Resurrected Christ Appears a Third Time to His Disciples

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(John 21:1) After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had appeared for the second time to all His disciples in a closed room, and had shown "Doubting" Thomas His wounds so that by seeing, Thomas would believe.  He now appeared to His disciples again, this time at the sea of Tiberias which is the Sea of Galilee.  What follows is how He showed Himself to them.

(2) There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of His disciples.

John named the disciples who were there, Peter, Thomas, James and John (the sons of Zebedee), Nathanael who was probably the disciple Bartholomew, and two other disciples not named.  Bartholomew or Bar-Tolmai means "son of Tolmai," which makes it probably a surname, with Nathanael his given name.

(3) Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We also are going with you." They went forth and entered into a ship immediately, and that night they caught nothing.

Peter had decided to go fishing and the other disciples went with him.  They boarded a ship or fishing boat and it seems caught no fish all night.

(4) But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

When morning had come and they were still aboard the ship, they saw Jesus standing on the shore, but they did not know it was Him.  Perhaps they were not close enough to see Him clearly, and it may have still been dim light.

(5) Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any meat?" They answered Him, "No."

Jesus called out to them, calling them "Children," a term of endearment that would seem to intimate that it was Jesus speaking to them, but it appears they still didn't know it was Him.  He asked them if they had any meat or fish, meaning had they caught any, and they told Him they had not.

(6) And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the ship and you will find." They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

Jesus told them to cast their net on the right side of the ship and they would find fish.  Although it doesn't appear that they yet knew it was Jesus who spoke to them, they took His advice and cast where He told them, and they were not able to draw their net back in because of the weight of all the fish that were in it.

(7) Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat (for he was naked), and cast himself into the sea.

John was the first to recognize that it was their Lord who had told them where to cast their net, and he told Peter it was the Lord.  When Peter heard that, he put on his fishing garments, as he had been shirtless, in his undergarments only, and jumped into the sea, surely eager to get to Jesus.  You would think that he was previously better attired for swimming, but I'm sure out of respect to His Lord, he put his clothes on.

(8) And the other disciples came in the little ship (for they were not far from land but as it was two hundred cubits) dragging the net with fishes.

The other disciples came to shore in their little ship dragging the net with all the fish.  They had been only about a hundred yards from the shore, a cubit being about 18 inches.

(9) As soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. (10) Jesus said to them, "Bring of the fish which you have now caught."

When the disciples came to land, they saw a fire of coals on the shore with fish laid on it, and also bread.  Jesus told them to also bring some of the fish they had just caught.

(11) Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three, and although there were so many, yet the net was not broken.

Peter went back up to the ship and drew the net onto land.  It was full of 153 large fish, but although there were so many, their fishing net was not broken.  Jesus had preserved their net for them.

(12) Jesus said to them, "Come, dine." And none of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?" knowing that it was the Lord.

Jesus called the disciples to come to where He had fish cooking on the coals and told them to eat.  None of the disciples asked who it was who had told them where to cast their net and was now inviting them to eat, as they all knew by that time it was their Lord.

(13) Jesus then came and took bread and gave them, and fish likewise.

Jesus came to them and gave them all bread and fish.

(14) This is now the third time that Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was risen from the dead.

John made a point to tell his readers that this was the third time that Jesus had appeared to His disciples after He had risen from the dead.  Throughout the Bible, we are told that by the mouth of two or three witnesses, a thing is established.  Therefore, by these three appearances, it was firmly established as truth that Jesus had risen from the dead and had shown Himself to His disciples.

(15) So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord, You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."

After they had dined, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him more than the rest of the disciples did.  Peter had said in Matthew 26:33 that although all men might be offended by Jesus, he would never be offended.  However, Peter had gone on to deny he knew Jesus three times.  But now his love for Jesus made him jump into the sea to be the first to come to Him.  Peter answered Jesus that he indeed loved Him, and that Jesus knew he did.  Jesus then told him to feed His lambs which meant to care for His flock of new Christians.

(16) He said to him again the second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord, You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My sheep."

Jesus again asked Peter if he loved Him, and Peter answered as before that he did love Him, and that Jesus knew that he loved Him.  Again Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep.  Although it appears that Jesus told Peter pretty much the same thing, the word translated as "feed" is actually two different words in the two different passages.  The first time, Jesus told Peter to "bosko" (feed) His lambs, "lambs" probably denoting new baby Christians.  The second time, Jesus told Peter to "poimaino" (tend, govern) His sheep, indicating a sense of guiding and caring for His sheep, Jesus's flock of Christians.

(17) He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep."

Jesus asked Peter a third time if he loved Him.  Peter was dismayed that Jesus had to keep asking him whether he loved Him or not.  It's possible that Peter thought Jesus saw something in him which he did not see, something that would lead to another denial of Jesus, and Jesus was about to tell him about it, as He had done when He told Peter he would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed.  He said to his Lord that He knew everything, so He knew that he loved Him.  Jesus said to Peter again, "Feed My sheep."  Jesus had returned to "bosko" His sheep, to feed His flock, His Christian followers.  I believe there was significance in having Peter declare three times that he loved the Lord and he would care for His flock.  For one, he had denied his Lord three times, and Jesus was giving him the chance to now confess Him three times, restoring him to his former position as Jesus's trusted apostle.  Also as discussed before, by declaring his love three times, it was established as a truthful fact.

(18) "Verily, verily, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wished, but when you are old, you shall stretch forth your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish." (19) This He spoke, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."

Jesus told Peter that when he was young, not that he was old then, but while he was young, he was able to gird himself, that is clothe himself and bind himself with a belt.  But when he was old, indicating Peter would live to an old age, someone else would gird him and take him where he did not wish to go.  Jesus was telling Peter what sort of death he would suffer.  Because we have the knowledge of history, we can know that Jesus meant that Peter's arms would be outstretched and bound to a cross and he would be carried to his death where he would not naturally desire to go.  It's not that Peter would be unwilling to die for Christ, but it was not what he sought, and it stood in opposition to the freedom he had when he was young.  Note that Jesus said his death would honor God.  After Jesus had told Peter this, he told him to follow Him.

In Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible, he stated that ancient writers stated that Peter lived 34 years after this and then was crucified, "and that he deemed it so glorious a thing to die for Christ that he begged to be crucified with his head downwards, not considering himself worthy to die in the same posture in which his Lord did." 

(20) Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at supper, and said, "Lord, who is he who betrays you?" (21) Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?"

Peter then turned around and saw John following.  John wrote that the disciple who followed was the same one who had leaned on Jesus's breast at the Passover supper and had asked Him who it was who would betray Him.  We know this was John, also because he always called himself the disciple whom Jesus loved.  At first glance, it seems egotistical that one should call himself the one Jesus loved, as if Jesus loved him above all others.  John never mentions himself by name, but always as that other disciple or the disciple whom Jesus loved.  Far from being full of himself, I think John felt his self-worth was only in the fact that he was loved by Jesus.  He never says the disciple Jesus loved the most, but only that Jesus loved him, and he knew it and felt it.  

Note that Jesus told Peter to follow Him, and it appears that John did not wait for an invitation, but followed, as well.  When Peter saw John following, he asked Jesus what would happen to John.

(22) Jesus said to him, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."

Jesus asked Peter what concern was it of his if He willed that John should live until He returned.  Jesus pretty much told Peter that it was none of his business what happened to John.  Jesus had told Peter his concern was to follow Him.  

(23) Then went this saying abroad among the brethren that that disciple would not die, yet Jesus did not say to him, "He shall not die," but, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you?"

It appears that because of what Jesus said and the way He said it that the other disciples thought He meant that John would not die.  However, John makes it a point to tell us that Jesus had not said that at all, but only that if Jesus willed he should not die, that was no concern of Peter's.

(24) This is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

This statement proves that John was the disciple whom Jesus loved.  John wrote that he himself testified of the things he wrote and knew them to be true as he was an eye and ear witness to what he wrote.  The fact that he wrote "we know" might mean that he was well known as a man of truth and what he wrote could be trusted as fact.

(25) And there are also many other things which Jesus did which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

What a beautiful end to John's Gospel!  He acknowledged that Jesus had done so many other noteworthy things that if every one of them was written down that the world itself could not hold all the books it would take to record them all.  Of course, he used hyperbole, but by this, he told us Jesus Christ did more works and miracles during His short time in ministry on earth than could ever be all recorded.

So ends what I consider to be one of the most beautiful books in the Bible, and also my study of the Gospels.  I took a break from my chronological Bible study to study the four Gospels as I was challenged to read what Jesus said about certain modern cultural things as if to see that because Jesus did not address homosexuality and transgenderism specifically, that meant it was okay.  While Jesus definitely taught us to love all people regardless of their sexual sin (the woman at the well, for example), He made it clear that He was the only way to be saved from our sins and enjoy eternal life in heaven.  We are not to judge people, as we tend to judge by outward appearances, but God judges their hearts.  By showing love and living like Jesus, people will be naturally drawn to Him.  And once they have asked forgiveness and asked to have Jesus within their hearts, His Holy Spirit will meet them where they are and will show them truth as they become new creations in Christ.  Like Peter above, what is it to us what God decides about one we consider to be a sinner?  After all, we are all sinners, but we are to do what Jesus called us to do, follow Him.  And His example is to love them and if we love them and want them to be saved from eternal damnation, we will pray for them to come to Jesus and let Him take it from there.

However, that being said, I do not see that Jesus approved these sexual deviations.  He definitely affirmed God's design for just two sexes, male and female, and His design for marriage that a man and a woman be joined together as one, quoting Old Testament scripture (Matthew 19:4-6).  He also referred to sexual immorality as being something that defiles a person (Matthew 15:19-20) and that nothing unclean may enter into paradise (Revelation 21:27).  Although Jesus didn't speak specifically about all the different laws of God, He made it clear that He did not come to do away with any of them (Matthew 5:17), but He had come to fulfill the law by giving us a way to be saved from our discretions against the law.  And if He didn't do away with the Old Testament laws, then we can refer to the Old Testament to see what God considered sexual immorality, and that included adultery (Exodus 20:14), homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22), bestiality (Leviticus 18:23), sex with mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, or sister (Leviticus 18:11, 12, 17).  Additionally, cross-dressing is forbidden (Deuteronomy 22:5), definitely a sign that transsexual expression is nothing new.  God created male and female only (Genesis 5:2), and science tells us that “Human sexuality is an objective biological binary trait: “XY” and “XX” are genetic markers of male and female, respectively – not genetic markers of a disorder. The norm for human design is to be conceived either male or female. Human sexuality is binary by design with the obvious purpose being the reproduction and flourishing of our species. This principle is self-evident." (The American College of Pediatricians)  The X and Y chromosomes are what determine male and female, not what one feels.

So, in conclusion, I learned much about the love of Jesus toward all people, but His love did not mean that He approved of sexual deviations.  I will return to my chronological study in the next post.

The Calling of the First Disciples

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 5:1) And it came to pass that as the people pressed upon Him to hear the Word of God, He stood by the lake of Gennesaret.

In the last chapter of Luke, Jesus had begun His ministry and was teaching throughout Galilee.  On this occasion, He was teaching by the lake of Gennesaret which was also called the Sea of Galilee.  The people were pressing in on Him to hear the Word of God.

(2) And saw two ships standing by the lake, but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets.

As Jesus was being pressed into the sea, He saw two ships anchored at the seashore.  The fishermen had left their ships and were washing their fishing nets.

(3) And He entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and asked him to thrust out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people out of the ship.

Jesus boarded one of the ships and asked its owner, Simon, who must have been very close by washing his nets, to move the boat out into the water away from the land a little.  There Jesus sat and taught the people from the boat.

(4) Now when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."

When Jesus had finished teaching the people, He spoke to Simon, and told him to launch out into the deeper water and let down their nets there for a catch of fish.

(5) And Simon, answering, said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and have taken nothing. Nevertheless, at Your word, I will let down the net."

Simon told Jesus that they had been fishing all night long and didn't catch anything, but he would go ahead and do what Jesus said.

(6) And when they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net broke.

When Simon, and whoever was helping him, probably his brother Andrew and perhaps a servant or two, had done as Jesus had told them, they took up such a huge multitude of fish, that it broke their net.

(7) And they beckoned to their partners who were in the other ship to come and help them. And they came and filled both the ships so that they began to sink.

Simon's crew called out to the crew in the other ship to help them with their catch, and there were so many fish that they filled both boats so much that they began to sink.

(8) When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus's knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."

When Simon saw the fish and what the Lord had done for him, he fell at Jesus's feet, asking that He leave him, for he was a sinful man not worthy to even be in His presence, not to mention worthy of what the Lord Jesus had done for him.

(9) For he was astonished, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken, (10) And so were also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Fear not, from henceforth you will catch men."

Not only was Simon completely awestruck at the catch of fish they had brought in, but all who were with him, including James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were his partners in the other ship.  Jesus told Simon at His feet not to be afraid, for he was going to thenceforth catch men.

(11) And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

When they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all, leaving their boats and nets and livelihood, and followed Jesus.  The accounts in Matthew and Mark do not go into detail about how Jesus first encountered them that day when He used Simon's boat to teach from and then gave them the boatloads of fish, and finally telling Simon He would make him a fisher of men.  Knowing all this occurred first, it's easy to see how when Jesus officially called them to follow Him, they all willingly forsook all and followed.

(12) And it came to pass when He was in a certain city, behold, a man full of leprosy seeing Jesus, fell on his face and besought Him, saying, "Lord, if You will, You can make me clean."

When Jesus had gone into a city, there was a man there full of leprosy who when he saw Jesus fell on his face and made an appeal to Him.  He acknowledged that Jesus was Lord and seemed to know that He could indeed heal him if it was His will to do so.

(13) And He put forth His hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

Jesus put forth His hand and actually touched the man, showing that no disease or sin was too filthy to bring to Him.  He told the man He was indeed willing, and He commanded that he be clean.  Immediately the leprosy left the man.

(14) And He charged him to tell no man, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony to them."

Jesus told the man not to tell anyone of his healing by Him, but told him to go directly to the priest to be declared clean and offer his offering as prescribed by Moses in the law.  I always felt that Jesus didn't want people advertising His healings because for one, He wasn't about vainglory and praise, and also because He didn't want too much attention brought to Him too soon before His time.  However, Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, brought up another point.  He believed that Jesus didn't forbid the man from ever letting it be known that He had healed him, but rather His meaning was that he should not go about bragging about it for his own honor, but be humble and thankful, and know that it was not because he was particularly great and important that Jesus should choose to heal him.

(15) But so much more went there abroad a fame of Him, and great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.

However, the account in Mark states that the man went out and "began to publish it much and blaze the matter abroad," so that Jesus's fame grew and great multitudes of people came together to hear Him and to be healed by Him.

(16) And He withdrew Himself into the wilderness and prayed.

The general consensus of the Bible commentators I study is that this doesn't mean that Jesus withdrew Himself right away from the multitudes seeking His word and healing, ignoring their requests, but that He frequently took breaks away from the multitudes to pray.  He was so constantly thronged by people that He would have to withdraw from them on occasions for solitude, rest, and prayer.

(17) And it came to pass on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

It came to pass that one day when Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and doctors or scribes of the law were sitting by to observe Jesus.  The original statement is a bit awkwardly written but the meaning is that people came from all around, from the towns of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem, to hear Jesus's teaching, and the power of the Lord was present to heal them, not the Pharisees and scribes, who just happened to be sitting by and observed, but certainly weren't there to be healed by Him.

(18) And behold, men brought in a bed a man who was taken with a palsy, and they sought means to bring him in and to lay him before Him.

The account in Mark stated that Jesus was teaching in a house, so when some men brought a man lying on a bed who was paralyzed to bring before Jesus, they had difficulty finding room in the house to do so.

(19) And when they could not find how they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went on the housetop and let him down through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

When the men carrying the paralyzed man on the cot could not find their way into the house because of the crowd of people, they went on top of the house and let the cot down through the tiling of the roof, either by removing a few tiles or perhaps through a trapdoor in the midst of the tiles that was usually found on Jewish flat-roofed houses.  They dropped the man on his cot into the midst of the crowd before Jesus.

(20) And when He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."

Jesus saw that the men must have had great faith in Him to go through all the trouble they did to get their paralyzed friend to Him, and He told the man on the cot that his sins had been forgiven.

(21) And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

The scribes and Pharisees who were sitting among the crowd began to reason among themselves that Jesus spoke blasphemies because no one could forgive sins except God alone.

(22) But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answering, said to them, "Why do you reason in your hearts? (23) Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you' or to say, 'Rise up and walk.'?"

Jesus knew what the scribes and Pharisees were reasoning in their hearts and minds, and asked them why it was that they did.  He asked them which was easier for Him to have said, that the man's sins were forgiven him, or to get up and walk.

(24) "But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins," He said to the man sick of the palsy, "I say to you, arise and take up your cot and go to your house."

To the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus said that so they would know that He, the Son of man, had power on earth to forgive sins, He turned His attention to the paralyzed man and told him to rise up, take his cot, and go to his house.

(25) And immediately he rose up before them and took up what he had been lying on and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

Immediately the paralyzed man rose up before the crowd, took up his cot, and departed to his own house, glorifying God for his healing.

(26) And they were all amazed and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today."

All who witnessed the miraculous healing were amazed and they, too, glorified God.  However, they were also filled with a reverential fear for the divine Being in their presence and acknowledged they had seen things they had never seen before.

(27) And after these things He went forth and saw a publican named Levi sitting at the receipt of custom, and He said to him, "Follow Me."

Jesus left the house and as He went, He saw a tax collector named Levi, who was also called Matthew, sitting at the booth or office where taxes were collected.  Jesus told Matthew to follow Him.  How wonderful it is that Jesus calls the lowliest people to Him.  It should give us all hope and assurance that wherever we are in life, we can go to Him.  He called lowly fishermen and a hated tax collector to be His closest followers.  He humbled Himself to be among the lowliest of men in order to save all of us, no matter what our circumstances.  The Holy God who cannot be in the presence of sin humbled Himself to come to earth as a man and surrounded Himself with the lowliest men of rank and reputation.  Can there be any more loving and gracious act?

(28) And he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

Levi, or Matthew, immediately followed Jesus, leaving all his business behind him.  One can imagine there were many other tax collectors in Matthew's presence at his office or with their own booths.  But Jesus called only Matthew.  Jesus judges the heart of man and surely saw the good in Matthew.  Matthew, likewise, knowing there had to be something better, being drawn by the Holy Spirit of God, willingly left everything to follow Jesus.  However, I could be giving Matthew more credit than he deserves at this point.  Jesus's calling of Matthew could be 100% His power to soften a hard heart and draw its owner to follow Him, something Matthew may have been completely uninclined to do on his own, but Jesus saw the truth in Matthew and saw him as he would become.

(29) And Levi made Him a great feast in his own house, and there was a great company of publicans and others who sat down with them.

Levi, or Matthew, made a great feast in Jesus's honor at his home.  As he was a tax collector, it is easy to understand why his friends would be tax collectors as well, and these people and others sat with Jesus and Matthew.

(30) But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against His disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?"

However, the scribes and the Pharisees among the people murmured against Jesus's followers and asked why they would partake of a feast with tax collectors and sinners.

(31) And Jesus answering, said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (32) I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, although they didn't speak directly to Him, spoke directly to them and told them that people who are well don't need a physician; only those who are sick need one.  Likewise, the righteous didn't necessarily need Him at this point, but sinners needed Him desperately and He came for them.

(33) And they said to Him, "Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?"

The account in Matthew states that it was the disciples of John who posed this question to Jesus.  It could be they were among the scribes and Pharisees or any others who had witnessed Jesus and His disciples at the feast.  It could have been discussed aloud and any one of them may have posed a sincere question to Jesus.  They asked Him why it was that religious followers like the disciples of John and also of the scribes and Pharisees fasted often and made prayers while Jesus's disciples ate and drank.

(34) And He said to them, "Can you make the children of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom is with them?"

Jesus answered their question with a question as He so often did.  Just as the friends and family at a wedding could not be expected to fast and mourn while the wedding party was among them, neither could Jesus's disciples be expected to fast and pray while He was with them.

(35) "But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days."

Jesus continued, telling them that there would come a time when their bridegroom, Jesus, would be taken away from them, and then it would be the time for fasting and prayer.

(36) And He spoke also a parable to them, "No man puts a piece of a new garment on an old, otherwise the new makes a tear and the piece out of the new does not match the old."

Jesus then gave them an illustration of His point.  One would not take a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one.  It would tear and ruin the new garment, and the patch would not match the old garment and would pull and possibly tear it when washed.  The new and old do not fit together.  Jesus would not take His new disciples and try to put them into the old religion of men of strictness and legalism.  Jesus came to teach the heart of the law of God and this new way, although not really new at all, but new to the old religious leaders who had lost their way, would pull at and disrupt the old ways.  Also it would detract from the heart of the law of God to take from their new way and force them back to a legalistic view.

(37) "And no man puts new wine into old bottles, else the new wine will burst the bottles and will be spilled and the bottles will perish."

Likewise, no man would put new wine in an old bottle as the old bottle of skin would not be able to stand the fermentation of the new wine and would give way, spilling the wine and destroying the bottle.  So the new wine of Gospel grace would not be put into the old Pharisee bottles as they would not be able to receive and bear it and would literally perish with wrath and indignation of the new, spilling it out to no avail.

(38) "But new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are preserved."

The new Gospel way of thinking must be given to new baby Christians whose hearts have not been hardened by legalistic rules and customs of man.  That way both the new Christians like Jesus's disciples would be preserved as well as the Gospel of God.

(39) "And no man also having drunk old immediately desires new, for he says, "The old is better."

Jesus went on to add that no man having been accustomed to the old would immediately desire the new, for he would think the old that he was used to was the better way.  New baby Christians would more readily accept the new Gospel than would the old religious leaders who were comfortable in their old ways believing they were the best.

To Be Great in the Kingdom of God is to Be Servant to All

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 10:32) And they were on the way going up to Jerusalem and Jesus went before them; and they were amazed, and as they followed, they were afraid. And He again took the twelve and began to tell them what things would happen to Him.

In the last post Jesus had been on the road when the rich man came to Him asking how to have eternal life.  He and His disciples apparently continued on the way and were headed to Jerusalem.  Jesus went ahead of the disciples which amazed them that He boldly pressed forward headed into danger as He had already told them that He must go to Jerusalen to suffer many things and be killed (Matthew 16:21).  That scripture said that from that particular time forth He had begun to tell them about His death and resurrection, so they knew well what awaited Jesus in Jerusalem.  As they followed behind Him, they were afraid.  They surely had ominous feelings about what awaited Him and that made them fearful for Him, and perhaps even for themselves.  Jesus took them aside and began to tell them again what would happen to Him.

(33) "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles."

Jesus did not try to make the disciples feel better by telling them things weren't going to be as bad as they thought or feed them hopes that He might be able to escape what was to happen to Him.  He told them the truth.  There is power in the truth.  We humans fear the unknown more than the known.  He told them that they were going to Jerusalem where He would be delivered to the chief priests and scribes.  They would condemn Him to death and then deliver Him to the Gentiles.  This was it!  It was all to happen soon.

(34) "And they will mock Him and scourge Him and will spit on Him and will kill Him, and the third day He will rise again."

Jesus gave the disciples more details about how they would torment Him, scourging Him, mocking Him and spitting on Him, and finally killing Him.  However, on the third day after that He would rise again.

(35) And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Master, we want that you would do for us whatever we desire."

According to Matthew 20:20, it was actually James and John's mother who came to Jesus with them and asked if He would do them a favor.  Therefore, it could not have happened immediately after what Jesus had just said to them, thankfully, as it would have seemed heartless to ask what they were about to ask after what He had just told them.

(36) And He said to them, "What would you want that I should do for you?"

The way the question was apparently asked was they desired Jesus to do whatever they asked.  Jesus, however, wanted to know what it was first.  Of course, He already knew, but He wanted them to voice it.

(37) They said to Him, "Grant to us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left hand, in Your glory."

They asked Jesus, or rather their mother with them was the one who probably asked, according to Matthew, if one of them could sit at the right hand of Jesus and the other on His left in His glory.  I couldn't help but ponder how Mark chose to tell the story versus how Matthew told it.  Matthew said it was James and John's mother who did all the talking and asking.  He very specifically stated that their mother had asked that her sons be allowed to sit on the right and left hands of Jesus in His kingdom.  However, Mark, who was likely Peter's scribe, and writing his view of the account put all the blame on James and John, suggesting that it was them who had the audacity to make such a request.

(38) But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Can you drink of the cup that I drink of? And be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"

However, Jesus said to James and John and their mother that they really didn't know what they asked for.  They probably saw Jesus's glory and kingdom as they did a worldly one.  If Jesus was king and on the throne, then His disciples would naturally be highest rank in His court, they probably reasoned.  Jesus had already rebuked His disciples when they had argued about which one of them would be the greatest in the kingdom, and here James and John were asking to have the highest honor.  Jesus asked could they really drink of the cup that He did, or be baptized as He was about to be baptized.  The brothers saw Jesus as a worldly king with all the pomp and circumstance and honor that went with it.  However, Jesus drank from a cup of sorrows, soon to be afflictions and suffering.  He was about to be totally immersed in a bloody baptism, His purpose for coming into the world.  Could the brothers be on either side of Him as He did that?

(39) And they said to Him, "We can." And Jesus said to them, "You shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized with, you will be baptized."

James and John told Jesus that they could drink of His bitter cup and be baptized as He was about to be baptized.  Of course, they were ignorant of what that really meant.  However, Jesus answered that they indeed would, as He knew they would suffer for being His follower, not in the way that He would, of course.  Jesus suffered greatly for a greater purpose and bore the entire weight and punishment for the sins of the entire world, but James and John would indeed suffer for His sake, perhaps a sip of His cup.

(40) "But to sit on My right hand and on My left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it is prepared."

Jesus added that positions on His right and left hands were not His to give, but were to be given to whom they were already prepared by God.  There were still two thousand years ahead of them of Christian saints doing God's will, and each would be rewarded according to his own labor, and of course, God already knew to whom the richest rewards would go.

(41) And when the ten heard, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.

The ten other disciples were all angry with James and John, not their mother, proving that Peter's opinion through his scribe Mark that it was James and John who really desired what their mother asked, although they may have used their mother to ask for them.  At the very least, they certainly didn't rebuke her for asking.  

(42) But Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and their great ones exercise authority on them."

Jesus called all His disciples to Him and began to teach them.  He described how rulers really lorded their superiority over their subjects usually in a tyrannical way.  Likewise, the rulers' superiors exercised authority over them.

(43) "But so shall it not be among you, but whoever will be great among you shall be your minister."

Jesus explained that it was not that way with Christian disciples.  Whoever was considered great in Christ's kingdom would be servants to others, not ruling over them. 

(44) "And whoever of you will be the chiefest will be servant of all."

To serve Christ, or be his righthand man, as James and John desired, meant to serve and minister to a physically and spiritually sick world.  Whoever was the greatest would be servant to all.

(45) "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Jesus explained that even He, their king, didn't come into the world to be attended and ministered to as a worldly king, but He came to minister to a lost world, and to even give His life to save many, all who would accept His sacrifice. 

(46) And they came to Jericho, and as He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the side of the road begging.

On their way to Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples went through Jericho, and a multitude of people from the city followed them as they went out of Jericho.  On the side of the road was a blind man, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, begging.  If this is the same encounter that was recorded in Matthew 20:30, Matthew said there were two blind men.  However, the fact that Bartimaeus was named, and additionally his father was named, might indicate that Timaeus was prominent and well known in the area.  It doesn't mean there weren't two blind men, but he was the prominent one well-remembered.  It's also possible that there were multiple healings of blind men, as the account in Luke gives different details about the time and location, according to commentators.  I'm quite sure Jesus healed many blind people in His short ministry on earth.

(47) And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

As there was a multitude of people passing by Bartimaeus on the side of the road, he had occasion to hear or even ask who it was that passed by.  When he heard it was Jesus, he began to cry out to Him, calling Him the Son of David, and asked Him to have mercy on him.

(48) And many rebuked him that he should hold his peace, but he cried all the more a great deal, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Many people among the multitude rebuked him and told him to keep his peace, that same "Don't bother Jesus" attitude that we have heard before.  However, Bartimaeus didn't let them stop him and he cried out all the more to Jesus.

(49) And Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good comfort; rise, He is calling you."

Jesus stopped and directed the people to call Bartimaeus to Him.  Jesus has time for all people, no matter how lowly their status, the blind beggars, the children, etc.  They indeed called Bartimaeus and told him to be of good cheer and get up, as Jesus was calling him.

(50) And he, casting away his garment, rose and came to Jesus.

Probably Bartimaeus sat with a blanket or something of the sort wrapped around him as he sat by the side of the road.  He threw that off and went to Jesus.  I love that picture!  He was persistent in calling on Jesus, regardless of how people tried to discourage him, and when Jesus called him, he threw off the rags defining him and his situation, and came to Jesus.  Some Bible commentators suggest throwing off one's own garments might more rightly express the throwing off or setting aside of one's own self-righteousness, admitting he can't do it on his own and his need for Jesus.

(51) And Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want that I should do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Lord, that I might receive my sight."

Jesus asked Bartimaeus what it was he wanted.  Of course, He knew, and it was rather obvious, but He wanted Bartimaeus to confess what he needed from Jesus.  Calling Him Lord, he asked that he might receive his sight.

(52) And Jesus said to him, "Go your way, your faith has made you whole." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the way.

Jesus told Bartimaeus to go on his way, that his faith had made him whole.  Immediately he received his sight and he followed Jesus along the way.  Bartimaeus had shown great faith in Jesus, knowing He was the promised Son of David, and acknowledging Him as Lord.  Jesus didn't lay hands on Bartimaeus, or touch his eyes, or command he receive sight; he just told him to go his way and he was made whole, able to fully see.  And he followed Jesus.  A perfect end to that picture of someone throwing off self and coming to Jesus for salvation and following Him.

Jesus's Twelve Apostles and His True Brothers and Sisters

Continuing a Bible study of the gospels:

(Mark 3:1) And He entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand.

In the last chapter of Mark, Jesus had come back into the city of Capernaum after a short stay in the wilderness, and He now went back into the synagogue there.  There was a man there who had a withered hand.

(2) And they watched Him, whether He would heal him on the sabbath day, that they might accuse Him.

The scribes and Pharisees who had been accusing Jesus's disciples of "work" on the Sabbath at the end of the last chapter, now watched Jesus closely to see if He would heal a man on the sabbath day.

(3) And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Stand forth."

Surely knowing what the scribes and Pharisees were thinking in their hearts, Jesus told the man with the withered hand to stand before them.

(4) And He said to them, "Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? To save life or to kill? But they held their peace.

Jesus asked the scribes and Pharisees whether it was lawful to do good on the sabbath days or to do evil.  Was it lawful to save a life or to kill?  They did not answer Him.

(5) And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch forth your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Jesus looked around at the scribes and Pharisees about Him, angry and distressed at them because they were so heartless they would not want to see a man healed just because it was on the Sabbath.  He then told the man with the withered hand to stretch it forth, and when he did, the hand was restored whole just as his other hand.

(6) And the Pharisees went forth, and immediately counseled with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

The Pharisees who were supposed to be the oracles of the church, went out of the synagogue and met and counseled with the Herodians, who were supporters of the government.  Even though these two groups were usually at odds with each other, they found common ground in their desire to get rid of Jesus, and that is what they plotted together to do.

(7) But Jesus withdrew Himself with His disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea, (8) And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond Jordan, and those around Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things He did, came to Him.

Jesus, surely knowing the plotting against Him, withdrew from the city of Capernaum, and He and His disciples went to the seashore of the Sea of Galilee.  A great multitude of people followed Him from Galilee, from Jerusalem and Judea, from Idumea, which was Edom, and beyond the Jordan River, and from as far west as Tyre and Sidon.  When these people had heard what great things Jesus did, they came from far and wide to Him.

(9) And He spoke to His disciples that a small boat should wait on Him because of the multitude, lest they crowd Him.

Jesus told His disciples to get a small boat ready for Him in case the crowd of people began to press in too hard on Him.

(10) For He had healed many, so that they pressed upon Him to touch Him, as many as had plagues.

Because Jesus had healed many people, crowds of people with plagues or diseases pressed upon Him just to touch Him in hopes they would be healed by just His touch.

(11) And unclean spirits, when they saw Him, fell down before Him, and cried, saying, "You are the Son of God!"

The unclean spirits that possessed people in the crowd recognized Him, and the bodies they possessed fell before Him when they saw Him, crying out that He was the Son of God.  Evil spirits cannot stand in the presence of God; they are in complete subjection to Him.

(12) And He sternly charged them that they should not make Him known.

The spirits could not help but fall before Jesus, but He once again silenced them so that they would not make Him known to the people.  Evil spirits were certainly not the best preachers!

(13) And He went up in a mountain and called whom He wanted, and they came to Him. (14) And He ordained twelve that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach. (15) And to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out devils.

The account in Luke states Jesus went to the mountain to pray and stayed there all night.  When it was day, He called His disciples to Him, which were probably many followers in the beginning, and He chose among them twelve to be His righthand men, so to speak, men He could send out to preach, to heal, and to cast out devils.  Note He chose twelve to have that power; they wouldn't have naturally had the power to do such things without Jesus giving it to them.  Of course, the significance of the number twelve can't be overstated.  It was obviously the number of the twelve tribes of Israel.

(16) And Simon He surnamed Peter.

The first of the twelve disciples was Simon whom Jesus surnamed Peter; He was called Simon Peter, but most often just Peter.

(17) And James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, and He surnamed them Boanerges, which is "Sons of Thunder."

Then Jesus called James and John and gave them the surname of Boanerges which meant "Sons of Thunder."

(18) And Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite.

Jesus also called Andrew, who was Peter's brother, and Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, to distinguish him from James the brother of John.  Jesus also called Thaddeus and Simon the Canaanite, again an addition to distinguish him from Simon Peter.  He was also called Simon the Zealot.

(19) And Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.

Lastly, Jesus chose Judas Iscariot, who, of course, would betray Him.  Certainly Jesus knew that when He chose Him, even though Judas could not have known it at that point, but He chose him to fulfill the purposes of God.  Jesus and the twelve disciples then went into a house, probably the house of Peter and Andrew which seems to be the place Jesus stayed when He was in Capernaum.

(20) And the multitude came together again so that they could not so much as eat bread.

When Jesus came back into town into the house, a crowd of people came together again to the house, so as He and His disciples could not even eat.

(21) And when His friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is beside Himself."

The word that was translated as "friends" meant a closer relationship than just a friend.  It meant those who were of Him, so either very close friends or more likely family and relatives, heard about what was going on with Jesus and went to get Him, for they said He must have been out of sorts, or out of His wits, as the word "existemi" more accurately meant.  Jesus's closest friends and relatives did not understand who He was at this point.

(22) And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils, He casts out devils."

The scribes from Jerusalem declared that Jesus had the spirit of Satan, and it was by his power that He was able to cast out demons.  That is the very reason that Jesus always made the evil spirits possessing people to be silent so as not to engender this belief, that they listened to Him because He was of them.  These last two verses illustrate what Jesus's own people thought of Him, that He was insane or possessed by demons.  John stated in John 1:11 that Jesus came into the world to His own, but they did not receive Him.

(23) And He called them and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan?"

To the scribes who said that Jesus cast out devils by the power of Beelzebub, He asked in parables, or metaphorically with illustrations, how it was that Satan could cast out himself.

(24) "And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand."

Jesus continued with His illustration of that fact by comparing it to a kingdom that was divided against itself that could then not stand.

(25) "And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand."

Likewise, Jesus told them a house divided against itself could not stand.

(26) "And if Satan rises up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end."

Jesus showed them the logical conclusion to their absurd argument that He cast out devils by the devil.  If the prince of the devils fought against his devils, and his kingdom was divided, he could not stand and would be soon destroyed.

(27) "No man can enter into a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house."

Having proven the point that He could not be casting out demons by the power of the prince of the demons because Satan would be undoing his own work, He went on to say that no man could enter into a strong man's house with the intention of seizing his goods without first binding the strong man.  The point was that Jesus could not use the strong man's own power to plunder the strong man (Satan); He must bind the strong man in order to free the one possessed by him.

(28) "Verily, I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men and whatever blasphemies with which they shall blaspheme."

Jesus said that all sins and even blasphemies against God would be forgiven a man, obviously being after he repented of those things and brought Jesus into his heart.

(29) "But he who blasphemes against the Holy Ghost never has forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation," (30) Because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."

Because the scribes had said that Jesus had an unclean spirit, He sternly warned them.  He said any sin against Him, even blasphemies against Him and Father God, could be forgiven, but they could never be forgiven for blaspheming the Holy Spirit.  I believe to blaspheme the Holy Spirit one has to know the Holy Spirit.  For instance, I believe a sinner could utter blasphemies against God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, railing against them all because he "knows not what he does" (Luke 23:34).  I certainly don't want to speak for Jesus something that is not true, but in my heart I truly believe this to be the case.  The reason Jesus was warning the scribes was that they were supposed to know the Holy Spirit of God.  Once a person has accepted Jesus into his heart and has the gift of the Holy Spirit, he intimately knows the Spirit, and at that point knows what he does when he blasphemes the Spirit of God.  Although the scribes did not yet have Jesus, they supposedly knew God and His word, and should have known the Spirit of God; therefore Jesus sternly warned them not to blaspheme the Spirit they should know and recognize in Him.

(31) There came then His brothers and His mother, and standing outside, sent to Him, calling Him.

It appears that at this point Jesus was still in Peter's house.  His mother and His brothers came to the house and from outside, they sent word calling Him to them.  Whether these were His blood brothers, or half-brothers as they could only be as sons of Mary and Joseph, or just relatives, they were certainly family accompanying His mother.  In verse 21 we were told Jesus's family was trying to take hold of Him because they thought He was "beside Himself," and that might have been the intention of His brothers at this point.

(32) And the multitude sat around Him, and they said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers outside are seeking You."

A multitude of people sat around Jesus listening to Him preach and teach.  The message came through that Jesus's mother and brothers were outside the house looking for Him.

(33) And He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?" 

Jesus answered those who had sent Him the message asking the question just who were His mother and His brothers?

(34) And He looked around at them who sat around Him, and said, "Behold My mother and My brothers! (35) For whoever shall do the will of God is My brother, and My sister, and mother."

After He posed the question, Jesus looked around at the people sitting around Him, and declared that they were His mother and brothers, for whoever did the will of His Father in heaven were His brother, sister, or mother.  They were certainly His spiritual brothers and sisters, Christian brothers and sisters.  In declaring this, Jesus indicated that His true spiritual disciples were closer brothers and sisters than His fleshly family.  Furthermore, if it was His fleshly family's intention to take Him away at that point, they certainly were not doing the will of God.  I don't believe Jesus was being disrespectful to His mother, but was rather showering respect on His disciples and followers.  His mother did become a believer and follower, and therefore a spiritual sister, as well; but if she hadn't, Jesus had made it clear before that anyone who loved family more than Him (Matthew 10:37) was not worthy of Him.  Likewise, those who loved Him more than family who might oppose Him, were worthy to be called His true brothers and sisters.

Jesus Is Baptized and Begins His Ministry

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 1:1) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Mark began his retelling of the gospel, or good news, of Jesus Christ.  He acknowledged He was the Son of God.  Mark began by stating that what followed was the good news of Christ, not so much a life story, but the part that pertained to the salvation over death.

Mark was one of the extended group of disciples or followers of Jesus, a member of the early church.  The disciples met at his mother's home (Acts 12:12).  The early church leader Papias (c. 60-135 A.D.) wrote that Mark transcribed the teachings of Peter, so he had the eyewitness reports of Peter.  It is possible he witnessed the arrest of Jesus, as there is a veiled reference to that in his gospel account.  Called John Mark in references in the Bible, he probably wrote his account about 20 years after the death of Christ.

(2) As it is written in the prophets, "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You."

Mark began his gospel account with the prophecies in Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1, that God would send a messenger before Jesus who would prepare the way for the Messiah.

(3) "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.'"

The rest of the prophecy speaks of a voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord.  This was, of course, John the Baptist, who proclaimed the coming of the Messiah.  He did so in the wilderness that represented the lost world, and he made straight the crooked paths of false doctrine and faulty judgment.

(4) John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Mark went on to describe what John did in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord.  He preached repentance and performed baptisms as a sign of repentance for the remission of sins.

(5) And there went out to him all the land of Judea, and those of Jerusalem, and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

People from Jerusalem and all the region of Judea came out to see and hear John and were baptized by him in the Jordan River, after confessing their sins.

(6) And John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt about his loins, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

John came very plainly, not in royal pomp and circumstance, but he lived an austere life in the wilderness, wearing animal skins and eating only what was readily available to him.  His only purpose was to proclaim the coming Messiah and prepare the way for Him.

(7) And preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen."

John preached about One coming after him who was much greater than he was, meaning, of course, the Messiah.  He described himself as being totally unworthy to even unstrap His sandals.

(8) "I indeed have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost."

It was as if John was saying not to rest solely in his water baptism.  His external water baptism was just a sign of a repentant heart, but the greater One coming after him would baptize the inner man with the Holy Spirit.

(9) And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

While John was preaching and baptizing in the wilderness, Jesus came to him for the expressed purpose of being baptized by him according to the account in Matthew (Matthew 3:13).  Jesus was indeed baptized by John in the Jordan River.

(10) And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him.

As Jesus came up out of the water of His baptism, the heavens opened up, and the Holy Spirit of God descended upon Him like a dove lighting on Him.

(11) And there came a voice from heaven, saying, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Matthew described it as the voice saying "This is My beloved Son..."  Mark described the voice as speaking directly to Jesus.  The point is that the three distinct persons of the Holy Trinity were represented here and well pleasing to God:  God the Father in heaven above, His Holy Spirit, and His Son in human form on earth.

(12) And immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.

Immediately after His baptism, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit deeper into the wilderness.  Matthew added in Matthew 4:1 that this was for the purpose of being tempted by the devil.

(13) And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.

Mark gave a very concise account of Jesus's temptations in the wilderness.  According to Matthew 4:2-11 Jesus was indeed there in the wilderness forty days and He was fasting, at which point Satan tempted our Lord when He was at His weakest as a human.  Of course, Jesus, having no sin in Him, did not give in to the temptations, and sent Satan packing, at which time the angels came and ministered to Him.

(14) Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.

In the concise manner that Mark wrote this, it shows that when John's work was done and he was put into prison, then Jesus came into Galilee and began His ministry, preaching the good news of the kingdom of God.

(15) And saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel."

Jesus preached that the time of the Messiah, as foretold by the prophets, was at that time come.  He called the people to repent and believe His gospel.

(16) Now as He walked by the sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

As Jesus walked by the sea of Galilee, He saw Simon, who was also called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea, as they were fishermen.

(17) And Jesus said to them, "Come after Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."

Jesus called to Simon Peter and Andrew to come follow Him and He would make them fishers of men, surely a more excellent employment.

(18) And immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

Immediately they left the tools of their livelihood behind to follow Jesus.  There must have been some Holy Spirit guidance to have them give up all at Jesus's first call.

(19) And when He had gone a little further from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the ship mending their nets.

Jesus went a little further from where He had called Peter and Andrew, and He saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee, also in the ship mending their nets.  Perhaps He had seen Peter and Andrew on one end of a ship casting their nets while James and John were mending their nets at the opposite end of the same ship, or perhaps also meant that they, too, were employed with nets for fishing.

(20) And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after Him.

Jesus called James and John immediately upon seeing them, as you can be sure that they had been called long before their births for that time.  They also left their livelihoods and their father to join Jesus and follow Him.

(21) And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the sabbath day, He entered the synagogue and taught.

Jesus and His disciples went to Capernaum.  It seems it was on the Sabbath, and Jesus immediately entered the synagogue and taught.

(22) And they were astonished at His doctrine, for He taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

The people were astonished at Jesus's teaching, for He taught as one with authority, one who really knew God and His doctrine, not as the scribes who would merely read off the pages.

(23) And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, (24) Saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God!"

There was a man in the synagogue with an unclean spirit, or spirits, as it appears from what they said to Jesus.  Perhaps rather the spirit was talking for all the other demonic spirits that possessed people all over the region.  The evil spirit recognized Jesus right away, even though the man it possessed probably did not up to that point.  If that doesn't prove Ephesians 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against...spiritual wickedness..," I don't know what does!  If only we could remember that!  The spirit asked Jesus to leave them, all evil spirits, alone, saying they had nothing to do with Him, which of course they didn't, but He certainly had something to do with them as they destroyed men's souls.  The evil spirit asked if Jesus had come to destroy them, recognizing Him as the Holy One of God, who was quite capable of doing just that.

(25) And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Hold your peace and come out of him."

Jesus told the spirit to be quiet and commanded it to come out of the man it was possessing.

(26) And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried with a loud voice, it came out of him.

The evil spirit had to obey Jesus's command, but on its way out of the man, it caused the man to convulse and cry out in a loud voice.

(27) And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey Him."

The people in the synagogue were amazed and began to talk among themselves, wondering what they were witnessing.  They were hearing a doctrine spoken by someone who seemed to have authority, and they had never heard anything like that from the scribes.  He also had authority over unclean spirits that had to obey Him, and they had certainly never witnessed anything like that!

(28) And immediately His fame spread abroad throughout all the region around Galilee.

Jesus's fame spread beyond Capernaum where He had taught in the synagogue and driven out the evil spirit, throughout all the region beyond Galilee, as people reported what they had witnessed.

(29) And immediately after they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

The sermon in the synagogue being over, Simon Peter and Andrew went home, and apparently invited Jesus, James, and John into their home, as well.

(30) But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and at once they told Him about her.

There in Simon Peter's home was also his mother-in-law who was sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her right away upon entering his house.

(31) And He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered to them.

Jesus came to the woman, took her by the hand, and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.  She was so completely recovered that she then began to serve the men.

(32) And at evening when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were diseased and those who were possessed with devils.

In the evening, after the sun had set, and the Sabbath was over, when it was now seen as lawful to heal, they, either His disciples with Him at the time or more likely people hearing of his fame, brought to Jesus all manner of people who were diseased and those who were demon-possessed.

(33) And all the city was gathered together at the door.

All the inhabitants of the city of Capernaum were gathered at Peter's door to witness the healing of the people that had been brought to Jesus.

(34) And He healed many who were sick of diverse diseases, and cast out many devils, and did not allow the devils to speak because they knew Him.

Jesus healed many who were sick with various different diseases and He cast out many demons.  The verse does not mean to suggest He did not cure them all, but rather that the number who were cured was many.  The evil spirits who possessed people all knew Jesus, but He did not allow them to speak this time.  I believe the spirit was allowed to speak the first time to demonstrate to us that the spirit knew Jesus, but now it was not helpful to have all those demonic spirits testifying of Jesus, as it might seem to the people that He had a confederacy with them, as the Pharisees had suggested back in Matthew, that He worked miracles by the power of the devil.

(35) And in the morning, having risen a great while before day, He went out and departed to a solitary place and there prayed.

Very early the next morning Jesus left Peter's house and went to a solitary place to pray.  It is worthy to note how often Jesus prayed.  You would think as God, He didn't need to pray.  However, as man, He may have used prayer to strengthen Himself for the work at hand, or perhaps most importantly to teach us that we should pray about all things.

(36) And Simon and those with him followed after Him.

Simon Peter and probably just those who would have spent the night in Peter's house, certainly Andrew and perhaps James and John, followed after Jesus.

(37) And when they had found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for you."

It seems they may not have immediately followed after Jesus and seen where He had gone, but rather had to search for Him.  When they found Him, they told Him that everyone was looking for Him.

(38) And He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came."

Jesus was not concerned with the multitudes who were looking for Him, but rather suggested to His disciples that they go into other towns to also preach there, for that is the reason He had come into this world, to preach the Gospel.

(39) And He preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

Jesus indeed preached in the synagogues of the towns throughout Galilee.  Jesus also cast out devils.  Mark doesn't say here that Jesus healed people, but that He cast out devils.  I'm sure He did both, but it makes one wonder if many diseases are demon-caused?  Perhaps Mark was just making the point that Jesus came to destroy Satan and death.

I had to wonder at this point if Jesus was preaching throughout Galilee with just the four disciples He had called up to that time.  The answer can be found in Papias's description of Mark's writing, "Mark became Peter's interpreter and wrote accurately all that he remembered, not, indeed, in order, of the things said and done by the Lord."  Although Mark was accurate, he did not write events in the order that they occurred, so it is very likely that the twelve disciples were with Jesus by the time He taught throughout Galilee.

Another point of interest regarding the writings of Mark, is that Luke, when beginning his gospel account, wrote in the first verse of the first chapter that he would "set forth in order" the events in the gospel, and then again in verse 3, "It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you in order..."  It really does seem that Luke is making the point that his gospel would be in order, whereas others, probably particularly Mark, had not written the events in order.  That is not to say that Luke disputed anything that Mark wrote, as he appears to have quoted Mark more often than any other source.  Luke 1:2 acknowledges that "...those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us."  However, Luke set out to write it in a more orderly fashion.

(40) And there came a leper to Him, beseeching Him, and kneeling down to Him, and saying to Him, "If You will, You can make me clean."

While Jesus was preaching in the towns throughout Galilee, there came to Him a leper on his knees begging Him to heal him.  The man had no doubt that Jesus could heal him, but he asked that He be willing to do it for him.

(41) And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I will; be clean."

Jesus was moved with compassion for the man who had so humbly sought His help.  He reached out and touched the man, which was actually unlawful to do, to touch anything unclean.  He told the man He was willing to make him clean, and commanded so.

(42) And as soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

As soon as Jesus spoke the command to be clean, the leprosy left the man and he was cleansed.  It was not necessary that Jesus touch the unclean man; He could have just commanded he be healed.  I believe the reason is in the statement that Jesus was moved with compassion, with love for this poor man who had so long suffered, who had come to Him humbly, having faith He could cure him if He wanted.  Jesus loves all us poor sinners, and He came to be in the midst of our filthy sinful world to rescue us all.  I believe with His gesture, Jesus showed us that no sin is too unclean or too bad that He cannot forgive and heal us.  Another way to look at this is that Jesus saw the man as he was, as God created him to be.  He was not unclean; he was a victim of sin in a sinful world.  As Jesus touched him, he indeed was made clean.

(43) And He sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, (44) And said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

Jesus sternly warned the man to say nothing about Jesus's healing of him, but to go immediately to the priest, make his offering as commanded by Moses in the law, and be pronounced clean by the priest as the law required, and that would be his public testimony.  Although he was completely cleansed by Jesus, at that time, Jesus wanted to have him obey the law and not bring unwanted attention too soon to Jesus's ministry.  It was not the time yet.  Besides, another reason might have been that people would not have judged him to be truly clean if they knew it came from Jesus and not from the priest's proclamation that he was genuinely cured.

(45) But he went out and began to publish it much and blaze the matter abroad, so much that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every quarter.

Despite Jesus's stern charge, the man went out spreading the good news of his healing far and wide.  I'm sure it was not with any bad intention to disobey Jesus, but he was so overjoyed, he could not contain himself.  However, the result was that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but He stayed out in more deserted places, but still the people came to him from all over.

In this first chapter of Mark, he tells how Jesus began His ministry.  He did not write about Jesus's birth and early years, as some of the other gospel writers did, but began with what he called from the beginning, "the gospel of Jesus Christ," His message and ministry.

Jesus's Death and Burial

Continuing a Bible study of the gospels:

(Matthew 27:33) And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,

In the last post, Jesus had begun His journey to His crucifixion site, with Simon, a man of Cyrene, carrying His cross.  They came to a place called Golgotha, which literally meant "skull."  It is believed that it was a place of unburied skulls and bones of criminals.  

(34) They gave Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall; and when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

They gave Jesus a sour wine mixed with something bitter, and He tasted it, but then would not drink it.  By tasting it, it seems He would have drunk it if it was good to ease thirst.  The account in Mark said they offered Him wine mingled with myrrh, which would have been bitter, too.  The significance of that is that wine mixed with myrrh was given to prisoners to intoxicate them to make them less sensible to pain.  Jesus apparently refused anything to dull His senses and thus the pain, preferring to drink the "cup" His Father gave Him.

(35) And they crucified Him, and parted His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, "They parted My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots."

The Roman soldiers then crucified Christ, meaning they went through the actions of nailing Him to the cross and lifting it up and fixing it into the earth.  They had stripped Him of His garments before nailing Him to the cross, and then cast lots, sort of like throwing dice, to divide His clothing among them.  This fulfilled a prophecy of David in Psalms 22:18, "They part My garments among them, and cast lots for My clothing."

(36) And sitting down, they watched Him there.

The soldiers then sat down and watched Jesus on the cross, probably making sure no one attempted to take Him down.

(37) And set over His head His accusation written, "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."

The soldiers set above His head a sign that labeled His crime, as was customary, "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."  Matthew made it known that this was the accusation against Him, not that He was guilty of that crime.

(38) Then there were two thieves crucified with Him, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

The Roman soldiers also crucified two thieves, placing one on His right side, and one on His left.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, wrote that according to one of their canons, this was not done, "They do not judge two in one day," unless they were partners in the same crime and suffered the same death.  However, this was done to fulfill prophecy in Isaiah 53:12, "...He was numbered with the transgressors..."  This could have been done by Pilate and the soldiers to take the emphasis off Jesus, and the fact Pilate may have condemned an innocent man.  It could have been He was placed between two thieves for appearance's sake, to make Jesus look like a ringleader of malefactors.

(39) And they who passed by reviled Him, wagging their heads.

Those who passed by the cross spoke abusively about Jesus and shook their heads in contempt.

(40) And saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself.  If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

The passersby ridiculed Jesus saying that if He could destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, then He could certainly save Himself and come down from that cross.  Jesus never actually said that He could destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days; He was talking about His body.  Additionally, He was the Son of God and could have saved Himself, but it was not in God's plan to do so.

(41) Likewise also the chief priests, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, (42) "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him."

The chief priests, scribes, and elders, also mocked Jesus, saying He had saved others, but He couldn't even save Himself!  They actually said that if He was truly the King of Israel, then He should come down off that cross, and then they would believe Him!  As if they had not seen miracles enough!  They didn't want to believe Him; He was a threat to them, and they wanted Him gone.  Even if He had, they would have said it was by Satan that He did it, as they had accused before.  Besides, once again, it was not in God's plan for Him to do so.

(43) "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him, for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

They continued mocking, saying if He was truly the Son of God, then let God deliver Him, if He would have Him.  Such utter disdain for the One who was allowing all these things to save the likes of them, if they would have Him!

(44) The thieves also who were crucified with Him reviled Him in the same way.

The thieves on the crosses with Him also reviled Him in the same way, at least in the beginning, they might both have; but the account in Luke states that one of the thieves, probably after witnessing Jesus's patient suffering, reproved the other thief and repented.  It could also be that in Mattew's usual form of brevity, he used what is called a synecdoche, a figure of speech in which a part is used for a whole; at least one of the thieves did revile Him, and Matthew just lumped both thieves together to say they also reviled Him.

(45) Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land to the ninth hour.

As the Jews began counting their day at sunrise, the sixth to the ninth hour would have been from noon to 3:00 in the afternoon.  This could not have been a natural eclipse, for it was the time of the full moon, and it continued for three straight hours.  Whether this was a sign of God's abhorrence of the wickedness taking place, or a symbol of the whole darkness of the world descending upon Christ, you would think it would have those who mocked Jesus falling on their faces before Him.  The event was recorded by even Pagan historians.  Phlegon, a Roman astronomer, said, "...the greatest eclipse of the sun that was ever known happened then, for the day was so turned into night that the stars appeared."  Dr. John Gill wrote, "It is asserted by Suidas, that Dionysius the Areopagite, then an Heathen, saw it in Egypt; and said, 'Either the, divine being suffers, or suffers with him that suffers, or the frame of the world is dissolving.'"

(46) And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" That is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

About 3:00 in the afternoon, after three hours of darkness, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  We know that God did not completely forsake or abandon Christ, but He did for a time leave the human temple of Jesus who had taken upon Himself the whole sin of the world; He was made a curse (Galatians 3:13); He was made to be sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21); He was for a time a cursed thing, sin that the holy God could not bear in His presence.  The cry of Jesus was prophesied by David in Psalm 22:1, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?..."

(47) Some of them who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man calls for Elijah!"

It may be that some truly misunderstood Jesus's words, and thought He was calling for Elijah.  The people long expected Elijah to be a forerunner of their anticipated Messiah.  Malachi 4:5 prophesied that, and in Matthew 17:12, Jesus said that Elijah had already come in the form of John the Baptist.  It could also be that some purposely twisted the words of Jesus as a taunt to say that He was calling for Elijah because neither He Himself nor God could help Him.

(48) And immediately one of them ran, took a sponge and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to Him to drink.

This seems to be the action of someone who was not deriding Jesus, but actually sought to help Him.  This vinegar was a sour wine and the usual drink of the Roman soldiers.  The account in John states that Jesus Himself had said He was thirsty and someone gave Him the wine which He received.

(49) The rest said, "Let Him be; let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him."

It appears the rest of them standing before Christ would deny Him a drink in order to deride Him further, pretending to see if Elijah would indeed come and save Him.

(50) Jesus, when He had cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit.

Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, demonstrating He was still very much alive.  However, when He was ready, He Himself let His spirit go and He died.  In John 10:18, Jesus said that no man could take His life from Him, but He would lay it down Himself; He had the power to lay it down, and He had the power to take it up again.  Jesus, the Author of life, died by a voluntary act of His own.

(51) And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks split.

Immediately after Jesus died, the veil of the temple, which separated the holy place from the holiest of all, was torn in two from top to bottom.  This must have been an awesome sight!  This was no thin curtain that separated the holiest of all from the people.  It is written that, "the thickness of the vail is an hand's breadth, and it is woven of seventy two threads, and every thread has twenty four threads in it: it is forty cubits long, and twenty broad, and is made of eighty two myriads..."  As terrifying a sight as it may have been, it actually represented something very beautiful.  In Jesus's act of dying for our salvation, the veil between God and common sinful man was torn in two, and man was then allowed to come to God.  As the veil was torn in two, the earth quaked and rocks were split apart.  Apparently, rocks are still seen torn asunder at Mount Calvary today.

(52) And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints who slept arose.

That was probably the purpose of the earth shaking and rocks splitting, to open the graves of the saints, holy men who had believed in Christ.

(53) And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared to many.

The tombs and sepulchres were opened when Jesus died, but the saints didn't come out of the graves until after His resurrection, demonstrating that Christ had conquered death and would raise all saints.  Those bodies went into Jerusalem and appeared to many in the city, proving the resurrection of bodies after death.

(54) Now when the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

When the centurion, the commander of the Roman soldiers, and those who were with him watching Jesus, witnessed the earthquake, the splitting apart of the rocks, and the opening of the graves of the saints, not to mention the darkening of the sun that had occurred prior to the earthquake, they feared greatly.  They had reason to be very afraid as they realized they had just crucified the Son of God!

(55) And many women were there looking from afar, who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him.

Jesus's very own disciples had scattered, but there were women who had been followers of Jesus and had ministered to Him, who had been at Jesus's crucifixion, watching from a distance.  As a side note, this has been used to prove the truth about Jesus Christ and the Bible.  What men, who were fabricating a story, would admit they were afraid and ran, while the weaker sex stayed and watched what happened to their Lord?

(56) Among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children.

Among the women observing from a small distance was Mary Magdalene, who in Luke 8:2 was said to have been delivered by Jesus from seven devils.  There was also Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, who in John 19:25, was said to be the sister of Jesus's mother Mary.  There was also the mother of Jesus's disciples James and John, Zebedee's sons.

(57) When the evening was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea named Joseph, who himself was also Jesus's disciple.

Evening for the Jews was considered to be between 3:00 in the afternoon until 6:00, about sundown.  Sundown began a new day.  Jesus had died about 3:00 in the afternoon, so sometime after that, Joseph of Arimathaea came.  He had been one of Jesus's broader number of disciples.  He was considered a rich man, but he must have been one of the few willing to give all for Jesus, in order to have been a disciple of Jesus, for Jesus had said it was extremely difficult for a rich man to be saved (Matthew 19:24).

(58) He went to Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body be delivered to him.

Joseph went to Pontius Pilate, the governor, whose consent was needed in order to take a body down after crucifixion.  He asked for the body of Christ in order to give Him a proper burial and Pilate granted his wish.

(59) And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, (60) And laid it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock, and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

Joseph took the body of Jesus, wrapped it in clean linen cloth and laid it in his own tomb that he had hewn out of rock for himself.  He then rolled a large heavy stone into the doorway of the tomb, and then left.  As He was in life, so He was in death; Jesus had said He had nowhere to lay His head (Matthew 8:20), and He also had no tomb of His own.  Jesus did not live for Himself, but only for others, and He died for all of us.

(61) And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sitting opposite the sepulchre.

Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, were still there, witnessing all that had happened to Jesus's body.

(62) Now the next day which followed the day of preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together to Pilate, (63) Saying, "We remember that that deceiver said, while He was still alive, 'After three days, I will rise again.'"

The day of preparation was the day before the sabbath when everything was prepared for the sabbath, so that no work had to be done on it.  The day which followed the day of preparation would have been the sabbath day.  The chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate telling him that they remembered that Jesus had said He would rise after three days.

(64) "Command therefore that the sepulchre be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He is risen from the dead.' So the last deception shall be worse than the first."

The chief priests and Pharisees therefore asked Pilate to guard Jesus's tomb.  They speculated that His disciples might come and take His body away, and then falsely claim that He had risen from the dead.  They felt that final deception, as they called it, would be worse than any claimed while He was living.

(65) Pilate said to them, "You have a watch; go your way, make it as secure as you can."

Pilate told them to take one of the groups that guarded the temple to act as watch over the tomb, and told them to go quickly and make it as secure as possible.

(66) So they went and made the sepulchre secure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

The chief priests and Pharisees went to the tomb of Jesus and made it secure.  They sealed the stone that acted as a door, and then set a guard to watch it.  Little did they know they were acting perfectly in God's will.  All those precautions would make the resurrection of Jesus all the more miraculous and beyond reproach.

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus and Peter's Three Denials of Him

Continuing a Bible study of the gospel accounts:

(Matthew 26:30) And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

In the last post, Jesus had just instituted Communion at the end of the Last Supper.  Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn at the end of the supper, and then went out to the Mount of Olives.

(31) Then Jesus said to them, "All of you shall be offended because of Me this night; for it is written, 'I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.'"

Jesus spoke to His disciples, telling them they would all be offended because of Him that night.  The original word translated as "offended" was "skandalizo."  The similarity to our word "scandalize" is obvious.  The dictionary definition of scandalize is to "shock or horrify by something considered immoral or improper."  Just imagine that all of Jesus's disciples who had been side by side with Him through all His teachings and miracles, and had come to know Him as the Messiah, would that night be scandalized by Him because He was considered immoral or improper!  Jesus then quoted the prophecy from Zechariah 13:7 that said that the Shepherd would be struck and all the sheep scattered.

(32) "But after I am risen again, I will go before you to Galilee."

However, Jesus told His disciples that after He had risen again, He would once again go before them, as a shepherd leading his sheep, into Galilee.  Although they would forsake Him, He would not forsake them, but would be back to lead them again.  It should give them comfort to know that though they would be scattered sheep, they would be gathered together again.

(33) Peter answered and said to Him, "Though all shall be offended because of You, I will never be offended."

Peter said to Jesus that even if all others would be offended by Him, he would never be offended by His Lord.  Peter surely truly believed that in his heart.  As we've seen before, Peter was often rash and spoke or acted without thinking first.  He knew he loved his Lord, but as he often did, he relied on his own strength, having no idea of the trials to come.  We never know how truly feeble we are and how much we need the Lord until we are tried.  It can be a blessing to be shown our weaknesses so that we learn dependence on the Lord.  

(34) Jesus said to him, "Verily I say to you, that this night before the cock crows, you will deny Me three times."

Jesus told Peter that on the contrary, he would deny Jesus three times that night before the rooster crowed in the morning.

(35) Peter said to Him, "Though I should die with you, yet I will not deny You." Likewise also said all the disciples.

Indeed, Peter was so confident in himself, that He actually denied Jesus's statement that he would deny Him three times that night.  That clearly shows Peter's reliance on himself that he would actually deny what he should have known to be true because it had been prophesied by Jesus.  All the disciples agreed they would never deny their Lord.

(36) Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray yonder."

Jesus and His disciples came to a garden at the foot of Mount Olive, called Gethsemane, the name meaning "oil press," a lush place probably where the produce of Mount Olive was pressed and prepared for use.  Jesus asked His disciples to sit while He went to a yonder place to pray.

(37) And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very distressed.

Jesus took three of His disciples with Him, Peter, James, and John, to the yonder place He went to pray.  He began to be very sorrowful and deeply anguished.  We can somewhat understand all the physical torture Jesus went through for us, but we are not able to comprehend what it must have been like for a perfect soul, God in human flesh, to have to take on the entire sin of the world.  I'm sure that was the most distressing part, and probably a very hard thing to accomplish.  God, who could not be in the presence of sin, stooping to such a low level as to take upon Himself all the sin of the world!  That is something we humans cannot possibly understand.

(38) Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."

Jesus told the three disciples how anguished His soul was.  We've always been taught to understand that because Jesus was completely human, this showed His human weakness in that He was distressed by His coming torture and death.  We've been taught that as man, Jesus was tempted, but as God, He never sinned.  However, it was much larger than distress over physical abuse, again, I say something we cannot possibly understand.  Knowing what was soon coming, Jesus asked those three disciples to stay with Him and be watchful.  Whether this meant to watch for danger, be His eyes while He prayed, or be watchful for themselves, or probably a combination of all those things, Jesus exhorted His disciples to stay awake, be alert, and be vigilant while He prayed.

(39) And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

Jesus went on a little further away from the three disciples, and fell down on His face and prayed to His Father in heaven.  Once again, we have been taught that this showed Jesus's human weakness in that He wished for "this cup" to pass from Him and not touch Him.  However, He quickly added that although His human body asked this, He would do according to God's will, not His own fleshly will.  That is all true, but what exactly is "this cup"?  We've always imagined it as the physical torture that was about to come, and I am sure that is true, but John Wesley, in his Notes on the Bible, had another thought.  He pointed out that the anguish in Jesus's human soul was the cup He asked to be passed from Him, and that God indeed took that anguish away quickly; and Jesus was willing to subject to the will of God.  Also, once again, we have to remember that what Jesus's fleshly soul anguished over was more than just physical torture, but the crushing sin of the world, and being completely separated from God and His place in heaven.  We cannot comprehend such anguish because we are sinners; sin abounds in us and around us.  However, the perfect God cannot be in the presence of sin.  He had to come to earth in a human form to be able to take our sin upon Him.  Jesus was man, but He was also God, and this perfect man who had no sin, this man who was actually God incarnate, had to endure the sin of the world and separation from His rightful place in heaven.

(40) And He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?"

After an hour of prayer, Jesus came back to the three disciples and found them asleep.  This shows their great human weakness in that they could not stand watch for one hour.  The account in Luke added that they were sleeping "for sorrow."  It's not that they didn't care; they cared deeply, and in their deep grief, sleep befell them.  Although all three were asleep, Jesus directed His question to Peter, because he was the one who stated confidently that he would never deny Jesus.  Yet he had denied one of Jesus's last requests to have him sit and watch with him.  Once again, it's not that Peter didn't care and that he meant to deny Jesus's request; it was human weakness and he should have known better than to trust in his own strength to dispute what Jesus had said about him denying Him three times.

(41) "Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation; the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak."

This time Jesus asked that they not only stay with Him and watch, but that they pray so that they might not enter into temptation.  Jesus indeed said that He knew their spirit was willing to do what He asked, but their flesh was weak.  If they had stayed awake and prayed for their own strength and resistance to any temptation, they may have been better able to stand with and perhaps even defend their Lord.

(42) He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Your will be done."

Jesus went a distance away from His disciples again to pray.  Again He prayed that if there was no other way within God's will to follow through with God's current plan for salvation than for Him to go through this way of suffering and death on the cross, and separation from God because of the world's sin upon Him, then He wanted to do God's will.  Jesus, the man, dreaded what was to come and asked for a different way if it were possible.  One might think that because Jesus was also God, that He would know it was the only way, and that He would have the divine strength to follow through.  Indeed, He did, but as all scripture is for our learning so that we may be "perfect" (2 Timothy 3:16-17), Jesus came not only to save us all from our sin, but also to give us the perfect example of a holy man.  He demonstrated that He was tempted, that He anguished over the right thing to do, but relinquished His will to the will of His Father.

(43) And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.

Jesus returned again to the three disciples and found them asleep again.  Scripture says it was because their eyes were heavy; they just couldn't seem to keep them open.  The account in Mark added that they didn't know how to answer Him.  They knew not what to do or say for Jesus, and they were sleepy with emotional stress, and had fallen asleep again.

(44) And He left them and went away again, and prayed a third time, saying the same words.

This time Jesus did not rebuke His disciples, but went to pray a third time, praying the same thing as before.  I don't think the pertinent part is that He again prayed that that cup depart from Him, but if it wouldn't, then He was resigned to His Father's will.  It's that He continued in prayer all the while He waited for the ultimate outcome.  He prayed consistently for strength for His human body to do what He must do.

(45) Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Sleep on now and take rest; behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners."

When taking into context the other gospel accounts of this event, Jesus probably meant the fact that they were sleeping at that point didn't matter because there was no more need to watch; the time for Him to be betrayed into the hands of the Roman soldiers was at that moment.

(46) "Rise, let us be going; behold, he is at hand who betrays Me."

Jesus then told the disciples to wake up and rise and go forth.  It was time for Him to go forth and meet His betrayer, Judas, and face what must happen.

(47) And while He yet spoke, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came with a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

Just as Jesus was speaking those last words, indeed, there came Judas Iscariot, one of His own disciples, with a great many men with swords and clubs who had been sent by the chief priests and elders of the people.

(48) Now he who betrayed Him gave them a sign saying, "Whomever I kiss, that one is He; hold Him fast."

Judas had planned with the multitude with him a signal that would signify who it was they should seize.  He told them that the One he kissed was the One they were after, and they should immediately seize Him and hold Him.

(49) And immediately he came to Jesus and said, "Hail, Master," and kissed Him.

Judas went immediately to Jesus.  The account in Luke says that he went before the multitude.  He probably ran ahead to separate himself from the mob so it didn't look as though he came with them.  He greeted Jesus with "Hail, Master."  "Hail" was a common greeting wishing one to rejoice and be of good cheer, and he also called Him Master.  How hypocritical and diabolical was Judas in exhorting his Master to be of good cheer while he followed through with his plan that would lead to His destruction.

(50) And Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.

Jesus spoke to Judas.  He called him "hetairos," which more accurately means "comrade, companion," rather than "friend."  Knowing full well why he had come, Jesus posed the question to Judas.  Rather than asking why he had come, the phrase that was originally translated as "wherefore," which NKJV translated as "why," meant more accurately "whom or what have you come for."  Surely, Jesus was letting Judas know that He knew he came for someone, and He knew that someone was Him.  Those who were with Judas came and took hold of Jesus.

The account in John greatly expounded on this.  Jesus asked for whom had the multitude come, and they answered, "Jesus of Nazareth."  Jesus answered, "I am," and they immediately fell backward to the ground.  Jesus said, "I AM," and that in itself made them fall to the ground!  In that statement, He said He was God, the Great I Am, and that fact knocked them to the ground!  

There are two parenthetical points I'd like to make here.  First, is to say why I think the King James Version of the Bible is the best translation.  This is one of the best examples.  Every translation of the Bible I have seen says that Jesus said, "I am He," meaning He was the one they sought.  Even the KJV says that.  However, what the KJV did that not all other translations did, was to italicize any word that they added to the original to make the statement clearer, or so they thought in this case.  They thought Jesus had answered that He was the one they sought.  But thanks to their method of italicizing any word they added, we know that Jesus actually said, "I AM."  That is the reason they all fell down.  It's been over eleven years since I wrote about different versions of the Bible and how some actually diminish the divinity of Christ.  For many examples of this and for links to those who have studied the issue more in-depth, please read:  Which Version of the Truth Will You Use?

The second point I wish to make is how much I'd like to encourage folks to at least once read a chronologically ordered Bible.  By reading all events recorded in the Bible in the order in which they occurred, one would get the entire picture of what happened when Judas and his band came to seize Jesus, for example.  I admit, right now I am not studying that version that I prefer.  I was challenged by someone to read the gospels to see what Jesus said.  I was at that time moving slowly through the Old Testament with my chronological study, and I was challenged by someone who suggested that the Old Testament was not relevant in our current culture, and that I needed to see what Jesus said.  I took the challenge, knowing that any part of the Bible, in any order, would provide me with spiritual insight, and I couldn't go wrong doing that.  I admit, I have learned some insight on judging others, BUT that doesn't mean all they do in this culture is right by God's moral law.  Jesus said He didn't come to do away with the law; that moral law still exists.  However, we are to act in love and live our lives as Christians with Jesus as the Lord of our lives, answering those who question how it is that we have such hope (1 Peter 3:15), especially during these troubled times.  Peter said we were to do that with meekness and fear.  And that is because we recognize that we are also sinners, and were once lost, but only through the grace of God and the remission of our sins through Jesus Christ are we saved.

Continuing the study of the 26th chapter of Matthew:  

(51) And behold, one of them who were with Jesus stretched out his hand, drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and cut off his ear.

The account in John tells us it was Peter who drew his sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest.  In his zealous love for his Lord, he sought to protect Him and to prevent the multitude from taking Him.  Commentators suggest, and probably likely so, that Peter was aiming to cut off the head of the one seizing Jesus, but perhaps divine intervention made him miss and merely cut his ear.

(52) Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword."

However, Jesus told Peter to put away his sword.  His reason was that all who fought by the sword would die by the sword.  There are times when God might make a call to fight, but in this instance in particular, Peter's action would have brought on a battle between His disciples and those taking Jesus, and men would have died.  That was not God's will.  The account in Luke states that Jesus touched and healed the man's ear.

(53) "Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He would immediately give Me more than twelve legions of angels?"

Jesus's point to Peter was that it was completely unnecessary for him to take up a sword to defend Jesus, for didn't he realize that if Jesus had wanted to be defended from this multitude, He could have prayed to His Father in heaven and He would have provided more than twelve legions of angels to defend Him.

(54) "But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be?"

Jesus continued His point to Peter that if He had called for legions of angels to defend Himself, how would scripture be fulfilled that prophesied it must be that way, that the Messiah would be apprehended, made to suffer, and would die.

(55) In that same hour Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you come out as against a thief, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you laid no hold on Me."

Jesus's point to His captors was to ask why they felt the need to hunt Him down like a robber or thief with swords and clubs.  They had been with Him daily in the temple and never saw Him as a thief.  Why now was all this necessary?  It certainly added to the humiliation to which Jesus consented, to be hunted down as a criminal.

(56) "But all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

After He asked why they came unnecessarily with swords, Jesus answered the question Himself that it was done to fulfill a prophecy in the scriptures of the prophets.  This appears to be the prophecy of Zechariah in 13:7, in which the Lord called for a sword to be awakened against His shepherd.  Then at that point, sadly, all of His disciples fled.

(57) And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

Those who laid hold of Jesus first led Him away to Annas, so says the account in John.  Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas.  Jesus may have been led to him first out of honor and respect, but it seems He was very shortly led to Caiaphas where the scribes and elders were gathered together.

(58) But Peter followed Him afar off to the high priest's palace and went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

Although his fear had sent him fleeing, his love for his Lord sent him following Jesus into the high priest's palace where he sat among the servants of the palace to watch what was to become of Jesus.

(59) Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false witness against Jesus to put Him to death.

This council, the sanhedrin, first had Jesus seized, and then they looked for something of which they could accuse Him!  They had already determined to put Him to death, and willingly sought even false witnesses to do it.

(60) But found none; yea, though many false witnesses came, yet they found none.  At last two false witnesses came.

It appears many false witnesses came before the sanhedrin, but none were able to say anything incriminating against Jesus.  However, in the end, two false witnesses came before them.

(61) And said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.'"

The best those two false witnesses could come up with was that Jesus had said He was able to destroy the temple of God and could build it up again in three days.  That may be the way they interpreted it, or maybe they purposely tried to make it sound worse, but what Jesus had actually said in John 2:19 was, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," and in that, He was referring to His own body, the human temple of God on earth.

(62) And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men witness against You?"

The high priest then arose and addressed Jesus, asking if He had anything to say about what these men had said about Him.

(63) But Jesus held His peace. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God."

Up to this point, Jesus said nothing.  There was really nothing that merited an answer.  He knew that they were determined to put Him to death and that His hour had come.  Now the high priest asked Him point blank, putting Him under oath, if He was the Christ, the Son of God.  The false witnesses had proved useless.  The high priest went straight to the point which he felt was sure to entrap Jesus.  If Jesus said He was the Christ, he would condemn Him for blasphemy.  If He said He was not the Christ, then he could condemn Him for lying and being an imposter.

(64) Jesus said to him, "You have said; nevertheless I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."

Jesus then answered the high priest that it was as he had said.  Additionally, He added that they would afterward have full proof of it when they all saw the Messiah sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven, and coming in the clouds of heaven to exact judgment.

(65) Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard His blasphemy!"

The high priest had what he had wanted and that which he had plotted all along to get, his excuse to condemn Jesus.  To demonstrate his zeal for the honor of God, he tore his clothes in grief and abhorrence to what he called a blasphemy of God.  He declared to the members of the sanhedrin that there was no further need for any witnesses, that they had all witnessed what he called Jesus's blasphemy.

(66) "What do you think?" They answered and said, "He is guilty of death."

The high priest asked the members of the sanhedrin what they thought about what they heard, and they answered that they found Jesus to be guilty and deserving of death.

(67) Then they spit in His face, and struck Him with their fists, and others struck Him with the palms of their hands.

It is painful to think of these men spitting in the face of God, and beating and slapping Him.  It is even more painful to think that I myself cursed God when my father died way too young.  How could God ever forgive me for the awful things I said to Him?  But He does forgive; Jesus even asked the Father to forgive what the people did to Him in crucifying Him, "for they know not what they do."  What unfathomable love and mercy!  Indeed, I did not know, and these lost people did not know either.  It's so hard to compare oneself to these wicked men spitting in the face of God, but, there but by the grace of God, go I.  God's saving grace has saved me from the fate I deserve!

(68) Saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is he who struck you?"

They also taunted Jesus.  The account in Mark tells us that they first blindfolded Him and then asked Him to tell who it was who struck Him, ridiculing His claim to be the Messiah.

(69) Now Peter sat outside the palace; and a damsel came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee."

The word that was translated as "palace" means more of an open air area of the palace.  Peter probably sat in the courtyard of the palace, where a young maidservant approached him, and declared that he had been with Jesus of Galilee.

(70) But he denied before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are saying."

Peter then denied in front of all those among them, probably other servants, and said that he did not know what she was talking about.

(71) And when he had gone out to the porch, another saw him and said to them who were there, "This man was also with Jesus of Nazareth."

Peter then moved to a porch, and another, probably another servant, saw him and told all who were among them that he had been with Jesus of Nazareth.

(72) And again he denied, with an oath, "I do not know the Man!"

A second time Peter denied Jesus, this time more forcefully and more directly denying knowing Jesus at all.  The first time might have been overlooked if it had been the only denial.  He had just said he didn't know what she was talking about and moved away.  He first denied knowing what she was talking about; this time he actually denied even knowing Jesus Himself.

(73) And after a while those who stood by came to him, and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you."

The other servants and/or anyone else among them probably discussed among themselves what the first two servants had said.  After a while they came to Peter declaring to him that he surely was "one of them," one of Jesus's disciples who always traveled with Him.  They said his speech betrayed him.  This did not mean his spiritual speech as he was definitely not being spiritual in his denials of knowing Christ.  In Mark we learn that it was his Galilean accent that betrayed him and convinced them he was "one of them."

(74) Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" And immediately the cock crowed.

Perhaps in an effort to convince them he was one of them, Peter began cursing and swore again that he did not know Jesus, his most forceful denial yet.  Immediately a rooster crowed, fulfilling Jesus's prophecy that Peter would deny Him three times before the cock crowed.

(75) And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who said to him, "Before the cock crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.

When he heard the rooster crow immediately after his last denial, he remembered the words of Jesus that he would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed.  In his account, Luke added a touching detail.  Jesus, who from the upper end of the hall elevated for a tribunal, could look down and see Peter on the porch or in the lower hall if he had once again moved.  Luke added that when the rooster crowed, Jesus turned and looked at Peter, surely adding immensely to the guilt Peter felt for denying His Lord three times.  He went out from the palace and wept bitterly.  Just a little time before, Peter had been so self-confident that he would never deny Jesus.  The relevant point is that Peter was confident in himself.  The confidence must be in God, in His strength, and in His ability to keep us from temptation.  

There are more lessons we can learn from Peter's fall.  No matter how highly exalted a Christian, no matter how apparently favored by God, every one of us is perfectly capable of falling into sin; it is our nature.  It is only by the grace of God and His protection that we don't constantly fall.  God allows Christians to sin to show us our weaknesses, to show us our need for Him, and to increase our dependence on Him.  This means that even if we fail so miserably as to deny Christ (or curse God), we can come back to God with a contrite and repentant heart, and trust in the loving mercy, compassion, and forgiveness of Him.