The Gospel According to Mark1
by Greg Williamson © revised 2011
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations
are from the New Living Translation (NLT)
Introduction
Preliminary Concern: Why bother with Bible study?
One of the most important, yet neglected, disciplines of the Christian life is serious, committed,
personal Bible study. While many Christians will say that the Bible is important to them, in truth
the vast majority of professing believers spend at best no more than a few minutes a week
reading it. The end result is ignorance regarding God's truth which, in turn, has any number of
profoundly negative consequences. The Bible is God's lamp to our feet and God's light to our
path (see Psalms 119:105) - which means that without it we can expect to spend a lot of time
stumbling and bumbling through this life. Beyond the obvious fact that it is an act of obedience
and a sign of our love for God, personal Bible study has the potential to impact us in some
highly significant ways, including:



Knowledge. "Knowledge" is "the truth or facts of life that a person acquires either
through experience or thought."2 While creation reveals (some of) what God is like, the
Bible remains the only objective source for the fullest knowledge possible regarding God
and his will for us.
Wisdom. Wisdom is the "ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of
action, based on knowledge and understanding."3 In simplest terms, it is "skill for
living."4 A Christian acquires this skill through personal study and application of the
Scriptures.
Understanding. To understand is "to grasp the meaning of; to grasp the reasonableness
of; to have thorough or technical acquaintance with or expertness in the practice of." 5
Knowing and applying God's counsel as found in the Bible is the only sure way to truly
understand life - our purpose, our meaning, our direction.
With so much to gain, why is Bible study such a lost art? Well, for one thing, personal,
committed, ongoing Bible study demands time and effort. Which means getting out of the bed
1
This is a somewhat condensed version of the same Bible study guide found online at
http://ac21doj.org/contents/bibleStudy/theGospelAccordingToMark/ - in which the NLT text is used by permission
of the publisher. In addition to graphics, the online version also includes: the key verse for each chapter of Mark,
extensive articles on key terms, and cross references to the other gospels (Matthew, Luke, and John). The extra
material has been omitted here due to space and copyright concerns. Most of the material in both versions of this
guide is presented in a format of: see/head/explanation … hear/heart/illustration … do/hands/application.
2
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
3
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
4
Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
5
Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
a little earlier each morning and/or turning off the television - or logging off of the internet - a
little sooner in the evening. It also means investing in resources, beginning with a good study
Bible, Bible dictionary, and Bible commentary.6 As one source aptly puts it:
The big problem with Bible study today is that we think it should be easier than other
things we do. We study recipes for quality meals, how-to books for all kinds of things carpentry, plumbing, automobile maintenance and so on - and read vociferously for our
hobbies. Why do we think the Bible is the only subject we should not have to study?! Let
me challenge you - make the Bible your hobby. At one level I do not like the analogy; the
Bible must be so much more than a hobby! But at another level, what if we spent as
much time and money on Bible study as we do our hobbies? What if we took the same
amount we spend on golf clubs and courses or on skiing equipment and skiing trips, and
put it into Bible study? Yes, encyclopedias, commentaries and other reference materials
are expensive. But so is everything we do. The question is about priorities: what is
important enough for our time and money? I want to encourage you to get and use the
tools that enable us to bridge the gap back to Bible times and authorial intention.7
Who wrote this book?
John Mark ("John" is a Hebrew name meaning "God is gracious; "Mark"/"Marcus" is a Roman
name meaning "larger hammer").8
Besides the early Church's testimony that Mark served as the apostle Peter's "interpreter" ("a
term meaning something like 'private secretary' and aide-de-camp"9), Mark had firsthand
knowledge of the leaders of the early Church and the Gospel10 they espoused:

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
6
Mark was the cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10), a leader in the early Church.
Mark came from a wealthy family who were among the first in Jerusalem to become
Christians, and whose home served as a meeting place for believers (a house church)
(Acts 12:11-13).
He was a traveling companion of the apostle Paul during Paul's first missionary journey
(c. A.D. 46–48) (Acts 12:25; 13:5).
However, because Mark had abandoned Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:13), Paul refused to
take him along on the next trip (c. A.D. 49–52), a decision that created a rift between he
and Barnabas. The latter took John Mark and headed in a different direction (Acts 15:3639).
For some suggested titles, please see: http://ac21doj.org/resources/resources.html
The Hermeneutical Spiral (quoted verbatim; italics added)
8
The Complete Who's Who in the Bible
9
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
10
Except for some verbatim quotations, within this study "gospel" [small "g"] indicates a type of writing or genre,
while "Gospel" [large "G"] refers to the message proclaimed by Jesus and, later, the Christian Church: "the 'good
tidings' of the kingdom of God and of salvation through Christ, to be received by faith, on the basis of His expiatory
death, His burial, resurrection, and ascension" (Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament
Words). There are four gospels that testify to the one Gospel.
7

At some point Paul and Mark were reconciled, since Paul later speaks highly of him
(Colossians 4:10-11; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24).
INTERACTION
What does it mean to be reconciled to someone? Does being reconciled mean that two people
have to think and act exactly alike? Why or why not?
INSIGHT
Another word for reconciliation is reunion. To reunite is to make united again. Unity, however, is
not the same as uniformity. Whereas uniformity demands looking and acting exactly alike, unity
involves shared beliefs and values - while still leaving room for individual differences.
While we can only guess as to why John Mark deserted Paul and Barnabas - Fear of danger?
Dissatisfaction with the leadership? Malaria?11 - it is probably not too much to say that it was
John Mark's and Paul's beliefs and values which led them to be reconciled. And doubtless the
entire experience better prepared Mark for writing about Jesus, the one who came to reconcile
us to God.
Mark was a companion of the apostle Peter and may even have been converted by him (see 1
Peter 5:13). It is believed that Mark's gospel is based on Peter's sermons and recollections
regarding Jesus, and it is obvious that Mark chose to present his material thematically rather
than chronologically. Mark's gospel was held in high esteem immediately after it was written
(because of Peter's authority, plus its endorsement by the Christian church at Rome), but it did
fall out of favor once the longer and smoother gospels of Matthew and Luke arrived on the
scene.12
Tradition tells us that John Mark went on to establish churches in Alexandria (Egypt), he was
martyred, and his remains were carried to Venice and placed under the Church of St. Mark.13
INSIGHT
How we live our lives bears witness to who we are and what we believe. This was Peter's point
in his first epistle. Writing to Christians who were being persecuted for their faith, Peter urged
them to live good lives that would bear witness to the saving power of God. "Be careful how you
live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see
your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge
the world" (1 Peter 2:12).
11
The Daily Study Bible Series
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
13
The Complete Who's Who in the Bible; Encyclopedia Britannica; 1909 New Catholic Dictionary
12
What was Mark's purpose in writing this book?
Mark wrote his gospel for the (Gentile) Christians living in and around Rome during the
persecution under Emperor Nero. Mark sought both to encourage and to equip them by
reminding them of who Jesus Christ is and what it means to follow him.
"The Gospel of Mark teaches about the person and acts of God as revealed in the words and
works of his Son, Jesus Christ. In his ministry, defined as good news (gospel), Jesus as the Christ
fulfills the promises of the Old Testament concerning the Davidic Messiah-King in a unique way
as the Son of God."14 In Mark's historical narrative we learn that Jesus: was empowered by
God's Spirit; proclaimed God's good news; announced God's kingdom; called for "repentance
and belief in that good news"; suffered and died to ransom us from sin; and was raised back to
life.15
INTERACTION
Who is Jesus to you: A good man? A wise teacher? Lord? Why?
INSIGHT
Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the Child of a peasant woman. He
worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years He was an
itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a
home. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big
city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He never
did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. ... While still a young man, the
tide of popular opinion turned against Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went
through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a Cross between two thieves. ... When
He was dead He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a
friend. ... Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone and today He is the Centerpiece
of the human race ... I am within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever
marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever sat,
and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon
this earth as powerfully as has that One Solitary Life.16
What is the historical setting of this book?
The setting for Mark's gospel is the persecution of Christians under Emperor Nero in Rome,
beginning A.D. 65.17
"In A.D. 64 a fire broke out at the Circus Maximus in Rome. It spread quickly, devouring
everything in its path. Fanned by the wind, it raged for more than five days and devastated a
14
Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
16
The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart And 1,501 Other Stories (quoted verbatim; author unknown/disputed)
17
The date and circumstances of writing are not absolutely certain. Most Bible scholars argue for a date of A.D.
65–70, in which case Nero's persecution would have been a major reason for Mark's writing. This seems the best
guess considering all the known facts. Some scholars, however, argue for a date as early as A.D. 45–50.
15
large area of the city before being brought under control. At the time Nero was at Antium, his
birthplace, some 33 miles to the south. He rushed to Rome to organize relief work. Because of
his evil record, however, people put stock in the rumor that Nero had set the fire himself. Nero,
in turn, found a scapegoat in the Christians, whom he charged with the crime. Many were
persecuted."18 It was during this period that both Paul and Peter were put to death. As one
source notes: "Writing in the last two or three years of Nero's life, when the Jewish rebellion
was in its early stages, when persecution of Christians was severe, and when many 'prophets'
and 'deliverers' were making themselves known, the Markan evangelist puts forward Jesus as
the true son of God, in whom the good news for the world truly has its beginning."19
INTERACTION
Describe a time you were falsely accused of something. What was the outcome? What did you
learn from that experience?
INSIGHT
William Shakespeare wrote that, "Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind." And C. S. Lewis
noted how, "Suspicion often creates what it suspects."20 People are prone to see what they want
to see and hear what they want to hear. Moral: Striving to live good lives will help us see the
good in others (though they may or may not acknowledge it in us).
What type of book/literature is this?
Mark's book is a gospel narrative centering on the words and works of Jesus Christ. Jesus' public
ministry began in A.D. 29 and ended in A.D. 33. Mark opens his narrative by placing the Gospel
within its proper historical context: Old Testament prophets => John the Baptist => Jesus. The
nation of Israel had long anticipated God's Messiah and the deliverance he would offer; the
"good news" was that he had finally arrived. As one source summarizes:
Since the usage and associations of the term in the Synoptics coincide with those in
Isaiah, it is likely that the meaning of gospel has its roots in this message of restoration
and healing for the helpless. The preaching of the "good news" is collocated with the
kingdom in both the Synoptics (Mark 1:14–15; Matthew 4:23; 9:35; Luke 4:43; 8:1;
16:16) and in Isaiah (Isaiah 40:9–10; 52:7) and so also with healing in both the Synoptics
(Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 11:5; Luke 7:22; 9:6) and in Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1; 26:19; 29:18; 35:5–
6).21
Mark's is actually one of four separate but related gospels, the others having been written by
Matthew, Luke and John. Because their subject (Jesus) is unique, in many ways theirs is a
unique type of literature. Their basic style, however, reflects a type of biography popular at the
time. These biographies of philosophers or writers (rather than generals or politicians) "were
shaped over a skeleton chronology running from their birth, or entrance on the stage of public
18
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
New Dictionary of Biblical Theology
20
Random House Webster’s Quotationary
21
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (quoted verbatim)
19
history, to their death, interrupted here and there by topical excursions."22 The gospel writers
(or "evangelists") present us with a series of snapshots of the life and times of Jesus,
culminating with his death, resurrection, and promised future return.
Mark's is "a biography charged with energy"23 - it emphasizes action and climaxes with Jesus'
crucifixion.24 Mark's frequent use of the word "immediately" (40 x) "adds to the rapid flow of
his narrative, which, dwelling more on Jesus' activity than on his discourses (in contrast to
Matthew and Luke), shifts from scene to scene with hardly a pause."25 As one source puts it, it
is as if Mark "rushes on in a kind of breathless attempt to make the story as vivid to others as it
is to himself,"26 the end result being what has been called "essentially a transcript from life."27
Besides showing Jesus in action, Mark includes quite a number of details appropriate to an
eyewitness account - "details of persons, times, numbers, and places."28 Although such intimate
details may be unimportant in and of themselves, nonetheless they offer additional proof of
authenticity since they are what an "eyewitness would have been likely to recall later when he
related the mighty works and words of Jesus and the decisive reactions of those present."29 As
one source puts it: "Mark's Gospel throbs with life and bristles with vivid details. We see with
Peter's eyes and catch almost the very look and gesture of Jesus as he moved among men in his
work of healing men's bodies and saving men's souls."30
INTERACTION
Have you ever read the biography or autobiography of a famous person? What was the one
thing about him or her that impressed you the most?
INSIGHT
Not long ago I read Billy Graham's autobiography, Just As I Am. Here is a man who has shared
the Gospel with literally millions of people around the world. Here is a man who has confronted
presidents and kings with their need for a personal relationship with the King of kings, Jesus
Christ. If anyone has a right to boast about his accomplishments, surely it would be Billy
Graham.
And yet what strikes me most about Billy Graham's life is not his accomplishments, but his
humility. Ask him why God has used him so greatly and Billy Graham will tell you he has no idea.
All he knows for sure is that God is in charge and he is called to be faithful.
22
Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
24
New Testament Introduction
25
Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
26
The Daily Study Bible Series
27
Vincent's Word Studies
28
Vincent's Word Studies
29
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
30
Word Pictures in the New Testament
23
How does Mark's gospel compare with the others (Matthew, Luke, John)?
The center of focus for all four gospels is, of course, Jesus Christ. And so there is quite a bit of
overlap in the reports of Jesus' words and works. But since each gospel writer wrote with a
particular audience in mind, each writer emphasizes or highlights themes targeted to his
intended audience. Along these lines, it is important to keep in mind that Mark does not aim for
a precise, detailed record - "a day-to-day diary of events in chronological and orderly
sequence."31 Because Mark's gospel is more of a patchwork of different episodes from Jesus'
life and ministry, "the unity to be found is that of a mosaic or collage of individual passages that
together produce a pattern."32
Regarding the structure of his gospel, one source notes how Mark organized his narrative
according to a simple plan. The first eight chapters summarize the nature of Christ's
public ministry by alternating stories that show his growing popularity with stories that
stress the disapproval of the Jewish leaders. This first half of the book, while indicating
some of the tensions created by Jesus' coming, gives the basic impression of success and
general optimism. A significant shift then strikes the reader toward the end of chapter 8,
particularly beginning with verse 31. At Caesarea Philippi, Peter has just confessed that
Jesus is the Messiah, and now for the first time Jesus reveals that as Messiah he must
die. The disciples become perplexed and discouraged and their pessimism mounts as
this thought is brought home to them repeatedly (Mark 9:9, 31; 10:32–34; 14:17–25). In
the end they desert their master (Mark 14:50).33
When added together, the four gospel accounts present a complementary (rather than
contradictory) picture of Jesus.
Matthew: "Matthew's object was to exhibit the Gospel as the fulfilment [sic] of the law and the
prophecies; to connect the past with the present; to show that Jesus was the Messiah of the
Jews, and that in the Old Testament the New was prefigured, while in the New Testament the
Old was revealed."34
Mark: Mark
is a chronicler rather than a historian. His narrative is the record of an observer, dealing
with the facts of Christ's life without reference to any dominant conception of his
person or office. Christ's portrait is drawn "in the clearness of his present energy"; not
as the fulfilment [sic] of the past, as by Matthew, nor as the foundation of the future, as
by John. His object is to portray Jesus in his daily life, "in the awe-inspiring grandeur of
31
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
33
Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
34
Vincent's Word Studies
32
his human personality, as a man who was also the Incarnate, the wonder-working Son of
God."35
Luke: As a physician, Luke had an eye for detail and a spirit of compassion. Among other things,
Luke's gospel reflects:
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contrasts (e.g., between good and evil)
"the freedom and universality of the Gospel"
the prized status of women
and the importance of prayer.36
John: John's gospel
is characterized by the profuse employment of symbolism. This accords with its Hebrew
fiber, and also, largely, with the nature of its subject. For not only was John a Jew,
familiar with the symbolic economy and prophecy of the Old Testament, but Jesus, the
central figure of his Gospel was, pre-eminently the fulfiller of the Law and of the
Prophecies. Christ's own teaching, too, was largely symbolic; and John's peculiar,
profound spiritual insight detected in His ordinary acts that larger meaning which
belonged to them in virtue of Jesus' position as the representative of humanity; and that
unity of the natural and spiritual worlds which was assumed in the utterances of our
Lord in which the visible was used as the type of the invisible.37
INTERACTION
What is your favorite painting? What do you most appreciate about it?
INSIGHT
The story is told of three visitors to the Grand Canyon - an artist, a pastor, and a cowboy.
Each one was amazed at the sight before them.
The artist exclaimed that the Grand Canyon would make for a beautiful painting.
The pastor saw in the canyon an awesome example of God's creative handiwork.
But the cowboy moaned, "Sure would be a mighty bad place to lose a cow!" 38
Moral: Who we are is reflected in the way we see things. Being a follower of Jesus involves
seeing ourselves, our world and God in a new and exciting way.
35
Vincent's Word Studies (quoted verbatim)
Vincent's Word Studies
37
Vincent's Word Studies (quoted verbatim)
38
Illustrations Unlimited (paraphrased)
36
What are some key themes in this book?
Jesus came to save the lost and serve the least. "In contrast with the courtesans and the leaders
of Galilee who attend Herod's court, aside from his final days in Jerusalem, Jesus is found in
rural, rustic and rudimentary settings and in the company of the little people." 39 Jesus' message
of forgiveness and deliverance was/is for people - all people. Broadly speaking, Mark presents
Jesus as:

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

The Son of God, as evidenced by his divine activity, including healings, exorcisms, and
power over nature.
The Son of Man, a Messianic title used often by Jesus in reference to himself.
The Redeemer who came to die on a cross for the sins of the world, seen especially in
Mark's emphasis on Jesus' passion: "Mark devotes a greater proportion of space to the
passion narrative than any other of the gospels."
The Healer whose miraculous healings encouraged faith in Jesus.40
Christ and the Messianic Secret
Both "Christ" (Greek) and "Messiah" (Hebrew) mean "(God's) Anointed One." In the Old
Testament, God promised to send someone to deliver Israel. In time the idea of such a deliverer
took on a political connotation: the people began looking for an earthly king to deliver them
from Roman bondage. The people forgot that God's deliverer would also be a suffering servant.
And so by the time Jesus came on the scene, there was much expectation regarding an earthly
king who would use force to overthrow the Romans. This popular misconception was one
reason Jesus repeatedly told others not to reveal his true identity (demons [Mark 1:23–25, 34;
3:11–12], people he healed [Mark 1:40–44; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26], and the disciples [Mark 8:30;
9:9]).
Another important reason for the "Messianic secret" is that Jesus' was to be a spiritual reign
and his followers would be a part of God's invisible kingdom. Jesus could become king only
after he completed his mission of dying for the sins of the world. Ironically, the cross that was
waiting for Jesus, popularly identified with defeat, actually served to inaugurate Jesus' rule over
the hearts of all who personally identify with him. And so, knowing that the cross must come
before the crown, Jesus told people to remain silent regarding his identify as God's promised
deliverer. Only after the cross and his resurrection from the dead did Jesus commission his
followers to take the good news to everyone everywhere.
INTERACTION
Describe a time (birthday, Christmas, etc.) when you totally surprised someone with a gift they
really wanted.
INSIGHT
39
40
Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
New Testament Introduction
My wife carries a backpack virtually everywhere she goes. Being the frugal person she is, she
refused to buy a new backpack, even after the one she had used for several years was in real
need of replacement. And so one Christmas I totally surprised her with a new bag. She loved it
and used it until it was completely worn out.
The funny thing is, I had tried before to get her to trade in her old bag for a new one - without
success. She absolutely refused to give up her old bag. When I gave her the new backpack as a
gift, however, she could not refuse. And, as she began to use and enjoy the new bag, soon the
old one was completely forgotten.
Salvation is a free gift from God. We can neither earn it nor produce it for ourselves. But like my
wife with her old, worn-out backpack, our natural tendency is to hold on to what we have and
make do with that. And so we tell ourselves that, when it comes to God, we have enough to get
by. What we really and desperately need, as Mark reminds us, is to throw out our old bag and
accept the new one Jesus offers.
Spiritual Conflict
The earth has been the scene of a great spiritual battle ever since the first human pair, Adam
and Eve, rebelled against God's rightful rule over their lives (Genesis 3:15a). Since then, Satan
has been doing everything within his power to prevent us human beings from seeking God.
Mark's Gospel shows Jesus casting out demons (members of Satan's army), which in turn
demonstrates his superiority over their master, Satan (Mark 3:27). When anyone turns to Jesus
for healing and deliverance, that person is freed from Satan's control - i.e., healed both
physically and spiritually.
In the final analysis, we can choose to worship either God or Satan. There is no middle ground.
And who we worship determines how we worship: If we worship Satan, we will serve self. If we
worship God, we will serve others in his name.
INTERACTION
Is all conflict bad? Why or why not?
INSIGHT
The story is told of a heated encounter between Winston Church and Lady Astor. (Lady
Astor was the first woman member of the British House of Commons).
Lady Astor: "If I were your wife, I would give you arsenic to drink."
Churchill: "And if I were your husband, I would gladly drink it."41
Conflict literally means "to strike together." Proverbs tells us that, "Just as iron sharpens iron,
friends sharpen the minds of each other" (Proverbs 27:17, CEV). Provided it results in good,
41
Something to Think About
conflict can be a good and healthy thing. Often conflict is God's way of getting our attention and
showing us something important that we should be concerned about. For example, it may be a
situation we should seek to remedy, or a bad habit we need to break.
Miracles and Salvation
In general, miracles can be defined as: "an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention
in human affairs."42 Miracles are not intended to prove God really exists; miracles are intended
to prove God really cares. In Mark's Gospel, miracles show that Jesus came from God 1) to help
the helpless, 2) to offer salvation to those who could not save themselves (everyone), and 3) to
announce God's kingdom. Not even Jesus' performing miracles directly in front of them was
enough to convince hardcore skeptics - they attributed the miracles to Satan (Mark 3:22). Only
those who had fully committed themselves to Jesus were able to see the miracles for what they
were: proofs of God's saving love. Hence the repeated connection between faith and miracles:
"Your faith has made you well" (Mark 5:34; 10:52).
INTERACTION
Have you ever seen a miracle? Describe what happened.
INSIGHT
Although we may use the word "miracle" to describe an event we don't understand, a true
miracle is "a special act of God that interrupts the natural course of events."43 As revealed in the
Bible, miracles attract attention; attests to the existence of God; promote good; help confirm
God's truth; and open the way for people to hear God's message. 44
Discipleship
A disciple is a student or learner who seeks to emulate his teacher or instructor. A disciple of
Jesus is someone who seeks to live by his teachings.
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? What kind of treatment should a disciple expect?
What sort of priorities should govern his or her life? The answers to these questions, important
in their own right, would have taken on new and vital significance for Mark's original audience Christians being hunted down and put to death for their faith - since they help to point out the
high cost of discipleship. Mark repeatedly presents Jesus' disciples as being filled with fear and
doubt, two real and natural emotions. And that seems to be Mark's point: only through belief in
and commitment to Jesus can we begin thinking and acting differently from those in the world
around us. Like his or her master, a disciple of Jesus rejects worldly power and status in favor of
"the way of suffering and the cross through servanthood."45
INTERACTION
42
Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics
44
Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics
45
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
43
Who was your favorite teacher in high school? What did he or she do that made you want to
learn for yourself?
INSIGHT
Commenting on 2 Timothy 4:13, where Paul asks Timothy to bring him a cloak, books, and the
parchments, Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote the following:
He is inspired, yet he wants books! He has been preaching at least for thirty years, yet he
wants books! He has seen the Lord, yet he wants books. He has had a wider experience
than most men, yet he wants books! He has been caught up into the third heaven, and
has heard things which it is unlawful to utter, yet he wants books! He has written the
major part of the New Testament, yet he wants books! 46
Moral: Those who love to learn change and grow by learning, and they never outgrow their
need to learn.
The Kingdom of God
The "kingdom of God" can be defined as "the sovereignty of God under which people place
themselves by accepting the message of Jesus in faith and undergoing a spiritual rebirth."47
Jesus began his public ministry by proclaiming: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is
at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15, NASB). Thus Jesus linked together the
concepts of fulfillment, God's kingdom, repentance, and personal belief in the Gospel. God's
promises (regarding a Deliverer or Savior) were fulfilled with the coming of his kingdom (= rule)
which could be entered into only through repentance (= turning from sin) and belief in (=
commitment to) the Gospel (= good news concerning Jesus Christ).
INTERACTION
What image(s) come to mind when you think of the word "kingdom": King? Queen? Castle?
Banquets? Battles?
INSIGHT
A kingdom is actually an individual country, and many parallels exist between a given country
and God's kingdom.48 Take, for instance, the United States of America:





46
The U.S. is large and expansive.
Life here is festive and abundant.
By its very nature, the U.S. includes some people but excludes others—i.e., not everyone
can be a citizen of our country.
It is by grace alone that we are born citizens of the U.S.
Our citizenship is very valuable. It entitles us to both privileges and responsibilities.
Illustrations Unlimited (quoted verbatim)
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
48
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
47
How is this book structured?
Mark's Gospel is one of action. The storyline follows Jesus as he travels dusty roads and crosses
stormy seas, weaving in and out of towns and villages as he makes his way from Galilee in the
north (chapters 1–9) to Judea and Jerusalem in the south (chapters 10–16). Along the way we
see Jesus preaching, leading a group of disciples, performing miracles, engaging in dialogue
with people, defending his actions and beliefs in open debate, and finally being put on trial and
crucified.49
More than one-third of Mark's Gospel is devoted to the last week of Jesus' life (chapters 11–
16), placing major emphasis on the events surrounding the crucifixion.
The key verse in Mark is: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and
to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45, NASB). Broadly speaking, we see that:





Jesus the Servant is presented (1:1 - 2:12)
Jesus the Servant is opposed (2:13 - 8:26)
Jesus the Servant instructs (8:27 - 10:52)
Jesus the Servant is rejected (11:1 - 15:47)
Jesus the Servant is resurrected (16:1-20)50

Mark 1
[[@Bible:Mark 1:1-11]]
Mark 1:1-11
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began 2 just as the prophet
Isaiah had written:
"Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
and he will prepare your way.
3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
'Prepare the way for the Lord's coming!
Clear the road for him!"
4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people
should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be
forgiven. 5 All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John.
And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 6 His clothes were
49
50
Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary (quoted verbatim)
woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate
locusts and wild honey.
7 John announced: "Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am - so much greater
that I'm not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. 8 I
baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!"
The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus
9 One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10 As
Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit
descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice from heaven said, "You are my dearly loved Son,
and you bring me great joy."
See (head)
It has been four-hundred years since Israel last heard from a true prophet of the one true God.
The people are famished for a word of hope. There is much anticipation concerning the
promised Messiah who will deliver Israel and restore her to greatness. Just as people clear and
level roads in expectation of a king's visit, so John calls people from every social class to prepare
their hearts for God by repenting of their sins. Baptism is a public declaration of a person's
willingness to turn from serving self to serving God, and a change in lifestyle is the necessary
evidence of that willingness (see Malachi 3:1–5). Jesus presents himself to John to be baptized.
Immediately afterward, God testifies publicly that Jesus is his Son and he is "fully pleased" with
him.
Good News ... Son of God (Mark 1:1)
The opening words of Mark's historical record ("The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the
Son of God" NASB) directly challenge a common claim of his day - namely, that the Roman
emperor was the divine "Son of God." There was actually an inscription in honor of Caesar
Augustus that referred to his birthday as being "the beginning of the good news [or gospel] for
the world." Hence Mark's claim for Jesus would have been perceived as nothing less than "a
bold challenge to Roman politics and religion."51 That said, it should be noted that by
immediately linking Jesus' ministry with OT prophecy, Mark shows that his primary concern is
with "Israel's narrative and in particular Isaiah's prophetic hopes of restoration."52
As the prophet Isaiah had written (Mark 1:2)
Mark's quotation draws from three different OT texts (Exodus 23:20; Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3).
As one source explains: "Mark prefaced this composite quotation from three Old Testament
books with the words: 'It is written in Isaiah the prophet.' This illustrates a common practice by
New Testament authors in quoting several passages with a unifying theme. The common theme
here is the 'wilderness' (desert) tradition in Israel's history. Since Mark was introducing the
ministry of John the Baptist in the desert, he cited Isaiah as the source because the Isaiah
passage refers to 'a voice … calling' in the desert."53
51
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
53
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
52
Prepare the way (Mark 1:3)
John's message echoed that of the prophet Isaiah, who had pictured the nation of Israel, joyful
as she returns from captivity, being led by the LORD (Jehovah). The Isaiah passage was highly
significant, as among the Jews there was tremendous anticipation associated with Isaiah 40 in
general and 40:1-3 in particular.54 John applied the exodus/deliverance imagery to Jesus as the
Messiah/Christ who offers deliverance from sin and its eternal consequences.55 This is a vital
point, since it is a sobering reminder of Israel's failing to worship God (which resulted in her
captivity) and the fact that, even more so than occupation by the Romans, sin is the enemy that
must be vanquished before we can enjoy true, unbroken fellowship with God.56
John the Baptist (Mark 1:4)
Important Roman officials were always preceded by a herald or announcer, and it may be in
deference to this custom that Mark's gospel - likely written to/for Roman Christians - begins
with the herald of "the most important man who ever lived."57 John's is a prophetic voice
urging people to prepare to meet God. ("The wilderness and its obstructions are in the hearts of
the people; there the Lord's way is to be prepared."58) His mission and message placed him
outside the established order. As a prophet of God his aim was not reform but revival. Rather
than going to the king's court or to Jerusalem, John went to the desert. The words he spoke, the
clothes he wore, the food he ate - in short, everything about him - testified to the fact that this
Elijah-like figure stood outside the mainstream religious order. He called people to turn from
dead religious orthodoxy to living faith in the one true God whose kingdom was fast
approaching.59
Someone ... greater (Mark 1:7)
John announced the coming of someone greater than he. What did he mean? And in what
sense was John "great"? John was referring to the Messiah, Jesus Christ (although he had not
yet identified Jesus specifically). John was great in that 1) he had been chosen by God to
prepare the way for the Messiah, and 2) his message had a great, or powerful, impact, with
huge crowds coming out to hear him and many people being baptized. On the other hand,
Jesus was great in an absolute sense and, in contrast to John, Jesus' message was accompanied
by many powerful miracles. While John was fully persuaded of his calling and of the urgency of
his message, he was also humble enough to acknowledge his relative unimportance as
compared to the Christ.60 When John spoke of being unworthy "to stoop down like a slave and
untie the straps of his sandals," he was employing imagery with which his audience could
instantly identify. It was the job of the lowliest slave in a household to untie, remove, and clean
the filthy sandals of the master and his guests.61
54
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
Baker's New Testament Commentary
56
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
57
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
58
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
59
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
60
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
61
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
55
As one source puts it, the difference between Jesus and John is the difference between the
original light of the sun and the reflected light of the moon.62 A very telling illustration of Jesus'
greatness can be found in the story in which Jesus depicts himself as the one able to overpower
the strong man in order to plunder - or "thoroughly ransack"63 - his house (see Mark 3:27).
Satan is the strong man, his house "is the realm of sin, sickness, demon possession, and death,"
and Jesus plunders Satan's house by "releasing the enslaved victims."64 (Would not this then
mean that Christians who deliberately sin are in a sense opening the door to Satan's house and
placing one foot back inside?) Jesus' miraculous healings and exorcisms were a vital part of his
baptizing "with the Holy Spirit,"65 the full measure of which would take place at Pentecost (see
Acts 1:5; 11:15-16; 19:2-5).66
Repented ... John baptized [Jesus] (Mark 1:4, 9)
As "God's chosen people," the nation of Israel was renowned for its intricate system of religion.
There was a law or a rule for just about everything imaginable. Why then does John call Israel to
repentance? Simply put, it is because religion cannot save us; only a personal relationship with
God can save us. John's message and baptism prepared the people for the personal relationship
that Jesus would make universally available following the sending of the Holy Spirit at
Pentecost.67
"The Baptist demanded true repentance for his baptism. This is inward, unseen, in the heart;
yet it always manifests its presence by an honest confession of sin."68 The Bible consistently
teaches that Jesus was completely perfect, entirely without sin. Why then does he submit to
baptism by John? Jesus' baptism accomplishes a number of things:
1.
2.
3.
4.
It marks his decision to begin his public ministry.
It allows him to publicly identify with sinners.
It is an opportunity for receiving God's (public) approval.
It is the occasion on which he is equipped by the Holy Spirit.69
Baptized (Mark 1:9)
Some commentators describe the events surrounding Jesus' baptism in terms of a new/second
exodus. God used a deliverer (Moses ~ Jesus) and many miraculous signs (the plagues ~ Jesus'
healings and exorcisms) to deliver Israel (from Egyptian slavery ~ from bondage to sin). Along
these lines, "the rent heavens and descent of the Spirit can hardly be anything but the sign that
God himself has now come in power to rescue his people."70 At the same time, it appears that
the events surrounding Jesus' baptism declare the beginning of a new creation by God. Parallels
62
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Word Pictures in the New Testament
64
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
65
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
66
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
67
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
68
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
69
The Daily Study Bible Series
70
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
63
between the original creation account in Genesis 1 and Jesus' baptism include: the presence
and voice of God; the heavens; the Spirit of God; and water. The dove would thus picture the
Holy Spirit as he was "moving" or "hovering" over the waters in Genesis, which in turn alludes
to "the hovering and brooding of a bird over its young, to warm them, and develop their vital
powers."71
Hear (heart)
A Defining Moment
All of us experience defining moments marked by public ceremony, such as a graduation, a
promotion, or a wedding. Such occasions represent many things:




A decision to begin a new stage in life.
A way to identify with a certain group or class of people.
Public recognition or approval.
A proud moment for friends and family.
John the Baptist called people to prepare for what would be the most important defining
moment of their lives: baptism in preparation for meeting God. Jesus' baptism was a
monumental defining moment, as well, since it marked the beginning of his public claim to
Messiahship.
Do (hands)
John's appearance and habitation presented a stark contrast to the common comforts of life
that the majority of his audience enjoyed. "In drawing people out into the wilderness after him
John made them share a bit of his own austere life. Men left their mansions, offices, shops,
their common round of life and for a time at least gave their thoughts to higher things." 72
What's more, for his part Jesus' baptism was his way of publicly declaring his decision to
completely submit to God's will for his life, even though he knew that decision would result in
pain, suffering, and death.
??? What can the examples of both John and Jesus teach us about personal comfort versus
God's will?
[[@Bible:Mark 1:12-20]]
Mark 1:12-20
(The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus)
12 The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, 13 where he was tempted by
Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.
14 Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God's Good
News. 15 "The time promised by God has come at last!" he announced. "The Kingdom of God is
near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!"
71
72
Lenski's New Testament Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
The First Disciples
16 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his
brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 17 Jesus called out to
them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" 18 And they left their nets
at once and followed him.
19 A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee's sons, James and John, in a boat repairing
their nets. 20 He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee,
in the boat with the hired men.
See (head)
The same Spirit that marked God's approval of Jesus now leads (literally forces or drives) him
out to be tempted. Mark's wording indicates that the Devil's temptations did not end in the
desert, and the remainder of his gospel shows this to be the case as demons, public opinion,
and religious hypocrisy all work to thwart Jesus' mission. Once having made the decision to
begin his public ministry, Jesus moves quickly. He preaches and teaches that God's kingdom is
as close as the sound of his voice. He calls his first disciples to leave their booming family
businesses - and in so doing to go against societal norms - in order to follow and learn from
him.
Compelled (Mark 1:12)
Mark wrote that the Holy Spirit "drove" ("compelled" NLT, "impelled" NASB; Greek ekballo:
"the use of external force in order to move an unwilling object"73) Jesus into the wilderness expressing the same idea found repeatedly throughout Mark's gospel in reference to Jesus'
casting or driving out demons.74 "The thought is that of strong moral compulsion by which the
Spirit led Jesus to take the offensive against temptation and evil instead of avoiding them."75
Today a person may do something and then say that he had no choice, he had to do it. It is that
type of inner compulsion that is in view here. Unlike us, however, Jesus was not guilty of acting
rashly: "Jesus did not throw himself into this temptation of his own accord when, according to
human judgment, at the beginning of his ministry he might have been wise to avoid such a
decisive conflict. We often rashly put ourselves into temptation. Jesus was brought into his by
his Father's Spirit. This means that his temptation had to occur, and occur at this very time. It
was God's will to have his Son's ministry begin with this mighty battle against Satan in person
and with the resultant victory."76
Tempted (Mark 1:13)
As brought out in Matthew's and Luke's more detailed accounts, Jesus' temptation parallels
that of Adam and Eve in several important ways. Whereas Adam was tempted in a paradise and
failed, Jesus was tempted in the wilderness and was victorious.77 The Bible book of Genesis
presents the temptation of Eve as encompassing the three main areas of our common
humanity: the physical, the intellectual, and the emotional. Likewise these were the three
73
Baker's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Word Pictures in the New Testament
75
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
76
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
77
Expositor's Bible Commentary
74
avenues in which Satan approached Jesus.78 All of this is important because it demonstrates
Jesus' victory over Satan - and it is "by his victory over the tempter [that] he may, for all who
believe in him, undo the results of the first Adam's failure."79
Whether or not Jesus could have actually sinned has been a source of much debate. If he was
incapable of actually sinning, could he truly be tempted to sin? One source likens Christ's
imperviousness to sin to an army: just because an army cannot be defeated does not mean it
cannot be attacked.80 But if Jesus never sinned, how can he fully identify with us sinners? Here
we should keep a few points in mind:
1) It was not necessary for Jesus to actually experience sin in order for him to fully
understand its detrimental effects on us. By way of illustration, consider the cancer
patient who goes in for surgery. Neither having the disease nor undergoing surgery to
remove it makes him an expert. On the other hand, the cancer surgeon who has never
had the disease himself but who has performed hundreds (or even thousands) of
operations to remove it from others would be an expert on the topic. 81
2) Jesus' is the perfect example of humanity; the perfect man Jesus is what human beings
were intended to be like - and what saved human beings one day will be like. Sin is a
corruption of the good, the best, the perfect. The perfect man Jesus represents
humanity at its highest and best. Which means rather than Jesus seeking to be more like
us sinners, we sinners should seek to be more like Jesus.
3) The temptation to sin that Jesus faced was no less real than the death he likewise
endured and overcame.82
Galilee (Mark 1:14)
Mark keys in on Jesus' ministry in Galilee, again tying together the work of John the Baptist and
Jesus. As John was a herald for Jesus, so Jesus was a herald for/of "the gospel of God" - i.e., "the
good news that God sends."83 (Commentators point out that Jesus' public ministry had actually
begun a year or so prior.84) Jesus chose to concentrate his ministry in Galilee, "the Jewish
province that was farthest removed from the capital and in many respects looked down upon
by the proud inhabitants of the center."85 The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) "are
chiefly taken up with our Lord's public ministry in this province. ... 'It is noteworthy that of his
thirty-two beautiful parables, no less than nineteen were spoken in Galilee. And it is no less
remarkable that of his entire thirty-three great miracles, twenty-five were wrought in this
province. His first miracle was wrought at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, and his last, after his
78
A Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica
Baker's New Testament Commentary
80
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
81
The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Hebrews; The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Hebrews
82
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
83
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
84
Baker's New Testament Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
85
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
79
resurrection, on the shore of Galilee's sea. In Galilee our Lord delivered the Sermon on The
Mount [and several other great discourses]' (Porter's Through Samaria)."86
The Kingdom ... Repent (Mark 1:15)
Jesus' proclamation regarding God's kingdom (= God's rule and reign) is in effect a declaration
of "the supernatural character, origin, and purpose of our salvation."87 The only proper
response was/is to repent and believe. Belief - or "faith" - is a major theme in Mark's gospel
account, involving "knowledge, assent, and confidence."88 In conjunction with repentance, it is
the only means of entrance into the kingdom (= "the presence and reign of God").89
Repentance is turning from, and belief is turning toward. While we can speak of them
separately, in reality "both are always wrought in the same instant and are always found
together."90 As John Calvin has noted, this is good news indeed for us, since it means "not only
is our duty enjoined on us, but the grace and power of obedience are, at the same time,
offered."91
Follow me (Mark 1:17)
We can surmise that this was not the first time Jesus and these men had met. Here Jesus was
not calling them to salvation but, rather, to discipleship - including in their particular case
"training for the apostolate."92 Whereas the initial call to salvation centers on the individual,
"[t]his call is for the sake of others."93 The emphasis of the passage seems to be Jesus'
authority, including the fact that his call takes precedent over important social customs (James
and John literally abandoned their father in order to follow Jesus).94 However, and as Mark
makes clear throughout his gospel, Jesus' first disciples were anything but the staunch
defenders of the Christian faith they would become after Jesus' resurrection and the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit. At first they were spiritually shallow, unsympathetic, proud,
unforgiving, not very prayerful, and not overly courageous.95 While certainly not a very
flattering portrait, it does mean there is hope for us!
Fish for people (Mark 1:17)
We should also note the meaning and implications of Jesus' call to "fish for people":
The kind of fishing envisioned was net - not line - fishing ... which involved a circular net
that had heavy weights around its perimeter. The occupation of fisherman was laborintensive. The imagery of using a lure and a line (and waiting for the fish to strike) is thus
foreign to this text. Rather, the imagery of a fisherman involved much strain, long hours,
86
Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Baker's New Testament Commentary
88
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
89
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
90
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
91
John Calvin's Commentaries
92
Baker's New Testament Commentary; The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament; The Daily Study Bible
Series; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
93
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
94
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
95
Baker's New Testament Commentary
87
and often little results. Jesus’ point may have been one or more of the following: the
strenuousness of evangelism, the work ethic that it required, persistence and dedication
to the task (often in spite of minimal results), the infinite value of the new "catch" (viz.,
people), and perhaps an eschatological theme of snatching people from judgment ... If
this last motif is in view, then catching people is the opposite of catching fish: The fish
would be caught, killed, cooked, and eaten; people would be caught so as to remove
them from eternal destruction and to give them new life.96
Hear (heart)
Overcoming Temptation
Ralph Waldo Emerson believed: "We gain the strength of the temptation we resist."
The 15th century priest Thomas Kempis advised: "Do not try to find a place free from
temptations and troubles. Rather, seek a peace that endures even when you are beset by
various temptations and tried by much adversity."97
And one Bible commentator has written: "One fact must not be forgotten: the wilderness,
though dreadful ... was also the place where nothing was able to separate Jesus from
communion with his heavenly Father."98
DO (hands)
??? Read Matthew 4:1-11. What can Jesus' experience teach us about enduring hardship as part
of preparing for the work to which God calls us?
[[@Bible:Mark 1:21-28]]
Mark 1:21-28
Jesus Casts Out an Evil Spirit
21 Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he
went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, for he
taught with real authority - quite unlike the teachers of religious law.
23 Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit began shouting, 24
"Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who
you are - the Holy One sent from God!"
25 Jesus cut him short. "Be quiet! Come out of the man," he ordered. 26 At that, the evil
spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.
27 Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. "What
sort of new teaching is this?" they asked excitedly. "It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey
his orders!" 28 The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee.
96
NET Bible notes (quoted verbatim)
Random House Webster’s Quotationary
98
Baker's New Testament Commentary
97
See (head)
Teachers of the law had turned the law (essentially our OT) into a series of legal precedents,
endlessly citing one interpretive tradition after another. In so doing, they divorced the law from
its true intent as a light both to reveal human sinfulness and to guide us to God. Jesus is
different; he cuts to the chase by going back to the law itself and explaining God's original
intent for it. Jesus' miracles are an extension of his teaching - both reveal his authority.99
Amazed (Mark 1:22)
Twice Mark mentions that Jesus' audience was amazed (literally, "struck as by a blow" (v.
22)100) - first at his teaching and then at his miracle-working power. How was Jesus' teaching
different from that of "the teachers of religious law"? As evidenced throughout the gospels,
there are several points of contrast. Unlike that of his contemporaries, Jesus' teaching was:
truthful, significant, systematic, illustrative, loving, and authoritative.101
Evil spirit (Mark 1:23)
Demons are actually fallen angels who, along with their leader, the chief angel Satan, rebelled
against God.102 They could and would take up residence in human beings, and the usual method
for casting them out involved the use of magical formulas and even going so far as to incite one
demon to attack and drive out another.103 Whereas Jesus had been on the defensive during his
wilderness temptation, he now takes the offensive as he begins a frontal assault on Satan and
his demonic army.104 Jesus does so, it should be noted, not by the exorcism techniques
common to his day but rather by his supremely authoritative word alone - a feat so unusual it
was perceived as "a new teaching."105
It should also be noted that modern skepticism regarding demon possession is proved false by
Jesus' attitude toward it. If, as some hold, demoniacs were actually nothing more than people
suffering from mental illness and/or epilepsy, then either Jesus himself was ignorant or else he
chose to accommodate the ignorance of the people around him by going along with the
superstitious belief that people can be possessed by demons. Either option irrevocably impugns
the righteous character of our Lord and Savior.106
The fact that demon possession appears to be much less prevalent today is often attributed to
the fact that Jesus overthrew Satan and ushered in a new era characterized by the presence
and power of the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, the lost and confused persons today who go looking
for demons - i.e., "spirits" - through witchcraft and other occult practices quite often find them
to be very real indeed.107
99
The Bible Reader's Companion
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
101
Baker's New Testament Commentary
102
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
103
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
104
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
105
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
106
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
107
Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
100
HEAR (heart)
Legitimate Authority
There are several types of "authority," including: "ability to act or produce an effect ... legal or
official authority, capacity, or right ... possession of control, authority, or influence over others
... political control or influence."108 Here the word Mark uses for "authority" (exousia) includes
the ideas of power, lordship, and freedom,109 and in this the first chapter of his gospel record,
Mark presents Jesus as being the one "authorized to proclaim the good news of the kingdom
(Mark 1:14-15), to call followers (Mark 1:16-20), and to make war on Satan (Mark 1:21-28)."110
Jesus has "all authority (exousia) in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18) - at least part of
which he earned through his sacrificial service on our behalf. Jesus is our perfect model of
servant-leadership, and we actually share in his authority whenever we tell others about God's
kingdom and whenever we serve others in his name.
DO (hands)
??? What's the difference between being told to do something and being asked to do it? What
does that say about our natural reaction to authority?
[[@Bible:Mark 1:29-39]]
Mark 1:29-39
Jesus Heals Many People
29 After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew's home.
30 Now Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right
away. 31 So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever
left her, and she prepared a meal for them.
32 That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus.
33 The whole town gathered at the door to watch. 34 So Jesus healed many people who were
sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he
was, he did not allow them to speak.
Jesus Preaches in Galilee
35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. 36
Later Simon and the others went out to find him. 37 When they found him, they said, "Everyone
is looking for you."
38 But Jesus replied, "We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too.
That is why I came." 39 So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the
synagogues and casting out demons.
108
Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume
110
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
109
SEE (head)
Jesus' healing of the multitudes instantly brings him celebrity status. He responds to his
newfound popularity by drawing close to God in prayer, where he gains a renewed sense of
purpose and direction.
Healed ... cast out (Mark 1:34)
Just as soon as the Sabbath ended (at sunset [= 6 P.M.] on Saturday111) and the people were
once again free to work and travel without restriction, Peter's house was mobbed by people
seeking miraculous healing and deliverance.112 As he often does, in his account Matthew adds
that Jesus' actions were intended as the fulfillment of OT prophecy - in this case Isaiah 53:4,
which primarily has to do with the Messiah's atoning death. Jesus' many miracles were a
foretaste of the total healing to be found in the atonement, as well as a powerful declaration of
his authority as the unique Son of God and thus the only one able and willing to atone for the
sins of the world.113 As John Calvin aptly put it: "[Jesus] gave sight to the blind, in order to show
that he is 'the light of the world,' (John 8:12). He restored life to the dead, to prove that he is
'the resurrection and the life,' (John 11:25). Similar observations might be made as to those
who were lame, or had palsy."114
Pray (Mark 1:35)
We get the impression that prayer was of vital importance to Jesus and that there was, in fact,
an indelible bond between Jesus' public ministry and his private prayers. As one source puts it:
"The praying of Jesus, as far as we are able to judge from the recorded instances (Luke 3:21;
5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28; 11:1; Matthew 11:25, etc.; John 11:41; 17:1, etc.), is always concerned with
something important in his ministry."115 In this particular instance Jesus' prayerful conclusion
was that he must take his disciples and proceed on a preaching "tour through the Galilean
towns and villages."116 Notice that in both Mark's account and that of Luke, Jesus fails to
mention the many marvelous miracles that would accompany his preaching. Why? Because the
miracles were secondary to the message, intended primarily as a means of authenticating Jesus
as a true prophet and, ultimately, the Son of God.117
HEAR (heart)
Depending on God
As witnessed by his habit of prayer, Jesus depended on God his Father. If, as the divine Son of
God, Jesus realized his need for dependence on God, should we do any less?118 Sadly, within
our hyper-individualistic society, dependence on God is seldom a prized possession. To be sure,
many of us claim our faith in God is very important to us - even as we neglect the habit of
prayer and the study of the only objective source of truth regarding God's will, the Bible. As
111
Baker's New Testament Commentary
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition; Baker's New Testament Commentary
113
Expositor's Bible Commentary
114
John Calvin's Commentaries
115
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
116
Baker's New Testament Commentary
117
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
118
Gaebelein's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
112
demonstrated by Jesus, dependence on God means trying to please him rather than trying to
please the crowd. It also means placing God's ultimate will above our own immediate desires.
DO (hands)
??? In one respect Jesus' popularity can be seen as a continuation of Satan's efforts to derail his
mission.119 If Jesus had wanted to, he could have had his own "megachurch." Instead, he
forsook what many would consider success in order to pursue God's will.
Is popularity ever a bad thing? Explain. What can this section of Mark's gospel record teach us
about being popular versus being in God's will?
[[@Bible:Mark 1:40-45]]
Mark 1:40-45
Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy
40 A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. "If you are willing,
you can heal me and make me clean," he said.
41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be
healed!" 42 Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. 43 Then Jesus sent him
on his way with a stern warning: 44 "Don't tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and
let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have
been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed."
45 But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As
a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn't publicly enter a town anywhere.
He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.
SEE (head)
Jesus risks personal defilement in order to bring healing to a social outcast.
Leprosy (Mark 1:40)
Forced to live on the fringes of society, lepers were allowed no contact with other people - they
"were regarded as the living dead."120 A common justification for not helping lepers - a
rationale found among the Jews and their pagan neighbors alike121 - was the belief that leprosy
was God's way of punishing people for their sins,122 making the physical leper a "moral leper" as
well.123 Only twice in the OT is a leper healed (Numbers 12:10-15; 2 Kings 5:1-14),124 and the
rabbis of Jesus' day equated curing leprosy with raising the dead.125 Jesus heals the man and
then orders him to submit to the prescribed law concerning healing. In so doing, Jesus
demonstrates "compassion, power and wisdom."126 This one miracle proved that Jesus was/is
119
Evangelical Commentary on the Bible
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
121
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
122
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
123
Baker's New Testament Commentary
124
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
125
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
126
The Daily Study Bible Series
120
greater than "Moses the lawgiver, Elijah the prophet, and the priesthood": Jesus commands
rather than requests the miracle, and the priest could not bring about the cleansing but only
offer public witness to it.127
Instantly (Mark 1:42)
Notice the instantaneous nature of the healing. As one modern English paraphrase renders it:
"Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy" (The Message). This is
important to note because it goes against the false claim of many a skeptic that the miracles
recorded in the four gospels are fabrications. If that were the case, doubtless they would be
long and drawn out rather than the brief but powerful accounts they are.128
The priest (Mark 1:44)
Having been cured, the leper was told to present himself before the priest. Why? So that, in
accordance with the OT law, the priest could examine the leper and declare him clean and thus
ready to be restored to the community, including being fit to worship God publicly in the
temple.129 Moreover, such miraculous power as Jesus demonstrated proved that he was the
Messiah (see Luke 7:22). Which meant that if the priest declared the man clean, he would
likewise be obligated to accept Jesus as the Messiah. If, however, the priest declared the man
clean "but rejected the One who cleansed him," his "unbelief would be incriminating evidence
against" him (the priest).130
HEAR (heart)
Spiritual Leprosy
"Leprosy brought anguish at all levels: physical, mental, social, and religious."131 As such, it
makes for a vivid illustration of sin. Like leprosy, sin:




is more than skin deep
spreads rapidly
causes defilement and isolation
and can be purged only by fire132
Jesus' mission certainly included temporary physical healing. But, much more importantly, it
also and especially included "pardon, peace, spiritual consolation, and strength."133
DO (hands)
??? As seen both in this incident and throughout his entire ministry, "[t]he sorrows of the
people are [Jesus'] own sorrows. He dearly and intensely loves the burdened ones, and is eager
127
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
129
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
130
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
131
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
132
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
133
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
128
to help them."134 What classes of people does our contemporary society consider untouchable?
What can Jesus' example teach us about reaching out to them?

Mark 2
[[@Bible:Mark 2:1-12]]
Mark 2:1-12
Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man
1 When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was
back home. 2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was
no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God's word to them, 3 four men
arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 They couldn't bring him to Jesus because of the
crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his
mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My
child, your sins are forgiven."
6 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, 7
"What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!"
8 Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you question
this in your hearts? 9 Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand
up, pick up your mat, and walk'? 10 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority
on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 11 "Stand up, pick up
your mat, and go home!"
12 And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned
onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, "We've never seen anything like
this before!"
SEE (head)
Unable to reach Jesus because of the crowd, four friends of a paralyzed man take him to the
roof, dig through it, and lower their friend down to Jesus, who is preaching to the crowd. Jesus
heals the man as proof that he has the authority to forgive sins.
House ... roof (Mark 2:2, 4)
The house where Jesus was preaching was so crowded that the four men carrying the paralytic
could not get through to Jesus. Rather than waiting for the crowd to disperse135, however, they
quickly came up with an alternate plan. There are a number of ways in which the four men
carrying their paralyzed friend could have gotten to the roof: they could have used a ladder 136;
they could have taken an outside, attached stairway137; or they could have gone onto a
134
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
136
A Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica
137
NET Bible notes
135
neighbor's adjacent rooftop and then "crossed over from roof to roof." 138 In any event, the flat
roof covering the house would have been "a composite of grass, clay, clay tiles, and
laths,"139 making it relatively easy to dig through. If, as some suppose, there was a trapdoor
leading from the roof to the inside of the house, it would not have been large enough to
accommodate a grown man laying prone on a mat/stretcher ("[a] rude pallet, merely a thickly
padded quilt or mat, held at the corners"140) - hence the need to "widen that space by pulling
off the tiles that lay about it."141 In any case, the men dug through the roof and lowered the
mat/stretcher down to Jesus. The point, of course, is the faith and determination shown by the
paralyzed man and his four friends.
Your sins are forgiven (Mark 2:5)
The religious leaders were outraged that Jesus, whom they accepted as nothing more than an
ordinary man, claimed for himself a prerogative that belongs to God alone. "To be sure, for a
mere man to pretend to remit sins would be one of the worst forms of blasphemy."142 At best,
following the necessary sacrifice, a priest could pronounce that a person's sins had been atoned
for. But no sacrifice was made for the paralyzed man, and Jesus never claimed to be a priest.
Jesus, speaking in his own name, proved his right to forgive - or "dismiss"143 - sins.144
There is a very real sense in which all illness and disease is due to sin. The very first sin (of Adam
and Eve) plunged the earth and all its inhabitants into a sinful state, the outworking of which
includes disease and death. What's more, people routinely make sinful choices that result in
emotional and physical pain and suffering for themselves and others. Both in the OT (note the
counsel offered by Job's friends145) and during Jesus' day it was commonly believed there was a
direct, causal link between a person's sin and his/her physical illness. While in general we
should be very slow to draw such a conclusion in any particular case, this may well have been
true regarding the paralytic146 - although this point is disputed (compare John 5:14; 9:3).147 In
any event, Jesus' pronouncement of forgiveness resulted in the man's being delivered from his
affliction and, what's more, the physical healing proved that the sin which had caused it whether in a general or a particular sense - had been removed. The paralytic experienced a
foretaste of the salvation of both body and soul that awaits all true believers in Christ.
Son of Man (Mark 2:10)
When Jesus identified himself as "the Son of Man," he was alluding to the figure described by
the prophet Daniel as having absolute authority on earth (see Daniel 7:13-14). Jesus was "God's
vice regent on earth, proclaiming God's rule and offering forgiveness to those who respond in
138
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary; Vincent's Word Studies
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
140
Vincent's Word Studies
141
A Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica
142
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
143
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
144
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ; The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
145
The Daily Study Bible Series
146
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
147
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
139
faith to the proclamation."148 Jesus' true identity is both revealed and concealed: To those who
respond in faith to his words and works, it is revealed; to those who do not, it is concealed. In
"the Son" we see Jesus' divinity, while in "of Man" we see his humanity. There is an element of
mystery here which, in turn, reflects the sense of mystery inherent in the incarnation, in which
human nature was joined to divine nature. Notice that rather than merely "a" son of
(hu)man(ity), Jesus is "the" Son of Man - meaning this one man is lifted "out from among all
men as being one who bears this human nature in a way in which no other man bears it, who,
while he is indeed true man, is more than man."149
Forgiven ... forgive (Mark 2:5, 7, 10)
The word used in this passage for "forgiveness" (Greek aphiemi) means "to send away." God
can never merely overlook our sins, since doing so would be to go against his own perfect sense
of justice and holiness. "God does not overlook our sins. He actually wipes out the sins
themselves!"150 The record of our sins is wiped clean because Jesus has already paid the debt
we owe. As Warren Wiersbe has noted: "Forgiveness is the greatest miracle that Jesus ever
performs. It meets the greatest need; it costs the greatest price; and it brings the greatest
blessing and the most lasting results."151
The prophet Isaiah testified to the conditions that would prevail when God came to deliver his
people, including the lame being made to walk and the people's sins being forgiven. In Mark's
gospel it is becoming increasingly clear that God is calling Israel to a revised relationship
centered on Jesus and her (= Israel's) response to him.152
Amazed ... praised (Mark 2:12)
What was the result of Jesus' miracle? In a word, revival. Notice the descriptions provided by
the synoptic gospel writers:



"But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given
such authority to men" (Matthew 9:8).
"They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled
with fear, saying, 'We have seen remarkable things today'" (Luke 5:26).
" ... they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, 'We have never seen anything
like this'" (Mark 2:12, all NASB).
Amazement mixed with fear that resulted in praise to God. Why fear? Because being in the
presence of holiness makes us acutely aware of our lack thereof. As one source puts it: "The
fear was the reaction in their hearts because of the consciousness of their own sinfulness."153
148
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
150
The Bible Reader's Companion
151
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
152
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
153
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
149
HEAR (heart)
The Transforming Power of Forgiveness
Mitsuo Fuchida was a staunch military pilot who led the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was
a proud Japanese warmonger who admired Adolf Hitler. He wore his hair like Hitler and
sported the same little mustache. Fuchida took part in the Battle of Midway, the
Marianas Turkey Shoot, Leyte Gulf and other major engagements of the Pacific war. He
stood on the deck of the USS Missouri at the surrender ceremonies. Though defeated,
he was pleased with his behavior as a pilot.
After the war, though, he became disillusioned. He was surprised to learn that Japanese
POWs were treated humanely - a sharp contrast to the Japanese treatment of Allied
prisoners. He also learned of a woman who ministered to the Japanese prisoners. Her
parents were missionaries to Japan but had been beheaded by his countrymen. She had
forgiven the Japanese and met the needs of their captured soldiers.
Such love led him to the Bible. He eventually became a Christian, and later an
evangelist. Before his death in 1976, he led many to Christ through his preaching in
Japan and the United States.154
A forgiven life is a powerful testimony to the reality of God's healing love.
DO (hands)
??? "A sign in a convenience store read, 'Check Cashing Policy: To err is human. To forgive,
$10.'"155
What did it cost God to forgive us? Does he remember our sins once they are forgiven? What
does that say about how we are to treat others?
[[@Bible:Mark 2:13-17]]
Mark 2:13-17
Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)
13 Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him.
14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow
me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.
15 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many
tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus'
followers.) 16 But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with
tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, "Why does he eat with such scum?"
17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor - sick people
do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are
sinners."
154
155
McHenry's Quips, Quotes, & Other Notes (quoted verbatim)
Pulpit Helps Illustration Collection II
SEE (head)
As was common with rabbis, Jesus teaches as he walks. He calls a despised tax collector named
Levi (Matthew) to be his disciple. Completely forsaking his lucrative position, Levi obeys Jesus'
call and then throws a party in his honor. Jesus' banqueting with so many sinners upsets the
religious leaders, who are more interested in rules than in people. Jesus teaches that a person
must first realize he or she is ill before they'll be willing to seek out the person who can help
them.
Tax collector's booth (Mark 2:14)
Levi (= Matthew) was a tax collector, and was at his "tax collector's booth" when Jesus called
him. This was "a place where taxes or revenue was collected from those entering a town to sell
produce ... In the ancient world taxes were primarily of two types: (1) a head tax on each
individual (which was relatively small) and (2) revenue or tribute paid for goods and produce
brought into an area for sale. The latter was essentially a kind of 'sales tax,' but paid by the
seller who obviously increased the prices of goods accordingly."156 Tax collectors were despised
for several reasons:




They charged more than what was required by the government, pocketing the excess as
profit.
Their mere presence reminded the Jews that they were not a free people.
Part of the money they collected went toward the upkeep of pagan religious temples.
They associated with people who were ceremonially unclean, thus making themselves
likewise.157
As one source makes clear, the prevailing attitude among the Jews of Jesus' day was that tax
collectors were nothing short of evil scum:
A Jew entering the customs service cut himself off from decent society. He was
disqualified from being a judge or even a witness in court, and excommunicated from
the synagogue. The members of his family were considered to be equally tarnished.
Because of their exactions and extortions, customs officials were in the same legal
category as murderers and robbers ... Money handled by tax collectors was tainted and
could not be used, even for charity, for to touch the wealth of a man who obtains it
unlawfully is to share his guilt.
The prevailing method of tax collection afforded collectors many opportunities to
exercise greed and unfairness. For centuries force and fraud had been constantly
associated with the revenue system of Palestine. Hence [tax collectors] were hated and
despised as a class. Strict Jews were further offended by the fact that the tax collector
was rendered unclean through continual contact with Gentiles, and because his work
involved breaking the sabbath. Contemporary public opinion is accurately reflected in
156
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament; New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition; The Words
and Works of Jesus Christ; Expositor's Bible Commentary
157
the disagreeable associations expressed in the NT: [tax collectors] are linked with
sinners (Matthew 9:10), heathen Gentiles (Matthew 18:17), harlots (Matthew 21:31),
and extortioners, imposters, and adulterers (Luke 18:11).158
Pharisees (Mark 2:16)
For their part, the Pharisees believed their religious scruples made them right with God, or
"righteous." They supposed themselves to be the "healthy" - "strong, robust"159 - ones in Jesus'
illustration. While everyone is a sinner, it is only those who accept that fact, repent of their sins,
and believe in Christ who can/will be saved.160 The religious leaders were doubly guilty: 1) they
were unwilling to admit their sinful condition and come to Christ for relief, and 2) they looked
down their proverbial noses at the "sinners" who did.
Eating with ... sinners (Mark 2:16)
It is vital to note that Jesus did not take sin or sinners lightly. As he himself said, he came to call
sinners to repentance. As one source notes: "[Jesus] never told people, 'Do you have a sense of
guilt? Forget about it.' On the contrary, he regarded sin as inexcusable departure from God's
holy law (Mark 12:29-30), as having a soul-choking effect (Mark 4:19; cf. John 8:34), and as
being a matter of the heart and not only of the outward deed (Mark 7:6-7, 15-23). But he also
offered the only true solution."161 Jesus' analogy regarding a doctor and his sick patients was
commonly used to illustrate not only the need of the ill to be made well, but also the fact that a
doctor routinely treats an ill patient without contracting the disease himself.162 Jesus could
"seek out sinners and eat with them, without himself becoming impure."163
HEAR (heart)
Bringing Another
The story is told of a little dog that had been struck by a car and was lying by the side of
the road.
A doctor happened to be driving by, saw the dog, and took him home. As it turned out,
the dog was only stunned, and he had a few cuts and bruises. The doctor revived the
dog, cleaned the wounds, and was carrying him to his garage when suddenly the dog
jumped out of his arms and ran away. The doctor commented to himself that that sure
was an ungrateful little dog.
The doctor gave it no more thought until the following evening when he heard a
scratching noise at his door. When he opened the door, there was the little dog he had
helped, and beside him was another hurt dog.164
158
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (quoted verbatim)
The Complete Word Study Dictionary
160
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
161
Baker's New Testament Commentary
162
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary
163
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
164
Illustrations Unlimited (paraphrased)
159
Doubtless Levi invited his friends to meet Jesus because he wanted them to experience the
same marvelous change Jesus had wrought in Levi's life.
DO (hands)
??? Did Jesus go to Matthew's house to "hang out" and have a good time? What was his
purpose? What can Jesus' example teach us about associating with crowds of unsaved people
in a social setting?
[[@Bible:Mark 2:18-22]]
Mark 2:18-22
A Discussion about Fasting
18 Once when John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and
asked, "Why don't your disciples fast like John's disciples and the Pharisees do?"
19 Jesus replied, "Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not.
They can't fast while the groom is with them. 20 But someday the groom will be taken away
from them, and then they will fast.
21 "Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink
and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.
22 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins,
and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins."
SEE (head)
Jesus contrasts the sorrow associated with fasting with the joy associated with a wedding. He
uses significant imagery to show that his teaching is intended to usher in a new way of serving
God - one that results in joy and peace. Notice the images of newness: a wedding; a new patch
of cloth; new wine. The newness that Jesus' coming brings cannot be confined to the old forms
of Judaism.165
Fasting (Mark 2:18)
While there was only one mandatory fast for the nation of Israel, on the Day of Atonement,
stricter Jews fasted twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays (from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.).166 Jesus
was not opposed to fasting, particularly when undertaken with the right motives: repentance,
mourning, great distress, "or in preparation for a time of trial or special mission."167 In the case
of John's disciples and the Pharisees, the primary motives were probably repentance and
purity, respectively.168
Wedding guests (Mark 2:19)
In Jesus' day a Jewish wedding was followed not by a honeymoon but, rather, by a week-long
celebration in which the closest friends of the bride and bridegroom - called children (or sons)
of the bridechamber - were invited. This seems to be the image Jesus has in mind here, as he
compares his disciples to the specially chosen guests at a wedding feast. A special rabbinic
165
Expositor's Bible Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The Daily Study Bible Series
167
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
168
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
166
ruling exempted all such guests from religious duties, including fasting, that would put a
damper on their celebration.169
"[M]ourning, fasting, and preparation" were associated with, and appropriate to, John's
ministry - just as the theme of celebration accompanied the presence and ministry of Jesus.170
What's more, this side of Pentecost every true Christian should be filled with joy. As one source
puts it: "If it be true that 'God with us' (Immanuel) spells joy for believers, should not 'God
within us' (the situation on and after Pentecost) awaken in every child of God joy unspeakable
and full of glory?"171
New cloth ... new wine (Mark 2:21, 22)
Jesus' teaching is like a new patch of cloth that cannot simply be added to an old garment, and
it is like new wine that cannot simply be added to an old wineskin. In both cases, "a little of the
new is worse than useless to preserve the old."172 In the immediate context, Jesus' point is that
the new life he offers must result in "gratitude, freedom, and spontaneous service to the glory
of God."173 Jesus' larger point, however, is that "[s]alvation, available through Jesus, was not to
be mixed with the old Judaistic system (cf. John 1:17)."174 As one source puts it: "[T]he presence
and teaching of Jesus was something new and signaled the passing of the old. It could not be
confined within the old religion of Judaism, but involved the inauguration and consummation of
the kingdom of God."175
We can also note how Jesus' words serve as a corrective against the call by modern
"progressive" leaders to abandon "old and worn arguments" against sinful lifestyle choices.176
Such liberal leaders typically take a two-pronged approach: They assert that the Bible is an
ancient book (= old wineskin) incapable of addressing contemporary problems, while calling for
an "enlightened" approach (= new wine) of working toward solutions that embrace and affirm
people of all beliefs and lifestyles - except, of course, for anyone who disagrees with them. Such
thinking is deficient in any number of ways, but primarily because it blindly refuses to recognize
the Bible for what it truly is: the inspired Word of God that reflects his consistent standards.
The truth is that God's ways do not change, and pride-filled rebellion against God and his
standards is as old as humanity itself. Here we can draw counsel from the book of Hebrews:
"Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come
from their lives, and follow the example of their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today,
and forever. So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas" (Hebrews 13:7-9a).
HEAR (heart)
No Other Way
169
The Daily Study Bible Series
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
171
Baker's New Testament Commentary
172
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
173
Baker's New Testament Commentary
174
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
175
NET Bible notes
176
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
170
Warren Wiersbe points out how Jesus' use of the illustration regarding new wine in the old
wineskins refutes the popular notion of a "world religion" comprised of "the best" from the
world's many religions.177 Like other religions, the Christian faith makes exclusive truth claims.
Unlike the truth claims of other religions, however, those associated with the Christian faith
center on the words and works of Jesus Christ, proven to be the divine Son of God by both his
teachings and his miracles, the greatest of which was his own resurrection from the dead.
DO (hands)
A wedding is a very special occasion that marks the beginning of a whole new phase of life. It's
no wonder, then, that the Bible uses wedding imagery in describing our new life with Christ.
The Church is Christ's betrothed bride; legally it is just as if we are already joined together. Our
joy will not be complete, however, until our bridegroom returns to take us home. While we can
be and should be joyful now, we will be infinitely more joyful then.
??? How and why does our faith in Christ make us joyful?
[[@Bible:Mark 2:23-28]]
Mark 2:23-28
A Discussion about the Sabbath
23 One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking
off heads of grain to eat. 24 But the Pharisees said to Jesus, "Look, why are they breaking the
law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?"
25 Jesus said to them, "Haven't you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and
his companions were hungry? 26 He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar
was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are
allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions."
27 Then Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not
people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the
Sabbath!"
SEE (head)
The religious leaders accuse Jesus and his disciples of violating the Sabbath. In response, Jesus
uses their own Scriptures to show them that the Sabbath was meant to be beneficial, not
burdensome.
Sabbath (Mark 2:23)
The Sabbath was a sign of the sacred covenant between God and his chosen people, Israel. But
whereas the original command was not to work on the Sabbath (Exodus 20:10), the religious
leaders had added their own interpretations, surrounding the law with traditions that, to them,
became just as binding. Thus, for example, wearing false teeth was considered "carrying a
burden"; pulling out a gray hair was considered "reaping"; and dragging a chair along the
ground was considered plowing.178
177
178
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
Harvesting grain (Mark 2:24)
In this case, the Pharisees accused Jesus' disciples of "doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath"
(NASB) - namely, reaping or "harvesting grain" (v. 24). The Law, it should be noted, permitted
travelers to eat small amounts of food from someone's field: "'When you enter your neighbor's
vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, but you must not carry any away in a basket. And
when you enter your neighbor's field of grain, you may pluck the heads of grain with your hand,
but you must not harvest it with a sickle'" (Deuteronomy 23:24-25). The problem, as the
Pharisees saw it, was that the disciples were doing this on the Sabbath - a "clear" violation of
the law as interpreted by the Pharisees.
David (Mark 2:25)
There appear to be several reasons as to why Jesus chose to use the example of David and his
men eating the bread that was preserved exclusively for the priests (see 1 Samuel 21):





Of course there is the how-much-more argument: if David had the right to do
something, how much more so the Son of Man.
Similarly, "David's hunger sets aside even a divine regulation - shall not the hunger of
the disciples set aside mere rabbinical notions?"179
Because the Sabbath was held as a holy and sacred tradition of the highest order, Jesus'
claim to be Lord of the Sabbath amounted to a claim to have authority equal to God's.
As the incident noted by Jesus marked the beginning of the end for Saul, as symbolized
by Abiathar's taking the ephod and fleeing to David, it is very possible to see here an
ominous warning by Jesus that God had turned from Israel's religious leaders and was
now speaking through his Son.180
Similarly, as Saul's insane anger resulted in the death of Ahimelech and "the priests of
the LORD" (see 1 Samuel 22:17, NASB) but could not prevent God's plan to install a new
king, ultimately the religious leaders' insane plot to kill Jesus would prove powerless to
prevent God's plan to install Jesus as King of both Israel and the entire world.
(We may wish to note that Ahimelich, and not his son Abiathar, was high priest at the time
David ate the bread. A vengeful Saul put Ahimelich to death, and then Abiathar assumed the
role of high priest. There are a number of adequate explanations for Jesus' phrase "in the time
of Abiathar the high priest" (NASB), which any good commentary can supply.181
HEAR (heart)
The Law of Spiritual Response
One source comments on what it terms "the law of spiritual response." As brought out in Jesus'
teachings and especially in his parables, it serves as a reminder of our role regarding biblical
truth. The more we respond positively to the truth, the more we are able to grasp it - that is,
179
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
181
For recommended titles, please visit http://ac21doj.org/resources/resources.html
180
the more we are able to understand and apply it. Conversely, the more we respond negatively
to the truth by rejecting it, the less we are able to grasp it.182
When it comes to Jesus Christ, we really have only one of two options: either open our eyes to
Christ or close them; either embrace Jesus totally or reject him completely. To their everlasting
regret, the Pharisees chose the latter.
DO (hands)
Caught Between Two Worlds
One of Aesop's fables deals with the bat.
It seems there was a war between the birds and the beasts, and the bat decided he
wanted to belong to both of the feuding factions.
And so when the birds were winning, the bat would identify itself as a bird. But when
the beasts were gaining the upper hand, the bat would claim to be a beast.
As you can image, as soon as they realized what he was doing both the birds and the
beasts denounced the bat as a complete hypocrite.
Shamed and rejected, the bat had no choice but to become a permanent recluse, hiding
in caves and appearing only at night.183
The Pharisees were trapped between internal sin and external righteousness. Jesus, on the
other hand, was always at home in God's world - whether in a praise and worship service or
hanging out with sinners.
??? What are some practical things we can do to make sure we are trying to please God rather
than people?

Mark 3
[[@Bible:Mark 3:1-6]]
Mark 3:1-6
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
1 Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. 2 Since it was
the Sabbath, Jesus' enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to
accuse him of working on the Sabbath.
182
183
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition
Illustrations of Bible Truths (paraphrased)
3 Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, "Come and stand in front of everyone."
4 Then he turned to his critics and asked, "Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is
it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?" But they wouldn't answer him.
5 He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he
said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 6 At
once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.
SEE (head)
Jesus visits the place where people gather to learn about God. By choosing to heal the man with
the deformed hand, Jesus shows the importance of helping someone in need when it is within
our power to do so. Well aware that his actions will bring him into direct conflict with those
trying to trap him, Jesus nonetheless chooses to help rather than hide.
Deformed hand (Mark 3:1)
The language used (in the original Greek) indicates that the man's "shrunken and paralyzed" 184
hand "was not congenital, but the result of injury by accident or disease."185 For their part, the
religious leaders "kept watching"186 Jesus "on the side (or sly)"187 - that is, they were spying on
him188 - in hopes of catching him in some wrongdoing. Their main concern was with the law;
they had little interest in mercy.189
Rabbinic law went to great lengths to keep the Sabbath holy. Steps could be taken to help
someone only if that person's life was in danger. But this man's illness was not life-threatening,
and Jesus could easily have waited one more day before healing him. Jesus' response amounted
to an assertion that since evil is always working, good can never afford to take a day off. 190
Moreover, Jesus' actions showed that God intended the Sabbath to be a blessing rather than a
burden.
Good ... evil (Mark 3:4)
Jesus' question regarding doing good versus doing evil and saving life versus killing "closely
echoes the very choice that the law itself offers, particularly as expressed in Deut. 30:15
LXX."191 Within its original context, Moses's final speech/sermon (Deuteronomy 29-30)
amounted to an urgent plea for faithfulness - an irrevocable commitment to God192 - on the
part of Israel, as evidenced by her continued obedience to God's commands. As the
embodiment of "God's presence and his Torah," and the one "in whom God's will is fully
expressed,"193 Jesus offers the good life that faithfulness to God brings. In choosing to reject
184
NET Bible notes
Word Pictures in the New Testament
186
Vincent's Word Studies
187
Word Pictures in the New Testament
188
NET Bible notes
189
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
190
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament; The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament
Commentary
191
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
192
The Bible Reader's Companion
193
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
185
Jesus, the religious leaders were in fact rejecting God - and inviting the "death and disaster"
(Deuteronomy 30:15, NET) that inevitably accompanies such a decision.194
Notice Jesus' response toward the religious leaders: he felt momentary anger mixed with
continuing pity.195 Why? Because they had made themselves hard, callous, blind, and
insensitive.196 Rather than compromise his mercy or his mission, Jesus performed the
miraculous healing, restoring the man's hand instantly and completely. As one source aptly puts
it: "Subsequent treatments or check-ups were not required."197
"Jesus does good and saves life; his opponents plot his destruction."198 Rather than accept the
fact that God was present and active in/through Jesus, the religious leaders go so far as to form
an alliance with "their bitter enemies"199 in order to get rid of him. In an act of supreme irony,
the religious leaders used the Sabbath to plot evil and plan destruction.200
HEAR (heart)
Morally Obligated
The story is told of a particular legal case that came before the courts of Massachusetts.
In 1928 a man was walking on a boat deck when he tripped and fell into the ocean bay.
Unable to swim, he thrashed about, desperately yelling for help.
His friends were too far away to help, but very close by was a young man who happened
to be an excellent swimmer. Rather than dive in and help bring the drowning man to
safety, however, the young man did nothing.
The family of the drowned man sued the young man - and lost.
With reluctance the court ruled that the bystander had no legal responsibility
whatsoever to help the man who had drowned.201
We may not be legally obligated to help someone in need but, in keeping with Jesus' example,
we certainly have a moral responsibility to do so. Moreover, this illustration speaks volumes
regarding the myriad of spiritually drowning people, their need for the life-saving Gospel, and
our obligation to share it with them.
DO (hands)
??? Jesus was determined to do good even though it meant the disapproval of influential
people. What can we learn from his example in this?
194
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
Baker's New Testament Commentary
196
The Complete Word Study Dictionary
197
Baker's New Testament Commentary
198
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
199
Word Pictures in the New Testament
200
Word Pictures in the New Testament; Baker's New Testament Commentary
201
Illustrations Unlimited (paraphrased)
195
[[@Bible:Mark 3:7-12]]
Mark 3:7-12
Crowds Follow Jesus
7 Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from
all over Galilee, Judea, 8 Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far
north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast
numbers of people came to see him.
9 Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him. 10 He
had healed many people that day, so all the sick people eagerly pushed forward to touch him.
11 And whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of him, the spirits would throw
them to the ground in front of him shrieking, "You are the Son of God!" 12 But Jesus sternly
commanded the spirits not to reveal who he was.
SEE (head)
Jesus' fame has spread far and wide, and people come out in droves to see him. In their
eagerness to find relief from their suffering, the needy press in upon Jesus. He heals many of
them and sternly warns the demons to remain silent.
They came (Mark 3:7)
While Jesus' reputation was floundering among the religious leaders, it was flourishing among
the common folk, as evidenced by both the size and origin of the crowds that came to Jesus.
One source provides the following information regarding the regions from which the crowds
came:
Galilee - At this time the land of Palestine was divided into three parts: Galilee, on the
north; Samaria, in the middle; and Judea, on the south.
Judea - The southern division of the land of Palestine.
Jerusalem - Jerusalem was "in" Judea. It is mentioned particularly to show that not only
the people of the surrounding country came, but also many from the capital, the place
of wealth, and honor, and power.
Idumea - The country formerly inhabited by the "Edomites." In the time of the Saviour it
was embraced in the country belonging to the Jews. It was south of Judea proper. ...
[T]he country of Idumea was bounded by Palestine on the north. During the Babylonian
captivity the Edomites spread themselves into the country of Judea, and occupied a
considerable part of the south of Palestine. They had, however, submitted to the rite of
circumcision, and were incorporated with the Jews. From them sprang Herod the Great.
From beyond Jordan - From the region lying east of the river Jordan. The sacred writers
lived on the west side of Jordan, and by the country "beyond Jordan" they meant that
on the east side.
Tyre and Sidon - These were cities of Phoenicia, formerly very opulent, and distinguished
for merchandise. They were situated on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, and were
in the western part of Judea. They were therefore well known to the Jews. 202
Not to reveal (Mark 3:12)
Why was Jesus unwilling to accept the testimony of the demons? There are several possible
reasons:



The person and the work of the Savior are so holy and exalted that it would not be
fitting to allow corrupt, filthy demons to proclaim them.
The title "the Son of God" implied at least that Jesus was the long expected Messiah.
However, most of the people conceived of the Messiah in a nationalistic sense: one who
could deliver them from the yoke of the foreign oppressor. So, before publicly revealing
himself as the Messiah, or allowing himself to be thus proclaimed, Jesus must first make
clear the nature of his Messianic office: that he has to suffer and die for the sins of his
people, etc. The time to proclaim this publicly, or to have it thus proclaimed, has not as
yet arrived.
The scribes were telling the people that Jesus and the demons were allies (Mark 3:22).
If, then, Jesus permitted himself to be advertised by demons, would he not seem to be
confirming the allegation of these scribes?203
There is also a very practical lesson to be learned here. "The evil (unclean) spirits knew that
Jesus was the Son of God, but they had no intention of following him. Many people followed
Jesus but didn’t understand his true purpose for coming. Some people came for miracles, some
came to hear his teaching, but they didn’t understand the way of the cross. Knowing about
Jesus, or even believing that he is God’s Son, does not guarantee salvation. You must also
follow and obey him (see also James 2:17)."204
HEAR (heart)
A multi-millionaire once told a struggling would-be minister: "You are going about this all
wrong. Why, I could take a tent, put it in the middle of town, start preaching, and soon have
more people - and more money - coming in than you could shake a stick at!" Which speaks
volumes regarding the nature of people - whether as leaders or followers.
The same crowds that came to witness Jesus' miracles would later abandon him after
discovering the demands of true discipleship. Eventually they would turn against him entirely
as, at the behest of the jealous religious leaders, they clamored for his crucifixion.
DO (hands)
??? Why did large crowds follow after Jesus? How did he react?
[[@Bible:Mark 3:13-19]]
202
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (quoted verbatim)
Baker's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
204
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
203
Mark 3:13-19
Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles
13 Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him.
And they came to him. 14 Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They
were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, 15 giving them authority to
cast out demons. 16 These are the twelve he chose:
Simon (whom he named Peter),
17 James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them "Sons of Thunder"),
18 Andrew,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
Matthew,
Thomas,
James (son of Alphaeus),
Thaddaeus,
Simon (the zealot),
19 Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
SEE (head)
From among the many people following Jesus, twelve are chosen to be his official ambassadors.
These men will live with Jesus day in and day out, and will share in his mission and message.
They are a diverse group made up of different - and at times conflicting - personality types.
His apostles (Mark 3:14)
"Apostle" refers to "one who is sent, usually as a messenger, agent, deputy, or ambassador. It
was understood that an apostle was commissioned by a higher authority and acted in behalf of
this authority."205 The number twelve is representative of the twelve tribes of Israel (and the
twelve patriarchs), and at first both Jesus and his apostles limit their ministry to Israel. The
renewal of Israel, including "a new conquest of the promised land" through direct physical
confrontation, was a common theme during this time, and a number of self-professed
deliverers arose between the time Jesus departed and the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D.
70.206
The twelve apostles lived with Jesus. They saw his miracles, heard his messages, and felt the
sting of his rebukes. They joined with Jesus in proclaiming the Gospel and serving people in
obvious need. Within this group of twelve specially chosen disciples, Peter, James and John
comprised the inner circle.207 Whenever the apostles are listed in the NT, Peter is first, followed
by Andrew, James, and John, with Judas Iscariot last (Mark 3:13-19; Matthew 10:1-4; Luke 6:1316; Acts 1:13).208
205
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
207
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
208
NET Bible notes
206
Jesus chose the twelve from among his followers and publicly commissioned them to be his
special representatives, or "apostles" - thus bestowing upon them a status which would prove
highly significant following the birth of the Christian Church and the worldwide spread of the
Gospel.209
HEAR (heart)
We Are All Sinners
In the midst of a sermon, a man jumped up. "Brethren!" he shouted. "I have been a
miserable, contemptible sinner for years, and never knew it before tonight."
A man in the nearby pew announced, "Sit down, Brother. The rest of us knew it all the
time."210
The apostles were sinners in, upon, and through whom Jesus did a mighty work.
From its very beginning, the Church has been comprised of sinners saved by grace. Provided we
are first willing to admit what everyone else already knows, God can and will work to remake us
from the inside out.
DO (hands)
??? What first comes to mind when you think of the twelve apostles? What can the fact that
they were flawed human beings teach us about our own relationship with Jesus?
[[@Bible:Mark 3:20-30]]
Mark 3:20-30
Jesus and the Prince of Demons
20 One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his
disciples couldn't even find time to eat. 21 When his family heard what was happening, they
tried to take him away. "He's out of his mind," they said.
22 But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, "He's possessed by
Satan, the prince of demons. That's where he gets the power to cast out demons."
23 Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. "How can Satan cast out
Satan?" he asked. 24 "A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. 25 Similarly, a family
splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how
can he stand? He would never survive. 27 Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough
to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even
stronger - someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.
28 "I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, 29 but anyone who
blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences." 30 He
told them this because they were saying, "He's possessed by an evil spirit."
209
210
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
A Treasury of Humor (quoted verbatim)
SEE (head)
Jesus is so preoccupied with meeting the needs of others that he ignores his own. Out of
concern for his personal well-being, his family tries to persuade him to stop what he's doing
and return home. The religious leaders, meanwhile, say that Jesus' power derives from Satan.
Jesus responds by showing that his power cannot be from Satan - and therefore must be from
God.
His family ... out of his mind (Mark 3:21)
Jesus' family accused him of being "beside himself" (KJV), a term describing an "excess of zeal
overpowering judgment."211 Lightfoot says it refers to a "vehement passion" causing one to lose
all awareness of the present, and offers this expanded paraphrase: ""His knowledge is snatched
away; he hath forgotten himself, and his own health; he is so vehement and hot in discharging
his office, and in preaching, that he is transported beyond himself, and his understanding is
disturbed, that he neither takes care of his necessary food nor of his sleep."212
This "was a crucial moment for Jesus. His family or friends came to take him home, to lay hold
of him (kratesai), forcibly if need be."213 (The phrase rendered "his family" literally means "they
who were from beside him"214 or "those from his side"215, indicating closeness. While some
have taken this to mean nothing more than Jesus' close associates or followers, 216 it is more
common to understand it as referring to "the kinspeople or family of Jesus" 217 - that is, "those
who constituted the household of Jesus," although their exact relationship (brothers? cousins?)
is not specified here218) Why was Jesus' family so concerned about him? The immediate context
indicates it was due to Jesus' putting his ministry ahead of even his own physical needs. 219
Behind this, however, stands a number of broader considerations:



Jesus had walked away from a secure, stable job as a carpenter to become a vagrant
preacher. ("Accusations of madness were sometimes made against prophets, exorcists,
and healers."220)
Jesus was directly confronting the most powerful and respected element of his society:
the religious leaders.
Jesus was keeping close company with a group of men, the apostles, who by worldly
standards did not amount to much.
And so it could be argued that Jesus had abandoned all concern for security, safety, and the
opinions of others.221 And, of course, not to be overlooked is the bald fact of natural concern
211
Gnomon of the New Testament
A Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica
213
Word Pictures in the New Testament
214
Vincent's Word Studies
215
Baker's New Testament Commentary
216
Baker's New Testament Commentary
217
Word Pictures in the New Testament
218
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
219
Expositor's Bible Commentary
220
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
212
for the family name, in which case their actions would have been intended "to prevent any
injury, or envy, or dishonor, from arising to the whole family."222
Possessed by Satan (Mark 3:22)
Matthew's parallel account shows the crowd wondering if, in fact, Jesus might not be the
promised "Son of David" (Matthew 12:23) which, in turn, prompted a very strong reaction from
the religious leaders. Unable to deny the reality of Jesus' miraculous power but nonetheless
desperate to discredit any notion of his being the Messiah, the religious leaders attempt to play
their he-is-of-the-Devil trump card. "They intend to say that Jesus is so far from being the
Messiah that he is in league with Satan himself."223 The accusation that Jesus was "indwelt by
and in league with"224 the Devil would remain in the air for quite some time, as seen in the
writings of later critics of Christianity who put forward the notion that Jesus had learned the
magical arts while working in Egypt, then returned to Palestine and there used his knowledge to
claim for himself "the title of God."225
So serious is this blasphemous charge that Jesus takes the unusual step of calling - that is,
summoning226 - the religious leaders to himself.227 Jesus used three illustrations to demonstrate
the futility of his critics' thinking: A kingdom at war with itself cannot survive; a family
"splintered by feuding will fall apart"; and a strong man's house can be robbed only after he has
been tied up by someone stronger. Beyond the obvious application to the slanderous
accusation being made against Jesus, it is possible to see in all three illustrations an allusion to
Jesus' mission: Jesus has come to further God's kingdom; expand God's family; and defeat God's
chief enemy.
Someone even stronger (Mark 3:27)
As noted earlier (in Mark 1), Jesus depicts himself as the one able to overpower the strong man
in order to plunder - or "thoroughly ransack"228 - his house. Satan is the strong man, his house
"is the realm of sin, sickness, demon possession, and death," and Jesus plunders Satan's house
by "releasing the enslaved victims."229 This is a major point worthy of repetition: "Jesus'
authority over the demons constitutes the inbreaking of God's reign, heralding and effecting
the demise of Satan's dominion over humanity."230 It should not surprise us, then, to find this
same theme reiterated throughout the NT:

221
"'The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be
cast out.'" - John 12:31
The Daily Study Bible Series
John Calvin's Commentaries
223
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
224
Baker's New Testament Commentary
225
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
226
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
227
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
228
Word Pictures in the New Testament
229
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
230
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
222



"He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the
cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them
publicly by his victory over them on the cross." - Colossians 2:14-15
"Because God's children are human beings - made of flesh and blood - the Son also
became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying
could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way
could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying." - Hebrews
2:14-15
"Dear children, don't let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it
shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on
sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the
beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil." - 1 John 3:7-8 (all
NLT)
Blasphemes the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:29)
There is much debate regarding the exact meaning of Jesus' solemn - that is, true and
authoritative231 - warning regarding "blaspheming ['the work of'232] the Holy Spirit." First and
foremost, it must be noted that to reject the Holy Spirit is to reject God, and that to reject God
is to make him our enemy.233 In the immediate context, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit involves a
stubborn refusal to acknowledge the true source of Christ's miracles - even to the point of
attributing them to Satan. This is very serious indeed, as Jesus' miracles were intended to
authenticate his status as God's final, authoritative messenger.234 Of course, "[t]he tragic and
profound irony" in all this "is that when the bona fide Lord of the House casts out unclean
spirits, they confess him to be the Holy One/Son of God, but those responsible for the purity of
Israel and the house of God instead accuse him of having an unclean spirit." 235
Because Jesus is no longer present in bodily form, some believe blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
was limited to the immediate (= first-century) context, and thus is not applicable today. On the
other hand, many believe the modern equivalent of this sin involves a life-long rejection of the
Holy Spirit's witness concerning who Jesus is. The latter view is in keeping with the fact that
although Jesus did not specifically mention repentance, his audience would have been fully
aware of the link between repentance and forgiveness. What's more, it was the religious
leaders' absolute refusal to repent of their sinful attitudes and actions - particularly regarding
Jesus' true identity - that led them to go so far as to attribute Jesus' power to Satan.236
HEAR (heart)
A New Nature
231
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
233
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
234
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
235
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
236
Baker's New Testament Commentary
232
The story is told of a Hindu man who expressed to a native Christian missionary his
conviction that his (the Hindu man's) efforts to live a morally upright life would be met
with God's approval and acceptance into Heaven.
The missionary acknowledged that most people today reason along those same lines.
Then he called the Hindu man's attention to the babul tree, a tree known for its
especially long, sharp thorns.
"Suppose," said the missionary, "you break off a hundred of the thorns from the babul
tree. Would it then cease to be a babul tree?"
"Of course not," replied the Hindu man.
"Well, it's the same with people. You can give up a hundred bad habits, but in the end
you will still be a sinful human being. In order to please God you need a new nature you need to be a new person. And only Jesus Christ can do that for us."237
The religious leaders who opposed Jesus thought they were earning their way to God by
reforming their behavior through the keeping of religious rituals. They adamantly refused to
accept Jesus and the new nature he offers.
DO (hands)
??? We can learn something from everyone - even if it's only what not to do. What can the
Pharisees' spiritual blindness teach us about why and how to sharpen our own spiritual focus?
[[@Bible:Mark 3:31-35]]
Mark 3:31-35
The True Family of Jesus
31 Then Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him
to come out and talk with them. 32 There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said,
"Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you."
33 Jesus replied, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" 34 Then he looked at those
around him and said, "Look, these are my mother and brothers. 35 Anyone who does God's will
is my brother and sister and mother."
SEE (head)
Again Jesus' family expresses concern for his well-being. Jesus uses the opportunity to teach
that the most important type of kinship is the one based on obedience to God (see Romans
8:29; Hebrews 2:11).
Mother and brothers (Mark 3:31)
"Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him," the text tells us. The precise relationship
between Jesus and his siblings is much debated due mainly to the Roman Catholic doctrine of
237
Illustrations of Bible Truths (paraphrased)
the perpetual virginity of Mary, which claims that Mary was miraculously kept a virgin before,
during, and after the birth of Jesus. However, Matthew tells us that after taking Mary to be his
wife, Joseph "kept her a virgin until she gave birth" to Jesus (see Matthew 1:24-25). As one
source notes: "Joseph lived in continence with Mary till the birth of Jesus. Matthew does not
say that Mary bore no other children than Jesus. ... The perpetual virginity of Mary is not taught
here. Jesus had brothers and sisters and the natural meaning is that they were younger children
of Joseph and Mary and not children of Joseph by a previous marriage"238 - in which case Jesus
would not have been the firstborn and thus not heir to the Davidic throne.239
Asking for you (Mark 3:32)
Jesus was in the middle of teaching his followers when he was rudely interrupted. How does he
react? "Jesus uses the interruption to good advantage. He always did exactly that with
interruptions. Interrupted while he was praying (Mark 1:35), addressing a crowd (Mark 2:1 ff.),
sleeping in a boat (Mark 4:37 ff.), conversing with his disciples (Mark 8:31 ff.), or traveling
(Mark 10:46 ff.), he always knew how to turn an interruption into a springboard for the
utterance of a great saying or for the performance of a marvelous deed."240 While we may tend
to see interruptions as obstacles, Jesus saw them as opportunities. Why? Might it not be
because Jesus valued people more than plans or programs?
God's will (Mark 3:35)
Simply put, God's will is that we follow Jesus. This involves nothing less than, by God's grace,
repenting and believing, turning from our sins, and by faith receiving God's pardon in Christ
Jesus.241 We become members of God's family "[b]y means of a new birth, a special birth from
above (John 3:1–7; 1 Peter 1:22–25). When the sinner trusts Jesus Christ as Saviour, he
experiences this new birth and enters into God's family. He shares God's divine nature (2 Peter
1:3–4) and can call God 'Father' (Romans 8:15–16). This spiritual birth is not something that we
accomplish for ourselves, nor can others do it for us (John 1:11–13). It is God's work of grace; all
we can do is believe and receive (Ephesians 2:8–9)."242
God's family is both inclusive and exclusive: Jesus says anyone (= inclusive) who does God's will
(= exclusive) is his spiritual kinsman.243 Everyone is responsible for realizing his or her need and
then acting upon that need by accepting Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior. Beyond that,
we must continually, and with much humility, seek to make God's will as revealed in his
inspired, authoritative Word, the Bible, our absolute priority.
HEAR (heart)
Strong Families
Professor Nick Stinnett, chairman of the Department of Human Development and the Family at
the University of Nebraska, headed a research project to "discover what makes families strong."
238
Word Pictures in the New Testament
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
240
Baker's New Testament Commentary
241
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
242
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
243
Baker's New Testament Commentary
239
Their team observed and interviewed three thousand strong families in South America,
Switzerland, Austria, Germany, South Africa, and the United States. From all of this research
they concluded that strong families have six main qualities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Family members are committed to the family.
They spend time together.
They have good family communication.
They express appreciation to each other.
They have a spiritual commitment.
They are able to solve problems in a crisis.244
Jesus announced the creation of a new family based on one's relationship to God.
Because God's spiritual family is modeled on the natural family he created, it should come as no
surprise that the qualities that make for strong natural families also make for strong spiritual
ones.
DO (hands)
??? We become close to other believers by sharing: experiences; interests, obedience, and
goals.245 What are some practical things we can do to become closer to other Christians?

Mark 4
[[@Bible:Mark 4:1-9]]
Mark 4:1-9
Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed
1 Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around
him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore.
2 He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
3 "Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some of
the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with
underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plant soon
wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn't have deep roots, it died. 7 Other seed fell among
thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. 8 Still other
seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and
even a hundred times as much as had been planted!" 9 Then he said, "Anyone with ears to hear
should listen and understand."
244
245
Something to Think About (quoted verbatim)
The Daily Study Bible Series
SEE (head)
Jesus addresses the crowd gathered at the shore, using a story (or "parable") to teach them
about God's kingdom. He likens the kingdom to a farmer planting seed. While only a portion of
what is sown actually takes root and grows to maturity, nonetheless the end result is a
spectacular crop.
Teaching (Mark 4:1)
As one modern paraphrase renders it, Jesus got "into an offshore boat, using the boat as a
pulpit as the people pushed to the water's edge" (Mark 4:1 The Message).246 There at the edge
of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus preached to the throng of eager listeners. As usual, he used parables
to teach about God's kingdom. Worth noting is the fact that Jesus proclaimed God's truth in
many and various settings: indoors, outdoors, along the road, in the synagogue, in houses, in
boats, by the shore, on a mountain, and even in a cemetery - in other words, whenever and
wherever people would listen.247 In his teaching Jesus "commanded, commissioned,
admonished, exhorted, explained, questioned, consoled, refuted, and predicted."248 Jesus used
parables for several reasons: (1) It caught people's attention and made them listen. (2) It was a
teaching technique very familiar to Jesus' Jewish audience. (3) It transformed abstract ideas
into concrete realities. (4) It encouraged personal reflection.249
Farmer ... seed (Mark 4:3)
The parable of the sower/farmer can actually be thought of as the "parable of the soils," since
that is where the emphasis lies.250 It is intended "to illustrate the various responses to the
message of the kingdom of God."251 This parable - or allegory - accurately represents farming as
it was practiced in Jesus' day.252 "Sowing would occur in late fall or early winter (October to
December) in the rainy season, looking for sprouting in April or May and a June harvest." 253
Seed was normally sown broadcast style from a bag slung over the farmer's shoulder. The soil
was hard and rocky, making it necessary for the farmer to come back and plow the seed
underneath the surface. Because of these less than ideal planting conditions, much seed was
lost to the elements.254 In the case of the seed that did take root and grow, a tenfold crop was
considered good.255
Seed fell (Mark 4:4, 5, 7)
The seed that falls "on the footpath" ("beside the road" NASB) never has a chance to be plowed
under; it is completely exposed, and the birds swoop down and gobble it up. The rocky soil is
actually very receptive at the beginning of the growing season, as it "is moist from winter rain
246
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary
248
Baker's New Testament Commentary
249
The Daily Study Bible Series
250
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary
251
NET Bible notes
252
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
253
NET Bible notes
254
Expositor's Bible Commentary
255
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
247
and the sun and air have not become too warm."256 But then time passes, the ground begins to
dry under the hot sun, and the plants that looked promising to begin with quickly wither due to
their shallow root system. The thorns Jesus mentioned were a persistent nuisance that would
return if plowed under rather than dug up.257 Thorny weeds could grow to a height of six feet
and would attack the good plant from both above and below: from above, the thorns would
literally smother the plant by prohibiting its exposure to sunlight and air; from below, the
thorns' major root system would draw away the crucial "moisture and richness of the soil."258
Seeds fell ... and produced a crop (Mark 4:8)
Jesus is most certainly not teaching the discouraging prospect that we can expect three-fourths
of our efforts to be wasted. Notice the shift from the singular "seed" that is unproductive to the
plural "seeds" that produce a crop, perhaps intended to emphasize the variety of approaches to
sharing the Gospel.259 The main point of Jesus' parable is twofold: (1) the seed's growth
potential is determined by the soil's condition260 and (2) in spite of losses, the word Jesus sows
"will spring up among the faithful and produce a bountiful harvest."261
HEAR (heart)
A farmer doesn't sow his field and then walk up and down the rows shouting, "Grow! Grow!"
Nor does he monitor every seed he plants in order to determine its final outcome. Rather, the
farmer does the work and leaves the results to God. In a similar manner, we as Christians are
called to spread the Gospel seed without fretting over the end result of every seed we plant. In
the end, we must be faithful and content: faithful to spread the seed, and content to leave the
results with God.
DO (hands)
??? What can this passage teach us about God's kingdom? About our obligation to spread the
Gospel?
[[@Bible:Mark 4:10-25]]
Mark 4:10-25
(Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed)
10 Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were
gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.
11 He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use
parables for everything I say to outsiders, 12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:
'When they see what I do,
they will learn nothing.
When they hear what I say,
256
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
258
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Net Bible Notes
259
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
260
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
261
Evangelical Commentary on the Bible
257
they will not understand.
Otherwise, they will turn to me
and be forgiven.'"
13 Then Jesus said to them, "If you can't understand the meaning of this parable, how will
you understand all the other parables? 14 The farmer plants seed by taking God's word to
others. 15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to
have Satan come at once and take it away. 16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who
hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17 But since they don't have deep roots,
they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for
believing God's word. 18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's
word, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of
wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. 20 And the seed that fell on good
soil represents those who hear and accept God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or
even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"
Parable of the Lamp
21 Then Jesus asked them, "Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under
a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. 22 For everything
that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.
23 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."
24 Then he added, "Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more
understanding you will be given - and you will receive even more. 25 To those who listen to my
teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little
understanding they have will be taken away from them."
SEE (head)
The crowd has dispersed and Jesus is alone with only a few of his more committed followers.
He explains the relationship between a person's heart and how he or she responds to the
message of God's kingdom. For those willing to accept Jesus' teaching, the kingdom is an open
secret, and their faith will grow and will cause God's kingdom to be multiplied. For those who
reject Jesus' teaching, however, the door to God's kingdom remains closed because they do not
have the faith that unlocks it.
Secret (Mark 4:11)
Jesus referred to a "secret" (or "mystery") associated with God's kingdom. As one source
explains: "'The mystery of the kingdom of God' is the sum of the blessed realities of the divine
rule of grace and of glory" - the knowledge and experience of which cannot be achieved
naturally but, rather, must be imparted supernaturally by God.262As another source notes: "The
basic 'secret,' common to all the kingdom parables, is that in Jesus, God's rule (kingdom) has
come into human experience in a new spiritual form."263 The prevailing belief at that time was
that God's kingdom would be an earthly, political rule centered in Israel. Jesus challenged this
262
263
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
view by showing that the kingdom is not about power politics or military might. God's kingdom
begins in and centers on the human heart; its growth and advancement is unseen but constant.
(To be sure, one day Jesus will return to set up God's literal rule over the entire earth. For now,
however, we experience God's kingdom in a spiritual sense that nonetheless dramatically
impacts the world around us.)
Learn nothing ... Not understand (Mark 4:12)
Jesus prefaced his explanation of the parable of the soils with a few words regarding his use of
parables in general, from which we learn that "what may be a clarifying illustration to one (i.e.,
an insider) may be a confusing riddle to another (i.e., an outsider)." 264 In general, a "parable"
can be thought of as "a short discourse that conveys spiritual truth by making a vivid
comparison. The truth to be taught is compared to something in nature or a common-life
experience. A parable usually expresses a single important truth, though occasionally a
subordinate feature expands its total meaning. A parable draws its hearers to take part in a
situation, evaluate it, and apply its truth to themselves."265
For those who refused to believe and receive the Gospel, the kingdom remained a mystery and
Jesus spoke to them only in parables.266Jesus appears to be saying that his intention is "to
befuddle and prevent people from being forgiven."267 There is a two-fold sense in which this is
indeed the case. First, the Gospel is a stumbling block for most people. Why? Because as
stubborn creatures in rebellion against our Creator we operate under the delusion that we are
in charge of our own (eternal) destiny. In which case the Gospel designed for our salvation
guarantees our destruction. Second, the person who stubbornly refuses to accept Jesus'
message eventually reaches a point of no return in which God's saving grace is no longer
offered to him/her. In which case all that remains is God's wrath - a terrifying prospect268
That said, we should be quick to remind ourselves that Jesus' mission was/is to save, not
destroy. Hence many people see in Jesus' words "an attempt to explain why it is that some
people hear[d] Jesus' teaching and chose either to ignore it or to misinterpret it."269 This view
finds support in Matthew's more detailed parallel account (Matthew 13:10-17) and, most
importantly, in Jesus' total mission and ministry, including his clear and repeated calls to
repentance and faith in God. Like all of the Bible's revelations regarding our natural sinful state,
Jesus' parable of the soils "aims at the conscience and repentance, thus opening the soul for
the gospel."270Thus it is fair to say that "Jesus intended that his teaching and miracles would
bring people to a point of decision. Those who chose to reject him passed judgment on
themselves."271
264
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
266
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
267
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
268
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
269
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
270
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
271
Integrative Theology
265
Of course, not to be overlooked in all this is God's role as the initiator of salvation: God must
grant a person spiritual eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to understand. Until that happens,
God's "spiritual truth will remain a riddle (cf. Deuteronomy 29:2-4)."272 Along these lines,
parables actually helped to maintain the balance between human freedom and God's
sovereignty: "Jesus' audiences were not denied the opportunity to believe in Him. But after
they persistently closed their minds to His message, they were excluded from further
understanding of it by His use of parables. Yet even the parables, which veiled the truth, were
meant to provoke thought, enlighten, and ultimately reveal it. They uniquely preserved
people's freedom to believe, while demonstrating that such a decision is effected by God's
enabling."273 In like manner, John Calvin noted: "[T]he doctrine is not, strictly speaking, or by
itself, or in its own nature, but by accident, the cause of blindness. When persons of a weak
sight come out into sunshine, their eyes become dimmer than before, and that defect is in no
way attributed to the sun, but to their eyes. In like manner, when the word of God blinds and
hardens the reprobate, as this takes place through their own depravity, it belongs truly and
naturally to themselves, but is accidental, as respects the word."274 Think of it like this: the sun,
which is absolutely essential to plant growth, causes the plant in the rocky soil to wither and
die. Is this the sun's fault? Not in the least.
Notice the connection between the sun, the hardships and difficulties that are part and parcel
of the Christian life, and spiritual maturity:
After grain is sown, the sun presently becomes hot, which, however, only helps the seed
that has proper roots. This pictures the thlipsis ["trouble involving direct suffering"275] or
diogmos ["a systematically organized program of oppression and harassment"276] that
always comes in this wicked world "on account of the Word." ... Then the trouble begins
for all who lack good, healthy roots in the soil of their hearts. The remarkable thing is
that the shining sun is here used to picture tribulation and persecution. The seed in the
good soil must have the sun to grow as it should. That is what makes it bear fruit. Just as
little as grain grows properly without sunshine, so little the Word thrives in us without
our suffering "on account of the Word."277
There may well be something to the fact that Jesus used two different words for "understand"
in v. 13 (according to the Greek manuscripts used for modern English Bibles). The first means
"intuitively comprehend," while the second means "comprehend by experience."278 It is the
difference between academic knowledge and applied knowledge (some would say "book
272
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
274
John Calvin's Commentaries
275
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
276
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
277
Lenski's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
278
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
273
sense" versus "common sense"). The parable of the soils depicts a foundational truth that lays
the groundwork for applying all of Jesus' teachings.
Seed ... God's word (Mark 4:14)
In Jesus' explanation, we learn that "[w]hat the farmer is spreading is really the message about
the kingdom" (CEV). "The association of seed and sowing with words and teaching" is found
throughout the Bible and was, in fact, proverbial among both the Jews and the Greeks.279 And
fruit and fruit bearing were often used proverbially to describe a person's character and/or
spiritual condition. For example:







"Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with
sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it
day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do." (Psalms 1:1-3)
"'Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious
wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick
grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a
bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't
produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and
thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify
people by their actions.'" (Matthew 7:15-20)
"'I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of
mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they
will produce even more. ... '" (John 15:1-2)
"So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law
when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from
the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. (Romans 7:4, 22)
"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against
these things!" (Galatians 5:22-23)
"For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how.
But God's discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No
discipline is enjoyable while it is happening - it's painful! But afterward there will be a
peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. (Hebrews 12:10-11)
"And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of
righteousness." (James 3:18) (all NLT)280
Who hear (Mark 4:15, 16, 18, 20)
Jesus explained that the different types of soil represent the different ways in which people
respond to his message. Which, in turn, corresponds to different heart conditions:
279
280
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary
unresponsive, impulsive, preoccupied, and well-prepared.281 And thus "[t]he character of the
hearer determines the effect of the word upon him."282
Condition
Hard [unresponsive]
Reference
"The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan
come at once and take it away."
Explanation283
[This heart] resists the Word of God and makes it easy for Satan (the birds) to snatch it away.
Soil becomes hard when too many feet tread on it. Those who recklessly "open their hearts" to
all kinds of people and influences are in danger of developing hard hearts (see Proverbs 4:23).
Hard hearts must be "plowed up" before they can receive the seed, and this can be a painful
experience (Jeremiah 4:3; Hosea 10:12).
Possible Causes284
Ill-will toward the messenger.
Hostility with respect to this particular message.
They do not wish to be inconvenienced.
[A] spirit of indifference.
Condition
Shallow [impulsive]
Reference
"The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it
with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as
they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word."
Explanation
This heart ... represents the "emotional hearer" who joyfully accepts God's Word but does not
really understand the price that must be paid to become a genuine Christian. There may be
great enthusiasm for several days or weeks; but when persecution and difficulties begin, the
enthusiasm wanes and the joy disappears. It is easy for fallen human nature to
counterfeit "religious feelings" and give a professed Christian a feeling of false confidence.
Possible Causes
[They] failed to consider that true discipleship implies self-surrender, self-denial, sacrifice,
service, and suffering.
Condition
Crowded [preoccupied]
Reference
281
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary
283
Info in the "Explanation" section is from The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament, quoted verbatim.
284
Info in the "Possible Causes" section is from Baker's New Testament Commentary, quoted verbatim.
282
"The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, but all too
quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire
for other things, so no fruit is produced."
Explanation
This heart pictures the person who receives the Word but does not truly repent and remove the
"weeds" out of his or her heart. This hearer has too many different kinds of "seeds" growing in
the soil - worldly cares, a desire for riches, a lust for things - and the good seed of the Word has
no room in which to grow. To change the image, this person wants to walk the "broad way" and
the "narrow way" at the same time (Matthew 7:13–14); and it cannot be done.
Possible Causes
Possessions
Power
Prestige
Pleasure
Condition
Fruitful [well-prepared]
Reference
"And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God's word and
produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"
Explanation
This heart pictures the true believer, because fruit - a changed life - is the evidence of true
salvation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:19–23). ... Not all true believers are equally as
productive; but from every genuine Christian's life, there will be some evidence of spiritual
fruit.
Possible Causes
These people hear because they want to hear. They reflect on what they hear, for they have
faith in the speaker. So they reach a measure of true understanding. They put the message into
practice and bear fruit: conversion, faith, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, etc.
In explaining what it is that prevents someone from entering into God's kingdom, Jesus shows
us the three greatest enemies of our soul:



The shallow heart is tempted by the flesh/self.
The crowded heart is tempted by the world/society.
The hard heart is tempted by the Devil/Satan (note: Matthew = "the evil one"; Mark =
"Satan"; Luke = "the devil"285)286
A lamp (Mark 4:21)
Jesus' parable of the lamp may be intended to reinforce the idea of faithful discipleship: as
believers allow God to produce fruit through them, their lives will broadcast the Gospel light
285
286
Net Bible Notes
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament; Gaebelein's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
into a spiritually darkened world. "[M]an himself ought to be, not the bushel, but the
candlestick."287 Which, sadly, is the exact opposite of what the religious leaders were doing as
they hid God's word "under an elaborate load of human traditions and hypocritical actions." 288
Of course, faithful discipleship begins with proper priorities: the word must be sown; the light
must be placed where it can shine; the mystery of God's kingdom must be revealed, not
concealed.289 Only thus can the Gospel both show evil for what it is and reveal the extent of
God's goodness.290 What's more, at Jesus' second coming, both the light of God and each
person's response to it will be finally and fully revealed.291
Pay close attention (Mark 4:24)
Jesus issues a call to "pay close attention" to his teaching - to let his words soak in, as it were.
Several points are worth noting:




287
The committed disciple is like the fourth type of soil: "If he accepts Jesus' word,
meditates on it and does not permit it to be choked out because of the cares of the
world, his understanding of it will grow."292 (Notice the NLT's more versus less
"understanding" [vv. 24-25].) As one source puts it: "The light of Jesus' truth is revealed
to us, not hidden. But we may not be able to see or to use all of that truth right now.
Only as we put God's teachings into practice will we understand and see more of the
truth. The truth is clear, but our ability to understand is imperfect. As we obey, we will
sharpen our vision and increase our understanding."293
On the other hand, "for the one who rejects Jesus' words, the opportunity that that
person presently possesses with respect to the kingdom will someday be taken away
forever."294
While it is true that in the present age "the kingdom is largely veiled in the face of
satanic opposition and human unbelief," nonetheless "God's rule takes hold in those
who accept Jesus' message and His rule manifests itself in spiritual fruitfulness."295 We
might also note that this is infinitely more than a one-time event: literally, Jesus said
that the good soil represents those who "go on hearing," "go on receiving/accepting,"
and "go on bearing fruit."296
Jesus' teaching that "blessing begets blessing" stems from, and testifies to, God's
generous nature: God not only blesses, he blesses abundantly. Why? So that we can
share his blessings with others. On the other hand, the person who hordes what little he
has will find his possessions - not to mention his attitude - growing ever smaller.
Gnomon of the New Testament
Baker's New Testament Commentary
289
Baker's New Testament Commentary
290
Gnomon of the New Testament
291
Expositor's Bible Commentary
292
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
293
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
294
Net Bible Notes
295
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
296
Lenski's New Testament Commentary; The Lexham Greek-English Interlinear New Testament
288


Somewhat like the novice pianist who stops practicing - and soon finds what little talent
he/she had has vanished entirely.297
One's heart condition determines what effect the Gospel has in a person's life. If you or
someone you know has a hard, shallow, or crowded heart, the proper place to start is
with earnest and fervent prayer that God will change that heart into one that is "honest
and good," "clinge[s]" to the Gospel, and "bear[s] fruit with steadfast endurance" (see
Luke 8:15, NET).
God gets the glory, as it is his Gospel seed that grows and produces a bountiful harvest.
As one source puts it: "[O]ne seed of the Word produces 30, one 60, one 100 others. It is
not the man but the Word that multiplies. The Word is a fixed entity and as such neither
to be increased or decreased. Its multiplication consists in its spread in one heart and
from one heart to other hearts. It is thus that the hearers bear fruit. When the Word
remains and flourishes in a heart, repentance, faith, Christian virtues and works result,
whereby the Word spreads."298
HEAR (heart)
Bearing Fruit: A Sign of Maturity
The founder of The Navigators, Jerry White, once observed that "fruit-bearing" is the
hallmark of maturity.
Human beings, plants, and animals all evidence maturity as they bear fruit. That is, as
they reproduce after their kind.
The same holds true, said White, in the spiritual realm, as well. The mature believer
bears two types of fruit. First of all there is Christian character and a holy life. Secondly,
there is the privilege of aiding and abetting spiritual growth in others through sharing
the Gospel and discipling new believers.299
Those whose hearts are like "fertile/good soil" (vv. 8, 20) "accept or welcome" the Word.
Literally, they hold it close to their side.300 Bearing fruit is outward proof that we have truly
welcomed and accepted the Gospel into our hearts.
DO (hands)
??? Jesus spread the seed of the Gospel liberally, knowing that much of it would never take root
and grow. How can that fact encourage us in our own efforts at sharing the Gospel?
This parable can also be viewed from the perspective of the need to grow and mature in our
Christian walk and witness. For example, we "may be open to God about [our] future but closed
concerning how [we] spend [our] money. [We] may respond like good soil to God's demand for
worship but respond like rocky soil to his demand to give to people in need." Along those lines,
297
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
299
Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes (paraphrased)
300
New American Standard Updated Edition Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
298
what can this parable teach us about our need "to be like good soil in every area of [our] life at
all times"?301
[[@Bible:Mark 4:26-34]]
Mark 4:26-34
Parable of the Growing Seed
26 Jesus also said, "The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground.
27 Night and day, while he's asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not
understand how it happens. 28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade
pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. 29 And as
soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time
has come."
Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 Jesus said, "How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it?
31 It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, 32 but it
becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its
shade."
33 Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they
could understand. 34 In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but
afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.
SEE (head)
In the parable of the growing seed, Jesus compares the way in which God's kingdom grows with
the way in which a farmer plants his field. The farmer needs only to be faithful in planting the
seed, since God has already foreordained the circumstances necessary for its growth and
development.
Seed sprouts and grows (Mark 4:27)
How God's kingdom grows and develops is, to a large extent, beyond our human understanding
and even contrary to our human reasoning.302 Jesus said "[t]he soil produced crops by itself"that is, spontaneously or automatically.303 As one source explains:
The secret of growth is in the seed, not in the soil nor in the weather nor in the
cultivating. These all help, but the seed spontaneously works according to its own
nature. ... So we sow the seed, God's kingdom truth, and the soil (the soul) is ready for
the seed. The Holy Spirit works on the heart and uses the seed sown and makes it
germinate and grow, "first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear." This is
the law and order of nature and also of grace in the kingdom of God.304
301
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
Holman Bible Handbook
303
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Vincent's Word Studies
304
Word Pictures in the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
302
While Jesus' reference to the sickle may be nothing more than a figure of speech meaning to
"send in/forth the harvesters,"305 it is quite possible that he was hinting at the "judgment that
arrives with the kingdom."306 To be sure, the harvest at the end of the age will be a time of
great joy for believers - but also great sorrow for those who have rejected Jesus' offer of the
kingdom.
A mustard seed (Mark 4:31)
In the parable of the mustard seed, Jesus teaches that, like a tiny seed that grows into a large
plant, God's kingdom begins small but grows to be strong and healthy. (This is also true of Jesus'
teaching in general which, although seemingly insignificant at the time, has grown and spread
throughout the world and one day will completely dominate it. From that perspective, the
"birds" most likely represent Gentiles.307) The mustard seed was used proverbially for small
things (app. 750 seeds = one gram).308An annual plant, the mustard shrub grows to an average
height of four feet, but may grow as high as ten or even fifteen feet in only a few weeks. 309 Thus
it was said to be a "tree" in comparison to other garden herbs. It is also worth noting that in
Jesus' day the mustard seed was considered pungent and beneficial, and was not easily
removed once it had taken root - all qualities associated with God's kingdom.310 The closest OT
parallel to Jesus' parable of the mustard seed is Ezekiel 17:3: "On the high mountain of Israel I
will plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit and become a stately cedar. And birds
of every kind will nest under it; they will nest in the shade of its branches" (NASB). Note,
however, that whereas in the OT God's kingdom is spoken of as a tree, Jesus likens the kingdom
to a garden shrub, quite possibly reflecting its unexpected spiritual nature and Jesus' role as a
Messiah who must first suffer and die before assuming his reign.311
When seen from the perspective of the Christian Church, there are some very interesting points
to be made, beginning with the mustard seed's representing Jesus:
We think of the little Babe in Bethlehem, of the small following of Jesus when his work
seemed to end with his death, and then of the phenomenal development during all the
years since that time. In a despised corner of the world, from a carpenter's home, came
a teacher who gathered a handful of ordinary disciples and then fell into the hands of
his enemies and died a wretched malefactor's death. This was no tower of Babel,
nothing big in the eyes of the world. Yet this was the kingdom that was to encircle the
world and that is to shine in glory forever ... The great branches are not the great
Christian denominations but the Christian believers in all the lands of the earth.
305
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The Lexham Greek-English Interlinear New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
307
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
308
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
309
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament; International Standard Bible Encyclopedia; The Bible
Knowledge Commentary
310
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
311
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
306
The result of this growth is ... "so that under its shadow the birds of the heaven
(meaning the wild birds) are able to go tenting" ... Only their stay is mentioned and not
their eating of the seeds of the great mustard plant. Since the mustard tree itself is the
kingdom, all who are in this kingdom are part of the tree. The wild birds who tent in the
branches are not members of the kingdom; their stay in the branches is only temporary.
These wild birds are men in general who are living in all lands and find the church
beneficial and enjoy its wholesome influence in the world.312
HEAR (heart)
Nurturing Faith
[G]race or religion in the heart is of gradual growth. It is at first tender, feeble, perhaps
almost imperceptible, like the first shootings of the grain in the earth. Perhaps also, like
grain, it often lies long in the earth before there are signs of life. Like the tender grain,
also, it needs care, kindness, and culture. A frost, a cold storm, or a burning sun alike
injure it. So tender piety in the heart needs care, kindness, culture. It needs shelter from
the frosts and storms of a cold, unfeeling world. It needs the genial dews and mild suns
of heaven; in other words, it needs instruction, prayer, and friendly counsel from
parents, teachers, ministers, and experienced Christians, that it may grow, and bring
forth the full fruits of holiness. Like the grain, also, in due time it will grow strong; it will
produce its appropriate fruit - a full and rich harvest - to the praise of God.313
While we are incapable of - and hence not responsible for - producing spiritual growth and
maturity in either ourselves or others, we certainly are capable of - and hence responsible for nurturing it.
DO (hands)
??? What are some ways we can nurture spiritual life in ourselves and others?
[[@Bible:Mark 4:35-41]]
Mark 4:35-41
Jesus Calms the Storm
35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." 36 So
they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats
followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it
began to fill with water.
38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke
him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?"
39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!"
Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, "Why are you
afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "Even
the wind and waves obey him!"
312
313
Lenski's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (quoted verbatim)
SEE (head)
In obedience to Jesus, the disciples set out across the lake and soon encounter a fierce storm
which threatens to capsize their boat. At their wit's end, they finally awaken Jesus, who rebukes
them because of their lack of faith. Jesus commands the storm to cease, and the disciples are
utterly amazed.
A fierce storm (Mark 4:37)
Mark's description of the storm ("a fierce gale of wind" NASB) literally refers to "a hurricane of
wind,"314 as confirmed by Matthew's term which means "a violent upheaval like an
earthquake."315 This was no light rain shower! As one source notes, "the storm fell suddenly
from Mount Hermon down into the Jordan Valley and smote the Sea of Galilee violently at its
depth of 682 feet below the Mediterranean Sea. The hot air at this depth draws the storm
down with sudden power. These sudden storms continue to this day on the Sea of Galilee."316
Jesus commanded the wind to be still - literally, "be silent!, be muzzled!"317 Here the sea is
personified "as a raging monster" which, following Jesus' rebuke, "sank to rest as if exhausted
by its own beating," producing an immediate calm.318 To the utter amazement of his disciples,
both the wind and the waves obeyed Jesus.
Sleeping ... rebuked the wind (Mark 4:38, 39)
How could any human being sleep in such a storm? "The peaceful sleep of Jesus is due to the
perfect absence of fear in his heart and to his absolute trust in his Father's care."319Here we
have the perfect picture of Jesus' humanity placed alongside his deity. Humanity: because he
was fully human, Jesus was exhausted from the day's events and needed rest. Deity: because
he was fully God, Jesus was able to calm the fiercest storm with only a word - a storm which, by
the way, disturbed not his peace but the peace of those who failed to place their complete trust
in him. Jesus trusted in God and had peace; the disciples failed to trust in Jesus and had no
peace. It would not have been difficult for Mark's first readers to have seen themselves in this
story: hunted literally to death because of their Christian faith, they needed to know that Jesus
was with them, that he really cared, and that he would keep them safe.320
They ... started out (Mark 4:36)
This account is filled with convicting irony. Trusting in their skill, the experienced sailors (= the
disciples who had been commercial fishermen), take charge of the situation and take the lead
as other boats follow (a detail recorded only by Mark). Of course, they are kind enough to do
Jesus a favor by taking him along for the ride.321 A storm comes up, their self-confidence melts,
314
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; The Complete Word Study Dictionary; Lenski's New Testament
Commentary
315
Word Pictures in the New Testament
316
Word Pictures in the New Testament
317
Vincent's Word Studies
318
Vincent's Word Studies
319
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
320
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
321
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
they go into panic mode, and they cry out for Jesus. Convicting Part: How often do we do the
very same thing? How often do we take charge, rushing in to lead ourselves and others because
we happen to have some experience in a given area? Of course we are kind enough to take God
along for the ride ("God is my co-pilot") via a quick, "Please bless my efforts, Lord" - rather than
earnestly seeking his will to begin with. And then a crisis hits, we reach our wit's end, and we
cry out to God for help.
HEAR (heart)
The Paralysis of Fear
The magnificent Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937, at a cost of $77 million.
At first it was slow going, as the loss of 23 workmen instilled a sense of dread in the
other workers and brought the project to a screeching halt.
Finally someone thought that there should be a net. And so for only $100,000 the
largest net ever built was hung beneath the workers.
The net saved the lives of 10 men, and the work proceeded at a much faster pace than
before.322
The lesson those disciples learned that day on the water was that their greatest enemy was not
the storm without but the fear within.323 They could not see that life's storms are intended not
to weaken us but to strengthen us, not to make us afraid but to make us faithful. God can and
will use our difficulties as a bridge to bring us closer to him. And, miracle of miracles, God is so
good that underneath every bridge he places a safety net: we may fall, but we will not fail.
DO (hands)
??? Are you in the midst of a fear-producing situation? If so, what can this passage teach you
about placing your trust in Jesus?

Mark 5
[[@Bible:Mark 5:1-20]]
Mark 5:1-20
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man
1 So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus
climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from a cemetery to meet
him. 3 This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a
chain. 4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles - as he often was - he snapped the
322
323
The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart And 1,501 Other Stories (paraphrased)
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
5 Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting
himself with sharp stones.
6 When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed
low before him. 7 With a shriek, he screamed, "Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of
the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don't torture me!" 8 For Jesus had already
said to the spirit, "Come out of the man, you evil spirit."
9 Then Jesus demanded, "What is your name?"
And he replied, "My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man." 10 Then
the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.
11 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. 12 "Send us into
those pigs," the spirits begged. "Let us enter them."
13 So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs,
and the entire herd of 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in
the water.
14 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the
news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. 15 A crowd soon gathered
around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was
sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 16 Then those who had
seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. 17 And the
crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to
go with him. 19 But Jesus said, "No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord
has done for you and how merciful he has been." 20 So the man started off to visit the Ten
Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and
everyone was amazed at what he told them.
SEE (head)
Having traveled to an area populated mainly by Gentiles (= non-Jews), Jesus is immediately
confronted by a madman possessed by many demons. Jesus heals the man, allowing the
demons to move into a large herd of pigs which then rushes down the steep hillside and
drowns in the lake. The townsfolk, more concerned with the swine than with the Savior, beg
Jesus to leave. He does, leaving behind the former demoniac as a witness to his divine power.
A man possessed (Mark 5:2)
While the exact location of this incident is uncertain, the point is that Jesus had crossed over
into Gentile territory.324 This has been described as "the eeriest episode in the life of Jesus. The
description of this possessed and tormented man is shocking and disgusting."325 There are
several disturbing images here: a lunatic; demons; a cemetery; and unclean swine. Evil spirits
were associated with cemeteries in popular thought, and it was considered a sign of insanity
merely to spend the night in a cemetery.326 The cemetery ("tombs" NASB) was most likely a
324
NET Bible notes
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
326
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
325
series of "cavelike rooms cut into the rocks of nearby hills which served as tombs and
sometimes as haunts for demented people."327 (Matthew writes of two demoniacs, whereas
Mark and Luke mention only one. It is possible that one was Jewish and one was Gentile, with
Mark and Luke choosing to focus on the latter328 and/or that they mention only "the leader and
spokesman."329) The demon-possessed man's actions included cutting himself ("perhaps in a
demonic form of worship"330), demonstrating that the ultimate intent of demon-possession is
"to distort and destroy God’s image in man."331
The demons recognized Jesus for who he is: "Jesus, Son of the Most High God" (v. 7). Isn't it
interesting that while "men will at times do their utmost to deny Jesus' deity, the demons do
not"?332 The head demon responded to Jesus' inquiry by stating that his name was "Legion" which pictures "an army, emphasizing power and fierceness."333 A Roman legion was comprised
of as many as 6,000 soldiers.334 The term "a legion" was used as shorthand for "a great number
of any thing"335 (compare MATTHEW 26:53), and in popular usage it was associated with
uncleanness/impurity.336
Why did Jesus ask the man his name? Possibly:337



As a sign of Jesus' superior authority.
So that the onlookers, including Jesus' disciples, would realize that Jesus was dealing
with a great many demons at once.
To reveal to the demon-possessed man the seriousness of his condition.
Why did the demons want to go into the herd of pigs? "Was it simply a yearning to destroy?
Was it perhaps a sinister hope that the owners of the herd, seeing their property destroyed,
would be filled with antagonism toward Jesus?"338
Possessed (Mark 5:2)
The demon-possessed man in this story is an apt illustration of what it means to be lost in sin
and separated from God. He is completely cut off from his family, his community, and even
himself, and tormented to the depths of his soul. He makes his home among the dead, and his
only companions - the demons inside him - are those living in open rebellion against God. His
life is completely void of peace, meaning, and purpose. He suffered both "bodily agony" and
327
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
A Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica
329
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
330
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
331
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
332
Baker's New Testament Commentary
333
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; NET Bible Notes
334
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
335
A Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica
336
A Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica
337
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
338
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
328
"distress of mind."339 He gave no thought to his physical well-being, for "in the possessed, even
the law of self-preservation ceases."340 Salvation means going from being "restless, naked, and
crazed"341 to being at peace with himself, God, and other people. Following his deliverance, the
man "went off and did as Jesus told him. He heralded or published the story till all over
Decapolis men marvelled at what Jesus did, kept on marvelling (imperfect tense). The man had
a greater opportunity for Christ right in his home land than anywhere else. They all knew this
once wild demoniac who now was a new man in Christ Jesus."342
Legion (Mark 5:9)
The demons present a picture of what it means to live in open, deliberate rebellion against
Christ. Notice that "they did not come of their own accord into the presence of Christ, but were
drawn by a secret exercise of his authority. As they had formerly been accustomed to carry men
off, in furious violence, to the tombs, so now a superior power compels them to appear
reluctantly at the tribunal of their judge. ... [T]heir rebellious complaints testify that their
confession [regarding Jesus' true identify] was not made from choice, but was drawn from them
by force."343 While Jesus "remains the sovereign 'Son of God' in the deliverance of the
demonized man," this episode serves as a stark reminder "that while the kingdom of God does
come in Jesus, it is not yet the time of final judgment when evil will finally and totally be put
down. Demons remain and act like demons, tormenting and killing what they inhabit, but they
are limited in that Jesus could and still can free people by his power."344
A crowd (Mark 5:15)
And the crowd that asked Jesus to leave is an apt illustration of the world. "It would seem that
all they ever thought of was their own safety and protection."345 Repeated efforts to bind the
demoniac fail, and in the end all they can do is to separate themselves from him (see Matthew
8:28). When Jesus uses the power of God to set the suffering man free, the townspeople react
not with joy but with fear. In the end, they are more interested in their lost pigs than in their
once lost neighbor who is now saved. This story helps to highlight the fact that Satan and his
demons are all about death and destruction, whereas Jesus is all about life and deliverance.346
2,000 pigs ... drowned (Mark 5:13)
What about the herd of pigs? "In the age of Greenpeace and animal rights the idea that Jesus of
Nazareth sentenced two thousand pigs, one of the more intelligent mammals, to death by
drowning by allowing demons to invade and terrorize them raises problems for most readers. ...
And even if Jesus did not care about pigs, shouldn’t he have cared about the livelihood of the
swineherds and the owners? He certainly did not ask anyone’s permission."347 Besides the fact
339
John Calvin's Commentaries
Gnomon of the New Testament
341
Gnomon of the New Testament
342
Word Pictures in the New Testament
343
John Calvin's Commentaries
344
Hard Sayings of the Bible
345
Baker's New Testament Commentary
346
NET Bible notes
347
Hard Sayings of the Bible
340
that it was the demons, and not Jesus, who caused the death of the pigs, we might first of all
recall the perspective of the gospel writers: they saw animals in practical terms, as a source of
food or forced labor; religiously motivated animal sacrifices were an everyday occurrence
among both Jews and Gentiles; and the destructive behavior of demons was of far more
concern than the destruction of a herd of unclean pigs.348 Their alleged enlightened intellect
notwithstanding, modern skeptics and critics are not very far removed from the townspeople,
who "miss the point when they see only their loss of pigs and fail to see the delivered man."349
Several points help to relieve any concern for the pigs:





The pigs were destined to die anyway.350
God is free to do with his creation as he sees fit.351
In this particular instance, the pigs served to glorify God by providing "tangible evidence
to the man and to the people that the demons had actually left him and that their
purpose had been to destroy him even as they destroyed the pigs."352
Possibly the pigs' destruction was also God's way of reprimanding their owners for their
being more interested in their livelihood than in the wretched condition of their demonpossessed neighbor.353
If the owners were Jewish, the death of the pigs would have been understood as God's
rebuking them for their dealings with an unclean animal.354
While Jesus' usual response was to tell the healed/delivered person to say nothing, in this case
he did the opposite. Why is that? Since Jesus was in Gentile territory, he allowed "more open
discussion of his ministry. ... [W]ith few Jewish religious representatives present, there would
be less danger of misunderstanding Jesus' ministry as political."355 In the final analysis, Jesus
sent a missionary to the very people who had rejected him, thus proving his love for them.356
HEAR (heart)
Devilish Thoughts
I call’d the devil, and he came
And with wonder his form did I closely scan;
He is not ugly, and is not lame,
But really a handsome and charming man.
A man in the prime of life is the devil,
Obliging, a man of the world, and civil
A diplomatist too, well skill’d in debate,
348
Hard Sayings of the Bible
Hard Sayings of the Bible
350
Baker's New Testament Commentary
351
Baker's New Testament Commentary
352
Expositor's Bible Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
353
Baker's New Testament Commentary
354
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
355
NET Bible notes
356
Baker's New Testament Commentary
349
He talks quite glibly of church and state.
- Heinrich Heine (1797-1856)357
The pig's owners and the townspeople may not have been possessed by the Devil's demons,
but they had allowed themselves to be persuaded by the Devil's arguments.
In the Devil's hands, persuasion can be as deadly as possession.
DO (hands)
John Calvin: "Thus at the present day, so long as men believe that the kingdom of God is
opposed to their interest, either of a public or private nature, they are prepossessed by a
depraved and carnal fear, and have no relish for his grace. Accordingly, when he comes, they
think that God does not regard them with favor, but rather with anger, and, so far as lies in
their power, they send him to another place. It is a mark of shameful insensibility in those men,
that the loss of their swine gives them more alarm than the salvation of their soul would give
them joy."358
??? In what way was this true in your own life before you surrendered to Christ?
[[@Bible:Mark 5:25-34]]
Mark 5:21-43 (The Woman: vv. 25-34)
Jesus Heals in Response to Faith
25 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. 26 She had
suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had
to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. 27 She had heard
about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. 28 For she
thought to herself, "If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed." 29 Immediately the bleeding
stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.
30 Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in
the crowd and asked, "Who touched my robe?"
31 His disciples said to him, "Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, 'Who
touched me?'"
32 But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the frightened woman,
trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of
him and told him what she had done. 34 And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you
well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over."
SEE (head)
A crowd is following Jesus and pressing in upon him. A woman sneaks up and touches the edge
(= fringe) of his robe in order to be healed of the hemorrhage from which she has been
suffering for the past twelve years. Having spent everything she owned and gotten no better,
her last resort is Jesus, the one who has power over both diseases and demons.
357
358
Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World
John Calvin's Commentaries
A woman ... had suffered (Mark 5:25)
The woman seeking Jesus had been suffering from "constant bleeding" for twelve years possibly "a chronic menstrual disorder or a uterine hemorrhage."359 Treatment of the woman's
condition would have included "various and manifold kinds of medicines" in combination with
elaborate rituals/ceremonies360 that amounted to little more than "superstitious remedies"361
Her incurable condition "made it impossible for her ever to feel strong and healthy." 362 (In his
account, the physician Luke refers to the woman's incurable disease but, "with professional
sensitiveness, omits Mark's statement that she had suffered many things from many physicians,
and was not bettered but made worse."363) Along these lines, we might note that the term used
to describe the woman's "terrible condition" ("affliction," NASB) literally refers to a whip,
connoting the type of excruciating pain endured as part of a scourging. When used in reference
to a disease, often there was an implication of divine punishment.364 To add insult to injury,
aside from the physical suffering she had been forced to endure, "the woman's condition would
have kept her in a perpetual state of impurity,"365 thus greatly restricting her contact with other
people. In spite of this fact, she pressed through the crowd, making impure/unclean everyone
with whom she came in contact (see Leviticus 15:25-27; a woman with an issue of blood
"defiled every one who touched ... her"366).367 "Many teachers avoided touching women
altogether, lest they become accidentally contaminated."368
Touched his robe (Mark 5:27)
The bleeding woman believed that Jesus had come from God and that he alone possessed the
power to heal her. Here and throughout Scripture, we see fear and faith going hand in hand.
She kept on telling herself that if she could only touch Jesus' robe, she would be healed 369 suggesting "that the woman was trying to muster up the courage" to do so. 370 She was
understandably afraid, but despite her fear she refused to give up until she had made contact
with Jesus. Apparently the woman was trying to touch one of the tassels that hung from each of
the four corners of Jesus' robe (cf. Matthew 9:20-21).371 As one source explains: "Like all true
Jews, Jesus wore the shimla, a large, square cloth that was used as an outer robe and had
tassels at the four corners according to the requirement stated in Deut. 22:12. The tassels were
attached to blue cords, and the Pharisees loved to make these tassels large and prominent in
order to display their compliance with the law. Two of the corners of the shimla were thrown
359
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
A Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica
361
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
362
Baker's New Testament Commentary
363
Vincent's Word Studies
364
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains; Baker's New Testament
Commentary
365
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
366
Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
367
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
368
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
369
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
370
NET Bible notes
371
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament; NET Bible notes; Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible;
Word Pictures in the New Testament; Expositor's Bible Commentary
360
back over the shoulder so that two of the tassels hung down behind. One of these, Matthew
tells us, the woman touched."372
One source notes how the woman's actions reflect the common practice of a subject's kneeling
to touch the king's robe in a demonstration of loyalty and submission prior to making a
request.373 While such may indeed be the case, this woman desired to touch Jesus' robe and
then slip away unnoticed so as to avoid bringing unwanted attention to herself.374 As one
source puts it, "Her motive was not to steal healing but to keep her ailment hidden."375
Who touched my robe? (Mark 5:30)
In keeping with the fact that this miracle story is told from the perspective of the woman, we
see Jesus' awareness of healing power having left him and asking who it was that touched him.
We should avoid concluding that the power left Jesus without his knowledge or consent. As one
commentator puts it:
To say that this outgo of power from Jesus was without conscious volition on his part is
to misconceive the entire operation of this power. It is always under the control of
Jesus’ conscious will. To think of a somatic mediation of this power, to think that it
required physical contact with Jesus, for instance, the touch of his hand, makes Jesus a
magnetic medium or a magician. Jesus healed many without a touch, some even at a
distance. Touch of hand or of garment is symbolic, an aid to faith and nothing more. The
miracles were wrought by Jesus’ almighty will. The instant the woman touched Jesus he
knew it, knew her ailment, willed her healing, and thus realized in himself (2:8, "in his
spirit") the power that went out of him to work this miracle.376
The frightened woman ... told him (Mark 5:33)
Why did Jesus refuse to let the woman leave without acknowledging him as the source of her
healing? Quite likely it was for several reasons:



372
Jesus wanted to dispel any "quasi-magical notions"377 that she may have had. Hence
Jesus' statement that her faith - and not Jesus' robe - had healed her. 378
Jesus did not want the woman to feel that she was wrong in her seeking healing from
him.379
Jesus wanted to remove any lingering shame the woman may have felt over her
disease.380
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
374
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
375
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
376
Lenski's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
377
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
378
Baker's New Testament Commentary
379
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
380
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
373

Jesus wanted to help the woman complete what one source refers to as "the circle":
"When blessings descend from heaven, they must in the form of thanksgiving be
returned to heaven by those who received them."381 Put simply: we ask God for help;
we receive God's help; we thank God for his help. This "circle" both strengthens our
faith and gives God the glory he richly deserves and rightly demands.
Notice the tender mercy of Jesus as he deals with this woman. Choosing to reassure rather than
reprimand, he:




calls her "daughter, a term implying "affectionate concern"382
commends her faith
pronounces peace - that is, "freedom from anxiety and inner turmoil"383 - upon her
reassures her that her time of intense suffering is finally over
HEAR (heart)
There the Entire Time
The story is told of an early American Indian initiation rite.
A brave would be taught how to hunt, scout, and fish. Then on his thirteenth birthday
he would be blindfolded and, for the first time, taken from his family and deposited
several miles away in a deep, dark forest where the blindfold would be removed and the
brave left to spend the entire night completely alone.
It was a very long and very trying night, with fear magnifying the slightest sound. The
boy was utterly relieved when the new day finally dawned.
To the young brave's utter astonishment, the sun would reveal the figure of a man
standing very close by. The man, armed with bow and arrow, was the brave's father. He
had been standing guard over his son the entire night.384
The bleeding woman must have felt very much like the young Indian brave: alone, afraid, and
trapped in her condition.
Oftentimes our fears stem from an inability to see and understand what is immediately before
us, coupled with a sense of being all alone. (Isolationism is a major tool of the Devil.) It is in
those moments, however, that God can work most powerfully in our lives. As we turn to him,
he will remove our fears and replace them with comfort, direction, and hope. Best of all, he will
remind us that we are never completely alone: he is always standing close by.
381
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
383
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
384
Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes (paraphrased)
382
DO (hands)
??? Did you wait until you were at the end of your rope before turning to Jesus? Explain. What
can the woman's example teach us about trusting Jesus?
[[@Bible:Mark 5:21-24]]
Mark 5:21-43 (The Girl: vv. 21-24, 35-43)
(Jesus Heals in Response to Faith)
21 Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake, where a large
crowd gathered around him on the shore. 22 Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name
was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, 23 pleading fervently with him. "My
little daughter is dying," he said. "Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can
live."
24 Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him.
[[@Bible:Mark 5:35-43]]
35 While he was still speaking to her [see v. 34], messengers arrived from the home of
Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, "Your daughter is dead. There's no use
troubling the Teacher now."
36 But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just have faith."
37 Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn't let anyone go with him except Peter, James,
and John (the brother of James). 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader,
Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. 39 He went inside and asked, "Why all
this commotion and weeping? The child isn't dead; she's only asleep."
40 The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl's father and
mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. 41 Holding her hand, he
said to her, "Talitha koum," which means "Little girl, get up!" 42 And the girl, who was twelve
years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally
amazed. 43 Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what had happened, and then he
told them to give her something to eat.
SEE (head)
When Jesus returns from casting the demons out of the Gentile man, he is met by a large crowd
which included Jairus, a local official whose daughter is on the verge of death. Setting aside all
rank and privilege, Jairus falls before Jesus and implores him (literally, kept on beseeching him)
to come and heal her. On the way to Jairus' home, word arrives that the girl is dead. "Don't give
up," Jesus commands, as he takes Jairus and his inner circle of disciples and goes and raises the
girl back to life.
Jairus (Mark 5:22)
As leader (or "president"385) of the local synagogue, Jairus ([jay EYE ruhs386], meaning "he will
awaken"387) was its "administrative head," "the president of the board of elders." While the
ruler of the synagogue usually did not participate in the synagogue services himself, he was
385
NET Bible notes; Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
387
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
386
tasked with making sure they were carried out in an orderly and dignified manner. "The ruler of
the synagogue was one of the most important and most respected men in the community." 388
("When Mark wrote this, Jairus and his daughter could still be found in Palestine." 389)
Jairus is an apt illustration of what it means to trust in Jesus. In him we find a mixture of "tender
affection, intense anxiety, and a considerable measure of faith."390 Setting aside personal pride
and dignity, Jairus humbled himself before Jesus. Because he would have had many friends
among the religious leaders who openly opposed Jesus, Jairus risked losing not only his friends
but also his place of prominence within the community. And, being a man of authority himself,
his appeal to Jesus was an open acknowledgement of Jesus' infinitely superior authority to heal
diseases and cast out demons.
When word came of the girl's death, with "majestic calmness"391 Jesus refused to listen - and
commanded Jairus to do likewise by replacing his fear with faith ("Do not be afraid any longer,
only believe." NASB). As one source puts it, Jesus "exhorts him to enlarge his heart with
confidence."392 The problem is paralyzing fear; the solution is to trust in Jesus.
Asleep (Mark 5:39)
When, at Jairus's home, Jesus said that the girl was not dead but only sleeping, he may have
been indicating that "for God raising the dead is no more difficult than awaking a sleeper."393
We might pause to note that while sleep is commonly used as a metaphor for death, the Bible
absolutely does not teach "soul sleep," which is "the idea that the soul, during the period
between death and resurrection, reposes in a state of unconsciousness."394 As one source
helpfully notes:
[In 1 Thessalonians 4:13] the announcement concerns those who have fallen asleep,
that is, those believers who have died. Sleep is used to describe the bodies of departed
Christians, never their spirits or souls. Sleep is an appropriate simile of death, because in
death a person seems to be sleeping. Even our word cemetery comes from a Greek
word meaning "sleeping place" (koimētērion). And sleep is a familiar simile, because
every night we act out this symbol of death, and every morning is like a resurrection.
The Bible does not teach that the soul sleeps at the time of death. The rich man and
Lazarus were both conscious in death (Luke 16:19–31). When the believer dies, he is
"present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). To die is to "be with Christ," a position which
388
The Daily Study Bible Series
Gnomon of the New Testament
390
Baker's New Testament Commentary
391
Baker's New Testament Commentary
392
John Calvin's Commentaries
393
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
394
Christian Theology
389
Paul speaks of as "gain" and as being "far better" (Philippians 1:21, 23). This would
scarcely be true if the soul were sleeping!395
When the professional mourners responded with derisive laughter ("they laughed him to scorn"
KJV), Jesus (forcefully396) threw them out of the house. Why? Likely because their lack of faith
made them undeserving to witness such an incredible miracle. But also simply because "[t]he
dignity of Jesus and the miracle he was about to perform demanded proper silence."397We may
pause to note how Jesus turned their skepticism against them: their certainty regarding the
girl's death served to confirm that she was truly dead prior to her being brought back to life by
Jesus.398
Jesus commanded the girl to get up ... and she did! Although word of this miracle could not be
contained, "with force and/or authority" Jesus told the parents not to tell anyone. (There is a
difference between second-hand testimony and an eyewitness account.) Jesus' concern over
the girl's physical need for food shows his concern for our ordinary needs.399 And the fact that
the girl was hungry helped to confirm the fact that she had been restored to complete
health.400
HEAR (heart)
A Risky Bicycle Ride
Tim Hansel compares his relationship with Christ to a risky bicycle ride.
At first God seemed like a judge keeping a tally sheet of good and bad so as to
determine Hansel's final destination.
After meeting Christ, however, life became something like a ride on a tandem bicycle in
which Jesus was seated in the rear.
Eventually Hansel and Jesus switched places on the bike. Suddenly life was new and
exciting, with the Lord taking the pair only he knows where.
Jesus does what look like some risky, even scary maneuvers: taking the bike around
curves too fast, leaving the ground too often, even flying through mid-air on occasion.
All the while, he yells back at Hansel to just keep pedaling.
Hansel is learning to trust Christ more and to enjoy the trip more. And to just keep
pedaling.401
395
Believer's Bible Commentary (quoted verbatim)
NET Bible Notes
397
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
398
John Calvin's Commentaries; Baker's New Testament Commentary
399
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
400
A Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica
401
Tale of the Tardy Oxcart (paraphrased)
396
Jairus took a real risk - first in going to Jesus, and then in remaining with Jesus following word of
his daughter's death.
A real commitment to Jesus Christ demands risks. But even those are turned into a marvelous
adventure as we learn to trust in and obey him.
DO (hands)
??? What can Jairus's example teach us about taking risks for Jesus?

Mark 6
[[@Bible:Mark 6:1-6]]
Mark 6:1-6a
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
1 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown.
2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were
amazed. They asked, "Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such
miracles?" 3 Then they scoffed, "He's just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of
James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us." They were deeply
offended and refused to believe in him.
4 Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and
among his relatives and his own family." 5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any
miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he
was amazed at their unbelief.
SEE (head)
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth and is greeted coldly by his neighbors. Seeing him as
an ordinary carpenter with no special training, they refuse to accept that Jesus' many
wonderful words and works are from God. Rather than placing their trust in him, they take
offence at (literally "stumble over") Jesus.
Amazed ... scoffed ... deeply offended (Mark 6:2, 3)
"[R]eturning as a Teacher (Rabbi) surrounded by His students," Jesus "began teaching in the
synagogue," no doubt "speak[ing] about his person and mission, and the relation of both to OT
fulfillment."402 Jesus was met by bitter skepticism from his neighbors. They asked, "Where did
this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these
performed by His hands?" (v. 2, NASB). "These things" ("these ideas" NET) probably refers to
Jesus' proclamation regarding God's kingdom.403 To paraphrase Jesus' audience: "Where is he
402
403
NET Bible notes
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
getting this stuff? Who taught it to him? How in the world is he able to do these things?" They
were "greatly astounded"404 at what they now saw and heard, and very quickly their
astonishment turned to hostility. The people who knew Jesus best really did not know him at
all, seeing him as nothing more than "just a carpenter, the son of Mary" - likely meant as an
insult, "for a man was not regarded as his mother's son in Jewish usage unless an insult was
intended."405
Amazingly, the crowd saw Jesus as nothing more than "a local boy putting on airs," and so they
openly questioned his training, skills, and ability.406 As one source puts it: "They felt that there
was some hocus-pocus about it somehow and somewhere. They do not deny the wisdom of his
words, nor the wonder of his works, but the townsmen knew Jesus and they had never
suspected that he possessed such gifts and graces."407 Jesus was one of them and, to their
knowledge, neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet (see Amos 7:14). "[T]hese people of
Nazareth admit the wisdom and the works of power and yet become hostile because they
cannot solve the mystery as to how their townsman obtained these gifts."408
Despite his God-given, powerful, and successful ministry abroad, when Jesus returned home he
was met with disrespect and disbelief, and his neighbors took offense at him.409 Jesus "was
amazed at their unbelief" (v. 6). As one paraphrase renders it: "He couldn't get over their
stubbornness" (The Message). Jesus "marvelled at the faith of the Roman centurion where one
would not expect faith (Matthew 8:10; Luke 7:9). Here he marvels at the lack of faith where he
had a right to expect it, not merely among the Jews, but in his own home town, among his
kinspeople, even in his own home."410
Couldn't do any miracles (Mark 6:5)
While Jesus certainly could have supernaturally "suppress[ed] the people's rebellious stand, he
respected their own responsibility for their attitudes and actions."411 As a result of their lack of
faith, Jesus chose to limit his miraculous activities among them - a limitation having to do more
with his purpose than his power.412 "That Jesus is 'unable' to do works because of their unbelief
presumes a limitation not of his power but of his mission: to heal without morally directed faith
would be to act like the pagan magicians of antiquity."413 What's more, the blindness of the
townspeople was but a foretaste of what all true disciples of Jesus - both then and now - can
and should expect.414
404
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
NET Bible notes; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
406
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
407
Word Pictures in the New Testament
408
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
409
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
410
Word Pictures in the New Testament
411
Baker's New Testament Commentary
412
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
413
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
414
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
405
HEAR (heart)
Baptist by Birth
Lowell Streiker, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, tells a humorous
story which illustrates the wrong way to make decisions.
While preaching at a small Methodist church in Georgia he asked for a show of hands to
indicate who was a Methodist. Everyone raised their hands except for one little old lady.
When asked why she did not raise her hand, the elderly lady said that she was a Baptist.
When pressed to explain her decision to become a Baptist, the lady said that she really
did not know except that she was following the tradition established by her
grandparents and repeated by her parents.
Reverend Streiker gently corrected the lady: "Ma'am, that's really not a good reason to
be a Baptist. Suppose your mother and your father, and your grandmother and your
grandfather had been morons, what would you have been?"
To which the sweet little old lady replied: "I guess I'd have been a Methodist."415
How could Jesus' friends, neighbors and family members miss his true identity? Answer:
Because they relied on faulty, traditional reasoning. They refused to believe that God could or
would choose a fatherless common carpenter to deliver Israel. They were looking for royal
robes and military might and, while the reports of Jesus' miracles were impressive enough,
simply healing the sick and teaching the multitudes was not enough to make him king. Simply
put, they rejected Jesus because he did not meet their expectations.
DO (hands)
??? As followers of Christ, how can we expect to be treated by others? How should we
respond?
[[@Bible:Mark 6:7-13]]
Mark 6:6b-13
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples
Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people. 7 And he called his twelve disciples
together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits.
8 He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick - no food, no traveler's
bag, no money. 9 He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes.
10 "Wherever you go," he said, "stay in the same house until you leave town. 11 But if any
place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show
that you have abandoned those people to their fate."
12 So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to
God. 13 And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with
olive oil.
415
An Encyclopedia of Humor (paraphrased)
SEE (head)
Jesus multiplies his ministry by sending out his twelve closest followers as his personal
representatives. Their efforts mirror those of Jesus, as they preach repentance, cast out
demons, and heal the sick.
Began sending them out (Mark 6:7)
While Jesus' sending out the twelve apostles was in many ways a unique event416intended to
prepare them for their future task of taking the Gospel to all the world,417 there are a number
of important principles that apply to every believer in every age:



416
Strategic support. Traveling in pairs would provide a greater degree of protection, as
well as allow them to cover a lot of territory in a short amount of time. "The six pairs of
apostles could thus cover Galilee in six different directions."418
Accountability. Jewish law required that a claim be verified by at least two witnesses.
Serving as each other's witnesses, the apostles would be accountable to one another
and, more importantly, accountable to God's law.419
God-reliance vs. self-reliance. "The orders which Jesus issues are to teach the apostles
absolute dependence upon their Lord who sends them out."420 Rather than purchase
extra supplies for the trip, they were to rely solely upon God's providence.421 This would
include accepting the hospitality of other people, but not begging. (Along these lines,
the "traveler's bag" may refer specifically to "a 'beggar's bag' used to collect food or
money."422) And the disciples were to remain in one house - in contrast to "the practice
of religious philosophers in the ancient world who went from house to house
begging."423 Thus Jesus' directions were "against luxury in equipment, and also against
their providing themselves with what they could procure from the hospitality of
others."424 Jesus' "directions are not intended to inflict hardship on the disciples but to
relieve them of all worry regarding their bodily needs."425 Reliance upon God is also
seen in the use of olive oil. Although it had many everyday uses, it is likely that within
the context of the apostles' ministry it was intended to serve as "a symbol of the
presence, grace, and power of the Holy Spirit," thus implying that God, not the apostles,
was the source of healing.426 (To our knowledge, Jesus did not use olive oil when he
healed, and neither did the apostles following the arrival of the Holy Spirit at
Pentecost.427)
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
418
Word Pictures in the New Testament; Baker's New Testament Commentary
419
Baker's New Testament Commentary
420
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
421
Lenski's New Testament Commentary ; Baker's New Testament Commentary
422
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains; NET Bible Notes
423
NET Bible Notes
424
Word Pictures in the New Testament; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
425
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
426
Baker's New Testament Commentary
427
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
417



Right priorities. Evangelism is literally a life or death matter for those who hear the
Gospel. And so evangelists "must not be fussy about food or accommodation,"428 to
include avoiding skipping from house to house in search of ever better
accommodations.429 (The staff ["walking stick" NLT] the apostles carried may have
served as both a walking stick ["Every traveller and pilgrim carried his staff."430] and "an
emblem of authority."431 )
Decisions have consequences. Those who hear the Gospel are responsible for their
reaction to it. The disciples' chief concern was to present the Gospel "faithfully and
carefully."432 To reject the Gospel is to place oneself in dire danger, as evidenced by the
apostles shaking the (unclean) dust from their feet - a symbolic action declaring that the
Jewish hearers "were acting like pagans in rejecting the disciples' message"433 (see Acts
13:50-51).434 One source notes how the dust from the disciples' feet was intended as a
witness against those who had rejected them - it proved that the disciples had actually
been there, but had been forced to leave when their Gospel message was rejected.435
A change in direction. The apostles "went out and preached that men should repent" (v.
12, NASB). The NLT correctly captures the meaning: "So the disciples went out, telling
everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God." To repent is "to change
one's way of life as the result of a complete change of thought and attitude with regard
to sin and righteousness."436 It involves simultaneously turning away from what is wrong
and turning toward what is right. While our Christian walk and witness begins with a
definite act of repenting, repentance is nothing less than a daily process as we seek to
become ever more Christ-like in our every thought, word, and deed.
HEAR (heart)
Common Goose Sense
Working together to spread the Gospel does not require a college degree or years of onthe-job training. In fact, it really takes only a little common "goose sense."
Geese, you see, have an incredible way of pulling together to get the job done. In that
respect, they can teach the Church a thing or three.


428
Working Together: When geese fly in a "V" formation, every bird creates an uplift for
the one right behind it. In this way they cover much more territory than any one bird
could cover flying alone.
Staying Together: If a bird happens to fall out of formation, he immediately feels the
drag and resistance that goes with flying alone, and so quickly rejoins the formation.
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
430
Word Pictures in the New Testament
431
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
432
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
433
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
434
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; NET Bible Notes; Baker's New Testament Commentary
435
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
436
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
429



Leadership Rotation: When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in order to rest
and to give a fresher, stronger bird a chance to lead.
Encouragement: Geese honk as a way of encouraging those up front to keep going.
Caring for the Wounded: If a goose becomes sick or is wounded and falls out of
formation, two other birds will follow him to the ground and will stay with him until
he is either well and able to fly or dead.437
DO (hands)
??? When and why do we tend to separate ourselves from others? What can Jesus'
commissioning of the twelve teach us about how we can and should work together in spreading
the Gospel?
[[@Bible:Mark 6:14-29]]
Mark 6:14-29
The Death of John the Baptist
14 Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him.
Some were saying, "This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do
such miracles." 15 Others said, "He's the prophet Elijah." Still others said, "He's a prophet like
the other great prophets of the past."
16 When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has come back from
the dead."
17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had
been his brother Philip's wife, but Herod had married her. 18 John had been telling Herod, "It is
against God's law for you to marry your brother's wife." 19 So Herodias bore a grudge against
John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod's approval she was powerless, 20 for Herod
respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was
greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.
21 Herodias's chance finally came on Herod's birthday. He gave a party for his high
government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22 Then his daughter,
also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his
guests. "Ask me for anything you like," the king said to the girl, "and I will give it to you." 23 He
even vowed, "I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!"
24 She went out and asked her mother, "What should I ask for? "Her mother told her, "Ask
for the head of John the Baptist!"
25 So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, "I want the head of John the Baptist,
right now, on a tray!"
26 Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made
in front of his guests, he couldn't refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner to the
prison to cut off John's head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison,
28 brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29 When John's
disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb.
437
Illustrations Unlimited (paraphrased)
SEE (head)
Herod Antipas (Mark 6:14)
Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great and Malthace, a Samaritan woman. Half
Idumean, half Samaritan, he had therefore not a drop of Jewish blood in his veins, and
"Galilee of the Gentiles" seemed a fit dominion for such a prince. He ruled as "tetrarch"
of Galilee and Peraea (Luke 3:1) from 4 BC till 39 AD. The gospel picture we have of him
is far from prepossessing. He is superstitious (Matthew 4:1f), foxlike in his cunning (Luke
13:31f) and wholly immoral. John the Baptist was brought into his life through an open
rebuke of his gross immorality and defiance of the laws of Moses (Leviticus 18:16), and
paid for his courage with his life (Matthew 14:10; Ant, XVIII, v, 2).438
Herod Antipas sent away his wife (a king's daughter), and Herodias (his niece) deserted her
husband (her uncle, Herod Philip) so that they could be together. Theirs was an adulterous and
incestuous relationship. "[Herod Antipas's] first wife was a daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia.
But [Antipas] sent her back to her father at Petra, for the sake of Herodias, the wife of his
brother Philip, whom he had met and seduced at Rome. Since the latter was the daughter of
Aristobulus, his half-brother, and therefore his niece, and at the same time the wife of another
half-brother, the union between her and Antipas was doubly sinful. Aretas repaid this insult to
his daughter by a destructive war (Ant., XVIII, v, 1)."439
John the Baptist ... Herodias (Mark 6:14, 19)
John the Baptist had denounced the immoral and illegal marriage of Herod Antipas. For her
part, "Herodias, smoldering with hate, wanted to kill" (v. 19, The Message) "this upstart
prophet of the wilderness who had dared to denounce her private relations with Herod
Antipas. ... She never let up, but bided her time which, she felt sure, would come." 440 In a
desire to keep peace with his wife, Herod had John locked away "in a terrible, deep, and hot
dungeon that formed part of the castle-palace at Machaerus [ma KAY rus441]."442 Convinced
that John was not merely innocent but even "a good and holy man" (v. 20) - that is, "[a] holy,
pious, upright, honest man"443 - Herod refused to have him killed.
And so Herodias stewed in her anger until her chance finally arrived when her daughter, Salome
[suh LOE mee444] ("probably in her middle teens"445), performed a lewd dance at a party Herod
had given for some high-ranking officials and community leaders. "We can well imagine the
erotic and suggestive manner in which the probably half-naked girl danced."446 Through her
438
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (quoted verbatim)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
440
Word Pictures in the New Testament
441
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
442
Baker's New Testament Commentary
443
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible
444
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
445
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
446
Baker's New Testament Commentary
439
mother's prompting, the daughter responded to Herod's extravagant gratitude by asking that
John the Baptist's head be added to the dinner menu447 - indisputable proof that the prophet
had indeed been put to death.448 Herod's "moral impotency coupled with his silly pride"449 got
the best of him. Anything but a man of high moral character, Herod kept his rash oath (= "public
promise"450) not for the sake of Salome, but because of the many "important" guests who had
witnessed it451 Herod was caught in the mother-daughter trap and had John executed. Herod
Antipas "stands as the example of all the moral cowards whose moral and religious convictions
are too weak to meet an issue."452
Herodias was a type of Jezebel and, in fact, Mark may have been alluding "to the Elijah-Jezebel
conflict since Jesus later identified John as Elijah (Mark 9:11-13)."453 Like the religious leaders
who turned against Jesus, Herodias preferred to get rid of the one who denounced her sin
rather than deal with the sin itself.454 And as the religious leaders feared losing their place of
prominence, Herodias must have feared that John's message might eventually convict Herod
and lead him to put her away.455 This episode demonstrates the lengths to which people will go
in an effort to silence the Gospel.456 For those who oppose the message of Jesus, the most
important things in life are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. 457
Herod ... Jesus (Mark 6:16)
The apostles' preaching tour was so successful that word of Jesus soon reached Herod
himself.458 Popular opinion held that Jesus was a miracle-working prophet, and guilt-ridden
Herod feared that he was actually John the Baptist returned to life. "John wrought no miracles
(John 10:41), but if he had risen from the dead perhaps he could. So Herod may have
argued."459 Jesus' ministry was similar to John's in that they both preached repentance.460 John
had denounced the immoral and unlawful aspects of Herod's actions, while Herod's fears were
based on political dangers.461 (Some things never change. While today's immoral politicians
may have no respect for God's Word, they very much care about anything that might upset
their political careers.) It is worth noting that Herod eventually received his just deserts: his
army was defeated, he was deposed, and he and Herodias were banished.462 Contrast Herod
with Jesus: "Over against the corrupt and failed 'kingship' of Herod, who feasts in his palace and
447
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
449
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
450
Word Pictures in the New Testament
451
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
452
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
453
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
454
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
455
Baker's New Testament Commentary
456
The Complete Who's Who in the Bible
457
Gaebelein's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
458
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Word Pictures in the New Testament
459
Word Pictures in the New Testament; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
460
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
461
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
462
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
448
is concerned only for his status and the great ones of Galilee, stands Jesus."463 Herod pretended
to be a king; preferred the company of society's "elite"; was a spineless coward; and ended his
life in humiliation. On the other hand, Jesus was the King of kings (incognito); preferred the
company of ordinary, unpretentious people; was a courageous hero; and ended his life in the
triumph of the resurrection, with the promise of a future return and universal
acknowledgement of his right to rule.
HEAR (heart)
Refusing to Hear
The story is told of a rich father whose son, whom we'll call Ralph, took to a life of crime
and debauchery, in the process bringing disgrace on his family and causing his father
much grief. When he learned that his father had died, however, Ralph went home
immediately in the hopes that his father had left him something in the will.
Along with the other family members, the rebellious son sat in the attorney's office and
heard the reading of the will, the first part of which included a lengthy listing of the
son's misdeeds. Unable to endure any more, Ralph jumped up and fled the room. He
disappeared completely, and no one ever heard from him again.
It turned out, however, that the father had left his son an inheritance of $25,000. But
Ralph ran out before getting to that part of the will. And since he could not be located,
he never received his inheritance.
Ralph paid a high price for refusing to hear about his sins.464
Rather than confess their guilt, Herod and Herodias silenced the voice of the one who
confronted them with their sinful lifestyle. In the end, they lost the inheritance that God has in
store for anyone who will turn from his/her sins and turn toward him.
DO (hands)
??? What are some ways in which people today seek to silence the convicting Gospel?
[[@Bible:Mark 6:30-44]]
Mark 6:30-44
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
30 The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and
taught. 31 Then Jesus said, "Let's go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile." He said
this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn't
even have time to eat.
32 So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. 33 But many people
recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the
shore and got there ahead of them. 34 Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat,
463
464
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
Illustrations of Bible Truths (paraphrased)
and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began
teaching them many things.
35 Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's
already getting late. 36 Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages
and buy something to eat."
37 But Jesus said, "You feed them."
"With what?" they asked. "We'd have to work for months to earn enough money to buy
food for all these people!" [NASB: And they said to Him, "Shall we go and spend two hundred
denarii on bread and give them something to eat?"]
38 "How much bread do you have?" he asked. "Go and find out."
They came back and reported, "We have five loaves of bread and two fish."
39 Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass.
40 So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred.
41 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them.
Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could
distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. 42 They all ate as much
as they wanted, 43 and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and
fish. 44 A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed from those loaves!
SEE (head)
The disciples' ministry tour was a rousing success, and people continue flocking to Jesus by the
thousands. Seeking a much deserved rest, Jesus and his disciples instead find themselves once
again surrounded by people in need. Rather than withdraw from them, however, Jesus has
compassion on them by first of all mercifully feeding their souls and then by miraculously filling
their stomachs.
Like sheep (Mark 6:34)
The crowd was "like sheep without a shepherd" - that is, they were "lost and helpless, without
guidance, nourishment, or protection."465 Jesus "had compassion on them" (Mark 6:34) - he
personally identified with their plight and determined to do something about it. As one source
puts it: "With [Jesus] sympathy is not just a feeling. It is a tender feeling transformed into
helpful action."466 As recorded in Matthew and Luke, Jesus also healed the sick among the
crowd, and of course such miraculous physical healing was a normal part of Jesus' ministry.
While there are several OT parallels to the idea of shepherding, three in particular are of special
note:467
1. At the commissioning of Joshua, Moses asked God to "'appoint a man over the
congregation, who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and
bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep which have no
465
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary
467
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
466
shepherd'" (Numbers 27:16-17). (Leading/going out and leading/coming is military
imagery.468)
2. When David was made king over Israel, "all the tribes of Israel" affirmed his calling:
"Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, 'Behold, we are your
bone and your flesh. Previously, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led
Israel out and in. And the LORD said to you, "You will shepherd My people Israel, and
you will be a ruler over Israel."' So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron,
and King David made a covenant with them before the LORD at Hebron; then they
anointed David king over Israel" (2 Samuel 5:1-3).
3. And in the same section of Scripture cited by John the Baptist ("Clear the way for the
LORD in the wilderness ... "), the prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of the LORD to his
people: "Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And
carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes" (Isaiah 40:11). (all NASB)
Jesus "is the rejected lowly shepherd, compassionate though powerful in spirit and mighty in
action, through whom God will expose wicked shepherds and faithfully shepherd his flock in
their pasture. ... Not only are the shepherding hopes of a new Moses, a new Joshua, a new
David, and perhaps the Isaianic servant fulfilled in Jesus, but also again, in some mysterious
way, Yahweh himself has uniquely come among his people." 469
Something to eat (Mark 6:36)
Like a shepherd caring for his flock, Jesus provided food for those who had followed him.470
Jesus' miraculous feeding is reminiscent of a similar miracle performed by the prophet Elisha,
although that miracle was on a far smaller scale (see 2 Kings 4:42-44).471 But while Jesus was
indeed concerned with the people's physical hunger, he wished to teach them a vital truth they
would never forget. Along these lines, there may well be something to the fact that the
"groups" (v. 39, Greek symposion) into which the people were told to form themselves is the
source for our word "symposium."472 And an "orderly arrangement"473 - literally "like beds in a
garden"474 - is the idea behind the "groups" (v. 40, Greek prasia) into which the people seated
themselves. As one source notes: "The whole multitude was arranged like a great garden with
its beds all beautifully regular. Incidentally, this arrangement made it easy to count the entire
multitude."475
Jesus involved his disciples in this faith-stretching miracle, using them as vehicles for
demonstrating grace and mercy to people in need. At first the disciples "stop at the
impossibilities and do not see that these impossibilities are to make them think of Jesus and the
468
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
470
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
471
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
472
Word Pictures in the New Testament; Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
473
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
474
Vincent's Word Studies
475
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
469
things that are possible to him."476 As directed by Jesus, they checked to see how much food
was on hand - possibly in hopes of convincing Jesus of the hopelessness of their situation.477 In
the end, however, the disciples who are so preoccupied with the practical are treated to some
very practical lessons regarding effective ministry, namely that it involves: taking responsibility
for a situation; persisting in finding a solution; and being willing to be used of God.478 Effective
ministry also involves following Jesus' example in using our God-given abilities to help rather
than to harm. Along these lines, we should take note of the fact that "Jesus never employed his
miracle-working power to destroy or even to hurt the people but always to help them. He fed
the hungry, healed the sick, had compassion on and taught the misled, and sought the lost."479
When Jesus blessed (Greek eulogeo) the food, he was literally offering a "eulogy" or "high
praise."480 "The object of the blessing in such a prayer was not the food, but God who gave
it."481 This miracle shows that God is concerned with seemingly mundane things such as
physical hunger, and it highlights the arena in which God works best: normal, everyday life
(John tells us that the bread and fish was from a "lad with his lunch which his mother had given
him."482). The tremendous miracle is followed not by everyone crossing their legs and
meditating their way into nirvana, but rather by the disciples bending over to collect the
leftovers, quite "possibly for the next day's meal."483 What's more, the fact that there were
exactly twelve baskets of leftovers would mean that Jesus would have to depend on his
disciples to share their food with him.484
This miracle is very important in Mark's gospel. Coming as it does immediately after Herod's
feast, it draws a sharp contrast between the priorities of the world and those of God's kingdom.
Jesus meets the people's physical needs, but he does so using "the staples of a peasant's
diet."485 This miracle event will be referred to twice (Mark 6:52; 8:17-21), and is followed by a
similar miracle in which four thousand men are fed (Mark 8).486
HEAR (heart)
A Statue and a Monument
In the city of Paris is located statutes of two men named Louis.
One is Louis XIV, king of France and absolute monarch remembered for his powerhungry, egotistical efforts to make everyone submit to his will.
476
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
478
Baker's New Testament Commentary
479
Baker's New Testament Commentary
480
Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
481
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
482
Word Pictures in the New Testament
483
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition
484
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
485
Expositor's Bible Commentary
486
Expositor's Bible Commentary
477
The other is Louis Pasteur, the Christian chemist and microbiologist remembered for his
tireless research, the end results of which was the alleviation of disease and suffering
for countless people around the globe.
"The statue of the monarch is nothing more than a piece of sculpture; the statue of
Pasteur is a shrine where pilgrims from all over the world pay grateful homage. It is the
uncrowned servant of mankind who wears the real crown of men's love and honor."487
While God may not be calling you to become a famous chemist and microbiologist, God has
prepared each of us for, and expects each of us to do, good works in the name of Jesus Christ.
Why? Because God still meets people's physical needs today, and he uses his children to do so.
Our acts of service is the starting point for showing his love and mercy to a world in dire need of
it. And we can rest assured that no good deed done in the name of Jesus, no matter how small,
will ever be in vain.
DO (hands)
??? What gifts or abilities has God given you? What can this passage teach us about God's
desire to use our gifts and abilities to help others in everyday situations?
[[@Bible:Mark 6:45-56]]
Mark 6:45-56
Jesus Walks on Water
45 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across
the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46 After telling everyone good-bye, he
went up into the hills by himself to pray.
47 Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was
alone on land. 48 He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against
the wind and waves. About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on
the water. He intended to go past them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the water, they
cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 50 They were all terrified when they saw him.
But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Take courage! I am
here!" 51 Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed,
52 for they still didn't understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were
too hard to take it in.
53 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. They brought the boat to
shore 54 and climbed out. The people recognized Jesus at once, 55 and they ran throughout the
whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 Wherever he wentin villages, cities, or the countryside - they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They
begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were
healed.
487
Illustrations of Bible Truths (paraphrased)
SEE (head)
Jesus sends his disciples away so that he can dismiss the crowds and spend time alone with
God. A fierce storm arises, placing the disciples in harm's way as they struggle to row their boat
to the shore. Jesus sees their dilemma and walks across the water to get to them. Jesus calms
their fears and then calms the storm. On reaching the other side of the lake, Jesus encounters a
sea of sick people in need of help, and he heals them.
To pray (Mark 6:46)
Three times Mark records how Jesus withdrew to pray (Mark 1:35; 6:46; 14:32), the pattern
being a crisis event to which Jesus responded by withdrawing in order to commune with his
Father. We know from John's version of the feeding of the five-thousand that afterward the
crowd sought to forcefully install Jesus as their king (John 6:15).488 "There was a movement to
start a revolution against Roman rule in Palestine by proclaiming Jesus King and driving away
Pilate."489 This, of course, would have resulted in much bloodshed and, moreover, would have
been contrary to Christ's kingdom, which is not of this world (John 18:36).490 As one source puts
it: "No one really understood Jesus, not the crowds, not the disciples. Jesus needed the Father
to stay and steady him."491
Walking on the water (Mark 6:48, 49)
It was early in the morning (3:00 - 6:00 a.m.492) and the exhausted disciples were trapped in one
of the lake's renowned storms that had "swept over the water and lashed it into furious
waves."493 Literally, the boat (Matthew) and the men rowing it (Mark) were being "tortured"
(Greek basanizo: "to punish by physical torture or torment"494).495 Suddenly they looked up and
saw what they could only assume to be a ghost - an omen of impending death.496 They literally
screamed in terror.497 Jesus "intended to go past" the disciples, perhaps in a way reminiscent of
God's "passing beside" in the OT as a means of offering miraculous reassurance (see Exodus
33:19, 22; 1 Kings 19:11).498 Jesus identified himself to them and the disciples received him into
the boat. When he rebuked the storm, however, they were utterly amazed - literally, they were
amazed "exceedingly beyond measure."499 Why? Because they still had not fully recognized
Jesus for who he was.
It is worth asking why Mark chose to omit the fact that Peter walked on the water. After all,
Mark is supposed to have been recording Peter's recollections. What's more, this is actually but
488
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
Word Pictures in the New Testament
490
Expositor's Bible Commentary
491
Word Pictures in the New Testament
492
Vincent's Word Studies; Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
493
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
494
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
495
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
496
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
497
Word Pictures in the New Testament
498
NET Bible Notes; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
499
Vincent's Word Studies
489
one of three incidents in which Peter figures prominently that are recorded by Matthew but not
Mark. As one source explains:
These are Peter's walking on the water (Matthew 14:28–33), the paying of the temple
tax (Matthew 17:24–27), and the statement about the keys to the kingdom of heaven
(Matthew 16:19). These omissions may reasonably be explained as due to modesty on
Peter's part. In his preaching he was concerned to exalt Christ, not himself. It is worth
noting that in Mark's gospel Peter is never mentioned alone except in connection with
his being rebuked by Jesus. This is the kind of humility that one would expect to find in
Peter after Pentecost.500
Walking on the water is something only God can do: "He alone has spread out the heavens and
marches on the waves of the sea" (Job 9:8, NLT).501 Jesus greeted the terrified disciples with a
command to "Take courage!" Meaning "to have confidence and firmness of purpose in the face
of danger or testing,"502 this phrase (Greek tharseo) is found seven times in the NT and is
always associated with Jesus (Matthew 9:2, 22; 14:27; Mark 6:50; 10:49; John 16:33; Acts
23:11).503
The people (Mark 6:54)
Mark contrasts the disciples with the crowd who immediately recognized Jesus. The sick people
who came to Jesus were convinced that he was from God and could heal them. The mention of
"the fringe of his robe" recalls the miraculous healing of the bleeding woman. As was true in
her case, "[h]ealing was not effected by a touch but by the gracious action of Jesus who
honored this means of expressing their faith in Him."504 Mark shows his readers that there was
no limit to the numbers of people Jesus could heal.505
HEAR (heart)
The Pilot's Face
Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson told a story in which a ship was caught in a
terrible storm. The rocky coast nearby threatened to smash the ship to pieces and kill
everyone aboard.
One brave soul from among the passengers fought his way to the pilot-house, where he
saw the pilot strapped to the wheel and slowly turning it bit by bit out into the open sea.
The pilot saw the look of sheer terror on the passengers face, and he gave him a
reassuring smile.
500
Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (quoted verbatim)
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
502
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
503
Baker's New Testament Commentary
504
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
505
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
501
The man then ran back to the other passengers and reported the good news. "'I have
seen the face of the pilot and he smiled. All is well.' The sight of that smiling face
averted panic and converted despair into hope."506
God will allow us to endure turbulent times. When we do, we can, should, and must trust him
to keep us safe and on course.
DO (hands)
??? What can this passage teach us about overcoming our fears and trusting in Christ?

Mark 7
[[@Bible:Mark 7:1-23]]
Mark 7:1-23
Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity
1 One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus.
2 They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing
before eating. 3 (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water
over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions. 4 Similarly, they don't eat
anything from the market until they immerse their hands in water. This is but one of many
traditions they have clung to - such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.)
5 So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, "Why don't your disciples follow
our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony."
6 Jesus replied, "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he
wrote,
These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7 Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.'
8 For you ignore God's law and substitute your own tradition."
9 Then he said, "You skillfully sidestep God's law in order to hold on to your own tradition.
10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,' and
‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.' 11 But you say it
is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can't help you. For I have vowed to give to
God what I would have given to you.' 12 In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents.
13 And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only
one example among many others."
506
Illustrations of Bible Truths (paraphrased)
14 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. "All of you listen," he said, "and try to
understand. 15 It's not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes
from your heart."
17 Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and his disciples asked him
what he meant by the parable he had just used. 18 "Don't you understand either?" he asked.
"Can't you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? 19 Food doesn't go into
your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer." (By saying this,
he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God's eyes.)
20 And then he added, "It is what comes from inside that defiles you. 21 For from within, out
of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed,
wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things
come from within; they are what defile you."
SEE (head)
As the self-appointed guardians of Israel's religion, the Pharisees confront Jesus over his
disciples' failure to keep the tradition of ceremonial washing before meals. In return, Jesus cuts
to the heart of the matter by blasting the Pharisees for being so intent on following the
manmade rules surrounding the Law while neglecting the Law itself. Jesus then explains to his
disciples why the Pharisees' zeal for ceremonial cleanliness is so deficient: it can never cleanse
the heart, which is the source of true defilement.
Pharisees ... teachers of religious law (Mark 7:1)
The pharisees were "a religious and political party in Palestine in New Testament times. The
Pharisees were known for insisting that the law of God be observed as the scribes interpreted it
and for their special commitment to keeping the laws of tithing and ritual purity."507 Known as
the "teachers of the law" and the "experts in the law," scribes are mentioned several times in
the gospels and are "often associated with the Pharisees (Matthew 5:20; 12:38; 15:1; 23:2, 13;
Mark 7:5; Luke 5:21, 30; 6:7; 11:53; 15:2; John 8:3). But they are also mentioned alone and
were not necessarily Pharisees. The Pharisees were a religious party, while the scribes held an
office. ... [T]he majority of the scribes belonged to the Pharisee party, which recognized the
legal interpretations of the scribes."508 Thus "[i]t is proper to speak of the profession of the
scribes, and the sect of the Pharisees."509
Ritual ... tradition (Mark 7:2, 5)
A committee comprised of representatives from these two groups came down from Jerusalem
("the headquarters of Jewish 'orthodoxy'"510), no doubt at the direction of the Sanhedrin, and
complained to Jesus because his disciples did not follow "the tradition of the elders" (NASB)
regarding hand-washing.511 This tradition "refers to the oral law that grew up alongside the
written Law and served as a protective 'fence' around it."512 As John Calvin put it: "All the
507
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
The New International Dictionary of the Bible
509
Baker's New Testament Commentary
510
Baker's New Testament Commentary
511
Baker's New Testament Commentary
512
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
508
traditions that then existed among the Jews had come out of their workshop; and this was the
reason why they displayed more than ordinary zeal and bitterness in defending them."513 The
oral law "interprets, supplements, and sometimes corrects the written Torah."514 "According to
one tradition ... [at Mount Sinai] God supposedly gave to Moses oral instruction in addition to
the tablets of the law, and that instruction was passed on by word of mouth through the
generations."515 (A similar claim appeared in connection with the apostles.) Ritual cleansing was
an indispensable part of the oral law; it was considered non-negotiable by every loyal Jew.516
Ritual purity was of vital importance to the Pharisees, and they "longed for the time when all of
Israel would live in such a state of holiness. They believed that Israel's identity and blessed
future depended on it."517
Unable to disprove Jesus directly, the religious leaders once again tried an indirect attack via his
disciples (see Mark 2:18, 24).518 It was obvious their true target was Jesus since, after all, they
were his disciples.519 As one source puts it, it is almost as if the religious leaders were saying to
themselves: "We won't attack you personally, but since your disciples aren't washing, you
obviously haven't taught them what's important. Maybe you don't even know this law. That
makes you no better than a common sinner, certainly not a rabbi whom all these people should
be following!"520 The scribes and Pharisees were very well aware of the fact that in setting aside
one of the oral traditions, the way was open for a rejection of them all.521As usual, Jesus got to
the heart of the matter, this time by addressing the underlying issues of religious authority and
defilement.522
From the religious leaders' perspective, to be ceremonially impure/unclean was to be unfit for
the service and worship of God.523 The fact is that they would never be able to serve God rightly
so long as they believed that with their traditions "they were in possession of something more
perfect than the word of the Lord."524 In fact, they had thoroughly corrupted the worship of
God, "of which the first and leading principle is obedience."525
Hand washing (Mark 7:2, 5)
Bible commentator William Barclay explains exactly what was involved in the ritual of
ceremonial hand-washing:
513
John Calvin's Commentaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
515
Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible
516
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
517
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
518
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
519
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
520
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
521
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
522
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
523
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised; Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible
524
John Calvin's Commentaries
525
John Calvin's Commentaries
514
There were definite and rigid rules for the washing of hands. Note that this handwashing was not in the interests of hygienic purity; it was ceremonial cleanness which
was at stake. Before every meal, and between each of the courses, the hands had to be
washed, and they had to be washed in a certain way. The hands, to begin with, had to
be free of any coating of sand or mortar or gravel or any such substance. The water for
washing had to be kept in special large stone jars, so that it itself was clean in the
ceremonial sense and so that it might be certain that it had been used for no other
purpose, and that nothing had fallen into it or had been mixed with it. First, the hands
were held with finger tips pointing upwards; water was poured over them and had to
run at least down to the wrist; the minimum amount of water was one quarter of a log,
which is equal to one and a half egg-shells full of water. While the hands were still wet
each hand had to be cleansed with the fist of the other. That is what the phrase about
using the fist means; the fist of one hand was rubbed into the palm and against the
surface of the other. This meant that at this stage the hands were wet with water; but
that water was now unclean because it had touched unclean hands. So, next, the hands
had to be held with finger tips pointing downwards and water had to be poured over
them in such a way that it began at the wrists and ran off at the finger tips. After all that
had been done the hands were clean.
To fail to do this was in Jewish eyes, not to be guilty of bad manners, not to be dirty in
the health sense, but to be unclean in the sight of God. The man who ate with unclean
hands was subject to the attacks of a demon called Shibta. To omit so to wash the hands
was to become liable to poverty and destruction. Bread eaten with unclean hands was
not better than excrement. A Rabbi who once omitted the ceremony was buried in
excommunication. Another Rabbi, imprisoned by the Romans, used the water given to
him for handwashing rather than for drinking and in the end nearly perished of thirst,
because he was determined to observe the rules of cleanliness rather than satisfy his
thirst.
That to the Pharisaic and Scribal Jew was religion. It was ritual, ceremonial, and
regulations like that which they considered to be essence of the service of God. Ethical
religion was buried under a mass of taboos and rules.526
As one source points out: "Whatever the status and nature of handwashing practice at the
time, the only scriptural requirement for this kind of ritual purity concerned the priests prior to
offering sacrifice (Exodus 30:18–21; 40:30–32), or an Israelite having a discharge (Leviticus
15:11), or the elders after the special sacrifice of the heifer (Deuteronomy 21:6). ... [T]he
washing of hands for secular food is not from the Torah, the Pharisees' implicit demand is
based merely on human tradition."527
526
527
The Daily Study Bible Series (quoted verbatim)
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
It is worth noting that there is nothing inherently wrong with tradition. There is, however,
something very wrong with placing human tradition on par with God's commands. As one
source insightfully notes: "Many traditions are good. Some religious traditions can add richness
and meaning to life. But we must not assume that certain traditions are sacred because they
have been practiced for years. God's principles never change, and his law doesn't need
additions. Traditions should help us understand God's laws better, not become laws
themselves."528 The religious leaders not only added to God's Word, but they actually went so
far as to replace God's Word with their own traditions. The end result was a zeal not for God's
law, but for their traditions. "They may have been able to keep both their traditions and God's
law, but they had become so zealous for the traditions that they had lost their perspective and
had altered and missed the point of God's law entirely. Jesus also charged that they were doing
this on purpose (7:9), for they had tried to win praise from people for their displays of piety as
they kept all the rituals. … They didn't even bother to teach the law; instead, they focused on all
their rules and their own piety in keeping their traditions and rules."529 Their zeal was defective
and dangerous: "As soon as men allow themselves to wander beyond the limits of the Word of
God, the more labor and anxiety they display in worshipping him, the heavier is the
condemnation which they draw down upon themselves."530
Hypocrites (Mark 7:6)
Jesus called his accusers "hypocrites" (Greek hupokrites), meaning "one who pretends to be
other than he really is."531 As one source puts it: "The hypocrite is the man who hides or tries to
hide his real intentions under (hypo) a mask of simulated virtue."532 It is worth noting, however,
that: "The Pharisees were by no means the only ones to be so addressed. The epithet applies to
anyone who rejects the truth about God in Jesus. Through his teaching and actions Jesus
revealed to men the unhappy state of their delusion and sought to open their eyes to their true
situation before God. Hypocrisy is not simply a conscious act of dissimulation [dissimulate: "to
hide under a false appearance"533], but a perverse blindness."534
As with the hypocrites of Isaiah's day, the honor and worship of the religious leaders was a
mere pretense. And it is a fundamental truth that God refuses to "accept worship when the
worshipers themselves are actively disregarding him."535As one source notes: "When people
claim to honor God while their hearts are far from him, their worship means nothing. It is not
enough to act religious. A person's actions and attitudes must be sincere."536 The religious
leaders had been pretending for so long and to such an extent that they truly believed their
bogus honor and worship were the real thing. They had lost the ability to distinguish between a
counterfeit and the genuine article. "The worst form of hypocrisy is that which carries its self528
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
530
John Calvin's Commentaries
531
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
532
Baker's New Testament Commentary
533
Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
534
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
535
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
536
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
529
deception to the point where it thinks that it really is what it actually only pretends to be. Such
were the Pharisees and the scribes. The more their hypocrisy came in contact with the holy
integrity of Jesus, the more it appeared as what it really was. The most vicious enemies of Jesus
were these hypocrites."537 For the religious leaders, "their attempts at heightened holiness
were a sign of commitment, but for Jesus, their polemical intent and the ultimately
marginalizing impact of their traditions both on the common people, whom they were meant to
shepherd, and himself, Israel's holy (e.g., 1:11, 24; 3:29) and true shepherd, rendered such
'worship' utterly vain."538
Jesus indicted the religious leaders for substituting their own tradition for God's law, in effect
sidestepping God's law in order to hold on to their own tradition (see Mark 7:8-9) - "they
constantly nullify the divine in order permanently to retain the human."539 Good intentions
notwithstanding, the tradition of the elders remains a prime example of our fallen human
tendency to replace God's will with our own. The religious leaders' sin was compounded in that
they were deceiving not only themselves but also the common people who were "taught to
revere and to follow" them.540In effect, Jesus denounced the tradition as "a miserable human
religious product that could gain adherence only by crowding out the divine behest of God.
Jesus is smashing not only the tradition about washing the hands, he is shattering the entire
traditional system of the elders as it was held by the Pharisees and scribes. Anything that can be
maintained only by ridding us of some Word of God is by that fact marked as damnable and
deadly in the sight of God."541
We should remember, however, that Jesus was not condemning a sincere effort to apply God's
law to every detail of life. Nor was he advocating radical revolt against all tradition (see
Matthew 5:17-18; 23:1-3).542 Rather, Jesus was denouncing the religious leaders' practice of: 1)
making fallible human interpretation superior to God's infallible Law,543 and 2) pretending to
obey the Law while actually bending and twisting it to suit their own selfish ends. As Mark
recorded, Jesus blasted the religious leaders for "neglecting/abandoning ... setting aside/ignore
... [and] invalidating/making void" (vv. 8, 9, 13 NASB/544) God's word.545 In citing Isaiah and
Moses, Jesus was calling both "the law and the prophets" as witnesses against the hypocritical
religious leaders.546
Vowed (Mark 7:11)
The specific example Jesus used (vv. 9-12) is the practice of Corban, meaning "that which has
been set aside as a gift to be given later to God, but which is still at the disposal of the
537
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
539
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
540
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
541
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
542
Baker's New Testament Commentary
543
Baker's New Testament Commentary
544
The Lexham Greek-English Interlinear New Testament
545
Gnomon of the New Testament
546
Baker's New Testament Commentary
538
owner."547 Corban was a well-known tradition "taken very seriously by the Jewish people."548
Jesus cited the OT law (Exodus 20:12; 21:17549) regarding grown children's responsibility toward
their parents. To "honor" one's parents implies "to love, to regard highly, to show the spirit of
respect and consideration,"550 and of course would completely rule out speaking ill of, or
cursing, one's parents. "Significantly granting equal status to father and mother, the honor due
them goes beyond mere obedience or polite respect to loving them and honoring their role as
Yahweh's proxies in giving their children life. Primarily directed at adults - who else could enter
into the terms of the covenant? - this is the only commandment that comes with a specific
promise: 'that you might live long in the land.' ... Though not an explicit curse of one's parents,
[corban] did, for Jesus, amount to the same thing because both things effectively repudiated
the parent-child relationship."551
Corban provided a "religiously acceptable"552 way for a son to shirk his responsibility: the
money that should/would have gone to his parents was declared unalterably
"dedicated/consecrated to God."553 This did not mean that the gift then had to go to the temple
or that the son could not use it for himself; it simply meant that it was now forbidden to his
parents.554 ("The matter of vowing things away was greatly abused by the Jews. Thus when a
creditor came to collect, and the debtor was reluctant about paying, the creditor cried: 'A gift!'
and thus compelled the debtor to pay to the priests.555) This is but one of many examples
(Jesus: " ... you [keep on] do[ing] many things such as that." [Mark 7:13]) in which the "fence"
of oral tradition originally intended to protect the Law actually became a barrier to keeping
it.556
Understand (Mark 7:18)
Jesus rebuked557 his disciples for their lack of understanding (7:18a):



547
"'Are you so lacking in understanding also?'" (NASB)
"'Are you so foolish?'" (NET)
"'Are you being willfully stupid?'" (The Message)
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
549
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary; Commentary on the
New Testament Use of the Old Testament
550
Baker's New Testament Commentary
551
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
552
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
553
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
554
Word Pictures in the New Testament; International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised; Lenski's New
Testament Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New
Testament
555
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
556
Expositor's Bible Commentary
557
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
548
As one Bible scholar of yesteryear put it: "Jesus charges the disciples with intellectual dulness
[sic] and spiritual stupidity."558 But while the rebuke was sharp, we might also take note of the
fact that it came only after Jesus was alone with his disciples and thus was intended to correct
privately and not humiliate publicly.
Defiles/ defiled/ defile (Mark 7:15, 18, 20, 23)
"The rabbis had attacked the disciples about not washing their hands before eating. Jesus now
turned the tables on them completely and laid bare their hollow pretentious hypocrisy to the
people."559 In the process, "Christ asserts that Levitical uncleanness, such as eating with
unwashed hands, is of small importance compared with moral uncleanness." 560 It was/is the
difference between ritual purity and ethical purity.561 Jesus taught that defilement comes "not
by ritual impurity, but by personal sin."562 "While the scribes and Pharisees may have been wellintentioned in their observance of Jewish rituals and traditions and in their attempts to honor
God, Jesus attacked their true heart condition."563 Scrupulous avoidance of ceremonial
defilement allowed the religious leaders to convince both themselves and others that they
were pious and holy - even as their hearts were filled with sinful thoughts and desires. Until
they addressed the true, inward source of sin, all the ceremonial washings in the world would
be for naught.
Heart ... within (Mark 7:19, 21, 23)
Jesus listed several specific sins that proceed from a person's heart. "The general meaning [of
Christ's reply] is, that men are not polluted by food, but that they have within themselves the
pollution of sins, which afterwards shows itself in the outward actions. ... [A]ll sins proceed
from the wicked and corrupt affections of the heart. ... [I]n order to show more clearly that the
heart of man is the abode of all evils he says that the proofs and results appear in the sins
themselves."564 Jesus' list begins with "evil thoughts" (Greek kakos + dialogismos: "pertaining to
being bad, with the implication of harmful and damaging" + "to think or reason with
thoroughness and completeness"565) because such is in fact "the root of" the dirty dozen "evils
which follow. Evil thoughts generated in a heart unite with one's will to produce evil words and
actions."566
Jesus' list includes both attitudes and actions. "Notice that the evil attitudes, whether acted
upon or not, are still considered sin."567 The list:
558
Word Pictures in the New Testament
Word Pictures in the New Testament
560
Vincent's Word Studies
561
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
562
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume
563
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
564
John Calvin's Commentaries
565
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
566
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Expositor's Bible Commentary
567
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
559












sexual immorality: "to engage in sexual immorality of any kind, often with the
implication of prostitution"
theft: "to take secretly and without permission the property of someone else"
murder: "to deprive a person of life by illegal, intentional killing"
adultery: "sexual intercourse of a man with a married woman other than his own
spouse"
greed: "a strong desire to acquire more and more material possessions or to possess
more things than other people have, all irrespective of need"
wickedness: "deeds which are wicked and evil"
deceit: "to deceive by using trickery and falsehood"
lustful desires: "behavior completely lacking in moral restraint, usually with the
implication of sexual licentiousness"
envy: "(an idiom, literally ‘evil eye') a feeling of jealousy and resentment because of
what someone else has or does"
slander: "to speak against someone in such a way as to harm or injure his or her
reputation"
pride: "a state of ostentatious pride or arrogance bordering on insolence"
foolishness: "the state of not using one's capacity for understanding"568
"In the teaching of Christ and the apostles, defilement is uniformly ethical or spiritual."569 This is
reflected in the NT's many and various vice lists. For example: Romans 1:28-32; 13:13; 1
Corinthians 5:9-11; 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 12:20-21; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-5;
Colossians 3:5-9; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; 2 Timothy 3:2-5; Titus 3:3, 1 Peter 4:3; Revelation 21:8;
22:15.570
HEAR (heart)
A Closet Drinker
The story is told of a deacon who was zealous for the cause of temperance, constantly
railing against the evils of alcohol.
One day the deacon decided to have some improvements done to his living room. As
the carpenter was surveying the project, he happened across a well concealed closet.
Much to his surprise, within the closet he found a bottle of whiskey and some glasses.
He immediately made the deacon aware of his discovery.
The deacon seemed truly shocked, and he quickly surmised that the previous owner
must have left it behind when he moved out thirty years earlier.
"'Ah, perhaps he did,' answered the carpenter, 'but say, deacon, that ice in the pitcher
must have been well frozen to have remained solid all this time.'"571
568
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (all quoted verbatim)
Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible
570
Baker's New Testament Commentary
571
Illustrations of Bible Truths (paraphrased)
569
Like the Pharisees, the deacon waged a major campaign against sin - while finding a way to
practice it in secret.
How can we guard against hypocrisy? We guard against hypocrisy by:




Being more concerned with character than with reputation.
Pursuing a personal relationship with God rather than practicing a religion.
Focusing on our own sins and other people's virtues, rather than vice versa.
Remembering that purity is internal, not external, and occurs as our minds are renewed
by Christ and we are transformed into his image.572
DO (hands)
Pharisees exist today
Many Bible-believing Christians also struggle with change and tradition. The Pharisees
had established codes of conduct that they made equal with Scripture. Don't we still do
the same? In trying to maintain our faith against competitors and challenges, don't we
resent those who don't conform and who disregard the history of why we do what we
do? What human-made rules, policies, and doctrines have we given the same authority
as God's Word? Do we reject someone's thought because we don't like his or her
background, training, or personal style? Pharisees exist today. Ask God for insight so as
not to be one of them.573
??? When are we most tempted to place human teaching and/or tradition above Scripture?
What is the true source of the sin in our life, and what does that imply regarding how to
eliminate it (see Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 4:8)?
[[@Bible:Mark 7:24-30]]
Mark 7:24-30
The Faith of a Gentile Woman
24 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He didn't want anyone to know
which house he was staying in, but he couldn't keep it a secret. 25 Right away a woman who
had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit,
26 and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter.
Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, 27 Jesus told her, "First I should feed the
children - my own family, the Jews. It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to
the dogs."
28 She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the
scraps from the children's plates."
29 "Good answer!" he said. "Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter." 30 And
when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.
572
573
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (paraphrased)
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
SEE (head)
Seeking rest from his wearisome opponents, Jesus heads into Gentile territory. There he is
immediately greeted by a Gentile woman whose daughter is possessed by a demon. Refusing to
take No for an answer, the woman's faith is rewarded.
Region of Tyre (Mark 7:24)
Here we find the very human Jesus seeking rest by retreating to a "distinctly heathen land. ...
There was too much excitement among the people, too much bitterness among the Pharisees,
too much suspicion on the part of Herod Antipas, too much dulness [sic] on the part of the
disciples for Jesus to remain in Galilee."574 This passage is often viewed with embarrassment,
for it appears that Jesus is being "harsh and unsympathetic,"575 refers to Gentiles as dogs, and is
contradicted by a pagan woman.576 (Once a minister in a liberal denomination was preaching on
this passage and actually went so far as to conjecture that Jesus must have been having a bad
day!) There is, however, much more to the story than first meets the eye.
A woman (Mark 7:25)
One commentator describes the woman who approached Jesus as: "A Greek in religion, a
Syrian in tongue, a Phoenician in race."577 In a parallel account, Matthew reports that the
woman twice addressed Jesus by a Messianic title ("Lord" and "Son of David"), thus
demonstrating her faith in him as the Messiah (Matthew 15:22). (Along these lines, it may be
significant that the language used to describe the woman's asking [Greek erotao] frequently
suggests familiar or equal footing between the petitioner and the one being petitioned. 578) The
woman's faith was both sincere and determined. She "fell at [Jesus'] feet" (v. 25) - a simple yet
poignant act which indicated "her humility, reverence, submissiveness, and anxiety"579 - and
"begged" (v. 26, "kept asking" NASB) him to heal her demon-possessed daughter. "The woman
by her persistent plea demonstrated her faith in the person of Christ. She a Gentile (dog), asked
for what the children (Israel) cast aside. Because of that faith, her request was granted; her
daughter was healed immediately."580
As renowned Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe points out, this Gentile woman had many obstacles
to overcome, including:




574
her nationality - Normally Jews did not associate with Gentiles.
her sex - Jewish men looked down on women, and a Jewish man would have very little
dealings with a strange woman.
Satan - One of the Devil's demons had taken control of the woman's daughter.
the disciples - They wanted Jesus to send the woman away (see Matthew 15:23).
Word Pictures in the New Testament
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
576
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
577
Word Pictures in the New Testament
578
Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
579
Baker's New Testament Commentary
580
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
575

Jesus - He appeared reluctant to help.581
It is helpful to keep several points in mind when examining the exchange that took place
between Jesus and the Gentile woman, including:





With the cross looming ever larger, and with many of his followers having defected (see
John 6),582 Jesus had begun spending less time with the crowds and more time with his
disciples in order to better train and prepare them.583
Jesus' first priority was "'the lost sheep of the house of Israel'" (see Matthew 15:24,
NASB).
Jesus never turned away a Gentile who came to him for help (see Gentile (v. 26) below).
"[A]t no time, certainly, did God shut up his grace among the Jews in such a manner as
not to bestow a small taste of them on the Gentiles."584
The woman was seeking a crumb of kindness at the same time Jesus was feeding his
disciples.585
Dogs (Mark 7:27-28)
"He said, 'Stand in line and take your turn. The children get fed first. If there's any left over, the
dogs get it.' She said, 'Of course, Master. But don't dogs under the table get scraps dropped by
the children?' Jesus was impressed. 'You're right! On your way! Your daughter is no longer
disturbed. The demonic affliction is gone'" (The Message). The "dogs" referred to by both Jesus
and the woman were "'lap dogs, house dogs,' as opposed to dogs on the street."586 Hence it
"does not refer to wild dogs (scavenging animals roaming around the countryside) in this
context, but to small dogs taken in as house pets. It is thus not a derogatory term per se, but is
instead intended by Jesus to indicate the privileged position of the Jews (especially his disciples)
as the initial recipients of Jesus' ministry. The woman's response of faith and her willingness to
accept whatever Jesus would offer pleased him to such an extent that he granted her
request."587
While "[wild, scavenger] dogs" was indeed used by some Jews as a pejorative for Gentiles, such
is not the case here.588 As one source explains: "In the Orient dogs have no owners but run wild
and serve as scavengers for all garbage and offal. Such 'dogs' the Jews called all Gentiles ownerless, in every way unclean, always to be driven off. It is an entirely different conception
when Jesus speaks of 'the little pet dogs' in referring to the Gentiles. These have owners who
keep them even in the house and feed them by throwing them bits from the table. No Oriental
street dogs were allowed in a house, to say nothing of a dining-room or at dining tables."589
581
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament (paraphrased)
A Harmony of the Gospels
583
Baker's New Testament Commentary
584
John Calvin's Commentaries
585
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
586
NET Bible Notes; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
587
NET Bible Notes
588
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
589
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
582
Rather than "resenting Christ's words about giving the children's bread to the dogs (Gentiles),"
the woman "instantly turned it to the advantage of her plea for her little daughter." 590 Jesus'
resistance in helping the woman was not meant "to extinguish the woman's faith, but rather to
whet her zeal and inflame her ardor."591 In effect, Jesus was inviting "this woman to express the
faith that would eventually come to be expected of the Gentiles."592
Gentile (Mark 7:26)
Regarding the relationship between the pre-crucified-and-resurrected Jesus and the Gentiles,
we can note the following.
Despite Judaism's generally negative attitude toward Gentiles, it welcomed with open
arms "a true proselyte who would forsake paganism and become a Jew, both spiritually
and nationally." What's more, it was believed "that there would be a massive conversion
of Gentiles on the Last Day," although "this conversion is frequently portrayed in terms
of Gentiles flocking to Zion at the last day, not in terms of Jewish missionaries reaching
out to Gentiles (cf. Isaiah 19:23; Zechariah 8:21; Jeremiah 3:17)." While in Jesus' day
"Gentile" was synonymous with "sinner," Jesus refused to adopt the popular mindset
that longed for the day when judgment and vengeance would be visited on the Gentiles.
While Jesus did not engage in a full-blown mission to the Gentiles, nonetheless he
"attracted great numbers of Gentiles (Mark 3:7–12; Matthew 15:29–31). ... he
ministered to them and preached the Gospel to them (Mark 5:1–20; 7:24–30; Matthew
8:5–13 par. Luke 7:1–10; John 4:1–42; 12:20–22). ... He castigates sinners (both Gentiles
and Jews) and invites all to repent, whether Jew or Gentile." With the exception of the
(half-Jewish) Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus neither initiated contact with Gentiles
nor failed to minister to those who came to him. To summarize: Jesus "focused his
efforts on the Jewish nation and its obligation to receive the Messiah of the final days.
His emphasis on the Jews, however, did not exclude Gentile participation in the kingdom
during his ministry. However, Gentile participation was nonetheless an exception and
not the rule." (Interestingly enough, within Mark the fist open confession of Jesus as the
"Son of God" ["or a son of God or son of a god" NASB margin] is made by a Gentile: a
Roman centurion present at Jesus' crucifixion [Mark 15:39].)593
HEAR (heart)
Tasting is Believing
The story is told of a well-educated skeptic who enjoyed giving public lectures on the
foolishness of religious faith in general and the Christian faith in particular. He would
normally end his tirades by asking if anyone in the audience had any questions.
On one such occasion the speaker's audience included the man who had been the town
drunkard until he was converted to Christ. This man politely raised his hand and said
590
Word Pictures in the New Testament
John Calvin's Commentaries
592
The Apologetics Study Bible
593
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (mixture of paraphrase and verbatim quotes)
591
that he had a question. He then walked to the front of the audience, pulled an orange
out of his coat pocket, peeled it, and ate the entire thing - all without a word.
Then the former-drunkard-turned-Christian asked the speaker if the orange that had
just been eaten was sweet or sour.
By now very angry, the speaker called the man an idiot and asked how he (the speaker)
could possibly know when he had not tasted it.
To which the born-again Christian replied, "'And how can you know anything about
Christ if you have not tried Him?'"594
"Gentile dogs," said the Jews, "can know nothing of God." By her persistent faith, however, the
Gentile woman who came to Christ proved them wrong. In response to her faith, she
experienced what the Pharisees did not know because they refused to taste it for themselves:
the love, grace and mercy of God in Christ.
DO (hands)
??? What does it mean to "persist"? What can this woman's example teach us about how to
persist in our faith?
[[@Bible:Mark 7:31-37]]
Mark 7:31-37
Jesus Heals a Deaf Man
31 Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of
the Ten Towns. 32 A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people
begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him.
33 Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the
man's ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man's tongue. 34 Looking up to
heaven, he sighed and said, "Ephphatha," which means, "Be opened!" 35 Instantly the man
could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly!
36 Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they
spread the news. 37 They were completely amazed and said again and again, "Everything he
does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot
speak."
SEE (head)
Still traveling in predominantly Gentile territory, Jesus is met by a man who is deaf and whose
speech is severely impeded. Calling him aside, Jesus touches first the man's ears and then his
tongue. After looking up to heaven, Jesus commands the stopped organs to be opened, and the
man is healed. The crowds were exuberant and continued spreading the news concerning
Jesus.
594
Illustrations Unlimited (paraphrased)
Sidon ... the Ten Towns (Mark 7:31)
"Jesus left Phoenicia, but did not go back into Galilee. He rather went east and came down east
of the Sea of Galilee into the region of the Greek cities of Decapolis. He thus kept out of the
territory of Herod Antipas. He had been in this region when he healed the Gadarene demoniac
and was asked to leave."595
Deaf ... speech impediment (Mark 7: 32)
Matthew lets us know that "[a] vast crowd brought to [Jesus] people who were lame, blind,
crippled, those who couldn't speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he
healed them all" (Matthew 15:29-30, NLT). Mark chooses to key in on the man Jesus healed
who was deaf and "almost mute" (Greek mogilalos),596 such that "when he spoke, people could
hardly understand" him.597 The word used to describe this man's speech problem is used only
here in the NT and, what's more, is the same word used in the LXX version of Isaiah 35: "Then ...
the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then ... the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. ... "
(Isaiah 35:5-6, NASB).598 This fact, along with Mark's many direct quotes from the book of
Isaiah, tells us that "Mark saw the fulfillment of Isaiah's words in the healing ministry of
Jesus."599
Jesus touched the man's ears and his tongue, indicating to him that Jesus was going to do
something for those areas.600 As one source puts it: "In healing this man, Jesus used sign
language and symbolic acts (which Mark did not explain) that uniquely suited the man's needs
and caused him to exercise faith."601
When Mark wrote that the crowd ignored Jesus' command not to tell anyone about the
miracle, his point seems to be "that although Jesus sought no publicity or sensationalism, his
ministry was so powerful, so stunning in its results that people everywhere proclaimed it."602
To heal him (Mark 7:32)
This healing is an apt illustration of what it means to follow Jesus:


595
"Jesus ... went ... to ... the region of the Ten Towns" (v. 31). Jesus will meet us where we
are and give us what is most needed in our particular situation.603
"Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone" (v. 33). We must be willing
to leave the crowd behind and spend time alone with Jesus. "Silence that does not give
rise to speech is dumbness. Speech that does not grow out of silence is chatter."604
Word Pictures in the New Testament; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
597
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
598
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
599
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
600
Baker's New Testament Commentary
601
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
602
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
603
Baker's New Testament Commentary
604
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
596




"He put his fingers into the man's ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the
man's tongue. ... he ... said, 'Ephphatha,' which means, 'Be opened!'" (vv. 33-34). We
must trust Jesus and cooperate with his efforts to heal our ears and tongue - that is,
change the way we perceive reality (what we hear) and the way we communicate that
reality to others (what we say). "Jesus wants to open the ears and eyes of all who are
deaf and blind so that they may receive the light of life."605
"Looking up to heaven ... " (v. 34). We know that Jesus is from God and will work to
bring about God's best for us.606
" ... he sighed ... " (v. 34). Jesus personally identifies with our pain and suffering.607
"They were completely amazed and said again and again, 'Everything he does is
wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot
speak'" (v. 37). We should be constantly amazed at what God has done and is doing in
our lives. Moreover, our amazement should result in "a vociferous ["marked by or given
to vehement insistent outcry"608] championship of Jesus in this pagan land."609
HEAR (heart)
High in the King's Estimate
The story is told of a poor but devout Frenchman living in medieval Europe who often
wrestled with doubt as he sought to live the Christian life. He assumed that God was
displeased with him because of his struggles. Confused and disheartened, he sought the
counsel of his spiritual advisor.
The clergyman answered with an illustration of two commanders, both of whom served
the King of France. The first commander's duty station was a castle situated far inland
and thus remote from danger. The other, however, commanded a castle that was
located on the coast and was thus the object of constant attack and harassment. The
clergyman then asked his young friend which of the two commanders the King valued
most.
"Doubtless," said the poor man, "the King values him the most who has the hardest
task, and braves the greatest dangers."
"You are right," replied his advisor, "And now apply this matter to your case and
mine."610
Some Christians seem to have it made. They are the ones with good health, a loving family, and
few financial worries. For other believers, however, life seems to be a constant series of severe
struggles: bad health, no family to speak of, and no money to make things a little easier. If we
605
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Baker's New Testament Commentary
607
Baker's New Testament Commentary
608
Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
609
Word Pictures in the New Testament
610
Illustrations of Bible Truths (paraphrased)
606
fall into the latter category, we do well to remind ourselves that hardships do not mean God
has stopped loving us. In fact, the exact opposite is true: because God loves us so much, he will
give us the strength to endure any hardship - so long as we determine to make his glory our
highest priority. We can rest assured that every hardship will be accompanied by enough of
God's grace to endure it, and that God can and will use our hardships to make us better able to
hear, understand, and obey him.
DO (hands)
??? What can this passage teach us about hearing and speaking the things of God?

Mark 8
[[@Bible:Mark 8:1-10]]
Mark 8:1-10
Jesus Feeds Four Thousand
1 About this time another large crowd had gathered, and the people ran out of food again. Jesus
called his disciples and told them, 2 "I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me
for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will faint
along the way. For some of them have come a long distance."
4 His disciples replied, "How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in
the wilderness?"
5 Jesus asked, "How much bread do you have?"
"Seven loaves," they replied.
6 So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves,
thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to his disciples, who
distributed the bread to the crowd. 7 A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also blessed
these and told the disciples to distribute them.
8 They ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets
of leftover food. 9 There were about 4,000 people in the crowd that day, and Jesus sent them
home after they had eaten. 10 Immediately after this, he got into a boat with his disciples and
crossed over to the region of Dalmanutha.
SEE (head)
Once again Jesus is confronted by a crowd of hungry would-be followers. As on an earlier
occasion, here he decides to miraculously provide more than enough food for all of them.
Out of food again (Mark 8:1)
"Many commentators suspect that the two feeding stories are in fact versions of one original
episode in the life of Jesus."611 However, such a theory goes far beyond mere differences of
detail to be expected when the same stories are told by the different gospel writers. In point of
fact, there are noteworthy similarities between many of Jesus' miracles: large crowds; Jesus
touching the sick; faith commended; etc. That said, there are quite a number of noteworthy
contrasts between the two feeding stories:








611
Matthew and Mark. Both Matthew and Mark recorded two different miraculous
feedings (Matthew 14:13-21 = Mark 6:30-44; Matthew 15:32-39 = Mark 8:1-10).
Eyewitness testimony. "Matthew and Peter (Mark's source) were present in person at
both miracles and are reliable authorities."612
Number fed. Whereas the first miraculous feeding involved 5,000 people, the second
involved 4,000 - not including women and children.613
Another miracle. Mark seems to identify this as a second miracle: "In those days, when
there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat ... " (v. 1).
Initiative. Whereas in the first feeding the disciples asked Jesus to send the people away
so they could find something to eat, in the second feeding Jesus was the first to mention
the peoples' need for food (v. 2). Were the disciples merely waiting patiently for Jesus to
act?614Or was the possibility of a second miraculous feeding more than they could
comprehend?615 Or did the disciples discount the possibility of a second miraculous
feeding because of what had happened the last time when, following the miracle, the
crowd had tried to make Jesus king by force?616
Time. Whereas the feeding of the 5,000 appears to have taken place on the same day
the crowds had gathered, the feeding of the 4,000 took place after they had been with
Jesus for three days (v. 2).
Surroundings. Whereas the first miracle took place in an area surrounded by villages
and farms, the second was in a "desolate place" (v. 4, NASB).
The crowd. Whereas the first miraculous feeding involved mostly Jews, it seems likely
that because of its location this one involved many, if not mainly, Gentiles.617 (There is
some dispute over this point, however, since Mark did not specifically mention
Gentiles618) That being the case, this miracle can be understood as "an acted parable of
the Gentile mission that prefigures the mixed nature of the church."619 Jesus thus
demonstrated that his mission was not exclusively for the Jews. Citizenship in God's
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
613
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
614
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
615
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
616
Lenski's New Testament Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
617
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament; QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation
edition; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
618
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
619
Evangelical Commentary on the Bible
612



kingdom is a matter of faith, not race; and Jesus came to save people around the globe,
not just around Galilee.
Food. Whereas the 5,000 started with five loaves of (flat) bread and two fish, the 4,000
started with seven loaves of (flat) bread and "a few small fish" (v. 7).620 (The number
seven may have both a literal and a symbolic meaning, since it was often associated
with the Gentiles. "In Jewish tradition, Gentile nations numbered seventy [from Genesis
10:1-32], and Gentiles were sometimes said to be bound, not by the Israelite covenant,
but by God's covenant with Noah that is said to have seven commandments [Genesis
9:1-17]. In Acts 6:1-7, seven leaders were chosen for the Greek-speaking Christians."621)
Leftovers. Whereas the 5,000 ended with the disciples gathering "twelve full baskets of
the broken pieces, and also of the fish" (Mark 6:43), the 4,000 concluded with the
disciples picking up "seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces"
(Mark 8:8). Because of the types of baskets used to gather up the scraps, apparently
there were more leftovers following the second miraculous feeding: compare "basket"
in Mark 6:43 (kophinos), Mark 8:8 (spuris), and Acts 9:25 (spuris).622
Jesus. Above all else, we should remember that Jesus himself specifically referred to the
two different miraculous feedings: " ... when I broke the five loaves for the five
thousand ... When I broke the seven for the four thousand ... " (see Mark 8:18b-20;
compare Matthew 16:9-10).623 (all NASB)
HEAR (heart)
What, Me Worry?
Do you ever feel as though God is so busy with important concerns that he couldn't
possibly be aware of your needs? Just as Jesus was concerned about these people's
need for food, he is concerned about our daily needs. At another time Jesus said,
"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What
shall we wear?' … Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things" (Matthew
6:31-32 NKJV). Jesus knows that you have come a long way or that you may be at the
point of collapse. Do you have concerns that you think would not interest God? There is
nothing too large for him to handle and no need too small to escape his interest.624
Stingy Saints
They were satisfied. Jesus had provided enough to fill everyone up. Not just a taste, not
merely a helping, but more than required. Because Christ has abundant compassion, his
work on our behalf satisfied our needs superabundantly. Because Christ has given so
much to us, we should have compassion toward others that reflects God's gracious
provision. When we have the means, we should err on the side of generosity. Those
620
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
622
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament
Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
623
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
624
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
621
under our care should say, "I have had plenty!" Let Jesus' generosity encourage you to
give big portions to needy people.625
Can you imagine the disciples trying to horde the bread and fish during Jesus' miraculous
feedings? "One for you, two for me. One for you, three for me. ... " Of course not. In the same
way, God blesses us abundantly not so that we can keep it all for ourselves but, rather, so that
we can share it with those all around us who have little or nothing.
DO (hands)
??? How can this passage help us better understand Jesus' mission to save the lost?
[[@Bible:Mark 8:11-21]]
Mark 8:11-21
Pharisees Demand a Miraculous Sign
11 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him.
Testing him, they demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his
authority.
12 When he heard this, he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "Why do these people keep
demanding a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, I will not give this generation any such sign."
13 So he got back into the boat and left them, and he crossed to the other side of the lake.
Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod
14 But the disciples had forgotten to bring any food. They had only one loaf of bread with them
in the boat. 15 As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, "Watch out! Beware of the
yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod."
16 At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn't brought any bread.
17 Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, "Why are you arguing about having no bread?
Don't you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? 18 You have eyes
- can't you see? You have ears - can't you hear?' Don't you remember anything at all? 19 When I
fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up
afterward?"
"Twelve," they said.
20 "And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you
pick up?"
"Seven," they said.
21 "Don't you understand yet?" he asked them.
SEE (head)
Following the miraculous feeding of the mostly Gentile crowd, Jesus is confronted by a group of
Pharisees demanding he produce for them "a miraculous sign from heaven" to verify his
authority. Jesus refuses to give them any such sign, and he departs with his disciples. They, in
turn, show a similar lack of recognition regarding Jesus' true identity.
625
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
A miraculous sign (Mark 8:11)
"The rabbis were splitting hairs over the miracles of Jesus as having a possible natural
explanation (as some critics do today) even if by the power of Beelzebub, and those not of the
sky (from heaven) which would be manifested from God. So they put up this fantastic test to
Jesus which he deeply resents."626 In demanding a miraculous sign from Jesus, the Pharisees
were seeking "unmistakable proof that He and His mission were authorized by God"627 perhaps something on par with the miracles performed by Moses during the Exodus.628 (While
Jesus had miraculously multiplied earthly bread on two different occasions, Moses [actually,
God] had provided bread from heaven [manna] on a daily basis for 40 years. [see John 6:3035]629 But of course such reasoning completely ignores the fact that, as God incarnate, Jesus
was/is greater than Moses, manna, and all the Bible's miracles combined.) "The reasoning
seems to be that, since the Messiah will be greater than all the prophets and even than Moses,
he will prove it by doing at least one sign which in outward grandeur will exceed all other signs
that have ever been wrought."630 (Of course, Jesus' resurrection was/is such a sign [see
Matthew 16:4] - but only for those willing to believe.)
I will not give ... any such sign (Mark 8:12)
Why did Jesus refuse to grant the religious leaders' request for a sign? Because there had
already been signs aplenty for anyone willing to see: the handicapped had been restored; the
sick had been healed; lepers had been cleansed; waves had been stilled; the hungry had been
fed; and the dead had been raised back to life.631 Moreover, the religious leaders' demand
actually represented a temptation.632 Like Satan in the wilderness at the beginning of Jesus'
ministry, the Pharisees wanted Jesus to provide a miracle or wonder633 that would convince
them he was sent from God.
Several points are worth noting:

626
Authority. The Pharisees already knew that Jesus could perform the supernatural; they
wanted Jesus to prove to their satisfaction that his miracles and wonders were from
God.634 Just as the apostle Paul signed his letters as a way of guaranteeing their
authenticity (see 2 Thessalonians 3:17), the religious leaders demanded to see God's
signature, so to speak, as a guarantee of Jesus' ministry.635 If Jesus had given in to their
demand, he would in effect have been declaring that the Pharisees' self-appointed (=
illegitimate) authority was greater than his God-given (= legitimate) authority. "The
frustrated Pharisees tried a tactical maneuver with Jesus called 'control by demanding
Word Pictures in the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
628
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
629
Baker's New Testament Commentary
630
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
631
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary
632
Expositor's Bible Commentary
633
Thayer's Greek Definitions
634
Expositor's Bible Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
635
Theological Lexicon of the New Testament
627



proof.' ... If they could raise doubts and thus get Jesus to do miracles at their command,
then he would literally be under their control. ... They had already seen and heard about
many miracles, but that was not enough for them. They wanted Jesus to answer to
them."636
Insincerity. The Pharisees were not sincere. "They had already decided not to believe.
Hearts can become so hard that even the most convincing facts and demonstrations will
not change them."637 Their true intent "was to embarrass Jesus, either because God
would not perform the requested sign, or that the sign itself would fail to impress and
persuade."638 Hence their aim was to "discredit [Jesus] completely with the people."639
Skepticism. No miracle can convince a die-hard skeptic. "Unbelief can be a mind-set
against God, a willful rebellion of the intellect such that no amount of evidence will
overcome it."640 While Jesus always welcomed sincere seekers, the Pharisees had
already proved themselves to be hardcore skeptics of Jesus by charging that his many
marvelous miracles were not from God (see Mark 3:20-30).641 Although a miraculous
sign may serve as "a guarantee of the authenticity of the Sent One and of the truth of
the teaching, it has demonstrative power only for souls that are well-disposed or
believing. It can provoke astonishment or emotion, even admiration (John 2:23; 6:26;
Acts 8:9, 13) without adherence: 'Even though he had done so many signs in their
presence, still they did not believe in him' (John 12:37)."642 As one source puts it: "An
appeal for a miracle can be a legitimate expression of one's faith (e.g., Mark 5:23; 7:26,
32). But such an appeal is illegitimate if it arises out of unbelief, as was true of the
Pharisees."643
Resurrection. At his resurrection from the dead, Jesus would be "declared the Son of
God with power" (Romans 1:4, NASB). But even that incredible miracle would not be
enough for anyone adamantly refusing to believe. Here we might note Matthew's fuller
version of this episode, in which Jesus declared: "'Only an evil, adulterous generation
would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the
prophet Jonah'" (Matthew 16:4, NLT).
Yeast (Mark 8:15)
What did Jesus mean by "the yeast [/leaven] of the Pharisees and of Herod"? Jesus lumped
together two opposing factions - "the very strict Pharisees" and the "pro-Roman Herodian
dynasty" - in an apparent warning against any popular but dangerous movement that
"oppose[s] Jesus' ministry."644 When we factor in the Sadducees that are mentioned in
Matthew's account, it is possible to see a warning against: traditionalism (Pharisees); secularism
(Herod and the Herodians [= influential Jewish supporters of Herod who worked to keep his
636
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
638
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
639
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
640
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
641
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
642
Theological Lexicon of the New Testament
643
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
644
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
637
dynasty in power645); and skepticism (Sadducees).646 No matter how fashionable it may be, any
movement that openly opposes Jesus has the dire potential to lead many people astray. 647
When presented with clear and compelling evidence that Jesus was the promised Messiah of
God, the religious and political leaders chose to reject him. In turn, their "heart-heartedness ...
permeate[d] and contaminate[d] the entire society and [made] it rise up against Jesus."648
"Leaven is used in making bread. It passes secretly, silently, but certainly through the mass of
dough."649 Yeast, or leaven, is used most often in the NT "metaphorically of inveterate [= 'firmly
established by long persistence'650] mental and moral corruption, viewed in its tendency to
infect others."651 In that respect the "yeast" represents unbelief as evidenced by the religious
leaders' demand for a spectacular sign (the Pharisees refused to believe Jesus; Herod had
refused to believe John the Baptist).652 And so Jesus "is appealing to [his disciples] to
understand that the authority he possesses cannot be proved by a sign. Only by faith [/belief]
can they recognize him as the bringer of God's salvation."653 We should also understand "yeast"
in the sense of "evil teaching, considered as a very powerful, increasingly corrupting
influence"654 (see Matthew 16:12).655 The religious leaders were not content to keep their
unbelief to themselves; they worked it into the lives of others in the form of false teaching. Not
even committed followers of Jesus are immune to this yeast - hence Jesus' warning to be on
guard against it.656
The disciples thought that Jesus was rebuking them for not bringing along enough food to eat.
And so Jesus reminded them of the two miraculous feedings in which he had not only met the
need of thousands but also provided extra for his disciples in the form of leftovers. "[T]he point
of this remembrance is not that so many were miraculously filled, but that the disciples
themselves received plenty."657 Jesus' gentle scolding was a memorable way of reminding his
disciples that he was the divine Son of God who could/would meet all their needs, whether
physical or spiritual.658
HEAR (heart)
Giving It All Away
645
Tyndale Bible Dictionary; Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Baker's New Testament Commentary
647
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
648
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition; Life Application Bible Commentary on the
New Testament
649
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible
650
Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
651
Thayer's Greek Definitions
652
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
653
Expositor's Bible Commentary
654
Baker's New Testament Commentary
655
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
656
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
657
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
658
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
646
The story is told of a man who was lost in the desert. Dying of thirst, he came across an
old shack inside of which was an old, rusty water pump. He immediately grabbed the
handle and vigorously pumped up and down, up and down. But there was no water.
That's when he noticed an old jug off to the side on which was written a note instructing
the reader to prime the pump with all the water in the jug, and then be sure to refill the
jug before leaving.
For a moment the man was utterly confused. Should he believe the note and pour out
all the water? Or should he drink all the water from the jug and then move on?
In an act of faith, he decided to follow the instructions. He poured all the water into the
old, rusty pump and once again began pumping the handle up and down. At first
nothing happened. But then, before he knew it, fresh, cool, life-giving water was
gushing from the pump!
He drank until he could not hold another drop. Then he refilled the jug and added a little
note of his own: "Believe me, it really works. You have to give it all away before you can
get anything back."659
As God's never-ending supply of life-giving water, Jesus calls everyone everywhere to come and
have their spiritual thirst satisfied in him (see John 4:5-14). There is, however, one condition:
we must first empty ourselves of all our stubborn pride and arrogance before we can humbly
receive this life-giving water. This is something the Pharisees refused to do. But it is something
that must be done - not one time only, but on a daily basis.
DO (hands)
??? What can this passage teach us about what it takes to see Jesus for who he really is?
[[@Bible:Mark 8:22-26]]
Mark 8:22-26
Jesus Heals a Blind Man
22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged
him to touch the man and heal him. 23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of
the village. Then, spitting on the man's eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, "Can you see
anything now?"
24 The man looked around. "Yes," he said, "I see people, but I can't see them very clearly.
They look like trees walking around."
25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight
was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him away, saying,
"Don't go back into the village on your way home."
659
The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart And 1,501 Other Stories (paraphrased)
SEE (head)
A blind man is brought to Jesus and, in a manner reminiscent of the deaf mute, Jesus leads the
man away from the crowd and restores his sight in stages. He then sends the man home, telling
him to avoid the village.
A blind man (Mark 8:22)
What makes this miracle so unusual is the fact that it occurred in stages.660 Beyond
demonstrating Jesus' obvious compassion, this miracle seems intended to teach that: 1) "no
matter how complete the blindness, Jesus [is] able to give (in)sight,"661 and 2) "spiritual truth is
not always perceived clearly at first."662 (The next incident recorded in Mark's gospel [vv. 27-33]
bears this out: In his limited understanding of Jesus and his mission, Peter confessed Jesus as
the Christ but then tried to prevent Jesus from suffering and dying.663) This ties into Jesus'
warning his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah/Christ (Mark 8:30): the
disciples' limited understanding of who Jesus was could/would be cleared up only after Jesus
died, rose again, returned to Heaven, and established his Church via the empowering presence
of the Holy Spirit.664 Then the disciples would be free to do as they, in fact, did do: take the
Gospel to the entire world.
Why did Jesus tell the man to avoid the village as he returned home? Perhaps in order to
encourage the man to meditate on the tremendous blessing he had received before sharing it
first of all with his family and friends.665
See (vv. 23, 24, 25)
Like Jesus' miracles in general, this one in particular was intended as an acted parable, a real life
illustration of what it means to follow Jesus. We should note the fact that this story contains
several different forms of the word "see" (Greek blepo). Besides referring to physical sight, this
word is used "frequently in the sense of becoming aware of or taking notice of something." 666 It
is probably not too much of a stretch to find in this story a reminder that it is only as we take
our eyes off ourselves and direct our vision/attention upward to Jesus that we are able to
see/understand clearly and to plainly distinguish God's will for our lives.
"Sight was a widely used metaphor for understanding. This miracle depicts the correct but
incomplete understanding of the disciples."667 Points of comparison between the blind man and
Jesus' disciples include:
660
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
662
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
663
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
664
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition; Life Application Bible Commentary on the
New Testament
665
Baker's New Testament Commentary
666
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
667
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
661
Blind Man: Physical blindness prior to meeting Jesus.
Disciples: Spiritual blindness prior to meeting Jesus.
Blind Man: Led away from the crowd.
Disciples: Called out of the crowd.
Blind Man: Touched by Jesus.
Disciples: Taught by Jesus.
Blind Man: Like a baby, he could see only shapes.
Disciples: Like spiritual babes, they had only a partial understanding of who Jesus was.
Blind Man: Sight fully restored after a second touch by Jesus.
Disciples: Full understanding after the resurrection (and Pentecost).
Blind Man: He was not to tell others what had happened.
Disciples: They were to keep Jesus' identity secret until after the resurrection.668
HEAR (heart)
As recorded in John 8:31-32, "Jesus said to the people who believed in him, 'You are truly my
disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will
set you free.'" Noted Bible teacher William Barclay finds in these words "a complete picture of
discipleship":
1. True discipleship starts with belief.
2. Next comes remaining in Jesus' word, which includes: listening, learning, penetrating,
and obeying.
3. It leads to a knowledge of what is most important in this life.
4. And it brings freedom from: fear, self, other people, and sin.669
"The Gospels reveal three stages in the development of a disciple": 1) the curious, 2) the
convinced, and 3) the committed.670 The curious never do see Jesus for who he truly is. The
convinced recognize and accept Jesus as the Messiah. The committed see Jesus for who he is
and ache with the longing to share that vision with others.
DO (hands)
??? What can this passage teach us about our own spiritual growth and development?
[[@Bible:Mark 8:27-30]]
668
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament; Evangelical Commentary on the Bible; The Words and
Works of Jesus Christ; The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New
Testament (paraphrased)
669
The Daily Study Bible Series (paraphrased)
670
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
Mark 8:27-30
Peter's Declaration about Jesus
27 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they
were walking along, he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
28 "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are
one of the other prophets."
29 Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?"
Peter replied, "You are the Messiah."
30 But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
SEE (head)
Jesus inquires of his disciples concerning public opinion regarding himself. The general
consensus is that Jesus is a prophet. When he presses them for their opinion, Peter acts as
spokesman for the group and confesses that Jesus is the Messiah, or Christ.
People say (Mark 8:27)
Public opinion held that perhaps Jesus was John the Baptist returned to life "to continue the
work of preparation for the kingdom,"671 or perhaps a prophet like Moses (see Deuteronomy
18:15-18), or perhaps even the great prophet Elijah who had been taken alive up into heaven
via a chariot of fire and a whirlwind, and who was to be sent by God "before the coming of the
great and terrible day of the LORD" (see Malachi 4:5, NASB; compare Mark 6:14-16).672 These
responses reflect the fact that "there was considerable messianic speculation among Jews in
late antiquity ... There were anticipations of a coming prophet, or priest, or king - all based on
prophecies and/or typologies in Scripture."673
The Messiah (Mark 8:29)
Jesus asked the disciples: "'But who do you [plural674] say that I am?'" (NASB). Speaking for the
group, Peter confessed Jesus as "the Messiah" ("the Christ" NASB) (Greek Christos: "literally,
'one who has been annointed'675). As rendered by the NASB: Matthew: "the Christ, the Son of
the Living God"; Mark: "the Christ"; Luke: "the Christ of God."676 "Messiah" (Hebrew) and
"Christ" (Greek) carry the same meaning. "This affirmation of faith in Jesus was the anchor of
their discipleship despite their temporary failures and defections."677Although true, this
confession placed the disciples squarely in the minority, and thus illustrates the fact that "a true
believer is one who is willing, whenever necessary, to fly in the face of popular opinion and
openly to express a conviction that is contrary to that of the masses. In the best sense of the
term, the believer is willing to come forth boldly in the interest of the truth."678
671
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
NET Bible Notes
673
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
674
The Lexham Greek-English Interlinear New Testament
675
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
676
Baker's New Testament Commentary
677
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
678
Baker's New Testament Commentary
672
Most notably in the OT, prophets, priests, and kings were all anointed. "In such settings the
anointing signified that the person was commissioned and approved (by God and the people)
for the special office or task."679 By the time Jesus arrived on the scene, there was much
anticipation regarding God's specially Anointed (= Messiah/Christ) to deliver and restore Israel.
The NT writers consistently present Jesus as the Christ or Messiah, with expectation having
given way to fulfillment.680 Here we might note that: "Anointed as prophet, [Jesus] leads us into
all truth (John 6:14; 7:16); as priest he intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:21); and as king he reigns
over us (Philippians 2:9–10)."681
"Every aspect of the salvation which God has intended for and bestowed upon the world is, for
the whole of the NT, bound up in Jesus, in so far as he is the Christ."682 While "Christ" eventually
"became part of the name-formula for referring to Jesus, for the Evangelists [= Gospel writers]
the term retained a connection with ancient visions of God's decisive eschatological
intervention on behalf of his people. For the Evangelists the Jewish rejection of Jesus was their
rejection of Israel's Messiah. As perhaps no other christological title, the Evangelists' use of
'Christ'" testifies to the Jewish roots of the Christian faith while simultaneously asserting its
universal character.683
Not to tell anyone (Mark 8:30)
Why did Jesus not openly claim to be the Messiah? For two reasons, really. First of all, the
disciples had only a partial understanding of who Jesus was.684 "The fulness of what 'the Christ'
meant was not yet revealed to them."685 Secondly, Jesus was not the type of Messiah the
people were seeking. People simply were not looking for "a humble, patient, loving, peaceful
Messiah, God's suffering servant as pictured in Is. 53."686 As one source puts it: "[T]he dominant
popular hope was of a king like David, with a role of political liberation and conquest. ... Jesus'
conception of his Messianic role was so much at variance with the popular connotations of
christos that he preferred to avoid the title."687 By the time Jesus came on the scene, the
expectation for a national deliverer who would restore Israel to greatness had reached fever
pitch. In the gap between the last OT prophet and John the Baptist, the OT prophecies
concerning Israel's renewal were used as the groundwork for apocalyptic writings depicting
Israel's complete triumph over her enemies. By brute force and bloody determination, the
Messiah would crush the Gentiles and reestablish Israel as God's chosen people. "These are the
Messianic ideas which were in the minds of men when Jesus came. They were violent,
nationalistic, destructive, vengeful. True, they ended in the perfect reign of God, but they came
to it through a bath of blood and a career of conquest. Think of Jesus set against a background
like that. No wonder he had to re-educate his disciples in the meaning of Messiahship; and no
679
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
681
Tyndale Bible Dictionary
682
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
683
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
684
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
685
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
686
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition
687
New Bible Dictionary
680
wonder they crucified him in the end as a heretic. There was no room for a cross and there was
little room for suffering love in a picture like that."688
HEAR (heart)
An Honest Confession
The story is told of a German prince who was traveling through France during the reign
of Louis XVI. The prince visited Toulon and was told by the commandant there that he
could set free one galley slave.
The prince interviewed several of the prisoners, all of whom complained of injustices
and mistreatment. All, that is, except for the one prisoner who admitted he had been
nothing short of a wicked and desperate wretch deserving of death.
The prince "scolded" the man and said that he would not be allowed to remain another
day in the company of all the other honest and upright prisoners.
And the prince set him free.689
The first step in confessing Jesus as the Anointed One of God who came to set us free, is to
acknowledge that we in no way deserve the freedom he offers us. To see Jesus for who he
really is, we must first see ourselves for who - and what - we really are.
DO (hands)
??? What does it mean to "confess" something? What does it mean to confess Jesus as
Messiah?
[[@Bible:Mark 8:31-38]]
Mark 8:31-38
Jesus Predicts His Death
31 Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be
rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed,
but three days later he would rise from the dead. 32 As he talked about this openly with his
disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.
33 Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. "Get away from
me, Satan!" he said. "You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from
God's."
34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "If any of you wants to be my
follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try
to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of
the Good News, you will save it. 36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose
your own soul? 37 Is anything worth more than your soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and
my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person
when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
688
689
The Daily Study Bible Series
Illustrations of Bible Truths (paraphrased)
SEE (head)
After Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus proceeds to inform his disciples exactly
what that means. Far from the picture of military might and victory they have in mind, in the
very near future Jesus will suffer and be put to death. This is simply too much for Peter to take
in, and so he rebukes Jesus. Jesus then explains that a similar fate awaits those who follow him.
Son of Man (Mark 8:31)
Notice Jesus' use of "Son of Man," a title he would employ with increasing frequency in the
days leading up to his crucifixion (Mark 2:10, 28; 8:31, 38; 9:9, 12, 31; 10:33, 45; 13:26; 14:21,
41, 62). "The title 'Son of Man' emphasized Jesus as the vindicated, authoritative, and powerful
agent of God."690 As one source notes: "This title especially suited Jesus' total mission. It was
free of political connotations, thus preventing false expectations. Yet it was sufficiently
ambiguous (like a parable) to preserve the balance between concealment and disclosure in
Jesus' life and mission (cf. Mark 4:11-12). It combined the elements of suffering and glory in a
way no other designation could. It served to define His unique role as Messiah.691
Elders ... priests ... teachers of religious law (Mark 8:31)
Jesus entered "a turning point to new content in His teaching"692 with his announcement that
he, the Son of Man, would be rejected by the Sanhedrin ("the elders and the chief priests and
the scribes" NASB),693 be executed, and rise from the dead three days later - thus predicting "a
trial and a formal condemnation."694 The trial and execution would be an unjust attempt to get
rid of Jesus, to put him out of the way.695 The Sanhedrin was "[t]he council or governing body
that met in Jerusalem in NT times and that constituted the highest Jewish authority in Palestine
prior to A.D. 70."696 Its 71 members "were drawn from the three classes named in Matthew
16:21; 27:41; Mark 8:31; 11:27; 14:43, 53; 15:1; Luke 9:22; 22:26: 'the elders, the chief priests
and the teachers of the law.' By the chief priests is meant the acting high priest, those who had
been high priests, and members of the privileged families from which the high priests were
taken. The priestly aristocracy comprised the leading persons in the community, and they were
the chief members of the Sanhedrin. The teachers of the law (KJV scribes) formed the Pharisaic
element in the Sanhedrin, though not all Pharisees were professional scribes. The elders were
the tribal and family heads of the people and priesthood. They were, for the most part, the
secular nobility of Jerusalem."697 The Sanhedrin was "[h]eaded by the high priest of Israel ...
[and it] was granted limited authority over certain religious, civil, and criminal matters by the
foreign nations that dominated the land of Israel at various times in its history." 698
690
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
692
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
693
Word Pictures in the New Testament; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
694
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
695
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
696
Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible
697
The New International Dictionary of the Bible
698
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
691
Peter ... began to reprimand him (Mark 8:33)
Jesus' open talk of betrayal and death was simply too much for Peter and the other disciples to
take in; it was beyond their capacity to accept. "The report of Peter's rebuke of Jesus is not
meant to discredit Peter, but to underscore the surprising nature of Jesus' prediction."699 Why
did Peter rebuke Jesus? Simply put, it was because to his way of thinking a martyred Messiah
was no Messiah at all.700 "Peter's opposition rests on human ideas which cannot combine
messiahship and suffering. But Jesus thinks the thoughts of God. His sense of his messiahship
and messianic mission does not follow traditional patterns. He has a different understanding
which he believes to be consonant with God's own thinking and purpose."701
We should note that "in Jesus' statements about his suffering, the announcement of his death
is always accompanied by that of his resurrection"702 (see Matthew 12:40; 16:21; 17:9; 17:2223; 20:18-19). This is because his death and resurrection is a twofold event - like two sides of
the same coin - that declares Jesus to be the Christ/Messiah. Jesus' resurrection proved "his
messiahship, which seemed to be disproved by his death on the cross."703 And so we should not
be surprised to find "Peter say[ing] he was 'made' both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36), signifying
that the resurrection rightfully confirms him as such. Similarly, the apostle Paul speaks of Jesus'
resurrection as a patent declaration of his inalienable right to the title (Romans 1:4)."704
Jesus said that he would not remain dead but would be resurrected on the third day. Did his
disciples not believe him? It may well be that Peter and the other disciples (mis)interpreted
Jesus' words as being a figure of speech - meaning "in a little while" - along the lines of Hosea's
usage in referring to the nation of Israel's returning to God: "'Come, let us return to the LORD.
For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will
revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him'"
(Hosea 6:1-2).705 (It may well be that Jesus had this passage, along with several others from the
OT, in mind when making his prediction706) This would explain why Jesus' clear and repeated
references to his own resurrection (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33) fell on deaf ears: the disciples
simply did not take Jesus' words literally.
Satan (Mark 8:33)
Was Jesus really calling Peter "Satan?" Since Peter was the group spokesman, Jesus' rebuke
would have applied to the other disciples, as well.707 Hence we see Jesus turning and looking at
his disciples prior to issuing his rebuke (v. 33). Besides that, however, since "satan" (Greek
699
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary
701
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume
702
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
703
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
704
Tyndale Bible Dictionary
705
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
706
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
707
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
700
satanas) means "opponent" or "adversary,"708 it may be in this sense that Jesus was applying it
to Peter, hence communicating something like: "Get behind me, you who oppose me!"709 But
while Jesus may not have been literally calling Peter "Satan," he was very literally calling out the
satanic opposition he recognized in Peter.710 "In his wilderness temptations, Jesus had been
told that he could achieve greatness without dying (Matthew 4:8-9). Peter, in his rebuke of
Jesus' words about dying, was saying the same thing."711 Among the practical lessons to be
learned from this incident is the fact that many times "our most difficult temptations come
from those who want to protect us from suffering."712
When we look at this incident as recorded by both Matthew and Mark and across several Bible
translations/versions, we find that Peter's rebuke of Jesus represented a focus, concern, or
mindset that values human thoughts, concerns, workings, and interests over those of God, and
that such is nothing less than an obstacle, a danger, a hindrance, an offense, and a stumbling
block to Jesus. Thus Peter was indeed serving as "an unwitting spokesman for Satan."713 Jesus
used the term/title "Satan" because, like the Devil, Peter was "opposing the divine plan of
man's redemption through Christ's sufferings and death."714 While it is true that "from the
human point of view being subjected to suffering and being killed is unacceptable ... [f]rom
God's point of view" it was "absolutely necessary."715 Jesus' rebuke helps drive home the fact
that there is only one way of salvation and anything or anyone who opposes it, regardless of
good or bad intentions, is in league with the Devil. "What a warning to watch our love, our good
intentions, our best acts, lest perhaps they after all agree with Satan and not with
Christ."716While the disciples loved and admired Jesus, their "job was not to guide and protect
Jesus but to follow him."717
"Peter wanted Christ to be king, but not the suffering servant prophesied in Isaiah 53. He was
ready to receive the glory of following the Messiah but not the persecution."718 While doubtless
Peter was trying to protect Jesus, his concern was not entirely selfless. Peter and the other
disciples would have been very well aware of the fate awaiting the followers of anyone
executed by the Roman government. Having pinned all of their hopes and dreams on Jesus,
they literally could not bear the thought of his being put to death as some sort of dangerous
criminal and then, as if to add insult to injury, his followers being hounded out of existence.
Forget about lost (earthly) glory, "grandeur and triumph"719 - the disciples would be fortunate if
708
Thayer's Greek Definitions ; Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words; The
Complete Word Study Dictionary
709
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
710
Expositor's Bible Commentary
711
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
712
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
713
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
714
The Complete Word Study Dictionary
715
Baker's New Testament Commentary
716
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
717
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
718
Life Application Study Bible
719
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
they could escape with their lives. Thus it is small wonder they could not bring themselves to
understand/believe that Jesus was going to be put to death - despite his clear and repeated
warnings (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34).
Your cross (Mark 8:34)
Living for God is in many ways more difficult than dying for him. Jesus' call to take up the cross
is rich in meaning:



720
Self-Denial. "Deny" (Greek aparneomai) means "to deny utterly," and is the same word
Jesus used when predicting that Peter would deny him (see Matthew 26:34-35; Mark
14:30-31; Luke 22:34, 61).720 It means "refus[ing] to give thought to or express concern
for."721 Denying self "means self altogether, not merely some portion, some special
habit or desire, some outward practice."722 Much more than mere self-reform, it "means
to renounce self - to cease to make self the object of one's life and actions. This involves
a fundamental reorientation of the principle of life. God, not self, must be at the center
of life."723 In negative terms, self-denial involves letting go "of selfish desires and earthly
security"724; stated positively, it calls for a daily commitment to trust Jesus, walk in his
footsteps, and gratefully obey his commands.725
Suffering. In a time and place where crucifixion was a very common occurrence, the
cross became a poignant symbol for absolute commitment to a cause - even to the point
of physical death.726 Jesus' call to take up one's cross recalls, but goes beyond, the
typical Jewish rabbi's injunction "to take up the yoke of Torah, or the yoke of the
commandments."727 The cross is a sobering symbol of the suffering - including possible
martyrdom - that lay in store for anyone choosing to follow Jesus.728 While only Christ's
suffering and death has the power to atone for sins, we nonetheless have fellowship in
his sufferings and follow in his steps as we too experience the cross before the crown.729
Submission. The cross was also a piercing symbol of submission. "The underlying figure
[of taking up one's cross] is that of a condemned man who is forced to take up and carry
his own cross to the place of execution."730 A condemned criminal was made to carry his
own cross-beam as he was paraded through the streets of Jerusalem on his way to die a
public, painful, and prolonged death. "Death came slowly to a crucified person, through
exhaustion or by suffocation. And it came with great pain. Death by crucifixion was also
considered a great disgrace."731 For all to see, the crucified person was forced to submit
Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
722
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
723
Expositor's Bible Commentary
724
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
725
Baker's New Testament Commentary
726
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
727
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
728
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
729
Baker's New Testament Commentary
730
Baker's New Testament Commentary
731
New International Encyclopedia of Bible Words
721


to the very authority against which he had rebelled.732 "Those who follow [Jesus] must
take up their (not His) cross, whatever comes to them in God's will as a follower of
Jesus. ... [This means being obedient] to God's will as revealed in His Word, accepting
the consequences without reservations for Jesus' sake and the gospel (cf. Mark 8:35).
For some this includes physical suffering and even death, as history has demonstrated
(cf. Mark 10:38-39)."733 Christ "used the image of carrying a cross to illustrate the
ultimate submission required of his followers. He is not against pleasure, nor was he
saying that we should seek pain needlessly. Jesus was talking about the heroic effort
needed to follow him moment by moment, to do his will even when the work is difficult
and the future looks bleak."734
Rejection. "To bear the cross means to accept the rejection of the world for turning to
Jesus and following him. Discipleship involves a death that is like a crucifixion" (see
Galatians 6:14).735 Along these lines, saving versus losing one's life can be seen as a stark
reminder "that if one comes to Jesus then rejection by many will certainly follow. If selfprotection is a key motivation, then one will not respond to Jesus and will not be saved.
One who is willing to risk rejection will respond and find true life."736
Right Priorities. Verses 35-38 actually begin with the word "For" (see NASB), and so
represent an extended definition of discipleship.737 It involves: 1) losing (but not
hating738) one's life "in loyalty to Jesus and the gospel" (v. 35)739 - that is, faith as
evidenced by faithfulness740 , 2) valuing eternal life with God more than the passing
pleasures of the world, including "possessions, position, or power"741 (vv. 36-37), and 3)
embracing rather than rejecting Jesus (v. 38).742
The last point is worth emphasizing. What we do with Jesus in the present will determine what
he does with us in the future. "We can reject Jesus now and be rejected by him at his second
coming, or we can accept him now and be accepted by him then. Rejecting Christ may help us
escape shame for the time being, but it will guarantee an eternity of shame later." 743 What
does it mean to reject/disown Jesus? Put simply, it means doing the opposite of what Jesus
said: "'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up
your cross, and follow me'" (v. 34). Thus to reject/disown Jesus means: to have no desire to
follow him, to continue in our selfish ways, to refuse to submit and suffer for our faith, and to
follow anyone and anything other than Jesus. Notice, too, the link between Jesus and the
Gospel: "' ... if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News ... '" (v. 35).
732
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
734
Life Application Study Bible
735
NET Bible Notes
736
NET Bible Notes
737
Baker's New Testament Commentary
738
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
739
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
740
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
741
Life Application Study Bible
742
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
743
Life Application Study Bible
733
Because Jesus cannot be separated from his message, to reject Jesus is to reject the Gospel,
and to reject the Gospel is to reject Jesus.744
HEAR (heart)
The Cross Before the Crown
Bible commentator Albert Barnes offers several poignant remarks regarding cross-bearing:
When persons were condemned to be crucified, a part of the sentence was that they
should carry the cross on which they were to die to the place of execution. Thus, Christ
carried his, until he fainted from fatigue and exhaustion. ... [The cross] was an
instrument of death. ... To carry it was burdensome, was disgraceful, was trying to the
feelings, was an addition to the punishment. So "to carry the cross" is a figurative
expression, denoting that we must endure whatever is burdensome, or is trying, or is
considered disgraceful, in following Christ. It consists simply in doing our duty, let the
people of the world think of it or speak of it as they may. It does not consist in making
trouble for ourselves, or doing things merely "to be opposed"; it is doing just what is
required of us in the Scriptures, let it produce whatever shame, disgrace, or pain it may.
This every follower of Jesus is required to do.745
Peter "was ready to receive the glory of following the Messiah, but not the persecution. The
Christian life is not a paved road to wealth and ease. It often involves hard work, persecution,
deprivation, and deep suffering. Satan wants to deter us from sacrifice and service by telling us
that our difficulties are meaningless, our pain is futile, and that evil will win anyway. Instead [of
listening to Satan, we need to] focus on the good that God can bring out of suffering and on the
resurrection that follows crucifixion."746
DO (hands)
"True wealth is, above all else, having eternal life. People will die in their sins if they reject
Christ, because they are rejecting the only way to be rescued from sin. Sadly, many are so taken
up with the values of this world that they are blind to the priceless gift Christ offers. Where are
you looking? Don't focus on this world's values and miss what is most valuable - eternal life
with God."747
??? A popular but extremely dangerous teaching today is that Jesus came so that we can have
health and wealth. How does Jesus' words regarding following him help to correct such a
notion?

744
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (quoted verbatim)
746
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
747
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
745
Mark 9
[[@Bible:Mark 9:1-13]]
Mark 9:1-13
(Jesus Predicts His Death)
1 Jesus went on to say, "I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before
they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!"
The Transfiguration
2 Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone.
As the men watched, Jesus' appearance was transformed, 3 and his clothes became dazzling
white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. 4 Then Elijah and Moses
appeared and began talking with Jesus.
5 Peter exclaimed, "Rabbi, it's wonderful for us to be here! Let's make three shelters as
memorials - one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6 He said this because he didn't
really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.
7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my dearly loved
Son. Listen to him." 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and
they saw only Jesus with them.
9 As they went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen
until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept it to themselves, but they often
asked each other what he meant by "rising from the dead."
11 Then they asked him, "Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return
before the Messiah comes?"
12 Jesus responded, "Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. Yet why do the
Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be treated with utter
contempt? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they chose to abuse him, just as the
Scriptures predicted."
SEE (head)
Having predicted that some of his disciples would see "'the Kingdom of God arrive in great
power'" (Mark 9:1), Jesus takes the inner circle of Peter, James, and John to a mountain and
reveals his glory to them. Moses and Elijah appear. As usual, Peter speaks up and says the
wrong thing. God commands the disciples to listen to his Son, Jesus. Jesus instructs the three
disciples not to say anything about what they've just witnessed until he (Jesus) comes back to
life. They then question Jesus concerning Elijah, who was to be the forerunner to the Messiah.
The kingdom ... in great power (Mark 9:1)
Jesus spoke of his disciples "see[ing] the kingdom of God after it has come with power" (Mark
9:1, NASB). As God's rule or reign, the kingdom was the central focus of Jesus' message and
mission. There are a number of ways in which the power of God's kingdom was demonstrated
in and through Christ, including:

his casting out demons (Luke 11:20)



his promised future return (Mark 13:26; 14:26)
"the coming of the Holy Spirit on the great Day of Pentecost,"748 when the disciples
were empowered to carry out the Great Commission (Acts 1:8)
the Transfiguration, which "offers the most dramatic proof that the kingdom had indeed
come in the preaching and ministry of Jesus"749
Thus "Jesus' point was that his listeners would not have to wait for another, future Messiah
because the kingdom was among them, and it would soon come in power."750
Transformed (Mark 9:2)
Mark records that as Peter, James, and John looked on, Jesus was "transformed"
("transfigured" NASB; Greek metamorphoo), a term meaning "to take on a different physical
form or appearance."751 This is the same idea expressed in our English word metamorphosis: "a
striking alteration in appearance, character, or circumstances."752 Jesus' transfiguration was a
"wonderful visual revelation of his divine glory,"753 "a substantial prefiguring of the
consummation of the kingdom,"754 "a striking preview and guarantee of His future coming in
glory"755 (see John 1:14; 2 Peter 1:16-19). During his transfiguration, "the whole body of Jesus
was allowed to shine with the light and refulgence [ = "a radiant or resplendent quality or
state"756] of its heavenly divinity. Jesus now shines thus in heaven forever. From his conception
onward he was the very Son of God, and here on the mount his divine glory was for a little
while permitted to shine out through his body."757
Just prior to his transfiguration, Jesus had been instructing his disciples concerning the
mistreatment and death awaiting him in Jerusalem. He also predicted a similar fate for anyone
wanting to follow him. The transfiguration was "a heavenly endorsement" of Jesus,758 "God's
divine affirmation of everything Jesus had done and was about to do. ... The Transfiguration
clearly revealed not only that [the disciples] were correct in believing Jesus to be the
Messiah (Mark 8:29), but that their commitment was well placed and their eternity was secure.
Jesus was truly the Messiah, the divine Son of God."759 It also offered testimony to the fact that
"[f]uture glory would follow present suffering for Him and [his disciples]."760 Thus: 1) "God's
seal of approval comes on the heals of Jesus' commitment to the way of the cross"761; 2) the
748
Word Pictures in the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
750
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
751
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
752
Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
753
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
754
NET Bible Notes
755
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
756
Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
757
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
758
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
759
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
760
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
761
Holman Bible Handbook
749
disciples are told to remain silent concerning Jesus' transfiguration until after the public display
of his victorious resurrection power; and 3) the same word used to describe Jesus' change in
appearance (metamorphoo) is used elsewhere in the NT to describe the process of becoming
more Christlike in our attitudes and actions (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Regarding this
third point, we should note that metamorphoo refers to "an outward change that comes from
within,"762 a change in "the essential form or nature of something."763 ("Dazzling white" [v.3]
"suggests supreme glory, purity, and holiness."764 ) In regards to the transformation that is to
characterize the Christian, it means nothing less than "a radical, thorough, and universal
change, both outward and inward."765
Moses and Elijah (Mark 9:4)
The Bible of Jesus' day - our OT - was commonly divided into the Law and the Prophets.766 At
Jesus' transfiguration Moses appeared as a representative of the Law, and Elijah appeared as a
representative of the Prophets767 - "both of which Christ had come to fulfill."768 "Their
appearance showed Jesus as the fulfillment of both the Old Testament law and the prophetic
promises."769 (Jewish rabbis drew many comparisons between Moses and Elijah, including
seeing Moses as the first major prophet of Israel and Elijah the last.770) It is also possible to
understand Moses as representing "the prophetic office (Acts 3:18-22)" and Elijah as picturing
"the presence of the last days (Malachi 4:5-6)."771 "These two figures were both expected to
return in some sense before the time of the end,"772 and they are mentioned together at the
close of the OT, where it is foretold that Elijah will arrive ahead of the Messiah to prepare the
way for him by "call[ing] the people back to the law of Moses" (see Malachi 4:1-6).773 ("Malachi
4:4-6 forms a kind of double appendix to the book. The appeal to Moses looks back to remind
the nation that it is still under the law, thus linking the prophets to the ancient tradition, and
the reference to Elijah, by looking forward, anticipates Yahweh's future return. ... [It is certain
that Yahweh will come.] The only question is Israel's fate when he does, and that depends
entirely on their response to Elijah."774) Both Moses and Elijah had received God's instructions
on a mountain, and both of them had seen theophonies (= "any direct, visual manifestation of
the presence of God"775) (Exodus 24:12-18; 1 Kings 19:8-18).776
762
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
764
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
765
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
766
A General Introduction to the Bible
767
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
768
Baker's New Testament Commentary
769
Life Application Study Bible
770
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
771
NET Bible Notes
772
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
773
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
774
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
775
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
776
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
763
There are a number of parallels between Moses's experience at Mt. Sinai and Jesus'
transfiguration:







"Six days" - Exodus 24:16; Mark 9:2
The cloud - Exodus 24:16; Mark 9:7
God's voice - Exodus 24:16; Mark 9:7
Three companions - Exodus 24:1, 9; Mark 9:2
Transformation (Matthew and Luke specifically mention Jesus' face.) - Exodus 34:30;
Mark 9:3
Fear - Exodus 34:30; Mark 9:6
A perverse generation - Exodus 32:20; Mark 9:19 777
Three shelters (Mark 9:5)
Peter's offer to make "three shelters as memorials" ("tabernacles" NASB) recalls the Feast of
Booths/Tabernacles,778 established to commemorate the Exodus but "also understood by many
as looking ahead to the glorious day of Israel's deliverance."779 Peter was ecstatic at the sight of
Jesus' transfiguration - and rightly so. However, his offer to "make three shrines" reflects his
desire for that "mountaintop experience" to continue.780 "Peter had forgotten (or was hoping
to put aside) Jesus' words that suffering and death would come before glory. Peter saw the
fulfillment of Christ's glory for a moment. He wanted the experience to continue, so he tried to
capture it without going through Christ's suffering."781
A cloud (Mark 9:7)
During the transfiguration God's voice was heard from a cloud commanding the disciples to
listen - meaning "be obedient"782 - to Jesus, God's Word incarnate (see John 1:1). "This was not
a vapor cloud, but was, in fact, the glory of God. This was the cloud that had guided Israel out of
Egypt (Exodus 13:21), that had appeared to the people in the desert (Exodus 16:10; 24:1518; 34:5; 40:34-38), that had appeared to Moses (Exodus 19:9), and that had filled the temple
with the glory of the Lord (1 Kings 8:10).
Peter's limited understanding was challenged by God's "unqualified endorsement" of
Jesus.783 Jesus was/is greater than Moses and Elijah, and he is to be listened to (and obeyed).
Moses had said: " ... 'The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among
your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him'" (Deuteronomy 18:15), and now that prophet (=
Jesus) had come. The sudden disappearance of Moses and Elijah is both a literal and symbolic
reminder that "[t]he time of Moses and Elijah is over. It is time to heed the words of Jesus."784
777
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
NET Bible Notes
779
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
780
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
781
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
782
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
783
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
784
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
778
As one source puts it: "Their work was done and they were superseded. Jesus, not Moses or
Elijah, is now God's authorized Ruler and Spokesman."785
HEAR (heart)
"U.S. editor, publisher, and author"786 Elbert Hubbard once wisely observed: "Complete success
alienates a man from his fellows, but suffering makes kinsmen of us all."787
Like all of us, Peter preferred "the mountaintop of transfiguration" over "the flatland of
common experience," "a reassuring experience of God's presence" over "a frightening
experience of evil."788 Here it is vitally important to remember two things: 1) the flatland where
we encounter evil is home to countless people in dire need of the Gospel message that only we,
as Jesus' followers, can offer them; and 2) we are never truly alone, since Jesus is always with
us via God's holy Word and God's Holy Spirit. "As our spiritual vision improves and allows us to
see and understand God better, we will also be able to see and understand evil better. We
would be overcome by its horror if we did not have Jesus with us to take us through it
safely."789 What's more, we are called not merely to endure evil and suffering, but to confront
them with the power of the Gospel.790 "Christians today need to worship and pray, but they
must also go out into the needy world to serve, work, confront, and intercept Satan just as
Jesus did."791
We might also wish to note how "Peter mistakenly made all three men equal. He had missed
Jesus' true identity as God himself."792 While certainly we are to respect Christian leaders, we
must be diligent to guard against the ever-present danger of putting them on a pedestal and
begin interpreting God's Word (the Bible) through their teaching rather than vice versa. We
should be especially cautious - as in, "Shields up!" - when it comes to any leader who claims it is
God's will that we be completely free of all suffering and hardship in this life.
DO (hands)
??? What can this passage teach us about our common human tendency to choose ease and
comfort over hardship and pain?
[[@Bible:Mark 9:14-29]]
Mark 9:14-29
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
14 When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and
some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. 15 When the crowd saw Jesus, they
were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him.
785
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Encyclopedia
787
Random House Webster’s Quotationary
788
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
789
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
790
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
791
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
792
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
786
16 "What is all this arguing about?" Jesus asked.
17 One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, "Teacher, I brought my son so you could
heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won't let him talk. 18 And whenever this spirit
seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his
teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn't do
it."
19 Jesus said to them, "You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I
put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a
violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.
21 "How long has this been happening?" Jesus asked the boy's father.
He replied, "Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into
water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can."
23 "What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes."
24 The father instantly cried out, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!"
25 When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the
evil spirit. "Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak," he said. "I command
you to come out of this child and never enter him again!"
26 Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him.
The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, "He's dead."
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, "Why
couldn't we cast out that evil spirit?"
29 Jesus replied, "This kind can be cast out only by prayer."
SEE (head)
Jesus returns from the mountain to find his disciples being harassed by the religious leaders
because they (the disciples) are unable to cast out an evil spirit. Jesus denounces the evident
lack of faith and then commands the spirit to depart. When asked by his disciples why they
could not cast out the spirit, Jesus says that they were lacking in prayer.
Arguing (Mark 9:14)
Jesus moved from the cloud to the crowd. "While Jesus had been up on the mountain in Mark
9:2-13, a crowd had gathered around several of his disciples. An argument had erupted
between them and some scribes. The argument may very well have had to do with what means
were necessary to effect a successful exorcism."793 As one source puts it: "We may also surmise
the cause of the dispute. The scribes were delighted by the failure of the disciples and taunted
them and shamed them before the crowd; and the disciples were defending themselves as best
they could. The situation was painful indeed."794 In essence, the religious leaders were casting
aspersions on the disciples' power and authority and, by extension, that of Jesus. Their aim was
"to discredit Jesus in any way possible."795
793
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
795
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
794
Possessed (Mark 9:17)
A father brought his demon-possessed son - his only child (Luke 9:38)796 - to Jesus to be healed.
For years the demon had been blocking the boys ability to speak, and it had been causing the
boy to go into epileptic seizures.797 This was "not a case of simple epilepsy; no, it was a very
complicated condition, in which the boy did not merely fall to the ground but was actually again
and again knocked down by the evil spirit."798 The demon had also been throwing the boy "into
the fire or into water, trying to kill [Greek apollumi: "to destroy or to cause the destruction of
persons, objects, or institutions"799] him" (Mark 9:22). Thus his "condition was long-standing
and critical"800 and an example of Satan's aim "'to steal and kill and destroy' [apollumi]" (see
John 10:10).801
Faithless people (Mark 9:19)
"Jesus addressed the crowd but especially His disciples with deep emotion,"802 calling them a
"faithless people" ("unbelieving generation" NASB; compare Deuteronomy 32:5, 20; Numbers
14:11; Isaiah 63:8-10803 ). "Jesus allows his deep feeling to be expressed in words. Pain and
disappointment wring this cry from his heart."804 Jesus' solemn and deeply emotional rebuke
sprang from his frustration "with the unbelieving and unresponsive generation, including the
crowd, the teachers of the law (scribes), the man, and the nine disciples. His disciples merely
reflected that attitude of unbelief so prevalent in the society."805 Certainly "[f]rom his own
disciples Jesus had a right to expect more than this unbelieving generation offered him."806 The
people could gain the victory over "Satan and his unholy allies" only to the extent that they
chose to respond in faith to Jesus and his Gospel message - something most of them refused to
do.807 "Because of a lack of faith in Jesus' proclamation, gaining freedom from Satan's
oppression is hindered."808
"The main lesson of this miracle is the power of faith to overcome the enemy."809 And because
our enemy never takes a break, neither can our faith. "Mark tells this story to show that the
battle with Satan is a difficult, ongoing struggle. Victory over sin and temptation comes through
faith in Jesus Christ, not through our own efforts."810 Some manuscripts show Jesus saying that
the disciples were lacking in both prayer and fasting. "Dependence on God and denial of self are
796
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
798
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
799
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
800
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
801
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
802
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
803
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
804
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
805
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
806
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
807
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
808
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
809
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
810
Life Application Study Bible
797
meant."811 Fasting is "a practical means of focusing one's attention more fully on God for a
specific purpose, for a limited period of time."812
Anything is possible (Mark 9:23)
The father said to Jesus: "But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" And Jesus
replied: "'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes" (see Mark 9:23-24, NASB).
"Jesus repeated the father's words and turned them around to put doubt in the right place. In a
sense, Jesus was saying, 'If I am able to do anything? I can do all things - but it depends on
whether you believe that I can.' Spiritual power comes only when a person turns from self to
God in faith. Then the possibilities are limitless."813 That said, we should be sure to note that
Jesus' words do not mean that we can automatically obtain anything we want if we just
think positively. Jesus meant that anything is possible if we believe because nothing is
too difficult for God, even when our experience seems to indicate otherwise. We cannot
have everything for which we pray as if by magic; but with faith, we can have everything
we need to serve Christ. We are free to ask whatever we want, as long as we realize that
God will answer according to his will (1 John 3:21-22; 5:14). When we will what he wills,
then we truly will have the mind of Christ and can ask anything, being assured of God's
answers (see also John 14:13-14; 15:7).814
Or, as another source puts it: "'[A]ll things' are here concrete: all those things which faith trusts
to the power of Jesus who, moreover, always exerts his power and ability according to his good
and gracious will. Faith never asks anything foolish or wrong of Jesus; requests of that kind are
never the product of faith. Moreover, faith always bows to the will of Jesus in those things of
which we cannot be sure that they are good for us."815
"Mark recorded this story to show that the battle with Satan is a difficult, ongoing struggle.
Victory over sin and temptation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, never through our own
efforts (see John 15:5)." The disciples would soon be experiencing tremendous uncertainty
during Jesus' trial and execution. They would struggle with doubt and question their faith. Their
"demon of doubt" could be cast out only by prayer and reliance on God. And, following his
resurrection, Jesus would fully restore the disciples' faith.816
Believe ... unbelief (Mark 9:24)
It seems that the father of the demon-possessed boy had in good faith come seeking Jesus.
When Jesus was not to be found, and Jesus' disciples failed to deliver his son, the man's faith that is, "his trust in the ability of Jesus"817 - faltered. He was now afraid "that the ability of Jesus
811
Gaebelein's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
813
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
814
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
815
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
816
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
817
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
812
[was] perhaps no greater or only a little greater than that of the nine disciples."818 The father
offers us a double lesson in faith. First of all, Christian faith "is possible only with the help of the
One who is its Object."819 Here it is good to remember that "[n]o matter how much faith we
have, we never reach the point of being self-sufficient. Faith is not stored away like money in
the bank. Growing in faith is a constant process of daily renewing our trust in Jesus." 820 The key
thought here is "trust in Jesus" - not trust in those who claim to speak for him. Secondly, at
times every believer struggles with trusting in and relying on God. And so Christian faith is both
objective and subjective: "Objectively our faith is in Jesus, and He is unshakable. Subjectively
our faith is often mixed with hesitancy and doubt. The way to overcome uncertainty is to
remember that what makes faith valid is not its subjective strength, but the trustworthiness of
its object. We can confidently affirm this truth: 'I can't, but Jesus can.'"821 What's more, the
realization that our faith is weak or small is a very good place to be - provided it leads us to
Jesus, the only one who can strengthen and grow it.822 This is something like what the apostle
Paul had in mind when he wrote: "when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians
12:10, NASB).
Only by prayer (Mark 9:29)
Despite the fact that Jesus had commissioned his disciples to cast out demons and that they
had already done so (3:15; 6:13),823 they were unable - literally "lacked the strength"824 - to
cast out this demon on this occasion. Why? Jesus said: "This kind [of demon] cannot come out
by anything but prayer" (Mark 9:29, NASB). Apparently the disciples were trusting in past
successes,825 perhaps even thinking they were in permanent possession of the power to cast
out demons and so had no need to pray. "Prayer is what the nine had failed to use. They were
powerless because they were prayerless. Their self-complacency spelled defeat. Matthew 17:20
has 'because of your little faith' (oligopistian). That is true also. They had too much faith in
themselves, too little in Christ. 'They had trusted to the semi-magical power with which they
thought themselves invested.'"826 Prayer is absolutely vital. It demonstrates our faith in (=
reliance upon) God. Without it, even the most sincere act of service can quickly change from a
humble offering into a pride-filled performance.827 As one source reminds us: "Where there is
little faith, there is little prayer. Conversely, where there is an abundance of genuine,
persevering faith, there is also fervent, unrelenting prayer."828
818
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
820
Life Application Study Bible
821
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
822
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
823
Expositor's Bible Commentary
824
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New
Testament Words
825
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
826
Word Pictures in the New Testament
827
The Daily Study Bible Series
828
Baker's New Testament Commentary
819
HEAR (heart)
Bedpan Faith
The story is told of a Roman Catholic nun who was given a mission assignment to a tribe
of Apache Indians. In her excitement and haste, on the way to the reservation she drove
past the last gas station without noticing that her gas gauge was reading "empty." Her
car ran out of gas about a mile past the station, and so she got out and walked back.
The attendant said he would love to help except for the fact that he did not have a gas
can.
After some prodding from the kindly sister, however, he searched his storage shed and
found an old bedpan - which the nun gratefully accepted and filled with gasoline.
After walking gingerly back to her car, the nun removed the gas cap and began slowly
transferring the gas from the bedpan to her car's gas tank.
Just then a trucker drove by, saw the nun emptying the contents of the bedpan into her
gas tank, and yelled out his window at her: "I sure wish I had that kind of faith, sister!"829
To those without a personal, saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, placing faith in him makes about
as much sense as pouring the (usual) contents of a bedpan into a gas tank. Those of us who are
privileged to call ourselves his disciples know differently, however. The Scriptures, the
testimonies of fellow believers, and our own experiences - all these teach us that God will never
fail to give us what we truly need. And oftentimes it will be at the very moment we need it
most.
That said, we also know that because our hearts contain a mixture of faith and unbelief, we
must do our part in fostering faith and resisting unbelief. Which means focusing on Christ's
ability, recognizing our own inability, and calling on the faith and prayers of others. We must
"[a]sk Jesus daily for stronger faith."830
DO (hands)
??? At times it's easy to let our struggles with lust, pride, envy, and a host of other sins
overwhelm and discourage us. What can this passage teach us about drawing close to God in
order to gain the victory over such forces?
[[@Bible:Mark 9:30-37]]
Mark 9:30-37
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
30 Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn't want anyone to know he was
there, 31 for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to
them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed,
829
830
An Encyclopedia of Humor (paraphrased)
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
but three days later he will rise from the dead." 32 They didn't understand what he was saying,
however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.
The Greatest in the Kingdom
33 After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, "What were
you discussing out on the road?" 34 But they didn't answer, because they had been arguing
about which of them was the greatest. 35 He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him,
and said, "Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else."
36 Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them,
37 "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who
welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me."
SEE (head)
Jesus is again on the move, intentionally avoiding the crowds in order to spend time with and
instruct his disciples. Again Jesus tells them of his impending death, but they don't know what
he means and are afraid to ask. The disciples argue about who is the greatest, and Jesus
instructs them concerning true greatness.
Betrayed ... will rise (Mark 9:31)
Once again Jesus warned his disciples of what lay ahead for him: betrayal, death, and
resurrection. Here "betrayed" (Greek paradidomi) carries the meaning of: "to deliver a person
into the control of someone else, involving either the handing over of a presumably guilty
person for punishment by authorities or the handing over of an individual to an enemy who will
presumably take undue advantage of the victim - 'to hand over, to turn over to, to betray.'"831
This term "was used both of Judas' betrayal of Jesus (Mark 3:19; 14:41; Luke 24:7) and of God's
delivering up Jesus to death for the redemption of sinners (Isaiah 53:6, 12; Acts 2:23; Romans
8:32)."832 According to Mark's account, Jesus said that he "shall arise by his own power and
might,"833 whereas Matthew records that "God shall raise Jesus up" (see Matthew 17:23).834 Is
there a conflict here? Not at all. Besides the fact that "will rise" does not mean of one's own
power without any help from God (see Matthew 12:25; 1 Thessalonians 4:16), the Bible makes
clear that all three persons of the Trinity were involved in Jesus' resurrection and will also bring
about our own:835



831
Father: John 5:28-29; Acts 2:24, 32: 3:15, 26; 10:40; 17:31; Romans 4:24; 6:4, 9; 1
Corinthians 6:14; 15:4; 20; 2 Corinthians 1:9; 4:14; Galatians 1:1
Son: Mark 8:31; 9:9, 31; 10:34; John 2:19; 6:39-40; 10:17-18; 11:25; Acts 17:3; 1
Thessalonians 4:14
Holy Spirit: Romans 1:4; 8:11; 1 Peter 3:18
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
833
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
834
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
835
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible
832
Beyond that, it is worth noting that: "There is no inconsistency ... between Jesus' 'being raised'
by the Father and his 'rising' by his own power. As the obedient Servant of the Lord, who took
the sinner's sins and curse upon himself, he had to wait for the Father to raise him up, thereby
proving that Jesus' atoning work was indeed finished (John. 19:30). On the other hand, as God
incarnate he had also the authority and power to take again the life he had voluntarily laid
down, thus actively abolishing death, bringing life and immortality to light (2 Timothy 1:10),
being 'appointed the Son of God in power' (Romans 1:4 TNIV)."836
Afraid to ask (Mark 9:32)
We know from Mark and the other gospel writers that the disciples responded to Jesus'
announcement with "sorrow, bewilderment, and fear"837 (see Matthew 17:23; Luke 9:45). Why
were the disciples afraid to ask Jesus what he meant by all his talk of suffering and dying? In
simplest terms, it was because "they did not want to know."838 Why not? Likely for several
reasons:





The disciples did not want to face "the impending fate of their beloved Rabbi."839
They did not want to face up to their own probable suffering and possible death.840
They were too embarrassed, lest they not understand Jesus' explanation.
They feared being rebuked, as Peter had been.841
Jesus' premature death would crush "their hopes for a reigning Messiah"842 - including
the accompanying power and status to which they felt themselves entitled as officials
within his kingdom.
The greatest (Mark 9:34)
Jesus asked his disciples what they had been discussing, and they replied with embarrassed
silence.843 They had, in fact, been arguing about who was the greatest in their group - and
hence who would occupy the most prominent positions "in the political kingdom which they
were expecting [Jesus] to establish."844 "Perhaps the privileges given to Peter, James, and John
(cf. Mark 5:37; 9:2) fueled the argument."845 In any event, their "jealous rivalry"846 certainly
reflected the prevailing attitude of the day which paid homage to "persons of authority and
influence" while looking down on "someone with no rank, no authority, no privilege."847 Jesus
turned this mindset on its head by proclaiming that the greatest must be the servant of all.
What did he mean? "Being a 'servant' did not mean occupying a servile position; rather it
836
Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible
Baker's New Testament Commentary
838
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
839
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
840
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
841
Expositor's Bible Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Word Pictures in the New Testament
842
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
843
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
844
Word Pictures in the New Testament
845
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
846
Word Pictures in the New Testament
847
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
837
meant having an attitude of life that freely attended to others' needs without expecting or
demanding anything in return."848 As one source puts it: "True greatness does not consist in
this, that from a towering height a person, in a self-congratulatory manner, has the right now to
look down upon all others (Luke 18:9-12); but in this, that he immerses himself in the needs of
others, sympathizes with them and helps them in every way possible. So, if any person whether he be one of The Twelve or anyone else - wishes to be first, he must be last; that is,
servant of all."849
Thus it was that "Jesus described leadership from a new perspective. Instead of using people,
we are to serve them."850 Here Jesus used the word "servant" (Greek diakanos: "a person who
renders service"851), but elsewhere he used the word "slave" (Greek doulos: "one who is a slave
in the sense of becoming the property of an owner,"852 also translated "bondslave" or "bondservant") (see Matthew 20:27; Mark 10:44; Luke 17:10). Every true Christian is a slave/bondservant of Christ: we freely relinquish our rights in order to serve our Lord and serve other
people in his name. Jesus was not condemning "the desire to improve one's position in life but
He did teach that greatness in His kingdom was not determined by status but by
service."853 Jesus was actually condoning, not condemning, greatness - not "the false, earthly
idea of greatness that was in the minds of the disputing disciples," but true, spiritual
greatness.854
A little child (Mark 9:36)
Jesus used a child as a living illustration of anyone who is weak, in need, and humbly dependent
on others.855 "[C]hildren were held in little regard in late antiquity."856 The child here represents
one who is helpless and unable to repay anything done for him or her.857 To help one in such a
state is to offer sacrificial service.858 The true disciple of Jesus must be willing to assume a lowly
position in order to serve those who are in a lowly state.859 Certainly "[i]t is possible for
thoughtless, selfish people to gain a measure of worldly greatness, but lasting greatness is
measured by God's standards" - the first step of which is to replace personal achievement with
unselfish service.860 Rather than "seeking a place of service, [the disciples] were seeking
positions of advantage. Jesus used a child to help his self-centered disciples get the point. They
were to have servant attitudes, being not 'childish' (arguing over petty issues), but 'childlike,'
848
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Baker's New Testament Commentary
850
Life Application Study Bible
851
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
852
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
853
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
854
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
855
Baker's New Testament Commentary
856
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; NET Bible Notes
857
The Bible Reader's Companion
858
Expositor's Bible Commentary
859
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
860
Life Application Study Bible
849
with humble and sincere hearts."861 To humbly render service to someone and expect
absolutely nothing in return is to perform a great act of faith - although "its greatness will not
be displayed until the judgment day."862
The little child also offers some invaluable lessons on what it takes to enter God's kingdom:
"When we receive Jesus, we actually 'enter' or are 'received into' his kingdom. The way into this
kingdom is to turn to God from sin in the same spirit of humility that a child exhibits when he
shows simple trust in someone he loves. A child comes to a trusted adult without achievements
or personal greatness; instead, the child comes simply trusting that he will be received and
loved."863
HEAR (heart)
China's First Emperor
The story of China's first emperor is a story of the wrong type of ambition.
By the age of thirteen, Ying Cheng had become a warlord, and for the next twenty-five
years he fought other warlords and amassed a million-man army. He had a well-earned
reputation for completely devouring his enemies.
"At the height of his power he adopted a new title: Ch'in Shih Huang Ti - First Divine
Emperor of China. It was because of this title that we call his land China today. He
boasted that he was the head of a dynasty that would last ten thousand years."
Besides establishing a central monarchy, Emperor Ch'in "developed a uniform code of
law, launched massive public works - roads and canals - and built a shining new capital."
He had a massive palace that was one and a half miles long and a half-mile wide.
The Emperor's "greatest" achievement, however, was the great Wall of China. Built with
forced labor, it is said that the bones of the tens of thousands of workers who perished
on the job were ground up and added to the mortar. "If it were in the United States, it
would reach from Los Angeles to New York and back again to Chicago. At its top was a
roadway wide enough for eight men marching abreast, and it was connected by twentyfive thousand towers. Signal messages could be sent across ancient China in twenty-four
hours."
Emperor Ch'in died at the age of forty-one, the victim of a plot by his prime minister.
The conspirators also forged a letter to the Emperor's son, the end result of which was
the son's suicide.
Rather than a ten-thousand year dynasty, Emperor Ch'in's was in fact the shortest
dynasty in the history of China.864
861
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
863
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
864
Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes (paraphrased)
862
"It is not wrong for believers to be industrious or ambitious. But when ambition pushes aside
obedience and service, it becomes sin. We are all like the disciples and even like the Pharisees
in this regard. Pride or insecurity can cause us to overvalue position and prestige."865 As Jesus
taught by both word and example, true and lasting greatness begins with being ambitious to do
God's will by offering sacrificial service to those who cannot repay us.
DO (hands)
??? When you think of "greatness," what images come to mind? What can this passage teach us
about true greatness and how we can attain it?
[[@Bible:Mark 9:38-50]]
Mark 9:38-50
Using the Name of Jesus
38 John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we
told him to stop because he wasn't in our group."
39 "Don't stop him!" Jesus said. "No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be
able to speak evil of me. 40 Anyone who is not against us is for us. 41 If anyone gives you even a
cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be
rewarded.
42 "But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be
better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. 43 If your
hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It's better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go
into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. 45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.
It's better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two
feet. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It's better to enter the Kingdom of God
with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 'where the maggots never
die and the fire never goes out.'
49 "For everyone will be tested with fire. 50 Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its
flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves
and live in peace with each other."
SEE (head)
The disciples complain that a man who isn't a member of their group is acting as though he is.
Jesus responds by telling them that even the smallest act of service done in his name is a good
thing and will be rewarded. Jesus then addresses the seriousness of causing anyone to stumble
and the drastic way in which his disciples must deal with whatever causes them to sin. Those
who follow Jesus are to be like salt.
Wasn't in our group (Mark 9:38)
It seems the disciples were still stinging from their inability to cast the demon out of the boy.
Here someone who is not a part of their group was doing what they were supposed to be doing
but could not.866 Although the disciples thought they had done the right thing in rebuking the
865
866
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
rebel exorcist, they were now having second thoughts after Jesus' statement regarding
welcoming others in his name (Mark 9:37)867 Apparently the anonymous exorcist "was a
disciple but not one of the Twelve commissioned by Jesus to do this work."868 Thus "Jesus is not
dealing with a man who is settled in his determination not to join the band of his disciples but
with a man whose knowledge is still limited, whose faith is yet young, and of whom our
expectation must be that he will grow in both."869
Rather than focusing inward in an attempt to identify and deal with the true source of their
problem, the disciples focused outward in an effort to label and deter the man whose ministry
was successful. And so Jesus takes the opportunity to teach them about the nature of sin,
including its source and its seriousness.
This situation is reminiscent of God's appointing 70 elders to help Moses:870
16 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Gather before me seventy men who are recognized
as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you.17 I
will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and
I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with
you, so you will not have to carry it alone. ...
24 So Moses ... gathered the seventy elders and stationed them around the
Tabernacle. 25 And the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Then he
gave the seventy elders the same Spirit that was upon Moses. And when the Spirit
rested upon them, they prophesied. But this never happened again.
26 Two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed behind in the camp. They were listed
among the elders, but they had not gone out to the Tabernacle. Yet the Spirit rested
upon them as well, so they prophesied there in the camp. 27 A young man ran and
reported to Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!"
28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' assistant since his youth, protested,
"Moses, my master, make them stop!"
29 But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD's people
were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit upon them all!" 30 Then Moses
returned to the camp with the elders of Israel. (Numbers 11:16-30, NLT)
Regarding that situation, one Bible commentator offers the following helpful remarks:
The text states that these elders prophesied, but they did not continue to do so. It
seems that the temporary gift of prophecy to these elders was primarily to establish
their credentials as Spirit-empowered leaders rather than to make of them ongoing
agents of the prophecy of the Spirit. Their principal task will not be revelatory; God still
867
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary
869
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
870
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
868
speaks through Moses. The task of the elders will be to help in the administration of the
immense population, in its varied needs, especially in the context of the increasing
impiety of the people.
Two of the designated elders did not meet with the others when the Spirit of God came
on the group. For some reason they remained in the camp. But they also received the
gift of the Spirit, and they also began to prophesy. A young man who was devoted to
Moses rushed to his master to inform him of this phenomenon and to beg his master to
have them cease. The prophesying of Eldad and Medad in the camp where the common
people would see them was perceived as an opportunity for further personal attacks on
Moses. If these men had the same gift as Moses, and if they were in the midst of the
people making prophetic proclamations, then could they not use their new gifts to bring
about further sedition against God's servant?
Here the true spirit of Moses is demonstrated. Rather than being threatened by the
public demonstration of the gifts of the Spirit by Eldad and Medad, Moses desired that
all the people might have the full gifts of the Spirit. This verse is a suitable introduction
to the inexcusable challenge to the leadership of Moses in Numbers 12. Moses'
magnanimity compares with that of Jesus in Mark 9:38-41 and Paul in Philippians 1:1518. His expression of the desire for the falling of the Spirit of God on all the people is
anticipative of the promise of God through the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-32) and the
experience of the early Christians in Acts 2:5-21.871
Cause ... to fall (Mark 9:42)
Jesus warned against causing one of the little ones who trusts in him "to fall into sin" ("to
stumble" NASB; Greek skandalizo), meaning "to cause to sin, with the probable implication of
providing some special circumstances which contribute to such behavior."872 (Our English word
"scandal" is closely related to it.) The original picture is of "the piece of wood that kept open a
trap for animals,"873 and so had the sense of "'springing forward and back,' 'slamming to,'
'closing on something,' or 'trapping.'"874
Jesus "refers to enticing or provoking a disciple to turn away from [him], resulting in serious
spiritual damage. The undeveloped faith of the exorcist (Mark 9:38) or anyone else who acts in
Jesus' name (Mark 9:41) should be encouraged rather than ruined by harsh criticism or
sectarian bias."875 The good news is that God has provided all that is necessary to prevent our
stumbling: "In his farewell discourse Jesus declares: 'I have said all this to you to keep you from
falling away [hina me skandalisthete]' (John 16:1). He refers here especially to the promise of
871
Expositor's Bible Commentary (quoted verbatim)
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
873
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
874
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume
875
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
872
the advocate, paraclete or helper (John 15:18-27), but also to his preaching as a whole (cf. John
6:63)."876
Jesus' warning can and should be applied to wolves in sheep's clothing who promote
blasphemous heresy such as can be found within Christian Science, the Jehovah's Witnesses,
the Mormons, and the Word (of) Faith movement (see Romans 16:17-18; 1 Timothy 6:3-12; 2
Timothy 3:1-6). These types of false teachers are guilty many times over of enticing people into
sin through the abandonment of sound doctrine.877 Their (apparent) success is fleeting,
however, and on the day of judgment they will beg for a millstone necktie rather than the
eternal fate that they will have earned for themselves. The fact that God has not yet judged
these leaders for their false teachings that cause many to take offense and stumble is in no way
a sign of his approval; rather, it indicates "that the time of judgment is not yet ripe." 878
Hand ... foot ... eye (Mark 9:43, 45, 47)
"[F]rom the thought of entrapping and destroying others Jesus turns to the allied thought that
we may entrap ourselves and do this through one or the other of our bodily members."879 Jesus
identified sin with parts of the human body. Not only was this in keeping with contemporary
rabbinic teaching,880 but it helped to underline the nature of sin. Obviously Jesus was not
advocating literal self-mutilation, since there would still be one hand, foot, etc. that could cause
us to sin.881 "In the Bible, feet are often associated with traveling to do evil, hands with
accomplishments, and eyes with vision or desires of the heart, aspirations, or
ambitions."882 While our bodies do not lead us into sin, we do use our bodies to commit sin. As
one source puts it: "Do [your bodily members] really act independently of your person? Does
your hand, foot, or eye without your volition set and bait a trap for your soul and then catch
and kill it? Certainly not. It is your own evil heart and will that abuse these bodily members to
make them the instruments of lusts and passions that center within you. It ought to be plain,
then, that removing these members from your body and mutilating it would not help you, the
lusts and passions would still be there. The heart and will must be changed."883
A person with a diseased limb that had to be amputated in order to save his/her life would be
foolish indeed not to undergo the surgery, since, after all, it is better to sacrifice a limb than to
lose a life.884 We should see sin in the same way: We can keep our sin and lose our life, or we
can give up our sin and save our life. Jesus was saying "that any relationship, practice, or activity
that leads to sin should be stopped. As a person would submit to losing a diseased appendage
(hand or foot) or a sense (sight) in order to save his or her life, so believers should be just as
876
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume
878
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
879
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
880
The Daily Study Bible Series
881
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
882
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
883
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
884
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
877
willing to 'cut off' any temptation, habit, or part of their nature that could lead them to hold
onto this world and turn away from Christ and into sin."885
Later the apostle Paul admonished the believers in Rome to "not go on presenting the
members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present ... your members
as instruments of righteousness to God" (Romans 6:13, NASB). The word "instruments"
(Greek hoplon) originally meant "any tool or implement for preparing a thing."886 It was used
"figuratively for weapons of both offense and defense," and in the NT is always used "in the
plural for 'weapons.'"887 This helps underscore the fact that the followers of Jesus Christ are in a
spiritual battle of cosmic proportions. Our bodies are neutral instruments that can be used for
either good or bad. We sin when we use our hands to harm rather than to help. We sin when
we use our feet to carry us to the places we should not go rather than to the places we should
go. And we sin when we use our eyes to look longingly at the things we can't have rather than
to gaze gratefully on the many blessings God has given us.
Hell (Mark 9:43, 45, 47)
The word Jesus used for "hell," Gehenna, is
the Greek representative of the Hebrew Ge-Hinnom, or Valley of Hinnom, a deep,
narrow glen to the south of Jerusalem, where, after the introduction of the worship of
the fire-gods by Ahaz, the idolatrous Jews sacrificed their children to Molech. Josiah
formally desecrated it, "that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through
the fire to Molech" (2 Kings 23:10). After this it became the common refuse-place of the
city, into which the bodies of criminals, carcasses of animals, and all sorts of filth were
cast. From its depth and narrowness, and its fire and ascending smoke, it became the
symbol of the place of the future punishment of the wicked.888
When Jesus spoke of "'hell, "where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out,"'" he
was quoting from Isaiah 66:24, which reads: "'Then they will go forth and look On the corpses
of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die And their fire will
not be quenched; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind'" (NASB). The torment will be
internal (ref: "the maggots"/"their worm" = the conscience889), external (ref: "the fire"/"their
fire"), and eternal (ref: the undying worm and the unquenchable fire).890 Hell serves as both a
warning and a reminder: it is a warning of "the unending, conscious punishment"891 that is in
store for anyone who continues living in rebellion against God, and it is a reminder of the
885
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Thayer's Greek Definitions
887
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume
888
Vincent's Word Studies (quoted verbatim)
889
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
890
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary
on the New Testament
891
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
886
"unending torment and eternal exclusion from His presence" that we are delivered from
if/when we accept Christ's offer of salvation.
Three additional but related points are worth mentioning. First, when the Bible speaks of the
"destruction" of the wicked, it is referring to an ongoing (= eternal) punishment and not, as
some claim, total annihilation (see Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9).892 Second, Hell is
something that a person chooses for him-/herself, and then a judgment from God in keeping
with that person's choice. Hence Jesus' "'go into the unquenchable fires of hell'" (v. 43) versus
"'be thrown into hell'" (v. 47).893 Third, in all likelihood, both Heaven and Hell will be void of
time and space as we understand those concepts right now.894
Fire ... salt (Mark 9:49, 50)
Jesus said: "'For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty,
with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one
another'" (Mark 9:49-50, NASB). What did Jesus intend with all his talk about salt? While
interpretations vary, it seems likely that Jesus was drawing upon the OT requirement, set forth
in Leviticus 2, that the grain offering be salted.895 There the emphasis is on purity and
permanence: God's people were called to live pure lives and to avoid whatever would spoil the
permanent covenant relationship between them and God.896 Thus Jesus was referring to "the
process of purification, or purging, through which everyone must pass in order to gain entry
into the Kingdom of God."897 As another source puts it: "Jesus was looking upon the disciples as
sacrifices to God and at discipleship as a purifying process. The 'fire' that purified them
probably referred to trials and persecutions that made them fit for service (see Matthew 5:1012; 1 Corinthians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:7; 4:12)."898
Jesus' reference to "fire" also recalls John the Baptist's testimony that the one greater than he
(= Jesus) would baptize with both the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11 = Luke 3:16). A
temporary, purifying fire awaits all those who follow Jesus (see John 16:33; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1
Peter 4:12-13), while a permanent, punishing fire awaits all those who reject him.899 "[W]ithin
the hearts and lives of believers it will destroy what is bad and bring out what is good, causing
them to be a preservative force, a salting salt, in the midst of their environment."900 This
purification process can be compared to "salt in its burning property when it destroys the
germs of corruption. It is the Word of Christ in its power to burn out of our hearts" whatever
would prevent us from being effective for God, including "the evil desire to entrap others (v. 42)
and the evil desires that would allow our own bodily members to entrap us ourselves (v. 43–
892
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
894
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
895
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament; Evangelical Commentary on the Bible; Expositor's Bible
Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
896
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament
897
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
898
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
899
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible
900
Baker's New Testament Commentary
893
48). ... [T]he Word which is excellent as salt may become saltless for us when we do not apply it
properly to ourselves. You may have the whole Bible, but if you shrink from its sanctifying
power you will not be freed from your corruption. Therefore [Jesus' admonition to 'have the
qualities of salt among yourselves' (v. 50)] means using the Word constantly to keep us free
from evil and spiritually clean and pure."901 This is true discipleship which, in practical terms,
demands: "obedience, denial of self, humility, and willing suffering for the sake of the kingdom.
The disciples were to allow God's purifying work to be done in them. They, in turn, would be
purifying agents in the community and in the world."902
Once a person has entered into God's kingdom, he/she is fully expected to exert a positive
influence on the world at large, to be sure, but first and foremost within the Christian
fellowship. Hence Jesus' admonition to "'be at peace with one another.'" "If within the
brotherhood there is nothing but carping and quarrelling, how can those who call themselves
Christians expect to win others to Christ? It is therefore not surprising that an echo of this
exhortation is found also in the epistles of Paul (Romans 12:18; 2 Corinthians 13:11; 1
Thessalonians 5:13)."903 Along those lines, it is very possible to see in Jesus' words "the
beginning of a move to a time when the defining characteristics of God's Spirit-indwelt people
would not be temple, sacrifice, food laws, or Torah-observance, but rather the quality of their
lives and relationships (cf. John 13:35)."904
The image of salt should remind us of
three qualities that should be found in [God's] people:
1. We should remember God's faithfulness, just as salt when used with a sacrifice
recalled God's covenant with his people (Leviticus 2:13).
2. We should make a difference in the "flavor" of the world we live in, just as salt
changes meat's flavor (see Matthew 5:13).
3. We should counteract the moral decay in society, just as salt preserves food from
decay.
When we lose this desire to "salt" the earth with the love and message of God, we become
useless to him.905
HEAR (heart)
Belief Determines Character
The story is told of an ancient ring with the amazing ability to instill in its wearer such
noble character as to be the object of everyone's admiration and affection.
901
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
903
Baker's New Testament Commentary
904
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
905
Life Application Study Bible (quoted verbatim)
902
By and by the ring made its way into the hands of a man who had three sons. Loving
each son equally, he was utterly perplexed as to which of his sons should inherit the
ring. Unable to decide, he had two other rings made that were identical in every way to
the first. Upon his deathbed he called his sons in, one at a time, and gave each of them a
ring.
Following the funeral the sons realized that each of them had the ring but that only one
was the genuine article. Unable to decide for themselves which was the magical ring,
they sought out a wise and discerning judge to advise them.
After examining the rings, the judge declared that he could not tell them apart, either.
"But," he said, "you yourselves can decide who has the real ring. For if the ring provides
its wearer with noble character, then each one of you must go and decide to live a life
marked by kindness, truthfulness, bravery, and justice. He whose life is filled with these
things is the owner of the true ring."906
This story helps to illustrate how our beliefs determine our behavior. If each brother believed
he had the true ring, he would act accordingly. In the same way, those of us who claim to know
and believe in Jesus Christ will act like it. We will see the seriousness of sin. And we will take
note of our own sins before we take note of others' sins. Which, in turn, will lead us to draw
ever closer to God in order to overcome our sins and live out the life he intends us to live
through the power and direction of his Holy Spirit.
DO (hands)
??? According to this passage, how serious is sin? What must we do to rid ourselves of sin's
power in our lives?

Mark 10
[[@Bible:Mark 10:1-12]]
Mark 10:1-12
Discussion about Divorce and Marriage
1 Then Jesus left Capernaum and went down to the region of Judea and into the area east of the
Jordan River. Once again crowds gathered around him, and as usual he was teaching them.
2 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: "Should a man be allowed
to divorce his wife?"
3 Jesus answered them with a question: "What did Moses say in the law about divorce?"
4 "Well, he permitted it," they replied. "He said a man can give his wife a written notice of
divorce and send her away."
906
The Daily Study Bible Series (paraphrased)
5 But Jesus responded, "He wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard
hearts. 6 But 'God made them male and female' from the beginning of creation. 7 This explains
why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, 8 and the two are united into
one.' Since they are no longer two but one, 9 let no one split apart what God has joined
together."
10 Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house, they brought up the subject
again. 11 He told them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery
against her. 12 And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits
adultery."
SEE (head)
Continuing to make his way southward toward Jerusalem, Jesus is once again accosted by
Pharisees seeking to trap him with a question on a much- debated topic. This time they want to
know Jesus' opinion regarding divorce. As usual, Jesus quickly moves from mere human opinion
to God's authoritative declaration. Moses never commanded divorce; he sought merely to
regulate a practice that fell far short of God's intention for marriage. Any and every act of
divorce violates the sanctity and permanence of an institution established by God himself.
Divorce (Mark10:2)
The religious leaders asked Jesus "whether it was lawful [Greek exesti: "to be obligatory - 'must,
ought to'907] for a man to divorce [Greek apoluo: "to let loose from, let go free"908] a wife"
(Mark 10:2, NASB). The Pharisees were once again trying to trap Jesus, their aim being "to
discredit him in the eyes of the public, so that the crowds would turn away from him."909 The
Pharisees would have been well aware of the fact that it was the issue of divorce that had led to
John the Baptist's imprisonment and eventual execution.910 Since "Jesus was now in the
jurisdiction of Herod Antipas (i.e., Judea and beyond the Jordan),"911 it seems very likely the
Pharisees were hoping Jesus' stance would likewise land him in trouble with Herod.912 At the
very least, Jesus' taking sides in the debate would likely "split the ranks of His followers."913
Among the Jews of Jesus' day, there were two basic schools of thought regarding divorce, one
broad-loose-liberal and the other narrow-strict-conservative.914 The broad-loose-liberal view
was that of Rabbi Hillel (HILL el915), which held that a man could divorce his wife - only in very
rare cases could/would a wife divorce her husband916 - for many less-than-serious "offenses,"
including "going in public with uncovered head, entering into conversation with other men,
speaking disrespectfully of the husband's parents in his presence, burning the bread, being
907
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
909
Baker's New Testament Commentary
910
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
911
NET Bible Notes
912
Expositor's Bible Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
913
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
914
Baker's New Testament Commentary
915
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
916
NET Bible Notes
908
quarrelsome or troublesome, getting a bad reputation or being childless (for ten years),"917 or
even if the husband was to find "another woman more beautiful than" his wife. 918 Those who
subscribed to the narrow-strict-conservative view of Rabbi Shammai (SHAM eye919), however,
understood divorce to be warranted only in the case of sexual immorality.920
The law (Mark 10:3)
"Appeal to the Law of Moses was for the Jewish people ... an appeal to the highest authority on
any question."921 By asking what Moses "commanded" (see Mark 10:3 in NASB), Jesus was
forcing the religious leaders to acknowledge that divorce was permitted but not demanded.922
Hence their reply: "'Moses permitted a man TO WRITE A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND
her AWAY.'" (Mark 10:4, NASB). Thus Jesus challenged the "assumption that because
something is 'permitted,' it is therefore according to the will of God."923 (Polygamy is another
example of this same truth.)
In answering Jesus, the Pharisees summarized Deuteronomy 24:1-4: "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
indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her
out from his house, and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man's wife, and if
the latter husband turns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce ... " (NASB). The
problem is that since "some indecency" and "turns against (= hates) her" were not clearly
defined, their meaning was open to debate.924 They likely do not refer to either adultery or premarital sexual relations, as both were addressed elsewhere and, moreover, carried a penalty of
death (see Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:13-29).925 ("By Jesus' time [ca. A.D. 30] the death
penalty was dropped, but Rabbinic law compelled a husband to divorce an adulterous wife.926)
"The great mistake of the Pharisees was that they imagined that the dissolution of marriage for
some cause or other was originally contemplated in the will of God concerning marriage. Hence
they thought that for this reason Moses wrote that permission in Deuteronomy 24:1 and
commanded only that a written certificate be given the wife."927
The law's intent was to check divorce, not to encourage it.928 Moses allowed divorce "in view of
their hardheartedness, their obstinate refusal to accept God's view of marriage. Moses
acknowledged the presence of divorce in Israel but did not institute or authorize it."929The fact
917
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
919
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
920
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary; NET Bible Notes
921
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
922
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
923
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
924
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
925
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
926
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
927
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
928
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
929
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
918
is that Moses sought to bring civility to a very uncivil practice. As one source puts it: "Jesus
explained that Moses gave the divorce law because of the sinfulness of the human heart. The
law protected the wife by restraining the husband from impulsively divorcing her and abusing
her like an unwanted piece of furniture, instead of treating her like a human being. Without a
bill of divorcement, a woman could easily become a social outcast and be treated like a harlot.
No man would want to marry her, and she would be left defenseless and destitute."930 Once
the divorce took place and the wife married another man, she could never again return to her
first husband, not even if the second husband divorced her or died. Apparently this provision
was added in an effort to force the husband to think twice before rejecting his wife. 931
God (Mark 10:6)
"Jesus answered the question not on the basis of rabbinic custom and the debate over
Deuteronomy 24:1, but rather from the account of creation and God's original design."932 In
effect, while the religious leaders were arguing that marriage can (should?) be considered a
temporary arrangement, Jesus upheld its permanence. "The Hebrew words for 'male' and
'female' reveal that the two were made complementary to each other. God's plan was that in
marriage the husband and wife become one flesh, an intimate closeness that cannot be
separated. The wife is not property to be disposed of, but an equally created person."933 In
quoting from the book of Genesis (Genesis 1:27 [and possibly Genesis 5:2], and Genesis 2:24),
Jesus demonstrated: 1) that God created marriage to be a lifelong union of one man and one
woman, and so 2) "[d]ivorce is tantamount to an undoing of the created order."934
Both of the popular interpretations regarding divorce were prejudiced in favor of the husband
and thus resulted in his advantage.935 Jesus said "it was because of the hardness of men's
hearts that divorce was conceded. The law was unequally balanced to the disadvantage of
women, and Jesus' ruling, with its appeal to the Creator's intention, had the effect of redressing
this unequal balance."936
Some Bible versions/translations extend Mark 10:7 (see NET Bible textual commentary). The
NASB reads: ""FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER,'" while the
KJV adds: "'and cleave to his wife.'" ESV: "'and hold fast to his wife.'" HCSB: "'[and be joined to
his wife,]'" While Jesus' point regarding the permanence of marriage remains the same with or
without the additional text, nonetheless it is worth noting that "cleave/hold fast" (Greek
proskollao) means: "To glue one thing to another."937 And so the thought is that a man will
leave his parents and be glued to his wife. Thus "'the two are united into one'" (Mark 10:8).
"The Pharisees, who allowed a husband to discharge a wife at will for any trumped-up cause,
930
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
Baker's New Testament Commentary
932
NET Bible Notes
933
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
934
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
935
Hard Sayings of the Bible
936
Hard Sayings of the Bible
937
The Complete Word Study Dictionary
931
were in conflict with the divine view of marriage. They considered husband and wife two like
master and servant so that the husband could remove his wife at any time."938
As one source puts it: "Marriage is not a contract of temporary convenience which can be
readily broken; it is a covenant of mutual fidelity to a lifelong union made before God."939"This
does not mean that a man is committing a sin by not getting married. Rather, it means that
those who decide to marry must view marriage as a divine institution, a state in which they
must so conduct themselves that true union - sexual, to be sure … but also intellectual, moral,
and spiritual - is not only established but more and more firmly cemented."940 How is this
accomplished? By seeing marriage as a team effort in which both partners work together, plan
together, pray together, play together, and pull together.941 Which goes along with Jesus
statement that "'God has joined together' [Greek: suzeugnumi]" (v. 9) the man and woman - a
word picture of two animals being yoked together.942
Adultery (Mark 10:11, 12)
"Adultery" (Greek moichao) refers to "sexual intercourse of a man with a married woman other
than his own spouse. From the standpoint of the NT, adultery was normally defined in terms of
the married status of the woman involved in any such act. In other words, sexual intercourse of
a married man with an unmarried woman would usually be regarded as 'fornication,' but sexual
intercourse of either an unmarried or a married man with someone else's wife was regarded as
adultery, both on the part of the man as well as the woman."943 It is important to note that
"Jesus did what the rabbis refused to do: he recognized that a man could commit adultery
against his wife. In rabbinic Judaism a woman by infidelity could commit adultery against her
husband; and a man, by having sexual relations with another man's wife, could commit adultery
against him. But a man could never commit adultery against his wife, no matter what he did.
Jesus, by putting the husband under the same moral obligation as the wife, raised the status
and dignity of women."944
If, as appears likely, "commits adultery" (moichao) is in the middle voice, then the thought is
that the offending spouse has made him-/herself an adulterer/adulteress.945 "Unlike Roman
law, Palestinian Jewish law did not permit a woman to divorce her husband (although under
extreme circumstances she could request that the court force him to divorce her)."946 Whether
Jesus' words regarding a woman divorcing her husband reflected the rare Jewish practice
and/or the more common Gentile practice, his point remains the same: "the sin consisted in the
disruption of the marriage, no matter by what means this was effected."947
938
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
940
Baker's New Testament Commentary
941
Baker's New Testament Commentary
942
The Complete Word Study Dictionary
943
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
944
Expositor's Bible Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
945
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
946
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
947
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
939
Jesus' statement to his disciples might be paraphrased: "Any man who unlawfully divorces his
wife in order to marry another woman makes himself an adulterer. And any woman who
unlawfully forces her husband to divorce her in order to marry another man makes herself an
adulteress." Since elsewhere Jesus affirmed that adultery (Gk. porneia) is the only justifiable
grounds for divorce (Matthew 5:32; 19:9), one lesson to be drawn from Jesus' teaching is that
the innocent party in a marriage - that is, the one who was left behind - is free to remarry.
Although the ideal response is always forgiveness and reconciliation,948 in the event that simply
is not possible - such as in the case of unrepentant adultery - the innocent party should not feel
as if he/she sins against God by remarrying. "In all his utterances on this subject Jesus blames
only the one who disrupts the marriage and not the one whose marriage is disrupted. ... The
deduction cannot be drawn from the words of Jesus that a disrupted marriage is still a binding
marriage in the sight of God. ... Nowhere does Jesus forbid the innocent party of a disrupted
marriage to marry again. As regards the guilty one who causes the disruption, the way of
repentance is surely open also for such a sinner as it is open for any other who has caused an
irreparable wrong to another."949(Notice the link between living in "peace" and
marriage/divorce both here [Mark 9:50-10:12] and in what the apostle Paul wrote to the
Christians in Corinth [1 Corinthians 7:12-16].)
HEAR (heart)






Matrimonial Musings
"A deaf husband and a blind wife are always a happy couple." - French Proverb950
"A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers." - Robert Quillen (1887-1948)951
"An ideal wife is any woman who has an ideal husband."952
"By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you will become very happy. If you get a
bad one, you will become a philosopher." - Socrates (470-399 B.C.)953
"Even if marriages are made in heaven, man has to be responsible for the
maintenance."954
"[W]hen the doors on a marriage are shut and bolted and a fire breaks out, all your time
and energy goes to putting out the flames." 955
We need to emulate "Jesus' high view of marriage and low view of divorce. ... God created
marriage to be a sacred, permanent union and partnership between husband and wife. When
both husband and wife enter this union with that understanding and commitment, they can
948
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
950
Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World
951
Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World
952
Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World
953
Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World
954
Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World
955
Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes
949
provide security for each other, a stable home for their children, and strength to weather any of
life's storms or stresses."956
DO (hands)
??? How does God's design for marriage compare to our society's loose and free attitude
regarding both marriage and divorce?
[[@Bible:Mark 10:13-16]]
Mark 10:13-16
Jesus Blesses the Children
13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But
the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
14 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them,
"Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who
are like these children. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God
like a child will never enter it." 16 Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on
their heads and blessed them.
SEE (head)
Like other religious leaders of his day, Jesus is approached by parents wanting him to bless their
children. The disciples try to prevent this. To their way of thinking, Jesus' time and energy are
much too valuable to waste on those who can do nothing to further his kingdom. Jesus
responds by assuring his disciples that anyone desiring to enter his kingdom must become like
these little children.
Parents (Mark 10:13)
While the main focus of this passage is the children, we can learn much from the parents, as
well. As parents, they were responsible for protecting and guiding their children. They refused
to be deterred in their mission of bringing their most prized possessions to Jesus. They trusted
him with them. They saw and heard Jesus use their children to teach some valuable lessons
regarding God's kingdom. As the children grew up, doubtless they would often be reminded of
the time their parents took them to Jesus so he could bless them. "How wonderful that in later
years believing parents would be able to say to such a child, now arrived at the age of
understanding, 'Think of it, when you, my child, were just a suckling, Jesus took you in his arms
and blessed you. Then already you were the object of God's tender love. And he has been with
you ever since. What, then, is your response?'"957
Children (Mark 10:13)
The fact that Mark placed this episode immediately after Jesus' teaching on divorce should
remind us that bearing and raising children is one of God's purposes for marriage that is
dramatically undermined by divorce. Both here and in Mark's earlier account (see Mark 9:36),
we see Jesus taking children into his arms (Greek enagkalizomai: "to put one's arms around
someone as an expression of affection and concern - 'to embrace, to hug, to put one's arms
956
957
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Baker's New Testament Commentary
around.'"958), a display of tender affection made even more noteworthy by the fact that Mark is
the only gospel writer to record it.959
Jesus then "placed his hands on their heads and blessed them" (v. 16). While the Bible in
general and the NT in particular contain many examples of someone offering or extending a
blessing, Jesus' was a very special blessing. While "bless" in general means: "to ask God to
bestow divine favor on, with the implication that the verbal act itself constitutes a significant
benefit,"960 in recording Jesus' blessing of the children, Mark used a unique "intensive
compound verb ... (kateulogei, imperf., occurring only here in the NT) [that] emphasizes the
warmhearted fervor with which Jesus blessed each child who came to Him."961 As one source
notes: "Jesus did not rush through the process or pass it off as unimportant. It probably brought
him great joy to spend time with little children whose faith and trust was so pure and simple.
The receptiveness of these children was a great contrast to the stubbornness of the religious
leaders, who let their education and sophistication stand in the way of the simple faith needed
to believe in Jesus; and the dullness of the disciples, whose self-centeredness continued to
blind them to Jesus' true mission. No wonder Jesus used children as an example for hardhearted adults."962
Jesus' attitude is in stark contrast to that of his disciples: "the disciples scolded the parents for
bothering [Jesus]" (v. 13), evidently seeing the children as a disruptive distraction.963
"Considering their inability to have any quiet time together, the disciples may have viewed
these parents and children as another intrusion and drain of time and energy." 964 Thus once
again the disciples display a misunderstanding of "both Jesus' compassion and his mission."965
Jesus' rebuke and Kingdom statement highlights the fact that "[a]ll, including children, who
come to Jesus in childlike trust and dependence, are given free access to Jesus.966
Like these children ... like a child (Mark 10:14, 15)
Jesus said that "'the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children'" (v. 14).
"Children are a picture of those whose simple trust illustrates what faith is all about. The
remark illustrates how everyone is important to God, even those whom others regard as
insignificant."967 Jesus also said that "'anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a
child will never enter it'" (v. 15). Thus we understand that "God's kingdom is not gained by
human achievement or merit; it must be received as God's gift through simple trust by those
who acknowledge their inability to gain it any other way."968 God's kingdom cannot be gained
958
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
960
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
961
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
962
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
963
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
964
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
965
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
966
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
967
NET Bible Notes
968
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
959
by asserting our alleged authority or demanding our supposed rights.969 As one source puts it:
"Jesus is talking about the simple, humble, unquestioning, trustful manner in which a child
accepts what is offered to him."970 It needs to be said that this includes actual children. At times
we tend to think that children must come to Jesus the same way adults do when, in fact, Jesus
said it is actually the reverse.971 (It is "mature" adults, not children, who oftentimes "feel
supremely powerful, perfectly righteous, or totally autonomous" - all childish fantasies which
must be laid aside before we can come to Christ.972)
Luke's parallel account (see Luke 18:15) notes that parents were bringing even their "babies"
(Greek brephos: "a very small child, even one still unborn"973) to Jesus to be blessed by him.974
The positive qualities of children are a vivid illustration of true discipleship. Like children, we are
to be open and receptive to what God offers us. Like children, we are to trust completely in,
and rely completely on, our Father. Like children, we are to be humble and obedient. 975 (It goes
without saying that we should avoid the negative qualities of children such as being stubborn,
selfish, rebellious, spoiled etc.976) With infants in particular, we are to imitate their trust and
dependence.977
HEAR (heart)
No Helmets
There's a true story of a family who were driving along the coast of Florida as part of
their vacation. They came across a sign that read "Naturist Camp" and assumed it was
the same as a naturalist camp. And so they drove into the camp, parked their car, and
began walking toward the beach.
To their utter embarrassment, they realized they were wrong about the camp when
they saw a group of bicyclists, all completely nude, peddling along the beach. The
"naturist" camp was actually a "nudist" camp!
When they saw the cyclists, the couple's five-yea-old son stopped and stared in wideeyed wonder. He pointed at the group and said, "Look, Mom and Dad. Those people are
not wearing safety helmets!"978
The five-year-old noticed what, to him, was the most important thing: the absence of safety
helmets. As God's children, we are called to help others see the most important thing they are
missing: a real and personal relationship with the real and personal God who made them. As we
969
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
971
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
972
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
973
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
974
Baker's New Testament Commentary
975
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; NET Bible Notes
976
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
977
Baker's New Testament Commentary
978
The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart And 1,501 Other Stories (paraphrased)
970
consistently ask God to fill our lives with a love for others, he will increase our childlike faith
and use us to impact our world for Jesus Christ.
DO (hands)
??? What are some practical things we can do to foster the positive qualities of children in
ourselves and others?
[[@Bible:Mark 10:17-31]]
Mark 10:17-31
The Rich Man
17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt
down, and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked. "Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your
question, you know the commandments: 'You must not murder. You must not commit adultery.
You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father
and mother.'"
20 "Teacher," the man replied, "I've obeyed all these commandments since I was young."
21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. "There is still one thing you haven't
done," he told him. "Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you
will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 At this the man's face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the
Kingdom of God!" 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, "Dear children, it is very hard to
enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle
than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"
26 The disciples were astounded. "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked.
27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with
God. Everything is possible with God."
28 Then Peter began to speak up. "We've given up everything to follow you," he said.
29 "Yes," Jesus replied, "and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers
or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will
receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and
property - along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.
31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least
important now will be the greatest then."
SEE (head)
Jesus is approached by a young man of some importance, probably a leader in his community,
who asks Jesus how to be made right with God. In response, Jesus recites some of the ten
commandments. When the young man says he has always kept them, Jesus tells him to get rid
of his wealth and then follow him. The man refuses, and he leaves disheartened. Jesus then
says how difficult it is for a person with material wealth to be made right with God. The
disciples are amazed, and Peter points out how much he and the others have given up to follow
Jesus. Jesus says anything given for the kingdom will be given back many times over - but not
without difficulties and suffering.
A man (Mark 10:17)
At first all we know of this man is that he was eager ("came running") and tremendously
respectful ("knelt down") (v. 17).979 Matthew and Luke tell us that he was "influential, wealthy,
and young [cf. Matthew 19:20, 22; Luke 18:18]."980 In fact, he was "one of the officials who
managed the affairs of the local synagogue," and "between 24 and 40" years old.981
The man addressed Jesus as "Good Teacher," and asked Jesus what he must do to "inherit
eternal life." From what Jesus said to him, as well as what he (Jesus) said during a separate but
similar exchange (see Luke 10:25-29), it seems clear that "Jesus believed that keeping the true
spirit of the Law guarantees eternal life"982 - a spirit which, it must be noted, excludes the
works-based righteousness (= earning a right standing before God through good works) upon
which this man was relying. We know this was his motivation because he spoke in terms of
doing something to get eternal life.983 "Sincere in both his desire for eternal life and his
willingness to do anything to obtain it, the man did not understand that an inheritance need
not be earned, only accepted."984 He "felt insecure about his future destiny."985 In fact, the man
deeply desired both "peace of mind for the present and never-ending blessedness for the
future."986 "The picture thus drawn of the young ruler is really pathetic: so eager to do the good
thing, so desirous of life eternal (when so many young men are carried away by the world), so
strongly attracted to Jesus - and yet so far from the right road to eternal life!"987
To be sure, from all outward appearances this man had indeed lived an exemplary life. As one
Bible commentator notes:
Many would today be only too well satisfied with themselves if they were like him, and
others would praise and perhaps envy him if they saw him in modern form. Picture him:
an exemplary young man in early manhood, fine and clean morally as the phrase now
goes, the son of wealthy parents but not spoiled by wealth, with a strong religious bent,
an esteemed member of the church, in fact, one of its pillars, a ruler of the local
synagogue who was more important than a member of the church council in our
present congregations is. Where are the parents that would not be proud of such a son?
Where the church that would not give him a prominent place? Where the young lady
that would not be attracted by his position and his personal excellence? Yet all this is
worthless in the eyes of Jesus. In fact, the man himself is not satisfied.988
979
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New
Testament
980
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
981
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
982
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
983
New Geneva Study Bible; The Believer's Study Bible; The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
984
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
985
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
986
Baker's New Testament Commentary
987
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
988
Lenski's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
Good (Mark 10:17, 18)
For all his seeming righteousness, the man had a faulty understanding of goodness, seeing it "as
something measured by human achievement."989 What he needed was "to see himself in the
context of God's perfect character"990 In challenging the man's understanding of goodness and
reminding him of the source of absolute goodness (= God), in effect "Jesus is saying, 'Before you
address me with such a title, you had better think soberly about what the implications are, and
especially what they are for you.'"991 "Because only God is truly good, the man, without
knowing it, was calling Jesus 'God.' He was correct in so doing, but Jesus preferred that people
use such words only when they meant and understood them."992 It appears that the man saw
Jesus as the ideal religious teacher who had found the key to eternal life - and he wanted to
know Jesus' secret.993
The commandments (Mark 10:19)
Jesus responded to the man's inquiry by recounting five (possibly six994) of the Ten
Commandments, all of which have to do with one's relations with other people (see Exodus
20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20). The man was Torah-observant and thus had lived a morally
upright life. All his life he had "wholeheartedly obeyed" (NET version, meaning "carefully
guarded"995) all the laws Jesus had mentioned. "The man sincerely believed that he had not
broken any commandments; now he wanted Jesus to guarantee his eternal life. Such is the
condition of one who tries to attain eternal life or a relationship with God by his or her own
merit. Even if it seems that the person has kept all the laws perfectly, he or she still needs
assurance."996
Perhaps the rich young man was expecting "Jesus to prescribe something meritorious that he
needed to do to make up for any lack."997 Good intentions notwithstanding, the rich young man
was relying on his conduct and his possessions, his "[m]oney represent[ing] his pride of
accomplishment and self-effort."998 While he "was probably being sincere when he insisted I
have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws, he had confined his righteousness to external
obedience. The rich man's response to Jesus' command to give away all he had revealed that
internally he loved money more than God." 999 In effect, material wealth had become his god,
989
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
991
Expositor's Bible Commentary
992
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
993
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
994
Jesus' "do not defraud" [NASB] may be a paraphrase of "You shall not covet" (The Bible Knowledge Background
Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary). Coveting is an internal sin
that leads to the external sin of defrauding, particularly of the poor by the rich (Commentary on the New
Testament Use of the Old Testament). Other possibilities are that Jesus' "do not defraud" is a combination of the
ninth and tenth commandments (Lenski's New Testament Commentary), or possibly an expansion of the eighth
and ninth commandments (Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament).
995
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
996
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
997
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
998
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
999
Net Bible Notes
990
causing him to break the first and greatest commandment, "Do not worship any other gods
besides me" (Exodus 20:3).1000 ("Money, fame, work, or pleasure can become gods when we
concentrate too much on them for personal identity, meaning, and security." 1001)
A comparison of the commandments (NASB):
Exodus: "12 Honor your father and your mother ..." (Exodus 20:12) 1002
Matthew: "18 ... YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER" (Matthew 19:18)
Mark: " ... DO NOT MURDER" (Mark 10:19)
Luke: "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY" (Luke 18:20)
Exodus: "13 You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:13)
Matthew: "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY" (Matthew 19:18)
Mark: "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY" (Mark 10:19)
Luke: "DO NOT MURDER" (Luke 18:20)
Exodus: "14 You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14)
Matthew: "YOU SHALL NOT STEAL" (Matthew 19:18)
Mark: "DO NOT STEAL" (Mark 10:19)
Luke: "DO NOT STEAL" (Luke 18:20)
Exodus: "15 You shall not steal." (Exodus 20:15)
Matthew: "YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS" (Matthew 19:18)
Mark: "DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS" (Mark 10:19)
Luke: "DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS" (Luke 18:20)
Exodus: "16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16)
Matthew: "19 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER" (Matthew 19:19)
Mark: "Do not defraud" (Mark 10:19)
Luke: "HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER" (Luke 18:20)
Exodus: "17 You shall not covet ... anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Exodus
20:17)
Matthew: "and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF" (Matthew 19:19)
Mark: "HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER" (Mark 10:19)
Luke: (N/A)
Another important lesson to be learned from this passage has to do with the connection
between our abundance and other people's needs. The commands that Jesus listed could be
summed up in what he elsewhere referred to as the second greatest commandment: "Love
1000
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Life Application Study Bible
1002
Deuteronomy 5:16-21 contains the same commandments and in the same order.
1001
your neighbor as yourself." (When viewed from this perspective, defrauding can be understood
as withholding from our neighbor the love we owe him/her.1003) By saying that he had kept all
the commands Jesus noted, the rich young man was in effect saying that he loved other people
as much as he loved himself. Jesus put his love for others to the test by telling him to sell
everything he had and then donate the proceeds to charity. The young man's unwillingness to
do so revealed that he in fact did not love other people as much as he loved himself. Jesus most
certainly was not saying that the man could earn his salvation through good works 1004 - through
either "philanthropy or poverty."1005 When it comes to the triangle of God, ourselves, and
others, the point was (and is) that being right with God will result in our using what God gives
us to help others in need. In that way we prove that we value both God and people more than
we value material wealth. Conversely, failing to help others in need proves that we are not
loving God as we should.
Sell all ... follow me (Mark 10:21)
"For the wealthy, the thought of poverty is frightening."1006 Jesus loved the man enough to tell
him the hard truth that we must rid ourselves of whatever prevents us from following Jesus.1007
In essence, Jesus told the man to "decide between wealth in this life and wealth in heaven." 1008
The problem was not that he possessed money; the problem was that his money possessed
him. "He wanted to have the kingdom, but as it turned out, he wasn't ready for the kingdom to
have him."1009 While Scripture does not condemn owning or accumulating material wealth, it
does very strongly condemn relying on wealth rather than God.1010
This man's love for his possessions was preventing him from demonstrating the childlike
humility and obedience that Jesus said is absolutely necessary for entering God's kingdom. 1011
"The way to eternal life was in turning from trust in self-attainments and earthly securities to
trust in Jesus."1012 Jesus' call was (and is) both an invitation and a command to imitate him which goes far beyond the mere "theological instruction" the rich young man had come
seeking.1013 We can almost hear the man saying to himself as he walked away: "'This
requirement is not fair. None of the other rabbis would have demanded this much of me.'" 1014
"Jesus' words to this rich young man were a test of his faith and his willingness to obey. The
man thought he needed to do more; Jesus explained that there was plenty more he could do,
but not in order to obtain eternal life. Instead, he needed an attitude adjustment toward his
1003
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Believer's Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments
1005
The MacArthur Study Bible
1006
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1007
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1008
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1009
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1010
The Word in Life Study Bible
1011
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1012
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1013
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1014
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1004
wealth. Only then could he submit humbly to the lordship of Christ. By putting his treasure in
heaven and 'following' Jesus along the road of selflessness and service to others, the man could
be assured of his eternal destiny."1015
In one respect, Jesus' instructions to the rich young man to sell everything and give the money
to the poor were uniquely for him and thus "not a requirement for all prospective disciples."1016
Hence this passage cannot "be used as proof for the abolition of personal ownership of
wealth."1017 That said, we must be very careful lest we overlook two truths of vital importance:
1) Radical self-denial is demanded of every true disciple. 2) What's more, salvation itself is
impossible without "true and saving faith in Christ. That is why Jesus adds the gospel call to
come and follow him to the selling and giving away. This would be the evidence of true faith in
him."1018
Jesus offered the rich young man a lesson in spiritual mathematics.1019 Salvation does not mean
adding something to what we already have in order to make ourselves good enough for God.
Rather, it begins with subtracting any sense of our own goodness, as such only creates division
between us and God. We must accept in faith the finished work of Jesus Christ, and then God
will give us a new nature that desires above all else to know, love, and serve him. God then
multiplies our efforts at living a righteous and holy life. The end result equals peace with other
people and, most importantly, peace with God. As one source puts it: "Jesus tells this man that
he really needs the one essential and vital thing. He has thus far attained only an outward
obedience to the law and has not even discovered that this is utterly useless for salvation; he
still thinks that all he needs is to add something to this outward obedience. The thing he lacks
begins with this discovery, with the realization that all his work-righteousness is in vain, that
what he needs is a complete inward change."1020
Hard ... impossible ... possible (Mark 10:23, 27)
"22 The man's face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off
with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go. 23
Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, 'Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who
"have it all" to enter God's kingdom?' 24 The disciples couldn't believe what they were hearing,
but Jesus kept on: 'You can't imagine how difficult. 25 I'd say it's easier for a camel to go
through a needle's eye than for the rich to get into God's kingdom.' 26 That set the disciples
back on their heels. 'Then who has any chance at all?' they asked. 27 Jesus was blunt: 'No
chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God
do it'" (vv. 22-27, The Message). "The failure of what perhaps had looked like a promising
recruit" prompted Jesus' discourse on the distraction of riches.1021
1015
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1017
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1018
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1019
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1020
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1021
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1016
"Jesus used a common Jewish proverb describing something impossible and absurd. With all
their advantages and influence, rich people may find it difficult to have the attitude of humility,
submission, and service required by Jesus. Because money represents power, authority, and
success, wealthy people often have difficulty realizing their need and their powerlessness to
save themselves. Those rich in talent or intelligence suffer the same difficulty. It is difficult for a
self-sufficient person to realize his or her need and come to Jesus. It's hard to give away the
control over life that money provides."1022
The disciples were "amazed" (v. 24) and "astounded" (v. 26) at Jesus' teaching. Why were Jesus'
words regarding the wealthy such a shock to his disciples? "[B]ecause in Judaism riches were a
mark of God's favor and thus an advantage, not a barrier, in relation to God's kingdom."1023 And
so, "[i]f the rich - those who from the disciples' vantage point seemed to be first in line for
salvation - cannot be saved, then who can be saved?"1024 As another source puts it: "[M]any
people drew the wrong conclusion that individual prosperity was a sign of God's favor and of
virtue, and individual adversity a sign of God's disfavor and of perversity."1025 The truth both
then and now is that, while God's kingdom in its fullness will indeed include material
abundance, "too much health and wealth in the present age act as a distraction and a
deterrent."1026 But, said Jesus, while "salvation is impossible with men - beyond their human
merit or achievement," it is not impossible "with God. It is not beyond His power to bring about
because all things necessary for people's salvation - rich and poor alike - are possible with God.
What people cannot effect, God can and does by His grace."1027Hence salvation is a gift to be
accepted, not a right to be earned. "At every point, beginning, middle, end, man is completely
dependent on God for salvation."1028
Eye of a needle (Mark 10:25)
Today it is common to hear that the "eye of the needle" mentioned by Jesus was actually "a
small gate somewhere in the walls of Jerusalem, through which camels may pass, but with
great difficulty."1029 However, "[t]he so-called 'needle gate' that the locals show to gullible
pilgrims to the Holy Land cannot be dated any earlier than the Middle Ages (usually to
Theophylact [a church official and Bible commentator1030]; eleventh century)."1031 As one
source explains: "The humorous comparison employs a memorable Jewish proverb to depict
the impossible. It is easier by comparison for a camel, the largest animal in Palestine at that
time, to go through the eye of a common sewing needle (the smallest opening) than for a rich
1022
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1024
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1025
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1026
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1027
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1028
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1029
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1030
The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church
1031
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; Net Bible Notes
1023
man who trusts in his riches to enter God's kingdom."1032 While "speaking rhetorically," 1033
Jesus was indeed referring to a literal camel, a literal needle, and a literal truth: "[A]part from
God's intervention, salvation is impossible."1034 We cannot earn our salvation; we can only
humbly accept it as God's free gift. "No one is saved on merit; but all are saved who humbly
come to God to receive salvation."1035
A hundred times as many (Mark 10:30)
Peter took it upon himself to remind Jesus that, in contrast to the rich man who refused to give
up his riches, Peter and the other disciples had given up everything in order to follow Jesus.1036
"It occurs to Peter that he and the Twelve had done exactly what Jesus required of the rich
young ruler and so thinks he ought to remind Jesus of this fact. Peter thinks that this their act
was no small thing."1037 As Matthew makes clear, Peter was actually demanding to know how
they would be compensated for their loss (see Matthew 19:27).1038 Peter was again thinking in
merely human terms, "the old spirit ... of human claims and merit" - that is, the false belief that
"[t]he more we do, the more we earn, and the more God owes us."1039 In reply Jesus assured
the disciples that "'everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father
or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a
hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property - along with
persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. But many who are the
greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the
greatest then'" (vv. 29-31). What did Jesus mean?
We should start by reminding ourselves that "[t]his promise is for all true followers of the Lord.
... It is for all who have chosen Christ above all else, even above their dearest relatives and most
cherished possessions."1040 Jesus was saying that following him demands "a break with old ties home, loved ones, or property (fields), as the case may be. But to everyone who makes the
break Jesus promised that all these things will be replaced a hundredfold by new ties with
fellow disciples in this present Age, the time period between Jesus' First and Second Advents.
Then in the Age to come, the future Age following Jesus' return (from a NT viewpoint), each will
receive the ultimate recompense - eternal life."1041Thus "Jesus assured the disciples that
anyone who gave up something valuable for his sake would be repaid a hundred times over,
although not necessarily in the same form. It is difficult to say whether Jesus had in mind
material as well as spiritual blessings; although in light of 10:17-31 it probably means that God
will give spiritual blessings for material sacrifices."1042
1032
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Net Bible Notes
1034
Net Bible Notes
1035
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1036
The Bible Knowledge CommentaryLenski's New Testament Commentary
1037
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1038
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1039
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1040
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1041
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1042
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1033
Jesus also said that our "compensation" will include persecution. "These persecutions are really
the butter on the bread, for by them we are more strongly assured that we are God's children
than by the other blessings that he sends us. Persecutions alone are able to lift us into the
company of the prophets to share their high rewards (Matthew 5:10-12)."1043 Jesus' statement
regarding the greatest versus the least is a reminder that "[r]ewards in God's kingdom are not
based on earthly standards such as rank, priority, or duration of time served, personal merit, or
sacrifice, but on commitment to Jesus and following Him faithfully."1044And so, believers "who
still seek status and importance here on earth will have none in heaven. Jesus may have been
speaking to the disciples' mixed-up motives. They had given up everything and hoped for
rewards, for status in God's kingdom (whatever that would be). ... Jesus, so unimpressed with
worldly prestige, holds places of honor in reserve for faithful disciples who see beyond trophies
and blue ribbons to what the Bible elsewhere calls a 'crown of glory.'"1045
HEAR (heart)





Monetary Musings
"No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions. He had
money as well." - Margaret Thatcher1046
"Money is a marvelous servant but a terrible master." - Warren Wiersbe1047
"He who serves God for money will serve the devil for better wages." - English
Proverb1048
"Money is like manure: If you spread it around, it does a world of good; but if you pile it
up, it stinks to high heaven."1049
"To get money is difficult, to keep it more difficult, but to spend it wisely most difficult
of all."1050
On the one hand, the Bible teaches that material wealth is a blessing from God and a sign of his
favor. On the other hand, the Bible repeatedly warns of the misuse and abuse of material
wealth. The fact is that money is a tool that can and should be used to help ourselves and
others. We should feel free to use and enjoy it - but only as we also and always guard against
making it an idol. "How much to enjoy, to invest, to spend on family; how much to give to
church, charities, individuals in need - these are matters for a lifetime. What really matters,
however, is that our economic lives spring forth from souls neither too withered for delight nor
too hard for compassion. In that harmony we seek the right rhythm for seeking first the
kingdom of God."1051
1043
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1045
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1046
Random House Webster’s Quotationary
1047
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
1048
Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World
1049
Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World
1050
Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World
1051
The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity: An A-to-Z Guide to Following Christ in Every Aspect of Life
1044
DO (hands)
??? The man who approached Jesus was young, eager, morally inclined, and rich. Most
churches today would be hard pressed not to accept his application for membership. What
does that say about the current state of the Church?
[[@Bible:Mark 10:32-37]]
Mark 10:32-37
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
32 They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The
disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear.
Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about
to happen to him. 33 "Listen," he said, "we're going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will
be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to
die and hand him over to the Romans. 34 They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip,
and kill him, but after three days he will rise again."
Jesus Teaches about Serving Others
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. "Teacher," they
said, "we want you to do us a favor."
36 "What is your request?" he asked.
37 They replied, "When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor
next to you, one on your right and the other on your left."
38 But Jesus said to them, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from
the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of
suffering I must be baptized with?"
39 "Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!"
Then Jesus told them, "You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my
baptism of suffering. 40 But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has
prepared those places for the ones he has chosen."
41 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant.
42 So Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over
their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will
be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever
wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man
came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."
SEE (head)
Fear and dread grow thick as Jerusalem fast approaches. Jesus again tells his disciples what to
expect: he will be handed over to his enemies, beaten and killed, and will rise back to life.
James and John ask for a special place in the kingdom, but Jesus says God has already
determined who will occupy those positions. The other disciples become indignant, and Jesus
takes advantage of the teachable moment to describe true servant-leadership.
Everything (Mark 10:32)
This was Jesus' third, and most detailed,1052 prediction of the mistreatment and death he was
going to suffer at the hands of the Jewish Sanhedrin and the Romans. Mark records how
everything was fulfilled:








"we're going up to Jerusalem" = Mark 11:11
"where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of
religious law" = Mark 14:53-65
"They will sentence him to die" = Mark 14:64b
"and hand him over to the Romans" = Mark 15:1
"They will mock him, spit on him" = Mark 15:16-20 (see Mark 14:65)
"flog him with a whip" = Mark 15:15
"and kill him" = Mark 15:20b-39
"but after three days he will rise again" = Mark 16
Notice Jesus' repeated use of the word "and" (Greek kai) (9x in the Greek; 8x in the NASB):
"behold we are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests
and the scribes and they will condemn him to death and they will hand him [over] to the
Gentiles and they will mock him and spit on him and flog him and kill [him] and after three days
he will rise"1053 "The very simplicity of this style is actually dramatic and highly effective. ... They
take us down, down to the most frightful death; this [last 'and'] by one tremendous stroke
undoes it all and brings Jesus back to life in the resurrection of glory.1054
Places of honor (Mark 10:37)
Two of Jesus' disciples requested a permanent appointment1055 to the two highest "places of
honor" once he had assumed the throne, which they expected to happen very soon.1056 ("[I]n a
royal court both sides are places of honor, the left being only slightly less glorious than the
right."1057) Their request was actually a mixture of both good and bad: "Their request was
evidence of faith. They believed that according to his promise Jesus would be seated on the
throne of his glory, and that each of The Twelve would also be seated on thrones. They were
convinced of this in spite of the fact that at this moment there was little to show that events
were moving in that direction. That much can be said in their favor. On the other hand, it is
clear that sinful ambition was playing a role here. They desired that the two most honorable
places should be assigned not to Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, or even to
Peter and Andrew, but to themselves, James and John, to nobody else!"1058 James and John
"did not understand that Jesus' kingdom is not of this world; it is not centered in palaces and
1052
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Lexham Greek-English Interlinear New Testament
1054
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1055
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1056
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1057
Life Application Commentary on the New Testament; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1058
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1053
thrones, but in the hearts and lives of his followers. None of the disciples understood this truth
until after Jesus' resurrection."1059
Jesus said that the positions of honor being sought by James and John had already been
decided by God - and thus could not be changed (Mark 10:40). "The eternal counsel of the
Father, which fixed all things in regard to the kingdom, included also the disposition of the glory
seats."1060While Jesus will indeed "distribute eternal rewards (2 Timothy 4:8), he will do so
according to God's decisions."1061 It is with a deep sense of irony that during Jesus' crucifixion
the "places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left" were occupied
by two condemned rebels (Mark 15:27).1062 It is also worth noting that for the one rebel who
repented and received salvation, God used an occasion of tremendous dishonor to bring about
the greatest honor imaginable: eternity with Jesus.
Cup ... baptism (Mark 10:38, 39)
Jesus responded to the disciples' request by asking if they were able to undergo the type of
dishonorable treatment he was about to endure. With a mixture of loyalty, self-confidence,1063
and naivety, they replied in the affirmative. (The expression "drink the/a cup" means to "fully
undergo this or that experience, whether favorable or unfavorable."1064) Jesus said that they
would indeed be called to endure a similar "'baptism of suffering.'" - that is, "be plunged into
the flood of horrible distress."1065 ("In the Old Testament, 'deep waters' often described
calamity, suffering, and the divine judgment of God."1066) Like most of their fellow Jews, the
disciples believed the Messiah's kingdom would be earthly, and they thought Jesus was going to
set up that kingdom very soon. And so James and John may have been volunteering to fight in
"a messianic battle" to establish Jesus' earthly kingdom.1067 However, what Jesus had in mind
was his "bearing the burden of God's judgment on sin which involved overwhelming sufferings
culminating in His death (cf. Luke 12:50)."1068 The disciples would also suffer even to death,
with James being the first apostle to die and John the last.1069
"The 'cup' and the 'baptism' refer to what Jesus would face on the cross. Mark alone recorded
references to both the 'cup' and 'baptism.' These words would be familiar to the early church
because of the rites of Eucharist and baptism. Mark may have intended to show his readers the
true importance of these rites. To drink Jesus' cup and to be baptized with his baptism meant
more than just taking part in a ritual; it also meant taking up his mission and his sufferings." 1070
1059
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1061
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1062
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1063
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1064
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1065
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1066
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1067
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1068
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1069
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1070
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1060
Indignant (Mark 10:41)
The other disciples were very angry with James and John - for beating them to the punch!1071 As
one source puts it: "The ten prove themselves no better than the two. Many feel wronged by
the success of others, but similar success on their part appears quite without wrong to
them."1072 However, "[b]efore we react harshly to the disciples' behavior, we should recall how
easy it is for us to be irritated at the honors others seek or receive."1073 Jesus used the situation
"to instruct his disciples further on the type of service appropriate for the kingdom of God."1074
Thus Jesus continued his pattern of a passion prediction, "followed by important teaching of
what followers of Jesus should expect and how they should live" (see Mark 8:34-9:1; 9:3337).1075 Namely, they were to be servant-leaders who follow the example of their ServantMaster.
Servant ... slave (Mark 10:43, 44)
Jesus taught that among his followers there is a direct correlation between greatness and
humble service. A leader must be "your (pl.) house servant (diakonos), one who voluntarily
renders useful service to others," and the first must be "a slave (doulos), one who forfeits his
own rights in order to serve any and all. A disciple is to serve others, not his own interests,
voluntarily and sacrificially."1076 Whereas worldly greatness often depends on "coming down
heavily on others"1077 in order to elevate oneself, to be great in God's kingdom is to be "selfgiving," to pour one's self out "in service to others, for the glory of God."1078 Thus Jesus literally
turned the idea of greatness on its head: "And now the Gentile idea of greatness is inverted,
turned upside down, the pyramid rests on the apex, the great man does not sit atop the lesser
men, but the great man bears the lesser men on his back."1079
This was actually nothing less than a revolutionary concept. "While the Old Testament often
spoke of submission and service, it usually referred to a person's relationship with God. Jesus
applied the concept of the servant attitude to a person's relationship to other people. In doing
so, he transformed the ethics of the ancient world. The Greeks considered humility to be the
lowest virtue; Jesus made it the highest."1080 To be great in God's kingdom is to be ready and
willing to serve others. "Whether they reward and exalt us for this service or not makes no
difference. ... The greatness is measured by the service and not by the power and authority
arrogated and displayed."1081
1071
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary
on the New Testament
1072
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1073
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1074
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1075
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1076
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1077
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1078
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1079
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1080
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1081
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
Why is this the case? Because ("'For ...'" v. 45) even the Master - the only one entitled to
absolute praise and honor and glory - humbled himself in voluntary, sacrificial, vicarious, and
obedient service,1082 laying down his life so that others could live. One source paraphrases
Jesus' thought: "'In the kingdom about to be set up ... [a]ll My servants shall there be equal; and
the only greatness known to it shall be the greatness of humility and devotedness to the service
of others. He that goes down the deepest in these services of self-denying humility shall rise the
highest and hold the chiefest [sic.] place in that kingdom; even as the Son of man, whose
abasement and self-sacrifice for others, transcending all, gives Him of right a place above
all!'"1083
Ransom (Mark 10:45)
Jesus said that he "'came ... to give his life as a ransom for many'" (v. 45). "Jesus' mission was to
serve - ultimately by giving his life in order to save sinful humanity. ... Jesus took our place; he
died the death we deserved."1084 Here "'ransom'" refers to "the means or instrument by which
release or deliverance is made possible,"1085 and "'for'" carries the thought of "'in the place of'
or 'in exchange for.' The passage is a clear proof of Christ's substitutionary atonement."1086 As
one source puts it: "The idea of Jesus as the 'ransom' is that he paid the price with his own life
by standing in humanity's place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that was deserved for
sin."1087
HEAR (heart)
The Patient is the Doctor
The true story is told of Dr. Evan O'Neill Kane's quest to prove that local anesthesia
would be a better option than the usual practice of always using general anesthesia.
The sixty-year-old chief surgeon of Kane Summit Hospital, located in New York City, had
performed nearly four-thousand appendectomies. He decided to find a volunteer who
would allow him to perform the operation while using local anesthesia.
But it was very difficult. There was a general fear that the effects of the anesthesia
would wear off during the operation, leaving the patient in excruciating pain. And some
people simply believed a local anesthesia would not work at all.
Finally, however, the doctor had his volunteer. And so on February 15, 1921 the
volunteer was prepped for surgery, the local anesthesia was administered, and the
surgery went without a hitch.
1082
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
1084
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1085
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
1086
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1087
Net Bible Notes
1083
Dr. Kane proved his point and became famous twice over. He not only became the first
surgeon to perform a major operation using only local anesthesia, but he had performed
the operation on himself!1088
We can learn much from Dr. Kane's incredible example of sacrificial service. He did for others
what they could not - and would not - do for themselves. Convinced of the rightness of his case,
he went to incredible lengths to prove it.
DO (hands)
"In Jesus' kingdom, leaders are those who work toward the best interests of others, not
parading their authority or lording it over others. Servant leadership in Jesus' kingdom has a lot
of the 'can do' spirit in it, a big portion of 'follow me to the hard work,' and a huge helping of
'your pile looks bigger than mine, let me help you.'"1089
??? It's been observed that leadership is influence. What are some practical steps we can take
to positively influence those around us for Jesus Christ?
[[@Bible:Mark 10:46-52]]
Mark 10:46-52
Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus
46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and His disciples left town, a large crowd followed
Him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. 47 When
Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David,
have mercy on me!"
48 "Be quiet!" many of the people yelled at him.
But he only shouted louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49 When Jesus heard him, He stopped and said, "Tell him to come here."
So they called the blind man. "Cheer up," they said. "Come on, He's calling you!" 50
Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
51 "What do you want Me to do for you?" Jesus asked.
"My rabbi, " the blind man said, "I want to see!"
52 And Jesus said to him, "Go, for your faith has healed you." Instantly the man could see,
and he followed Jesus down the road.
SEE (head)
Jesus and his disciples pass through Jericho and a large crowd joins them. A blind man is sitting
in his usual spot beside the busy road where, being unable to work, he is reduced to begging for
a living. When he hears that Jesus is passing by, he begins to cry out. Although the crowd keeps
telling him to quiet down, he refuses. Jesus asks for the man to be brought to him, and Jesus
heals him. The blind man then begins to follow Jesus.
1088
1089
Something to Think About (paraphrased)
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Jericho (Mark 10:46)
Jesus was passing through Jericho on his way up to Jerusalem. "Founded perhaps as early as
8,000 B.C.,"1090 Jericho is located about fifteen miles northeast of Jerusalem. There were
actually two Jerichos -- "old Israelite Jericho" (aka OT Jericho) and "new Herodian Jericho" (aka
NT Jericho).1091 "The Old Testament city of Jericho had been destroyed by the Israelites (Joshua
6:20). But during Herod the Great's rule over Palestine, he had rebuilt the city (about a mile
south of the original city) as a site for his winter palace. Jericho was a popular and wealthy
resort city, not far from the Jordan River."1092 Thus the Jericho of Jesus' day was a wealthy "city
on a major route from Galilee down the Jordan Valley to Jericho and then up (WSW) through
the Judean hills to Jerusalem."1093 The converted tax-collector Zacchaeus (zack KEY us1094) lived
there (Luke 19:1), and Jesus' story of the good Samaritan "is set on the narrow, bandit-infested
road from Jerusalem down to Jericho (Luke 10:30-37)."1095
Beggar (Mark 10:46)
"Beggars were to be found wherever crowds assembled or passed by, as at the entrance to
Jericho or the gates of the temple (Matthew 20:30; Acts 3:2),"1096 and of course Jericho's
wealth would have attracted many beggars.1097 As one source explains, there were many
reasons for begging and beggars:
Israel was never without her poor and afflicted. The poverty that seemed to require
begging for the sustaining of life was at times occasioned by natural disasters, such as
blindness, and also by marauding enemies who stripped the land of its crop. Because
widows, orphans, and aliens without land rights were especially apt to suffer under such
circumstances, special laws were designed to protect them (Deuteronomy 10:17–19;
24:19–22; 28:29; Psalms 68:5–6). In some instances the presence of begging testifies to
ineffective public relief and limited medical knowledge. The heavy taxation on the land
by Rome was also a factor in encouraging poverty and its attendant ills. It must be
remembered that plain indolence was sometimes the cause (Proverbs 20:4). In later
times the concept of giving alms as an efficacious act developed, and from a legalistic
point of view seemed to vindicate begging as a practice, since it provided opportunity
for works of righteousness. Jesus warned against externalism in deeds of charity
(Matthew 6:1–4). Without question the development of urban centers tended to
encourage begging as a profession.
No provision is found in the Mosaic legislation to legalize begging. There is no term in
biblical Hebrew to describe the professional beggar. Begging is a part of a curse (Psalms
1090
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament; Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1092
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1093
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
1094
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
1095
New Bible Dictionary
1096
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
1097
Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible
1091
109:10). Professional beggars were despised by the Jews, and support for them from the
general charity fund was prohibited. The Bible does encourage concern and compassion
for the poor (Deuteronomy 15:4–8). Material prosperity was the blessing of God, and
these mercies should be shared with those in need. In spiritual decadence, almsgiving
was equated with righteousness. This was a legalistic turn that testifies to the human
tendency to pervert the ways of God.1098
Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46)
This "is the last healing episode recounted in the Gospel of Mark."1099 Reduced to begging
because of his blindness, Bartimaeus camped out beside the road, which afforded him "ready
access to the traffic to and from Jerusalem. This important trade route was traveled by
merchants and the well-to-do, as well as the pious on their way to Jerusalem to worship, who
might be inclined to give alms."1100 Because Mark does not record that he was born blind, it
may be that Bartimaeus was seeking "to receive back the sight he once had."1101 The fact that
Mark records his name may indicate that "Bartimaeus was known in the early church."1102
"There were no healings of the blind in the Old Testament; the Jews believed that such a
miracle would be a sign that the messianic age had begun (Isaiah 29:18; 35:5)."1103
Son of David ... Mercy ... My rabbi (Mark 10:47, 48, 51)
Bartimaeus called Jesus "Son of David" and "Rabboni" (Greek rhabboni/rhabbouni: "an
honorific title for a teacher of the Jewish Scriptures, implying an important personal
relationship"1104). The former was a messianic title and the latter, signifying "my great
master,"1105 was "an expression of personal faith."1106 Despite his physical blindness,
Bartimaeus could "see" the fact that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, contrary to most of
his countrymen who had physical sight but were nonetheless "blind" to this highly significant
spiritual truth.1107 Hence Bartimaeus was making a nuisance of himself1108 by literally
screaming1109 for Jesus to "have mercy" on him (Greek eleeo: "to show kindness or concern for
someone in serious need"1110). Jesus told Bartimaeus that his faith had "healed" him or,
literally, had "saved" him. Hence "Bartimaeus' physical 'salvation' (i.e., deliverance from
darkness [blindness] to light [sight]) was an outward picture of his spiritual 'salvation.'" 1111
1098
Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (quoted verbatim)
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1100
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1101
NET Bible Notes
1102
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1103
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1104
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
1105
Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
1106
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
1107
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1108
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1109
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains; Strong's Hebrew and Greek
Dictionaries
1110
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
1111
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1099
Because both God and Jesus are rich in mercy, we are to be, as well:
The NT often uses eleos [noun]/eleeo [verb] for the attitude that God requires of us. In
Matthew 9:13; 23:23 it denotes the kindness owed in mutual relationships. The LXX
phrase 'showing mercy' occurs in Luke 10:37 for the actions of the Samaritan. In
Matthew 18:33 the demand for mercy is based on the divine mercy which precedes ours
(cf. James 2:13). The new feature here as compared with Judaism is that God's mercy is
known in and through Christ. In James 3:17 and Romans 12:8 eleos embraces
lovingkindness in general, though pity is included. Concern for eternal as well as
temporal welfare may be meant (cf. Jude 22).1112
Coat (Mark 10:50)
Bartimaeus's cloak was an outer or exterior garment worn over the tunic (a one-piece shirt-like
garment worn next to the body that covered from neck to knees).1113 The cloak was "a large
piece of woolen cloth nearly square" that "was wrapped around the body or fastened about the
shoulders, and served also to wrap oneself in at night."1114 His casting it aside may have
indicated a total dependence on and trust in Christ,1115 particularly since he had most probably
"been sitting on part of his cloak, with the rest folded over his lap, into which coins could be
tossed."1116
HEAR (heart)
No Easy Road
David Livingstone is remembered as a courageous, devoted Christian missionary to the
African continent. One time he was contacted by a missionary society asking if he had
found a good road. If so, they wrote, they would send other men to join him.
Livingstone wrote back that he did not want men who would come only if there was a
good road; he wanted men who would come if there was no road at all. 1117
The road to Heaven is overgrown with obstacles, cluttered with challenges, and hemmed in by
hardships. This is the road Jesus traveled while on this earth, and this is the same road to which
he calls all who would follow him. It is not a newly paved superhighway, but it is a superior way
that one day will lead us to a city filled with splendor in which God himself will be our light:
"And there will be no night there - no need for lamps or sun - for the Lord God will shine on
them. And they will reign forever and ever" (Revelation 22:5).
DO (hands)
??? What hardships are you facing as you travel with Jesus? How can the example of
Bartimaeus help you to better endure them?
1112
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume (quoted verbatim)
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible
1114
The Complete Word Study Dictionary
1115
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1116
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1117
Illustrations of Bible Truths (paraphrased)
1113

Mark 11
[[@Bible:Mark 11:1-11]]
Mark 11:1-11
Jesus' Triumphant Entry
1 As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and
Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 "Go into that village over
there," he told them. "As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no
one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks, 'What are you doing?' just say,
'The Lord needs it and will return it soon.'"
4 The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door.
5 As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, "What are you doing, untying that colt?"
6 They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. 7 Then they
brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.
8 Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread
leafy branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the
people all around him were shouting,
"Praise God!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!
10 Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David!
Praise God in highest heaven!"
11 So Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. After looking around carefully at
everything, he left because it was late in the afternoon. Then he returned to Bethany with the
twelve disciples.
SEE (head)
Jesus is heading into Jerusalem. Along the way he sends two of his disciples into Bethany which,
situated about two miles southeast of the city, was home to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (and
the place where Jesus raised Lazarus back to life). There the disciples fetch a colt for Jesus to
ride, and along the road to Jerusalem Jesus receives a royal welcome, complete with the
ancient equivalent of a red carpet and shouts of acclamation. After arriving in Jerusalem, Jesus
goes into the temple, looks around, and then retires to Bethany for the evening.
Jerusalem (Mark 11:1)
Mark 11 begins the events of the final week leading up to Christ's crucifixion - "extending from
Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday."1118 Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem is often described as his
"triumphal entry." Such entries were actually not uncommon - although, of course, Jesus' was
1118
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
much more significant than any other. Aside from those associated with Roman officials, "Jesus'
celebrated entry is one of as many as twelve similar entries, as recorded in 1 and 2 Maccabees
and in Josephus."1119 (1 and 2 Maccabees are "[t]wo deuterocanonical books that cover the
period of Israel's history from 167 BC to 100 BC. The books are named after Judas Maccabeus,
who initiated the Jewish revolt in 166 BC against Rome. The chief value of these books is that
they provide historical accounts of Israel's struggles during the time between Malachi and the
time of Christ."1120 Josephus was a "Jewish military officer and historian" who lived during the
first century AD. "His works illumine the period in which the church came into existence especially concerning the religion, politics, geography, and prominent persons of the early
Christian era."1121)
"The departure from the Mount of Olives, in order to enter Jerusalem, mounted upon a colt, is
the beginning of a series of elements drawn from Zechariah":1122




Mount of Olives = Zechariah 14:4
a young donkey/colt = Zechariah 9:9
merchants in the Temple = Zechariah 14:20-21
a mountain moved/leveled = Zechariah 4:6-7
Although he had done so before, this occasion marked Jesus' official presentation of himself as
Israel's deliverer, the Messiah who would bring much-anticipated peace to God's people. Christ
was identified as the Messiah at his baptism; authenticated as the Messiah at his temptation;
glorified as the Messiah at his transfiguration; and presented as the Messiah at his triumphal
entry.1123 The colt on which Jesus rode was emblematic of peace, and the fact that it had not
been ridden before was in keeping with "the ancient rule that only animals that had not been
used for ordinary purposes were appropriate for sacred purposes (Numbers 19:2; Deuteronomy
21:3; 1 Samuel 6:7)."1124
The crowd (Mark 11:8)
The occasion was Passover, and participants crowded in and around the city of Jerusalem,
swelling its population to more than three times the norm.1125 "Pilgrims to the feast were
typically welcomed by crowds already there," and the shouts of joy offered to Jesus were
actually a regular part of the festivities.1126 To be sure, some in the crowd did recognize and
accept Jesus' presentation of himself as the promised Messiah.1127 As the apostle John brings
out, these included witnesses to Jesus' miraculous raising of Lazarus (see John 12:17-18).1128 In
1119
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
Tyndale Bible Dictionary
1121
Who's Who in Christian History
1122
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1123
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
1124
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1125
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
1126
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1127
Net Bible Notes
1128
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1120
fact, it appears that there were actually two crowds: "One had assembled in Bethany to see
Jesus and Lazarus raised from the dead, and this crowd started to Jerusalem with him; the
other came out from Jerusalem to meet him when it got word that he was coming. The crowd
that met him was thus the one that was in front. From Luke 19:37 we learn that this crowd
joined the other near the top of Olivet where it slopes down toward Jerusalem. And here the
shout arose and continued which acclaimed Jesus as the Messiah."1129
That said, probably most of the people who greeted Jesus were simply caught up in the
moment. As one source puts it: "For most people, then, this moment of jubilation was simply
part of the traditional Passover celebration - it did not alarm the Roman authorities or initiate a
call for Jesus' arrest by the Jewish rulers."1130 And so the Roman guards, on special alert
because of the occasion and the unusually large number of people present, saw no reason to
stop Jesus or prevent him from entering Jerusalem - something they surely would have done if
they had suspected him of being a political activist.1131
Shouting (Mark 11:9)
According to the NASB: "Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting:
'Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Blessed is the coming
kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!'" (Mark 11:9-10). As one source brings
out: "The chiastic (a-b-b'-a') arrangement of these verses suggests antiphonal chanting by two
groups - those who went ahead of Jesus and those who followed Him. They chanted Psalm
118:25-26. At the annual Passover festival (cf. Mark 14:1), the Jews chanted the six 'ascent'
psalms (Psalms 113-118) to express thanksgiving, praise, and petitions to God."1132
He left (Mark 11:11)
After surveying the temple, Jesus returned to Bethpage for the night. (Jerusalem's city gate was
closed and locked at sunset1133) Accommodations were scarce at this time of the year: it would
have been difficult to find and/or afford lodging within Jerusalem.1134 What's more, it was
probably not safe for Jesus to stay in the city, as the religious leaders were plotting his
death.1135 As with everything else, in this regard Jesus leaves us a good example for us to
follow: "Jesus never acted in a foolhardy way; he always used proper prudence. Although he
knew that no one could lay hands on him until his hour would come he never presumed on this
and disregarded danger."1136
HEAR (heart)
It Makes All the Difference
1129
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1131
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament; Expositor's Bible Commentary
1132
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1133
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1134
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1135
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1136
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1130
On a crowded street of one of our large cities, a young man was snatched from the path
of a speeding truck, his life saved by a venerable-looking man. Still breathless from
fright, the youth thanked the one who saved his life and then was lost in the crowd.
Two weeks later in a crowded courtroom, an anxious young man stood in the prisoner's
box to be sentenced for murder.
"Young man, have you anything to say before the sentence of death is passed upon
you?" "Why! Yes! Yes, Judge," the youth responded, "you know me." A silence moved
like a shock wave over the courtroom. "I'm sorry. I cannot place you."
"Yes. Surely you remember. Two weeks ago. At Main and Seventh Streets, you saved my
life. Surely, Judge, you can do something to save me now." A silence pervaded the
courtroom. "Young man, now I do remember you. But that day I was your savior. Today I
am your judge."
Today the Lord Jesus Christ wants to be your Savior. If you refuse Him and His grace, one
day He will be your Judge.1137
Jesus came to offer himself as the Savior. Those who reject him as such, however, must one day
face him as Judge.
DO (hands)
??? What would you do if you knew the president of the United States was coming to visit you
tomorrow morning? What are you doing for the King of kings and Lord of lords who has already
come in the flesh, is present in spirit now, and will one day return?
[[@Bible:Mark 11:12-19]]
Mark 11:12-19
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
12 The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 He noticed a fig tree in
full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only
leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14 Then Jesus said to the tree, "May no
one ever eat your fruit again!" And the disciples heard him say it.
Jesus Clears the Temple
15 When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the
people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money
changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and he stopped everyone from using the
Temple as a marketplace. 17 He said to them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be called
a house of prayer for all nations,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves."
1137
2,000+ Bible Illustrations (quoted verbatim)
18 When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they
began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed
at his teaching.
19 That evening Jesus and the disciples left the city.
SEE (head)
Leaving Bethany where they had spent the night, Jesus and his disciples again head into
Jerusalem. Along the way, Jesus stops at a fig tree and, finding it fruitless, pronounces a curse
upon it. He then returns to the Temple and this time drives out the merchants and the money
changers. Jesus' enemies respond by plotting his death.
A fig tree ... only leaves (Mark 11:13)
The cursing of the fig tree was actually an acted parable related to the nation of Israel. Fig trees
normally produce a large amount of fruit twice a year, including late in the spring. This incident
occurred during early spring (mid-April), when the tree's leaves would have started budding.
Jesus was not expecting mature ripened fruit but, rather, the edible buds that would have
indicated a soon-fruitful tree. But there were no buds.1138 ("An absence of these buds despite
the tree's green foliage promising their presence indicated it would bear no fruit that year.1139)
As one source puts it: "When [Jesus] came to the tree 'he found nothing on it except leaves,'
not even green, unripe fruit ... Jesus would not have blasted this tree if it had had even a little
immature fruit on it. But here was this tree with its grand display of foliage which was nothing
but empty pretense; whereas it led one to expect that it might have at least a few figs that were
already fit to eat it had absolutely nothing at all, 'nothing but leaves'!"1140
"Jesus' strong denunciation of the tree ... was a dramatic prophetic sign of God's impending
judgment on Israel ... The promising but unproductive fig tree symbolized Israel's spiritual
barrenness despite divine favor and the impressive outward appearance of their religion (cf.
Jeremiah 8:13; Hosea 9:10, 16; Micah 7:1)."1141 As another source explains: "Jesus' harsh words
to the fig tree could be applied to the nation of Israel and its beautiful temple. Fruitful in
appearance only, Israel was spiritually barren. Just as the fig tree looked good from a distance
but was fruitless on close examination, so the temple looked impressive at first glance, but its
sacrifices and other activities were hollow because they were not done to worship God
sincerely (see Jeremiah 8:13; Hosea 9:10, 16; Micah 7:1)."1142 The irony is thick: "The
pretentious fig tree had its counterpart in the temple where on this very day (Monday) a lively
business was being transacted so that sacrifices might be made, while at the same time the
priests were plotting to put to death the very One apart from whom these offerings had no
meaning whatever."1143
1138
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament; Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1140
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1141
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1142
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1143
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1139
The OT prophets often compared a lack of righteousness to a fruitless tree and, conversely,
fruitfulness was used to illustrate God's blessings bestowed in response to faith and obedience.
Some three years prior to this incident, John the Baptist had heralded the coming of the
Messiah. Included in his message was a dire warning to the religious leaders (and all of Israel):
"Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever your roots. Yes, every tree that
does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire" (Matthew 3:10).
Since that initial call, Jesus had spent virtually every waking moment calling Israel to repentance
and salvation. But still Israel continued producing only leaves of promise; there was no fruit in
keeping with repentance. And so God had no choice but to judge her unrepentant attitude,
which he would do through the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70.
The temple ... a den of thieves (Mark 11:15-17)
The cleansing of the temple was an indisputable sign of Jesus' authority - "by this action Jesus
as the Messiah claimed greater authority over the temple than that of the high priest"1144 - as
well as a condemnation of the corruption that had become so thoroughly embedded in Israel's
religion. As one source puts it: "The people as well as the temple authorities were guilty of
graft, extortion, and desecration of the house of prayer. Jesus assumes and exercises Messianic
authority and dares to smite this political and financial abuse."1145
Each pilgrim coming to the Temple to offer a sacrifice during Passover would be in need of two
things: 1) an animal without spot or blemish, and 2) acceptable currency with which to
purchase the animal (and pay the Temple tax). "They paid high prices for these sacrificial
animals. True, a worshipper could bring in an animal of his own choice. But if he did that he was
taking a chance that it would not be approved."1146 Enter the merchants (who sold "wine, oil,
salt, approved sacrificial animals and birds"1147) and the money changers. "Money from three
sources circulated in Palestine in New Testament times: imperial money (Roman), provincial
money (Greek), and local money (Jewish). ... Greek and Roman currency .... featured human
portraits [and so was] considered idolatrous.1148 Hence "in the temple area foreign money was
not accepted in payment. ... So the money-changers would exchange foreign money for Jewish,
charging a small fee for the favor. This business ... was very profitable. It presented abundant
opportunity for cheating the unsuspecting pilgrim."1149
And so rather than simply offering a much-needed service, under the direction of the high
priest, both the merchants and the money changers took advantage of the patrons by charging
exorbitant rates. (Popular opinion was rightly "critical of the Jewish high priesthood," regarding
"it in various ways as corrupt."1150) Their booths were set up in the only place Gentiles were
allowed in the Temple: "the large outer court of the Gentiles surrounding the inner sacred
1144
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Word Pictures in the New Testament
1146
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1147
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1148
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1149
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1150
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1145
courts of the temple itself."1151 Thus "the market filled their worship space with merchants so
that these foreigners, who had traveled long distances, found it impossible to worship. The
chaos in that court must have been tremendous."1152 To add insult to injury, "people loaded
with merchandise were taking shortcuts through this area, making it a thoroughfare from one
part of the city to another."1153
Jesus' cleansing of the Temple was actually a number of things, including:




a religious event intended to cleanse the Temple of impurities, whether commercial or
sacerdotal
a messianic event intended to include the Gentiles in the scope of the Temple's
activities
a prophetic event intended to announce the destruction of the Temple and its
eschatological restoration
a political event intended to disrupt the commercial and sacerdotal activities of the
Temple because they had become oppressive and exploitative1154
Do Christians today have the right and/or obligation to act as Jesus did in cleansing the Temple?
Here there is much wisdom to be found in the comments of John Calvin:
[Jesus] declared himself to be both King and High Priest, who presided over the temple
and the worship of God. This ought to be observed, lest any private individual should
think himself entitled to act in the same manner. That zeal, indeed, by which Christ was
animated to do this, ought to be held in common by all the godly; but lest any one,
under the pretense of imitation, should rush forward without authority, we ought to see
what our calling demands, and how far we may proceed according to the
commandment of God. If the Church of God have contracted any pollutions, all the
children of God ought to burn with grief; but as God has not put arms into the hands of
all, let private individuals groan, till God bring the remedy. I do acknowledge that they
are worse than stupid who are not displeased at the pollution of the temple of God, and
that it is not enough for them to be inwardly distressed, if they do not avoid the
contagion, and testify with their mouth, whenever an opportunity presents itself, that
they desire to see a change for the better. But let those who do not possess public
authority oppose by their tongue, which they have at liberty, those vices which they
cannot remedy with their hands.1155
1151
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament; New Bible
Commentary: 21st Century Edition; Expositor's Bible Commentary
1152
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1153
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1154
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (quoted verbatim)
1155
John Calvin's Commentaries (quoted verbatim)
Planning how to kill him (Mark 11:18)
"The leading priests and teachers of the law" ("[t]he chief priests and the scribes" NASB) were
afraid to arrest Jesus openly because of his popularity with the "Passover pilgrims" who had
come "from all parts of the ancient world."1156 They were afraid of sparking a riot or
rebellion.1157 More than that, however, they feared losing their religious monopoly: "[The
Sanhedrin] was filled with the fear that Jesus would draw all the people to him and thus rob the
Sanhedrin of its standing and its authority. The Sanhedrin saw a dangerous rival in Jesus. ...
When the teaching [of Jesus] takes hold of people, they are in a fair way to turn away from all
other authorities and to follow Jesus alone. That was exactly what the Sanhedrin feared."1158
They responded by "consider[ing] how they could assassinate him" (v. 18, NET). Following his
cleansing of the temple, "people could not ignore Jesus or be indifferent to him. They had to
take sides. Either Jesus was a subversive radical who must be restrained (death is an effective
restraint), or he was someone to be listened to, believed, and followed."1159
HEAR (heart)
His "Good" Right Arm
The story is told of Sid, a man who seemed to be dogged by trouble.
One day he was arrested for burglary and taken before a judge.
Sid's attorney argued that his client had not really broken into the lady's home. He had
merely inserted his right arm through an open window and removed a few small items,
including a newspaper and a tangerine. And since Sid's arm is not Sid, asserted the
attorney, Sid should not be held liable for something a member of his body did.
The judge was not convinced but decided to follow the defense attorney's logic
nonetheless. He sentenced Sid's arm to one year's imprisonment, and gave Sid the
option of accompanying the limb or not, as he saw fit..
Whereupon Sid, a Korean war veteran, stood up, removed his prosthetic right arm,
handed it to the judge, and walked out of the courtroom a free man.1160
Every person stands guilty before God. We all deserve to be imprisoned forever. But, thanks be
to God, Jesus has dealt with our sin by taking upon himself the punishment we deserve. He
gave far more than his right arm - he gave his very life. While on earth, Jesus made the same
offer to the nation of Israel that he has been making to all of humankind ever since: salvation
through personal, committed faith in himself.
1156
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1158
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1159
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1160
An Encyclopedia of Humor (paraphrased)
1157
Today countless people seek a middle way such as the one Sid found. By deciding beforehand
to ignore Jesus' teaching, people are able to avoid making a decision for or against him.
However, "[w]hen Christians tell the real story, there is no middle ground. Either Jesus is God's
Son, the world's Savior, or he is a befuddled, perhaps demented, imposter."1161
DO (hands)
??? "God will not let his Temple serve as a refuge for robbers. The Temple will not protect the
wicked who show in the very Temple how they regard the God of the Temple. The church has
no refuge for sinners who go on in their sin and think that they are safe when they run to the
church; and certainly not for the sinners who support the church by desecrating the church and
justify their desecration by crying, 'It is for the church!'1162
"[Jesus] stood against lack of faith and altering the purpose for worship. Those who use the
church people or the worship gathering for social, political, or financial advantage are clearly
wrong. God opposes those who attempt to leverage power or status or to meet their need for
self-importance in his house of prayer."1163
[[@Bible:Mark 11:20-26]]
Mark 11:20-26
(Jesus Clears the Temple)
20 The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had
withered from the roots up. 21 Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the
previous day and exclaimed, "Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!"
22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, you can say to
this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must
really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. 24 I tell you, you can pray for
anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours. 25 But when you are praying,
first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive
your sins, too."
SEE (head)
The next morning, as Jesus and his disciples again head for Jerusalem, they pass the fig tree that
Jesus had cursed only the day before. The disciples notice that it is now completely lifeless - it
will never have the opportunity to bear fruit again. Jesus takes advantage of their amazement
to teach them about the power of prayer. Sincere prayer, uttered in faith, will move mountains.
Faith ... this mountain (Mark 11:22, 23)
Jesus commanded, entreated, or exhorted ("'Have'" = imperative1164) his disciples to "'Have
faith in God" (Mark 11:22), with "faith" being defined as: "to believe to the extent of complete
trust and reliance."1165 As one source puts it: "Faith that rests in God is unwavering trust in His
1161
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1163
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1164
The Lexham Greek-English Interlinear New Testament
1165
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
1162
omnipotent power and unfailing goodness."1166 Such faith, said Jesus, can move a mountain.
While Jesus was speaking figuratively, he was using an actual mountain as an illustration. Which
one? While a common answer is the Mount of Olives, at least one viable alternative is the
Temple Mount; "Why should not 'this mountain' refer to Israel's most famous mountain, on
which is situated the temple establishment, with which Jesus has come into serious
conflict?"1167 While there are a number of "rabbinic and Jewish parallels to the saying about
moving mountains," these refer to skill or strength, leaving "Jesus' point that faith can move
mountains" without parallel.1168
It should be noted that Jesus' declaration was made "on the recognized premise that petitions
must be in harmony with God's will (cf. Mark 14:36; Matthew 6:9-10; John 14:13-14; 15:7;
16:23-24; 1 John 5:14-15). This enables faith to receive the answers God gives. God is always
ready to respond to obedient believers' prayers, and they can petition Him knowing that no
situation or difficulty is impossible for Him."1169 As another source puts it: "Jesus is saying that
the greatest possible difficulties can be removed when a person has faith (cf. James 1:6)."1170
The emphasis is not on what we can get but, rather, on what God can do. Many times God fails
to work as we, with our limited understanding, would prefer - a very good thing, indeed(!) As C.
S. Lewis has noted, prayer is so powerful that God reserves the right to overrule our requests
lest we misuse that power.1171 Both the Bible and Church history are replete with examples of
"the impossible" becoming possible as God works in and through ordinary people. 1172 In the
case of Jesus' first disciples in particular, "he was referring to prayers that the disciples would
need to endlessly pray as they faced mountains of opposition to their gospel message in the
years to come. Their prayers for the advancement of God's kingdom would always be answered
positively - in God's timing."1173
Jesus was not making "a guarantee that the disciples could get anything they wanted simply by
asking Jesus and believing. God does not grant requests that will hurt people or that will violate
his own nature or will. Jesus' statement was not a blank check."1174 Along those lines, one
source offers the following helpful insights regarding this often-abused teaching of Jesus:
If the promise of Christ, "Whatever you ask for … it shall be yours" seems almost
unbelievable, it should be borne in mind that such praying and asking must, of course, be in
harmony with the characteristics of true prayer which Jesus reveals elsewhere; in fact, it
must be in line with all of scriptural teaching. Accordingly it must be the expression of:
1166
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1168
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1169
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1170
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1171
God in the Dock
1172
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1173
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1174
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1167





humble, childlike trust; note "believing that you received it," and cf. Mark 10:15; also
Matthew 7:11; 18:3-4; James 1:6.
a sincere heart and mind (Mark 12:40; cf. Matthew 6:5).
a will to persevere (Mark 13:13; cf. Matthew 7:7; Luke 18:1-8).
a love for all concerned (Mark 12:31, 33; cf. Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:32-36).
submission to God's sovereign will (Mark 14:36; Matthew 6:10; 26:39).1175
Have faith ... forgive (Mark 11:22, 25)
Jesus taught that there is a direct causal relationship between God's forgiveness of our sins
against him and our forgiveness of other's sins against us. "For a person to pray while bearing a
grudge is like a tree sprouting leaves and bearing no fruit (11:13). True faith changes the heart.
Real prayer dismantles pride and vengeance, filling the holes with love. Real faith seeks
peace."1176 Thus Jesus taught that the two key elements in prayer are faith in God and
forgiveness. Faith means "firm persuasion,"1177 and includes trusting God to accomplish the
seemingly impossible. This includes moving a mountain of difficulty,1178 as well as moving
within our own hearts such that we refuse to harbor grudges against those who have
committed a mountain of wrong against us. Mountains can be moved one rock at a time, and
hearts can be healed one act of forgiveness at a time. Both faith and forgiveness call for the
type of commitment available only to those who persistently, prayerfully seek God's will rather
than their own.1179
HEAR (heart)
In an insightful comment, E. Stanley Jones asserted that prayer amounts to surrendering to
God's will and then cooperating with that will. The person in a boat who tosses a hook on shore
and then pulls on the line does not pull the shore toward him but, rather, pulls the boat toward
the shore. In the same way, prayer is not pulling God to one's own will but, rather, catching
hold of God's will and pulling oneself toward it.1180
Prayer is God's way of bringing us closer to him, not our way of bringing God closer to us.
Getting close to God requires lots of effort on our part: patience, persistence, and faith. As we
draw close to God, he will strengthen and direct us, and we will find ourselves seeking his will
more and our own will less.
DO (hands)
"For our churches to have prayer power, there must be harmony and forgiveness evident in the
body of believers. Let go of hurts, abandon grudges, and forgive others."1181
[[@Bible:Mark 11:27-33]]
1175
Baker's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1177
Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
1178
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1179
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1180
The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart And 1,501 Other Stories
1181
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1176
Mark 11:27-33
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
27 Again they entered Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading
priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. 28 They demanded, "By
what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?"
29 "I'll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question," Jesus replied.
30 "Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!"
31 They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we
didn't believe John. 32 But do we dare say it was merely human?" For they were afraid of what
the people would do, because everyone believed that John was a prophet. 33 So they finally
replied, "We don't know."
And Jesus responded, "Then I won't tell you by what authority I do these things."
SEE (head)
Jesus and his disciples are walking through the Temple when suddenly they are confronted by a
contingent of religious leaders. They want to know by whose authority Jesus had cleansed the
Temple. Jesus responds by asking them about the baptism of John the Baptist. They choose not
to answer Jesus, and so he chooses not to answer them.
Priests ... teachers ... elders (Mark 11:27)
The men who confronted Jesus represented the Sanhedrin, the Jewish supreme court (NASB:
"chief priests ... scribes ... elders").1182 As one source explains:
The chief priests constituted a group or order consisting of the present ruling high
priest, those who had formerly occupied this high office, and other dignitaries from
whose ranks the high priest was generally selected. The custody of the temple had been
entrusted to these people, mostly Sadducees. It is not strange that the scribes, mostly
Pharisees, are also mentioned, for these were the men who studied, interpreted, and
taught the law. Their teaching was done in both temple and synagogue. The elders, too,
were present. In ancient Israel an elder was the head of a tribe or of a tribal division. In
fact, every city or town of any importance soon had its ruling elders. With the
establishment of the Sanhedrin the more prominent local elders became members of
this august body. We might call them the Sanhedrin's "lay members."1183
Rather than a simple fact-finding committee, "[t]his was an angry official group sent on an
official mission to question Jesus regarding his actions."1184 They "began saying to Him, 'By what
authority [exousia: "the right to control or govern over"1185] are You doing these things, or who
gave You this authority [exousia] to do these things?'" (Mark 11:28, NASB). "The questions the
religious leaders asked were perfectly valid questions to check for a false prophet or false
1182
Expositor's Bible Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1184
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1185
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
1183
teacher, but their sinister motives made it an evil test."1186 The religious leaders challenged
Jesus' authority to do "these things" - that is, Jesus' right to cleanse, heal, and teach: to cleanse
the temple, perform miraculous healings, and teach about God's kingdom (see Matthew 21:1217, 23-27).1187 As usual, they were trying to trap Jesus, hoping he would "[say] something for
which he could be arrested."1188 "[N]o matter what Jesus said in response to their question they
were not going to believe it and would in the end use it against him."1189 As another source puts
it: "The Sanhedrists were acquainted with the authority on which Jesus acted; they were not
inquiring for information. Their one purpose was to deny him this authority, for to admit it was
to accept Jesus as the Messiah sent of God, against which everything in them rebelled."1190
At this point Jesus' popularity prevented the religious delegation from arresting him outright.
And so it is likely they were hoping Jesus would answer in such a way as to lose his popular
support - and hence clear the way for his arrest.1191 "[T]he high priest and his ranking priestly
associates possessed ultimate authority on the Temple Mount."1192 They were hoping that
Jesus would either condemn himself by admitting that he had no legitimate authority to cleanse
the temple, or that he would claim "a 'right' superseding that of the chief priests, a claim that
would have made him politically vulnerable."1193 As one source puts it: "If Jesus were to answer
that his authority came from God, which would be tantamount to saying he was the Messiah
and the Son of God, [the religious leaders] would accuse him of blasphemy and bring him to
trial (blasphemy carried the death penalty, Leviticus 24:10-23). If Jesus were to say that his
authority was his own, they could dismiss him as a fanatic and could trust that the crowds
would soon return to those with true authority (themselves)."1194
One question (Mark 11:29)
Jesus responded with a question of his own regarding the baptism of John. While it is true that
"counter questions [were] a common Rabbinic debating technique,"1195 it is also true that
"when Jesus employs this method he in every instance vanquishes his opponents, and this
certainly was not true with respect to rabbis in general."1196 (Examples: Mark 2:8-10, 19-22, 2528; 3:23-30; 8:12-13; 10:3-12; 11:29-33; 12:24-27.1197) We may also wish to note that "[Jesus']
counter question is the opposite of an evasion. Jesus merely returns the question of the
Sanhedrists to them by substituting John the Baptist for himself. ... The correct answer to the
question about John was the correct answer to the question about Jesus. All he would need to
1186
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1188
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1189
Net Bible Notes
1190
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1191
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1192
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1193
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1194
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1195
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1196
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1197
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1187
do was to hand it back to the Sanhedrists."1198 Jesus question "forced those seeking his death to
reveal their unwillingness to believe him."1199
Jesus' counter question had to do with the source of John's authority as a prophet. Put simply,
Jesus was asking: "Was John a true and lawful prophet of God, or an impostor?"1200 "A subtle
irony is involved: these men ask of Jesus what they ought already to know from John."1201 Jesus'
question created quite a quandary for the religious leaders. On the one hand, an endorsement
of John's ministry would amount to a public proclamation that 1) Jesus was the Messiah,1202
and 2) they (the religious leaders) were a bunch of unrepentant snakes (see Matthew 3:710).1203 On the other hand, to deny the legitimacy of John's ministry would be to pit themselves
against overwhelming public opinion that John was a prophet. "If the Sanhedrists would have
denied the divine origin of John's baptism, this would have spread like wildfire, and no one
could predict what the inflamed multitudes would do"1204 - including throwing a hard rock party
(see LUKE 20:6). Not to mention the fact it would invite God's judgment against their refusal to
listen to both John and Jesus.1205
In the end, it was the religious leaders' absolute refusal to believe that prevented them from
recognizing the legitimate authority of both John and Jesus.1206 "By suspending judgment, these
religious leaders showed that they really rejected John and Jesus as God's messengers.
Throughout their history most leaders of Israel repeatedly rejected God's messengers, a point
Jesus made in the following parable (Mark 12:1-12)."1207 Here we find a specific instance of a
general principle: "Christ's opponents failed to see the truth because they hardened themselves
against it. The reason why many people know so little about Jesus and about the joy of living
the Christian life is that they refuse to submit themselves to his will."1208 As Jesus said
elsewhere: "'My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants
to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own'" (John
7:16-17).1209
HEAR (heart)
The Open Door
1198
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1200
John Calvin's Commentaries
1201
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1202
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1203
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1204
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1205
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament; Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary;
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1206
Evangelical Commentary on the Bible
1207
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1208
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1209
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1199
The story is told of a girl who turned her back on her widowed mother who had worked
so hard to bring her up, and left home without telling her mother where she was going.
Night after night the mother waited for the girl, but she did not come back.
In her perplexity and sorrow the mother went to her pastor to ask his help. He
suggested that she have some pictures taken of herself and bring them to him, which
she did. Then he asked her what message she wanted to send her lost girl. In tears the
mother said, "All I want to tell her is 'Come back.'" "Write that on each picture," said the
minister, and then he proceeded to send these pictures to places of amusement in other
large towns which he felt the daughter was most likely to frequent. He requested that
the picture be posted on the bulletin board where it could be easily seen.
One night, the daughter came to one of these places and was attracted by something
familiar about the picture on the bulletin board. Little did she imagine that it could be
her mother's picture. She came closer to it, and there it was - her own mother, looking
much older than when she had left. The she saw what was written on it, "Come back,"
and knew it was addressed to her. She could not proceed with her plans for that night.
With a heart burning with remorse, she went back to her room, packed her clothes, and
took the first train home.
Arriving in the early hours of the morning, she was surprised to find the door of the little
apartment open; in she went. There was her mother in tears, not sleeping, but sitting
up, praying for her prodigal daughter. She threw her arms around her, and the first thing
she asked when she could speak was, "Mother, why did you leave the door open?" "Oh,
Louise, the door has never been closed since the day you left. I left it open all the time
expecting your return. I didn't want you to find it shut when you came back." 1210
To reject Jesus Christ is to reject God's love and to wander aimlessly in a world filled with many
distractions but no real peace. To embrace Jesus Christ is to experience the patient, longsuffering love of God that is something like returning home after a long absence to find the
front door unlocked in anticipation of our return.
DO (hands)
These religious leaders [who confronted Jesus] were concerned about authority. They
wanted to keep theirs, and they knew Jesus' teaching was challenging their power
structure. Their actions illustrate the potential for spiritual blindness of those in power
in the church. Although bishops, pastors, and deacons hold important positions, wrong
motives can render them ineffective. These Pharisees had the power to renew Jewish
faith, but they would neither change the religion nor let anyone else do it. They
challenged Jesus' authority, but they had no real spiritual insight or power of their own.
If you hold a position of leadership in the church, base that authority on a heart for God
and a desire for service.
1210
2,000+ Bible Illustrations (paraphrased)
These religious leaders were afraid of the crowd's reaction. They had not loved the
people or led them properly. All they wanted was to stay on top. Proverbs 29:25 says,
'The fear of others lays a snare' (NRSV). Christian leaders must not give in to public
opinion and pressure. They must stay faithful to God whether people praise or
condemn. Don't use people to gain support. Don't let circumstances or people's
expectations sway you. Stand true to God, and you will have no need to fear the
crowd.1211

Mark 12
[[@Bible:Mark 12:1-12]]
Mark 12:1-12
Parable of the Evil Farmers
1 Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: "A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall
around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased
the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. 2 At the time of the grape
harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. 3 But the farmers grabbed
the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. 4 The owner then sent another
servant, but they insulted him and beat him over the head. 5 The next servant he sent was killed.
Others he sent were either beaten or killed, 6 until there was only one left - his son
whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking, 'Surely they will respect my son.'
7 "But the tenant farmers said to one another, 'Here comes the heir to this estate. Let's kill
him and get the estate for ourselves!' 8 So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his
body out of the vineyard.
9 "What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?" Jesus asked. "I'll tell you - he
will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others. 10 Didn't you ever read this in
the Scriptures?
'The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
11 This is the LORD's doing,
and it is wonderful to see.'"
12 The religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story
against them - they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him
and went away.
1211
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
SEE (head)
Once again Jesus is in the Temple, teaching the truths of God. Using a common everyday
situation to teach a profound spiritual truth, Jesus describes the nation of Israel as a vineyard
owned and leased out by God. Its tenants, the nation's religious leaders, refuse to give God his
due. Instead, they kill first the owner's messengers and then his son. They themselves will be
killed, says Jesus, and the vineyard will be given to other tenants. Jesus ends by predicting that
he, the one rejected by the religious leaders, will become the chief cornerstone of God's new
building.
A vineyard (Mark 12:1)
Jesus' story, or parable, describes an everyday situation in the Palestine of his day. "Wealthy
foreign landlords owned large land estates which they leased to tenant farmers. The tenants
agreed to cultivate the land and care for the vineyards when the landlords were away."1212 At
harvest time the tenant farmers would pay the owner's agents, sent by him to collect a set
percentage of the crop. "Generally this amounted to a quarter to a half of the crop, probably in
the form of wine, not grapes."1213 It was during this time that "[t]ensions often arose; records
exist of bitter disputes between landowners and their tenants."1214 In order for the landowner
to retain his legal rights to the land, he had to receive some produce from the tenants. 1215 Thus
a deliberate failure to pay the landowner actually represented a calculated effort on the part of
the tenants to undermine his legal rights to the property.
His son (Mark 12:6)
While the landowner convinced himself that the tenants would respect his son, they took the
son's presence to indicate that the owner was no longer alive. "In Palestine at the time, a piece
of land could be possessed lawfully by whoever claimed it first if it was 'ownerless property,'
unclaimed by an heir within a certain time period (cf. Mishnah Baba Bathra 3.3). The tenant
farmers assumed that if they killed the son they could acquire the vineyard."1216 Get rid of the
son and the land would be up for grabs.1217 Hence it is not a matter of impulse. "On the
contrary, it is 'malice aforethought,' the result of wicked deliberation, of corrupt, selfish
scheming. It is premeditated murder."1218
The cornerstone (Mark 12:10)
Jesus quoted from Psalm 118:22-23 to sound a note of hope. ("Psalm 118 was a key part of the
Passover service, and all the pilgrims coming to Passover would recite 118:25-26 as they came
to Jerusalem."1219) "A slain son cannot be revived but a rejected stone can be retrieved and
used."1220Thus the rejection of Jesus will spell not the end but the beginning as Jesus himself
1212
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1214
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1215
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
1216
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1217
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1218
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1219
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1220
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1213
becomes the chief cornerstone - "considered the most important stone of a building,"1221 "used
as the standard to make sure the other stones of the building were straight and level" 1222 - of
the Church "international, gathered from both Jews and Gentiles."1223 (Of course there is also a
sense in which Israel, rejected by all other nations, was/is the cornerstone in God's plan of
redemption.1224)
Teaching (Mark 12:1)
One source outlines the main elements of this parable:
1.
2.
3.
4.
the man who planted the vineyard = God
the vineyard = Israel
the tenant farmers = the Jewish religious leaders
the landowner's servants (12:2) = the prophets and priests who remained faithful to
God and preached to Israel
5. the son = Jesus (12:6), and
6. the others to whom the vineyard was given (12:9) = the Gentiles1225
As one source rightly points out: "A vineyard is naturally planted for the sake of the fruit it will
yield. But this parable does not center our attention on the productivity or the unproductivity
of the vineyard or of its vines ... but on the vicious action of these vine-growers to whom the
vineyard is leased, and who were to meet the terms of that lease."1226
A number of additional points are worth noting:


1221
Isaiah 5:1-7. This parable "builds upon the imagery of Isaiah 5:1–7, the Song of the
Vineyard, which portrays the coming destruction of those who fail to bear fruit for
God."1227
OT imagery. The parable includes imagery found throughout the OT: the idea of "fruitproducing growths" intended to yield a full and useful crop, in particular "the olive tree,
the fig tree, and the grapevine"1228; "the vineyard representing God's possession Israel
(ISAIAH 5:1–7); the harvest as judgment time (Jeremiah 51:33; Hosea 6:11a; Joel 3:13);
and the servants as spiritual leaders (Exodus 14:31; Judges 2:8; 1 Samuel 3:9; 2 Samuel
3:18)."1229 (Later rabbinic literature explicitly equates the watch tower with the temple
and altar.1230)
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1223
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
1224
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1225
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
1226
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1227
Evangelical Commentary on the Bible; Baker's New Testament Commentary
1228
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1229
Holman Bible Handbook
1230
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1222





1231
Judgment. This is "a juridical parable, that is, a parable that induces the hearers to pass
judgment on themselves. The vineyard is Israel, its owner is God, and the fruit is the
behavior of Israel."1231 It foretells the harsh judgment awaiting them after they've
committed the ultimate atrocity of killing God's Son. ("Throwing the heir's body out of
the vineyard [v.8] pictures Jesus' death outside of Jerusalem."1232) "God's love and
patience exceed absolutely everything that men have ever heard of here on earth. Yet
let us not overlook the other point, how Jesus here pictures the corresponding guilt of
all those who abused these messengers and finally killed also the son. If God's love and
patience exceed all bounds, so also does this guilt."1233
The prophets ... the Son. This parable recounts the shameful treatment rendered God's
spokesmen, the prophets, at the hands of the nation's religious and political rulers, who
will thus lose their stewardship.1234 "Throughout Israel's history, the leadership
constantly rejected the prophets God sent to them, refusing to turn away from idols or
to follow God's guidance. Many of God's prophets were beaten; others were killed."1235
Moreover, "[e]ach generation of the Jewish leaders allowed the deeds of their fathers
by repeating them. They made all the previous murders their own by adding to them;
and the climax was reached by the last generation of these leaders in killing Jesus. They
put into final practice the lessons in killing taught them by all former persecutors of the
prophets by killing God's own Son."1236 ("'Beloved' occurs elsewhere in Mark only at
Jesus' baptism and transfiguration (1:11; 9:7). Both are allusions to Ps. 2, wherein in the
face of insurrection God affirms his messianic son's inheritance, which is the focus of the
parable in Mark."1237)
Perverted thinking. "Jesus came to call Israel back to God. But the religious leaders,
caught up in their positions, wanted to hold on to their power and prestige with the
people. Jesus threatened to take that away; they couldn't match his teaching, his
miracles, or his popularity. They thought that killing Jesus was the only way to gain back
the respect of the people that seemed to be slipping from their grasp."1238
God's patience. God's miraculous long-suffering can be depicted only by the most
unlikely human situation, as no landowner in his right mind would subject his servants
to such severe mistreatment, capped off by the sending of his own son. As one source
puts it: "The patience of God toward Israel's religious rulers is without parallel in human
history - an illustration must be invented to picture it, and the illustration will have to be
unreal."1239
Rejecting God. The parable teaches the hard truth that "God's long-suffering love ...
turns to judgment when we reject God's message. ... For the Christian, failure to follow
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
Net Bible Notes
1233
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1234
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1235
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1236
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1237
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
1238
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1239
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1232
Christ leads to loss of spiritual gifts and a loss of a sense of God's presence and power.
Will God give our responsibilities to others who will use them appropriately? To the
person who is not yet a Christian, putting God off leads to spiritual deafness or
hardening. Soon that person can't hear God's Word at all. At all times, we must embrace
God's truth eagerly, follow his lead faithfully, and respect the importance of his message
daily."1240
HEAR (heart)
A Gangster Christian
Billy Graham has shared the Gospel with an enormous number of people. He has spoken
to everyone from ordinary individuals to vast crowds, from presidents to kings. Once he
even shared the Gospel with a notorious gangster named Mickey Cohen.
Cohen seemed interested in the message but did not make a profession of faith. Until,
that is, a friend shared the Gospel and included Revelation 3:20: "'Behold, I stand at the
door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and
will dine with him, and he with Me'" (NASB).
The gangster made a profession of faith, but there was no subsequent evidence of
genuine repentance. He continued his life of crime, just as before. And he even rebuked
the believer who had shared the Gospel with him, complaining that he was never told
he would have to give up his "work" (his rackets) and his "friends" (his gangster
associates).
Cohen had heard that there were Christian actors and Christian politicians. And so he
really thought he could be a Christian gangster!1241
Like the gangster Mickey Cohen, Israel's religious leaders refused to understand what it meant
to represent God. They thought they could take the privileges without the responsibilities. But,
warned Jesus, that kind of attitude leads only to hard, selfish, sinful hearts that refuse to listen
to God. People possessing such hearts will do anything to silence God's voice. But, said Jesus,
there reaches a point where God leaves them alone to face the full consequences of their sin.
DO (hands)
??? "We are shocked that these renters killed the owner's son with such disregard,
ungratefulness, and violence. Yet we do violence to Jesus and his messengers when we think
they disrupt our security, leisure plans, or pleasure. How are we 'killing' God's claim on our time
and treasure? Are we possessive and murderously resentful when our leisure or pleasure gets
bumped for Christian responsibilities? Would [Jesus'] return be unwelcome because of the
plans that we have made?"1242
[[@Bible:Mark 12:13-17]]
1240
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes (paraphrased)
1242
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1241
Mark 12:13-17
Taxes for Caesar
13 Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying
something for which he could be arrested. 14 "Teacher," they said, "we know how honest you
are. You are impartial and don't play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay them, or shouldn't we?"
Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, "Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a
Roman coin, and I'll tell you." 16 When they handed it to him, he asked, "Whose picture and title
are stamped on it?"
"Caesar's," they replied.
17 "Well, then," Jesus said, "give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what
belongs to God."
His reply completely amazed them.
SEE (head)
Jesus is approached by "some Pharisees and supporters of Herod" seeking to trap him. These
traditional enemies have joined forces in an effort to ensnare their mutual enemy, Jesus. They
raise the topic of paying taxes to the Roman government. Jesus first assures them that they are
fooling no one but themselves, and then he asks for a denarius. He reminds them that the coin
belongs to Caesar and thus should be given to him. God, however, deserves and must be given
what belongs to him.
Pharisees and supporters of Herod (Mark 12:13)
As we have seen, the Pharisees were "a religious and political party in Palestine in New
Testament times. The Pharisees were known for insisting that the law of God be observed as
the scribes interpreted it and for their special commitment to keeping the laws of tithing and
ritual purity."1243 Jesus' most scathing rebukes were directed at this group (see Matthew 23).
And the "supporters of Herod" (= Herodians) were "Jews of influence and standing who were
favorable toward Greek customs and Roman law in New Testament times."1244 They regarded
the Herodian dynasty "as the safeguard against direct pagan rule which the Jews loathed, and
also as the best compromise between the ancient faith and pagan civilization."1245 To them, the
Herodian family represented "'the last hope of retaining for the Jews a fragment of national
government, as distinguished from absolute dependence upon Rome as a province of the
empire.' Supporters of the family of Herod, who held their dominions by the grant of the
Roman emperor, would be in favor of paying tribute to the supreme power."1246 The one thing
the (conservative) Pharisees and the (liberal) Herodians agreed on was the need to get rid of
(independent) Jesus.
1243
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
1245
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
1246
Smith's Bible Dictionary
1244
Taxes to Caesar (Mark 12:14)
The Pharisees opposed paying taxes (which at least some saw as a form of idolatry1247), while
the Herodians supported it.1248 As one source explains the taxation system: "There were three
basic types: (1) a land or produce tax took one-tenth of all grain and one-fifth of all fruit (or
wine), (2) everyone aged fourteen to sixty-five paid a head or poll tax collected when a census
was taken - one day's wages, and (3) a custom tax was collected at ports and city gates as tolls
for goods transported - rates were 2 to 5 percent of the value of the goods."1249 Most
commentators identify the "taxes" Jesus was asked about as "the annual poll tax (head tax) ...
[which] went directly into the emperor's treasury. This tax was unpopular because it typified
the Jews' subjugation to Rome (cf. Acts 5:37)."1250
Roman taxation was seen as "a recognition of Rome's right to rule over Israel" and as a way of
honoring Caesar over God.1251 Any Israelite who said taxes should be paid would immediately
be branded by the religious leaders as a traitor who thought more of serving Rome than of
serving God. Open denunciation of the tax, however, especially by a popular leader, could easily
be interpreted by the Roman government as an act of insurrection. Add to this the delegates'
public acknowledgement of Jesus' reputation for scrupulous honesty - which doubtless they
proffered in an effort to cut off any possible escape1252 - and we see why Jesus' enemies felt
certain they had him this time. (Victims of flattery usually come in one of two sizes: extra-large
ego or extra-small self-esteem.1253) At the very least, they hoped to discredit Jesus among his
supporters,1254 while at most they hoped "to provide a basis on which He might be accused of
treason to the Roman government.1255
A Roman coin ... picture and title (Mark 12:15, 16)
Jesus asked them for a denarius - a small, silver Roman coin "worth approximately one day's
wage for a laborer."1256 The front of the coin was inscribed with an image of the emperor and
the words ""Tiberius Caesar, Son of the Divine Augustus." The back of the coin pictured the
emperor "seated on a throne wearing a diadem and ... clothed as a highpriest"1257 and read
"High/Chief Priest (of the Roman Nation)."1258 "This inscription originated in the imperial cult of
emperor worship and was a claim to divinity, which was particularly repulsive to Jews"1259
1247
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; Baker's New Testament
Commentary
1249
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1250
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary
1251
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
1252
Lenski's New Testament Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1253
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1254
Net Bible Notes
1255
The Bible Reader's Companion
1256
Net Bible Notes
1257
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1258
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1259
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1248
because the emperor proclaimed himself the "supreme authority not only in political but even
in spiritual affairs."1260
The denarius, "the only coin acceptable for imperial tax payments,"1261 was different from the
copper coins that were circulated throughout Jewish Palestine.1262 In carrying and using the
Roman coin, Jesus' opponents were submitting to Rome's authority, including indirectly
acknowledging "the benefits of the civil government ... and consequently the obligation to pay
taxes."1263
Give to Caesar ... give to God (Mark 12:17)
While we, no less than Jesus' original audience, may (and should) feel chafed when we think of
government abuse and corruption,1264 we should be quick to recall that the government's
authority is God-given. For that reason alone, Christians are to submit to the government,
including paying taxes.1265 What's more, the government uses our tax dollars to provide us with
innumerable benefits, including public defense, public roadways, public sanitation services,
etc., etc. In that respect, to pay taxes is simply to pay a debt we owe. Which, not coincidentally,
is the precise meaning behind Jesus' "Render to Caesar ..." (Mark 12:17, NASB): "In their
question, the religious leaders used the word didomi, meaning 'to give.' Jesus responded with
the word apodidomi, meaning 'to pay a debt.'"1266
As one source brings out, submission to God includes submission to the governing authorities:
[W]e misunderstand Jesus when we have him say that the obligation to God has nothing
to do with the obligation to our government. Even the Pharisees and their disciples were
not that shallow as their question shows. The 'and' of Jesus intends to cancel the 'or' of
his questioners (in both v. 14 and 15). These are not alternatives, they harmonize, yea,
more: in giving to God what is God's we will for his sake give also to the ruler what is his.
Our obligation to God covers everything in our life, its citizenship as well as our
religion.1267
Jesus' somewhat ambiguous response was intended to challenge "one's loyalties and
motives."1268 When Jesus spoke of giving God his due, he "probably meant it as a protest
against the emperor's claim to deity. Indeed the emperor must receive his due, but not more
1260
Baker's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1262
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1263
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Expositor's Bible Commentary; Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible; The Bible
Exposition Commentary: New Testament; Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament
Commentary
1264
Thru the Bible
1265
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary
1266
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament; The MacArthur Study Bible; The Wycliffe Bible
Commentary
1267
Lenski's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1268
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1261
than that; he must not receive the divine honor and worship he claimed. Those are due only to
God. People are 'God's coinage' because they bear His image (cf. Genesis 1:27) and they owe
Him what belongs to Him, their allegiance. This, not the poll tax, was the crucial issue to
Jesus."1269
As one source puts it:
Jesus avoided the trick question by showing that believers have dual citizenship (1 Peter
2:7). Our citizenship in the nation requires that we pay money for the services and
benefits we receive. Our citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven requires that we pledge
to God our primary obedience and commitment. (See Acts 4:18-19 and Acts 5:29 for
discussions on obeying God rather than people.) As God's followers, we have legitimate
obligations to both God and the government. But it is important to keep our priorities
straight. When the two authorities conflict, our duty to God always must come before
our duty to the government. The coin bearing the emperor's image should be given to
the emperor; our lives, bearing God's image, belong to God.1270
HEAR (heart)
No Escape
Warren Wiersbe tells a story of the time he carried on a brief correspondence (via snail
mail) with a man who objected to his interpretation of Romans 13 (regarding submitting
to governmental authority). The man said all government was of the devil and that
Christians must resist it. Wiersbe pointed out that through his use of the U.S. Postal
Service, the man was actually accepting governmental authority. The money he used
was printed and guaranteed by the federal government. And, for that matter, the very
freedom that the man employed in voicing his opinion was a right guaranteed by the
government.1271
DO (hands)
??? Read Acts 5:26-29 and Romans 13:1-7. How do these Scripture passages compare with
Christ's command in Mark 12:17?
[[@Bible:Mark 12:18-27]]
Mark 12:18-27
Discussion about Resurrection
18 Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees - religious leaders who say there is no
resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: 19 "Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a
man dies, leaving a wife without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child
who will carry on the brother's name. 20 Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest
one married and then died without children. 21 So the second brother married the widow, but
he also died without children. Then the third brother married her. 22 This continued with all
1269
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Net Bible Notes; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
Life Application Study Bible (quoted verbatim)
1271
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament (paraphrased)
1270
seven of them, and still there were no children. Last of all, the woman also died. 23 So tell us,
whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her."
24 Jesus replied, "Your mistake is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know
the power of God. 25 For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage.
In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.
26 "But now, as to whether the dead will be raised - haven't you ever read about this in the
writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had
died, God said to Moses, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob.' 27 So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error."
SEE (head)
A group of Sadducees poses a hypothetical question to Jesus in an effort to disprove the
resurrection. They are correct in their understanding of the Mosaic law requiring a man to
marry his widowed sister-in-law in order to provide his deceased brother with an heir. But they
are committing a grave error in trying to use this law to prove that the resurrection does not
make sense. Jesus responds by teaching them about the general nature of the resurrection, as
well as the fact that death is not the end of our existence.
Sadducees (Mark 12:18)
Not very much is known about the Sadducees. "Our information about them is meager and
derived exclusively from hostile sources. Clearly they consisted mainly of the most influential
priestly and aristocratic families ... [and] they are presented essentially as the preservers of
ancient priestly traditions."1272 This group "included most of the priests; the office of high priest
was regularly held by a Sadducee."1273 Like most wealthy and "connected" people, the
Sadducees exercised an influence disproportionate to their size, controlling "the official political
structures of Judaism at this time."1274 They accepted as authoritative only the writings of
Moses - the Pentateuch, or first five books of the Bible. And since, they believed, the
resurrection was not taught in those books, it could not be true. ("They denied the truths of the
resurrection, future judgment, and the existence of angels and spirits.1275) In light of their
renowned animosity toward the Pharisees, they must have thought they had found "a way to
trip Jesus and at the same time to maintain their skeptic views against the orthodox
Pharisees."1276 (Historical note: "Many of the Sadducean leaders were murdered by the Zealots
during the revolt against Rome [A.D. 66-70], as real or suspected collaborators; the destruction
of the Temple [A.D. 70] deprived their survivors of their position of religious significance. They
disappeared, and the Pharisees saw to it that they left no traces behind them."1277)
1272
The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church
The Daily Study Bible Series; Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible
1274
Net Bible Notes
1275
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1276
Lenski's New Testament Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary
1277
The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church
1273
Marry the widow (Mark 12:19)
"Apparently one of the favorite sports of the Sadducees was to make fun of their opponents by
showing how their beliefs led to ridiculous conclusions."1278 ("We may suppose that they had
tried this proof [regarding levirate marriage and the resurrection] in controversy with many a
Pharisee and had made a laughingstock of every opponent. Jesus was to be the next
victim."1279) Thus they approach Jesus with a "free rendering of the Mosaic regulation
concerning levirate (from Latin, levir, 'husband's brother') marriage (cf. Deuteronomy 25:5-10).
If a husband died without leaving a male heir his (unmarried) brother (or, if none, his nearest
male relative) was to marry his widow. The first son of that union was given the name of the
dead brother and was considered his child. This was to prevent extinction of a family line and
thereby kept the family inheritance intact."1280 As another source brings out: "Levirate marriage
was an ancient solution to the problem of the widowed and childless woman. In great antiquity
a woman had two places: her father's house as an unmarried virgin, or her husband's house, in
which she would bear him children. A childless widow had no secure place in ancient society.
Through levirate marriage she had the opportunity to bear children in the name of her
deceased husband."1281 ("The story of Ruth and Boaz, recorded in the Book of Ruth, is a good
example of the levirate form of marriage."1282).
The resurrection (Mark 12:23)
Since the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, it was obvious they were ridiculing the
very idea.1283"The underlying premise is that the doctrine of resurrection is inconsistent with
the teaching of Torah, especially so when someone like Jesus adopts a strict, monogamous
position that rules out divorce."1284
For his part, Jesus affirmed the reality of a future resurrection, and taught that the life
associated with it will be characterized by serving and fellowshipping with God.1285 People will
relate to each and to God in a very different way, as there will be no death and thus no need for
marriage and offspring.1286 "The entire arrangement of sex, marriage, reproduction, and
childbirth, and any laws pertaining to these is valid for the earthly life only and not for the life
to come."1287
The Scriptures ... the power of God (Mark 12:24)
Based as it was on the very words of God1288 as recorded in the Pentateuch (Exodus 3:6), the
Sadducees had no choice but to accept Jesus' teaching regarding the afterlife. "God implied that
1278
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1280
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1281
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1282
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
1283
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1284
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1285
Expositor's Bible Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1286
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1287
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1288
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1279
the patriarchs were still alive and that He had a continuing relationship with them as their
covenant-keeping God, even though they had died long before. This demonstrates, Jesus
concluded, that He is not the God of the dead, in the Sadducean understanding of death as
extinction, but of the living. He is still the patriarchs' God which would not be true had they
ceased to exist at death, that is, if death ends it all. And His covenant faithfulness implicitly
guarantees their bodily resurrection. ... Both bodily resurrection and life after death depend on
the faithfulness of 'the God of the living.'"1289
Jesus not only made his point, but he did so in such a way as to affirm that the Bible is totally
trustworthy - right down to the verb tense of the words used. In choosing this particular line of
reasoning, Jesus made several assumptions that help to affirm the truth and accuracy of God's
inspired, authoritative Word, the Bible. Jesus assumed:




God's appearance to Moses was a genuine, historical event.
God reveals himself in propositional statements.
Doctrine must be historically accurate in order to be true.
Every passage of Scripture, including some that on the surface may seem unlikely to
prove a point, is totally trustworthy.1290
HEAR (heart)
The Truthful Barometer
A young farmer in North Dakota brought home a fancy barometer for which he paid
$24.65. In the following days he watched it avidly as it predicted the weather. On one of
the walls of his home it hung in an honored place. But the day came when for three days
it predicted "storm" while the sky was turquoise and clear. So he took it off the wall and
back to town where he demanded his money back.
Returning home, he and his wife became alarmed when they saw evidence of a storm
ten miles out. When they turned in their yard, their home had blown away. The
furniture was up in the apple trees, and the bathtub three blocks away in a pasture.
But the grandmother had believed the barometer, and when a dark cloud appeared she
took the two small children and went to the shelter in the old storm cellar, long unused,
and they were saved.1291
We live in a world that openly questions, and even mocks, the very idea that the Bible is God's
inspired, authoritative Word. As a consequence, many people deny the existence of absolute
moral truth, live immoral lives, and see God as a crutch for the weak-minded.1292 The truth is
that the Bible is our only sure and reliable barometer. We may not understand everything
1289
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Basic Theology (paraphrased)
1291
2,000+ Bible Illustrations (quoted verbatim)
1292
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1290
about it, but if we are willing to give it the honored place it both deserves and demands, God
will use it to guide us and keep us safe through life's storms.
As for the skeptics and critics, one source wisely advises: "Where active unbelief is strong,
Christians need to concentrate strong intellect, persuasive witness, and steady prayer.
Remember to pray for professors, educators, student workers, and missionaries who present
Christ in atmospheres of aggressive and hostile unbelief."1293
DO (hands)
??? Like the Sadducees of Jesus' day, many people of our own day are less than sincere in their
questioning of God's Word and/or God's people. How should we handle such people? One
source offers some excellent counsel.
As Christians, we will face unfair theological questions from religious leaders who do not
believe in Christ as Lord or in his Word as divine. We also will face unfair questions from
unbelievers who have no knowledge. To stand our ground, we must discern the thoughts
and feelings that lie beneath their questions.






Do their own consciences suffer, so they are reacting against Christianity as the source
of their conviction?
Do they resent the assurance of faith that Christians hold?
Have they been severely hurt or disappointed by so-called religious people?
Do they wish to proudly flaunt their own freedom and power of intellect?
Are they reacting on partial knowledge, misconceptions of God, or poor interpretations
of Scripture?
Have they confused the love and compassion of Jesus Christ with the sometimes
improper actions of professing Christians?
Many who attack the Bible have never truly studied it or considered Christ's claims. Turn
the discussion to the love of Christ.1294
[[@Bible:Mark 12:28-37]]
Mark 12:28-37
The Most Important Commandment
28 One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized
that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most
important?"
29 Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The LORD our
God is the one and only LORD. 30 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all
your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' 31 The second is equally important: 'Love your
neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."
1293
1294
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
32 The teacher of religious law replied, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by
saying that there is only one God and no other. 33 And I know it is important to love him with all
my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This
is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law."
34 Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, "You are not far from the
Kingdom of God." And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Whose Son Is the Messiah?
35 Later, as Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, he asked, "Why do the teachers of
religious law claim that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 For David himself, speaking under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said,
'The LORD said to my Lord,
Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.'
37 Since David himself called the Messiah 'my Lord,' how can the Messiah be his son?" The large
crowd listened to him with great delight.
SEE (head)
Jesus is asked about a topic commonly debated among the religious leaders of his day: the most
important commandment in the Scriptures. He responds by saying that loving God with our
entire being, followed by loving and caring for those around us, is the most important thing in
life. Jesus then asks a question of his own regarding the identity of the Messiah. Although the
Messiah is to be a descendent of David, he will also be far superior to David, who was the
greatest king of Israel and a man after God's own heart.
All the commandments (Mark 12:28)
In sharp contrast to the Sadducees, the scribe in this story "came with no apparent hostile or
hidden motive," but simply "to appraise Jesus' skill in answering a much-debated subject in
scribal circles."1295 "The Pharisees had codified the law into 248 commandments and 365
prohibitions. These 613 precepts were imposed by the Pharisees on their followers as their
obligation."1296 It was inevitable that, at certain times and in certain situations, one command
would come into conflict with another. Thus there were ongoing debates regarding which
command was to be obeyed and which one was to be ignored. There were also attempts to
summarize the entire law in one single command.1297 "As a Pharisee himself [see Matthew
22:34-36], the man had in mind the debates over the relative importance of ritual, ethical,
moral, and ceremonial laws, as well as the positive versus negative laws."1298
1295
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
1297
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary
1298
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1296
Linking passages of Scripture together based on key words was actually a common Jewish
interpretive technique. "These passages were also linked in Jewish tradition (e.g., Philo), and
some other teachers felt that these were the greatest commandments that summarized the
law. This was especially true of 'Love the Lord your God'."1299 That said, it appears that no one
prior to Jesus placed these two commands on equal footing. What's more, "Jesus, not only by
word but also by very deed, was the first to set forth the true meaning of perfect love toward
God united with perfect love toward man."1300 The order in which Jesus placed the commands
is also very important. If we truly love God, then love for our neighbor will follow. However, if
we try to put loving our neighbor above loving God, we will be unable to properly love either
one.1301
Listen, O Israel (Mark 12:29)
Jesus responded by first of all reciting the Shema ("from the opening word 'Hear,' which in
Hebrew is shema"1302), described as "[t]he 'watchword of Israel's faith,' a declaration of the
oneness and uniqueness of God as found in the opening words of Deuteronomy 6:4: 'Hear, O
Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.' ... The Shema is not a prayer (rabbinic literature never
refers to 'praying' the Shema) but a confession of faith or creed. ... [T]he main focus of the
Shema in its original setting - ancient Near Eastern polytheism - is clearly on the fact there is
one God. Yahweh alone claims the unqualified love and obedience of all His creation."1303
"[R]ecited by pious Jews every morning and evening[,] [i]t basically affirms two things: (1) the
unity of God ('the Lord is one') and (2) the covenant relationship of God to the Jewish people
('the Lord our God')."1304 Apparently Jesus' aim in reciting the Shema was to bypass endless
debate and get back to a basic, foundational truth: "What mattered were not laws and their
relative importance; what mattered was a relationship with the one true God." 1305
Love the Lord your God (Mark 12:30)
Jesus affirmed that "[t]he whole duty of man, the whole moral-spiritual law, can be summed up
in one word: love."1306 In simplest terms, we are to love God with every ounce of our being. As
one paraphrase renders it, we are to love God "with all [our] passion and prayer and
intelligence and energy" (The Message). Jesus said:
And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart (Greek kardia: "the center of desires
and affections"1307).

1299
all your soul (Greek psuche: a "person's 'being' and uniqueness"1308)
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1301
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition
1302
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1303
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
1304
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1305
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1306
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1307
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1308
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1300


all your mind (Greek dianoia: "the center of a person's intellect"1309)
and all your strength (Greek ischus: "physical capabilities"1310)
Notice the repetition of the word "all," meaning that "[n]ot even the smallest corner is to be
closed against [God] and opened to another."1311 A more precise definition of the various terms
reveals much overlap,1312 indicating that "[t]he use of the various terms is not meant to
delineate distinct human faculties, but to underscore the completeness of the kind of love that
is called for."1313 To love God as Jesus said "calls for a volitional commitment to God that is
personal, comprehensive, and wholehearted."1314 It is "the love of intelligence and purpose and
is thus far above the love of mere liking or affection."1315 Through Christ "God gives himself
totally in love to his people; therefore he expects his people to give themselves totally ('soul,'
'mind,' and 'strength') in love to him."1316
It is also helpful to see this command in light of its original context: "Loving the Lord with all the
heart and soul and strength is placed at the head, as the spiritual principle from which the
observance of the commandments was to flow (see also Deuteronomy 11:1; 30:6). It was in
love that the fear of the Lord (Deuteronomy 10:12), hearkening to His commandments
(Deuteronomy:13), and the observance of the whole law (Deuteronomy 11:22), were to be
manifested; but love itself was to be shown by walking in all the ways of the Lord
(Deuteronomy 11:22; 19:9; 30:16)."1317
Love your neighbor (Mark 12:31)
But Jesus did not stop there. He cited "a second commandment ... which is of the same
supreme quality as the first."1318 Jesus said we are to love neighbor as self - that is, to be just as
concerned for the well-being of others as we are for our own. A "neighbor" (Greek plesion) is
"'one who is nearby,' a generic term for fellowman1319; "any other man irrespective of nation or
religion with whom we live or whom we chance to meet."1320 As one source puts it: "[A
neighbor] is anyone who has been providentially placed in [our] path for sympathy and help. A
person should really never ask, 'And who is my neighbor?' Instead, he himself should be a true
neighbor to those in need, even though they be his enemies. See Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 10:3037."1321 As another source notes, "neighbor" refers to "one who is near us, i.e., one with whom
we come in contact, no matter who he may be. It is idle to demand love for one of whose
1309
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1311
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1312
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
1313
The MacArthur Study Bible
1314
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1315
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1316
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1317
Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
1318
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1319
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1320
Thayer's Greek Definitions
1321
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1310
existence we know nothing."1322 Thus rather than some lofty philosophy that produces much
heat but little light, love of neighbor is actually an imminently practical idea that can/should be
practiced daily.
Along those same lines, one Bible commentator notes that it is for very practical reasons that
the command says to "love your neighbor" rather than to "like your neighbor":
This love for our neighbor could not be expressed by ["like"] for the simple reason that
liking would not be enough, and that we could not possibly like everyone with whom we
come in contact. Take some vicious individual or some filthy person - can you embrace
and kiss him and take him into your home? But you can, indeed, love him (agapan) with
the intelligence that sees and comprehends what is wrong with him and with the noble
and true purpose of ridding him of what is wrong with him. This love will ever make the
true interests of its neighbor its own.1323
Taken together, the two commands Jesus gave can serve as a summary of the Ten
Commandments: the first four commandments focus on our relationship with God, while the
remaining six focus on our relationship with people.1324 The two greatest commands describe
the type of person God chooses to honor. They also convict us of our need for a Savior, since
we all fall far short of keeping them completely.1325 In his parallel account, the apostle Matthew
includes Jesus' declaration that: "'The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based
on these two commandments'" (Matthew 22:40). Or, as one modern paraphrase renders it:
"These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them."
(The Message). In other words, according to Jesus, "all of the commandments were given for
two simple reasons - to help us love God and love others as we should."1326
More important than ... offerings and sacrifices (Mark 12:33)
The scribe was delighted at Jesus' response, declaring that love for God and neighbor were of
greater importance than offerings and sacrifices. "In other words, love was more important
than all the ritual and ceremonial laws."1327 As one source puts it, the scribe found Jesus'
answer to be "so complete, so rich and satisfying, so illuminating in every way that the scribe
himself said so in his own way."1328 Obviously the scribe had been seriously wrestling with this
issue, and it may well be that prior to his conversation with Jesus he had attached more weight
to the offerings and sacrifices.1329 On the other hand, he may have already reached the same
conclusion as Jesus and was overjoyed to have his interpretation affirmed.1330 It is certainly the
case that the truth of Jesus' words were "emphasized and constantly repeated in the Old
1322
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1324
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
1325
Thru the Bible
1326
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1327
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1328
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1329
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1330
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1323
Testament. See especially the following passages: 1 Samuel 15:22; Psalms 40:6-7; 51:16-17;
Isaiah 1:10-17; Hosea 6:6: Micah 6:6-8."1331 While the Judaism of Jesus' day gave equal weight
to love and sacrifices,1332 the scribe declared, and Jesus implicitly affirmed, that love was
superior. Thus "[t]his man had caught the intent of God's law as it is so often stressed in the Old
Testament - that true obedience comes from the heart."1333 ("Because the Old Testament
commands lead to Christ, the man's next step toward obtaining God's kingdom was faith in
Jesus himself. ... Perhaps after Jesus' death and resurrection, this understanding Pharisee also
became a believer."1334)
Son of David (Mark 12:35)
"It was a common belief in Judaism that Messiah would be David's son in that he would come
from the lineage of David."1335 Quoting from Psalms 110, Jesus taught that the Messiah is both
a son of (= descendant of) David and far superior to David, strongly implying that the Messiah is
both man and God.1336 "The Davidic sonship of the Messiah was a standard Jewish belief (cf.
John 7:41-42) firmly based on the Old Testament Scriptures (cf. 2 Samuel 7:8-16; Psalms 89:3-4;
Isaiah 9:2-7; 11:1-9; Jeremiah 23:5-6; 30:9; 33:15-17, 22; Ezekiel 34:23-24; 37:24; Hosea 3:5;
Amos 9:11). Jesus added that it is equally true that the Messiah is David's Lord."1337 As another
source puts it: "David's Son is God's Son. Accordingly, when Jesus now says, 'How can the
scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?' he means, 'How can they say that the Christ is
merely the Son of David?'"1338 And so, "[w]ithout clearly stating it, Jesus was lifting the veil of
his divine identity. The divine Messiah would indeed come in human form, and he was standing
among them."1339
Besides serving as a marker to set him apart from all the rest of David's descendants,1340 the
Messiah's deity spelled profound implications for Israel's religious leaders. Like the rest of the
nation at that time, they thought of the promised Messiah in earthly terms - "a human ruler
who would reign on King David's throne, deliver them from Gentile domination by establishing
God's rule on earth, and restore Israel's greatness as in the days of David and Solomon." 1341 To
the religious leaders' way of thinking, such a Messiah posed no real threat to them personally:
he would have his power, and they would still have theirs. Jesus, on the other hand, was very
much a threat, as his open, repeated, and vehement denunciation of the religious leaders' false
teaching and hypocritical ways represented a clear and present danger to their power and
control. If he really was the Messiah, then they were in serious trouble. Their solution? Get rid
of him.
1331
Baker's New Testament Commentary
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1333
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1334
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1335
Net Bible Notes
1336
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Net Bible Notes; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1337
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1338
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1339
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1340
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1341
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1332
HEAR (heart)
Not for Sissies
The story is told of a group of senior citizens who lived in a retirement home. One day
they were sitting around comparing their various and sundry aches, pains, and illnesses.
Arthritis made everyone's list. Indigestion was very popular. And of course there were
ulcers, as well as insomnia. And on it went.
Finally one gentleman who was 85 years old spoke up and said, "Well, it just goes to
prove that getting old ain't for sissies!"1342
"[Jesus'] provocative questions brought delight to the crowds, thoughtfulness to the attentive,
and continued anger to his enemies."1343 As Jesus' followers, we too can expect mixed reactions
as we openly proclaim in both word and deed God's life-transforming truth. Some people will
be delighted by it, some will give it serious thought, and some will want to kill the messenger.
Which just goes to prove that being a faithful follower of Jesus ain't for sissies!
DO (hands)
??? What are some practical, everyday habits we can form that will help our "thoughts,
decisions, and actions" to be governed by the two greatest commands?1344 (Hint: Begin with the
basics of prayer, Bible study, and fellowship.)
[[@Bible:Mark 12:38-44]]
Mark 12:38-44
(Whose Son Is the Messiah?)
38 Jesus also taught: "Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around
in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. 39 And how
they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. 40 Yet they
shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long
prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished."
The Widow's Offering
41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in
their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped
in two small coins .
43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given
more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their
surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on."
1342
An Encyclopedia of Humor (paraphrased)
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1344
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1343
SEE (head)
Jesus denounces the religious leaders as hypocrites who hunger for wealth and status as they
practice their religion in public to be seen and admired by other people. In reality, they aren't
the least bit interested in helping people; rather, they want only to help themselves to
whatever they can get out of other people, even the most helpless and marginalized members
of society. Jesus contrasts these religious hypocrites with a widow whose sincere faith and trust
in God leads her to give away all she has. Her contribution, says Jesus, is far more valuable than
the large sums of money given by the rich.
Flowing robes ... greetings ... seats of honor ... head table (Mark 12:38, 39)
Regarding the "flowing robes" Jesus mentioned, one source explains: "The robes of the
intellectuals and aristocrats were long, reaching to the feet. The religious leaders wore white
linen robes, with white symbolizing religious purity. These robes were supposed to be worn
mainly for religious duties. However, the religious leaders had taken to wearing them into
public, such as to the marketplaces, for attention. The white robes singled them out and thus
caused the people to recognize them as authorities and greet them respectfully. The leaders
had no reason for these actions except vanity."1345
Regarding the other items on Jesus' list, one source explains how many (most?) of the religious
leaders liked to:



be greeted in the marketplaces with formal titles - Rabbi (teacher), master, father (cf.
Matthew 23:7; Luke 20:46) - by the common people who respected them highly;
have the most important synagogue seats, those reserved for dignitaries, situated in
front of the chest containing the sacred scrolls of Scripture and facing the whole
congregation; and
have the places of honor at banquets, special evening meals at which they were seated
next to the host and received preferential treatment.1346
As one source says (with tongue in cheek): "What an honor to ordinary mortals to have the
privilege of greeting such distinguished men!"1347
Cheat widows (Mark 12:40)
Because religious leaders were not allowed to charge for their teaching,1348 "they depended on
the hospitality extended by devout Jews. Some of them used this custom to exploit people,
cheating the poor out of everything they had and taking advantage of the rich." 1349 They set the
tithe at 20 to 30 percent "on top of the heavy land taxes levied by the government."1350 In
1345
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1347
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1348
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1349
Life Application Study Bible
1350
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1346
general, they sought to convince others that to help a religious leader live in comfort on earth is
to earn a special place in heaven.1351
While "[t]he temple establishment was supposed to have provided social protection and
economic assistance to widows,"1352 in fact they did the exact opposite. As one source notes:
"Scribes often served as estate planners for widows, which gave them the opportunity to
convince distraught widows that they would be serving God by supporting the temple or the
scribe's own holy work. In either case, the scribe benefited monetarily and effectively robbed
the widow of her husband's legacy to her."1353 This practice was so commonplace that the
phrase "devour widows' houses" (Mark 12:40, NASB) became "a vivid figure of speech for
exploiting the generosity of people of limited means."1354
Is it any wonder Jesus said they would be severely punished? "The punishment for these scribes
would be especially severe because as teachers they were responsible for shaping the faith of
the people. But they saddled people with petty rules while they lived greedily and deceitfully.
Their behavior gave a pretense of piety, while they oppressed and misled the very people they
were supposed to lead."1355
The collection box (Mark 12:41)
This ("the treasury" NASB) likely "refers to the receptacles in the temple forecourt by the Court
of Women used to collect freewill offerings."1356 As one source explains: "In the Court of the
Women, which covered a space of two hundred feet square. All round it ran a colonnade, and
within it, against the wall, were the thirteen chests or 'trumpets' for charitable contributions.
These chests were narrow at the mouth and wide at the bottom, shaped like trumpets, whence
their name. Their specific objects were carefully marked on them. Nine were for the receipt of
what was legally due by worshippers, the other four for strictly voluntary gifts."1357
Many rich people (Mark 12:41)
As one source notes: "Many of those donating large sums were wealthy landowners who lived
in or near Jerusalem; others were Jewish businessmen and merchants of the Diaspora who had
journeyed to Jerusalem for the Passover holiday."1358 Apparently "there were always
bystanders at these treasure chests who noted the large contributions and murmured praises
when these were cast in. Such people would surely have overlooked [the poor widow] and her
tiny gift."1359
1351
The Daily Study Bible Series
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1353
The MacArthur Study Bible; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; Lenski's New Testament
Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1354
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1355
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1356
Net Bible Notes
1357
Vincent's Word Studies; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1358
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1359
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1352
A poor widow (Mark 12:42)
Beyond the court of the Gentiles lay the court of the women, which contained "13 trumpetshaped collection receptacles for receiving worshipers' freewill offerings and contributions."1360
Jesus watched as the Passover crowd was putting their money "into the treasury" (NASB), and
took note of a widow whose contribution was as nothing compared to that of the others. Her
"two small copper coins" (NASB) amounted to "1/64 of a Roman denarius, a day's wage for a
laborer."1361 "[A] widow ... had few resources for making money. If a widow in New Testament
times had no sons, no protector, and remained unmarried, she was often destitute. Since there
was no social security or public aid for widows, a widow would often be without financial
support."1362
Given more ... given everything (Mark 12:43, 44)
Apparently Jesus was making two points regarding the widow. First of all, she stood as proof of
what he had just been condemning, namely, "a temple establishment that exploits the poor
and powerless, rather than assists them, as the Law of Moses commands."1363 Secondly, while
the widow's minuscule contribution would, in the long run, mean nothing to those in charge of
furnishing the temple, it cost her a great deal. Thus Jesus commended her not because of how
much she gave, but because of how much it cost her. She gave everything and held back
nothing. In so doing, she was placing herself completely in God's hands.1364 Where would her
next meal come from? (Her two small coins "could buy one a handful of flour, or the equivalent
of one meager meal."1365) God would provide. Where would she get more clothes when what
she had began to wear out? God would provide. Where would she live if she were evicted? God
would provide. The wealthy, on the other hand, gave large amounts - while making sure they
had plenty left over for the next several months and years. They were trusting in their money;
the widow was trusting in God.1366
The story of the poor widow offers a number of valuable lessons on grateful giving:

1360
Grateful giving is sacrificial. "It is not the portion but the proportion that is important:
the rich gave out of their abundance, but the poor widow gave all that she had. For the
rich, their gifts were a small contribution, but for the widow, her gift was true
consecration of her whole life."1367 As another source notes: "Many who live in
abundance decline to give or give too little because they fear that they will not have
enough for the future. They give from lack of faith, and that robs their giving of its true
value."1368
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1362
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1363
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary
1364
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1365
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1366
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1367
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
1368
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1361





Grateful giving is reckless (but not irresponsible). We are to trust in God, not our
wealth. "Though her gift was by far the smallest in monetary value, it was the greatest in
sacrifice. The value of a gift is not determined by its amount, but by the spirit in which it
is given. A gift given grudgingly or for recognition loses its value."1369
Grateful giving involves quality more than quantity. Even if we are able to give little in
the way of money, time, or talent, God can take that little and use it to accomplish great
things for his kingdom.1370 "We may not be asked to give all we have; Jesus was not
making that point in this example. But we must have the generous heart attitude of this
widow and not the deceitful heart attitude of the Pharisees. Our Lord notices every act
of service coming from a sincere heart."1371
Grateful giving is contagious. "Even in regard to money this widow's gift has been
multiplied endlessly. How many givers' hearts has she not helped to purify, fill with
better faith, and make truly generous in their gifts! When the final computation is made
in heaven, the interest which this woman's gift bore for the kingdom will be far beyond
anything that the gifts of others, such as those at the treasure chests, could possibly
produce."1372
Grateful giving leads to great growing. God doesn't want our money; he wants us.
Giving with an attitude of joy will help us better trust in, depend on, and obey our loving
God. "Jesus wanted the disciples to see this lesson in total surrender of self,
commitment to God, and willingness to trust in his provision."1373
Grateful giving knows that poverty can be a curse or a blessing. "It becomes a curse
when it fills the heart with anxious care and worry, with murmuring and complaint, or
leads to unbelief and dishonesty. It becomes a blessing when it compels the poor man
to cast himself upon God who has promised to care for his children."1374
HEAR (heart)
Going the Extra Mile
At the bottom of the Grand Canyon is an American Indian reservation void of paved
streets, stoplights, and cars. What it does have is several hundred people, houses and
buildings, and a United States Postal Service office.
The postal carrier is a man named Charlie who for the past 20 years has been leading a
mule train from the top of the Grand Canyon down to the reservation below. It's a slow,
cumbersome three hour trip one-way, the first part of which is along narrow ledges
comprising a dizzying array of switchbacks.
The folk at the bottom need the same daily supplies we all do, and they are all hand
delivered via U.S. Postal Service mule train. (FedEx and UPS will not make the trip.)
1369
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
The Daily Study Bible Series
1371
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1372
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1373
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1374
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1370
Charlie calculates that he has traveled enough miles to circle the globe twice. To him it's
not simply a job, it's a way of life. 1375
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to a life of adventure filled to the brim with
opportunities to serve God through helping others. As we leave behind the safe and ordinary in
order to give freely of our time, talent, and treasure, God will honor our sacrificial service by
using us as his spiritual mail carriers, delivering the love, joy and peace available only through
personal, committed faith in Jesus Christ.
DO (hands)
??? Who do you know in need of a helping hand or an encouraging word? What can you do to
help him or her?

Mark 13
[[@Bible:Mark 13:1-8]]
Mark 13:1-8
Jesus Foretells the Future
1 As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, "Teacher, look at these
magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls."
2 Jesus replied, "Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished.
Not one stone will be left on top of another!"
3 Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James,
John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, 4 "Tell us, when will all this happen?
What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?"
5 Jesus replied, "Don't let anyone mislead you, 6 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I
am the Messiah.' They will deceive many. 7 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but
don't panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won't follow immediately. 8 Nation
will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many
parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to
come.
SEE (head)
As Jesus heads out of the Temple in Jerusalem, one of his followers comments on the
magnificent edifice. Jesus responds by declaring that it will be completely destroyed. Later a
small group of his disciples approach Jesus privately to ask when this will take place and what
signs they should look for. Jesus responds by listing several horrific events that must take place,
although these will be only "the birth pains, with more to come."
1375
Summary of a report given on the Sunday Morning television news program, August 19, 2001
The temple (Mark 13:1)
The Jerusalem temple, comprising one-sixth of the area of the city, "was built with large white
stones, polished and generously decorated with gold."1376 Considered one of the wonders of
the ancient world,1377 it was rebuilt and expanded to twice the size of Solomon's temple1378 by
Herod the Great in an effort to appease the Jews. While the main structure was finished by 9
B.C., it took another 70 years (until A.D. 64) for the entire building project to be completed.1379
The courtyard alone was about four hundred yards wide by five hundred yards long. 1380 As one
commentator has put it: "The Temple seemed the summit of human art and achievement, and
seemed so vast and solid that it would stand forever."1381 As another source puts it: "Rabbinic
literature is not particularly favorable to Herod. Nevertheless, concerning Herod's temple it
states, 'He who never saw Herod's edifice has never in his life seen a beautiful building.'"1382
When one of his disciples expressed admiration for the temple, Jesus responded by predicting
the complete destruction of both it and the city of Jerusalem: "'these great buildings ... will be
completely demolished'" (v. 2), which actually paralleled what had been recorded by the
prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:11-14; 9:11).1383 "This wonder of the world would be completely
destroyed. As in the days of the prophet Jeremiah, the destruction of the Jews' beloved temple
would be God's judgment against them for turning away from him."1384 Jesus' "prediction was
fulfilled literally within the span of a generation. In A.D. 70, after the temple area was burned
contrary to Titus' directives, he ordered his Roman soldiers to demolish the whole city and level
its buildings to the ground."1385 "It is believed that more than a million Jews, who had crowded
into the city, perished."1386
Sign ... the Messiah ... wars ... earthquakes ... famines (Mark 13:4, 6, 7, 8)
Naturally the disciples wanted to know when these terrible things would take place. (Because
"all this" and "these things" [v. 4] are both plural, we know the disciples had in mind more than
just the temple's destruction. Compare Matthew 24:3.1387) And so they asked Jesus for both a
time and a sign, seeing "no long interval between the temple's destruction and the end-time
events climaxing in the coming of the Son of Man."1388
Jesus, on the other hand, went on to paint "a prophetic scene involving two perspectives: (a)
the near event, the destruction of Jerusalem (A.D. 70); and (b) the far event, the coming of the
1376
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1378
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1379
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
1380
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1381
The Daily Study Bible Series
1382
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1383
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1384
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1385
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1386
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1387
Net Bible Notes; Baker's New Testament Commentary
1388
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1377
Son of Man in clouds with power and glory."1389And so, "[l]ike much of Old Testament
prophecy, Jesus predicted both near and distant events without putting them in chronological
order. The coming destruction of Jerusalem and the temple only foreshadowed a future
destruction that would ultimately usher in God's kingdom."1390
Notice how Jesus avoided providing a precise time, as well as the detailed cryptic signs or
visions commonly associated with apocalyptic predictions. Instead, Jesus described in general
terms what the disciples could expect and how they were to respond. Major spiritual
deception, wars, false messiahs, earthquakes, and famines, said Jesus, represent the beginning,
not the end.1391 Jesus' response should remind us that a personal relationship, rather than a
prophetic revelation, is our greatest need. Which, not coincidentally, is in keeping with God's
general purposes for prophecy: "Speaking through the prophets, God guided kings and people
by telling them how to act in specific situations, warned people when they disobeyed him,
predicted events that he would bring about, interpreted events when they came about, and
demonstrated that he alone was both ruler of history and a God who relates personally to his
people" (emphasis added).1392
Regarding the requested sign, one source explains:
What then is/are the sign(s) about which the disciples asked (v. 4)? On the one hand,
everything that happens can function as a sign; that is, a sign of God's sovereign control
of history and his care for his faithful people. If events turn out as Jesus predicted, then
clearly God is in control.
But, on the other hand, if the disciples wanted signs that would help them predict the
timing of the end, no such signs were supplied. In fact not a single event predicted in the
chapter is called a sign. The word itself (semeion) does not appear at all in Jesus' answer,
except in verse 22 where the disciples are warned against sign-givers. The disciples are
told that various events are not to be considered evidences that the end has come (e.g.,
13:7), and other events are called (only) the beginning of the travails (13:8).1393
Mislead ... deceive (Mark 13:5, 6)
Jesus responded to the disciples' request for a "sign" "in two ways: negatively, by warning them
against false signs of the end (13:5-13), and positively, by stating the notable event that
inaugurates unparalleled tribulation and by describing the Second Advent (13:14-27)."1394
1389
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1391
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1392
New Dictionary of Biblical Theology
1393
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (quoted verbatim)
1394
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary
on the New Testament
1390
The first item on Jesus' list is spiritual deceivers. As one paraphrase renders vv. 5-6: "Jesus
began, 'Watch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged
identities claiming, "I'm the One." They will deceive a lot of people'" (The Message). Jesus
warned that "[m]any false messiahs will arise in crisis times, making use of His name (His title
and authority), claiming, 'I am He.'"1395 He knew "that if the disciples looked for signs, they
would be susceptible to being deceived" by such false messiahs.1396
Sadly, the tendency to let no crisis go unexploited has been played out time and again
throughout the history of the Christian Church. As one source notes: "Some are petty and have
this or that little sect of fanatics following them, some are grand like the popes in their long
succession, some are out for the hard cash, some are viciously lascivious. They all use the
revelation of Christ as their sheep's clothing. The sad thing is that they shall actually succeed in
deceiving many, for all men have an affinity for religious error, and many yield to it with avidity
and develop the strongest delusions. They have no limit in perverting to their own ends what
the Scriptures say about the kingdom."1397
Wars ... earthquakes ... famines (Mark 13:7, 8)
The disciples would "hear of wars right at hand and rumors about wars in distant places." 1398
However, these and other "contemporary events such as ... natural disasters" must not be
interpreted "as indications that the end is at hand"1399 As one source rightly reminds us: "These
disturbances in the physical realm are indeed foreshadowings and portrayals of that which, on
a much more extensive and intensive scale, will take place in the realm of nature at the end of
the age; but except in that very general sense they cannot be correctly termed signs."1400 As
another source puts it: "The world of nature is affected in the same way by sin as is the world of
men, and thus these disturbing manifestations are signs of the end. But not signs after which
the end is at once due. No; more of these manifestations will be piled up, not always
consecutively but often concurrently and simultaneously."1401 Jesus offered his warning lest his
disciples drastically misinterpret these severe events to mean "that somehow God had lost
control of his creation or that his promises would not come true. Just as false messiahs and
religious frauds come and go, so do worldly crises. Even when the world's situation gets worse,
God is in control."1402
Birth pains ... more to come (Mark 13:8)
"These are only a prelude, 'a beginning of birthpains,' much severer pains and writhings must
be added before the new, heavenly eon comes to full birth."1403 Here "birth pains" (Greek odin)
1395
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1397
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1398
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1399
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1400
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1401
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1402
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1403
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1396
indicates the type of intense suffering associated with giving birth.1404 These pains "refer to the
period of intense suffering preceding the birth of the new Age, the messianic kingdom. This
emphasis - 'the end is still to come' (13:7) and 'these [things] are the beginning of birth pains'
(13:8) - suggests that an extended period of time will precede 'the end.' Each generation will
have its own wars and natural disasters. Yet all these events fall within God's purposes. Human
history is heading toward the birth of the new Messianic Age."1405As one source puts it:
To be sure, the events here indicated have significance. They are stepping stones
leading to the final goal. By means of them the end of the age is both foreshadowed and
brought closer, and God's eternal plan is being carried forward. Moreover, when we
realize that toward the end of the present dispensation the indicated disturbances will
occur together (Matthew 24:33), will probably be more numerous, extensive, and
fearful than ever before (Luke 21:11, 25-26), and are going to take place in connection
with the great tribulation that will usher in the parousia, we may conclude that it would
not be unreasonable to call the final outbreak of these terrors 'concurrent or
accompanying signs.'1406
THE DAY OF THE LORD
Jesus' prophetic prediction is straight out of the OT. The imagery of childbirth, with its intense
suffering, is used in the OT to picture "the anxiety and distress caused by war, affliction, or
divine judgment."1407 What's more, we also find war, earthquakes, and famines repeatedly
associated with God's judgment and/or the last days.1408 The "day of the LORD" was the name
used by the OT prophets for the time when God would come in ultimate judgment to punish
the wicked and reward the righteous (Isaiah 13:6, 9; Ezekiel 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14;
Amos 5:18, 20; Obadiah 1:15; Zephaniah 1:7-8; 2:2-3; Malachi 4:5). Equivalent expressions in
the NT include: "the 'day of our Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Corinthians 1:8; cf. 2 Corinthians 1:14), the
'day of God' (2 Peter 3:12; Revelation 16:14), or 'the last day(s).'"1409 Put simply, "[i]n the NT the
Day of the Lord is the second coming of Christ."1410
Major themes associated with the day of the Lord include:


1404
Vindication. God will be vindicated. "In the battle between evil and God, it is God who is
victorious and vindicated. He is the ultimate power to whom is given the final word and
against whom no force can stand (Isaiah 2:17)."1411
Triumph. Good will triumph over evil. "[E]vil [will] be trounced and evildoers will in the
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1406
Baker's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1407
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume
1408
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1409
Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
1410
New Bible Dictionary
1411
Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
1405

end receive their due. There is justice after all. God will settle his accounts with all that
is godless and anti-God, arrogant and pridefully hostile against the Almighty. On the
other hand, the scenes about God's blessing and the recovery of an Edenic paradise
have and will continue to offer hope for those whose trust is in God (2 Peter 3:13)." 1412
Righteousness. Not only will righteousness prevail then, but the certainty of that day
should lead us to want to live righteously right now. "The purpose of discussions about
the day of the Lord, past or future, is to illumine the present. Peter's question is
rhetorical but pointed. In view of the coming day of the Lord, 'What kind of people
ought you to be?' (2 Peter 3:11)."1413
It is also worth noting that: "Many Bible students believe the Day of the Lord will be a long
period of time rather than a single day - a period when Christ will reign throughout the world
before He cleanses heaven and earth in preparation for the eternal state of all mankind. But
others believe the Day of the Lord will be an instantaneous event when Christ will return to
earth to claim His faithful believers while consigning unbelievers to eternal damnation."1414
HEAR (heart)
Marks of a False Teacher
Throughout the history of the Church there have been individuals who have misled many by
claiming unique insight into biblical prophecy. Indeed, this is the way many of the major
Christian cults were born. There are several questions we can and should ask to test the
genuineness of anyone - self-professed prophet or other - claiming to teach biblical truth:





Have their predictions come true, or do they have to revise them to fit what's already
happened?
Does any teaching utilize a small section of the Bible to the neglect of the whole?
Does the teaching contradict what the Bible says about God?
Are the practices meant to glorify the teacher or Christ?
Do the teachings promote hostility toward other Christians?1415
DO (hands)
??? One Bible commentator wisely counsels:
Beware of groups who claim special knowledge of the last days because no one knows
when Christ will return. In fact, it's not important to know. Jesus tells us that the best
way to prepare for the future is to stay faithful to him and away from imposters. We
must not be sidetracked by promises for social, economic, military, or political reform.
The only sure way for the disciples (and all believers) to keep from being deceived is to
focus on Christ and his words.
1412
Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
1414
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
1415
Life Application Study Bible (quoted verbatim)
1413
Many Christians speculate on when and how Jesus will return. Charts and signs abound.
Some churches predict the future with scientific zeal. But Jesus wants us to stay faithful
to him even when imposters and violence seem to rule. He gives no charts, only a
promise and a pledge. Don't guess about the future; instead, give your days to him until
he comes.
Everything will happen according to God's divine plan. Our responsibility is to be
prepared, to endure, and to continue to preach the Good News to all nations. 1416
[[@Bible:Mark 13:9-23]]
Mark 13:9-23
(Jesus Foretells the Future)
9 "When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local
councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because
you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. 10 For the Good
News must first be preached to all nations. 11 But when you are arrested and stand trial, don't
worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you
who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
12 "A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children
will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. 13 And everyone will hate you
because you are my followers. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
14 "The day is coming when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes
desecration standing where he should not be. (Reader, pay attention!) Then those in Judea must
flee to the hills. 15 A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack.
16 A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. 17 How terrible it will be for
pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. 18 And pray that your flight will not be
in winter. 19 For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created
the world. And it will never be so great again. 20 In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of
calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened
those days.
21 "Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,' or ‘There he is,' don't believe it.
22 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to
deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones. 23 Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead
of time!
SEE (head)
Jesus says his disciples will be made to stand trial before various religious and secular bodies,
which will be for them an opportunity to present the Gospel. Betrayal will be common:
disciples' own family members will turn against them, and they will be hated by all types of
people. The temple will be desecrated, signaling the time to go into hiding. Great calamity will
follow, and many "false messiahs" will arise and deceive many people.
1416
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
Watch out (Mark 13:9, 23)
Jesus repeatedly commanded his disciples to remain steadfast: "don't panic" (v. 7) . . . "watch
out!" (v. 9) . . . "Watch out! I have warned you!" (v. 23). These repeated warnings reflect Jesus'
main purpose - i.e., "to give practical, ethical teaching. ... He is preparing his disciples - and
beyond them the church - to live and to witness in a hostile world."1417 This is an invaluable
lesson in light of every generation's tendency to see catastrophic events as signs of the end of
the world and Christ's return. As one source insightfully notes:
If Jesus did not endorse sign-seeking, he certainly did call for another sort of watching.
The first word of Jesus' discourse is "watch" (blepete, v. 5 - a word that regularly means
"be discerning" in Mark's Gospel, cf. 4:12; 8:18). The last word of the discourse is
another word for "watch" (gregoreite, v. 37 - a word that means "be alert and faithful,"
cf. 14:34, 37–38).
The overall message of Mark 13 seems to be that since no one knows when the end will
come, vigilance is required at every moment. Trials will test faithfulness, but the disciple
must serve and if necessary suffer "to the end" (13:13). Sign-seeking and apocalyptic
calculation are not endorsed.1418
Handed over ... beaten ... stand trial (Mark 13:9)
Jesus warned that his disciples would be severely mistreated. As one source explains:
On account of the disciples' belief in Jesus, the Jews would brand them as traitors or
heretics, pass down the sentence right in their synagogue, and have them flogged.
Flogging was the punishment given to Jews who were found guilty of serious offenses. A
flogging consisted of thirty-nine lashes across the back with a leather whip. This was
based on Deuteronomy 25:1-3, which calls for forty lashes; thirty-nine were given in
order to avoid accidentally giving too many. The apostle Paul wrote that he had received
such floggings five different times (2 Corinthians 11:24). This punishment could only be
given to Jews who would submit to it in order to remain in the Jewish community.1419
The book of Acts recounts how Jesus' prophecy was at least partially fulfilled following the
establishment of the Christian Church. The apostles, including Paul, were persecuted, harassed,
and forced to endure much hardship for the sake of the Gospel. They also appeared before
high-ranking officials - both Jewish and Gentile - with whom they shared the Gospel. For
example, we know that "[t]he apostle Paul spoke to the Sanhedrin (Acts 22:30), Governor Felix
(Acts 24:10), Governor Festus (Acts 25:1-6), and King Agrippa (Acts 26:1) and had hoped to
speak to the emperor himself (Acts 26:32)."1420
1417
Expositor's Bible Commentary
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (quoted verbatim)
1419
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
1420
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1418
The most important phrase here is "'because you are my followers'" (v. 9; "'for my sake'" NASB;
"'because of me'" HCSB,1421) Several points are worth special mention:




"Whatever they suffer is for him. He sends them, him they represent, him and the royal
rule of his kingdom they proclaim."1422
"When anyone persecutes Christ's disciple he is persecuting Christ himself."1423
"[T]he persecuted one is never separated from Christ's love and from the strength and
the comfort he imparts."1424
"This will be an effective testimony indeed, which will be greater than ordinary
preaching. For it will compel all these high authorities to investigate judicially the whole
course of the gospel and to note all that the gospel contains and all that it does for
man."1425
Preached to all nations (Mark 13:10)
"Jesus talked about the end times and final judgment to emphasize to his followers the urgency
of spreading the good news of salvation to everyone. Although they would face persecution,
Jesus' followers must never give up in their mission of actively preaching the Good News to all
the nations and getting the Word of God to every language group."1426 Proclaiming the Gospel that is, "all that pertains to Jesus and his work and rule of grace in his kingdom for the salvation
of men"1427 - remains both the privilege and the responsibility of each new generation of
Christians.
Notice, however, that while Jesus said the Gospel would be preached to all nations - and,
strictly speaking, Jesus said "this preaching will be carried out before officials of all nations"1428 he did not say that it would be accepted by them. "[P]reaching the gospel worldwide does not
require or guarantee its worldwide acceptance before or at the end of the Age."1429 As one
source notes: "Jesus seems to be saying here, 'Instead of looking for signs of the end, get busy
and spread the 'good news'! All nations must hear before the End comes.'" 1430 Thus we
conclude that rather than simply a period of suffering and persecution, the time between Jesus'
first and second comings is also a time of grace and evangelism on a global scale.1431
We might also wish to note the apostle Paul's repeated assertion, made prior to the destruction
of Jerusalem, that "the gospel ha[d] spread all over the world" (see Colossians 1:6, 23) - "[a]
legitimate hyperbole, for the gospel was spreading all over the Roman Empire. Paul does not
1421
Net Bible Notes
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1423
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1424
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1425
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1426
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1427
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1428
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1429
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1430
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1431
Reformation Study Bible
1422
say that all men are converted, but only that the message has been heralded abroad over the
Roman Empire in a wider fashion than most people imagine." 1432 What's more, this same type
of "world-wide" language is found throughout the Scriptures: Genesis 41:57; 1 Kings 10:24;
Romans 1:8; Acts 2:5.1433
Brother ... father ... children ... everyone (Mark 13:12, 13)
It was generally believed that "spiritual decline" and "social breakdown" - including "a period of
steep moral decline and religious apostasy" - would precede God's "redemption and
restoration."1434 Jesus' warning closely parallels that of the prophets Micah (Micah 7:6) and
Isaiah (Isaiah 19:2).1435 He warned that opposition will come from two different sources:
"official channels and ... close personal relationships."1436 Hence we can be certain that
"[c]onfessing Jesus will create division even within the family circle."1437 "Everyone" indicates
equal-opportunity persecution: believers will be hated by all kinds of people1438 "regardless of
rank, station, race, nationality, sex, or age. Because the world hates Christ it also hates his
representatives."1439
Because you are my followers (Mark 13:13)
Jesus said his followers would "'be hated by all because of My name'" (v. 13, NASB). As one
source notes: "The reason for it is the onoma [= name] of Christ, which here, too, signifies more
than merely the personal names 'Jesus,' 'Christ,' etc.; it includes all by which he is known. Hence
in phrases such as this 'name' is equivalent to 'revelation.' Men will in dislike and opposition
turn against everything that reveals Christ and makes him known. The implication in 'name' is
that the apostles and those who succeed them will always proclaim this 'name' or revelation
and will thus arouse the hatred. In the Acts the persecutors avoid even pronouncing the name
Jesus wherever possible."1440
Endures ... saved (Mark 13:13)
Jesus was not endorsing salvation by works. Rather, "[h]e was simply arguing that genuine faith
evidences itself in persistence through even the worst of trials."1441 As one source explains:
"This 'saved' one will experience God's salvation in its final form - glorification. Perseverance is
a result and outward sign, not the basis, of spiritual genuineness. A person genuinely saved by
grace through faith endures to the end and will experience the consummation of his
salvation."1442 A victorious ending awaits both the individual believer and the Church: for the
1432
Word Pictures in the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1434
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1435
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1436
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1437
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1438
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1439
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1440
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1441
Net Bible Notes
1442
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1433
believer "this period of persecution will last until death delivers him from this earthly scene. For
the church in general it will last until Christ's return in glory."1443
The day is coming (Mark 13:14)
"Mark 13:14-23 offers many parallels to the events immediately leading up to and involved in
the Jewish revolt in [A.D.] 66-74. ... It is probable that most readers of Mark would see the
events of the 60s and 70s in these verses."1444 In keeping with the usual pattern of biblical
prophecy, we should see the events surrounding A.D. 70 as a partial fulfillment, or
foreshadowing, of what will take place at a later time - that is, during the Great Tribulation. Put
differently, the connection between the two time periods is more theological than
chronological.1445 One commentator compares the destruction of Jerusalem with the Flood of
Noah's day and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as "a type of the end of the world." 1446
As has often been noted: "The 'prophet' - whether Isaiah, Joel, Micah, Malachi … Jesus Christ views the future as a traveler beholds a distant mountain range. He sees one peak rising right
behind another. And from where he stands, he describes the future exactly as he sees it. Yet,
the closer one gets to the first peak, the greater the distance is seen to be between peak No. 1
and peak No. 2."1447
The sacrilegious object that causes desecration (Mark 13:14)
"'ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION'" (NASB). This phrase "designate[s] a detestable object of
pagan idolatry so loathsome to God that he would enact desolating judgment."1448 In particular,
Jesus was referring to "the presence of an idolatrous person or object so detestable that it
[would cause] the temple to be abandoned and left desolate."1449
This appears to be an allusion to Daniel 9:27 (see also Daniel 11:31; 12:11). It is possible to
understand Daniel's prophecy as having three fulfillments:
1. It was fulfilled "in the actions of Antiochus IV (or a representative of his) in 167 B.C."1450
The Jewish historian Josephus reports that "the abomination of Antiochus was a pagan
altar, on which swine were sacrificed,"1451 and it was "[t]his act [which] incited the
Maccabean wars."1452
2. Another fulfillment came with "the occupation and appalling profaning of the temple in
A.D. 67-68 by Jewish Zealots, who also installed a usurper, Phanni, as high priest. Jewish
Christians fled to Pella, a town located in the Transjordanian mountains."1453
1443
Baker's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1445
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1446
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1447
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1448
Tyndale Bible Dictionary
1449
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1450
Net Bible Notes
1451
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1452
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1453
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1444
3. The final fulfillment will involve the Antichrist - "a power who [will] be the vary
incarnation of evil and who [will] gather up into himself everything that [is] against
God"1454 during "the period of the great tribulation at the end of the age"1455 (see 2
Thessalonians 2:3-4). "In the end times, the Antichrist will commit the ultimate sacrilege
by setting up an image of himself in the temple and ordering everyone to worship it (2
Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:14-15)."1456 As one source explains in some detail:
This person is the end-time Anti-christ (Daniel 7:23-26; 9:25-27; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4,
8-9; Revelation 13:1-10, 14-15). He will make a covenant with the Jewish people at the
beginning of the seven-year period preceding Christ's second coming (Daniel 9:27). The
temple will be rebuilt and worship reestablished (Revelation 11:1). In the middle of this
period (after 3 1/2 years) the Antichrist will break his covenant, stop temple sacrifices,
desecrate the temple (cf. Daniel 9:27), and proclaim himself to be God (Matthew 24:15;
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation 11:2). This launches the terrible end-time events of
the Great Tribulation (Revelation 6:1-17; 8-9; 16:1-21). Those who refuse to be
identified with the Antichrist will suffer severe persecution and be forced to flee for
refuge (Revelation 12:6, 13-17). Many - both Jews and Gentiles - will be saved during
this period (Revelation 7:1-17) but many will also be martyred (Revelation 6:9-11).1457
Roof ... field ... pregnant ... nursing (Mark 13:15-17)
Jesus said that when the temple is desecrated "'those in Judea must flee to the hills'" (Mark
13:14). It may or may not be coincidental that Jesus' words reflect the three most common
stations in life:



Retiree. "'A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack'"
(Mark 13:15).
Worker. "'A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat'" (Mark 13:16).
Domestic care-giver. "'How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing
mothers in those days'" (Mark 13:17).
Greater anguish ... Never be so great again (Mark 13:19)
"At no time in the past, present, or future has there been or will there be such a severe
tribulation as this."1458 As one source notes: "While the events of A.D. 70 may reflect somewhat
the comments Jesus makes here, the reference to the scope and severity of this judgment
strongly suggest that much more is in view. Most likely Jesus is referring to the great end-time
judgment on Jerusalem in the great tribulation."1459 The same point applies to Jesus' words in v.
20: "'In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But
for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days.'"1460 Jesus' language in this verse
1454
The Daily Study Bible Series
Net Bible Notes
1456
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1457
The Bible Knowledge Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1458
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1459
Net Bible Notes
1460
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1455
"suggests God's direct intervention in judgment, an unmistakable characteristic of the end-time
Tribulation (cf. Revelation 16:1)."1461
"[T]his tribulation ... immediately precedes the close of the world's history and surpasses any
other distress in its intensity."1462 As one source explains, the Great Tribulation will be set apart
from all preceding calamities by both its scope and its severity:
[I]t will be worldwide, not localized, as stated in the promise of deliverance (Revelation
3:10) and as described in detail in the judgments of the Revelation. The intense local
persecutions and calamities of this present day cannot be the beginning of the
Tribulation, for that time will affect the entire world.
Then too the Tribulation will be unique because of the way men act. ... When the Great
Tribulation comes, men will act as if they think the world is coming to an end. For years
some men have been talking as if they thought the end were near, but at the beginning
of the Tribulation, they will realize that the end is actually at hand. Scientists, politicians,
and even church leaders warn today that the end of human history could be upon us,
and even use the term "Armageddon," but people are not behaving as if they believe it.
Real estate is being bought and sold, savings are being accumulated, and plans are
continually being made for the future. But when the Tribulation comes, people will hide
in bomb shelters and will actually seek death rather than try to preserve life. The future,
in those days, will hold no attraction.1463
We do well to remind ourselves that all this does not mean that God has lost control or that he
no longer cares. As one source puts it: "When the time of suffering comes, the important point
for the disciples and all believers to remember is that God is in control. Persecution will occur,
but God knows about it and controls how long it will take place. He will not forget his
people."1464
False messiahs and false prophets (Mark 13:22)
"This time Jesus warns of false prophets, as well as false messiahs. These false prophets may
come on their own, or they may accompany various false messiahs."1465 Their aim will be to
deceive and mislead true Christians through the use of counterfeit miracles "that would seem
to validate their claims."1466Here and throughout his apocalyptic message, Jesus lovingly
prepares his disciples in advance of the severe difficulties awaiting them. "When fiery trial
arrives they must never be able to say, 'How strange and unexpected! Why did not the Lord
prepare us for this? Why did he not warn us?' Having been forewarned, the disciples will not be
1461
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1463
Basic Theology (quoted verbatim)
1464
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1465
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1466
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1462
unduly disturbed when the prediction attains preliminary fulfilment. In fact, their faith in Jesus
will then be strengthened."1467
A "sign" can be defined as: "An unusual phenomenon interpreted as of supernatural origin and
designed to provide instruction, give warning, or encourage faith. In this sense it is a rough
synonym of miracle."1468 Signs and wonders have been associated with God and his people in
both the OT and the NT, beginning with the miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt, all the
way through the establishment of the Christian Church (Exodus 7:3; Deuteronomy 4:34; 6:22;
7:19; 26:8; 29:3; 34:11; Nehemiah 9:10; Psalms 135:9; Isaiah 8:18; Jeremiah 32:20, 21; Daniel
4:2, 3; 6:27; John 4:48; Acts 2:19, 22, 43; 4:30; 5:12; 6:8; 7:36; 14:3; 15:12; Romans 15:19; 2
Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:4). "The Exodus was clearly the great redemptive act of God in
the OT, when He did His powerful signs and wonders to save His people out of Egyptian
bondage. This theme is especially developed in Deuteronomy ... [T]he coming of Jesus places a
whole new perspective on [the meaning of signs and wonders]. The phrase now refers, not to
God's activity in the days of Moses, but to His even greater redemptive work in Christ and to
the proclamation of this redemption by His apostles."1469
That said, the Bible also consistently warns against false/counterfeit signs and wonders. As one
source explains:
Signs may also be performed by people not sent from God (cf. Exodus 7–8). Thus, from
very early in their history as the people of God the Israelites were warned to test the
signs and wonders of a prophet against his teaching (Deuteronomy 13:1–5). The NT
continues this emphasis. Jesus warned that "false Christs and false prophets will arise
and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect"
(Matthew 24:24; cf. Mark 13:22). This will occur especially at the end of the age and the
consummation of the Kingdom (2 Thessalonians 2:9f; Revelation 13:13f; 16:14; 19:20).
The emphasis throughout Scripture is that both the message and the signs must be from
God (cf. Acts 4:29f for a positive example of this point). Signs substantiate an authentic
word from God, but many false prophets try to validate false messages with signs. Both
Testaments teach that the people of God must be discerning in this matter.1470
HEAR (heart)
Tex was Deceived
Popular Bible teacher and author Charles Swindoll tells of a cruel joke he played on a coworker.
At the time, Chuck was living in Huston, Texas and working as a machinist apprentice.
He worked just behind a fella named Tex who had the nasty habit of chewing tobacco,
and he kept his opened tobacco pouch in his back pocket.
1467
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible
1469
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
1470
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (quoted verbatim)
1468
One night a small cricket happened along. It was the same color as Tex's tobacco, and so
Chuck grabbed the cricket, pulled its head off, and dropped it in Tex's tobacco pouch.
Sure enough, in just a little while Tex reached around and took a big wad of tobacco
from his pouch. Without ever looking at it, he shoved it into his mouth. As Chuck tells it:
"He spit wings and body parts throughout the evening. It was a delight to watch him. I
don't think Tex ever knew that he chewed up a cricket - which proves, if you chew
tobacco, you don't know what you've got in your mouth."1471
Tex was deceived. He took for granted that the contents of his tobacco pouch had not changed,
and so he never stopped to inspect what he was putting into his mouth. The world is filled with
philosophies and belief systems that lead to deception and destruction. As we wait for the
return of our Savior, we are called to chew on God's Word, the Bible, day and night. And while
we certainly should not be afraid to use the thoughts and reflections of others in helping us to
understand the Bible, we should also and always be alert to the possibility of any teaching that
seeks to corrupt the pure truth of God's Word.
DO (hands)
??? False teachers are heretics, their false teaching is heresy, and we must be on constant
guard against both. Along those lines, one Bible commentator helpfully identifies five
precursors to heresy:1472
1. Self-serving doctrine. "It arises from constructing doctrine to suit oneself."
2. Lack of balance. "Heresy arises from overstressing one part of the truth."
3. People-pleasing. "Heresy arises from trying to produce a religion which will suit people,
one which will be popular and attractive."
4. Lone-ranger mentality. "Heresy arises from divorcing oneself from the Christian
fellowship. When a man thinks alone he runs a grave danger of thinking astray."
5. Intellectualizing the Bible. "Heresy arises from the attempt to be completely intelligible.
... Even at our most intellectual we must remember that there is a place for the ultimate
mystery before which we can only worship, wonder and adore."
[[@Bible:Mark 13:24-31]]
Mark 13:24-31
(Jesus Foretells the Future)
24 "At that time, after the anguish of those days,
the sun will be darkened,
the moon will give no light,
25 the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
1471
1472
The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart And 1,501 Other Stories (paraphrased)
The Daily Study Bible Series
26 "Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and
glory. 27 And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world - from
the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
28 "Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to
sprout, you know that summer is near. 29 In the same way, when you see all these things taking
place, you can know that his return is very near, right at the door. 30 I tell you the truth, this
generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth
will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
SEE (head)
Jesus says that there will be an unprecedented series of cosmic catastrophes, followed by his
return and the gathering together of his chosen ones. He uses a budding fig tree as an
illustration. Jesus says "this generation" will witness these events. And he assures the disciples
that his words are more permanent than heaven and earth.
After the anguish of those days (Mark 13:24)
"' ... after that tribulation ... '" (NASB). This phrase "refers to the events described in vv. 4-23,
the tribulation that began with the 'abomination of desolation.'"1473 "Tribulation" (Greek
thlipsis: "trouble involving direct suffering - 'trouble and suffering, suffering, persecution'"1474)
is often associated with OT prophecy, and is an apt term for describing "the terrifying future
scenario Jesus envisions."1475
Sun ... moon ... stars (Mark 13:24-25)
Here we have "[a]n allusion to Isaiah 13:10; 34:4 (Septuagint (LXX)); Joel 2:10."1476 Jesus said
that at the time of his second coming the fabric of the universe will be torn. The sun, moon, and
stars will all be dramatically affected. What did he mean? It is very possible that his words
should be taken literally, in which case Christ's return will be heralded by a sort of "universal
fireworks."1477 This goes along with the theme of the fall and recreation of nature.1478 Of course
it is also possible to take Jesus' description figuratively. "The heavens were seen as the abode of
heavenly forces, so their shaking indicates distress in the spiritual realm."1479 As one source
notes: "One should not forget that prophetic imagery was not always meant to be taken
literally, especially apocalyptic symbols. Peter in Acts 2:15-21 applies the prophecy of Joel
about the sun and moon to the events on the day of Pentecost."1480 And since "the greatest
earthly powers" are symbolized "in the OT by sun, moon and stars,"1481 the toppling of all
1473
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
1475
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1476
Net Bible Notes; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1477
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1478
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1479
Net Bible Notes
1480
Word Pictures in the New Testament
1481
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition
1474
earthly governments may well be in view.1482 Probably Jesus intended a combination of the
literal and the figurative/symbolic.
Son of Man coming ... gather his chosen ones (Mark 13:26, 27)
Jesus said that everyone will witness his arrival in his "royal chariot," so to speak1483 (= "on the
clouds," a reference to Daniel 7:13), which will be followed immediately by the gathering of his
"chosen ones." As one source explains: "This is Jesus' personal, visible, bodily return to the
earth as the glorified Son of Man (cf. Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:11-16). ... His triumphant return
will bring an end to the veiled nature of God's kingdom in its present form."1484 As one
commentator has noted: "The manifestation of the angels and the gathering of the people will
gloriously mark the end of Jesus' keeping secret his divine power and authority. Jesus' second
coming marks the core of the Christian hope. When he comes, the whole world will know that
Jesus is Lord, and Christians' hope and faith will be vindicated."1485
Jesus' words regarding the gathering of his chosen ones call to mind the OT promise regarding
the gathering of Israel's exiles at the restoration of Israel (see Zechariah 2:6-13). As one source
explains:
The Old Testament often mentioned God's regathering of dispersed Israelites from the
remotest parts of the earth to national and spiritual unity in Palestine (Daniel 30:3-6;
Isaiah 11:12; Jeremiah 31:7-9; Ezekiel 11:16-17; 20:33-35, 41). At the time of the Second
Advent Israelites will be regathered around the triumphant Son of Man, judged,
restored as a nation, and redeemed (Isaiah 59:20-21; Ezekiel 20:33-44; Zechariah 13:8-9;
Romans 11:25-27). Also all the Gentiles will be gathered before Him (Joel 3:2) and like a
shepherd He will separate "the sheep" (the elect) from "the goats" (Matthew 25:31-46).
These redeemed Jews and Gentiles will enter the millennial kingdom, living on the earth
in natural bodies (Isaiah 2:2-4; Daniel 7:13-14; Micah 4:1-5; Zechariah 14:8-11, 1621).1486
His angels (Mark 13:27)
Again we note that Jesus' sending out the angels is something that in the OT only God can
do.1487 One source summarizes the angels' role in the final judgment:
They function as a kind of heavenly police force, arresting offenders, presenting
evidence and executing punishment. In Jesus' teaching the end of the age will see angels
separating the righteous from the wicked (Matthew 13:36-42). Angels will be dispatched
to gather God's people from all over the earth (Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27), and they
will be with the Son of man when he sits in judgment (Matthew 25:31). They will also
1482
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1484
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1485
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1486
The Bible Knowledge Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1487
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1483
assist in inflicting punishment on evildoers (Matthew 13:41-42, 49-50). When Jesus
taught that those who acknowledged him and his teaching would ultimately be
acknowledged before God's angels at his coming, the angels were being cast in the role
of hearing evidence in the heavenly courtroom. Those ashamed of him will be denied
before the heavenly court (Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; 12:8-9).1488
This generation (Mark 13:30)
What did Jesus mean when he said that "'this generation will not pass from the scene before all
these things take place'"? One source explains:
rious views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning 'race' and thus
as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very
questionable that the Greek term genea can have this meaning. Two other options are
possible. (2) Generation might mean "this type of generation" and refer to the
generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because
God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to "the generation that sees the signs of
the end" (Mark 13:26), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the
movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very
quickly, in rapid succession.1489
The third view is very common and, in keeping with prophecy's dual fulfillment, it should be
applied to both those (Jews) alive during the events of A.D. 70 and those (Jews) "living at the
time of the Great Tribulation who will see the end-time events."1490
My words will never disappear (Mark 13:31)
Once again Jesus applies to himself a truth the OT reserves exclusively for God (Isaiah 40:8;
compare Psalms 102:25-27; Isaiah 51:6, 55:11).1491 Jesus' words regarding the disappearance of
heaven and earth "does not mean total annihilation but glorious renewal."1492 In essence Jesus
claimed that his words "will never undergo even the slightest change in meaning or in form the modernistic speaking of 'outworn categories of thought' or 'thought forms' to the contrary
notwithstanding."1493
THE RAPTURE
"Rapture" refers to "the church being united with Christ at his second coming (from Lat. rapio,
'caught up')."1494 Here we note the three main views regarding the Rapture in relation to the
events described by Jesus as marking the end of the age (the Tribulation/Great Tribulation):
1488
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (quoted verbatim)
Net Bible Notes (quoted verbatim)
1490
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1491
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1492
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1493
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1494
Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
1489
1. Pretribulation. Pretribulationists believe that the Church will be raptured/removed prior
to the beginning of the Tribulation.
2. Midtribulation. Midtribulationists believe the Church will be raptured/removed halfway
through the Tribulation.
3. Posttribulation. Posttribulationists believe the Church will be raptured/removed after
the Tribulation.1495
One source explains the connection between the chosen ones of Mark 13:27 and the pre- and
posttribulational views of the Rapture:
Identifying "the elect" in this context as Gentiles and Jews who come to believe in Jesus
as the Messiah during the final Tribulation period (cf. Revelation 7:3-4, 9-10) is
compatible with a pretribulational view of the Rapture of the church, the body of Christ
(cf. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Since the church will be spared
from God's final judgment on the earth (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9-11; Revelation 3:910), the church will not go through the Tribulation. This preserves the imminence of the
Rapture for present-day believers and gives added emphasis to Jesus' exhortation,
"Watch!" (cf. Mark 13:35-37). But since Jesus' disciples had no clear understanding of
the coming church (cf. Matthew 16:18; Acts 1:4-8), He did not mention this initial phase
of God's end-time program separately.
Some interpreters, however, hold to a posttribulational view of the Rapture. They
identify "the elect" here as the redeemed of all ages - past, present, and future. This
requires the resurrection of all the righteous dead at the end of the Tribulation and
together with all living believers they will be caught up (raptured) to meet the returning
Son of Man who descends to the earth at that time. Thus the church, the body of Christ,
remains on earth during the Tribulation period, is supernaturally protected as an entity
through it, is raptured at the end of it, and immediately returns to the earth to
participate in the Millennium.1496
Regardless of which view one adopts, the emphasis "is on disclosure and triumph. Whereas the
Son of Man has been hidden or at least veiled in his first coming, now he will be revealed."1497
HEAR (heart)
The Longed For Leader
God's promise of a future kingdom where Christ rules in great power and glory gives us
reason for hope. Today, leaders are shortsighted, prone to bend principle for political
gain, and sometimes corrupt. Yet we ask them to be for us what only Christ can be.
When Christ returns to rule, his leadership will be just, strong, and wise. He will bring
1495
Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (paraphrased)
The Bible Knowledge Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1497
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1496
the world for which we have hoped and longed, led by the leader we needed and for
whom we have waited.
When injustice ruins your plans today, spoils your program, or angers your soul, take
hope. God calls us to work and live for the next administration, led by the one whose
program brings justice and love.1498
DO (hands)
??? What is the difference between hoping (and working) for positive change and putting one's
ultimate hope in a human leader?
[[@Bible:Mark 13:32-37]]
Mark 13:32-37
(Jesus Foretells the Future)
32 "However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the
angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 33 And since you don't know when
that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!
34 "The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long
trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do,
and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. 35 You, too, must keep watch! For you don't
know when the master of the household will return-in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or
at daybreak. 36 Don't let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. 37 I say to you
what I say to everyone: Watch for him!"
SEE (head)
Jesus says that only the Father knows the appointed hour of his return. Since the disciples have
no way of knowing, they are to "stay alert and keep watch." Jesus illustrates his future return
by comparing it to a wealthy homeowner who leaves for an extended journey. Having given
specific instructions to his servants, he tells the gatekeeper "to watch for his return." Jesus
drives the point home by telling the disciples to "keep a sharp lookout!" He can return at any
hour of the night or day, and woe to them if they are found sleeping on duty. Jesus concludes
his sermon with yet another stern call for watchfulness.
No one knows the day or hour (Mark 13:32)
One commentator provides an excellent summary of this entire section (Mark 13:32-37):
Probably because Jesus knew that the question about when he would return would be
asked most often, he saved his answer to the disciples' question, "When will all this
happen?" for last. His answer was blunt: "No one knows; not even me." He then pointed
out that the mark of a disciple was not having inside information, but serving Christ
faithfully. Spiritual vigilance, "not sleeping," becomes the essential theme of the entire
chapter. Jesus' servants must be so busy that they have no time to speculate about his
schedule.1499
1498
1499
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
Several points are worth noting:




1500
Neither scientists nor psychics. "The emphasis of this verse is not on Jesus' lack of
knowledge, but rather on the fact that no one knows. It is God the Father's secret to be
revealed when he wills. No one can predict by Scripture or science the exact day of
Jesus' return. Jesus was teaching that preparation, not calculation, was needed."1500 We
might also wish to note how Jesus' claim that he did not know the day or hour actually
affirms both his humanity and his deity. "In His Incarnation Jesus voluntarily accepted
human limitations, including this one (cf. Acts 1:7), in submission to the Father's will (cf.
John 4:34). On the other hand Jesus' use of 'the Son' title (only here in Mark) instead of
the usual 'Son of Man' revealed His own awareness of His deity and sonship.
Nevertheless He exercised His divine attributes only at the Father's bidding (cf. John
8:28-29)."1501
Trust in God ... and keep the powder dry. Here Jesus offers us a tremendous example
to follow. Rather than being troubled by a lack of knowledge regarding the precise day
and hour of his return, Jesus was content to submit to and trust in God. We need to do
the same, even as we remain alert and on guard (Mark 13:33). "Constant praying is to
be combined with this alertness. The contents of these prayers will naturally be appeals
to God to keep the disciples true in faith and ready for Christ's coming. ... The
uncertainty of the time of the Lord's coming is to keep us wide awake, to call on God,
and thus to be ever ready."1502 In that respect, "[a] map of the future would be a
hindrance, not a help, to faith."1503
No slacking off. Becoming involved with and even blending into the world has been a
constant temptation for every generation of Christians. Just imagine how much worse it
would be if we did know the exact day and hour of his return. Our natural (= sinful)
tendency would be "to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" (Hebrews 11:25, KJV).
And while that might not cost us our salvation, it most certainly would diminish our
eternal reward. Moreover, who would be left to call people out of the world and into
God's kingdom? As one source pointedly reminds us: "Heaven is not our only goal; we
have work to do here. And we must keep on doing it until death or until the return of
our Savior."1504
No close-out bargains. "Jesus explained that believers must be on guard and alert,
ready for his return to happen at any moment. Christ's second coming will be swift and
sudden. There will be no opportunity for last-minute repentance or bargaining. The
choice that people have already made will determine their eternal destiny."1505
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1502
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1503
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1504
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1505
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1501
A man going on a long trip (Mark 13:34)
This parable teaches the need for "constant vigilance" and the "faithful fulfillment of assigned
tasks"1506 With this illustration, Jesus attempts to turn his disciples' fears into a fearless work
ethic. The real issue is not why the master left or when he will be back; the real issue is whether
or not his servants will trust him and be found faithful when he does return. 1507
Instructions (Mark 13:34)
In Jesus' illustration, the homeowner actually gives his slaves the authority to act on his behalf:
"It is like a man, away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge
(lit. giving the authority to) ... " (Mark 13:34, NASB, margin).1508 The word Jesus uses here is
exousia, which refers to legitimate power or authority. Thus the homeowner's servants become
his legal representatives, acting in their master's name, with his power and authority. As
Christ's followers, we are given and expected to use his power and authority. For what
purpose? So that we can relax and take it easy? By no means. Christians represent Christ and
are to diligently, faithfully work to advance his kingdom. We are to be alert, and "[t]he alertness
Jesus has in mind is not only eager and prayerful, it is also intelligent, continuous, and last but
not least, active."1509 As one source puts it: "The slaves [in Jesus' parable of watchfulness]
understand that they are in charge of themselves, had their own work to do, and would not
want the master to return suddenly and find them being lazy. Each of us has enough assigned
work to do that we shouldn't be neutralized or paralyzed by fear or doubt. We do not need to
worry about how other servants compare to us; instead, we should devote ourselves to doing
what God has given us to do."1510
Watch (Mark 13:34)
Jesus specifically mentions "the gatekeeper" ("doorkeeper" NASB), who is told to "watch" for
his master's return. The gatekeeper's "role was a prominent one, because he held the master's
keys, kept out unwanted visitors and checked other slaves leaving the premises."1511
The owner "commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert" (NASB). As one source notes: "To
be (constantly) on the alert or watchful - a Greek word from which the proper name Gregory
(the watchful or vigilant one) is derived - means to live a sanctified life, in the consciousness of
the coming judgment day. Spiritual and moral circumspection and forethought are required;
preparedness is necessary. The watchful person has his loins girded and his lamps burning (Luke
12:35). It is in that condition that he looks forward to the coming of the Bridegroom. ... " 1512
In his application of the parable, Jesus makes clear that watchfulness is its main theme:
1506
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Evangelical Commentary on the Bible
1508
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1509
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1510
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1511
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1512
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1507



35 You, too, must keep watch! For you don't know when the master of the household
will return - in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. 36 Don't let him
find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. 37 I say to you what I say to
everyone: Watch for him! (NLT)
35 Therefore, be on the alert - for you do not know when the master of the house is
coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the
morning - 36 in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 What I say to you
I say to all, "Be on the alert!" (NASB)
35 So, stay at your post, watching. You have no idea when the homeowner is returning,
whether evening, midnight, cockcrow, or morning. 36 You don't want him showing up
unannounced, with you asleep on the job. 37 I say it to you, and I'm saying it to all: Stay
at your post. Keep watch. (The Message)
Evening ... midnight ... dawn ... daybreak (Mark 13:35)
Jesus' language "corresponds to the Roman system of reckoning time."1513 ("Jews had only
three watches of the night."1514) There were four "watches," consisting of three-hour shifts
beginning at 6 P.M. and ending the following morning at 6 A.M.1515 (The names - "'evening ...
midnight ... when the rooster crows ... morning'" [NASB] - "were derived from their termination
point.1516) Notice how "Jesus purposely places the arrival at some time during a night in order
to illustrate that the Son of man will come at an hour when we think not."1517
Sleeping (Mark 13:36)
Jesus warned against being found sleeping when the master returns, with sleep "indicat[ing]
moral and spiritual laxity."1518 The "nighttime [is] when a careless doorkeeper would be inclined
to sleep."1519 And of course to be found in such a state would be a dereliction of duty, if not an
indication of blatant disloyalty.1520 Jesus' point was/is "that none of his followers would want to
be found spiritually lax, but instead conscientiously going about the work given by God for them
to do."1521
MARK 13: APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE?
One source offers a very helpful perspective on Mark 13:
Is Mark 13 an "apocalyptic discourse""? It is in the sense that it clearly reflects a view of
history/eschatology in which a present age of crisis and persecution will give way to a
future age in which God exercises judgment on his enemies and vindicates and rewards
1513
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1515
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary
1516
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1517
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1518
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1519
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1520
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1521
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1514
his elect. Moreover, it contains eschatological predictions and warns the elect of
impending deceptions and disasters. One of the typical patterns of apocalyptic literature
is reflected in the structure of the chapter - the beginning of woes (v. 8b), a time of
great tribulation (v. 19) and a cosmic upheaval in which God intervenes (vv. 24–27).
But in other ways Mark 13 is very unlike "apocalyptic literature." Its concern is not with
timetables and calculations. It reports no other-worldly journeys. It contains no visions
of the abode of the dead, the divine courtroom or the heavenly throne room. In
contrast with typical apocalypses, it insists that the timing of the end is unknown to the
angels, indeed even to the revealer of the discourse (13:32). The discipleship teaching of
Mark 13 (reflected in the numerous imperatives, e.g., vv. 5, 9, 11, 23, 33) and its
apparent anti-sign-seeking message, set it apart from typical apocalypses. It is Jesus'
farewell discourse offering hope and calling for faithfulness. It has the same function
today for Christians who know that the end did not come with the crisis of A.D. 70 but
who look forward to the fulfillment of the promise of 13:26–27.1522
Right Living While Waiting
The entire thirteenth chapter of Mark tells us how to live while we wait for Christ's return:




We are not to be misled by confusing claims or speculative interpretations of what
will happen (13:5-6).
We should not be afraid to tell people about Christ, despite what they might say or
do to us (13:9-11).
We must stand firm by faith and not be surprised by persecution (13:13).
We must be morally alert, obedient to the commands for living found in God's
Word.
This chapter was not given to promote discussions on prophetic timetables, but to stimulate
right living for God in a world where he is largely ignored. Jesus' purpose was to warn us to
be prepared. Will you be ready? The only safe choice is to obey him today.1523
HEAR (heart)
Dynamite Fishing
There was a game warden named Jake who had an amazing neighbor named Sam. Sam
was a fisherman, and whenever he went fishing in a particular lake he returned home
with a long string of fish. This was in spite of the fact that that particular lake was
notoriously stingy when it came to giving up its fish.
One day Jake's curiosity got the best of him and he asked Sam if he could go fishing with
him. "Sure," said Sam, and off they went.
1522
1523
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (quoted verbatim)
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
They had made it out to the middle of the lake when all of a sudden Sam reached in his
tackle box, pulled out a stick of dynamite, lit it, and tossed it overboard. In just a few
seconds the area around his boat was littered with fish floating on the water's surface.
Sam took out his net and began scooping them up.
Jake was understandably outraged. "I'm going to throw the book at you! You are going
to jail! What you are doing is horrible!"
That's when Sam once again reached into his tackle box, pulled out a stick of dynamite,
and lit it. This time, however, he tossed it right into Jake's lap!
"Well," said Sam. "Are you going to just sit there, or are you going to go fishing?"1524
Our English word "dynamite" comes from the Greek dunamis,1525 meaning "strength, power,
ability."1526 Jesus said that he would return " ... with great power (dunamis) and glory" (Mark
13:26, NASB). The apostle Paul told Timothy that "God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but
of power (dunamis) and love and discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7, NASB). And the apostle Peter
declared that Jesus' "divine power (dunamis) has granted to us everything pertaining to life and
godliness" (2 Peter 1:3, NASB). While we await the return of our Savior, we are called to be
alert, watchful, and diligent. With the strength, power, and authority of Jesus, we are called to
minister to one another and to fish for people using the dynamite power of the Gospel.
DO (hands)
Months of planning go into a wedding, the birth of a baby, a career change, a speaking
engagement, the purchase of a home. Do you place the same importance on preparing
for Christ's return, the most important event in your life? Its results will last for eternity.
You dare not postpone your preparations because you do not know when his return will
occur. The way to prepare is to study God's Word and live by its instructions each day;
remain morally alert and avoid the spiritual lethargy Paul warned about in 1
Thessalonians 5:6; and refuse to be distracted from doing the work or fulfilling the role
that God has assigned to you.1527
??? What are some of the things that threaten to distract you "from doing the work or fulfilling
the role that God has assigned to you"? Letting "sports consume a Sunday"? Allowing a frenzied
schedule to push aside prayer? Replacing the Bible with books and magazines?1528

1524
The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart And 1,501 Other Stories (paraphrased)
Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
1526
Thayer's Greek Definitions
1527
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
1528
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1525
Mark 14
[[@Bible:Mark 14:1-11]]
Mark 14:1-11
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
1 It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading
priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus
secretly and kill him. 2 "But not during the Passover celebration," they agreed, "or the people
may riot."
3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had
leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive
perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his
head.
4 Some of those at the table were indignant. "Why waste such expensive perfume?" they
asked. 5 "It could have been sold for a year's wages and the money given to the poor!" So they
scolded her harshly.
6 But Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me?
7 You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But
you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could and has anointed my body for
burial ahead of time. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the
world, this woman's deed will be remembered and discussed."
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to
betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they
promised to give him money. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
SEE (head)
As the Passover celebration rapidly approaches, the religious leaders once again conspire to kill
Jesus. Meanwhile, Jesus and his disciples are in Bethany where, at the home of friends, a
woman demonstrates her affection for Jesus by pouring a bottle of very expensive perfume
over his head. Jesus says that she has anointed his body for burial and that what she has done
will never be forgotten. Then Judas Iscariot goes to the same religious leaders who are seeking
Jesus' life and agrees to deliver Jesus to them.
Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Mark 14:1)
"The Passover was of supreme theological significance for the Israelites, since it marked one of
the most momentous acts of divine intervention in their history, the beginning of their
deliverance from bondage in Egypt when, in the final plague, God destroyed the firstborn of the
Egyptians but spared those Israelites whose homes had blood smeared on the doorposts
(Exodus 12:11–30). God commanded that the day was to be observed as a memorial feast
(12:14)."1529 Passover was "observed in Jerusalem (cf. Deuteronomy 16:5-6)" and "celebrated
on Nisan (March-April) 14-15 (which most say was Thursday-Friday of Jesus' Passion Week). ...
1529
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
The Passover meal was eaten at the beginning of Nisan 15, that is, between sunset and
midnight Thursday evening. This was followed immediately by the festival of Unleavened Bread
celebrated from Nisan 15-21 ... These two Jewish festivals were closely related and in popular
usage were often designated as the 'Jewish Passover Feast' (an eight-day festival, Nisan 1421),"1530 or simply the "week of Passover."1531
The Mosaic Law commanded every adult male who lived within fifteen miles of Jerusalem to
attend the Passover. However, "it was the one ambition of every Jew to eat at least one
Passover in Jerusalem before he died. Therefore from every country in the world pilgrims came
flocking to the Passover Feast."1532 We can easily imagine the festive chaos as Jerusalem's
population swelled to several times the norm. (Jerusalem was never more than a mile long and
about a half-mile wide. The normal population was 50,000. A conservative estimate of the
population during Passover is 250,000.1533) The Romans were right to be concerned, since
"[r]ecalling God's great act of salvation in history could inspire thoughts of revolt."1534 Because
the occasion was ripe for riot and rebellion, the Roman army was on a high state of alert during
this time. As eager as the religious leaders were to get rid of Jesus, they knew that doing so in
public during a national feast could easily result in a riot and subsequent retaliation by the
governing authorities.1535
Capture ... and kill (Mark 14:1)
While the religious leaders were "always considering the opportunities" for doing away with
Jesus, his popularity prevented them from openly arresting him, lest Jesus' supporters riot.1536
("Orientals," notes one Bible commentator, "fly easily into the most violent rage, especially
when they are congregated in great mobs."1537) Regarding the desire to be rid of Jesus, one
source notes:
The plan to kill Jesus was not new. It was of long standing (Mark 3:6; 12:7; John 5:18;
7:1, 19, 25; 8:37, 40; 11:53). We may well believe, however, that due to events of recent
days the leaders were now more determined than ever to destroy Jesus. Their envy had
been increased by the raising of Lazarus from the dead, causing many people to believe
in Jesus (John 11:45-53), by the triumphal entry's effects upon the crowds (Mark 11:111), by the cleansing of the temple (Mark 11:15-18, 27-28), by parables which the
leaders knew were aimed against them (Mark 12:12), and by the woes pronounced
against the scribes and Pharisees (Mark 12:38-40; cf. Matthew 23).1538
1530
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1532
The Daily Study Bible Series
1533
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament; International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
1534
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1535
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1536
Net Bible Notes
1537
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1538
Baker's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1531
Poured the perfume over his head (Mark 14:3)
We know from a parallel account (John 12:3) that it was Mary (of Bethany, the "sister of Martha
and Lazarus1539) who anointed Jesus. (It may well be that Mark "withheld her name because,
when he wrote, she was still alive and to publish her name might entail evil consequences for
her from Jewish haters of Jesus."1540) At that time and place "it was customary to anoint the
heads of Rabbis."1541 Too, "[i]t was a common custom at some Jewish meals for the honored
guests to be anointed with oil (see Luke 7:44-46), but it would not be expensive nard. Such an
anointing, with expensive oil and pouring it on the head as well as the feet, pictured a royal
(messianic) anointing."1542
"A jar made of alabaster stone was normally used for very precious substances like perfumes. It
normally had a long neck which was sealed and had to be broken off so the contents could be
used."1543 Mary's was an act of reckless extravagance: the perfume she poured on Jesus could
cost the equivalent of a year's wages for a common laborer. (Translation: A commoner would
have to work for an entire year to earn the money to buy it.) The perfume, "imported from the
mountains of India,"1544 was made from a mixture of oil and nard, a "[p]erennial herb with
strong, fragrant roots."1545 "Life savings were often invested in jars of such ointments that
maintained or grew in value."1546 "Along with the perfume, Mary poured out her heart in
gratitude and devotion!"1547 As one Bible commentator has noted: "If love is true, there must
always be a certain extravagance in it. It does not nicely calculate the less or more. It is not
concerned to see how little it can decently give. If it gave all it had, the gift would still be too
little. There is a recklessness in love which refuses to count the cost."1548
Scolded her harshly (Mark 14:5)
The disciples completely misunderstood "Mary's unselfish act of worship."1549 Her tangible
demonstration of gratitude and devotion was lost on them. ("The essence of worshiping Christ
is to regard him with utmost love, respect, and devotion, as well as to be willing to sacrifice to
him what is most precious."1550) "Poor Mary! Almost wherever she looks, she meets angry
glances, shocked disapproval. That the native language of love is lavishness these men do not
seem to understand."1551 One Bible commentator notes the irony of the situation:
1539
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1541
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
1542
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1543
Net Bible Notes
1544
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1545
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
1546
The Bible Reader's Companion
1547
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1548
The Daily Study Bible Series
1549
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1550
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1551
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1540
"And be given to the poor" hides the thieving motive of Judas behind the suggestion of
generous charity for the poor. Think of it, Judas speaks up for the poor! But note that he
condemns not only Mary but Jesus himself. Judas implies that Jesus is robbing the poor;
that he is lavishing upon himself what rightfully belongs to charity; that for his own
glorification he allows a waste that is utterly wrong; that his example is harmful to
others - and that Judas is the man who knows what is right, proper, charitable and is not
afraid to come out with it! This is the traitorous touch in the action of Judas. Such of the
other disciples as supported him most likely wanted to criticize only Mary and thought
how good helping the poor would be. Mark alone preserved kai enebrimonto aute, "and
they began scolding her." The verb is very strong and really means, "they began snorting
at her"; "murmured" in our versions is far too weak. 1552
Judas Iscariot (Mark 14:10)
The religious leaders were plotting to kill Jesus when Judas went to them with an offer they
could not refuse: he would deliver Jesus to them for the price of a slave (see Matthew 26:15
and Exodus 21:32). "Apparently they planned to arrest [Jesus] after the crowds had gone, but
Judas' unexpected offer expedited matters. Thus God's timetable was followed."1553 For the
religious leaders Judas's offer to betray Jesus was a win-win situation: "[I]t gave them the
opportunity they had been looking for, and they could later claim that Jesus had been betrayed
by one of his own disciples."1554
In agreeing to hand over Jesus, Judas was also agreeing to serve as a legal witness against him.
According to Roman law, a person first had to be indicted before he could be put on trial. By
signing the indictment, the witnesses against the accused were agreeing to appear in court to
offer testimony for the prosecution. "Thus Judas offered himself as a witness against Christ. He
agreed to go before the Roman courts when Christ was brought to trial on a yet undetermined
charge."1555
As an insider, Judas could pick the most convenient time to betray Jesus to the authorities.
Judas would have told the religious leaders "that he knew enough of the habits of Jesus to
enable them to catch him 'in the absence of the multitude' (Luke 22:6) without waiting for the
passover to be over, when the crowds would leave."1556 Most probably Judas also supplied the
religious leaders with "the essence of Jesus' proclamation and self-understanding,"1557 which
they hoped to use against him. Too, the crowd - which had come from near and far - would
serve as witnesses to, and heralds of, the fact that Jesus had been put to death.1558
1552
Lenski's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim); also see: Thayer's Greek Definitions
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1554
Net Bible Notes
1555
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
1556
Word Pictures in the New Testament
1557
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1558
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
1553
Rather than simply defect or run away, "Judas [gave] up his friend and master to his enemies,
knowing that they sought his life."1559 What motivated Judas to betray Jesus? Probably some
combination of: jealousy, greed, and disappointment/disillusionment with Jesus' mission. 1560 As
one source puts it: "Disillusioned because Jesus was talking about dying rather than about
setting up his kingdom, Judas may have been trying to force Jesus' hand and make him use his
power to prove that he was the Messiah. Or perhaps Judas, not understanding Jesus' mission,
no longer believed that Jesus was God's chosen one."1561
HEAR (heart)
Love Demonstrated
A class of little girls was learning to spell. They spelled a number of small words, such as
"pig," "cat," "dog," "cow," and amused themselves by imitating the sounds that these
animals make.
Then little Mary was asked to spell "love." She didn't stop to give the letters, but ran and
threw her arms around the teacher's neck and kissed her on the cheek. "We spell 'love'
that way at our house," she said.
The girls laughed, but the teacher said, "That is a beautiful way; but do you know
another way to spell 'love'?" "Oh, yes," cried Mary, "I spell love this way," and she began
to put the books in order on her teacher's desk. "I spell love by helping everybody when
they need me."1562
Like Mary of Bethany, little Mary preferred showing love to merely speaking of it. She seemed
to know instinctively that the impact of a loving act is not limited by its size. As one source puts
it: "Headlines are written about presidents and prodigies. Movies are made about world-class
heroes. Yet we remember small acts of kindness and compassion. They fill our personal
memories and iron out the creases of our lives. Small acts of love fuel our days. God's memory
is greater. He notices everything we do to serve and honor him. Never think of your seemingly
insignificant gesture as just a blip on the screen. God is pleased with your kindness, and he will
remember."1563
DO (hands)
??? "The essence of worshiping Christ is to regard him with utmost love, respect, and devotion
and to be willing to sacrifice to him what is most precious."1564 What can this passage (14:1-11)
teach us about both what to pursue and what to avoid as we seek to love Jesus sacrificially?
[[@Bible:Mark 14:12-31]]
1559
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1561
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1562
2,000+ Bible Illustrations (paraphrased)
1563
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1564
Life Application Study Bible
1560
Mark 14:12-31
The Last Supper
12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed,
Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?"
13 So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem with these instructions: "As you go into the city,
a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 At the house he enters, say to
the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with
my disciples?' 15 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where
you should prepare our meal." 16 So the two disciples went into the city and found everything
just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.
17 In the evening Jesus arrived with the twelve disciples. 18 As they were at the table eating,
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me."
19 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, "Am I the one?"
20 He replied, "It is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. 21 For the Son
of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who
betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!"
22 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and
gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take it, for this is my body."
23 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all
drank from it. 24 And he said to them, "This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between
God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. 25 I tell you the truth, I will not drink
wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God."
26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial
7 On the way, Jesus told them, "All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,
‘God will strike the Shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.'
28 But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there."
29 Peter said to him, "Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will."
30 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, Peter - this very night, before the rooster crows twice,
you will deny three times that you even know me."
31 "No!" Peter declared emphatically. "Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!"
And all the others vowed the same.
SEE (head)
Jesus sends two of his disciples into Jerusalem to make preparations for the Passover meal.
During the celebration, Jesus announces that one of the disciples will betray him. He then offers
them bread and wine as symbols of his body and blood which are the means to a new
covenant. They conclude the celebration with a hymn and then head out to the Mount of
Olives. Along the way, Jesus informs the disciples that they will all desert him. This news is
greeted with vehement denial by both Peter and the others.
The Passover meal (Mark 14:12)
"The Passover lamb was roasted and eaten after sunset in a family group of at least ten
people."1565 The meal was comprised of several elements, each designed to serve as a tangible
reminder:
1. There was the lamb, to remind them of how their houses had been protected by the
badge of blood when the angel of death passed through Egypt.
2. There was the unleavened bread to remind them of the bread they had eaten in haste
when they escaped from slavery.
3. There was a bowl of salt water, to remind them of the tears they had shed in Egypt and
of the waters of the Red Sea through which they had miraculously passed to safety.
4. There was a collection of bitter herbs - horse radish, chicory, endive, lettuce, horehound
- to remind them of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt.
5. There was a paste called Charosheth, a mixture of apples, dates, pomegranates and
nuts, to remind them of the clay of which they had made bricks in Egypt. Through it
there were sticks of cinnamon to remind them of the straw with which the bricks had
been made.
6. There were four cups of wine. The cups contained a little more than half a pint of wine,
but three parts of wine were mixed with two of water. The four cups, which were drunk
at different stages of the meal, were to remind them of the four promises in Exodus 6:6,
7.1566
We might also wish to note the practice of hymn singing (see Mark 14:26): "The Hallel Psalms
(Psalms 113-118) were sung during the meal. Psalms 113 and 114 were sung just before the
second cup and Psalms 115-118 were sung at the end of the meal, after the fourth, or hallel
cup."
As one source notes: "As the Passover brought an enslaved people into a new life of liberty and
rest, so Christ anticipated that through His death believers would be brought into a new life of
peace and rest. . . . Christ's death was not an end in itself but the means of providing eternal
blessing for those who would trust Him as Savior."1567
Two of them ... as Jesus said (Mark 14:13, 16)
As one source explains, Jesus' instructions "may reflect another instance of Jesus' supernatural
knowledge. However, the need for security (cf. Mark 14:10-11), the disciples' question (Mark
14:12), and Jesus' subsequent directives seem to indicate that He had carefully reserved a place
in advance where they could eat the Passover meal together undisturbed."1568 According to
tradition, the man (a servant) whom the disciples met led them to the home of John Mark's
father, and it was there that Jesus and his disciples ate the Passover meal.1569 If this be so, the
1565
Net Bible Notes
The Daily Study Bible Series (quoted verbatim)
1567
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
1568
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1569
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1566
need to keep Judas in the dark (lest he upset Jesus' Passover plans) would explain why Jesus did
not name the place outright.1570 It is also worth noting that "a man carrying a pitcher of water"
would have been an unmistakable sign, since "ordinarily not a man but a woman or girl would
be doing this"1571 (men normally carried wine-/animal skins).1572
One Bible commentator notes how the incident involving preparation for the Passover
highlights the trust relationship between Jesus and every true disciple:
The disciples found everything as Jesus had told them. These faithful men could not
know what each day would bring, but they were learning that each step was guided by
God's sovereign will. And they were coming to understand the partnership of their
calling: They go, God provides; they work, God blesses. The Passover meal did not
miraculously appear; someone had to prepare it! The disciples were discovering that
this kind of personal, daily walk with God had some very exciting dimensions to it. No
job could be too difficult; no place too far.
Disciples today have the same Lord. We must trust God with the future, realizing that
whatever it is, he will be with us. For our part, we must be flexible, responsive, and
ready to follow.1573
Betray me (Mark 14:17)
Jesus' point regarding his betrayer sharing his bowl was "not to identify the specific individual
per se, but to indicate that it is one who was close to him - somebody whom no one would
suspect. His comment serves to heighten the treachery of Judas' betrayal."1574 Not surprisingly,
the disciples were aghast at the thought that someone from among their own intimate group
would betray Jesus. "In the Middle East eating together established a symbolic bond of mutual
trust and commitment,"1575 and of course this was anything but an ordinary meal: We should
not "fail to note that this was the Passover of Jesus, that the Twelve were here at his invitation,
not he at theirs, that this was Jesus' bowl, and to be allowed to dip into it with Jesus supreme
honor indeed."1576 Jesus deliberately concealed Judas's identify from the rest of the group,
however, apparently in an effort to give Judas every opportunity to repent.1577
My body ... my blood (Mark 14:22, 24)
"[B]y historically linking Passover and Lord's Supper so closely together Jesus also made clear
that what was essential in the first was not lost in the second. Both point to him, the only and
all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of his people. Passover pointed forward to this; the Lord's
1570
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1572
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1573
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
1574
Net Bible Notes
1575
The Bible Reader's Companion
1576
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1577
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament; The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Lenski's New
Testament Commentary
1571
Supper points back to it."1578 By definition, the "covenant" of which Jesus spoke is "an
arrangement established by one party that cannot be altered by the other party. In other
words, God established the covenant, and humans can only accept or reject it; they cannot
alter it in any way."1579 Jesus' sacrificial death "established the forgiveness promised in the new
covenant of Jeremiah 31:31. Jesus is reinterpreting the symbolism of the Passover meal,
indicating the presence of a new era."1580
As one Bible commentator explains:
Jesus told the disciples to "Take, eat; this is My body." Jesus used literal terms to
describe a figurative truth. Just as he had so many times said, "I am" the door, the
bread, the light, the vine, so the bread symbolized Jesus' work of salvation on behalf of
humanity. His words "this is my body" symbolize the spiritual nourishment believers
obtain from a personal relationship with the Savior. The phrase would more clearly be
translated, "This is my self." It was Jesus' pledge of his personal presence with all his
disciples whenever they would partake of this meal.
Each name believers today use for this sacrament brings out a different dimension to it.
It is the "Lord's Supper" because it commemorates the Passover meal that Jesus ate
with his disciples; it is the "Eucharist" (thanksgiving) because in it we thank God for
Christ's work for us; it is "Communion" because through it we commune with God and
with other believers. As we eat the bread and drink the wine, we should be quietly
reflective as we recall Jesus' death and his promise to come again, grateful for God's
wonderful gift to us, and joyful as we meet with Christ and the body of believers. 1581
One source notes how Jesus' declaration, "'This is my blood of the covenant'" (Mark 14:24,
NASB), recalls and alludes to Exodus 24:8 and Zechariah 9:11.1582


So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, "Behold the blood of
the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words."
(Exodus 24:8, NASB)
As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you, I have set your prisoners
free ... (Zechariah 9:11, NASB)
"The pouring out of his blood takes on sacrificial and atoning connotations, which Jesus has
linked to the covenant of the kingdom."1583 (While it may be legitimate to think "death" when
we see "blood" in the Bible, in the case of Jesus we should always think "sacrificial death."1584)
1578
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1580
Net Bible Notes
1581
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
1582
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1583
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1584
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1579
Thus Jesus indicated that his body and blood were the means through which God would firmly
establish a new covenant which "promises forgiveness of sins and fellowship with God through
the indwelling Spirit to those who come to God by faith in Jesus."1585 The central elements of
the new covenant are God's love for us and our response of obedience.1586 The idea of the new
covenant is further developed in the remainder of the NT, with the epistle to the Hebrews
presenting the most systematic treatment. This covenant is tied to the prophecy delivered by
Jeremiah some 600 years before Christ:
"The day will come," says the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of
Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when
I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that
covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife," says the Lord. "But this is
the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day," says the Lord. "I will
put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and
they will be my people" (Jeremiah 31:31-33).
As one source explains: "The New Covenant is God's new arrangement in dealing with people,
based on Christ's death (cf. Hebrews 8:6-13). The spiritual blessings Israel expected God to
grant in the last days are now mediated through Christ's death to all who believe. The physical
blessings promised to Israel, however, are not being fulfilled now. They will be fulfilled when
Christ returns and establishes His millennial reign with Israel in her land."1587
We should also remember the significance of Communion for contemporary Christians:
That [the first disciples] all drank from the cup reflects our common experience at
Communion. We experience the presence of Christ; we remember his life and death for us;
we acknowledge again his lordship in our life.




1585
Communion humbles us before God. We all come; we all eat and drink together. We
confess our sin and restate our need for him to lead our lives. This ritual gets rid of our
pride.
Communion reminds us that we are forgiven. It reaffirms for us that sins confessed are
sins forgiven because of Christ's death. Communion cleanses our guilt.
Communion expresses our oneness in Christ. We participate as a body of believers in one
communion; thus, we are unified in our faith and in our experience of Christ.
Communion encourages us to recommit. As we recall the sacrifice of Christ, we are
reminded to pledge ourselves to service like his.1588
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1587
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1588
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim; italics added)
1586
All of you will desert me (Mark 14:27)
Jesus said that his disciples would become deserters. "Now when a shepherd is struck down,
the sheep scatter in every direction, for they have lost their rallying point. So also when Jesus is
captured and subsequently crucified, his followers will panic and flee."1589 "The verb translated
'fall away' (skandalisthesesthe ['desert me' NLT]) means to take offense at someone or
something and thereby turn away and fall into sin. Jesus predicted that all 11 disciples would
take offense at His sufferings and death. To avoid the same treatment they would 'fall away,'
denying association with Him and desert Him. Their loyalty would temporarily collapse."1590
Hence Jesus would be forced to face "His final hour of testing alone with His Father, without
human sympathy or support."1591As terrible as was the thought that one of their own would
deliberately turn against Jesus, it was even more unbearable to imagine that the entire group
would desert him in his hour of greatest need. And so, as usual, Peter spoke up, vowing that
even if everyone else denied Jesus, he would still be faithful. Peter refused to believe that he
was capable of denying Jesus even once, let alone three times. Peter said he would die before
that happened. "And all the others vowed the same."
After I am raised ... Galilee (Mark 14:28)
Notice the silver lining, as it were, in an otherwise dark and foreboding message. "Christ's
prediction has an optimistic climax ... In clear and unfigurative [sic.] language Jesus speaks
about being raised from the dead, just as he had spoken previously (Mark 8:31; 9:9, 9:31;
10:34). This is also another revelation of his love, for here Jesus assures them that he is going to
meet them in the very region, Galilee, where their homes were, and where the Lord had
originally called them to himself" (see Mark 16:7).1592 As another source puts it: "Jesus
promised that he would go ahead of [his disciples] into Galilee and meet them all there. Galilee
is important in Mark's Gospel as the place of restoration. That is where their relationship would
be renewed, their failures forgiven, and their pattern of ignorance and rejection broken."1593
HEAR (heart)
Betrayal
The Greek word for "betray" (paradidomi) means "to give into the hands of another; to give
over into one's power or use."1594 It is the opposite of receiving or welcoming,1595 and can
involve either handing over a guilty person for punishment by the proper authorities or, as in
the case of Christ, handing over "an individual to an enemy who will presumably take undue
advantage of the victim."1596
Judas deliberately betrayed Jesus, and all of Jesus' other disciples gave him over into the hands
of his enemies. Choosing fear over faith, they ran away from their Lord and Master. However,
1589
Baker's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1591
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1592
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1593
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1594
Thayer's Greek Definitions
1595
The Complete Word Study Dictionary
1596
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
1590
as only he can, God brought good out of even the disciples' betrayal. Their experience made
them more useful to, and usable by, God. For the rest of their lives, their failure to remain
faithful would remind them of their need to rely on God rather than self. Their failure was also
a crucial part of Shepherding 101: it would help them to better understand, relate to, and
gently guide fellow believers who had sinned and fallen short of God's will.1597
Today we no less than the first disciples need to be on guard against betraying Jesus,
particularly through practical denial. "[P]rofessing commitment to Christ and then denying him
with one's life is also betraying him. It is denying Christ's love to disobey him; it is denying his
truth to distrust him; it is denying his deity to reject his authority." 1598 If our words and actions
do not match, we need to pray for and work for a change of mind and heart that embraces
God's revealed truth.1599
DO (hands)
??? How will remembering God's loyalty to us in the past better prepare us to be loyal to him
both today and tomorrow?
[[@Bible:Mark 14:32-52]]
Mark 14:32-52
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
32 They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, "Sit here while I go and
pray." 33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and
distressed. 34 He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and
keep watch with me."
35 He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the
awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36 "Abba, Father," he cried out, "everything is
possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done,
not mine."
37 Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, are you
asleep? Couldn't you watch with me even one hour? 38 Keep watch and pray, so that you will
not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39 Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. 40 When he returned
to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn't keep their eyes open. And they didn't
know what to say.
41 When he returned to them the third time, he said, "Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest.
But no - the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Up, let's be
going. Look, my betrayer is here!"
Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested
43 And immediately, even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a
crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests, the
1597
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1599
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1598
teachers of religious law, and the elders. 44 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged
signal: "You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss. Then you can take him
away under guard." 45 As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. "Rabbi!" he
exclaimed, and gave him the kiss.
46 Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 47 But one of the men with Jesus pulled
out his sword and struck the high priest's slave, slashing off his ear.
48 Jesus asked them, "Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and
clubs to arrest me? 49 Why didn't you arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you teaching
every day. But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me."
50 Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away. 51 One young man following behind
was clothed only in a long linen shirt. When the mob tried to grab him, 52 he slipped out of his
shirt and ran away naked.
SEE (head)
Jesus and his disciples arrive at the garden of Gethsemane, where he takes the inner circle of
Peter, James and John aside and asks them to keep watch. Jesus goes on a little farther and
then, falling to the ground, begins pouring out his heart in prayer to God. He returns to the
three disciples, rebukes them for sleeping, and then again goes off to pray. This scene is
repeated once more before the armed contingent sent by the religious leaders and led by Judas
Iscariot arrives. Judas identifies Jesus by giving him "the kiss of greeting," after which one of the
disciples attempts to take on the heavily armed mob single-handedly. Jesus rebukes his
arresters for their obvious display of cowardice. Meanwhile, the disciples flee.
Gethsemane (Mark 14:32)
"In John 18:1 [Gethsemane] is described as a garden (kepos), from which comes the traditional
designation 'Garden of Gethsemane,' while Luke 22:40 has simply 'place' (topos). From John
18:1 it is evident that it was across the Kidron, and from Luke 22:39, that it was on the slope of
the Mt. of Olives. It was a place where Jesus frequently went with His disciples (Luke 22:39f;
John 18:2). Its name suggests a grove of olive trees, as does its location on the Mt. of Olives.
The language of John's Gospel seems to imply a walled garden ('entered,' 18:1)." 1600 "It may be
that the grove was privately owned and that Jesus and his disciples had special permission to
enter."1601
Crushed with grief (Mark 14:34)
"Apart from the Cross itself, the moments in Gethsemane were the most intense in Jesus'
life."1602 What's more, the "deepest sorrow and suffering"1603 Jesus endured in the garden of
Gethsemane is absolutely unique in the history of humanity - it never was, and never will be,
repeated by anyone else.1604 "The full impact of His death and its spiritual consequences struck
1600
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
1602
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1603
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
1604
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1601
Jesus and He staggered under its weight. The prospect of alienation from His Father horrified
Him."1605For Jesus, Gethsemane was, quite literally, hell on earth.1606
Why was it necessary for Jesus to go through the pain and suffering of Gethsemane? Because it
gave him the opportunity to freely choose the cross.1607 As one source puts it:
But why Gethsemane at all? Why could not God have arranged it in such a way that at
the very entrance of the garden Jesus would immediately have been arrested, etc.? Why
all the agony, the wrestlings, the prayers, the bloody sweat? Could not the answer be as
follows: to establish for all time that the obedience (both active and passive) which
Jesus rendered was not forced upon him against his will but was voluntary? He was
actually laying down his life for the sheep (John 10:11, 14). That wholehearted sacrifice,
in total obedience to the Father's will, was the only kind of death capable of saving the
sinner (Hebrews 5:7-9).1608
The awful hour ... this cup (Mark 14:35, 36)
The garden of Gethsemane is rightly remembered as Christ's most difficult moment. Jesus
asked that, if it were possible, the "cup" would be taken from him, quickly adding that he
desired God's will and not his own. By asking not to drink from the cup, was Jesus seeking to
abandon his earthly mission to die on the cross for the sins of the world? The short answer: No.
(Jesus agonized over the cup, not the cross.) Along these lines, several comments are worth
noting:



1605
"The prayer of Jesus is conditional from the start: 'if it is possible.' When he was using
this condition Jesus reckoned with the impossibility. The condition is one of reality and
assumes that, if such a possibility existed, the Father would use it. ... It is thus that the
prayer is justified: 'Remove this cup from me!' We see that it is offered only with the
proviso that such removal may be one of the possibilities open to God."1609
"The metaphor 'the hour' denoted God's appointed time when Jesus would suffer and
die (cf. Mark 14:41; John 12:23, 27). The corresponding metaphor, 'this cup,' referred to
the same event. The 'cup' means either human suffering and death or more likely, God's
wrath against sin, which when poured out includes not only physical but also spiritual
suffering and death. In bearing God's judgment the sinless Jesus endured the agony of
being 'made sin' (cf. Mark 15:34; 2 Corinthians 5:21)."1610
Why would Jesus pray for the cup of God's wrath to be taken from him? Because
enduring that wrath meant being separated from God - a prospect which brought Jesus
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1607
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1608
Baker's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1609
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1610
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Net Bible Notes; The Cross of Christ
1606




unimaginable anguish. "God's face upon which He had ever looked was soon to be
hid."1611
"The exact meaning of [Jesus' experience in Gethsemane] has been a subject of
theological controversy from earliest times. But certainly there seems to be an
anticipation of the cross ... Some would see in the event an intended contrast with the
experience of Adam in the Garden of Eden: here the Second Adam prevailed, by prayer
and inward submission to the will of God, over temptation."1612
To be sure, Jesus' faith was tested. And yet, "despite the test of faith, Jesus emerged
reaffirming faith in God's possibilities and recommitting Himself to God's will (v. 36)." 1613
As another source puts it: "Jesus' human will was distinct from but never in opposition
to the Father's will (cf. John 5:30; 6:38). So He acknowledged that the answer to His
request was not governed by what He desired but by what the Father willed. God's will
entailed His sacrificial death (cf. Mark 8:31) so He resolutely submitted Himself to it. His
deep distress passed from Him but "the hour" did not (cf. Mark 14:41)"1614
"[A]s his horrible death and separation from the Father loomed before him, he
was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Jesus did not attempt to run from
it, nor did he doubt that God would raise him from the dead and return him to glory.
Jesus, in his humanity, agonized over the inevitable horror that would soon come, yet he
faced it courageously (Hebrews 12:2-3). Some see in Jesus' words an allusion to Psalm
42:6."1615
"We may not face execution for our faith, but we face many problems that wear us
down. We deal with irritating people whom we must love and serve; we face the burden
of unfinished tasks or lack of obvious results; we cope with helpers who let us down or
fail to comprehend. We must remember that in times of great stress, we are vulnerable
to temptation, even if we have a willing spirit."1616 Along these lines, Jesus' experience
offers us some practical lessons regarding suffering:
o
o
o
o
1611
We must endure our deepest suffering alone. While friends and loved ones may
be able to offer some encouragement, they cannot go through the pain for us.
People can suffer with us, but they cannot suffer for us.
Suffering can drain us on every level: physically, mentally, emotionally, and
spiritually.
Suffering should drive us to our knees in fervent, dependent prayer. And while it
is okay to question God's will, it is never okay to rebel against him. Hardships and
difficulties should teach us to rely more on God and less on self.
Inactivity and sorrow feed the flesh, while prayer and watchfulness feed the
spirit.
Gaebelein's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
1613
Holman Bible Handbook
1614
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1615
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1616
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1612
Abba, Father (Mark 14: 36)
Jesus addressed God as "Abba," an intimate Aramaic term for "Father." While it "was a
common way young Jewish children addressed their fathers,"1617 it was virtually unheard of for
any Jewish person to use this term when praying to God.1618 "Abba here suggests that Jesus'
primary concern in drinking the cup of God's judgment on sin necessarily disrupted this
relationship (cf. Jesus' words of address, Mark 15:34)."1619 The fact that Jesus called God "Abba"
on a regular basis, and apparently even taught his disciples to do the same, points toward the
intimate relationship between God and human beings, created in his image, which Jesus came
to make possible (cf. Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6).
The spirit ... the body (Mark 14:38)
Jesus chided his disciples for sleeping - three times(!) - when they should have remained awake
and alert. His words regarding the spirit versus the body/flesh speak volumes regarding the
struggle against temptation. Of course the biggest temptation for the disciples would be the
thought that Jesus had deceived them, that in fact he was not the Son of God or the
Messiah.1620 "On the one hand (Gr., men) the spirit (one's inner desires and best intentions) is
willing or eager (e.g., Peter, Mark 14:29, 31), but on the other hand (Gr., de) the body (lit.,
"flesh"; a person in his humanness and inadequacies) is weak, easily overwhelmed in action
(e.g., Peter, Mark 14:37)."1621 As another commentator has put it: Jesus was "thinking of how
both spirit and flesh act in temptation. The spirit is eager enough to endure and to overcome
the temptation, but the flesh in us is weak, utterly helpless in temptation, a drag and a terrible
handicap to the spirit in us. By calling on the disciples to watch and to pray Jesus seeks to rouse
their spirit into full activity. By sleeping and by giving way to sleep-producing sorrow of heart
they are yielding to the flesh."1622
Judas ... arrived with a crowd of men (Mark 14:43)
It is impossible to overestimate the depth of Judas's betrayal. As one source puts it:
Since he was 'one of the twelve,' it would be impossible to mention all the privileges
that had been bestowed upon him during the many days, weeks, and months he had
spent in Christ's immediate company. Such confidence had the other eleven reposed in
this same Judas that they had even made him their treasurer. And now he was proving
himself totally unworthy of all these honors and advantages, of all this trust. A
shameless, disgusting quisling [= "traitor, collaborator"1623] he had become, a wretched
turncoat, one who for the paltry sum of thirty pieces of silver was delivering over to the
enemy the greatest Benefactor whose feet ever trod this earth, even the Mediator, both
God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ.1624
1617
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1619
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1620
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1621
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1622
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1623
Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
1624
Baker's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1618
"The religious leaders had issued the warrant for Jesus' arrest,"1625 and Judas led an armed
contingent of men to the place he knew Jesus would be. Judas's actual presence was necessary
for several reasons:




"Judas was acting as Jesus' official accuser. ... Judas pointed Jesus out, not because Jesus
was hard to recognize, but because Judas had agreed to be the formal accuser in case a
trial was called."1626
Without Judas the large detachment would have had only general directions to go by
and, in turn, "their search would have become evident and given Jesus time to
escape"1627 (not counting, of course, the fact that Jesus did not wish to escape).
The garden was dark and secluded.
Secrecy was needed in order to avoid a riot.1628
The irony is thick: "The Gospel of John also mentions 'torches and lanterns.' Torches and
lanterns - to search for the Light of the world. ... Swords and cudgels - to subdue the Prince of
Peace."1629 "Judas' act of betrayal when he kissed Jesus is especially sinister when it is realized
that it was common in the culture of the times for a disciple to kiss his master when greeting
him."1630 Why was Jesus arrested? What was the charge(s)? "No charges are stated in Mark's
account; nevertheless the legality of His arrest according to Jewish criminal law was assumed
since the Sanhedrin authorized it."1631
The high priest's slave (Mark 14:47)
Mark records that, following Judas's act of betrayal, "one of the men with Jesus pulled out his
sword and struck the high priest's slave, slashing off his ear" (Mark 14:47). A comparison with
the other gospel accounts provides a more detailed picture: "Mark graciously avoids identifying
Peter as being guilty of this well-meaning but pointless act. John, the eyewitness, identifies the
servant as one named Malchus and says it was his right ear that was severed (John 18:10).
Peter may have swung wildly, intending to cut off Malchus's head but succeeding only in
wounding him. Luke the physician mentions that Jesus restored Malchus's ear."1632 Malchus "is
in a class by himself. He is not one of the huperetai or police force, he belongs to Caiaphas
himself. He must have been a trusted and important member of the high priest's household
who had been sent with this expedition as the high priest's personal representative to see and
to report everything to his master. That explains why he is out in front under Peter's sword."1633
1625
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1627
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1628
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1629
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1630
Net Bible Notes
1631
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1632
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
1633
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1626
When it became clear to the disciples that their master was not going to resist, delay, or
obstruct the arrest, they all fled.1634
One young man following behind (Mark 14:50)
Mark recorded: "One young man following behind was clothed only in a long linen shirt. When
the mob tried to grab him, he slipped out of his shirt and ran away naked." (Mark 14:51-52).
This is generally accepted as Mark's way of saying that he himself was there that night - that is,
he was the young man. While it is impossible to be absolutely certain, many Bible scholars
believe something like this took place that night: The house containing the room where Jesus
and his disciples share the Passover meal belongs to John Mark's parents. (This was one of the
first house churches in Jerusalem [see Acts 12:12].) Judas leaves to get the temple guard which
he brings back to the house. By the time he returns, however, Jesus and his disciples are gone.
All the commotion awakens young John Mark whose father, a wealthy man, also owns a garden
in Gethsemane which he regularly makes available to Jesus and his disciples. Judas knows the
spot and guesses that is where Jesus went. Dressed only in his bed clothes, John Mark follows
Judas and the armed contingent to the garden (or possibly ran ahead of them in order to warn
Jesus), from where he later flees for his life.1635
HEAR (heart)
True Loyalty
The following letter was written by a young communist to his girlfriend, breaking off the
relationship with her because of his devotion to the communist cause. The letter was given to
her pastor who in turn sent it to Dr. Billy Graham. He published it.
We communists have a high casualty rate. We are the ones who get shot and hung and
ridiculed and fired from our jobs and in every other way made as uncomfortable as
possible. A certain percentage of us get killed or imprisoned. We live in virtual poverty.
We turn back to the party every penny we make above what is absolutely necessary to
keep us alive.
We communists do not have the time or the money for many movies or concerts or Tbone steaks or decent homes or new cars. We've been described as fanatics. We are
fanatics. Our lives are dominated by one great, overshadowing factor: the struggle for
world communism. We have a philosophy of life which no amount of money could buy.
We have a cause to fight for, a definite purpose in life. We subordinate our petty
personal selves into a great movement of humanity; and if our personal lives seem hard
or our egos appear to suffer through subordination to the party, then we are adequately
compensated by the thought that each of us, in his small way, is contributing to
something new and true and better for mankind.
1634
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary; The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament; The Bible Knowledge
Commentary; The Daily Study Bible Series; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament; Nelson's
New Illustrated Bible Commentary; Word Pictures in the New Testament
1635
There is one thing in which I am in dead earnest about, and that is the communist cause.
It is my life, my business, my religion, my hobby, my sweetheart, my wife, my mistress,
my bread and meat. I work at it in the daytime and dream of it at night. Its hold on me
grows, not lessens, as time goes on; therefore, I cannot carry on a friendship, a love
affair, or even a conversation without relating it to this force which both drives and
guides my life. I evaluate people, looks, ideas, and actions according to how they affect
the communist cause, and by their attitude toward it. I've already been in jail because of
my ideals, and if necessary, I'm ready to go before a firing squad.1636
That is loyalty. It is the attitude that was sadly lacking in the disciples-turned-deserters that
night in the garden of Gethsemane: "The disciples' primary loyalty to Jesus should have kept
them from running. But fear took its toll."1637 True, unqualified loyalty is what Jesus demands
today of anyone and everyone who would follow him. Absolute and total commitment - not to
a cause or a creed, but to the person of Jesus Christ.
DO (hands)
??? Think of a time in your life when you suffered greatly yet refused to stop trusting in God.
What made you hang on to your faith? What would you tell someone else whose faith is being
tested?
[[@Bible:Mark 14:53-65]]
Mark 14:53-65
Jesus before the Council
53 They took Jesus to the high priest's home where the leading priests, the elders, and the
teachers of religious law had gathered. 54 Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and
went right into the high priest's courtyard. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the
fire.
55 Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find evidence against
Jesus, so they could put him to death. But they couldn't find any. 56 Many false witnesses spoke
against him, but they contradicted each other. 57 Finally, some men stood up and gave this
false testimony: 58 "We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and
in three days I will build another, made without human hands.'" 59 But even then they didn't get
their stories straight!
60 Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, "Well, aren't you going
to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?" 61 But Jesus was silent and
made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed
One?"
62 Jesus said, "I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's
right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven."
63 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, "Why do we need other
witnesses? 64 You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?"
"Guilty!" they all cried. "He deserves to die!"
1636
1637
The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart And 1,501 Other Stories (quoted verbatim)
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
65 Then some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and beat him with
their fists. "Prophesy to us," they jeered. And the guards slapped him as they took him away.
SEE (head)
Jesus is brought to the home of the high priest, while Peter follows from a distance. The
Sanhedrin is convened and several false witnesses come forward to testify against Jesus. When
it's obvious that no real evidence is to be forthcoming, the high priest asks Jesus directly if he is
the Son of God. Jesus says that he is, and the high priest demands that he be sentenced to
death for blasphemy. Council members and guards alike then begin mocking and beating Jesus.
The high priest's home (Mark 14:53)
While the "full Sanhedrin, with seventy-one members, normally met in the assembly hall in the
temple," only twenty-three members "were necessary for a quorum."1638 Being under the rule
of Rome, the Sanhedrin itself had no authority to impose the death penalty. For these reasons,
this first trial of Jesus should be understood as "a preliminary 'court of enquiry'"1639 or "a Grand
Jury."1640 Of course that fact in no way diminishes the multiple illegalities associated with these
proceedings, including: soliciting false testimony; demanding that the defendant testify against
himself; failing to wait one full day between the reaching of the verdict and the carrying out of
the sentence (death); and subjecting the accused to verbal and physical abuse.1641
One source explains why such a "hasty night meeting" was necessary:
This hasty night meeting was deemed necessary because: (1) In Jewish criminal law it
was customary to hold a trial immediately after arrest. (2) Roman legal trials were
usually held shortly after sunrise (cf. Mark 15:1) so the Sanhedrin needed a binding
verdict by daybreak in order to get the case to Pilate early. (3) With Jesus finally in
custody they did not want to delay proceedings, thereby arousing opposition to His
arrest. Actually they had already determined to kill Him (cf. Mark 14:1-2); their only
problem was getting evidence that would justify it (cf. Mark 14:55). Perhaps also they
wished to have the Romans crucify Jesus to avoid the people's blaming the Sanhedrin
for His death.1642
Many false witnesses (Mark 14:56)
"In Jewish trials the witnesses served as the prosecution, giving their testimonies
separately."1643 Jewish law demanded that the sworn testimony of two or three witnesses was
necessary to convict someone of a crime. If, however, the witnesses were found to be lying,
then the false witnesses were to receive the punishment that would have been inflicted on the
accused (see Deuteronomy 19:15-21). Thus not only should the false testimony of the
witnesses have brought the trial to a screeching halt, but those same witnesses should have
1638
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition
1640
The Daily Study Bible Series
1641
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament; The Daily Study Bible Series; The Words and Works of
Jesus Christ
1642
The Bible Knowledge Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1643
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1639
received the punishment the Sanhedrin was seeking for Jesus - namely, death.1644 The
accusation regarding destruction of the Temple was very serious indeed, as "[d]estruction of a
worship place was a capital offense in the ancient world."1645
Answer these charges (Mark 14:60)
"Caiaphas was getting frustrated. Now his only hope was to get Jesus to say something that
would give them evidence to convict him. The religious leaders had tried and failed on prior
occasions to trap Jesus with trick questions (Mark 12:13-34); here the high priest simply stood
up in this revered group and spoke directly to Jesus. He may have been hoping that Jesus was
ignorant enough to not realize that the witnesses had invalidated themselves. Caiaphas tried to
make up in intimidation what was lacking in evidence. He asked Jesus to answer his accusers
and then to explain the accusations against him."1646
Jesus refused to participate in this travesty of justice. "Jesus refused to say anything. He had
nothing to say to the group of liars who had spoken against him, and he had no reason to
explain a bunch of false accusations."1647 Until, that is, the high priest asked him directly if he
were "the Messiah, the Son of the blessed God?" (Mark 14:61). As made clear in Matthew's
gospel, the high priest made a "demand in the name of the living God" (Matthew 26:63) - that
is, he placed Jesus under a solemn oath to tell the court who he really was.
Claiming to be the Messiah (or Christ) alone would not have been enough to warrant a charge
of blasphemy - insanity maybe, but not blasphemy.1648 However, "Jesus replie[d] with his
authoritative 'I am' and a declaration of coequality with the Mighty One, as Son of man who will
come visibly on the clouds of heaven (v. 62; cf. Psalms 110:1; Daniel 7:13)."1649 Claiming to be
the Son of God, and then joining that to the Son of Man image as found in the book of Daniel,
"certainly would have been blasphemy if untrue."1650 And, of course, the religious leaders did
not allow for the slightest possibility that Jesus' claims were true. In essence, Jesus said that
"[s]itting on the right hand of power, one day he would come to judge his accusers, and they
would have to answer his questions (Revelation 20:11-13). This represented the highest view of
Jesus' deity possible. Jesus used the highest titles for God's deity and then applied them to
himself."1651
The high priest tore his clothing ... blasphemy (Mark 14:62, 63)
One Bible commentator provides the following info regarding the high priest:
As Matthew 26:3 informs us, the highpriest was Caiaphas. He occupied that office from A.D. 1836, and was son-in-law of Annas (John 18:13). He was a rude and sly manipulator, and
opportunist, who did not know the meaning of fairness or justice and who was bent on having
1644
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1646
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1647
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1648
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1649
Evangelical Commentary on the Bible
1650
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition
1651
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1645
his own way "by hook or by crook" (Matthew 26:3-4; John 11:49). He did not shrink from
shedding innocent blood. What he himself ardently craved for selfish purposes, he made to
look as if it were the one thing needful for the welfare of the people. In order to bring about the
condemnation of Jesus, who had aroused his envy (Matthew 27:18), he was willing to use
devices which were the product of clever calculation and unprecedented boldness.1652
Caiaphas accused Jesus of blasphemy - that is, "the sin of claiming to be God or of attacking
God's authority and majesty in any way."1653 As one source notes:
By tearing his clothes, probably his inner garments rather than his official robes, the
high priest showed that he regarded Jesus' bold declaration as blasphemy. To him,
Jesus' words dishonored God by claiming rights and powers belonging exclusively to God
(cf. Mark 2:7). This symbolic expression of horror and indignation was required of the
high priest whenever he heard blasphemy. His reaction also expressed relief since Jesus'
self-incriminating answer removed the need for more witnesses.
The Mosaic Law prescribed death by stoning for blasphemy (Leviticus 24:15-16).
Without further investigation the high priest called for a verdict from the Sanhedrin.
Since there were no objections they all condemned Him (cf. Mark 10:33) as worthy
(enochon, "guilty, liable"; cf. Mark 3:29) of death.1654
All told, Jesus was subjected to two trials comprised of three hearings each:1655
hearing: First Jewish phase, before Annas
location: Jerusalem, court of Annas
reference: John 18:13-24
hearing: Second Jewish phase, before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin
location: Jerusalem, house of Caiaphas
reference: Matthew 26:57–68; Mark 14:53–65; Luke 22:54
hearing: Third Jewish phase, before the Sanhedrin
location: Jerusalem, meeting place of Sanhedrin
reference: Matthew 27:1; Mark 15:1a; Luke 22:66–71
hearing: First Roman phase, before Pilate
location: Jerusalem, at the Praetorium
reference: Matthew 27:2, 11–14; Mark 15:1b–5; Luke 23:1–5; John 18:28–38
1652
Baker's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1654
The Bible Knowledge Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1655
The MacArthur Study Bible; The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary; A
Harmony of the Gospels
1653
hearing: Second Roman phase, before Herod Antipas
location: Jerusalem, before Herod Antipas
reference: Luke 23:6–12
hearing: Third Roman phase, before Pilate
location: Jerusalem, at the Praetorium
reference: Matthew 27:15–26; Mark 15:6–15; Luke 23:13–25; John 18:39–19:16
These hearings, as well as the character of the men conducting them, amounted to an absolute
travesty of justice. As one source puts it: "For the absolutely sinless One to be subjected to a
trial conducted by sinful men was in itself a deep humiliation. To be tried by such men, under
such circumstances made it infinitely worse. Greedy, serpent-like, vindictive Annas (see on John
18:13); rude, sly, hypocritical Caiaphas (see on John 11:49-50); crafty superstitious, self-seeking
Pilate (see on John 18:29); and immoral, ambitious, superficial Herod Antipas; these were his
judges!"1656
HEAR (heart)
A General's Objectivity
General Robert E. Lee was asked what he thought of a fellow officer in the Confederate
army who had made some derogatory remarks about him.
Lee rated him as being very satisfactory.
The person who asked the question seemed perplexed. "General," he said, "I guess you
don't know what he's been saying about you."
"I know," answered Lee. "But I was asked my opinion of him, not his opinion of me!"1657
Not an Enemy in the World
A reporter, interviewing an old man on his 100th birthday, asked, "What are you most
proud of?"
"Well," said the old man, pondering the question, "I don’t have an enemy in the world."
"That’s wonderful!" said the reporter.
"Yep," added the centenarian, "I’ve outlived every last one of them."1658
1656
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Illustrations Unlimited (quoted verbatim)
1658
Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes (quoted verbatim)
1657
Why did Jesus choose to endure such an unjust trial? In one sense, it was because his opinion of
his accusers was much higher than their opinion of him. We also know that, almost as a bonus,
Jesus' long-suffering was rewarded: he outlived his enemies.
DO (hands)
Blasphemy!
Given the mind-set of the religious leaders, Jesus' claims were blasphemous. How could
this man have the authority of God? Popular culture and modern thought still view
Christ's claims as blasphemous, and if we express our faith, people will view us as
bigoted and intolerant. They will be outraged by our claims to know the truth. Our belief
that God controls our life violates their desire to have a human-centered life. Our view
of moral law offends their belief that all values are relative to each person and situation.
Our conviction about controlling our desires radically disagrees with their pleasure- and
experience-oriented outlook. Be ready for the world to be morally outraged at your
single-minded belief in Christ and his truth.1659
??? Discuss one current social, political, or religious issue in which the world is morally outraged
at Christians' "single-minded belief in Christ and his truth."
[[@Bible:Mark 14:66-72]]
Mark 14:66-72
Peter Denies Jesus
66 Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard below. One of the servant girls who worked for the
high priest came by 67 and noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely
and said, "You were one of those with Jesus of Nazareth."
68 But Peter denied it. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, and he went out
into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed.
69 When the servant girl saw him standing there, she began telling the others, "This man is
definitely one of them!" 70 But Peter denied it again.
A little later some of the other bystanders confronted Peter and said, "You must be one of
them, because you are a Galilean."
71 Peter swore, "A curse on me if I'm lying-I don't know this man you're talking about!"
72 And immediately the rooster crowed the second time.
Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows twice, you
will deny three times that you even know me." And he broke down and wept.
SEE (head)
While Jesus is being subjected to a mock trial and physical and verbal abuse inside the home of
the high priest, Peter is outside in the courtyard. A servant girl recognizes him as one of Jesus'
followers, but Peter flatly denies it and moves away from her. The same girl loudly announces
that one of Jesus' followers is in their midst, but Peter again denies it. A little later others, too,
accuse Peter of being a disciple of Jesus. This time Peter denies it with an oath. Following his
1659
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
third denial, Peter hears a rooster crow, remembers Jesus' prediction, and breaks down in
tears.
Peter (Mark 14:66)
This tragic episode in Peter's life is a story of courage mixed with fear. Certainly no one could
question Peter's courage. Among the group of twelve, he was always the first to volunteer. And
had he not only a short while earlier tried taking on Jesus' captors single-handedly? Peter not
only followed Jesus to his trial, but he even remained in the courtyard in order "to see the
outcome" (Matthew 26:58, NASB). The vast majority of men would never have made it that far.
And even after having been recognized as a follower of Jesus, he refused to leave. 1660
But Peter was also afraid. It was safe to be associated with a man who was popular with the
people. But it was a dangerous thing indeed to be associated with a man whom the religious
leaders of Israel were trying to condemn to death. And so when he was recognized as a disciple
of Jesus, Peter panicked1661 and denied it - not once, but three times. With the third denial,
Peter could no longer contain the mixture of thoughts and emotions welling up inside him. They
came out with a curse equivalent to: "May God strike me dead if I'm lying!"1662
Rooster crowed (Mark 14:68, 71)
There's been some confusion regarding the rooster crowing that Jesus had said would
immediately follow Peter's denial. One Bible commentator notes: "The Roman night was
divided into four watches from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. At the end of the third watch, at three o'clock in
the morning, the guard was changed. When the guard was changed there was a bugle call
which was called the gallicinium, which is the Latin for the cockcrow. Most likely what
happened was that as Peter spoke his third denial, the clear note of the bugle call rang out over
the silent city and smote on Peter's ear. He remembered and his heart broke."1663
I don't know this man (Mark 14:71)
How could Peter deny Christ? Like any heinous sin, Peter's denial involved several downward
steps, the end result of which was extreme vulnerability. "First, Peter had confidence in himself
(Luke 22:33; Mark 26:35). Second, Peter separated himself from Christ and followed Him only
at a distance (Mark 14:54). Third, Peter sat down in the company of Christ's adversaries (Luke
22:55). The cumulative force of these put Peter in a vulnerable position."1664
Peter's shameful conduct offers a negative example of the positive truth found in the very first
verse of the book of Psalms: "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the
wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!" (Psalms 1:1, NASB).
Renowned Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe says of this verse:
1660
The Daily Study Bible Series
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1662
Life Application Study Bible
1663
The Daily Study Bible Series
1664
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
1661
We move into sin and disobedience gradually (see Proverbs 4:14-15 and 7:6ff). If you
follow the wrong counsel, then you will stand with the wrong companions and finally sit
with the wrong crowd. When Jesus was arrested, Peter didn't follow Christ's counsel
and flee from the garden (Matthew 26:31; John 16:32; 18:8), but followed and entered
the high priest's courtyard. There he stood with the enemy (John 18:15-18) and
ultimately sat with them (Luke 22:55). The result was denying Christ three times. The
"ungodly" [= "wicked"] are people who are willfully and persistently evil; "sinners" are
those who miss the mark of God's standards but who don't care; the "scornful" [=
"scoffers"] make light of God's laws and ridicule that which is sacred (see Proverbs 1:22;
3:24; 21:24). When laughing at holy things and disobeying holy laws become
entertainment, then people have reached a low level indeed.1665
It is probably worth noting some of the differences between Peter and Judas. Judas sought out
the religious leaders; Peter sought to hide from them. Judas voluntarily betrayed Jesus; Peter
involuntarily denied Jesus. Judas hanged himself; Peter was restored.
HEAR (heart)
Healthy Fear
A young soldier of evident breeding and culture had one peculiarity. He would never
drink alcoholic beverages with the others. One day the major asked him to take a
message to the express agent in town. "Where shall I find him, sir?" he asked. "Just go
into Casey's saloon and sit down. He'll show up in the course of the afternoon." The
soldier drew back and said, "Beg pardon, sir, but can't I meet him some place else?"
"Why, what's the matter with Casey's? Are you afraid to go there?" "Yes, sir, because
drink was what made me enlist and leave my family in the first place. I was drunk and
didn't know what I was doing." "You may go," said the major curtly. "I'll find a more
accommodating and less cowardly man."
From then on this soldier carried a reputation for cowardice because he was realistic
enough to avoid danger he knew he was too weak to face. However, the opinion of the
battery changed one day when he was one of the seven chosen to fire a cannon salute
to a visiting general. One bag of powder failed to discharge, and the sergeant ordered it
pulled out. As it fell to the ground, the men were horrified to see that one corner of it
ignited. For a breathless moment no one moved. Then this soldier flung himself upon it
and with his bare hands smothered the deadly spark. From then on he was the hero of
the company. You may depend upon it; the man who is afraid of doing wrong will be
brave enough when the occasion calls for it.1666
Peter should have stayed away from that courtyard the night of Jesus' trial. But courageous
love mixed with foolish pride would not let him. The end result was a display of cowardice that
stayed with him the rest of his days. Having been restored by Jesus, however, Peter again had
1665
1666
The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament (quoted verbatim)
2,000+ Bible Illustrations (quoted verbatim)
the opportunity to act courageously - this time depending on God's strength and not his own when on the day of Pentecost he publicly proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the heart of
the very city where Jesus had been put to death. The man who had so fearfully denied Jesus
went on to become a faithful pillar of his church.
DO (hands)
??? "Before we judge Peter too severely, we need to examine our own lives. How many times
have we denied the Lord and lost opportunities to share the Gospel with others? Do we, like
Peter, talk when we should listen, argue when we should obey, sleep when we should pray, and
fight when we should submit?"1667

Mark 15
[[@Bible:Mark 15:1-15]]
Mark 15:1-15
Jesus' Trial before Pilate
1 Very early in the morning the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law - the
entire high council - met to discuss their next step. They bound Jesus, led him away, and took
him to Pilate, the Roman governor.
2 Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
Jesus replied, "You have said it."
3 Then the leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes, 4 and Pilate asked him, "Aren't
you going to answer them? What about all these charges they are bringing against you?" 5 But
Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate's surprise.
6 Now it was the governor's custom each year during the Passover celebration to release
one prisoner - anyone the people requested. 7 One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, a
revolutionary who had committed murder in an uprising. 8 The crowd went to Pilate and asked
him to release a prisoner as usual.
9 "Would you like me to release to you this 'King of the Jews'?" Pilate asked. 10 (For he
realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy.) 11 But at this point the
leading priests stirred up the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus.
12 Pilate asked them, "Then what should I do with this man you call the king of the Jews?"
13 They shouted back, "Crucify him!"
14 "Why?" Pilate demanded. "What crime has he committed?"
But the mob roared even louder, "Crucify him!"
15 So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a
lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.
1667
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
SEE (head)
Following their preliminary trial the night before, the Jewish high council brings Jesus before
Pilate, the Roman governor, who asks Jesus if he is the King of the Jews. The religious leaders
bring charges against Jesus and then stir up the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas, a
murderer and enemy of the state, rather than Jesus. The crowd demands that Jesus be put to
death. Pilate has Jesus severely beaten, and then hands him over to the soldiers to be crucified.
Pilate (Mark 15:1)
"[T]the Sanhedrin, once having hold of Jesus, was determined to rush him to death because it
feared the uprising of the people in case of delay. ... This meeting was held ... early in the
morning, before the pilgrims were astir. ... [T]he resolution that had to be passed in this second
session was the formal confirmation of the death verdict that had been pronounced at the
night session. ... In all formality they took the final vote on the death penalty for Jesus. The next
step followed as a matter of course: the Sanhedrin had to take Jesus to Pilate."1668 "Pontius
Pilate was the Roman governor for the regions of Samaria and Judea from A.D. 26–36.
Jerusalem was located in Judea. Pilate's normal residence was in Caesarea on the
Mediterranean Sea, but he happened to be in Jerusalem because of the Passover festival. With
the large crowds that flocked to the city for that celebration, Pilate and his soldiers came to
help keep the peace. He stayed in his headquarters, called the Praetorium."1669
Why did the Jews need to go before the Roman governor, whom they despised almost as much
as he despised them? "The Jews most assuredly wanted to put Jesus to death, but they lacked
the authority to do so. For this reason they handed him over to Pilate in hopes of securing a
death sentence. The Romans kept close control of the death penalty in conquered territories to
prevent it being used to execute Roman sympathizers."1670 As another source explains: "Though
the Sanhedrin could pronounce a death sentence it could not exercise capital punishment. So a
condemned prisoner had to be turned over to the Roman authorities for a death sentence to be
carried out (cf. John 18:31). The Roman governor could either ratify or rescind the Sanhedrin's
death sentence (cf. John 19:10). If rescinded, a new trial had to be conducted before a Roman
court in which the Sanhedrin had to prove that the defendant had committed a capital crime
under Roman law."1671
One Bible commentator notes how the Sanhedrin was guilty of "group think": "Years ago,
sociologists concluded that intelligent, capable people would fail to see the fault in their group
decisions as each person dismissed evidence that might thwart consensus. They called it 'group
think.' The people who condemned Jesus were not stupid, just afraid, confused, and desperate.
Alone they would never perpetrate this crime - setting up a man for crucifixion by perjured
testimony and concocted allegation. Together they pulled it off without dissent. They were
wrong, but no one raised a voice once momentum built."1672 (The key to combating group think
1668
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1670
Net Bible Notes
1671
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1672
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1669
is to look out for, and offer rational alternatives to, "decisions based on fear, prejudice, and
greed."1673)
King of the Jews (Mark 15:2)
King of the Jews" was a Roman designation, with Jewish equivalents being "Messiah," "son of
David," and "king of Israel."1674 From Pilate's perspective, "King of the Jews" carried "political
implications of sedition against Rome."1675 Jesus' response to Pilate's question regarding his
kingship "is best understood as a yes answer but with a qualification attached. As Messiah,
Jesus is the King of the Jews but His concept of kingship differed from that implied in Pilate's
question (cf. John 18:33-38)."1676 Jesus "wasn't claiming kingship in any way that would
threaten Pilate, Caesar, or the Empire. Jesus' kingship was spiritual; a charge of treason
required it to be political. The religious leaders were attempting to build a case on this political
twist - their only and best chance of winning Pilate's approval for a crucifixion. But ... Pilate
could sense that the solemn rabbi standing before him was unlikely to lead a revolt against
Rome. In Jesus' eyes, Pilate did not see the hardened glare of a zealot. Jesus was no
revolutionary."1677
Many crimes ... all these charges (Mark 15:3, 4)
The charge of blasphemy would have meant nothing to Pilate. And so, as detailed in Luke's
gospel (see Luke 23:2), the religious leaders accused Jesus of no less than three very serious
crimes: "(1) encouraging the people to not pay their taxes to Rome, (2) claiming he was a king 'the King of the Jews,' and (3) causing riots all over the countryside. Tax evasion, treason, and
terrorism - all these would be cause for Pilate's concern. These accusations were false, but the
religious leaders were determined to have Jesus killed."1678 As one Bible commentator explains:
"In reality these three charges amounted to one: 'This man is a revolutionary, a seditionist, a
politically dangerous person.'"1679 It is more than a little ironic that "Jesus, who disappointed
the crowds for failing to lead a political revolution, was now being charged with that very
crime."1680
"Pilate's low regard for the Jewish leadership sank even lower as their frenzied testimony
continued. Pilate knew the charges were preposterous, and he obviously expected Jesus to
defend himself against the false accusations.1681 " For their part, the religious leaders knew that
crucifixion would place Jesus in the same league as rebels and slaves, and thus publicly and
(hopefully) permanently disgrace him, his teachings, and his followers. It would also shift the
blame for his death from the religious leaders to the Roman government.1682
1673
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1675
Net Bible Notes
1676
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1677
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1678
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1679
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1680
Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary
1681
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1682
Life Application Study Bible
1674
Jesus said nothing (Mark 15:5)
Any other man would have begged Pilate to spare his life. Why didn't Jesus?
Just exactly why it was that Jesus remained silent has not been revealed. The following possible
reasons, however, deserve consideration:
1. He "opened not his mouth" in fulfilment of prophecy (Isaiah 42:14; 53:7; 57:15; Zechariah 9:9). See also 1 Kings 19:11-12; Matthew 5:7-9; 12:18-21; 21:5.
2. Pilate did not deserve an answer, for he knew very well that Jesus was innocent. The
governor had declared this openly (John 18:38; cf. Luke 23:4). He should have acquitted
Jesus.
3. The Jewish leaders knew very well that they were lying. Not once during his ministry had
Jesus spoken or acted as a political rebel. Rather, the very opposite (Mark 12:17; John
6:15).1683
In short, "It would have been futile [for Jesus] to answer [Pilate's questions], and the time had
come to give his life to save the world."1684
"Learning that Jesus was a Galilean and hoping to avoid making a judgment against Him, Pilate
sent Him to Herod Antipas, governor of Galilee (cf. Mark 6:14), also in Jerusalem at the time.
But Herod soon returned Him to Pilate. Only Luke recorded this middle phase of the civil trial
(cf. Luke 23:6-12)."1685 (These events occur between verses 5 and 6 in Mark's gospel.1686)
Barabbas (Mark 15:7)
It was an annual custom for the governor to grant clemency to one prisoner. Many within the
crowd that morning saw Barabbas as a hero for daring to stand up against the oppressive
Roman government, and they had gathered specifically to ask for his release.1687 Pilate fully
realized that Jesus was innocent; if he had thought Jesus' kingship in any way posed a threat to
Rome, he would have acted immediately.1688 Pilate did, however, perceive a very real threat to
his political career:
There is no interest in justice here; only politics are at work. Pilate probably knew that
Jesus was popular. He was not about to risk offending the populace, especially at
Passover season, and so instigate a riot, the very thing he wished to avoid. ... Pilate is
happy to accommodate the ruling priests' recommendation that Jesus be put to death as long as in doing so he incurs no political risks. His only concern is that his
condemnation of Jesus not provoke the Jewish people or be seen as yet another
1683
Baker's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1685
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1686
A Harmony of the Gospels
1687
The Daily Study Bible Series; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1688
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition
1684
example of Roman brutality. Pilate is not about to create a problem for himself; he
wishes only to extricate himself from responsibility.1689
Pilate "had placed Jesus beside a murderer [= Barabbas] - the man whom he himself had
pronounced innocent beside the man whose bloody guilt was beyond a doubt. The flagrant
injustice to Jesus is glaring."1690 In the final analysis, Pilate chose to murder the Savior and save
the murderer. Of course we must keep in mind that Pilate's actions, including his declaration of
Jesus' innocence, were part of God's plan: Behind "Pilate stood God himself. The responsibility
for the sinful act, to be sure, remained with Pilate and with those who pressured him into
delivering Jesus to be crucified. But the actions of all these sinners were included in the allcomprehensive, eternal decree of God: 'This man, having been handed over (to you) by the
predetermined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you, by the hand of lawless men, have
crucified and slain' (Acts 2:23)."1691
In Pilate we see "the impossibility of evading Jesus. Pilate had tried again and again to bypass
Jesus. He discovered that this was entirely impossible. He was forced to take a stand, and he
took the wrong stand."1692 There is no such thing as neutrality toward Jesus Christ: We are
either for him or we are against him.
In Barabbas we find a divinely orchestrated object lesson: "Barabbas was released, though
guilty and condemned, because the Lord Jesus took his place. Christ was his substitute."1693 The
point is worth repeating: "Barabbas represents yet another example of the purpose of Jesus'
death: to take the place, not just of one condemned man, but of all who stand condemned
before God's perfect standard of justice. ... God commutes your sentence and sets you free.
Because of Jesus."1694 We can easily imagine Barabbas, having been set free, making his way to
the crucifixion site and, looking up at Jesus, declaring, "He died for me; He paid my
penalty."1695
The crowd (Mark 15:8, 11)
"[Pilate] did not want to sentence Jesus to death. Yet, it was becoming more and more clear to
him that this by now had become the desire of the fickle multitude. When the prophet of
Galilee was still healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing the lepers, holding the multitudes
spellbound by means of his marvelous discourses, he was popular. When he rode into
Jerusalem, he was applauded. But now that he is seemingly helpless, and the leaders have used
their strongest arguments to persuade the people to demand his crucifixion, they turn their
backs on him."1696 "All the Gospels stress that it was actually the leaders more than the people
1689
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary (quoted verbatim)
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1691
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1692
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1693
Gaebelein's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
1694
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1695
Gaebelein's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
1696
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1690
who were guilty. Here we have the first time in Mark that the crowds turned against Jesus, and
Mark stressed that they were incited to do so by the leaders."1697 "[I]n the end Jesus did not
prove to be the kind of Messiah the people desired and were expecting."1698 It is no different
today, as scores of people profess admiration for Jesus' miracles and/or teachings but refuse to
accept him as their king. For most people, the image of Jesus as some sort of miracle-working
holy man is fine; Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords, however, is too much to bear.
The tipping point came when the crowd uttered a semi-veiled threat against Pilate himself:
[W]hat turned the scale so that Pilate finally decided to yield to the mob's clamor was
the frightening and diabolical outcry, "If you release this man [Jesus], you are no friend
of the emperor. Whoever makes himself king rebels against the emperor" (John 19:12).
It was this outcry that floored the governor. In his feverish imagination he saw how he
was about to lose his prestige, position, possessions, freedom, even his life perhaps.
Pilate understood immediately that the people's angry statement implied much more
than it expressed. It implied: "We will lodge a complaint against you. We will tell the
emperor that you condone high treason against the government; that you have released
a man who was guilty of continuous sedition, and who allowed himself to be called king.
We will accuse you of 'softness toward rebels.' Then where will you be?"1699
The Roman government pressured Pilate "to do whatever was necessary to maintain peace. We
know from historical records that Pilate had already been warned about other uprisings in his
region. Although he may have seen no guilt in Jesus and no reason to condemn him to death,
Pilate wavered when the Jews in the crowd threatened to report him to Caesar (John 19:12).
Such a report, accompanied by a riot, could cost him his position and hopes for advancement.
Pilate became afraid. His job was in jeopardy. The last thing Pilate needed was a riot in
Jerusalem at Passover time, when the city was crowded with Jews from all over the Empire."1700
Flogged with a lead-tipped whip (Mark 15:15)
Pilate ordered for Jesus to be severely beaten and crucified. Scourging/flogging "was standard
pre-crucifixion procedure,"1701 although "it could also be a separate punishment."1702 Regarding
this hideous practice, one source notes: "Slaves or non-Romans could be punished with whips
made of leather straps or knotted cords often weighted with pieces of metal or bone. Roman
law allowed their use in four situations: as a torture to promote the questioning of a prisoner,
as a self-standing punishment, as a capital punishment (people were sentenced to death by
beating), or as a preparation for execution. On some occasions these beatings were so severe
that bones and organs were left exposed."1703 And another source tells us: "A Roman flogging
1697
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1699
Baker's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1700
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1701
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; Net Bible Notes
1702
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1703
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
1698
(traditionally, 'scourging') was an excruciating punishment. The victim was stripped of his
clothes and bound to a post with his hands fastened above him (or sometimes he was thrown
to the ground). Guards standing on either side of the victim would incessantly beat him with a
whip (flagellum) made out of leather with pieces of lead and bone inserted into its ends. While
the Jews only allowed 39 lashes, the Romans had no such limit; many people who received such
a beating died as a result."1704
HEAR (heart)
Pilate's Sin
Pilate had the ethics of his class, and obviously tried to act up to the standard which he
had formed. There was in him, however, no deep moral basis of character, as is shown
by the utter skepticism of his question, "What is truth?" When he found that the doing
of strict justice threatened to endanger his position, he reluctantly and with a great deal
of shame gave way to the demands of the Jews. He sent Jesus to the cross, but not
before he had exhausted every expedient for saving Him, except the simple and
straightforward one of dismissing the case. He had the haughtiness of the dominant
race, and a profound contempt for the people over which he ruled. This contempt ...
continually brought him into trouble. He felt deeply humiliated at having to give way to
those whom he utterly despised, and, in the manner of a small mind, revenged himself
on them by calling Christ their king, and by refusing to alter the mocking inscription on
the cross. It is certain that Pilate, in condemning Jesus, acted, and knew that he acted
against his conscience. He knew what was right, but for selfish and cowardly reasons
refused to do it. He was faced by a great moral emergency, and he failed.1705
Pilate is a striking instance of the danger of trifling with conscientious convictions, and
not acting at once upon the principle of plain duty. Fear of man, the Jews' accusations,
and the emperor's frown, and consequent loss of place and power, led him to condemn
Him whom he knew to be innocent and desired to deliver. His compromises and delays
were vain when once the determined Jews saw him vacillating. Fixed principle alone
could have saved him from pronouncing that unrighteous sentence which brands his
name forever (Psalm 82). His sense of justice, compassion, and involuntary respect for
the Holy Sufferer yielded to his selfishness, worldly policy, and cynical unbelief.1706
DO (hands)
??? Believers today face the same pressure from the crowd to deny Jesus' claims and to give
him no place in our life - in effect, to crucify him all over again. What can Pilate's negative
example teach us about what it takes to stand up for Jesus?
[[@Bible:Mark 15:16-24]]
1704
Net Bible Notes; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (quoted verbatim)
1706
Fausset's Bible Dictionary (quoted verbatim)
1705
Mark 15:16-24
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
16 The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor's headquarters (called the
Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment. 17 They dressed him in a purple robe, and they
wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. 18 Then they saluted him and taunted,
"Hail! King of the Jews!" 19 And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and
dropped to their knees in mock worship. 20 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they
took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be
crucified.
The Crucifixion
21 A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just
then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus' cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and
Rufus.) 22 And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means "Place of the Skull").
23 They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it.
24 Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross. They divided his clothes and threw dice to
decide who would get each piece.
SEE (head)
The soldiers take Jesus and, after calling out the entire regiment, dress him in a robe and a
crown of thorns. Then they ridicule and beat him. Finally, when they grow tired of their sadistic
sport, they dress Jesus in his own clothes again and lead him away to be crucified. Along the
way, a man named Simon is forced to carry Jesus' cross to the execution site. Once there, Jesus
is nailed to the cross, and soldiers gamble for his clothing.
A purple robe ... a crown ... saluted him ... a reed stick ... mock worship (Mark 15:17-19)
Taking advantage of their superior numbers and his weakened condition, the soldiers subjected
Jesus to both verbal and physical abuse. (While "[a] Roman 'cohort' [NASB; Greek speiran] was
a tenth of a legion, about 500-600 soldiers,"1707 "in this case it may have been an auxiliary
battalion of 200-300 soldiers that had accompanied Pilate to Jerusalem from Caesarea."1708)
The soldiers' "mockery mimics aspects of the Roman triumph, whereby Caesar is hailed as
memperor and receives homage. The purple cloak ["probably a discarded and faded soldier's
mantle of a 'purple' hue"1709], the crown of thorns (resembling the crown of ivy), the reed, with
which Jesus is struck on the head, and the bowing in mock homage are all components of the
apparel worn and homage received by the Roman emperor, who at the triumph wore a purple
robe and laurel wreath and held a scepter."1710 (Some see in the crown of thorns a symbol of
"God's curse on humanity (cf. Genesis 3:18) being placed on Jesus"1711 - thus delivering nature,
1707
Net Bible Notes
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1709
Baker's New Testament Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Lenski's New Testament
Commentary
1710
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1711
Net Bible Notes; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1708
including humanity, from God's curse.1712) "All of this had been prophesied. Isaiah had written,
'I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did
not hide my face from mocking and spitting' (Isaiah 50:6)."1713 Little did the soldiers realize that
the one they were mocking was far superior to Caesar, for whom any Roman soldier would
have laid down his life. Not only did Jesus endure punishment from them, he also endured
death for them. "Now they would lead Him outside the city and nail him to a cross, and the
Servant would die for the sins of the very people who were crucifying Him."1714
Crucified (Mark 15:20)
Following his humiliating abuse at the hands of the Roman soldiers, Jesus was "led ... away to
be crucified" (v. 20). "In being led out to be crucified, condemned prisoners would carry the
crossbeam of their own cross, which weighed about one hundred pounds. It was carried across
the shoulders. Carrying the crossbeam was intended to break the prisoner's will to live. It said
to the prisoner, 'You are already dead.' Like flogging, it caused the prisoner to die more quickly.
The heavy crossbeam was placed on Jesus' already bleeding shoulders (John 19:17), and he
began the long walk out of Jerusalem."1715
Without a doubt, "[d]eath by crucifixion was one of the cruelest forms of capital punishment
ever devised."1716 Originating as an upright wooden stake, with time the cross (Greek stauros)
evolved into a vertical pole with a horizontal beam attached. Although several ancient nations
employed crucifixion, it was the Romans who turned it into a macabre art form of public
humiliation, torture, and death. It was reserved for the lowest and worst criminals, and "Roman
citizens could be punished in this way only for the crime of high treason."1717 "The victim was
forced to carry his cross along the longest possible route to the crucifixion site as a warning to
bystanders. There were several shapes for crosses and several different methods of crucifixion.
Jesus was nailed to the cross; condemned men were sometimes tied to their cross with ropes.
In either case, death came by suffocation as the person lost strength and the weight of the
body made breathing more and more difficult."1718 (See Cross in Mark 8.) The practice was done
away with by Emperor Constantine (ruled A.D. 306-337).1719
Simon (Mark 15:21).
Customarily a condemned man carried the patibulum of his own cross, that is, the crossbeam
weighing about 100 pounds, through the city streets out to the place of crucifixion."1720 (It is
debatable as to whether it was the crossbeam or the entire cross that Jesus carried.1721 )
Although Jesus started out carrying his cross (see John 19:17), he was too "weak from trauma
1712
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1714
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
1715
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1716
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1717
The Oxford Companion to the Bible
1718
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1719
The Complete Word Study Dictionary
1720
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1721
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1713
and loss of blood" to continue doing so. And so Simon of Cyrene, who doubtless had traveled to
Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, was pressed into service by the Romans and made to carry
Jesus' crossbeam along the narrow, winding streets and then outside the city to Golgotha. The
soldiers would have taken "not the shortest but the longest way to the place of execution,"
following "every possible street and lane so that as many as possible should see and take
warning."1722 ("The condemned were generally led through the most populous streets, and the
place of execution would be near a highway, where many people would congregate."1723)
Merely touching the cross - a bloodied instrument of death - would have rendered Simon
ceremonially unclean and thus "unable to participate in the important religious festival for
which he came 'in from the country.'"1724 There is good reason to believe that eventually Simon
came to realize the true and full significance of the cross which he had helped to carry, as he
and his family became devoted Christians (see Acts 19:33; Romans 16:13).1725
Wine ... soldiers (Mark 15:23, 24)
After being nailed to the cross, Jesus was offered the customary drugged wine. He refused it,
choosing instead to remain fully conscious for what lay ahead.1726 Meanwhile, the soldiers there
gambled for his last remaining earthly possession: his clothes. "The division of the crucifixion
victim's property, including his clothing, was apparently customary."1727
HEAR (heart)
Return the Cross to Golgotha
I simply argue that the cross be raised again at the center of the market place as well as
on the steeple of the church,
I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two
candles:
But on a cross between two thieves; on a town garbage heap; at a crossroad of politics
so cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek ...
And at the kind of place where cynics talk smut, and thieves curse and soldiers gamble.
Because that is where He died, and that is what He died about.
And that is where Christ's men ought to be, and what church people ought to be about.
- George MacLeod1728
1722
The Daily Study Bible Series
Lenski's New Testament Commentary; Life Application Commentary on the New Testament
1724
The Bible Reader's Companion
1725
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1726
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1727
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1728
The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart And 1,501 Other Stories (quoted verbatim)
1723
DO (hands)
??? How can the courage with which Christ faced the cross help us in our efforts at living out
the Gospel before an always-watching world?
[[@Bible:Mark 15:25-32]]
Mark 15:25-32
(The Crucifixion)
25 It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26 A sign was fastened to the
cross, announcing the charge against him. It read, "The King of the Jews." 27 Two
revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
29 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. "Ha! Look at you
now!" they yelled at him. "You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three
days. 30 Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!"
31 The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. "He saved others,"
they scoffed, "but he can't save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from
the cross so we can see it and believe him!" Even the men who were crucified with Jesus
ridiculed him.
SEE (head)
It is 9:00 in the morning and Jesus is hanging on the cross. On either side of him are two
criminals who have been crucified for their crimes against the state. Passersby stop long
enough to mock Jesus, daring him to save himself by coming down from the cross. The religious
leaders mock Jesus, declaring that they will believe in him if he comes down from the cross.
And "even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him."
A sign ... King of the Jews (Mark 15:26)
"A written notice or sign stating the condemned man's crime was placed on his cross as a
warning. Pilate wrote this notice in three languages (Aramaic, Latin, and Greek, see John 19:20)
so that anyone going to and from the city would be able to read it. Because Jesus was never
found guilty, the only accusation placed on his sign was the 'crime' of calling himself king of the
Jews."1729 Most likely Pilate intended that the official charge against Jesus - "The King of the
Jews" - serve "as an insult to Jewish aspirations for independence (cf. John 19:21-22)."1730 As
one Bible commentator has it: "Why did the governor word it thus? ... Although we cannot be
sure, perhaps the true answer is as follows: Pilate hated the Jews, especially their leaders. He
was keenly aware that just now they had won a victory over him; for, as he probably saw it,
they had forced him to sentence Jesus to be crucified. So, now he is mocking them. By means of
the superscription he is saying, 'Here is Jesus, the King of the Jews, the only king they have been
able to produce, a king crucified at their own urgent request!'"1731 We know, of course, that the
"charge" was/is true: "Jesus, who turns the world's wisdom upside down, was just coming into
his kingdom. His death and resurrection would strike the deathblow to Satan's rule and would
establish Christ's eternal authority over the earth. Few people reading the sign that bleak day
1729
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1731
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1730
understood its real meaning, but the sign was absolutely true. All was not lost." 1732 (We also
know that Christ's kingdom encompasses the entire world - Jews and Gentiles alike.)
Two revolutionaries (Mark 15:27)
"When James and John had asked Jesus for the places of honor next to him in his kingdom,
Jesus had told them that they didn't know what they were asking (10:35-39). Here, as Jesus was
preparing to inaugurate his kingdom through his death, the places on his right and on his left
were taken by dying men - robbers. ... Luke records that one of these robbers repented before
his death, and Jesus promised this robber that he would be with him in paradise (Luke 23:3943). ... The way to the kingdom is the way of the cross. If we want the glory of the kingdom, we
must be willing to be united with the crucified Christ."1733
The two men crucified with Jesus were extremely violent criminals. The same Greek word
(lestes) is used for both Barabbas and the two "robbers" crucified with Christ (cf. John
18:40 and Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27), which leads to the conclusion that "these two men
were probably colleagues of Barabbas and were originally meant to be executed with him that
day."1734 The Jewish historian "Josephus uses the term for the Zealots ... For many Jews the
Zealots [were] patriots rather than bandits, even though they often [took] what they need[ed]
from their own people."1735 (The Zealots were "a Jewish political group that sought to throw off
the yoke of Rome by violence."1736) This association of lestes with the Zealots, as well as Mark's
comment regarding "the insurrection"/"an uprising" (NASB/NLT) (Mark 15:7) leads to the
possibility that Barabbas and the two "robbers"/"revolutionaries" (NASB/NLT) (Mark 15:27)
were members of the Zealots.1737 It also explains why one source says "[t]he lestes, as in the
case of the penitent one on a cross near Jesus, may have been a person who turned insurgent
for some presumed righteous cause, thus seeking by the wrath of man to work out what he
presumes to be God's righteousness."1738
We should be very careful to bear in mind, however, that in general this particular class of
criminal possessed anything but noble motives. Drawn "primarily from among runaway slaves,
bankrupt peasants, and military deserters," they lived in caves, banded together in armed
groups, routinely (and violently) robbed travelers, and stole sheep.1739 Hence after clearing out
the court of the Gentiles in the temple, Jesus declared that God's house had been made into "a
robbers' [lestes] den" (Mark 11:17, NASB). To the mob that had come to arrest him at
Gethsemane, Jesus complained that they were treating him like "a robber [lestes]" (Mark
14:48, NASB). And in crucifying Jesus between the two robbers, Pilate's intended message may
have been that Jesus was "a king of bandits."1740
1732
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1734
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1735
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume
1736
Tyndale Bible Dictionary
1737
Tyndale Bible Dictionary
1738
The Complete Word Study Dictionary
1739
Theological Lexicon of the New Testament
1740
Theological Lexicon of the New Testament; Baker's New Testament Commentary
1733
Shouted abuse (Mark 15:29)
The insults of the passersby reflect their "glee, scorn, and sense of victory."1741 ("Woe to us!"
would have been a much more appropriate response.1742) They accused Jesus of uttering a false
claim regarding destroying and rebuilding the temple in three days, and they dared him to save
himself by coming down from the cross. In fact, Jesus had predicted that he would lay down his
life (the temple of his body) and raise it up again three days later (see John 2:18-22). Thus while
they had misinterpreted him, the mockers were nonetheless testifying to the fact Jesus had
prophetically predicted his own resurrection. While the passersby implied that it was weakness
that kept Jesus on the cross, in truth "it was strength, the strength of his love for sinners." 1743
One Bible commentator explains, and applies, the amazing love that kept Jesus on the cross:
Jesus could have saved himself, but he endured this suffering because of his love for us.
He could have chosen not to take the pain and humiliation; he could have killed those
who mocked him. But he suffered through it all because he loved even his enemies. We
had a significant part in the drama that afternoon because our sins were on the cross,
too. Jesus died on that cross for us, and the penalty for our sins was paid by his death.
The only adequate response we can make is to confess our sin and freely accept the fact
that Jesus paid for it so we wouldn't have to. Don't insult God with indifference toward
the greatest act of genuine love in history.1744
The leading priests and teachers of religious law (Mark 15:31).
Apparently the chief priests and scribes had followed the executioners out to Golgotha, eager
to see their evil plot finally completed in Jesus' death. Not content to have brought him to an
unjust death, they also mocked him as they talked among themselves."1745 The religious leaders
added insult to injury by speaking about Jesus rather than to him:
[N]ot once in the narrative of Christ's crucifixion - whether in Matthew, Mark, or Luke do the leaders address Jesus directly. Each time they talk about him, to each other. They
never talk to him. So thoroughly do they hate him. Matthew and Mark relate that these
Sanhedrists, in their conversation with each other about their enemy mocked him. And
so they did indeed! Luke uses a different word, however. He shows that this mockery
was of the worst possible kind. Their ridicule was mingled with hatred and envy. Says
Luke, "They turned up their noses at him," that is, they sneered, they scoffed (Luke
23:35).1746
The religious leaders also testified to Jesus' mission to save the lost - even as they adamantly
ignored the mountain of evidence that he was/is indeed the Son of God and Messiah. For the
1741
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1743
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1744
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
1745
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1746
Baker's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1742
religious leaders "[t]he issue ... was not lack of evidence but unbelief."1747 As one Bible
commentator has put it:
When to the words "Let the Christ, the king of Israel, now come down from the cross"
the chief priests and scribes add these others: "that we may see and believe," they are
uttering a gross untruth. If healing all kinds of diseases, restoring sight to those born
blind, cleansing lepers, and even raising the dead, if these works of power and grace, all
of them performed in fulfilment of prophecy!, did not cause them to believe in Jesus,
but rather hardened their hearts so that they hated him for it, would a descent from the
cross have caused them to accept him as their Lord and Savior? Of course not! We are
reminded of the words found in the parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus: "If they do
not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises
from the dead" (Luke 16:31).1748
In the minds of the religious leaders Jesus could not be the true Messiah since he was dying a
weak, powerless, disgraceful death of a common criminal. What's more, his inability to save
himself from the cross meant that he had no real saving power and hence all his previous
mighty miracles amounted to little more than an elaborate con job.1749
We know, of course, that while Jesus certainly could have chosen to come down from the cross,
to do so would have been to abort his earthly mission of dying for the sins of the world.1750 As
one source has it: "If Jesus were going to save humanity from sin, then he could not save
himself from the penalty sin deserved."1751 His love for God and humanity kept Jesus on the
cross, and his death was (and is) the greatest proof of God's incredible love for humankind.1752
HEAR (heart)
Criticism Answered
While contending with the manifold problems of geography and climate in the building
of the Panama Canal, [Col. George Washington Goethals] had to endure the carping
criticism of countless busybodies back home who freely predicted he would never
complete his task. But he pressed steadily forward in his work and said nothing.
"Aren't you going to answer your critics?" a subordinate inquired.
"In time," Goethals replied.
"How?"
1747
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1749
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1750
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1751
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1752
Holman Bible Handbook; The Daily Study Bible Series
1748
The great engineer smiled, "With the canal," he said.1753
Jesus answered his critics not with words but with his life. He gave his life so that others could
live. Anyone willing to investigate rather than insult, to research rather than ridicule, will find
that the crucified Christ remains the one and only way to eternal life.
DO (hands)
??? What can Jesus' example teach us about the proper way to respond the next time we are
criticized for our Christian beliefs?
[[@Bible:Mark 15:33-41]]
Mark 15:33-41
The Death of Jesus
33 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock. 34 Then at three o'clock Jesus
called out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means "My God, my God, why
have you abandoned me?"
35 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah.
36 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he
could drink. "Wait!" he said. "Let's see whether Elijah comes to take him down!"
37 Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain in the
sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
39 When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, "This
man truly was the Son of God!"
40 Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary
(the mother of James the younger and of Joseph), and Salome. 41 They had been followers of
Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come with
him to Jerusalem were also there.
SEE (head)
Three hours after Jesus is nailed to the cross, a thick darkness covers the entire area. Then Jesus
cries out to God, quoting from Psalm 22:1. Some of the bystanders misunderstand him and
think he is calling for Elijah to come and rescue him. Jesus dies. The curtain in the temple is torn
in two. The Roman soldier in charge of the execution proclaims that Jesus truly was the Son of
God. Several women disciples of Jesus witness the scene from a distance.
We may wish to note some of the parallels between Jesus' crucifixion and the Passover.


1753
Less than 24 hours earlier, Jesus had celebrated the Passover dinner with his disciples.
At that time Jesus revealed that his death would open the way to a new covenant - that
is, a permanent, personal relationship in which God's people would experience
forgiveness and deliverance.
The annual Passover lamb was being sacrificed at the same time that Jesus, the perfect
and spotless Lamb of God, was offering up his life for the sins of the world.1754
2,000+ Bible Illustrations (quoted verbatim)


The first Passover, in Egypt, was preceded by the ninth plague, darkness, and then the
tenth plague, the death of the firstborn (Exodus 10:22-11:9). Jesus' death was preceded
by darkness and resulted in the death of God's firstborn.
The first Passover was followed by the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai, an event marked
by an earthquake (Exodus 19:16-18). According to Matthew's account, Jesus' death was
followed by an earthquake (Matthew 27:51).1755
"Climactically Mark recorded five phenomena that accompanied Jesus' death: (a) darkness
(Mark 15:33), (b) Jesus' cry, 'My God…' (Mark 15:34), (c) Jesus' loud cry (Mark 15:37), (d) the
temple curtain torn from top to bottom (Mark 15:38), and (e) the Roman centurion's confession
(Mark 15:39)."1756
Darkness (Mark 15:33)
The darkness that covered "Palestine and environs" - most likely "a miraculous solar eclipse" "was probably a cosmic sign of God's judgment on human sin (cf. Isaiah 5:25-30; Amos 8:910; Micah 3:5-7; Zephaniah 1:14-15) which was placed on Jesus (cf. Isaiah 53:5-6; 2 Corinthians
5:21). Specifically it pictured God's judgment on Israel who rejected His Messiah, the Sin-Bearer
(cf. John 1:29). The darkness visualized what Jesus' cry (Mark 15:34) expressed."1757 The
darkness can also be understood as a period of mourning: "The darkness on that Friday
afternoon was both physical and spiritual. All nature seemed to mourn over the stark tragedy of
the death of God's Son."1758
One Bible commentator has noted how darkness is a key concept in Scripture (verses
from NET):





1754
Darkness represents the power of God's presence. "The people kept their distance, but
Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was." (Exodus 20:21).
Darkness stands for God's judgment. "So Moses extended his hand toward heaven, and
there was absolute darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days" (Exodus
10:22).
Darkness is controlled by God. "I am the one who forms light and creates darkness"
(Isaiah 45:7).
Darkness represents people's sinful rebellion against God. "The way of the wicked is like
gloomy darkness" (Proverbs 4:19; see also John 3:19; Romans 1:21; Ephesians 5:8).
Darkness represents people's ignorance of God. "the people who sit in darkness have
seen a great light" (Matthew 4:16; see also John 1:5; Ephesians 4:18).
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament
1756
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1757
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament
Commentary
1758
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1755

Darkness represents people's condition without hope in God. "My God illuminates the
darkness around me." (Psalm 18:28; see also 1 Peter 2:9).1759
Abandoned (Mark 15:34)
Shortly before his death, Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark
15:34, NASB). Both this and other scenes from the crucifixion - including the mocking of the
passersby, the guards' gambling for his clothing, and his cry of thirst - were a fulfillment of
Psalm 22. "Some have felt that Jesus' cry of dereliction shows his utter agony in tasting for us
the very essence of hell, which is separation from God."1760 Up to this point, Jesus had
experienced everything common to our humanity except for one thing - the consequence of
sin. "Now if there is one thing sin does, it separates us from God. It puts between us and God a
barrier like an unscalable wall. That was the one human experience through which Jesus had
never passed, because he was without sin."1761 As "God made Christ, who never sinned, to be
the offering for our sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21), for the first time ever Jesus was separated from
his Heavenly Father. It was this separation that led to his outcry. However, "Jesus has not lost
his faith in God, as the two-fold address, 'My God, my God,' implies, but he feels utterly
abandoned."1762 ("This is the only one of Jesus' recorded prayers in which He did not use the
address 'Abba.'"1763)
"Commentators sometimes combine the forsaking with the death, yet the two are quite
distinct. The forsaking had passed when the death set in. When Jesus died he placed his soul
into the hands of his Father and was thus certainly not forsaken. But while they are distinct, the
forsaking and the death occurred side by side. The death was the penalty for the sins of the
world, and thus there had to come this forsaking of the dying Savior in connection with it.
When this had been endured, Jesus could cry, 'It is finished!' and then yield his soul into his
Father's hands as a ransom for many."1764
A comparison with the other gospel records shows that Jesus made a total of seven statements
while on the cross:1765
1. "Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing.' And the
soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice." (Luke 23:34)
2. "And Jesus replied, 'I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.'" (Luke 23:43)
3. "When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to
her, "Dear woman, here is your son." And he said to this disciple, 'Here is your
mother.' And from then on this disciple took her into his home." (John 19:26-27)
1759
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary
1761
The Daily Study Bible Series
1762
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1763
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1764
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1765
The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament; A Harmony of the Gospels; Baker's New Testament
Commentary
1760
4. "Then at three o'clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema
sabachthani?' which means 'My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?'" (Mark
15:34)
5. "Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, 'I am
thirsty.'" (John 19:28)
6. "When Jesus had tasted it, he said, 'It is finished!' Then he bowed his head and released
his spirit." (John 19:30)
7. "Then Jesus shouted, 'Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!' And with those words
he breathed his last." (Luke 23:46)
Elijah (Mark 15:35-36)
It is a debated point whether or not the remark regarding Elijah was intended as a further
mockery of Jesus. "Popular Jewish belief held that Elijah came in times of distress to deliver
righteous sufferers.1766 And of course it was "a Jewish belief that Elijah would introduce the
Messiah and live beside him for a while as his assistant."1767 "At their annual Passover feast,
each family would set an extra place for Elijah in expectation of his return."1768
Loud cry (Mark 15:37)
"Jesus' loud cry (Luke 23:46) before He breathed His last indicated that He did not die the
ordinary death of one who was crucified (cf. Mark 15:39). Normally such a person suffered
extreme exhaustion for a long period (often two or three days) and then lapsed into a coma
before dying. But Jesus was fully conscious to the end; His death came voluntarily and suddenly.
This accounts for Pilate's surprise (cf. Mark 15:44)."1769
The curtain (Mark 15:38)
Immediately following Jesus' death, inside the temple in Jerusalem, as the priests "were
conducting the Jewish evening sacrifice,"1770 the large, thick curtain separating the Holy Place
from the Most Holy Place was ripped in two from top to bottom. The curtain was ripped from
the top, indicating that God himself had torn it in two. "God's rending the veil meant that he
was now available apart from the temple system and that the old temple order stood judged
and abolished."1771 It is also possible to see in the tearing of the temple's curtain the declaration
that Jesus' ministry had ended: "Just as the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus at his baptism
tore the heavens (cf. Mark 1:10), so now the loud exhalation of Jesus' spirit has torn the veil of
the temple."1772
The Roman officer (Mark 15:39)
"The Roman officer" in charge of Jesus' crucifixion was a centurion - that is, "a
noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies,
1766
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1768
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1769
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1770
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1771
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament; The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1772
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1767
commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly
similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and
officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion."1773
It is more than coincidental that, following Jesus' death, a pagan Gentile is the first person to
openly confess Jesus as the Son of God. This was a very serious thing indeed, as "the Roman
centurio confesses of Jesus what he should only confess of the Roman emperor."1774 As another
source explains: "Because of his pagan background [the centurion] probably viewed Jesus as an
extraordinary 'divine man' much like the Roman emperor who was acclaimed 'son of God.'
Consequently some interpreters translate the phrase with an indefinite article, 'a son of God'
(NIV marg.). However, Mark regarded the declaration in its distinctive Christian sense; the
centurion unwittingly said more than he knew."1775 (A similar example might be when the rich
young man called Jesus a "good" teacher.) And so "Mark used this centurion's words to
highlight the central truth of all his Gospel."1776
Some women (Mark 15:40)
The women had been bold disciples of Jesus, risking public scandal in order to travel with and
minister to him. They had watched closely and listened intently as Jesus preached the Gospel
and healed the multitudes. Now they could do little but look on from a distance as their Master
died an ignoble death at the hands of his enemies. (It may well be that Mark notes the women's
faithfulness as a way to encourage "faithful discipleship among women in the church at
Rome."1777)
While "many" women were there, Mark notes three in particular. As one source explains:
Mark, like Matthew, names three of these women. As Peter was the leader among the
Twelve, the men, so "Mary the Magdalene" was the foremost among the women. The
Mary who was the mother of James and Joses was the wife of Cleopas and a sister of
the mother of Jesus. These two women were with Jesus' mother and John beneath the
cross. Mary's son James is distinguished from others of this name by being called "the
little." The third woman is Salome, who is by Matthew called the mother of the sons of
Zebedee (James and John), whose husband it seems was dead at this time. The name is
enough; it needs no addition to identify her.1778
HEAR (heart)
Alive Forever
The famed evangelist, Dwight L. Moody, once remarked in a sermon: "Some day you will
read in the papers that D. L. Moody of East Northfield is dead. Don't you believe a word
1773
Net Bible Notes
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1775
The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1776
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1777
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1778
Lenski's New Testament Commentary (quoted verbatim)
1774
of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than now. I shall have gone up higher, that is
all-out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal; a body that death cannot
touch, that sin cannot taint, a body fashioned like unto His glorious body. That which is
born of the flesh may die. That which is born of the spirit will live forever."1779
To friends and enemies alike, it appeared that Jesus had been conquered by death. But, as we
know from the rest of the story, the grave could not hold him. And just as Jesus arose from the
dead to spend eternity with his Father, so we his followers shall do the same.
DO (hands)
??? Think of a funeral service for a non-Christian that you attended. Now think of a funeral
service for a born-again believer that you attended. How were they similar? How were they
different? What does that say about the hope we have in Christ?
[[@Bible:Mark 15:42-47]]
Mark 15:42-47
The Burial of Jesus
42 This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening
approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.
(Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of
God to come.) 44 Pilate couldn't believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman
officer and asked if he had died yet. 45 The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told
Joseph he could have the body. 46 Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus'
body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved
out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary
the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus' body was laid.
SEE (head)
Jesus' crucifixion has taken place on Friday, the day before the Sabbath. It is now evening and
the Sabbath is about to begin. Joseph, a secret follower of Jesus and a member of the Jewish
high council, goes to Pilate and asks for the right to bury Jesus. Pilate calls for the Roman
officer, who testifies that Jesus is actually dead. Pilate then gives Joseph permission to bury
Jesus. Joseph wraps the body in a linen cloth, places it in a cave-tomb, and then rolls a rock in
front of the entrance. Two of Jesus' female followers see where he has been buried.
Joseph of Arimathea (Mark 15:43)
Because the Sanhedrin "had condemned Jesus and because his disciples had fled, the onus falls
on the members of the council to arrange for Jesus' burial. Refusal to bury Jesus would have
been provocative to the Jewish public. The sooner the corpse of Jesus was out of public view,
the better. The task of burial is assigned to Joseph."1780 (While the Sanhedrin's
role/responsibility in Jesus' burial makes sense, none of the gospel writers mention it
specifically.) Jewish law required that a crucified person be taken down and buried prior to
1779
1780
2,000+ Bible Illustrations (paraphrased)
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
sunset (see Deuteronomy 21:23), and of course the fact that the Sabbath - a day when no work
was allowed - was fast approaching only added to the need for haste.1781 "If Jesus had died on
the Sabbath when Joseph was unavailable, his body would have been taken down by the
Romans. An executed man lost all dignity - it was common to simply leave the body to rot away.
Remains would be thrown into a common grave. Had the Romans taken Jesus' body, no Jews
could have confirmed his death, and opponents could have disputed his resurrection." 1782
Why did Joseph need permission to bury Jesus' body? As one source explains: "Taking down a
crucifixion victim required permission; to do so before the victim was dead was a serious
offense, comparable to aiding an escape from prison."1783 Obtaining the required permission
required much courage on Joseph's part. While "the Romans quite generally allowed the
relatives and friends of men who had been executed to bury their bodies if they so desired,"1784
nonetheless Joseph's "interest in giving Jesus a decent burial could be interpreted as support
for Jesus' cause"1785 - which, in turn, would put him at odds with the authorities both Roman
and Jewish.1786 ("Only Mark recorded Pilate's questioning of the centurion, perhaps to show his
Roman readers that Jesus' death had been verified by a Roman military officer."1787)
While they did not apply to Jesus (because he was resurrected), nonetheless it is interesting to
note Jewish burial practices in general:
Jews of the NT period buried their dead promptly, as soon as possible after death and
almost always on the same day. Preparations began at the moment of death: the eyes
of the deceased were closed, the corpse was washed with perfumes and ointments
(Acts 9:37), its bodily orifices were stopped and strips of cloth were wound tightly
around the body - binding the jaw closed, the feet together and the hands to the sides
of the body (John 11:44). The corpse was then placed on a bier and carried in a
procession to the family tomb (Luke 7:12). Eulogies were spoken, and the corpse was
placed inside the tomb, along with items of jewelry or other personal effects. The
funeral was thus conducted without delay, and most bodies were interred by sunset on
the day of death. But Jewish burial rituals did not conclude with this first, or primary,
burial. A year after the death, members of the immediate family returned to the tomb
for a private ceremony in which the bones were reburied after the body had
decayed.1788
1781
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1783
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1784
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1785
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1786
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1787
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1788
Dictionary of New Testament Background (quoted verbatim)
1782
Sheet of linen cloth ... a tomb (Mark 15:46)
The apostle John's parallel account reveals that Joseph was assisted by another secret disciple,
"Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night" (John 19:39). Knowing that their actions
- that is, the touching of a dead body - would render them ceremonially unclean, nonetheless
together they wrapped Jesus' body in a linen cloth which, according to custom, would have
included about one-hundred pounds "of a gummy, sticky resinous mixture of myrrh and aloes"
(see John 19:40) used both to help slow decay and to mask the odor associated with a decaying
body.1789
Joseph and Nicodemus laid Jesus' body inside a cave-tomb. Typically the stone used to cover
the opening of such a tomb was no more "than three or four feet in diameter, since tomb
openings were not usually as tall as doorways. In fact, John 20:5 plainly says that one had to
stoop down to peer in."1790 The stone covering the entrance "fit into a sunken groove," making
it "difficult to remove."1791 Jewish burial customs dictated that family members be buried in the
same tomb. The body of the deceased would be allowed to decompose for one year, after
which "the eldest son or other closest family member would return, gather the bones for burial
in a box and deposit them in a slot on the tomb wall." 1792
Mary ... Mary (Mark 15:47)
Mark notes that two Mary's "saw where Jesus' body was laid." "[S]imply to say that these two
women 'saw' where Jesus was laid fails to bring out the full picturesque description. They were
watching, were observing ... carefully, intently, devoutly."1793 Their careful observation
anticipates their return on Sunday morning: because they saw where Jesus was buried, they
knew exactly where to go.1794 At a time and place where women were not allowed to testify in
court, God nonetheless chose two women to be witnesses to the most significant event in
history: the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For their part, the women were doing all
they could do. While they could not testify before the high council, or appeal to Pilate, or
overpower the Roman guards, they did stay at the cross, follow Jesus' body to the tomb, and
prepare spices for his body. As a reward for their devotion and diligence, they were the first
witnesses to the resurrection.1795
THE DEATH OF JESUS: A PARALLEL ACCOUNT1796
Betrayal & Arrest
 Jesus betrayed, arrested, and forsaken (Matthew 26:47–56; Mark 14:43–52; Luke 22:47–
53; John 18:2–12)
1789
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
1791
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
1792
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1793
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1794
Expositor's Bible Commentary
1795
Life Application Study Bible
1796
The MacArthur Study Bible; A Harmony of the Gospels
1790
Trial


First Jewish phase, before Anna (John 18:13–24)
Second Jewish phase, before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:57–68; Mark
14:53–65; Luke 22:54)
 Peter's denials (Matthew 26:69–75; Mark 14:66–72; Luke 22:55–65; John 18:25–27)
 Third Jewish phase, before the Sanhedrin (Matthew 27:1; Mark 15:1a; Luke 22:66–71)
 Remorse and suicide of Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:18–19) (Matthew 27:3–10)
 First Roman phase, before Pilate (Matthew 27:2, 11–14; Mark 15:1b–5; Luke 23:1–
5; John 18:28–38)
 Second Roman phase, before Herod Antipas (Luke 23:6–12)
 Third Roman phase, before Pilate (Matthew 27:15–26; Mark 15:6–15; Luke 23:13–
25; John 18:39–19:16)
Crucifixion
 Mockery by the Roman soldiers (Matthew 27:27–30; Mark 15:16–19)
 Journey to Golgotha (Matthew 27:31–34; Mark 15:20–23; Luke 23:26–33a; John 19:17)
 First 3 hours of crucifixion (Matthew 27:35–44; Mark 15:24–32; Luke 23:33b–43; John
19:18–27)
 Last 3 hours of crucifixion (Matthew 27:45–50; Mark 15:33–37; Luke 23:44–
45a, 46; John 19:28–30)
 Witnesses of Jesus' death (Matthew 27:51–56; Mark 15:38–41; Luke 23:45b, 47–49)
Burial
 Certification of death and procurement of the body (Matthew 27:57–58; Mark 15:42–
45; Luke 23:50–52; John 19:31–38)
 Jesus' body placed in a tomb (Matthew 27:59–60; Mark 15:46; Luke 23:53–54; John
19:39–42)
 Tomb watched by the women and guarded by the soldiers (Matthew 27:61–66; Mark
15:47; Luke 23:55–56)
HEAR (heart)
Only Three Showed Up
Late one evening in mid-September of 1898 a traveling Christian businessman named
John Nicholson checked into a hotel in Boscobel, Wisconsin. Because there were no
vacancies, he wound up sharing a room with a fellow believer named Samuel Hill.
When he was only a boy John had promised his dying mother that he would read from
the Bible every evening at bedtime. As he began reading to himself, Sam asked him to
read aloud. And so he John read John 15, and then the two men knelt for prayer. After
that, they stayed awake until 2:00 in the morning discussing the spiritual needs of
traveling Christians.
After running into each other again some eight months later, John and Sam decided to
start an association of Christian salesmen, and their first meeting would be on July 1,
1899. Their first meeting consisted of a grand total of three people: John, Sam, and a
fellow named Will Knights.
Despite the embarrassingly low turnout, the men proceeded with their plans to launch
an "organization to mobilize Christian commercial travelers for encouragement,
evangelism, and service."
After mulling it over, they decided to name their organization the Gideons.
"The Gideons have since distributed over seven hundred fifty million copies of Scripture
in over one hundred seventy nations."1797
Jesus' powerful life and ministry ended with two disappointed men seeking to be true to their
faith by giving Jesus a decent burial. But because he did not remain in the grave, today there
are millions of people around the world who know the love, joy, and peace that comes only
through following Jesus. Faithfulness to a mundane task on the part of two seemingly
insignificant men helped to make this a reality.
DO (hands)
??? How can our faithfulness to ordinary, everyday tasks bring glory to God and help to further
his kingdom on this earth?

Mark 16
[[@Bible:Mark 16:1-8]]
Mark 16:1-8
The Resurrection
1 Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and
Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus' body. 2 Very early on
Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 On the way they were asking each
other, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" 4 But as they
arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled
aside.
5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the
right side. The women were shocked, 6 but the angel said, "Don't be alarmed. You are looking
for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is
where they laid his body. 7 Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going
ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died."
1797
Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes (paraphrased)
8 The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to
anyone because they were too frightened.
[Shorter Ending of Mark]
Then they briefly reported all this to Peter and his companions. Afterward Jesus himself sent
them out from east to west with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives
eternal life. Amen.
SEE (head)
Following the end of the Sabbath on Saturday evening, the three female followers of Jesus who
had witnessed both his crucifixion and his burial purchase "burial spices" to place on his dead
body. At first light the next morning they go to Jesus' tomb - only to find that the tomb is now
empty. They go in to investigate and are greeted by an angelic messenger who tells them that
Jesus is now alive and that he will meet his disciples in Galilee. Completely stunned, the women
run from the tomb, not saying anything to anyone as they make their way back to the disciples
to report what has happened. The end result is that Jesus himself sends his disciples out to
spread "the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life."
Mary ... Mary ... Salome ... burial spices (Mark 16:1)
We should begin by noting the fact that none of the gospel writers record precisely the same
thing regarding post-resurrection events. This should come as no surprise, as it is in keeping
with each writer's primary audience, overall purpose, etc. As one Bible commentator puts it,
the individual writers "were free (within veritable limits) to summarize, particularize, and
emphasize different aspects of the same event. The various recorded differences reflect the
natural effect of this unique event on different eyewitnesses."1798
The Sabbath ended at 6:00 PM on Saturday. That's when "the three women mentioned at the
Crucifixion (15:40), two of whom were also present at Jesus' burial (15:47), bought aromatic oils
to anoint the body of Jesus. These were apparently in addition to the spices and perfumes that
were prepared before the Sabbath began (cf. Luke 23:56). The anointing was not for the
purpose of preserving the body (embalming was not practiced by the Jews) but was a single act
of love and devotion probably meant to reduce the stench of the decomposing body."1799 "The
spices [Greek aroma: "aromatic oils or salves used especially in embalming the dead"1800] were
bought on Saturday after sunset, when the Sabbath was past and the bazars opened for a few
hours. It was impossible to go out to the tomb so late, so everything was prepared in order to
go as early as possible the next morning. ... To anoint the body for its burial in this way was part
of the honor bestowed upon it by loving friends like all the other provisions for the burial. The
1798
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Expositor's Bible Commentary; Net Bible Notes; The Bible Knowledge Commentary; Life Application
Commentary on the New Testament
1800
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
1799
essences bought for this purpose were quite costly as were the fine linen and the powdered
spices."1801
The biggest concern of the women as they made their way to Jesus' tomb was the stone that
had been placed in front of the entrance. Who would move it? (The wheel-shaped stones used
to seal tombs were "typically four to five feet in diameter and a foot or so thick, weighing
hundreds of pounds."1802) "They perhaps blame themselves for not having thought of the stone
before and thus having insisted that some of the men come with them."1803 They were not
aware of the Roman guard assigned to guard the tomb (which must have been posted after the
women had hurried off to prepare for the Sabbath on Friday evening). The women's actions not
only demonstrated their love for and devotion to Jesus, but they are also of significant
apologetic value. The fact that the women had every intention of preparing Jesus' dead body
offers strong proof that even Jesus' closest followers did not expect him to rise from the dead.
If they had, the women would not have bothered with the burial spices or been worried about
moving the stone.1804 As has often been noted, the stone was rolled away not to let Jesus out,
but to let his followers in.1805
A young man (Mark 16:5)
The "young man" who greeted them was an angel. The women would not automatically have
known this, however,, as angels consistently took on human form when appearing before
people,1806 and white was a color worn by "the priests in the temple and some others,"1807 One
source notes how "[t]he white robe pictured [the young man's] heavenly origin and splendor
(cf. Mark 9:3)."1808 It is possible to see here a contrast between "the radiant, faithful, and
angelic witness" of the young man at the tomb and the failure of the young man "clothed only
in a linen nightshirt" (Mark 14:51) who fled in fear when the mob came to arrest Jesus on the
eve of his crucifixion.1809 ("Luke [Luke 24:3-4] and John [John 20:12] mentioned the presence of
two angels, the number necessary for a valid witness [cf. Deuteronomy 17:6]; but Matthew
[Matthew 28:5] and Mark referred to only one, presumably the spokesman."1810)
By definition, an angel is "a member of an order of heavenly beings who are superior to human
beings in power and intelligence. By nature angels are spiritual beings (Hebrews 1:14). Their
nature is superior to human nature (Hebrews. 2:7), and they have superhuman power and
knowledge (2 Samuel 14:17, 20; 2 Peter 2:11). They are not, however, all-powerful and allknowing (Psalms 103:20; 2 Thessalonians 1:7). ... Angels are never known to appear to wicked
people - only to those whom the Bible views as good, such as Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel,
1801
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1803
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1804
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition
1805
Baker's New Testament Commentary
1806
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
1807
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1808
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1809
Evangelical Commentary on the Bible
1810
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1802
Jesus, Peter, and Paul."1811 Angels exist for at least three reasons: 1) to worship and glorify God,
2) to minister to human beings, and 3) to serve as mediators of God's revelation. 1812
Shocked (Mark 16:5)
Mark recorded that in response to the presence of the "young man" the women were
"shocked" (NLT) or "alarmed" (ESV, NKJV), meaning "they were utterly amazed and struck with
terror" (AMP). "This compound verb of strong emotion (used only by Mark in the NT), expresses
overwhelming distress at what is highly unusual (cf. Mark 6:8)."1813 "Their feeling is easier to
imagine than to put into words. Where they had expected to find the dead body, hoping that it
had not yet advanced too far in decomposing, they stumble upon angels from heaven. No
wonder they were completely overwhelmed."1814
He is risen from the dead (Mark 16:6)
No human being witnessed Jesus' resurrection. "But angels, as witnesses of God's actions, could
report what happened."1815 "What happened to Jesus' body?" would be the first and most
natural question that occurred to the women and, later, to other disciples, as well. "There had
to be a word from God to interpret the meaning of the empty tomb, and the angel was God's
gracious provision. The explanation is Resurrection!"1816 (See the Key Terms section for more
detail regarding Jesus' resurrection.)
Why did God choose the women to announce Jesus' resurrection? "It is asked why the Eleven
were informed in this way, through the women; why angels did not appear to them, or perhaps
Jesus himself. ... The women alone went to the tomb on Sunday morning, the women, none of
the men, not even John. Thus they were honored by being made the messengers to the men. If
the Eleven had also gone out, the story would have been different. The love of these women
receives its fitting reward."1817
What makes the resurrection of Jesus so important?
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the central fact of Christian history. On it, the
church is built; without it, there would be no Christian church today. Jesus' resurrection is
unique. Other religions have strong ethical systems, concepts about paradise and afterlife,
and various holy scriptures. Only Christianity has a God who became human, literally died
for his people, and was raised again in power and glory to rule his church forever. Why is
the Resurrection so important?
1811
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
New Dictionary of Theology
1813
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1814
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1815
Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary
1816
Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary
1817
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1812








Because Christ was raised from the dead, we know that the kingdom of heaven has
broken into earth's history. Our world is now headed for redemption, not disaster. God's
mighty power is at work destroying sin, creating new lives, and preparing us for Jesus'
second coming.
Because of the Resurrection, we know that death has been conquered and that we, too,
will be raised from the dead to live forever with Christ.
The Resurrection gives authority to the church's witness in the world. Look at the early
evangelistic sermons in the book of Acts: The apostles' most important message was the
proclamation that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead!
The Resurrection gives meaning to the church's regular feast, the Lord's Supper. Like the
disciples on the road to Emmaus, we break bread with our risen Lord.
The Resurrection helps us find meaning even in great tragedy. No matter what happens
to us as we walk with the Lord, the Resurrection gives us hope for the future.
The Resurrection assures us that Christ is alive and ruling his kingdom. He is not legend;
he is alive and real.
God's power that brought Jesus back from the dead is available to us so that we can live
for him in an evil world.
The power of God that brought Christ's body back from the dead is available to us to
bring our morally and spiritually dead selves back to life so that we can change and grow
(1 Corinthians 15:12-19).
Christians can look very different from one another, and they can hold widely varying
beliefs about politics, lifestyle, and even theology. But one central belief unites and inspires
all true Christians - Jesus Christ rose from the dead!1818
Including Peter (Mark 16:7)
The angel commanded the women ("Now go" and "and tell" are both imperative1819) to go back
and give Jesus' message to both the disciples and Peter. "The disciples had deserted Jesus in the
hour of trial, but the angel's words held hope of renewal and forgiveness. The disciples had
deserted, but they were invited to meet Jesus in Galilee - there was work to do."1820
Why was Peter singled out? Was it due to his preeminence among the apostles? "If that were
the intention of Mark's record and of the angel's words, the order should be reversed: 'say to
Peter and to the disciples.'"1821 Was it because Peter was no longer considered a part of the
group? "We are not to infer, because the angel said, 'Tell his disciples and Peter,' that Peter was
not still a disciple. The meaning is, 'Tell his disciples, and especially Peter,' sending to him a
particular message. Peter was still a disciple."1822 Jesus knew that Peter, after having so
vehemently denied him, would need a special word of assurance that he was still included in
1818
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
The Lexham Greek-English Interlinear New Testament
1820
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1821
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1822
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible
1819
Jesus' plans and that Jesus had not "disowned or deserted him."1823 Just the opposite: "Jesus
had great responsibilities for Peter to fulfill in the church that was not yet in existence."1824
The women's news of Jesus' resurrection was greeted with extreme skepticism (see Mark
16:11). It was not until Jesus appeared before the group of now eleven disciples, including
Thomas in a separate episode, that they believed. "Jesus' additional appearances to them in the
Jerusalem vicinity were necessary to convince them of the reality of His resurrection (cf. John
20:19-29)."1825 The disciples' experience reaffirms some timeless truths regarding the nature of
faith. As one Bible commentator puts it: "[The disciples] were told that Jesus would appear to
them, but going to Galilee would take a lot of faith. Unfortunately, they lacked that faith and
remained huddled in Jerusalem. Yet even there, in a locked room, Jesus came to them (see John
20:19). Today we find Jesus not in ironclad certainties of logic, not by astronomical survey, nor
by sitting still. Faith is a moment-by-moment commitment to act on what God says - acting,
trusting, and expecting to find Christ when we arrive. We take a step of faith, and Jesus comes
closer, another step and Jesus becomes clearer, another step and Jesus becomes dearer. Each
time we seek in faith, we find. That's God's promise."1826
Trembling and bewildered .. they said nothing (Mark 16:8)
"The women responded to the angelic proclamation with great joy and could not wait to tell
the whole world that Jesus was alive!" Although that may be what we would expect to read,
the text actually says that they fled the scene, "trembling and bewildered ... too frightened to
talk." Or, as the NASB has it, "trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said
nothing to anyone, for they were afraid." Moreover, this appears to be the original way Mark's
gospel concluded. Various other endings were added early on, the most common two of which
are included in the NLT. "In tracing these texts back, scholars believe the longer ending
appeared in the first half of the 2nd century."1827 In the final analysis, "the most satisfactory
explanation of all the textual evidence is that the original ended at 16:8."1828
One source provides a bit more detail:
Several MSS have marginal comments noting that earlier Greek MSS lacked the verses
[after v. 8], while others mark the text with asterisks or obeli (symbols that scribes used
to indicate that the portion of text being copied was spurious). Internal evidence
strongly suggests the secondary nature of both the short and the long endings. Their
vocabulary and style are decidedly non-Markan (for further details, see TCGNT 102-6).
All of this evidence strongly suggests that as time went on scribes added the longer
ending, either for the richness of its material or because of the abruptness of the ending
at Mark 16:8. (Indeed, the strange variety of dissimilar endings attests to the probability
1823
QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition
Life Application Study Bible
1825
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1826
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1827
The Bible Reader's Companion
1828
New Testament Introduction
1824
that early copyists had a copy of Mark that ended at Mark 16:8, and they filled out the
text with what seemed to be an appropriate conclusion. All of the witnesses for
alternative endings to Mark 16:9-20 thus indirectly confirm the Gospel as ending at
Mark 16:8.) Because of such problems regarding the authenticity of these alternative
endings, Mark 16:88 is usually regarded as the last verse of the Gospel of Mark. There
are three possible explanations for Mark ending [at] Mark 16:8: (1) The author
intentionally ended the Gospel here in an open-ended fashion; (2) the Gospel was never
finished; or (3) the last leaf of the MS was lost prior to copying. This first explanation is
the most likely due to several factors ...1829
It should be noted that predicting and foreshadowing "events certain to come after the
narrative itself had closed" was a common rhetorical device, employed by authors of books,
speeches, and essays. Thus Mark was not obligated to include reports of Jesus' resurrection
appearances.1830 This is not to imply, however, that what follows Mark 16:8 is of no value, since
the material is historically accurate (as verified by the other gospel accounts and the book of
Acts) and reflects "the beliefs of the early church."1831 We should also note that "they [= the
women] said nothing to anyone" should not be taken in an absolute sense. What the text
means is that "[t]hese women did not rush in and blurt out what they had seen and heard. ...
The news was too great, filled with too much awe, to be blurted out generally. They told it to
those whom the angel and the Lord had designated as soon as these could be reached."1832
Assuming Mark's gospel ends here, "[t]he reader is left to ponder with awe the meaning of the
empty tomb as interpreted by the angel's revelatory message."1833 One common explanation
for Mark's choosing to end his gospel so abruptly is that he wanted his readers, who were
themselves being persecuted and put to death for their Christian faith, to see the blend of faith
and fear that accompanies discipleship. This same theme, in fact, can be found throughout
Mark's gospel. Authentic discipleship means a total surrender of self and a total commitment to
Christ. But because we are still fallen people living in a fallen world, we will repeatedly find
ourselves vacillating between faith-filled obedience (= action) and fear-filled silence (= inaction).
The solution to this dilemma is given time and again in Mark's Gospel: Die to self in order to live
for Christ.
HEAR (heart)
Not A Coward
A young soldier who was showing signs of panic on the eve of his first battle was chaffed
by a veteran. "Why, sonny," he said, "you're shaking with fear. Don't be such a coward."
"I'm not a coward," hotly retorted the youth. "If you felt half as scared as I do, you'd run
away!"
1829
Net Bible Notes (quoted verbatim)
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1831
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition
1832
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1833
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1830
He was right. That young man was not a coward because he felt fear, but he would have
been a coward if he had allowed that fear to master him and thus prevent him from
doing his duty.1834
As we know from the rest of the story, the women at the empty tomb overcame their fear and
reported to the disciples what they had seen and heard. As contemporary disciples of Jesus
trying to take the Gospel to literally the entire world we face many formidable obstacles, any
single one of which appears devastating: "human stubbornness, disease, danger, loneliness, sin,
greed, and even church strife and corruption."1835 What can a few Christians possibly hope to
accomplish against so many overwhelming problems? And yet, just like the women who visited
Jesus' grave that Sunday morning: we proceed from a sense of love, devotion, and gratitude;
we face our fears; and we tell others the good news. 1836
DO (hands)
??? When did you first hear/feel Jesus calling you by name? How did you respond? What was
the end result?
[[@Bible:Mark 16:9-14]]
Mark 16:9-14
[Longer Ending of Mark]
9 After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was
Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went to the
disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. 11 But when she
told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn't believe her.
12 Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from
Jerusalem into the country. 13 They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.
14 Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked
them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after
he had been raised from the dead.
SEE (head)
Early on Sunday morning Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene. She rushes back to tell the griefstricken disciples that Jesus is alive, but they do not believe her. Later Jesus appears to two
disciples walking along the road, but their witness is also discounted by the disciples. Finally
Jesus appears to the disciples themselves, rebuking them for their refusal to believe.
Mary Magdalene ... they didn't believe her (Mark 16:9, 11)
This account (in Mark 16:9-11) appears to be a "brief, to the point, comprehensive" summary of
the events recorded in John 20:11-18.1837 It should come as no surprise that the disciples
1834
2,000+ Bible Illustrations (paraphrase)
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1836
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1837
Baker's New Testament Commentary; A Harmony of the Gospels
1835
discounted Mary Magdalene's story. After all, at that time and place a woman's witness "was
considered unreliable. ... Given this view and the fact that Judaism was not expecting an
individual resurrection of the Messiah, it is not surprising that the disciples do not believe"
her.1838
He appeared ... to two of his followers (Mark 16:12)
This account (in Mark 16:12-13) appears to be a summary of the events recorded in Luke 24:1335. 1839 It was customary for people headed in the same direction to travel together so as to
pass the time by conversing.1840 And so the men at first thought little of Jesus' joining them until he revealed his true identity. When they recognized Jesus for who he was, they
immediately changed their travel plans and returned to Jerusalem to tell the disciples what had
happened. The statement that "no one believed them" marks the second time the disciples
disbelieved a report of the risen Jesus, apparently "regard[ing] Jesus' post-resurrection
appearances as apparitions (cf. Luke 24:37)."1841
He appeared to the eleven disciples (Mark 16:14)
This account (in Mark 16:14) appears to be a summary of the events recorded in Luke 24:36-43
and John 20:19-25.1842 Jesus rebuked the disciples for their refusal to believe - for being
"hardheaded as well as hardhearted."1843 "Jesus had foretold his own resurrection. Every time
he had told them he would die, he had also told them that he would rise again. The Old
Testament prophesied all that had happened to Jesus and also spoke of his resurrection. The
disciples had no excuse for the stubborn refusal to believe. They should have accepted the
news with joy and gone on to Galilee where Jesus had said he would meet them (14:28).
Instead, they stayed in Jerusalem, and Jesus had to meet them there."1844 Jesus' words to Mary
regarding meeting the disciples in Galilee was a directive from a leader, not a request from an
equal. In effect, Jesus had announced that he would be leading the way to Galilee and his
disciples were to follow him there.1845 When they refused to obey, Jesus came to them in
Jerusalem - not once, but several times - to increase their faith and help them to obey. That is
the textbook definition of servant leadership.
In a very real sense, the disciples' skepticism actually offers further proof of Jesus' resurrection.
"It may be justly asserted that people of so skeptical a turn of mind would never credit anything
till they had the fullest evidence of its truth. The unbelief of the disciples is a strong proof of the
truth of the gospel of God."1846 What's more, "[b]y hearing about Jesus' resurrection (before
1838
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
A Harmony of the Gospels; Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1840
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
1841
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1842
A Harmony of the Gospels
1843
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1844
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1845
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
1846
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
1839
seeing Him) they learned what it was like to believe the testimony of eyewitnesses. This would
be necessary for all those to whom they would preach in their coming missionary outreach."1847
HEAR (heart)
You Must Be Drunk!
At the men's prayer breakfast Tony came under conviction for taking his wife for
granted. And so on the way home he stopped off to purchase a dozen roses, a box of
candy, and a pair of earrings.
He stood at their front door, rang the doorbell, and his wife opened the door. As soon as
she saw her husband, however, she burst into tears. Bewildered, Tony asked what was
wrong.
To which his wife replied: "'It's been the worst day of my life. First, Jimmy tried to flush
his diaper down the toilet. Then Eric melted his plastic airplane in the oven. Then the
dishwasher got clogged and overflowed all over the kitchen floor. Then Brittany came
home from school with a note from the teacher saying that she beat up a boy in her
class. And now you come home drunk!'"1848
The wife doubted the sincerity of her husband. His going out of his way to be so nice to her
could mean only one thing - he was intoxicated! Jesus' disciples were skeptical regarding his
resurrection. They could believe he had lived and ministered among them. They could believe
he had died on a cross. They had, after all, seen all this with their own eyes. But to believe that
Jesus was now alive? Why, those so-called "witnesses" must have been intoxicated! In point of
fact, the witnesses were intoxicated - with the same joy that overtook the disciples once they
themselves met the resurrected Jesus. Need it be said? As followers of Jesus Christ, that same
resurrection-joy should flow freely in and through our lives.
DO (hands)
??? How can this passage of Scripture (vv. 9-14) help us when we are tempted to doubt Jesus'
presence?
[[@Bible:Mark 16:15-20]]
Mark 16:15-20
([Longer Ending of Mark])
15 And then he told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to
everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to
believe will be condemned. 17 These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They
will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. 18 They will be able to
handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. They will be
able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed."
1847
1848
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
An Encyclopedia of Humor (paraphrased)
19 When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat
down in the place of honor at God's right hand. 20 And the disciples went everywhere and
preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous
signs.
SEE (head)
Having appeared to his disciples, Jesus commissions them to take the Good News to all the
world, with belief in him determining one's eternal destiny. Certain signs will be associated with
"those who believe." Then Jesus ascends into heaven and sits down "in the place of honor at
God's right hand." The disciples are obedient to Jesus' commission, and Jesus confirms the truth
of their message with miraculous signs.
Preach the good news to everyone (Mark 16:15)
"The Gospel of Mark is a record of the gospel (or Good News) from its beginning (1:1). As the
book closes, the gospel does not end, but continues in the lives of Jesus' followers. Jesus'
command is to go everywhere and preach the Good News."1849 Jesus commissioned his
disciples to go forth "into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone," with baptism
serving as "an outward sign of the inner faith that saves."1850 Notice "the universality of grace
which is expressed so mightily in this command of Jesus': no human being is shut out from the
gospel by Jesus; absolutely all are to hear this gospel with the one divine purpose that they all
are to believe ... Note that 'the whole creation' cannot mean only the generation of men then
living. The expression reaches to the end of time. If it is asked how the apostles could herald the
gospel that far, the answer is that they did this through the New Testament and through the
voice of every man who preaches and teaches that New Testament."1851
The disciples' disciple-making ministry would be centered on the Word and would include
preaching, persuading, and proving. "Men become disciples, first, by hearing the Word; second,
by believing the Word; and, third, by submitting to the Word. These men, then, were to make
disciples by preaching the word that Christ had delivered to them, by persuading men to accept
the word that they had preached, and then by exhorting those who believed to submit to the
authority of the Word in their lives. The ones who became disciples were those who believed
in, and committed themselves to, the Word."1852
Believes ... baptized ... saved (Mark 16:16)
"Baptism symbolizes submission to Christ, a willingness to live God's way, and identification
with God's covenant people."1853 Belief and baptism go together, although we must be careful
to note that baptism does not save. What Jesus describes here is "the inward, efficacious
reception of the gospel by faith (believing) and the outward, public expression of that faith in
water baptism. Though the New Testament writers generally assume that under normal
circumstances each believer will be baptized, Mark 16:16 does not mean that baptism is a
1849
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
1851
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1852
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
1853
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1850
necessary requirement for personal salvation."1854 Salvation entails both deliverance from and
deliverance to: "In [the word salvation] there lie the ideas of rescue and deliverance from the
mortal danger of death and judgment (destruction) and the placing into a state of blessed
security (life eternal)" ... making for "one of the greatest, most distinctive, and wonderful
concepts of the Scriptures."1855
Condemned (Mark 16:16)
While belief brings salvation, unbelief brings condemnation or, as noted above, "death and
judgment (destruction)." This is something far too few people think about in today's world.
Along those lines, one source notes: "Jesus made it clear that belief in him is not a matter of
individual preference or personal choice; instead, belief in him is a matter of life or death, a
decision with eternal consequences. In our smorgasbord culture where we pick and choose
among brands and features, the tendency is to treat Christianity as a life-enhancer or an added
feature rather than the source of life itself. Don't treat belief in Christ lightly." 1856
Miraculous signs (Mark 16:17)
Mark 16:17-18 provides
a summary of the miracles recorded in the book of Acts. As the disciples fulfilled their
commission, and indeed as others believed and went on to spread the gospel,
miraculous signs would accompany them. As with Jesus' miracles, these signs would
authenticate the source of their power and draw people to belief. Driving out demons
was a power already given to the disciples (3:14-15). This power proved that the
believers were not from Satan, but from God. Speaking in tongues was a spiritual gift
that enabled people to speak in foreign languages. This occurred at Pentecost when the
disciples "began to speak in other languages" (Acts 2:4, NRSV). The disciples placed their
hands on many sick people and healed them (Acts 3:7-8; 5:12-16).1857
The new era of salvation predicted by the OT prophets was now being inaugurated. The signs
that were to accompany the messianic era included those with mute tongues speaking (Isaiah
35:5-6), and God's people bearing witness for him (Isaiah 43:10). Worth noting, too, is the fact
that the powers listed here in Mark are very similar to those associated with the OT
prophets.1858 Notice that "Jesus calls these miracles 'signs,' and uses the ethical term for them,
which is far higher than 'wonders' or 'power works.' For a sign points beyond itself to
something that is far higher, of which it is a specific indication. ... These signs were thus
credentials for the apostles and their gospel message, seals that proved their message genuine
and exhibited the fact that the living and risen Jesus was present with them and working
through them."1859
1854
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1856
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1857
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament (quoted verbatim)
1858
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1859
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1855
One source offers some very helpful comments regarding these miraculous signs:
[Mark 16:17-18] list five kinds of signs (semeia; cf. comments on Mark 8:11) which
would attend those who believe. "Signs" are supernatural events attesting the divine
origin of the apostolic message (cf. Mark 16:20). The signs authenticated the faith the
early believers proclaimed, not the personal faith that any one of them exercised. In
light of this and historical evidence it is reasonable to conclude that these authenticating
signs were normative only for the apostolic era (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:3-4).
In fulfilling their commission (cf. Mark 16:15) believers would be given the ability to do
miraculous things in Jesus' name (cf. comments on Mark 6:7, 13; 9:38-40). They would
drive out demons, thereby demonstrating Jesus' victory over Satan's realm. The Twelve
(cf. Mark 6:13) and the Seventy had already expelled demons, and this ability continued
in the apostolic church (cf. Acts 8:7; 16:18; 19:15-16). They would speak in new tongues,
presumably a reference to intelligible foreign languages not previously known to the
speakers. This was demonstrated at Pentecost (cf. Acts 2:4-11) and later in the life of the
early church (cf. Acts 10:46; 19:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10; 14:1-24).
In the Greek the first two clauses in Mark 16:18 may be understood as conditional
clauses with the third clause as the conclusion. An interpretive rendering would be,
"And if they be compelled to pick up snakes with their hands and if they should be
compelled to drink deadly poison, it shall by no means (ou mē, emphatic negative; cf.
Mark 13:2) harm them." This promise of immunity by divine protection in either
situation refers to occasions when persecutors would force believers to do these things.
This does not warrant voluntary snake-handling or drinking of poison, practices not
attested in the early church. Since Paul's encounter with a snake at Malta was
unintentional (cf. Acts 28:3-5), the New Testament records no actual instance of either
of the experiences described here.
As a final kind of authenticating sign they would put their hands on sick people and they
would get well. Healing by this means is mentioned in Acts 28:8 and the gift of healing
was exercised in the early church (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:30).1860
The view that the miraculous sign gifts ceased with the closing of the NT canon has been held
by such highly influential Church leaders as:





1860
John Chrysostom (c. 347-407). Early Church father.
Augustine of Hippo (354-430). Greatest of the Latin Church fathers.
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758). Colonial Congregational minister and theologian.
B. B. Warfield (1851-1921). American Presbyterian theologian and educator.
Matthew Henry (1662-1714). English non-conformist minister and Bible commentator.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary (quoted verbatim)





George Whitefield (1714-1770). Revivalist and well-known evangelist of the eighteenth
century.
Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892). Baptist preacher.
Robert L. Dabney (1820-1898). American Presbyterian clergyman.
Abraham Kuyper, Sr. (1837-1920). Theologian and statesman of the Netherlands.
W. G. T. Shedd (1820-1894). American systematic theologian.1861
While the "cessationist" view in no way claims that God has stopped working miracles, it does
hold that the "spiritual gifts" of miraculous healing, etc. are no longer in effect.1862
Taken up into heaven (Mark 16:19)
This section (Mark 16:19-20) appears to parallel Luke 24:50-53.1863 Jesus' being "taken" into
heaven alludes to "the fact that it was the Father who drew his Son to himself, being eager, as it
were, to reward him for his accomplished mediatorial work."1864 "The bodily form of Jesus rose
visibly toward heaven and was presently enveloped in a cloud. During the forty days the
disciples had often seen Jesus leave by disappearing suddenly. He had never left in this way as
he was now ascending into heaven. They now knew that he would not appear to them again as
he had appeared during the forty days; they had seen him in bodily form here on earth for the
last time."1865 While the idea of ascending into heaven was well-known both in the GrecoRoman world and among the Jews, the ascension of Jesus goes beyond these popular beliefs.
"Both Jewish and Greek readers could relate to the idea of an ascension of a great hero to
heaven, but for Jesus to sit at God's right hand goes beyond this idea - it means that Jesus
reigns as God's agent (Psalm 110:1)."1866
While Jesus himself has returned to heaven, the "task of proclaiming the gospel still goes on
through disciples empowered by the risen Lord."1867 "While Jesus' work on earth was
completed, the disciples' work was just beginning. This verse compacts the book of Acts. These
doubting, stubborn disciples turned into powerful preachers who went out and proclaimed the
good news everywhere. God was with them - giving them peace, strength through
persecutions, and confirmation of their message with miraculous signs (16:17-18; Hebrews
2:4)."1868
Mark 16:9-20
As mentioned previously, the available evidence indicates that vv. 9-20 were appended to
Mark's Gospel. At the very least, this tells us that the early Church was not satisfied with the
way the story ended. Knowing there was much more to it, they wanted future readers of
1861
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Who's Who in Christian History
For more info on spiritual gifts, see The Spiritual Gifts Handbook (pdf) at:
http://ac21doj.org/contents/TheSpiritualGiftsHandbook.pdf
1863
A Harmony of the Gospels
1864
Baker's New Testament Commentary; Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1865
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
1866
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
1867
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1868
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1862
Mark's gospel to know it, as well. These verses also form a commentary on the Church's selfunderstanding of its mission. The early Church believed that it had several God-given tasks,
including preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, triumphing over life's demands and difficulties,
and remembering that Christ dwells with his Church.1869
"Mark's Gospel emphasizes Christ's power as well as his servanthood. Jesus' life and teaching
turned the world upside down. The world sees power as a way to gain control over others. But
Jesus, with all authority and power in heaven and earth, chose to serve others. He held children
in his arms, healed the sick, acted patiently with his hardheaded disciples, and died for the sins
of the world. Following Jesus means receiving this same power to serve. As believers, we are
called to be servants of Christ. As Christ served, so we are to serve."1870
THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION OF CHRIST: A PARALLEL ACCOUNT1871
The Empty Tomb
 The tomb visited by the women (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1)
 The stone rolled away (Matthew 28:2–4)
 The tomb found to be empty by the women (Matthew 28:5–8; Mark 16:2–8; Luke 24:1–
8; John 20:1)
 The tomb found the be empty by Peter and John (Luke 24:9–11, [12]; John 20:2–10)
The Post-Resurrection Appearances
 Appearance to Mary Magdalene ([Mark 16:9–11]; John 20:11–18)
 Appearance to the other women (Matthew 28:9–10)
 Report of the soldiers to the Jewish authorities (Matthew 28:11–15)
 Appearance to two disciples traveling to Emmaus ([Mark 16:12–13]; Luke 24:13–32)
 Report of the two disciples to the rest (1 Cor. 15:5a) (Luke 24:33–35)
 Appearance to the 10 assembled disciples ([Mark 16:14]; Luke 24:36–43; John 20:19–25)
 Appearance to the 11 assembled disciples (1 Cor. 15:5b) (John 20:26–31)
 Appearance to the 7 disciples while fishing (John 21:1–25)
 Appearance to the 11 in Galilee (1 Cor. 15:6) (Matthew 28:16–20; [Mark 16:15–18])
 Appearance to James, His brother (1 Cor. 15:7)
 Appearance to the disciples in Jerusalem (Acts 1:3–8) (Luke 24:44–49)
The Ascension
 Christ's parting blessing and departure (Acts 1:9–12) ([Mark 16:19–20]; Luke 24:50–53
HEAR (heart)
Incredible Obedience
The story is told of how Alexander the Great and a small company of soldiers
approached a strongly fortified city and demanded its surrender.
1869
The Daily Study Bible Series
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
1871
The MacArthur Study Bible; A Harmony of the Gospels
1870
The king of the city laughed and asked why he should surrender when it was obvious
such a small force could do his city no harm.
Then Alexander offered a demonstration. He had his men line up single file and begin
marching straight toward a sheer cliff. Ten soldiers marched without hesitation to their
death before Alexander ordered the others to halt.
The townspeople and the king surrendered immediately, realizing that anyone with that
much power was unstoppable.1872
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to take the Gospel to all the world. While Jesus isn't
interested in conquering cities, he is very much interested in conquering hearts. As soldiers in
his army, we are called to die to self - self-conceit and self-concern - in order to live for Christ.
The world is watching, and how well we obey Jesus will have a profound influence on others'
decision whether or not to surrender to him.
DO (hands)
??? How can personally realizing that Jesus rose from the dead and lives for us today provide
the determination to be a true and faithful witness for him?

Sources
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2,000+ Bible Illustrations
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible
The Apologetics Study Bible
Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
Baker's New Testament Commentary
Basic Theology
The Bible Exposition Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Bible Reader's Companion
A Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
A Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
1872
Illustrations Unlimited (paraphrased)
The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity
The Complete Who's Who in the Bible
The Complete Word Study Dictionary
The Cross of Christ
The Daily Study Bible Series
Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
Dictionary of New Testament Background
Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World
Encyclopedia Britannica
An Encyclopedia of Humor
Evangelical Commentary on the Bible
Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
Expositor's Bible Commentary
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
Gaebelein's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
A General Introduction to the Bible
Gnomon of the New Testament
God in the Dock
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains
Hard Sayings of the Bible
A Harmony of the Gospels
The Hermeneutical Spiral
Holman Bible Handbook
Holy Bible, Contemporary English Version
Holy Bible, English Standard Version
Holy Bible, Holman Christian Standard
Holy Bible, The Message
Holy Bible, New American Standard
Holy Bible, New English Translation (NET)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation (3rd ed)
Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Illustrations of Bible Truths
Illustrations Unlimited
Integrative Theology
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament
John Calvin's Commentaries
Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
The Lexham Greek-English Interlinear New Testament
Lenski's New Testament Commentary
Life Application Bible Commentary on the New Testament
Life Application Study Bible
The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Hebrews
The MacArthur Study Bible
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
McHenry's Quips, Quotes, & Other Notes
Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary
Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
NET Bible notes
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition
New Bible Dictionary
New Dictionary of Biblical Theology
New Dictionary of Theology
New Geneva Study Bible
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
The New International Dictionary of the Bible
The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church
New International Encyclopedia of Bible Words
New Testament Introduction
New Testament Theology
The Open Bible
The Oxford Companion to the Bible
Pulpit Helps Illustration Collection II
QuickVerse Life Application Bible
Random House Webster’s Quotationary
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Something to Think About
Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries
The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart
Thayer's Greek Definitions
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament
Theological Lexicon of the New Testament
A Treasury of Humor
Thru the Bible
Tyndale Bible Dictionary
Vincent's Word Studies
Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
Who's Who in Christian History
The Word in Life Study Bible
Word Pictures in the New Testament
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary
Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible
Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary
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