we believe this is the case.

So Jesus ‘calling His disciples’, the word ‘calling’ (PROSKALEOMAI) means: to call towards, to summon. He calls them to come near him for he has something to say. Do we hear our Master’s voice calling us? Do we listen to the Spirit’s voice when he desires to teach us and guide us? Jesus begins his lesson on giving to the House of the Lord.

(v.43)…“Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;

He tells them that the poor widow ‘put in more’ (PLEON) meaning: more in quantity or quality. Now we know that she did not put in ‘more in quantity’ for she gave next to nothing. So we come to understand what Jesus meant – she gave more in ‘quality’! Many rich came and gave good amounts of money and don’t forget that this was publicly done. People nearby could actually hear the sound of all the coins that you would drop in the ‘treasury’. Now why would Jesus demean the rich who were putting a lot of money was it not for the House of the Lord? Was it not for its up-keeping and maintenance? Was it not to pay the salaries of those who worked in it? Was it not also for the distribution for the poor? So what’s wrong with the rich that Jesus was watching? How could they give less than the poor widow?

44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

It is written that the rich ‘put in out of their own surplus’. The word ‘surplus’ (PERISSEUO) means: in excess, superfluous. It seems that what they gave actually meant nothing for them. It was what we would call ‘pocket money’ or ‘loose change’. What they gave changed nothing in their life. If I have one hundred dollars and give one dollar as an offering does it really have an impact on my life? – No!

On the other hand the poor widow ‘put in all she owned, all that she had to live on’. She gave ‘out of her poverty’. The word ‘poverty’ (HUSTERESIS) means: falling short, penury, want. She gave out of her necessity in life, what she needed to buy food and other necessities. When she gave, it was out of her love for the Lord. Her giving also manifested that she believed that the Lord would provide for her. What true love and faith!

Do you remember the Lord’s complaint through the prophet Malachi when he spoke of their worthless sacrifices that they brought to Him?

Malachi 1:6-8

(6)"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. You say, 'How have we despised thy name?'

(7)By offering polluted food upon my altar. And you say, 'How have we polluted it?' By thinking that the LORD's table may be despised.

(8)When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that no evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that no evil? Present that to your governor; will he be pleased with you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts.

(RSV)

What they brought manifested their hearts towards God – he wasn’t much in their eyes so they gave insignificant offerings. In this story the rich brought insignificant amounts of money – their spare change. But the poor widow offered the best she had not of her surplus for she had none but out of her need!

CONCLUSION:

Jesus is interested in what we do and what we offer to the Lord.
Let us not give out of our surplus but bring offerings to the Lord that are worthy of his Majesty.

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56-mark

The gospel of Mark

57 – Signs of the end of the age

13:1-27

1 As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.”

3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” 5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.6 Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. 8 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

9 “But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. 10 The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. 12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

14 “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 15 The one who is on the housetop must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house; 16 and the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. 17 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18 But pray that it may not happen in the winter. 19 For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will. 20 Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

21 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him; 22 for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.

(NASB)

(I believe in the rapture of the church, the reign of the Anti-Christ, personal coming of Jesus Christ, the millennium, and the final battle of Armageddon and finally the restoration of all things the way they were intended by the Lord God. The subject is so vast that only a quick overview of events will be mentioned in this section.)

1. Questions asked (13:1-4)

This section occurs after Jesus openly condemns the spiritual leaders who were in the temple. We can see that Jesus left them ‘As He was going out of the temple’. Although the religious elite had been publicly humiliated before a crowd of people there was nothing that they could do. They left him unharmed. It is at this point that the disciples manifest interest in the beauty of the temple: ‘behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings’. The disciples were looking at the temple and feasting their eyes on its superb architecture, asked Jesus to participate in their wonder.

2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.”

Instead of agreeing with his disciples, which he could have, Jesus projects he future of the temple. Now there is a great lesson to be understood here. There are things that are apparent and things that will become apparent. Our eyes should be fixed on the things that will become apparent in the future. The way we see things should reflect how the Lord God sees them. The disciples saw a wonderful building before them but Jesus saw its destruction and desolation: ‘Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down’.

We know that this happened in 70 a.d. when General Titus destroyed Jerusalem and crushed its rebellion against Rome. It is important to understand that since that time the Jewish people have had no legitimate place to offer a sacrifice for the atonement of their sins.

3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately,

Being intrigued by Jesus’ statement four of his disciples (the original four) come to him for a private chat. The Mount of Olives is just East of Jerusalem and you can see the city afar off. It was part of a small mountain chain and it was richly planted with trees. People often came to this Mount to escape the busy city of Jerusalem. Here they could find themselves in a calm and cool environment especially during the hot summer season. Why only these four disciples – we don’t know. May I suggest that, as with people in general, some are more curious than others?

4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?”

Their question is like a coin, it has two sides. The first is ‘when will these things be’ and the second ‘what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?’ So they wanted to know when it was going to happen (the destruction of the temple) and what are the coming signs that this will happen. One must not forget that the temple was at the very heart of the Jewish existence. Hearing Jesus say that it will be destroyed was unheard of. No one thought that the temple would ever be devastated again.

2. Concerning the Tribulation period (13:5-23)

5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.6 Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. 8 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

I must point out to you again that this is just an overview and that you should read good books in relation to the end-times.

2. A - The warnings of Jesus (12:5-8)

His first warning concerns imitators that will come after he departs. Their goal is to: ‘misleads you’. The word ‘mislead’ (PLANAO) means: to cause to roam, to go astray. Some will come and have a secret desire to separate people from the truth. They will do this by lying saying ‘I am He’. False prophets will declare lies to mislead people even saying that they are Christ! How many have already come and declared to be prophets of God saying that the return of Christ would be on a given day! How many have declared that the end-times have already begun! Jesus was right and will ever be right!

His second warning deals with ‘wars and rumor of wars’. He tells his disciple ‘do not be frightened’ because ‘those things must take place; but that is not yet the end’. People are always afraid when war is on the rise and many believe that each ‘great war’ will be the end of the world. But Jesus says no it’s not the end yet. Since the nuclear age the world has been under constant threat of annihilation but true believers know that men will not destroy the world in such a war.

His third warning deals with four aspects: the rising of one nation against another, kingdoms against each other, earthquakes on the rise and also famines. But again we are told ‘These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs’. The word ‘beginning’ (ARCHE) meaning: a commencement, order of time. The disciples were asking ‘when will these things be?’ and Jesus begins to set this in a time-frame to answer them. All these warnings lead up to the ‘when’ they were asking about. All these things mentioned are not the ‘when’ but ‘the beginning of birth pangs’. Similarly as a woman has her contractions she knows that the time is coming for her to give birth.

2. B – The coming sufferings of his disciples (13:9-13)

A Doctrinal And Devotional Commentary On the Gospel of Mark

Part 2

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Written by Rénald Leroux Jr.

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Bibliography

Table of contents

Introduction to the Gospel of Mark

The gospel of Mark

41 – Questions concerning divorce

10:1-12

The gospel of Mark

42 – Jesus and the little children

10:13-16

The gospel of Mark

43 – The rich young man

10:17-31

The gospel of Mark

44 – Jesus predicts his death again

10:32-34

The gospel of Mark

45 – James, John and Jesus

10:35-45

The gospel of Mark

46 – Bartimaeus by the road

10:46-52

The gospel of Mark

47 – The triumphal entry

11:1-11

The gospel of Mark

48 – Jesus clears the Temple

11:12-19

The gospel of Mark

49 – Jesus and the fig tree

11:20-26

The gospel of Mark

50 – Jesus and his authority

11:27-33

The gospel of Mark

51 – The parable of the tenants

12:1-12

The gospel of Mark

52 – Jesus and paying taxes

12:13-17

The gospel of Mark

53 – Marriage and the resurrection

12:18-27

The gospel of Mark

54 – The greatest commandment

12:28-34

The gospel of Mark

55 – Whose son is the Christ?

12:35-40

The gospel of Mark

56 – The widow’s offering

12:41-44

The gospel of Mark

57 – Signs of the end of the age

13:1-27

A
Doctrinal
And
Devotional
Commentary
On the
Gospel of Mark