To Be or Not to Be

 

“Jesus said to them (Pharisees), ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.’” (Mark 2:27, ESV)

When we study Mark 2:27, we must first understand what was happening at the time the Pharisees confronted Jesus. Jesus and His disciples were walking through a grain field. The disciples were hungry, so they grabbed a handful of grain seeds to eat as they followed Jesus. The Pharisees challenged Jesus and His disciples about breaking the Sabbath law of not working on the Sabbath. Jesus reminded them what their venerated King David did when he and his soldiers were hungry. They went into the house of God during Abiathar’s leadership as high priest. David and his men ate the bread of the Presence, which Sabbath laws allowed only priests to eat.

With Jesus’ reasoning, the Pharisees would feel challenged if they agreed with Him. so, their acceptance of Jesus’ teaching would mean they accused their venerated king of breaking Sabbath law. If so, then why could not other hungry men eat on the Sabbath? They would not be eating sacred food, just grain. With Jesus’ reminder to the Pharisees, they may have believed if they decided the disciples had not worked on the Sabbath, they would lose power and authority among the people. Yet, if they agreed with Jesus, then that would say their beloved King David broke the Sabbath law. Never back a caged lion into a corner. Let us now learn more about Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees.

The first thought that comes to mind in seeking to understand this verse is that God created the Sabbath day before He created the Sabbath law. God’s intent of the Sabbath laws was to help people remember and focus on God and to rest. The priests of God interpreted the thirty-nine Sabbath laws God gave. Upon writing the priestly interpretations of God’s Sabbath laws handed down through the oral tradition (the Mishnah), The Pharisees codified over six hundred Sabbath laws by which the Israelites were to live. The priests’ interpretations aimed to help people follow God’s Sabbath laws closer. Their Sabbath laws ended up becoming a litmus test by which to compare themselves to one another and to the rest of the Israelites.

Like the first thought, God commanded the Israelites to keep a Sabbath day as holy, just as Moses recorded in the Ten Commandments (the Mosaic covenant). Remember, God created humanity before He gave laws about the Sabbath. so, the relationship between God and people is more important than the Sabbath laws. Recall, the Sabbath laws occurred to help the Israelites remember and focus on God and to rest. Because God called the Sabbath a day of rest, He put people’s needs as more important than Sabbath laws, because people are more important than laws. If someone is hungry, drowning, ill, or anything else, caring for God’s people became more important to God than following laws. Caring for a neighbor is obeying God. God created people for relationship with Him and other people. Relationship means we care for each other. By caring, we show love to and for God, which He intended for the Sabbath laws. Again, God’s intention for His Sabbath laws was to cause humanity to remember and focus on Him and to have a close love relationship with Him.

As we continue to study this verse, we must understand what the word “Sabbath” means. It comes from the Hebrew word shabbat, meaning peace: to rest or cease. Our minds cannot rest and focus on God if we are concerned about a person for whom we cannot care because of the fear of breaking Sabbath laws. Again, a person cannot rest or focus on God because of urgent circumstances. This makes the laws counter to God’s purpose for the Sabbath day.

God created the Sabbath as a day of rest that He set apart and commanded for worship, reflection, and rest. The Pharisees cared more about the institution called the Sabbath. Their rituals were more important to them because they wanted people to see their own piety. The Pharisees cared more for themselves than for other people. They did not focus on God in their worship, but on what people saw them do. The Pharisees broke the first covenant (the Adamic covenant) the intent for which God set aside the Sabbath day on the seventh day of creation. Their intention for the Sabbath was not God’s original intention. The Pharisees' intention focused on themselves, their power, and their authority among the people.

The question Jesus answered, though the Pharisees did not recognize it, was: Who made the Sabbath? If the Pharisees instituted the Sabbath, then the Sabbath laws would be valid in overruling caring for other people on that day. Yet, the Pharisees did not create the Sabbath. God created the seventh day and rested from His work.

Genesis 2:3 states, “So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it, God rested from all His work that He had done in creation.” God blessed the day. He invoked His divine favor, which creates a covenant relationship with humanity, by instituting a day of rest on the seventh day, which He called the Sabbath day. God blessed the Sabbath day as His creation for humanity. He did more than just establish a seventh day and establish it as a day of peace, shabbat. God blessed the day for humanity to rest. With God’s blessings comes rest because His people know God is faithful. This allows people to have peace in mind, heart, and soul, hence, shabbat.

Genesis 2:3 records God sanctified the day. God blessed the day and the people in the day by sanctifying it. Calling something sanctified (holy) means setting it apart as special for significant persons for a purpose. Here, the significant persons for whom God set apart the Sabbath day is humanity. (See the Adamic covenant.) Genesis 2:3 states God’s significant purposes for the Sabbath. God blessed the day and blessed humanity with it by making it a rest day. God set apart the day—He consecrated it—for a sacred purpose, too. He made it holy and dedicated to Himself.

God, by making the seventh day a consecrated day, made the day of peace (Sabbath-shabbat) into a day of worship and devotion. He separated the seventh day from the first six days of the week, so people would use it for His purpose. God gave to Adam, who represents all humanity, a consecrated Sabbath day of rest (from the blessing) and worship (from the sanctification). The seventh day became a day of peace in body, heart, mind, and spirit. God’s seventh created day is a day to rest the body from work and to rest in heart, mind, and spirit as humanity communes with God in worship and meditation, leading to complete peace.

Understanding this makes it easier to understand God made the Sabbath long before He gave the thirty-nine Sabbath laws. From God’s thirty-nine Sabbath laws, the Pharisees created almost six hundred other Sabbath laws. Neither the Pharisees nor any person in humanity created the Sabbath. God created the seventh day, blessed it, and consecrated it for His purpose to bless humanity. Humanity is to rest on the Sabbath and focus on God in worship, praise, meditation, and prayer.

If, while focusing on God, He causes someone to remember a good that person should do to help someone else, even on the Sabbath, then, in doing that good, shows love for God. A person’s action based on impulses/convictions from God, even on the Sabbath, is obedience to God. Obedience to God is an act of worship. In obeying God by doing good for someone, a person is fulfilling the first and second greatest commandments, as Jesus taught in Matthew 22:36-40. The greatest and second greatest commandments are the summation of the Ten Commandments. We love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength when we obey Him, that which God requires.

God created the thirty-nine Sabbath laws to help people abide by His overarching and original intent for the Sabbath: to be in relationship with Him. That overflows into caring for other people (being in a relationship with them). God’s original and primary intent for creating humanity was so He could be in a relationship with them, like the three persons of the Trinity relate to each other. His intent was to be in a loving and holy relationship with people. That is the overarching theme of the Bible and of all time.

Since the Adamic covenant is the primary covenant of God with humanity, every other covenant builds from it to lead people back to a good and holy relationship with God. The covenants appear circular. They each aid humanity by leading them to God—to becoming closer to God and letting Him make them more in His image.

God making people more into His image is a growth process. It involves becoming more perfected, which can only happen when people believe in Jesus and He saves them from sin and death. Merely existing on earth is stagnating and then dying when the body dies. God’s making people more in His image is His growing and perfecting them until death. At death, Jesus perfects the believer—makes him or her sinless and holy, like Himself.

God, who comes from eternity, made the Sabbath. He created the Sabbath and placed it in time, a finite part of eternity. The Sabbath did not always exist. Time did not exist in eternity until God created sun, moon, light, and darkness and called the light and darkness day and night. Because time is a subset of eternity, so the Sabbath day is a subset of time, which God created. so, God’s intent for the Sabbath day, which He stated in Genesis, is the overriding ruler of the Sabbath. Humanity’s intent and laws are not. Hence, God should be the focus of the Sabbath, not humanity or its created Sabbath laws.

Who was the direct object of God’s gift of the Sabbath, shabbat? Humanity. Humanity did not create the Sabbath and has no power to change the original intent of the day. Additionally, humanity is not more powerful than God; they cannot usurp God’s role and rule.

God did not first create the Sabbath, then create humanity and all living things. No, God created humanity before the seventh day, then He declared the seventh day as the Sabbath, a peaceful day blessed by God with rest and consecration. Man sits in time, but man does not sit in one day of time continually. Days rotate within time to come upon humanity, so they may do what God commanded: care for creation. On the blessed and consecrated Sabbath day, God gives rest and reminders so humanity can focus on and worship Him. Work and renewal, a created rhythm God knew that our bodies and our relationship with Him would need for balance and peace.

Adam did not need for God to tell him to walk with Him in the Garden of Eden. That relationship happened because God established it as part of the essence, the inner yearning, of people for connection, closeness, and union. Because God made humanity for His purpose (to be in a relationship with Him), God created His Sabbath laws to cause His initial and overarching purpose. God’s overarching purpose is to have a close love relationship with humanity and to provide rest for them after six days a week of caring for creation.

God created the days and nights for man to give Him a cycle of people, objects, and places to enjoy. He created them for humanity to sustain them while they walked with God daily. God’s love was so comprehensive, He took care of the needs of humanity to work, create, rest, and relate. Why did God create humanity with these innate needs? First, God created people in His image. Just as God enjoyed a close relationship with the three persons of the Trinity and just as God loved to work and create, He created humanity to desire a love relationship with Himself and with other people.

With these understandings, Jesus took the Pharisees in Mark 2:27-28 back to the overarching theme of the Bible. God created humanity to be in a close relationship with Him. Closely following this, He created one day of the seven, which He created, to be a Sabbath day of rest, worship, and meditation for humanity. God did not create humanity for the Sabbath’s enjoyment. Inanimate cannot feel. Hence, the Sabbath laws dictated by the Pharisees take a backseat to God’s original intention for humanity—to be in a loving relationship with God.

To make that possible, God created the Sabbath day for physical rest and to allow the mind of each person to focus solely on Him and his or her relationship with Him. God’s Sabbath laws were an aid to humans for that purpose. The Pharisees Sabbath laws did not always have the love for God as their intention. Plucking grain from the stalk while walking through a field was not work. It allowed the disciples to have nourishment as they followed Jesus. Jesus allowed it because of His love for them of their body, spirit, heart, and mind. His disciples hungered; Jesus loved and did not hinder their plucking grain.

God’s commands/laws give freedom and show His love. The Pharisees’ laws and other laws, which leaders created throughout history, sometimes hinder the wellbeing of people. They steal freedom and leave fear and failure in their place. Human leaders made these laws sometimes just to make the leader feel superior and to make others experience inferiority. Caring and loving other people were not what the impious Pharisees intended with their Sabbath laws. God’s laws give freedom to find and focus on the Father.

The Pharisees did not change or remove their Sabbath laws. Some came to believe in Jesus and He saved them. What personal laws have you created that keep you or others from feeling loved by God and you?

Choose as Jesus taught.

Choose freedom over fear and failure.

Choose a loving relationship with God.

“And Jesus said to them (Pharisees), ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So, the Son of Man (Jesus) is Lord even of the Sabbath.’” (Mark 2:27-28, ESV)

Immediate Belief

 

If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!” Immediately, the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24)

Belief is not a static activity. You don’t receive it then not use it in life and expect it to be strong. Belief requires the person to exercise faith for it to grow. The father in this passage believed Jesus could do miracles. He was unsure if Jesus would do a miracle for him and his son or if He would do this particular miracle.

Was his uncertainty because he felt lower in status than Jesus? Did he feel he didn’t deserve to be in Jesus’ presence? Was the father afraid people would laugh at him if his son wasn’t healed? Or had the father not grown in his faith so that his belief would include trusting in God’s care for his demon-possessed son’s life?

What keeps you from going to Jesus? Unbelief? Lack of faith growth? Feeling unworthy? Fear of what God and/or people will expect of you from that point? Never giving your dreams and hopes to God, like the hopes the father had for his son’s life? Each person can have these and other blocks to growth in faith in God.

God gives belief to anyone who will accept it. Belief resides in your heart, but it’s not belief until it is acted upon. Faith must be lived out. Each person must wrestle with his doubts of faith and grow stronger in his belief in God. The wrestling is internal. When the wrestling with doubts and faith in God results in positive actions of belief, faith grows.

Will you act upon the belief God gifts to you? 

Wrestle with and toss off your doubts. Grow in your faith in God. Give your doubts to God, like the father in this passage did, and grow closer to Him. You are never alone; God is always with you. Become like the father and immediately believe God can do that for which you need.

Tired Heart Seeking

 

“O unbelieving generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.” Mark 9:19

When Jesus returned from the Mount of Transfiguration, he became exasperated with the people. He spoke with exaggeration and frustration. His words, “this generation,” referred to the people of that age. Jesus said that generation would never believe in him.

“How long must I be with you for you to have faith in me? No matter how much I prove myself or how long I stay with you, you will never believe. Lest the boy never experience freedom from his torment because you do not believe in me, bring him to me. I care about him because of his torment and because your faith will never be enough to lead to his healing.” This was the spoken and unspoken meaning of Jesus’ words.

The amazing thing in verse twenty is the contrast between the beings—human and spirit. In both Mark’s and Luke’s recording of this event, even before Jesus spoke, the demon thrashed the boy to the ground. The demon recognized Jesus as being the Son of God, who has authority and power to command and control him. The demon's belief about Jesus contrasts with the generation's lack of faith in Him.

In verse twenty-two, the boy’s father’s words to Jesus showed the lack of faith by that generation of people. He said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, have compassion for us and help us.” A desperate father grasping for the last straw, the least possibility in his mind, for his son to have freedom from the evil spirit. This man may have exhausted his funds to see every doctor, the priest, and spiritual medium. Another chance for his son’s healing walked into town. This father heard whispers of a man named Jesus. He sought those who could direct him to Jesus, but he found only his disciples. With a loud sigh and deflation of hope, the father may have despaired. Then Jesus walked up to the clamorous crowd. The father’s hope rose. His eyes opened wider, and he sought Jesus’ attention. This father said to Jesus, “If you can, help us...”

Jesus’ response? Incredulity. Spoken and unspoken, Jesus said and may have felt, “How long must I keep showing miracles for these people to believe and be in a right relationship with God? Forever will not be enough time. They have hardened their hearts against me as the Messiah. They must choose to open their hearts and choose to believe in me. Anything is possible to him who believes!”

The boy’s father heard Jesus’ incredulity and exasperation. His hope increased, and he wanted to trust in Jesus. Jesus was the father’s last hope. The man acknowledged his small faith, yet desired belief. He was desperate for his son to be freed from the demon. The father said, “I do believe. Help my unbelief.”

Jesus rebuked the demon and demanded it leave the boy and never re-enter him.

Jesus clarified to the disciples that only prayer can expel such entities.

Jewish scribes argued with the nine disciples who didn't go with Jesus to the mountain. Nothing written in the Bible states these nine disciples had been communing with God. Instead, they stayed in town and became distracted by argumentative people. The disciples focused on defending against the scribes, not on the source of healing and wholeness.

The father, desperate and grasping at his last hope, wanted to believe. His cry, “Help my unbelief,” was his crying out to God for faith, who gives faith to all who ask of him. This father was praying. He recognized Jesus as his only hope and begged God to give him faith.

Jesus said, “This kind can only come out by prayer” (Mark 9:29). The father’s recognition of his own lack of faith led to his desperate cry of wanting faith. God gave him faith to believe in Jesus. God gave faith to the father when he opened his heart to him.

That day, Jesus did more than cast out a demon and make a boy well. He provided faith and hope to a man who had given up hope. This father and son met and experienced Jesus, the divine Son of God and Messiah. The disciples grew in their knowledge of, understanding of, and faith in Jesus. Mark omitted the scribes’ and crowd's faith in his gospel account. In his view, the crowd merely watched and listened.

Today, we each are part of one of these three groups: a growing disciple of Jesus, a desperate seeker of hope and faith, or a hardened and combative person.

Will you choose to grow in discipleship with Jesus?

Will you cry out to God to give you faith to believe?

Will you harden your heart more against Jesus and the salvation he offers to you each day?

It’s your choice. God will never force you to accept him or His forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life in his kingdom.

Being Least

 

They (James and John) said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. But to sit on My right or on My left is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” Hearing this, the other ten felt indignant with James and John. Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them, and their people in high position exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you; rather, whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant; and whoever wants to be first among you shall be a slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:37-45, NASB, 2020)

    This example of hearing something different from what the speaker intended happens often with people. James and John, two of the three apostles in Jesus’ inner circle, asked to have a position of authority forever in Jesus’ glory. Their idea proved they still had the world’s mindset. The other ten apostles heard what they asked with the same mindset and responded with surprise. That misunderstanding led them to challenge the two brothers. The ten apostles wanted people to see them as having authority and leadership, not just John and James. Understanding these things, let’s walk through this lesson.

    Amazingly, Jesus did not get frustrated or angry with his twelve disciples, but was patient and gracious as He taught them and made them to be fishers of men. By this time, Jesus had been with His twelve chosen men for almost three years. The Twelve had seen the miracles Jesus did, heard the teachings He spoke, and watched how He interacted with people. Right before James and John made their request of Jesus, Jesus told His disciples the chief priests would condemn Him to death and hand Him over to the Gentiles (Romans) to be mocked, spit on, flogged, and put to death, but He would rise three days later (Mark 10:33-34).

    This causes later readers and hearers of the disciples’ discussion with Jesus to wonder if the disciples had been listening to Him. Jesus had taught them several things in the earlier verses. To Him, each person is important. Consider the following teachings by Jesus in Mark 1.

     In Mark 10:1-12, Jesus corrected the Pharisees’ interpretation of Moses’ law that they could divorce their wives and marry another woman. The Pharisees only understood the words Moses said and allowed that to guide them in life. They had not recognized Moses and God, who guided Moses’ leadership over the Israelites, had given this law because the Israelites had hardened hearts. They did not want to follow God’s command that each man should have one wife. With the law God gave to Moses to proclaim, God protected the wives from becoming outcasts because of being divorced—a used woman, not a virgin. He protected them from a life of ostracism and poverty. As a married woman, she would have a husband to provide for and protect her. As a divorced woman, she had no one to provide for and protect her, unless she had a son who would take care of her. This law protected the husband, too, by keeping him from being considered an adulterer when he married another woman. The people did not care about God’s intent for the law, just the letters of the law, what was seen and heard. Women and men are important to God. Nobody should be cast off like dirt. Likewise, men should not cast off their wives, just as God would not cast His own people away.

    Next in Mark, Jesus welcomed and blessed the children. His disciples had tried to keep them away from Jesus. Jesus was “indignant” with them for keeping the children away. Young children were nobodies in society. They were trained at home. Children shepherds, carried the day’s water from the well, learned the family trade, were taught the Law and Prophets, and a person spoke to them. With Mark 10:13-16, Jesus saw the children. He welcomed them. Jesus took them in His arms, blessed them, and laid His hands upon them. Jesus’ recognition of them and deep care of and blessing of the children showed all who saw and heard that they are important. People should love and bless children, as Jesus showed by example. Children are not nobodies. God welcomes them into His kingdom with open arms. They are important.

    In Mark 10:17-31, Jesus spoke with a rich, young ruler. The disciples asked questions of Jesus about what He said to the ruler. This young ruler asked a deep question. He asked, “What shall I do so that I may inherit eternal life?” This young man recognized Jesus as a teacher of Scripture. He sincerely wanted to be with God in heaven. When Jesus reminded the ruler of the last six commandments, the young man said he had kept them since he was a youth. Jesus zeroed into the heart of the man and the matter. He knew the thing that would keep the young man away from God and inheriting heaven. Jesus next replied to the young ruler to sell all he owned and give to the poor, then he would have treasure in heaven. Jesus’ answer continued. He added, “then come follow Me.” Mark explained the man left “deeply dismayed.” The young man kept the commandments. He recognized obeying the commandments would not make him sinless to he could “inherit heaven.” His mind knew the laws. Jesus’ words went deeper; they went to the young man’s heart. The young ruler wanted to keep doing things without a change in his life’s circumstances. Jesus knew what kept the man from inheriting heaven. The young man’s things of earth held greater sway over him than being right with God. He made his possessions his god instead of Yahweh. When Jesus confronted this young ruler, the young man understood what Jesus meant; he knew Jesus spoke to his heart, not just his head. This man did not want to go beyond the letter of the law, the words. He wanted to do things without considering his heart. Jesus loved this man, just as He did the children and the Pharisees. He wanted them to understand who they are, who He is, and to believe in Him for salvation.

    Jesus explained this to His disciples after the rich, young ruler walked away dismayed. He said people who are rich have a harder time entering heaven. Poor people enter the kingdom of God more easily, Jesus added. The disciples expressed astonishment at this teaching. They asked, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus explained, salvation comes only by God. People cannot earn salvation by following the commandments or any other law or precept. The rich young ruler was weighed down by the treasures of earth and would not cast them off even to follow Jesus and be saved.

    After hearing this conversation, Mark wrote Peter told Jesus, “We have left everything and followed You.” The disciples each had left everything behind to follow Jesus when He commanded them to follow Him. Jesus heard Peter’s words and understood his unspoken question of, “Will we inherit heaven?” Jesus said, everyone who has left all his possessions and his loved ones to follow Him will get more in this world, including persecution. Inheriting heaven requires more sacrifice than losing earthly treasures. It involves being closely identified with Jesus. That means the follower may be persecuted just as Jesus was. Yet these followers will inherit eternal life. True disciples leave behind all ties in and to this world and follow Jesus, even though they will face persecution. Their reward is greater than what they forsook. The reward is eternity with God.

    One other point Jesus made. His followers should place themselves last, not first (vs. 31). Serving God should be foremost in their minds, hearts, and actions. The rich, young ruler willingly gave his mind and actions up to a point. He was unwilling to give his heart and obedience to Jesus’ leading from his heart’s conviction. Jesus spent time with this young man because he was important, like the children and Pharisees were important. The rich ruler was not a nobody in the world’s eyes and he refused to give away what made him a somebody in his world. Jesus spoke to and about religious leaders (the religious and moral leaders of the Jews, who were important because of their jobs), children (the lowly nobodies of society), and a rich, young ruler (important by wealth and status). Each of these people received their status by human standards. Jesus turned the tables on their understanding of people’s importance. The last (the least/lowliest in people’s eyes) shall be first (the ones who would believe in Jesus and inherit salvation easiest) and the first (the people who see no need for believing in Jesus because they have everything they need) shall be last.

    Jesus spoke to and taught about the greatest and least in society according to humanity’s standards. He explained they each are important, and He came so each person can inherit heaven. With Jesus’ next teaching, He explained how that would be. Jesus foretold the suffering and death He would experience (vs. 33-34). He would be arrested, condemned to death, flogged, beaten, hung on a cross, and die, yet death would not confine Him. Jesus would return to life from death. In Mark’s account of Jesus telling His disciples this, Peter did not rebuke Jesus for saying these things, unlike in Matthew 16:22. Instead, Mark recorded James and John asking Jesus to grant them to be seated on His left and right hand in the kingdom of heaven. John and James believed in Jesus, served Him, and wanted to have a seat of priority and authority in heaven. These two brothers wanted recognition from people. Had they not heard what Jesus had just said about the rich, young ruler? Did they misunderstand leaders would serve and the last would become first by their so doing (vs. 31)? Matthew 20:20-28 records James’ and John’s mother asked this of Jesus for her sons. She did not understand what she requested for her sons.

    Jesus explained what it meant for a leader, one who is first in the eyes of people, to become one of the least. He knew these two disciples of His did not understand what they asked from Him when they desired to be first in His kingdom among all the people. Jesus taught by asking them a question. He began by telling them they did not know what they asked of Him. Jesus then asked James and John in verse 31, “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” Without pause, they replied they understood, but did they? Jesus did not mean they were to drink from the same dinner cup Him drank or to rise from the Jordan River after being baptized in water. Drinking the same cup meant to follow Jesus in the same way He walked, lived, and died. Jesus had explained to them just a moment before that He would be tortured, condemned to death, and die on a cross. Had these two disciples misheard or misunderstood? Did they misunderstand Jesus’ analogy of the cup and baptism? Maybe they were too eager and did not count the total cost of discipleship in their head. Possibly, they were too quick to ensure they received the coveted position of authority. Perhaps these two disciples asked and replied hastily to get done what their mother asked them to do. Whatever the reason, Jesus granted them the servantship of a leader who would become one of the least. He told them, “The cup that I drink, you shall drink, and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized” (vs. 39).  Jesus gave them what He intended for them as His disciples. Then He answered them about their request. Jesus said, “To sit on My right or My left is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared” (vs. 40). Jesus, the Son, knew the Father’s intention about this. He understood God had prepared these seats of authority for others.

    Jesus did not and could not give the seats of recognition, authority, and power to James and John because the Godhead had already determined who would occupy them. In keeping with what He had been teaching, Jesus reiterated the heart of the person is what God requires, not action from position or status. Those who inherit heaven are the meek—the nobodies of society and the ones who serve God by serving other people. Even with these teachings and examples, the disciples feared others would have authority and power over them. How do we know? Mark recorded in verse 41 the other ten disciples became indignant with John and James. Each person understands the feeling these ten disciples experienced. We ourselves may have experienced it in our families or at work when someone who we considered our equal or lesser gets a position, coveted task, or reward we felt we deserved. It can occur when that person tries to get noticed for a position above ours. Our response might be anger and indignation toward that person. The ten disciples may have felt these things toward James and John. Why did James and John think were so special? Peter, of those ten disciples, must have felt this more since he was one of the three in Jesus’ inner circle. Jesus understood the hearts of men and of these twelve men who had lived with him for three years. He realized they were angry in their hearts at James and John, though they did not say so. Jesus reminded them Gentile leaders ruled over them and they themselves had people who ruled over them. The world works in that way. A hierarchy of power exists in the way humanity runs the world and all creation in it. Yet, that is not the God’s way.

    Jesus reminded the twelve disciples that is not the way they are to be. He explained that the prominent one serves the others and the one who aspires to be the first among them must be the slave of them all. Jesus explained that even the Son of Man (the Son of God) did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for people (vs. 45). A true follower of Jesus does what is necessary in life to help/serve other people, not considering if wealth or sickness will come because of serving as God leads him. In this way, the one who is first (the one who has received the promise of eternity in God’s kingdom by his faith in Jesus) is the one who must serve others at God’s command so they will live better lives and come to know Jesus as their Savior, too. Lest we think we are too good to do what God asks, or we have done what He required and now deserve a better job, remember Jesus did what was necessary to provide humanity with salvation and eternity in heaven with Him. He also came back to life and lived among people continuing to teach for 40 more days on earth before His ascension. We are never too good to do what God tells us to do. No matter how often God tells us to do a task, we are only done with it when God tells us to do something different.  

    No person is beneath any other. Christians especially need to make this mental note a permanent part of their lives by living it out through their hearts. Nobody is worthless and unworthy to be saved. No person in the world is a nobody who does not deserve recognition. Jesus saw, loved, and blessed the children. He recognized the hearts of the Jews who wanted to divorce their wives and provided the correct teaching to love and protect wives from becoming outcasts and labels as sinners. Jesus understood the heart and mind of the rich, young ruler who tried to work his way into heaven. He loves them and wants them to recognize Him and receive an inheritance in the kingdom of God. No person is beneath another. We each are sinners who need the Savior. No one is superior to others. The one whom God puts into leadership/authority has responsibility for serving the people who need help, who have less, or who do not know Jesus. God puts each person in positions not to flaunt it over others or drive them into the ground, but to help them and be a channel of God’s blessings to them by word and action. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. His way of living led to condemnation, persecution, and death. His death provides salvation. Jesus’ resurrection provides eternal life to each person who believes in Him. His authority provides all anyone needs in this life and eternally.

     The questions that come from this chapter are: In which position has God placed you? What does God want you to do with your position, authority, and resources He has given you? Today, for whom will you become least so that you can serve him or her?

     James was the first apostle to die for following and preaching Jesus and the salvation He gives. He was killed by the sword. John was the oldest and last apostle to die. He spent his life teaching and preaching. John was exiled from people but continued to teach through his letters until his death. Both men drank of Jesus’ cup and were baptized with His baptism. Are you drinking of Jesus’ cup today? Are you willing to be baptized with Jesus’ baptism? Be like these leaders who became least to serve Jesus and people until their dying breath.

Reveler or Robber

 

And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN. (Mark 11:17 [NASB])

Jesus “began teaching them.” This word “teaching” (didasko) most often refers to the teaching of Scripture (the written word of God) from the Bible. In this passage, Jesus was in the outer court of the temple. The outer court was part of the temple. This outer court is where the non-Jew believers in YHWH could take part in worship with the Jews. It had also become the place where people could buy their sacrificial animals for their worship. This was especially helpful to people who traveled from afar to worship at the temple. They would not have to carry, cart, or lead the sacrificial animal as they traveled to Jerusalem.

If these merchants offered something necessary for worship, then in their minds, it was okay to sell the animals to the worship attenders. So, why was Jesus angry with them in this passage? The merchants were selling the animals for a price greater than they required in every other day of the week. The people could have bought an animal at the market any other day for less. In addition to this, these merchants received permission to sell the animals and to sell them for a higher price from the temple leaders—the priests. Why would the priests allow selling within the temple walls and for a higher price? Because the priests received part of the receipts from sales and the merchants had to get approval for each animal. The chief priest determined if the animal met the standards God required according to His law. (Remember, people often willfully misinterpret God’s laws for their own purposes.) The merchants and priests made money in the outer court instead of aiding the travelers to prepare their hearts, minds, spirits, and bodies to worship YHWH.

What did Jesus teach the people in this passage? He used an Old Testament prophecy about the temple to compare what it had become to what God intended it to be. In Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11. God spoke through these two prophets. In Isaiah 56:7b, God said through Him, “Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” God made promises to everyone who obeyed Him and came to Him in worship. When people—Jews and Gentiles—came to God’s house to worship Him, then He would accept their sacrifices and people would know His house is a house of prayer. The worship of YHWH by people would be known and told to people everywhere so that they, too, would want to worship God in His house (Vs. 8b). Though these first eight verses sound like Isaiah prophesied about God’s promises and joy for the people of Judah, verse nine bursts that bubble. He wrote, “All you wild animals, all you animals in the forest, come eat.” God told the people they could have had the promises of their covenant with God and could have had joy in worshipping Him. Instead, they would become prey to their predators. God would allow other nations to overtake His people because they forsook their promises to Him.

God spoke through His prophet in Jeremiah 7:11. He said, “‘Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I Myself have seen it,’ declares the LORD.” Before this verse, God did not couch His condemnation of the people in lovely promises, as Isaiah had done when He wrote what God told Him. Jeremiah prophesied to Judah about the people turning their backs on God.

When Jesus spoke to the people in the outer court of the temple—the merchants, priests, and people buying or using the outer court as a shortcut instead of walking around the outside of the temple wall—He used Isaiah’s and Jeremiah’s prophesies. These prophesies are the ones about which people would have heard taught and read, that God judges people who distracted others from the purpose His temple. That purpose is to worship YHWH. God said His temple is to be “a house of prayer.” A house of prayer is where a person intentionally goes seeking God by praying, listening for His voice, listening to Scripture readings, meditating, listening to the teaching of His word. Being with God begins with intentionality. It requires a heart seeking God, one praying and seeking Him, His will, knowledge, understanding, and direction, and seeking to worship Him with confession, repentance, praise, and thanks.

Jesus spoke to the people in the outer courts of the temple before Passover week. His purpose for entering Jerusalem then was to fulfill prophecy (Zechariah 9:9) and to make public His claim to be the Messiah and the King of Israel. Jesus rode into Jerusalem as a king, but on a humble donkey’s colt and not a war stallion like earthly warrior kings. He accepted the homage of the people for the first time in His ministry. Jesus did not tell them to be quiet about who He is. After that day, of people acknowledging Him as the Messiah, Jesus left Jerusalem. The purpose of His entry happened.

The next day, when Jesus returned to Jerusalem and the temple, He did so with the acceptance and acknowledgement by the people of who He is. When He entered the temple, Jesus challenged the priests, merchants, and moneychangers about what they were doing in the outer court of the temple. The authority by which He did this and the peoples’ recognition of Him as King of Israel made His actions more potent and caused more alarm in the religious leaders’ minds and hearts. Instead of the temple of God being called a “House of prayer,” the King of Israel called it a den of robbers. Jesus did more than that; He proclaimed that they, these three groups of people, had turned the temple into a robbers’ lair—a place where robbers felt relaxed and secure in what they did. This implied the religious leaders’ consent of these merchants and moneychangers in the temple flagrantly extorting the temple worshippers.

Whenever Jesus speaks, people need to listen. Matthew 21:13 records this same episode in Jesus’ ministry. Matthew wrote the chief priests and scribes became indignant after Jesus sent the “robbers” out of the temple court (Matthew 21:15). Mark wrote the chief priests and scribes were afraid of Jesus and began seeking a way to kill Him (Mark 11:18). These religious leaders, by their permission, also were robbers. When Jesus spoke, people responded. Some fled. Some fought. Some feted. Even now, Jesus calls to each person. He speaks to them in the person’s context, whatever is happening in his/her life and whatever he/she needs. A huge number of people run when they feel Him convicting them or calling them to Himself. They flee. Some people try to disprove Jesus as the Christ or that any God exists. They fight. By doing this, they rob other people of the chance to hear about Jesus then. Other people knew a God had to exist and waited with longing in their hearts for there to be more to life than what they see and experience. When these people feel the Spirit convicting them and hear Jesus calling to them, they turn to Him with open arms and then tell everyone they meet about Him. These people fete Jesus; they revel, rejoice, and celebrate.

Today, we each get to decide for ourselves who Jesus is for us. People have told us of His story of love for us. We have heard His voice and felt His conviction in our hearts. Each of us in our own way has been robbers. We have taken our lives to live for ourselves. We have refused to acknowledge who God and His Son are. Some of us may have even slandered God. Those are the actions of the priests, scribes, merchants, and moneychangers. Today, Jesus is right in front of you—in your heart, mind, and spirit. He calls you to acknowledge Him as your Messiah and King—your Savior and Lord. Instead of fighting or fleeing, join others and fete Jesus. Rejoice in Him and because of Him and what He did for you.

Who do you choose to be—reveler or robber?

Ripe Fruit

 

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

— Mark 11:24

 

Jesus’ teaching about prayer in this verse goes back to when he and the disciples were walking to Jerusalem. Jesus wanted something to eat. He saw a fig tree and wanted its fruit but none was on it. Though the season for figs was over, Jesus expected fruit. 

 

Take this thought a step further in our understanding. Jesus Christ expects fruit in season and out of season for His purposes. God expects this of His children, those whom Christ has redeemed. If a person does not bear spiritual fruit, that person is dead spiritually. He is not ready for use by God.

 

Jesus taught in vs. 24 that Christians do not have to be like the fig tree, nor does He want them to be. He wants and expects them to bear fruit. How does that happen? By being in an active relationship with God. How did Jesus teach His followers to be with God? By His example. 

 

Regularly, Jesus went to be with the Father in and through prayer. For Him, prayer was being with God and talking freely with Him. When the disciples asked Jesus how they should pray, He gave them the Lord’s Prayer as the prime example. This prayer leads Jesus’ followers to ask for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. It asks for God’s will to be done. The Lord’s Prayer puts God and spiritual matters as primary concerns for life. Jesus’ prayer in the garden before His arrest gives His followers another example of the primary-ness of serving spiritual ends when He said, “Not My will but Yours be done,” to the Father.

 

These big examples of prayer from Jesus’ life and teaching along with others teach the disciples that praying in accordance with God’s will is important. Secondly, praying for God’s will on earth as it is in heaven means praying for God to work on earth to occur by any means, even through His creation. Praying for God’s will means praying for spiritual things. It means praying for Jesus’ disciples to be spiritually gifted and bear fruit for Him, in and out of season. Bearing fruit out of season implies not be constrained by the confines of the boundaries of the world, but doing God’s will—being ready to be picked by Him—regardless of when He wants to use you for His will. No time is a bad time (out of season) for God to work in people’s lives. He can intervene and direct how He wills at any time. 

 

How does this relate to verse 24? The “all things for which you pray and ask,” if prayed for as Jesus taught, are spiritual things—the things God desires to be done. This prayer grows the pray-ers relationship with God and so grows that believer’s faith in God. It also leads to God bestowing other spiritual fruit on the pray-er so that he/she is prepared in and out of season—ripe and ready for God to choose and use to help prepare to bring “His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.”

 

When a Christian prays and asks “for all things” (vs.34), Jesus meant he/she prays for spiritual things. By the faith God gives you, believe that God answers your prayers (because you asked according to His will as Jesus taught in the Lord’s Prayer) and “they will be granted to you.”

 

Praying isn’t the act of giving God your “gimme list.” It’s being in a growing and close relationship with Him. It involves being so connected with God’s heart that the believer wants what He does and prays for it. It leads the believer to ask God to make you what He wants to bring to pass what He desires on earth as in heaven. This asking by the believer is asking for spiritual things—asking for God’s spiritual gifts—so He can use you for His purposes and grow you ever closer to Him.  

 

This brings to mind another of Jesus’ teachings from Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you.” Ask God, seek for Him, knock on His door and you will receive from Him what you are lacking and what He wants you to have.

 

Are you asking for God’s fruit, His growth of you? Are you asking for His kingdom to come and His will to be done? Seek God and His kingdom, then His righteousness and all else will be given to you (Matthew 6:33). 

 

Today, seek God and the salvation He paid for you through the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus. Believe in Him and ask for salvation. Draw close to God  and be made like Jesus. 

 

Be made into fruit and be ready for Him in and out of season.

Approved

 

“Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent Council member, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, boldly went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.” (Mark 15:43 [NIV])

Each of the Gospels in the Bible (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19) tells us about Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish High Council. The High Council created laws for the people of Israel. They passed judgment with the Jewish religious leaders on anyone who broke the laws. Joseph would have been in the meeting with the priests and other religious leaders as they questioned Jesus. These men later took Jesus to Pontius Pilate. Yet, something was different about Joseph.

Not all religious leaders turned their backs on Jesus. A couple listened to what He said, questioned Him, and secretly believed in Him. They became Jesus’ disciples, too. Nicodemus is the first religious leader we read about who became a believer in Jesus (John 3.) The second is Joseph of Arimathea. We discover he was Jesus’ disciple after Jesus died. In the Bible passages noted above, Joseph asked Pilate if he could remove Jesus from the cross and put Him in his own unused tomb. Once Pilate determined from a centurion that Jesus was dead, he gave permission for Joseph to take Jesus’ body off the cross, wrap him in linens, and lay Him in the tomb.

This sounds normal. You may wonder what the big deal is. Why did each of the Gospel writers decide it necessary to record Joseph’s actions toward Jesus’ body? For Jews of the time, touching a dead body was a big deal. Why? Because it caused a person to become unclean, according to God’s laws. A person who touched a dead body had to perform ceremonial cleansing. For seven days after touching a dead body, a Jew is unclean and must perform a specific ceremonial washing as described in Numbers 19:11-13. Remember, Jesus’ arrest and death occurred during Passover week, a holy week. God’s laws required Jewish men to go to the Temple in Jerusalem for this holy week. Since Joseph touched Jesus’ body the night before the Sabbath, he would be unclean and unable to enter the Temple on the Sabbath to celebrate Passover. For Jews, especially Jewish leaders, becoming unclean, more so, choosing to become unclean, was unheard of, especially at Passover. They exerted effort to ensure their ceremonial cleanliness (righteousness).

What would cause Joseph to choose to be unclean according to the religious laws? Joseph counted the cost of acting like a Jew and keeping up the façade next to honoring and respecting Jesus the Messiah. To him, putting on a façade for the Jews was less important than taking care of the body of Jesus, his Savior. Jews could not leave a dead body on a cross over the Sabbath. It would dishonor God and the land He gave them. Joseph chose to honor Jesus and not to seek the approval of people. He chose to honor God. Joseph chose to humble himself let the Jewish people consider him unclean. He allowed the dishonor to fall on himself instead of the Messiah.

One other consideration Joseph may have had is Jesus taught He Himself is the fulfillment of God’s laws. Since Jesus fulfilled the laws, the Jewish people need not offer sacrifices for sins anymore. They did not need to consider ceremonial cleansing since Jesus cleanses all who believe in Him for their salvation. Because of Joseph’s belief in Jesus, he would not be unclean for having touched Jesus’ body. Joseph, by his actions, showed his belief in Jesus as the Son of God. He and Nicodemus went from being secret and peripheral believers to being open and active believers in Jesus, the Son of God.

Why is this a big deal 2000+ years after Jesus’ death and ascension? Joseph sought the approval and respect of the Jewish people and priests. As part of the High Council, he clearly had to keep every law. Joseph, a lawmaker and judge, wanted to be righteous. He wanted to get to heaven when he died on earth. When he listened to and about Jesus, he decided for himself Jesus is the Son of God. We each are at that point now. Jesus has already come to earth and returned to heaven. He became the sacrifice for our sins. He loves each person. Jesus provides cleansing from sins and God’s approval for each person. He gives eternal life with Him in heaven. We can be like Joseph and Nicodemus were. They sought love, respect, and approval from other people. Getting those things from people can never cleanse us from our sins (our wrongdoings). We cannot be good enough or earn our way to heaven. But, we can do like Joseph and Nicodemus did while Jesus was on earth. We can have God’s love, approval, and salvation by believing in His Son, Jesus. Yes, God loves us all the time. That love provided a way for us to be cleansed of our sins. God does not force us to trust in Jesus. He makes it salvation to us and we can decide for ourselves, like the disciples who walked with, heard, and trusted in Jesus while He was alive on earth.

The decision is your own to make. Keep trying to be good enough. Keep seeking love, approval, and respect from other people. You will never be assured of your salvation and place in heaven with God. Alternatively, seek God and His love, trust in Jesus as His Son for your salvation, and be approved by God and have eternal life with Him in heaven. Doing things to look good and trying to be good are not good enough. Joseph and Nicodemus understood that. They knew the religious laws and realized trying to keep them and appear good was not the same as the goodness (righteousness) God gives to each person who believes in Jesus. God gives love, forgiveness, approval, and salvation. Will you believe and accept it?

Stop trying to be "good enough."

Seek God’s approval.

Gift

 

¹⁴When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:14-15 [NIV]) 

      If you have been to church or read your Bible, you will have learned of this discussion Jesus had with His disciples about little children and their guardians. These guardians sought Jesus’ blessings on their children. This happens today when a famous person comes to our towns and cities. We seek an audience with that person so they can kiss or hold our child. This blessing makes our heart feel good. In our minds, to be in the presence of a famous person means we are famous for that moment. We are someone more than the sum of our individual parts; it must be true since that well-known person chose to be with us. Later in life, we remember that time and recall how special we felt to have the famous person choose to be with us and to hold or kiss our child. Was this what the guardians of the children in Mark 10 wanted? Did they seek Jesus so they could have their moment of fame? Conversely, did they seek Him because they believed in Him as God’s Son and wanted God’s blessing on their children? We can look at this from the child’s perspective. Did the children hold back from seeing Jesus or did they run, skip, and scamper to Him? Let’s consider Mark 10:13-16.

     Jesus was in Judea, in this passage. After being tested by the Pharisees about teachings on divorce, a different discussion with Him began. People brought their children to Him for Him to bless them by placing His hands on them. The disciples rebuked these people. At this, Jesus saw and corrected the disciples. He wanted the children to come to Him. Jesus made the children an example for adults. In a society where children had no power or say in life, Jesus placed them on a pedestal as a teaching model. This pointed out children are important. Jesus made sure the people who listened to Him and those who would hear and read about His words and actions later would recall this point about salvation. He told the people the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like children (vs 14). He did not say it only belongs to or is for children, but people like them. Did this mean people who are full of energy, weepy, needy, quiet, humble, trusting, sincere, welcoming, or accepting? Yes, Jesus calls all people to receive salvation. He specifically told what He meant with this statement by His comment in verse fifteen. He said people must receive the kingdom of God like a child. The kingdom of God belongs to children, and only those people who receive it like a child may enter it.

     The definition of “receiving” helps us understand what Jesus meant when He said a person must receive the kingdom of God like a child. “Receive” comes from the Greek word dechomai. Dechomai means to receive in a warmly welcoming and receptive way. Whenever someone gives anything to another person, two actions occur, giving and the receiving. Receiving cannot occur without giving, but that does not mean every person receives each thing given to them. Jesus taught, in this passage, that the children actively received in their innocence and simplicity what He offered. They did not stand back and question what Jesus would want from them, what motives He had, if He attached strings, and why they should receive it from Him. Most children happily and actively accept gifts given to them. In their innocence and trust, they actively welcome gifts into their lives. In this passage, Jesus said people must receive the gift of salvation and eternal life He gives with welcoming and active acceptance.

      Like a coin, receiving involves another actor–the Giver. No one can receive anything if nothing is given. Like a child actively and warmly receives a gift with innocence and simplicity, a giver of a gift must actively pass to another person what he or she wants to give. In this case, Jesus said God gives His kingdom to people who are like children (vs 15). If nothing is offered, nothing can be received. Still, if something is offered, it does not have to be received. People, being wary of receiving something for nothing for fear the price will take away their freedom, often choose not to receive a gift. They do not trust the giver and sometimes the gift. People often lack this trust and faith in the Giver, and they will not accept the gift Jesus offers to them.

      In these verses, Jesus raised people’s perception of children. Their innocence, simplicity, and greater willingness to act, set them apart as the best example at that moment to show the response needed for people to become children of God. God, the Giver of salvation and life in His kingdom, offers this gift to each person. Jesus made the point each person must actively accept the gift. To be an active receiver, a person should be like a child who warmly and with trusting faith accepts God’s gift of cleansing from sins and eternal life. Each person who accepts a gift actively participates in the transaction with the giver. For righteousness and eternal life with God, a person must actively join with God in receiving by faith what He offers because of His grace and love. This gift requires a high level of self-involvement from the recipient. When both sides of this transaction occur, blessing happens. The greatest blessing of any person’s life occurs, a restored relationship with God.

      Will you be childlike and respond to God calling to you to accept His gift? Will you warmly receive what He offers you-cleansing from sins and a place in His kingdom for eternity? God keeps knocking at the door to give us the gift of His grace and love. You need only open the door and let Him in to give you a place in His kingdom. Life for us should be about having righteous relationships with God and other people. Life as a child of God is about receiving His gifts with trusting faith. Life as His child is a blessing. 

What keeps you from having the trusting, innocent faith of a child?

Give that to God and ask Him to give you faith.

Faith is a gift from God for everyone who asks.

Flask in the Desert

A great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him. (Mark 3:8b [NASB])

Imagine you have been walking in the desert for two weeks and you ran out of water two days ago. You come to a place with nothing except sand in sight then see a bulging flask. You cannot survive without fluids more than another day, so do you determine what is in the flask? Do you tell yourself the flask is for someone else? Do you drink of the water and live to tell the story?

Why all these questions? Because these may be the same types of questions the people in Mark 3:7-12 had. Four groups of beings meet Jesus in this Scripture passage–the crowd of people, the disciples, the Pharisees and scribes, and the demons (unclean spirits). Which of these beings are you like?

The crowd that clamored toward Jesus came from all over Judah, Israel, and from Phoenicia. These people had heard of Jesus healing people by Him touching them and by people touching the hem of His cloak. These people fell over themselves to fall upon Jesus so that His power would heal them. They clamored to see what would happen around Jesus this time. Most of the people did not journey to see the Son of man, as Jesus called Himself in Mark’s gospel. They came to watch the “magic”. They did not trust Jesus was the prophesied Messiah.

The disciples walked with Jesus to the sea because He called them to follow Him. As of that time, many of them did not believe in Him as the Son of man, as Daniel prophesied in Daniel 7:13-14. They followed Jesus because He commanded them and He spoke with authority, healed people, and cast out demons. This man, Jesus, amazed them. Mark often used these exclamations of amazement.

The Pharisees and scribes had watched and listened as Jesus taught with authority, healed with power and authority, cast out demons with power and authority, and challenged them about who He is, the Son of man. Jesus further explained to them He has authority over the sabbath. From Mark 3:1, these Pharisees and scribes sought a way to remove Jesus and His power over the people. They did not want their own power to decrease by Jesus becoming the leader the people followed. The Pharisees determined to arrest Jesus for breaking the law so they could kill Him. They reasoned by doing that, they could regain their power and authority over the people. The Pharisees and scribes did not recognize Jesus as the Son of man or Son of God.

The unclean spirits (demons) from Mark 1:23-3:12 proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of man and the Son of God, then fell at His feet in prostration. Each time they said these things, Jesus commanded them to be quiet and tell no one who He was. It is in His nature to have authority and power over unclean spirits. The demons recognized Jesus was the Messiah. They proclaimed it, but Jesus knew the time had not yet come for people to know Him as such. He didn’t want the demons’ confession. The demons did not obey Jesus. Their father is Satan, and they obeyed him.

Jesus wants the confession of people with changed hearts because of belief in Him as the Son of God. He wants obedience from love of these people. God sent Jesus to earth as a man because of His love for all people. He wants none to be lost from Him eternally. John said this in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Consider this question again. Which of these beings are you like–the disciples, the crowd of people wanting to see or touch Jesus, the Pharisees and scribes who seek to arrest and kill Him, or the demons who recognize who Jesus is, but who don’t give themselves to Him in loving obedience? Or, are you the person who recognizes Jesus as the Son of God, confesses Him as your Savior, and obeys Him because of your love for Him? If you are like this last person, you are the one who sees the flask, recognizes it holds water, and drinks it for continued life?

Will you see the Water and drink for salvation and eternal life?

Jesus is the Water of eternal life.

Lord, I have clamored to go see the healers, the prophets, and the apostles, but I didn’t go to see, meet, and accept You into my life. I was watching the sensational things that happened and praised the man or woman for what he or she did. Please forgive me for seeking things and not You. Please forgive me for hearing about You, but not seeking You. Forgive me for recognizing my life is contrary to Your ways and not wanting to let You have the power and authority over my life. I was wrong in all these things. I wanted to live the way I wanted to live. I wanted to be my own boss, but Lord, I wasn’t my own boss then; Satan was. I’m tired of the fighting in life and tired of trying to live my own way. Forgive me my rebellion, Lord. Forgive me for ignoring You when you came to me. Lord, I do not deserve Your love, forgiveness, grace, mercy, or salvation, but, Lord, I desperately want You now. I accept and confess You as my Lord and Savior. Cleanse me and make me new in Your image. Use me for Your purposes to bring You glory. I will follow You and proclaim You to the world. Amen.

Old Skin, New Wine

“One puts new wine into fresh wineskins.” (Mark 2:22c [NASB])

In Mark 1-2, Mark pointedly recalled for his readers instances of Jesus’ authority and power from the start of His earthly ministry. In chapter one, Mark told of Jesus’ baptism (vs. 9-11) after which a voice from heaven said, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” Being the Son of God meant Jesus had the power and authority of God. Many people did not understand what was said or recognize God’s voice and so, the voice from heaven sounded like thunder to them.  After His baptism, Jesus immediately walked into the wilderness for forty days and faced temptations by Satan, against which He prevailed. After John’s arrest and before Jesus called disciples, He declared His purpose and ministry on earth. He said in 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark continued to tell of Jesus’ ministry and how He spoke with authority and power. He gave examples of Jesus’ power and authority. Consider these excerpts from Mark 1:

·         Mark 1:16-20 Jesus met and called Andrew, Simeon, James, and John to follow Him.

·         Mark 1:20-22 Jesus taught with authority, not as the scribes taught, in the Capernaum synagogue on the Sabbath.

·         Mark 1:23-28 Jesus met a man with an unclean spirit in the synagogue. This spirit recognized Jesus and said, “I know who you are-the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and commanded it to come out of the man. With agony the unclean spirit left the man.

·         Mark 1:29-31 Jesus went with Simeon to his house, found Simon’s mother-in-law sick, and healed her.

·         Mark 1:32-34 Many people of the city-town of Capernaum brought the sick and demon-possessed to Jesus and He healed them.

·         Mark 1:39 Jesus went throughout Galilee preaching and healing.

·         Mark 1:40-45 Jesus healed a leper.

In chapter one, Jesus taught with authority and showed His authority and power by healing the sick, calling men to follow Him, declaring His purpose on earth, and casting out demons. Notice in this chapter, He did not face resistance from anyone for what He did. With the start of chapter two, Jesus encountered resistance from the Jewish religious leaders.

People continued to follow Jesus in Mark 2, but none yet believed in Him as the Messiah. The resistance He encountered came from the religious leaders of Israel. The leaders felt Jesus usurped their power so, they challenged Him. Beginning with this chapter, Jesus did more than teach with authority, heal, and cleanse. Consider what Mark wrote in Mark 2:1-17.

·         Mark 2:1-12 Jesus noticed four men lowering a paralyzed man through the roof of a home that contained a crowd so large they could not enter by the door. He forgave the man of his sins. The religious leaders questioned in their hearts how this man, a carpenter from Galilee thought He was God. According to the Law and themselves, this was blasphemy. Jesus challenged them by asking if saying your sins are forgiven is harder or saying get up, take up your mat, and walk. To prove Jesus is the Son of Man, just as Daniel 7 prophesied, He told the man to get up, take up your mat, and walk. By doing this, and the man’s ability to walk, Jesus proved He has the power and authority to heal and forgive sins.

·         Mark 2:13-17 Jesus saw Levi the tax collector and called him to follow Him. Levi invited Jesus and His disciples to eat at his house with his friends. The scribes and the Pharisees challenged His disciples. They asked, “Why is He eating with tax collectors and sinners?” (vs 16) Jesus replied, only the sick need a doctor, not the healthy.

In both passages in Mark 2, Jesus met resistance by the religious leaders. First, they questioned His authority in their hearts. Jesus said He knew what they thought and proved His authority to forgive and power to heal. In verses thirteen through seventeen, Jesus called a conspicuous sinner to be His follower then ate with that unclean person and His friends. The religious leaders would never consider associating with obvious sinners. They wanted to be the standard for holiness and have followers themselves. Jesus proved even sinners are worth His time and attention and can become holy, be healed. Jesus did not stop ministering. He taught the gospel, His purpose on earth, and healed, forgave, and cast out demons because of His love for people and to give examples of His power and authority.

To the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus was a blasphemer because He acted as if He was God by forgiving sins and declaring He is the Son of Man. These leaders knew Jesus came from Galilee and was a carpenter’s son. They understood from their reading of the manuscripts, from the oral tradition, and from their training, the Messiah would arise from the tribe of David, be a warrior king, and would re-establish David’s kingdom. This Jesus was not any of these in the religious leaders’ estimation. He must be a blasphemer they decided. According to God’s Law, blasphemer’s punishment was death by stoning. The religious leaders may have at first chose to side against Jesus because He appeared to be a blasphemer. As Jesus’ ministry continued and people decided to follow Him instead of the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders, they became jealous and afraid they would lose their standing among and power over the Israelites. For these reasons, they sought to get rid of Jesus. With these twin emotions flowing through the hearts and minds of the religious leaders, they need not have worried. No one yet believed Jesus was the Messiah. They had not placed their faith in Him as the Messiah.

In Mark 2:18-22, Jesus will again teach by example and will use parables. He will rise to the challenge some people put to Him. Jesus will teach through three common analogies that everyone is unclean, and each person needs a Savior.

In the encounter by Jesus with the Pharisees in 2:12-17, the issue for the Pharisees, besides fear and jealousy, was eating with the unclean, at least the people the Pharisees considered unclean. Under Levitical law, people who were ritually unclean could not be around people who were clean. How was this designation determined? God chose the tribe of Levi to be His priests. He made them the law-teachers, keepers, and givers. They, too, were the judgment-givers God chose to tell the people how to become clean again when a person sinned against God. Remember, Israel was a theocracy, a nation whose head was God. The leaders of the people, the Levites, expanded on the laws God gave. Some of those expansions included not associating with people they considered unclean, sinners. Since the tax collectors took more money than the Roman government required and kept the excess for themselves, the tax collectors were sinners and, so, unclean. Others who the Levites considered unclean were prostitutes and lepers. God had a means by which every person could make atonement for his or her sin daily, the morning and evening sin sacrifice. God told the Levites to take the offering by the people and offer it to Him as a sin sacrifice each day. Until they sinned again, that sin offering for past sins sufficed to make them clean for that time. Yet, the Levites decided for themselves, once a sinner always a sinner, or in their thinking, once unclean always unclean. That is why eating with Levi and his friends was hard for the Pharisees to swallow. It makes the lesson of 2:18-22 difficult for them to grasp, too. Jesus confronts the Pharisees about their religious rituals and what He came to bring and give each person who believes in Him.

While John’s disciples and the Pharisees fasted, some people (other translators say onlookers or some of the disciples of these men.) asked Jesus, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” (2:18) Again, the question is about rituals. Before that time, the Pharisees instituted more weekly fasts so people would think they were more pious than other people and would look up to them. Those who did not fast as much as the Pharisees, the Pharisees considered beneath them, inferior. Because some of John’s disciples had remained loyal to the Pharisaical traditions, they, too, fasted more often than God required. Fasting in the Old Testament involved abstaining from food and possibly drink for a set period of time to express grief (1 Samuel 31:13, 2 Samuel 1:12 & 12:20-23), or penitence (1 Samuel 7:6 & 1 Kings 21:27), or to prepare one’s self for prayer (2 Samuel 12:16-17 & Psalm 35:13), or to seek the Lord’s favor (Judges 20:26 and 2 Chronicles 20:3). Jewish law required fasting only for humbling one’s self in preparation for and including the Day of Atonement. God declared purpose of the Day of Atonement was so the people could cleanse themselves from all sins before being with Him (Leviticus 16:29-31 & 23:27). In one other place, God commanded fasting as an act of contrition to return to Him with a person’s whole heart/being (Joel 2:12).

The Old Testament did not instruct people to fast two or three times a week. It never told the people to fast so he or she could appear more religious. Jesus confronted that misconception in Matthew 6:16-18. He condemned fasting to draw attention to one’s self and one’s piety. Similarly, Jesus told the people not to give alms or to pray so others would see them do these things. He told them, instead, go into a secret place and let God be the only one who sees you doing these things and He will reward you in secret (Matthew 6:1-8). Jesus did not condemn fasting. He even taught by example when He fasted forty days and nights in the desert in Matthew 4:2 and Luke 4:2. This justified fasting showed a person’s sincere seeking of God. It is a denying of one’s self (one’s flesh) and focusing on God. If we consider the New Testament after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the Christian church fasted in preparation to make important decisions (Acts 13:2-3 & 14:23). They sought God while fasting instead of seeking to fill their flesh. The New Testament has no law requiring fasting.

While we do not know for sure who asked Jesus why He ate with sinners, we realize from the question asked, the person still did not believe about Jesus being the Messiah. By this question, we recognize the questioner realized Jesus did not follow the religious rituals. Jesus’ actions and teachings kept rubbing like sandpaper against the rituals the religious leaders set. They tried to force Him to do as they said, but He determinedly chose to follow God’s will and not what man dictated. Jesus, recognizing the unbelief of the questioner and the listeners, taught by using three commonplace occurrences in the lives of the Jews-weddings, repairing cloth, and storage of wine.

First, He asked, “While the bridegroom is with them, the attendants of the bridegroom cannot fast, can they?” This was a rhetorical question. Everyone knew the answer to this was a resounding, “No.” Jesus continued, “So long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.” (2:18-19) Jesus answered the rhetorical question leading the listeners to His point and alluding to His future-Jesus won’t be with His disciples on earth always. When He is gone, they will mourn and fast during their mourning. Jesus added another depth to this image. In the Old Testament, God is the bridegroom in Isaiah 54:5 & 62:5, and in Hosea 2:19. Since Jesus is the Son of Man, He used this metaphor of the bridegroom to refer to Himself. Now, consider the Israelites culture. When a wedding occurred, the wedding feast lasted seven days. Much rejoicing, eating, drinking, and dancing marked the wedding of a man and woman. Because Jesus has come as the Bridegroom, His followers are His bride and while He is with them, they would eat and drink. When Jesus left, His bride, the church, would mourn. His arrival as the Messiah, the Son of Man, was to be a time of celebration like a wedding, not a time of penitence, atonement, and grief.

Rejoice, the Messiah has come!

In this lesson, Jesus told the people not to use fasting as a marker of a person’s devoutness. When Jesus came, He fulfilled the Law; God required no fasting any longer. He didn’t remove fasting as a spiritual discipline. Jesus wanted the people to realize the gift of salvation came by God’s grace. Salvation requires grace, God’s grace, and nothing else. We cannot gain salvation by doing anything like praying, giving, or fasting. We don’t get more salvation by doing these things. Salvation is salvation. It is complete and sufficient (ample) for each of our sins. Salvation and grace come from God Who is perfect and holy.

Grace + nothing = Salvation

Because people often understand a lesson better by using everyday objects or occurrences, Jesus continued to answer this question using the analogy of a torn old cloth and a new cloth. He said in verse twenty-one, “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results.” Read that verse again. Understand Jesus’ concern for the old cloth. His concern was that the tear would be greater than it was before the repair if the person used unshrunk cloth. Jesus came to give a new way to be in relationship, in covenant, with God. That new way is like the new cloth. If you try to sew new cloth onto the old cloth, the old way of living with its old rituals that did not give salvation, then the new cloth won’t stay attached and the old cloth will have a worse tear.

Consider the next analogy. Jesus said in verse twenty-two, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.” In that day, a tanner made a wineskin of a whole and uncut skin from a sheep or goat. He would remove first the neck, then each leg. After the tanner removed the skin, he tied off with a cord all but one opening, sheared the hair close to the skin, tanned the skin, and then turned it inside out. By skinning the animal this way, no leak could occur from a break in the skin. When a person put wine into the skins, the fermentation was not complete. During that fermentation, vapors arose. Those vapors would stretch the skin into which the vintner poured it. A new skin had elasticity to expand as the gasses arose from the fermentation process. An old skin was inflexible. If the vintner put new wine that was still fermenting into an old wineskin, the old skin that was rigid could not expand with the resultant gasses and would burst the old skin. The new wine of which Jesus spoke is His Holy Spirit whom He imparts to each believer. The old wineskin was the rituals of religion each of the Pharisees and John’s disciples used to show his piety. These rituals were something from their past of which they didn’t want to let go.

 Jesus showed concerned for the wine and the skins. He doesn’t want the faith of a person to become rigid and caught in ritual just to show one’s piety and prove he or she is better than other people. Jesus wants to give new life to each person. He wants to have His Spirit abide in each person to teach, equip, guide, encourage, admonish, and grow him or her into a closer relationship with God and likeness with Him.

Jesus lived every day with regular people. Some people were mostly good, some were considered unclean, some were sick, others were possessed by demons, all were sinners. When asked a question, Jesus wanted to make sure people understood Him well and so used analogies from every day life. These analogies are parables. Just as groomsmen do not fast at a wedding, but rejoice, Jesus wants us to rejoice with Him by accepting the new life He offers by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5, 8). Grace is God’s gift to us given by sacrificing His Son, Jesus, on the cross to take our penalty for our sins. Nothing we can do would be enough to cleanse us from what we’ve done wrong. Only God’s sacrifice of His sin-free and perfect Son is sufficient. Jesus wanted to make sure people understood this. The new life He gives cannot be added onto old rituals. We cannot and do not have to add any personal works-actions with resultant attitudes-to what Jesus gives us. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we become new like the new cloth and the new wineskin. If we just add what Jesus did to what we already do, the patch will tear off and the hole in the old cloth will be worse. Considering the analogy of the wineskins, when Jesus pours new wine into wineskin, He can’t pour it into an old wineskin of old rituals. It will burst. We cannot add the new way to the old way. The old wineskin of old rituals or religion cannot contain the Spirit of God. Keeping the old rituals means a person has not truly given his or her heart and life to God for salvation and His purposes. The person cannot grow and become more like Jesus daily because of the rigidity and bursting of their old wineskin. 

Each of us must look at our lives. We must ask ourselves what we do in our religious moments that are just ritual and what God requires. We cannot add to our salvation. Jesus paid the full penalty for each person’s sins. His sacrifice was sufficient and perfect. Nothing needs to be added, Nothing we, human, fallible created beings can add to it makes Jesus’ gift of salvation more perfect. Perfection is already perfect. So, what do we do? What religious rituals do we have that make us consider ourselves and ways as better? Do we go to church every time the doors are open? Do we make sure we are on every committee? Do we make sure we give the most money to church? Do we say long, rambling prayers in church, Bible study, cell groups, etc. to prove our piety? Do we fast every week and make sure people know it? People consider and do many other rituals to make themselves feel better and appear better than other people. But we must consider, does God require these of us or are we just doing them for show? The other side of this question is, are you making Jesus fit your idea of church? How are we making Jesus fit into our cloth or His Spirit into our wineskin? Do we think we can we even consider tell God where He is allowed in our lives? What arrogance and self-centeredness!

Perfection is already perfect.

Jesus’ offered salvation is already perfect!

Jesus invites us to His feast. He invites us to be His bride, His church. Jesus doesn’t come to fit our mold. He came to make us new and give us a new life. He calls us to rejoice with Him at the blessings of God each day. The people of Israel had trials, but He taught they could rejoice even while facing trials because He was their Bridegroom and was with them.

Today, we can know and believe with our hearts, Jesus is with us now. We can rejoice because of the hope He gives for now and eternity. Our faith doesn’t have to be old, dry, inflexible, torn, and human ritual. It can be alive because of it being in Jesus Christ. Jesus gave His sacrifice because of God’s grace. He gives us salvation and new life.

You no longer have to go to a wedding and fast.

Go to the wedding and rejoice…even during trials.

Jesus is enough. He paid it all.

God’s grace can save us through faith in Jesus Christ.

God offers salvation to everyone.

Will you accept?

¹And you were dead in your sins. ⁴But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:1, 4-5, 8-9 [NASB])

Lord, I fail often. I am a sinner. I find what I do is not enough to make me feel good about myself. There’s nothing I can do to make my guilt go away and, Lord, I come today to lay it all down at Your feet. Please, take my pain and my shame. Take my heart; it’s all I have. Cleanse me. Make me new. Give me Your loving grace. I accept You as My Savior, Oh Son of God. Forgive me, please. Amen.