Mark 4
Oh, there are sooooo many things that I could pick from. Once again, we see Jesus in the throws of His ministry. It says that there were so many people gathered around, that He had to get into a boat so that the crowd could gather around Him to hear. Can you imagine what that scene would've looked like? Amazing.
So, two things I'll take from this today: 1) Jesus decided to speak in nothing but parables to the masses. Why? Well, He tells us. But what does it mean, "Lest they should turn and be forgiven"?
Plain and simple.... it's Jesus being candid. Remember, Jesus said, only those that the Father has given Him will turn and repent. I believe that what this means is this: If Jesus just came right out and said everything in plain words, it would be no different than all the other philosophers and teachers of that day. However, by speaking in parables, those who were being drawn would hear these parables and the "seed" that Jesus was scattering, would not fall on shallow or rocky soil. Those who heard Jesus speak and were convicted of the truth, WOULD seek to understand the parables and WOULD turn and repent.
2) We don't know at what point in the ministry this happened, but the scene of Jesus calming the wind.... WOW! We know that Mark is not chronological in order, but I have to think, just by what Jesus says, that this happened a good few weeks into the ministry. They had seen everything that Jesus had been doing, and had heard all of His teachings, and yet, they still were asking who is this man that even the wind submits to His authority. But in the end, I believe that Mark wrote this because he knew that even though we can hear about all Jesus did, and still put our hope and salvation in Him, we would still lack faith at times. It just reminds me that I have to trust EVERYTHING to Him.
Robbie
Monday, March 8, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Mark 3
Mark 3
Okay, remember.... "Just the facts, ma'am! Just the facts!"
If I were Mark, writing this Gospel, and I knew that all I was going to write were just a bunch of accounts of what Jesus had done, my head would be hurting! I mean, how could you pick through what it was you wanted to give an account of? We all know the character of Peter, this overzealous, high strung dude who just wanted to tell everyone about Jesus. Can you imagine sitting down with him and taking notes? This is what Mark was doing. It probably was impossible for him to keep up!
I guess the one thing that stands out for me more than anything is in vs. 12. He orders the demons not to make Him known. Now, we would probably say.... why not? Why not let this display of otherworldly beings give testimony to who Jesus was? Wouldn't this just prove for everyone who He was? Well, perhaps, but maybe not. Jesus knew that if these possessed people were allowed to propagate the "heretic", "blasphemous", image that the Pharisees were accusing Him of, then those who sought to kill Him would have their ammo. He knew He had a mission to accomplish. And therefore, He would decide when to reveal Himself, and when to allow them to take Him to his death. Not Satan and his legions. This was the will of the Father. Jesus would not allow anything to come between Him and the Father's will.
But Mark is smart here. He allows us to see this and hear this account of Jesus commanding them not to speak of Him, so that we may see the power and authority given to Him by God, the Father. It would've been easy to leave that little tidbit out. But Mark understood the implications of what he was writing.
Thoughts?
Okay, remember.... "Just the facts, ma'am! Just the facts!"
If I were Mark, writing this Gospel, and I knew that all I was going to write were just a bunch of accounts of what Jesus had done, my head would be hurting! I mean, how could you pick through what it was you wanted to give an account of? We all know the character of Peter, this overzealous, high strung dude who just wanted to tell everyone about Jesus. Can you imagine sitting down with him and taking notes? This is what Mark was doing. It probably was impossible for him to keep up!
I guess the one thing that stands out for me more than anything is in vs. 12. He orders the demons not to make Him known. Now, we would probably say.... why not? Why not let this display of otherworldly beings give testimony to who Jesus was? Wouldn't this just prove for everyone who He was? Well, perhaps, but maybe not. Jesus knew that if these possessed people were allowed to propagate the "heretic", "blasphemous", image that the Pharisees were accusing Him of, then those who sought to kill Him would have their ammo. He knew He had a mission to accomplish. And therefore, He would decide when to reveal Himself, and when to allow them to take Him to his death. Not Satan and his legions. This was the will of the Father. Jesus would not allow anything to come between Him and the Father's will.
But Mark is smart here. He allows us to see this and hear this account of Jesus commanding them not to speak of Him, so that we may see the power and authority given to Him by God, the Father. It would've been easy to leave that little tidbit out. But Mark understood the implications of what he was writing.
Thoughts?
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