Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 13:1) And as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!"

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had been teaching in the temple.  He now left the temple and one of His disciples remarked to Him about the magnificence of the temple and its stones.  It was indeed a beautiful building with stones of enormous size.  The historian Josephus said that the massive stones were white and fifty feet long, twenty-four wide, and sixteen thick.  The disciple marveled at the beauty of the white buildings and the enormous size of the stones.

(2) And Jesus, answering, said to him, "See these great buildings? There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down."

Jesus told the disciple to behold how beautiful and strong the buildings were.  The disciple surely thought the buildings were of such grandeur and especially strength that they would likely stand for generations to come.  However, Jesus told him it would be destroyed and there wouldn't be left one stone upon another that won't have been thrown down.

(3) And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives across from the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew, asked Him privately, (4) "Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?"

Jesus then sat upon the Mount of Olives which was directly east of the temple where He had a good view of the temple.  Peter, Andrew, James, and John came to Him privately away from the rest of the disciples and asked Him when the things He spoke of would happen and what would be the sign of its coming.

(5) And Jesus, answering them, began to say, "Take heed, lest any man deceive you."

Jesus began His answer with a warning that they should watch out that no one deceived them.

(6) "For many shall come in My name, saying, 'I am Christ,' and shall deceive many."

Jesus warned that there would come many false Christs claiming to be the Messiah.  The Jews, having rejected the true Messiah, would perhaps be more susceptible to believing a false Christ.

(7) "And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled, for these things must be, but the end won't be yet."

Jesus told them they would hear of wars and rumors of wars, but they were not to be troubled by those.  They would happen, but it did not mean the end of the state of Israel at that time.

(8) "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be earthquakes in diverse places, and there shall be famines and troubles; these are the beginnings of sorrows."

Nations and kingdoms would indeed rise up against one another.  There would be earthquakes in different places, as well as famines and other troubles, and those would be the beginning of the sorrows to come to Israel.

(9) "But take heed to yourselves, for they shall deliver you up to councils, and in the synagogues you will be beaten, and you will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them."

Jesus told them to watch out for themselves as they would be delivered up to councils and they would be beaten.  They would be brought before rulers and kings for Christ's sake, for professing Him and preaching His gospel, and that would, of course, be a testimony against those who rejected their message of Christ.

(10) "And the gospel must first be proclaimed among all nations."

Jesus said that before the destruction of Jerusalem would come, the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations, at least all the ones in their part of the world which was all they knew.

(11) "But when they lead and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand about what you will speak, nor premeditate, but whatever is given you in that hour, speak that, for it is not you who speaks, but the Holy Ghost."

Jesus told the disciples that when they were indeed delivered up to councils, rulers, and kings, they were not to be anxious and concern themselves with what to say, but the Holy Spirit would give them the words to speak, and they were to speak those boldly and with confidence.

(12) "Now brother will betray brother to death, and father, his son, and children will rise up against parents, and will cause them to be put to death."

There would be such a rage against Christ and His gospel, that even close relations would have their close relatives put to death because of Him.

(13) "And you will be hated of all for My name's sake, but he who endures to the end shall be saved."

Jesus warned that they would be hated by all men because of Jesus and His gospel, but He gave them encouragement, saying that whoever endured all the afflictions and persevered in the faith of Christ would be saved with an everlasting salvation.

(14) "But when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judaea flee to the mountains."

The Jews had been rebelling against the Romans, as well as persecuting Christians, and Jesus warned that when they saw the abomination of desolation, the abomination of Roman soldiers plowing through their holy city bringing desolation, they were to flee to the mountains.  This had been prophesied by the prophet Daniel in Daniel 9:27.  When they saw this unfold, those who were in Judaea should run for the hills and mountains.  "Let the reader understand" appears to be a parenthetical statement made by Mark, rather than the words of Jesus.  However, Matthew said something similar when relating his account of this warning by Jesus, so perhaps Jesus did say it, but His usual words were "He who has ears, let him hear."  It doesn't seem right that He would say that a reader understand, unless He was speaking of understanding the prophecy of Daniel, which would make sense.  Since two Gospel writers wrote it, it does begin to make sense that Jesus said it about the prophecy of Daniel, as it wasn't a completely direct and clear prophecy:

"And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week, and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." - Daniel 9:27

(15) "And let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter to take anything out of his house."

Jesus had just warned that all in Judaea should flee to the mountains.  He added further that they should not take the time to go back into their houses to take anything with them.

(16) "And let him who is in the field not turn back again to take up his garment."

Furthermore, if any person was working in the field, he should not take even what little time it would be to grab any outerwear.

(17) "But woe to those who are with child and to those who are nursing in those days."

Jesus lamented the situation of pregnant and nursing mothers in those days because it would be difficult for them to flee in haste, making it more likely they would fall into the hands of the enemy.

(18) "And pray that your flight be not in the winter."

Having to flee in the winter would be very difficult, too, in inclement weather on bad roads.

(19) "For in those days shall be affliction such as has not been from the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, neither shall be."

Jesus warned that in those days there would be so much affliction and misery the likes of which had not been seen since the beginning of time and would not be seen again. 

(20) "And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake whom He has chosen, He has shortened the days."

Jesus said that unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be able to survive.  However, for His chosen elect, the Lord would shorten those days.  Note that Jesus spoke in the past tense.  The Lord had already shortened the days for His elect.  This destruction was already a done deal, but the Lord shortened it to save His remnant, as He always does.  He never entirely destroys or allows His chosen people to be completely destroyed.

(21) "And then if any man says to you, 'Lo, here is Christ,' or 'Lo, there,' do not believe him. (22) For false Christs and false prophets shall rise and will show signs and wonders to seduce, if possible, even the elect."

Jesus warned that there would arise men claiming to be Christ and prophets declaring the Messiah was there to deliver them from their distress.  They would even show signs and wonders to seduce the people to believe them, some of them so convincing, that if it were possible, they might even deceive the elect.  Scripture says it is not possible to those who are truly saved:

"My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone pluck them out of My hand. My Father who gave them to Me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are One." - John 10:27-30

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39

(23) "But take heed; behold, I have foretold you all things."

Jesus warned His disciples to give careful attention to the things He had told them so that they might be prepared when they saw the signs and be on guard against every deception and temptation.  Jesus told them He had told them all things regarding their question about when the destruction of the temple would be.

(24) "But in those days after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light."

This is where Jesus seemed to take a turn and begin talking about His second coming.  He had indeed made a point to tell them He had foretold all things, as if that was the end of that one discussion, and now He began another topic.  He spoke of the days after that tribulation which could very logically mean a long time afterward at the end of the world.  However, the same account in Matthew said that Jesus said, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days..."  

That is the reason I really loved my chronological Bible study because it would include all these accounts together.  However, I was challenged to read the gospel accounts to "see what Jesus said..." about certain things in our culture.  Reading just Mark's account would surely lead one to believe Jesus had to be talking about His second coming and the end of the world.  However, combined with Matthew's "Immediately," one might have a different take.

In my study of Matthew, I could see how the dust and smoke of complete destruction could black out the sun and moon.  However, John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, wrote that this and the following few verses were meant to be symbolic.  After the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple of God, the Shekinah glory of the Lord, represented by the sun, was gone.  All symbols of the Lord's divine presence were destroyed.  The moon would not give her light.  That light that shone in darkness, that light of the world, that goodness and knowledge of truth and life that was visible in the light, was now extinguished.

(25) "And the stars of heaven shall fall and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken."

Very reasonably, one can follow Gill's logic that this was symbolic and see that the stars of heaven might be the rabbis and teachers of God's Word, and that the powers that were present in that Word of truth would be shaken to the core.

(26) "And then they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. (27) And then He will send His angels and will gather together His elect from the four winds from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven."

Then would the Son of Man come with great power and glory, but not in a physical visible form, but as the Word that He has always been from the beginning.  This time it would not be for the Jews, God's chosen people, but He would send His messengers out to the four corners of the world, to the Gentiles, to the uttermost regions under heaven, to build His kingdom on earth, the Christian church.

Although Jesus's words clearly seem to be about the destruction of the Jewish state, that is not to say they can't also be about the second coming of Christ at the end.  In Mark's account, the disciples had asked when the falling of the temple that Jesus spoke about would occur and "...what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?"  However, in the account in Matthew, they had asked a bit more specifically than that, and asked, "...what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world?"  I believe that, as often occurs in prophecy, it can refer to both the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world.  Often Jesus quoted as prophecy something that was fulfilled at that time it was originally quoted, but also referred to what was happening in His time.

(28) "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when her branch is yet tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. (29) So you, in like manner, when you see these things come to pass, know that it is near, at the doors."

Jesus told His disciples that just as they recognized the signs when summer was near, when they saw the things He had spoken of, they would know that the destruction was near.

(30) "Verily, I say to you that this generation shall not pass till all these things be done."

Jesus did give them a window of time when the things He had spoken of would occur; the present generation of men would not completely pass away before those things would happen.

(31) "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away."

Jesus's prophetic words were so completely true that even as heaven and earth might pass away, His words never would.  The things He spoke of were absolutely sure to happen.

(32) "But of that day and hour no man knows, no, not the angels who are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father."

Although Jesus gave them a 40 year window of when those things would happen, He said that no one knew exactly when it would happen, not even Jesus at that time, but only His Father in heaven knew.  As God the Son in heaven, Jesus surely knew when they would happen, but as the Son of man on earth, He had not been granted that particular knowledge at that time.

(33) "Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when the time is."

Because they did not know when total destruction would happen, Jesus warned His disciples to be careful, watch for the signs, and pray.

(34) "It is as a man taking a far journey who left his house and left authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch."

Just as a man might take a far journey and leave his house under the authority of his servants, and left everyone to their work, and a doorkeeper to watch, so it would be when Jesus left them to carry on His ministry.

(35) "Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, in the evening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning, (36) Lest coming suddenly, he finds you sleeping."

Jesus exhorted them to watch and be ready at all times of the day or night, lest they be found surprised and unprepared.

(37) "And what I say to you, I say to all, 'Watch!'"

I love this powerful end statement by Jesus.  What He had told those four disciples, He would tell everyone.  It was meant for even us today reading that message; we should always be mindful of the signs, and always be ready for Jesus.  The parable of the master of the house sounds like Jesus gone away and returning, finding people not ready for His return.  It doesn't have to be at Jesus's second coming; no one knows if he might meet Jesus when he dies unexpectedly.  We should always be ready for Jesus!  One of my favorite songs is this one by Casting Crowns, and it says it beautifully:

While You Were Sleeping

Oh, little town of Bethlehem, looks like another silent night. Above your deep and dreamless sleep, a giant star lights up the sky. And while you're lying in the dark, there shines an everlasting light, for the King has left His throne and is sleeping in a manger tonight, tonight. Oh, Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping, for God became a man and stepped into your world today. Oh, Bethlehem, you will go down in history as a city with no room for its King, while you were sleeping, while you were sleeping.

Oh, little town of Jerusalem, looks like another silent night. The Father gave His only Son. The way, the truth, the life had come, but there was no room for Him in the world He came to save. Jerusalem, what you have missed while you were sleeping. The Savior of the world is dying on your cross today. Jerusalem, you will go down in history as a city with no room for its King, while you were sleeping, while you were sleeping.

United States of America, looks like another silent night, as we're sung to sleep by philosophies that save the trees and kill the children. And while we're lying in the dark, there's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky, for the Bridegroom has returned and has carried His bride away in the night, in the night. America, what will we miss while we are sleeping? Will Jesus come again and leave us slumbering where we lay? America, will we go down in history as a nation with no room for its King? Will we be sleeping? Will we be sleeping? United States of America, looks like another silent night.

The Greatest Commandment and the Poor Widow's Offering

Continuing a Bible study of the gospel accounts:

(Mark 12:28) And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"

In the last post Jesus had been answering questions of the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees that had been designed to trick Him, but of course Jesus had answered them brilliantly.  This scribe had heard Him talking with those groups of people and had been impressed with how He answered.  He may have also been trying to test Jesus, or perhaps he had heard enough to know that Jesus had great wisdom and knowledge about the scriptures and actually asked his question in earnest, wanting to know the most important commandment of all.

(29) And Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments, 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.'"

Jesus answered the scribe by quoting Deuteronomy 6:4 where Moses wrote his exhortation to obey the commandments, statutes, and judgments of the Lord.  He declared that the God of Israel was the one true God of the universe and there was no other.

(30) "'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment."

Jesus continued quoting Moses in Deuteronomy 6:5:  "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might."  Jesus answered that that was the first and greatest commandment, to love God with all the affections of the heart, all the powers and faculties of the soul, and with all the strength of conviction showing forth in actions.

(31) "And the second like this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Jesus went on to add that there was a second most important commandment, and He quoted Leviticus 19:18, to love one's neighbor as himself.  Jesus added that there were no other commandments greater than those two.  That is because all the commandments are based on those two principles.  If one loves God with all his heart, soul, and might, then he won't worship idols, he won't take God's name in vain, and he'll want to honor God's Sabbath.  If he loves his neighbor as himself, he will honor his parents, he won't kill, he won't commit adultery, he won't steal, he won't lie against his neighbor, and he won't covet what others have.  All the commandments, as well as all the statutes and judgments of the Lord, are summed up in these two commandments.

(32) And the scribe said to Him, "Well, Master, You have said the truth, for there is one God, and there is none other but He. (33) And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

The scribe told Jesus He had spoken well.  My first thought was, "How dare this man tell Lord Jesus whether or not He had spoken well?"  But then I realized that the scribes were part of the group that also consisted of Pharisees and chief priests who were trying to destroy Jesus.  However, this scribe recognized the truth.  Not only did he compliment Jesus on being well-spoken, but he confirmed with his knowledge of the scriptures that what Jesus had said was indeed truth.  That was unusual for a scribe to admit that.  He confirmed what the scriptures had said about there being only one God, and how we were to love Him with all our hearts, souls, and mights.  We were to love our neighbors as ourselves.  Additionally, these things were far more important to God than sacrifice and burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6).

(34) And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no man after that dared question Him.

Jesus recognized that the scribe had answered wisely and told him that he was not far from the kingdom of God.  This particular scribe appeared to be a prudent, sensible, and pious man, almost a Christian.  With such a heart and sensibility, he surely eventually came to believe in and confess Jesus Christ.  It's not enough to just believe the scriptures.  Satan believes the scriptures.  But that belief in the Word of God will lead us to salvation in Jesus Christ.  After His conversation with the scribe, no one else asked Jesus any questions.

(35) And Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that scribes say that Christ is the Son of David?"

Jesus further answered, turning His attention to teaching the people in the temple.  He began what seemed a paradoxical question and asked how it was that the scribes said that Christ was the Son of David.

(36) "For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit on My right hand till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'"

Jesus then quoted David who said by inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Psalm 110:1, "The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit on My right hand till I make Your enemies Your footstool.'"

(37) "David therefore himself calls Him Lord; and how is He his son?" And the common people heard Him gladly.

Jesus went on, confirming what David had said in the psalm, that Christ was his Lord, and then posed the question that how then Christ could be David's son.  David, through inspiration of the Holy Spirit, recognized that the Christ was His Lord, at that particular time in David's life, a thousand years before Christ came on the scene.  How then could Christ be his son?  The answer, of course, was that Christ could not be a mere man.  He was the Son of God, God Himself, existing since the beginning of time, and coming to earth as Jesus Christ the Messiah at that particular time.  The "common" people in the temple listened to Jesus with great pleasure and satisfaction, probably meaning to differentiate them from the other scribes and Pharisees and chief priests who were surely not pleased with the things Jesus taught.

(38) And He said to them in His doctrine, "Beware of the scribes who love to go in long clothing and love salutations in the marketplaces."

Jesus went on teaching the people that they should beware the scribes who went around in long flowing robes to be seen and greeted with respect in the public places.

(39) "And the chief seats in the synagogues and the uppermost rooms at feasts."

Jesus went on describing the showy scribes the people should be wary of; they also loved the best seats in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts where the rulers and elders of the people sat.

(40) "Who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers; these will receive greater damnation."

Jesus completed His warning about those scribes who also enriched themselves by devouring widows' houses and estates through fraud, all the while wearing a mask of piety making long prayers.  These particular scribes would receive greater damnation than other sinners because they used the Lord God as a means to do their wickedness.  They used the holy, merciful, loving, just, and perfect God to trick people into giving them the desires of their worldly sinful hearts, thus twisting and demeaning what it meant to follow God.

(41) And Jesus sat opposite the treasury and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury, and many who were rich cast in much.

Jesus sat across from the treasury of the temple and watched people casting their offerings of money into it.  He saw that many rich people cast in a great deal of money.

(42) And there came a certain poor widow and she threw in two mites which make a farthing.

As Jesus watched, a poor widow came through to cast in her offering of two mites.  A mite was a small brass coin, the smallest in use among the Jews.  Two of them made a farthing which was not the same as a British farthing.  The original Greek word used for farthing was "kodrantes" which meant "quadrans" which was one fourth of an as, which was a Roman copper coin worth about one third of a cent.

(43) And He called His disciples and said to them, "Verily, I say to you that this poor widow cast more in than all those who have cast into the treasury."

Jesus called His disciples' attention to the widow and told them that with her two mites, one third of a penny, she had given more to the temple treasury than anyone else who had given that day.

(44) "For all cast in of their abundance, but she of her poverty cast in all that she had, all her living."

Jesus gave the disciples His rationale for saying that the woman had given the most.  Everyone else that day had given out of their abundance, out of the money they did not need, just a portion of all the money they had.  That poor widow had given all she had, the entirety of what she had to live on, which demonstrated her trust in God to supply her needs.  God, Jesus, in this incident, looks upon the heart of man.  He doesn't count the pennies and reward most to those who gave the most pennies.  Certainly, all offerings given in sincerity to help the cause of God would be pleasing to Him.  However, a person who gives all, denying self, just as the disciples had given up all to follow Jesus, those people do the most to advance the kingdom of Christ.

The widow's offering in giving all she had really sums up this post, the second part of Mark, chapter 12.  She was the exact opposite of the scribes Jesus had described who went around with a great show of religion and piety.  This woman with her poor pittance was much more pious than all of them.  She also displayed what Jesus called the greatest commandment, she loved God with her all.

Questions About Paying Taxes and Resurrection

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 12:1) And He began to speak to them by parables. "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, and dug a place for the wine vat, and built a tower, and let it out to farmers, and went into a far country."

At the end of the last chapter Jesus had just refused to answer the question of the chief priests and scribes about His authority to do the things He did, because they would not answer His question that would have answered their question, but of course, that's not what they really wanted.  He now began to tell them a parable about a man who had planted a vineyard.  The man put a hedge around it, dug a place for a wine vat, built a tower, and then leased it out to farmers.  He then went away to a faraway country.

(2) "And at the season he sent to the farmers a servant, that he might receive from the farmers of the fruit of the vineyard."

Jesus continued with His parable.  At the season when he might expect fruit, the man sent a servant to the farmers at his vineyard in order that he might receive fruit from it.

(3) "And they caught him and beat him and sent him away empty."

However, the farmers caught the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.

(4) "And again he sent to them another servant, and at him they cast stones and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated."

The man then sent another servant to the farmers, but they cast stones at him and wounded him in the head, and also sent him away empty-handed after treating him so shamelessly.

(5) "And again he sent another and him they killed, and many others, beating some and killing some."

The man continued sending servants expecting the farmers to finally listen to them, but they beat them, and even killed some of them.  Of course, this is a picture of Father God preparing this perfect place for His people to use and then He sitting in heaven afar and letting His people work it.  When He sent His prophets to be a check on the fruits of their labor, they persecuted and killed them.  God continued to send prophets to try to make the people listen, but they either persecuted or killed them all.

(6) "Having therefore still one son, his well beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will reverence my son.'"

The farmers having rejected and killed all his servants, the man lastly sent his beloved son to them, expecting them to surely respect his son.

(7) "But those farmers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'"

The farmers knew that was the heir who came to them, but they decided to kill him, thinking the inheritance of the vineyard would be theirs.  This was certainly a direct condemnation of the chief priests and scribes who had just proved at the end of the last chapter that they knew who Jesus was, yet they wanted to kill Him because He was a threat to the little kingdom in the temple they had set up for themselves.

(8) "And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard."

Those farmers took the beloved son of the man and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.  That, of course, is exactly what the chief priests and scribes were going to do to Jesus.  They would kill Him and get Him out of "their" temple.

(9) "What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do?" "He will come and destroy the farmers and will give the vineyard to others."

Jesus posed the question about what the lord of the vineyard would do after the farmers had rejected all of his servants and killed his beloved son.  He would naturally come and destroy the farmers, and then he would give the vineyard to others.  According to the account in Matthew, Jesus posed the question, and the chief priests and scribes answered it, thereby incriminating themselves.  Indeed, that was what was to happen to them, and God's gospel would be given to the Gentiles.

(10) "And have you not read this scripture? 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. (11) This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.'"

Jesus asked them if they had read a particular scripture, and He quoted Psalms 118:22-23.  In spite of their actions in rejecting Jesus and even killing Him, He would become the cornerstone of the church.  "This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes."  It is positively marvelous that the Lord would come to earth, suffer immensely and ultimately die to save us all.  It is extraordinary to think that even in death, Jesus would rule and be the cornerstone of the church.  It was all amazing, and it was God's plan all along.

(12) And they sought to lay hold on Him, but feared the people, for they knew that He had spoken the parable against them; and they left Him and went their way.

This infuriated the chief priests and scribes because they knew Jesus's parable had been about them.  They would have liked to have taken hold of Him at that moment but feared the people.  Rather than learning from the parable, they chose to ignore its message, and instead, just grew angrier.  However, for the time being, they left Jesus and went their way.

(13) And they sent to Him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians to catch Him in His words.

The chief priests and scribes, afraid of the potential uprising of the people against them, sent some Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus with the mission of catching Him in His words.  The two groups opposed each other but were united against Jesus.  The Pharisees were for the Jewish church and the Herodians were for Herod and the government, that same old church vs. state that has always existed.  By sending two groups with opposing views, they imagined Jesus would make one of them angry enough to want to see Him destroyed.

(14) And when they had come, they said to Him, "We know that You are true and care for no man, for you regard not the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth; is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?"

They approached Jesus with compliments, calling Him a Master of God's ways, true and upright, having regard for no man, for example, Caesar.  Therefore, they wanted to know, was it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar?  Of course, this was not a sincere question but intended to be a trap.  If Jesus had said no, then the Herodians would have apprehended Him as an enemy to the government, but if He said yes, the Pharisees and all the Jews would have been against Him, as they were looking for deliverance from the yoke of tax collectors who were viewed as sinners.

(15) "Shall we give or shall we not give?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test me? Bring Me a penny that I may see it."

When they asked Jesus whether or not they should pay taxes to Caesar, He saw right through their hypocrisy, and asked why it was they wanted to trap Him.  He asked them to bring Him a penny.

(16) And they brought it. And He said to them, "Whose is this image and superscription?" And they said to Him, "Caesar's."

They brought Jesus the penny and He asked them whose image and inscription were on the coin.  They answered that it was Caesar's.

(17) And Jesus answering, said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at Him.

Jesus answered their question by telling them to give to Caesar what was Caesar's and give to God what was God's.  Demonstrating that it was Caesar's face on the coin, the circulation of that money was from him and should be returned to him as judged by his government.  Therefore, pay the appropriate taxes.  However, give to God all that is His, which is basically everything.  Caesar had no control over the consciences and hearts of men.  He had no control over the souls of men.  Therefore, give to God what is His judged by His commandments.  The people marveled at the wisdom of His answer and His avoidance of the trap.

(18) Then came to Him the Sadducees who say there is no resurrection, and they asked Him, saying, 

Then the Sadducees came to Jesus.  They were a religious sect who did not believe in a resurrection.  They followed only the Mosaic law very strictly, and because it did not teach resurrection, they did not believe in it, denying the scriptures and the prophets.

(19) "Master, Moses wrote to us if a man's brother dies and leaves his wife and leaves no children, that his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring to his brother."

The Sadducees recited to Jesus the law of Moses which stated that if a man died and left a wife but no children, his brother was to take her as his wife and raise up children in his brother's name (Deuteronomy 25:5).

(20) "Now there were seven brothers, and the first took a wife, and dying, left no offspring."

The Sadducees then began to relate a hypothetical situation in which there were seven brothers.  The first brother married, but then died leaving a wife with no children.

(21) "And the second took her and died, and neither did he leave her any offspring. And the third likewise."

They went on with their hypothetical case. The second brother indeed took the woman to be his wife, but then he also died, leaving her no children.  Then the third brother stepped up and married her, but the same happened to him.

(22) "And the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all, the woman died also."

The Sadducees carried their example to an absurd limit, saying that all seven brothers subsequently took the woman as wife, and all died, leaving no children.  Finally, the woman herself died.

(23) "In the resurrection, therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as wife."

Since the Sadducees did not believe in resurrection, the hypothetical situation they supposed was surely designed to show an unsolvable difficulty in the idea of resurrection.

(24) And Jesus answering, said to them, "Do you not therefore err? Because you do not know the scriptures neither the power of God."

However, there was no difficulty, and Jesus told them they erred in their thinking because they neither knew the scriptures regarding the future state, nor did they know the power of God in Whom all such difficulties disappear.

(25) "For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels which are in heaven."

Jesus explained that in their resurrected bodies there would be no marriages, but they would be more like the angels in heaven.  1 Corinthians 15:50 stated that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom.  The flesh expects there to be sensual pleasures to be satisfied, but Christians know there is so much more than we have ever known.  The world tries to measure God and heaven with their worldly views, but Christians know there awaits us an unimaginable glory in heaven and in the presence of Jesus that no mere human could ever envision.

(26) "And concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses how in the bush God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?"

Jesus went on, knowing their non-belief in a resurrection of the dead, and asked if they had ever read the account in Moses about God appearing to him in a burning bush.  He quoted Exodus 3:6 where God called Himself the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

(27) "He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living; you therefore do greatly err."

God had spoken to Moses in the present tense, "I am..."  He did not say He "had been" the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  He at that present time He spoke was Abraham's God; He would never have been God to a dead body rotted away in the ground.  Therefore, Abraham must be living, so the Sadducees had erred in their thinking about the particular hypothetical they had proposed to Jesus, and also in their general belief that there was no resurrection.

In this first part of the twelfth book of Mark, we found Jesus putting to shame and folly all the questions and actions of the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees.  When you have real truth, God's truth, there are no difficulties.  There may be things that we don't fully understand, but we can rest assured, it is the way God said it is, and there is nothing that can truly disprove it.  I will end this post here and continue chapter 12 in the next post.

Christ's Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem and His Cleansing of the Temple

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 11:1) And when they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent forth two of His disciples.

In the last chapter and post, Jesus and His disciples had been on the way to Jerusalem, Jesus boldly leading, and the disciples fearfully following, knowing what fate awaited Jesus in Jerusalem.  They came near to Jerusalem at Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives.  The limits of Bethany reached to the Mount of Olives, and Bethphage bordered Bethany and was a suburb of Jerusalem.  From there Jesus sent out two of His disciples.

(2) And said to them, "Go your way into the village opposite you and as soon as you have entered it, you will find a colt tied, on which no man ever sat; loose him and bring him."

Jesus gave directions to the two disciples that they were to go into the village directly opposite them.  As soon as they entered the village they would find a colt, the colt of a donkey, according to the account in Matthew 21:2, tied and one that had never been ridden or even sat upon by any man.  They were to untie it and bring it to Jesus.  The animal used for Jesus's purposes was not to have already been used for domestic or agricultural purposes.  The account in Matthew said that they took the colt and its mother, but as it was the colt only used for Jesus's purposes, Mark just spoke of the colt.  

(3) "And if any man says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say that the Lord has need of him, and immediately he will send him here."

Jesus told them that if anyone questioned why they were taking the colt, they were to tell them that the Lord had need of it, and they would allow them to immediately take the colt.

(4) And they went their way and found the colt tied by the door outside in a place where two roads met, and they loosed him.

The two disciples went forth and indeed found the colt as Jesus had said, tied by the door on the intersection of two roads.  They untied the colt.

(5) And certain of them who stood there said to them, "What are you doing loosening the colt?"

Just as Jesus had said might happen, some people there who saw the disciples untying the colt asked what they were doing.

(6) And they said to them just as Jesus had commanded and they let them go.

They answered just as Jesus had told them to, that the Lord had need of the colt, and surely, they let them go just as Jesus had said they would.

(7) And they brought the colt to Jesus and cast their garments on it, and He sat upon it.

They then brought to colt to Jesus.  They threw their outer garments on the colt to act as a saddle, and Jesus sat upon it.

(8) And many spread their garments in the road, and others cut down branches off the trees and strew them in the road.

Many of the people who were there spread their garments on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road, also.

(9) And those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"

The people who went ahead of Jesus and those who followed Him shouted, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"  That exclamation of adoration and a wish for prosperity was a prophetic quote from Psalms 118:26.

(10) "Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!"

The people continued crying out that this kingdom of their father David came in the name of the Lord.  The Jews generally spoke of their father as Abraham, but by calling out David as their father, they acknowledged that Jesus was the expected Son of David, the Messiah.  They cried out "Hosanna" again, and this time adding "in the highest."  It was a term of adoration, but also a wish of prosperity, so it was if they were praising God in the highest heavens and wishing that His kingdom greatly flourish and prosper.

Many things can be noted about Jesus's triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  The Holy Spirit of God had to be moving among the people who just let the disciples take the colt.  Likewise, the Spirit was moving among all the people who threw their garments and branches along the road and cried, "Hosanna!"  Those same people might include some who would soon afterward cheer at His crucifixion.  However, Jesus was indeed king, and this represented that.  However, this king did not go into Jerusalem in a royal carriage with six white horses.  He came very simply on a donkey!  And a borrowed donkey at that!  With borrowed garments for a saddle!  His pomp and circumstance consisted of borrowed garments and branches off trees.  He came simply to save His people, not to rule over them.  The colt Jesus chose to make His entry into Jerusalem was one that had never been ridden, was not broken, yet it allowed Jesus to ride with no problem.  Jesus had dominion over all.  Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, added some insights.  He suggested that perhaps the choice of the colt of a donkey or ass as it is written in KJV, might signify His power over the spirit of man who is born like a wild ass's colt (Job 11:12).  Was it a mere coincidence that the colt was brought from a place at a crossroads where two roads met?  Mr. Henry also suggested that this might signify the fact that man has two choices about which way to go, and Jesus came to direct him toward the right road.

(11) And Jesus entered into Jerusalem and into the temple; and when He had looked around on all things, and now the eventide had come, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple and looked all around it.  He may have spent a good bit of time there as it might have been evening when He left Jerusalem with His disciples and went to Bethany.  Evening is the meaning of eventide in our time.  However, the prominent meaning and translation used almost 100% of the time in scripture is "hour."  The hour had come for Jesus's suffering and death, and He had looked around His temple, as He was Lord of the temple, and then left and went to Bethany with His disciples.

(12) And on the next day when they had come from Bethany, He was hungry.

The next day they left Bethany where they had stayed the night and went back to Jerusalem, and Jesus was hungry.   

(13) And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, He came if perhaps He might find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season of figs.

Jesus saw a fig tree from afar having leaves and He went to it to see if perhaps He might find any figs on it, but He found nothing but leaves.  Then comes the phrase "for it was not the season of figs."  Why would Jesus expect to find figs if it wasn't the season for them?  And of course, Jesus would have known without going to the tree whether or not it had fruit, so He was obviously using the fig tree as a lesson.  After much study, I think I understand why Jesus expected fruit even though it wasn't the season yet.  The tree was flourishing with leaves which was indicative of an early bloomer which would indicate fruit.  And it was not yet the time for harvesting the fruit, so it would not be that all the fruit had been gathered from it.  One other possibility is that it was not a good season for figs.  But this tree had all the flourishing outward signs that it had figs.

(14) And Jesus answered and said to it, "No man will eat fruit of you hereafter forever." And His disciples heard.

Jesus spoke to the fig tree and actually cursed it, saying that no man would ever eat fruit from it again.  His disciples heard Him say it.  That great showy fig tree that was fruitless was an illustration of the Jewish church at the time of Jesus that was full of outward shows of religion but was fruitless when it came to the real things of God.  Jesus had just been to the temple and looked all around it.  Perhaps He was contemplating all the outward signs of religion and piety, but knowing from His experience with the scribes and Pharisees, that the temple was fruitless and therefore useless.  If a church was not going to produce fruit for God, then it might as well be destroyed, never to deceive people again.

(15) And they came to Jerusalem and Jesus went into the temple and began to cast them out who bought and sold in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers and the seats of them who sold doves.

The fig tree had evidently been on the way to Jerusalem, as Jesus and His disciples then entered Jerusalem.  Jesus went into the temple and it seems immediately began to cast out people who were buying and selling there.  He had been in the temple the day before looking around and observing all.  He had now come to clean it out.  He overthrew all the tables and chairs of those who sold merchandise in it.  The fact that they sold doves there looks as if they were selling souvenirs or relics of the temple.  They had turned the sacred temple of God into a commercial enterprise.  The account in Luke said that Jesus had even made a scourge of small cords to drive the merchants and buyers out of the temple.  We don't ever see Jesus really angry, but that time He was full of righteous anger.

(16) And He would not allow any man to carry any vessel through the temple.

Additionally, Jesus would not let anyone carry any vessels through the temple.  These could have been other wares that were sold or perhaps vessels for carrying merchandise.

(17) And He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called for all nations the house of prayer'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"

Jesus began to teach them the prophetic words in the scriptures.  He quoted Isaiah 56:7, "...My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people."  However, Jesus said that they had turned it into a den of thieves, which was also a prophetic statement from Jeremiah 7:11, "Is this house which is called by My name become a den of robbers...?"

(18) And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him, for they feared Him because all the people were astonished at His doctrine.

The chief priests and scribes heard Jesus teaching and took counsel together discussing how they might destroy Him.  They feared Jesus because all the people were awestruck by His teaching, His doctrine which was the true doctrine of God.  The people had never been taught these things before, and the chief priests and scribes did not want to lose their gig.

(19) And when evening had come, He went out of the city.

In the evening Jesus and His disciples again left the city to spend the night elsewhere, probably in Bethany again.

(20) And in the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

In the morning as they were on their way back, they passed by the fig tree Jesus had cursed the day before, and it was all dried up.

(21) And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Master, behold, the fig tree which you cursed is withered away."

Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree the day before and pointed out to Jesus that the tree He had cursed had withered away.

(22) And Jesus answered saying to them, "Have faith in God."

Jesus spoke to all His disciples as they had all heard Him curse the tree and now observed in one day it had withered and dried up.  He told them to have faith in God.

(23) "For verily I say to you that whoever shall say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things which he says shall come to pass, he shall have whatever he says."

With that faith in God's word, even they could move mountains, if they did not doubt, and believed that what they said would come to be, they indeed would have whatever they said.  The key is having faith in God to do what God says and believing that any obstacles in the way of achieving that purpose can be removed with a word, and it will.  The faith is in God's word and in His will.  It does not mean that we can say to a tree, "Drop a million dollars from your branches," and it will happen if only we truly believe.  I believe this scripture has been taken out of context by many.  It must be within God's will, and also note Jesus's example was about moving mountains, moving obstacles in the way.  It was not "Give me."

(24) "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them."

Note that it's in prayer and communion with God, and knowing God's purpose, when we can confidently ask for what we need, believe that we will receive it, and we will.

(25) "And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, that your Father in heaven also may forgive you your trespasses."

Jesus added that when they prayed, they should also forgive anyone who had done anything to them that caused them to hold anything against them, for bitterness in the heart would surely be a hindrance to prayer and confidence that they might receive that for which they prayed.  It's what Jesus told us when He taught us how to pray in the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6:9-13).  In verses 14 and 15, He added that if we forgave others, our heavenly Father would forgive us our sins; however, if we did not forgive others, neither would our heavenly Father forgive us.

(26) "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Indeed, Jesus did confirm that if they refused to forgive others, God would likewise not forgive them.

(27) And they came again to Jerusalem, and as He was walking in the temple, there came to Him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders.

Jesus and His disciples then came to Jerusalem and Jesus went into the temple.  It seems that immediately the chief priests, scribes, and elders confronted Him.

(28) And said to Him, "By what authority do you these things? And who gave you this authority to do these things?"

It was indeed a confrontation.  The chief priests, scribes, and elders demanded to know by what authority Jesus did the things He did, perhaps most pressing on their minds was His most recent act of cleansing the temple.  There was also the preaching and teaching in "their" temple and the miracles He performed.  They also wanted to know who gave Him that authority.

(29) And Jesus answered and said to them, "I will also ask of you one question, and answer Me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things."

Instead of answering them, Jesus told them that He wanted to ask them a question first, and if they answered Him, then He would tell them by what authority He did the things He did.  Jesus so often answered a question with a question.

(30) "The baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men? Answer Me."

It was a simple question designed to make them think about the absurdity of their question to Him.  The correct answer to His question would naturally lead to the correct answer to theirs.  The preaching and teaching of John's doctrine, calling for repentance and the coming of the Messiah, and the baptizing of souls for the Lord; did that all come from heaven or from men?

(31) And they reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we shall say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'"

The chief priests, scribes, and elders reasoned among themselves about how they should answer Jesus, which proved they weren't interested in truth; they only wanted to entrap Him.  Amazingly, they actually knew that John had prophesied and taught about the coming of Jesus.  They knew the truth about Jesus!  Yet, their lust for power and for things the way they always were trumped their desire to know the Messiah!  They reasoned what Jesus would rightly say and knew that would convict them because they had not believed John.

(32) "But if we shall say, 'Of men;'" they feared the people for all men counted John to have been a prophet indeed.

On the contrary, they reasoned that if they said John's baptism and teaching was merely an invention of men, they would be ostracized by the people who all considered John to be a prophet of God.

(33) And they answered and said to Jesus, "We cannot tell." And Jesus answering, said to them, "Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Knowing they had been boxed into a corner, that neither answer would entrap Jesus, but only serve to convict themselves, they told Him they didn't know the answer.  Jesus told them, knowing that both sides knew full well the truth, that as they had not answered His question, He would not answer theirs.

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.

"Who Then Can Be Saved?"

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 10:1) And He arose from there and came into the coasts of Judea by the other side of the Jordan, and the people gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  

At the end of the last chapter Jesus had been teaching His disciples in a house in Capernaum.  He then left there and went to the region of Judea by the further side of the Jordan eastward.  People began to assemble with Him, and as He had become accustomed, He taught them again.

(2) And the Pharisees came to Him and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?" tempting Him.

Once again the Pharisees came to Him, as they always did, to test Him and try to ensnare Him.  They asked if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife, knowing full well the answer, but desiring to trip Him up, as if they ever could.

(3) And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"

As He so often did, Jesus answered the Pharisees by first asking them a question, what was it that Moses had commanded?

(4) And they said, "Moses allowed to write a bill of divorcement and to put her away."

They answered Jesus that Moses's law allowed a man to write a bill of divorcement and to divorce his wife.

(5) And Jesus answered and said to them, "For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept."

Jesus then answered the Pharisees that that particular law had only been written because of the hardness of men's hearts.  It was never intended that men should divorce their wives, but because the Jewish men were cruel and hard-hearted, divorce was allowed.  Had it not been allowed, their meanness and hard heartedness might have led to physical harm to their wives.  Divorce was only allowed to prevent further sin and harm.

(6) "But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. (7) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. (8) And the two shall be one flesh, so then they are no more two but one flesh. (9) What therefore God has joined together let no man put asunder."

Indeed, Jesus went on to quote Genesis about what God had intended from the beginning.  He had made a man and a woman to come together as one in marriage.  Note that God only created man and woman; He did not create 57 different genders!  A man's father and mother were one in marriage, and he was likewise to leave his father and mother and join together with his own wife to become one.  He wasn't to join together with another man, only a woman, his wife.  Those two were to become one flesh, a singular unit, a married couple, parents, Mr. and Mrs., and what God had joined together, it was originally intended that no man should separate, and in fact, spiritually and intimately, they really can never be totally separated.

(10) And in the house the disciples asked Him again about the same matter.

Later when they had all retired to a house, the disciples asked Jesus again about the same matter.

(11) And He said to them, "Whoever shall divorce his wife, and marry another, commits adultery against her."

Jesus told His disciples that if a man divorced his wife and married another, it was considered adultery to God.  Moses's law did allow for certain circumstances under which a man could divorce his wife, but in God's eyes, once that union was formed and consummated in the marriage bed, that was a union created by God, and should be honored as such.  To flippantly throw that God-honored union away is to dishonor and sin against God.  The sexual union of a man with a woman is not to be taken lightly and outside marriage.  Even though our current laws allow for no-fault divorce and same-sex marriage, it doesn't mean that it is okay in God's eyes.  However, that is not to say that either is a sin that cannot be forgiven.

(12) "And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

Likewise, Jesus said that if a woman divorced and married another man, she was guilty of committing adultery.

(13) And they brought young children to Him that He might touch them, and His disciples rebuked those who brought them.

Then some people brought young children to Jesus so that He might touch them, putting His hands on them and praying for them, as the account in Matthew said.  His disciples rebuked the people who had brought the children, as if to say, "Don't bother Jesus."

(14) But when Jesus saw that, He was much displeased and said to them, "Permit the little children to come to Me and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God."

When Jesus saw His disciples rebuking the people bringing children to Him, He was displeased with them and told them not to forbid the children to come to Him.  He reminded them that such was the kingdom of heaven.  He had just recently taught them that new believers were like children in their amateurish lowliness of mind and not to be discouraged.  So all should come to Him, as children, not as pompous arrogant Pharisees. 

(15) "Verily, I say to you, whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter."

In fact, Jesus did say that if one did not approach and receive the Gospel message of the kingdom of God as a little child, he would not be able to enter it.

(16) And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them.

Jesus then took the little children in His arms, laying His hands upon them, and blessed them.  With this message, I believe Jesus tells us that an innocent child, no matter how young, is never too young to come to Him.  Perhaps he is too young to completely understand his actions, but coming to Jesus at any age is never wrong or to be discouraged.  He may come again at a more advanced age, but that coming as a small child may provide a foundation that will forever be with that child.

(17) And when He had gone forth on the road, there came one running, and kneeled to Him and asked Him, "Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"

Jesus then left the house and when He had gone forth on the road a man came running up to Him, kneeled before Him, referred to Him as Good Master, and asked what it was he must do to inherit eternal life.

(18) And Jesus said to Him, "Why do you call Me good? There is none good but One, that is God."

Jesus asked the man why he had called Him good because there was only One who was really good, and that was God.  Jesus was not rebuking the man or denying He was good; His point was to show that for Him to be called good, the man was rightfully looking upon Him as God.

(19) "You know the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother."

Jesus referred to the commandments, suggesting that the man undoubtedly knew them and should keep them.  He then named the six commandments that had to do with our relationships with other people, prohibitions against adultery, killing, stealing, lying, defrauding, which is the natural expected result of one who covets, and honoring one's parents.

(20) And he answered and said to Him, "Master, all these I have observed from my youth."

The man told Jesus that he had observed all those commandments since his youth.

(21) Then Jesus beholding him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack; go your way, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."

Jesus looked upon the man and loved him.  It is noteworthy that that point was emphasized.  God loves all His children, but it seems Jesus looked upon the man with a different level of love, perhaps love for his earnestness, for the good He saw in him, but I imagine a loving sadness for the huge impediment He saw standing in the man's way to eternal life.  Jesus told him that there was just one thing he lacked knowing the greatest treasure of his heart; he needed to go sell all he had, give it to the poor, and then take up his cross, bearing all things without his money, and follow Jesus.  Did he love God more than money?  His observance of the commandments was an outward show of his love for God, but did he love the Lord above all else?

(22) And he was sad at that saying and went away grieved for he had great possessions.

Jesus lovingly knew this about the man before he realized it.  He was greatly saddened by Jesus's answer because he had great possessions and knew he was not willing to give those up.

(23) And Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"

After the rich young man went his way, Jesus looked around at His disciples and commented on how hard it was for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.

(24) And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for them who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"

The disciples were taken aback by Jesus's words, but He only repeated them, declaring how very hard it was for someone who trusted in his riches to enter the kingdom of heaven.

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

Jesus then told the disciples it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, which was impossible, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.  That certainly had to be a scary thought, as Jesus seemed to be saying that it was absolutely impossible for a rich man to ever enter heaven.

(26) And they were astonished beyond measure, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"

The disciples were even more astonished at this, and discussed among themselves that if that were true, then how could anyone be saved?  I can't help but think that this shows a little bit of dependence on wealth to make all things right.  They didn't ask about how then a rich man could ever be saved, but the assumption seemed to be that if a rich man couldn't do it with all his wealth and assets, then how could anyone else ever do it?

(27) And Jesus, looking upon them, said, "With men, it is impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible."

Jesus, knowing their thoughts and what they were discussing among themselves, looked at them and told them that it was indeed impossible for men to be saved on their own, but with God, all things were possible.  With God, one could move mountains, lead a camel through the eye of a needle, and work on a rich man's heart to take his trust and confidence off worldly wealth and onto God alone.

(28) Then Peter began to say to Him, "Lo, we have left all and have followed You."

Peter, perhaps questioning if it was enough, told Jesus that he and the other disciples had left all they had, although it was very little compared to a rich man's possessions, and were following Him.

(29) And Jesus answered and said, "Verily I say to you, there is no man who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, (30) But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life."

Jesus answered that assuredly any man who had left all, his house, family, and lands, for the sake of Jesus and His Gospel, would receive a hundredfold in the present time.  Jesus said a hundredfold houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands.  This is not necessarily to be taken completely literally in the way man's selfish hearts might interpret it, but the blessings he will receive will be a hundredfold what he left behind.  He will gain many more valued brothers and sisters in Christ.  He will gain many more children who look up to him and value him as a father figure, and many mother figures who wish to serve and minister to him.  He may not actually own a hundredfold lands, but may have the blessings of the usage in gratitude to him.  I couldn't help but notice that Jesus didn't include fathers and wives in the second part of His message.  That was probably intentional in that we all have but one true Father God in heaven, and should call no man father (Matthew 23:9) on earth, with the obvious exception of one's biological earthly father whom God recognized as one's father in His Ten Commandments.  Although it may not be a literal hundredfold possessions, the man who gives all will definitely find that the blessings he receives by giving his life to Jesus and the Gospel tremendously outweigh anything he left behind.  However, it won't be without persecutions as anyone who follows Christ will be hated and persecuted for His name's sake (Matthew 10:22-23).  However, in the end he will have eternal life with God in heaven.

(31) "But many who are first shall be last, and the last first."

There can be many interpretations of this statement by Jesus.  As often the case, I believe all can be meant, as scripture so often has multiple meanings that are all true.  As in the case of the rich man they had so recently encountered, although rich and among the first in superiority in the world, he would be last because he loved his worldly riches more than God.  Also the first saved would not necessarily be first in the kingdom of God in heaven, but according to God's will and purposes, as well as His pleasure and grace.  I see something additional now that I did not perceive when I read this account in Matthew (Matthew 19:30).  The Jews were God's chosen people; they were the ones Jesus came to save.  They were the first; however, most of them rejected Jesus, and Jesus then offered His gift of salvation to the Gentiles, who were last among men chosen by God.  In the end Jews will see the truth of Jesus Christ the Messiah.  In this case, very definitely the first called by God will be the last, and the last called became the first to accept Him.  However, this was by design of our wonderful merciful Father in heaven that we should all be given the chance to receive eternal life with Him:

"For I would not want, brethren, for you to be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." - Romans 11:25

This seems a perfect place to end this post.  I will continue a study of Mark 10 in the next post.

The Gospel of Peace and Humility with No Prohibitions Against Any Believers, No Matter How Small

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 9:30) And they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want any man to know it.

In the last post, in the first part of chapter 9, Jesus and His disciples had been in the region of Caesarea Philippi where Jesus was transfigured on the mountain and where He had cast out the demon that His disciples could not cast out.  They now left there and passed through Galilee, but Jesus did not want anyone to know He was there.

(31) For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men and they shall kill Him; and after He is killed, He shall rise the third day."

Jesus apparently had wanted privacy so that He could teach His disciples more about what was to happen to Him.  He told them again about how He would be delivered into the hands of men who would kill Him, but after He was killed, He would rise again on the third day after.

(32) But they did not understand this saying and were afraid to ask Him.

Still the disciples did not understand what Jesus was talking about, but they were afraid to ask Him for further explanation.

(33) And He came to Capernaum, and being in the house, He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the way?"

Jesus and His disciples had passed through Galilee and now had come to Capernaum.  When they were inside a house and probably alone, Jesus asked the disciples what it was they had been arguing about on their way there.  Jesus surely already knew, but it was time to bring it to their attention for another lesson.

(34) But they held their peace for on the way they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.

However, the disciples held their peace and did not want to tell Jesus because they were obviously ashamed that they had been arguing about which one of them would be the greatest.

(35) And He sat down and called the twelve and said to them, "If any man desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."

Jesus then sat down and called all the disciples to Him for their "lesson."  He told them that if any man wanted to be first, he would be last and servant to all.  There could be two different ways of interpreting this.  One, if one desired to be first, his pride and vanity would be checked and his selfish ambitions would be frustrated, and instead of having superior reverence and respect, he would instead be debased and treated with contempt.  Another way of looking at this is that to be first in the eyes of heaven was to be last, to be servant to all, as Jesus was when He came to earth.  

(36) And He took a child and set him in the midst of them, and when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, (37) "Whoever receives one of such children in My name, receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me, but Him who sent Me."

Jesus then took a child who had apparently been in the house with them and held him in His arms.  He then said to His disciples that whoever welcomed a child such as the one He held in His arms in His name welcomed and received Him.  Although Jesus could have meant a literal small child, He surely was also referring to those baby Christians, or actually any believer, who was like a child in his meekness and lowliness of mind.  Anyone who welcomed and received such a one in His name was receiving Jesus, and therefore receiving the One who sent Jesus, Father God in heaven.  He didn't mean anyone who received a child into his arms, but one who received him or any believer in Jesus's name, meaning that he showed him the love and kindness and service of Jesus Christ.  That person was welcoming and receiving God.

(38) And John answered Him, saying, "Master, we saw one casting out devils in Your name and he does not follow us, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."

His disciple John then told Jesus that they, the disciples, had seen someone casting out devils in Jesus's name, but they forbade him to do that because he did not follow Jesus and His chosen disciples.

(39) But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for there is no man who shall do a miracle in My name who can shortly speak evil of Me."

Jesus told John and His disciples not to forbid the man to cast out devils in His name, for if he was doing miracles, and therefore doing good, in the name of Jesus, then he certainly wasn't likely to turn around and speak evil of Jesus.  Even though he was not a follower and surely did not know the entire truth about Jesus and His gospel message, he certainly could not be considered an enemy and doing harm.  Besides, if a man was able to perform miracles, he had to be doing it by the power of God, so even if he wasn't a true follower of Jesus, or think of it as not of the proper denomination with the correct doctrine, he was not to be discouraged and forbidden to do the work he did in the name of Jesus.  What a beautiful lesson about how we must not be prejudiced against other denominations or baby Christians who do not appear to walk perfectly in the correct doctrine.  This beautiful grace of Jesus Christ forgives and covers the imperfections and non-adherence to laws and looks at the heart of man.  What we need to realize is that if a person loves the Lord and wants to do good in His name, the Lord will lead him into truth and in the way he should go.  As Proverbs 3:6 says, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  A lesson I have come to learn is that the Lord teaches each of us what we need to know, and it won't be the same for each person.  Jesus meets us where we are, and what we need most is not what our neighbor needs most, and because we don't know the hearts as Jesus does, we cannot rightly discern what another needs and insist they do it our way.

(40) "For he who is not against us is on our side."

Jesus went on to add that he who was not against them could be said to be on their side.  In Matthew 12:30, Jesus had said that whoever was not with Him was against Him.  There is no contradiction when taken in context.  Matthew 12:30 went on to say, "...and he who does not gather with me scatters abroad."  He who did not gather souls to God scattered them from Him.  The context of Matthew 12:30 was that there are no neutrals in spiritual warfare.  One is either for Christ or against Him.  In the case of the man casting out devils in Jesus's name, he was certainly trying to direct souls to Jesus, whether he did it perfectly or not.  Once again, as always, it comes down to the heart of man.  If the heart of man was not with Jesus, then he was against Him.  If his heart was not against Jesus, then he was on Jesus's side.

(41) "For whoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, verily I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."

Jesus was reiterating what He had said in verse 37 before John told Him about the man casting out devils who wasn't one of them.  Whoever received a believer in His name, received Him; and whoever gave a cup of water to one of Christ's followers, therefore in His name, would be rewarded.  Actually, it was all related.  The children, the baby Christians, the believers in Jesus Christ, as well as those who were not against Him, but did good in His name, all such people were doing so for Christ, and for helping them one would be rewarded.

(42) "And whoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in Me, it is better for him that a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea."

Jesus went on to add the contrary fact that whoever offended one of the least little believers in Him would be better off had a millstone been tied around his neck and he was cast into the sea and drowned.  The original word translated as "offended" has a stronger meaning than to merely annoy or hurt the feelings; it's that word "skandalizo" which when used in scripture most often means to entrap, to trip up or cause to stumble, to entice to sin or apostasy.  Those who purposely pull others away from Christ will suffer great punishment.

(43) "And if your hand offends you, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life maimed than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched."

Jesus's meaning was that anything in one's life that caused him to spiritually stumble must be cut out, for it would be far better to enter eternal life in heaven without that guilty pleasure than it would be to have it on earth and spend eternity in hellfire.  It might be something as dear to one as his own hand, or perhaps it is something that his hand does, like to steal for instance.  It would be much better even literally to cut one's hand off if that actually prevented the sin, for that might mean eternity in heaven rather than in hell.

(44) "Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."

In verse 44 Jesus further described what hell would be like quoting Isaiah 66:24.  Some translations quote it as "where maggots never die and the fire never goes out."  While that does sound terrible, Jesus's words and the original in Isaiah say "their worm" and Isaiah even said "their fire."  These may be analogical terms for what the soul would endure forever and ever in eternity.  As a worm or maggot feeding on the dead or an intestinal worm gnawing on the entrails of a man, so will the guilty conscience of man eternally torment him, and the fire of divine wrath, whether literal or spiritual or both, will never be quenched.  Whether literal or not, you can be sure it will be awful torment and terror forever.  

For those who don't believe in a literal hell or that God would be so cruel to send His children there, think of it this way.  God cannot look upon sin; Jesus provided a way for us to be able to be in the presence of God.  If one doesn't accept that offering of Jesus, then that person cannot be in the presence of God.  Rather than being gathered to heaven, he will be left behind.  As it says in scripture, "every knee will bow."  In the end everyone will know that God is true and His awesomeness will overwhelm them, just as the soldiers were knocked down when Jesus said "I AM" (John 18:6).  Even though their consciences might not have bothered them on earth, when they know the truth, their consciences that God created in them to know truth, will burn and torment them forever, an anguish and torment they never knew on earth.

(45) "And if your foot offends you, cut it off; it is better for you to enter lame into life than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. (46) Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."

Jesus gave the same dire warning about one's feet that cause him to sin and reject God.  It is better to cut them off, or cut out the sinful things one does with those feet, and have eternal life than to go to hell retaining them.  Again Jesus described the anguish of one in hell.

(47) "And if your eye offends you, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. (48) Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."

The same goes for the eye.  Perhaps the eyes enjoy pornography.  If one's eye causes him to fall away from God, then he should pluck it out, more specifically meaning pluck that guilty pleasure out of his life.  However, even taken literally, it is far better to enter heaven blind than to have life on earth with two eyes and spend eternity in hell.  It was intentional of Jesus to tell the horror of hell three times.  It is said throughout scripture that a thing will be established when in the mouth of two or three witnesses.  Although Jesus was just One, I do believe it is no coincidence that He chose to say the same thing three times to solidify the fact about hell.  That is often the way in scripture.  I have learned that if there is an obscure verse that is difficult to interpret, and one interprets it in a way that is unique and nowhere else in the Bible, then that interpretation is false, because throughout the Bible, a fact you can rely on is always reiterated elsewhere in scripture.

I have a personal testimony about losing one's eye(s).  My husband was blinded in one eye as a teenager and then lost the sight in the other as a result of a stroke when he was an adult.  Although you know that had to be difficult, he came to realize if he had been allowed to go on in the direction he was going, he would have spent eternity in hell fire.  He personally knew what it was like to give up both eyes and come to Christ, leaning on Him, following Him, and knowing he would spend eternity with Him.  We must learn that God is always good; He can be nothing else.  Anything He does or allows to happen is for our ultimate good.  He meets us where we are in life, knows what we need to come to Him, and is gracious enough to do it for us!  "All things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)  Even this many times sad and painful life, a blip on the line of eternity, can be given up for everlasting life in glory with God.

(49) "For everyone shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt."

The one thing that Bible commentators agree on with regard to this verse is that it is a difficult one to understand.  Without going into all the different ways it was explained that don't add up for me, I will write what it speaks to me.  Everyone will be salted with fire.  Every single person, not just the ones who go to hell, will be salted with fire.  I believe that refers to all our trials and tribulations in life.  God even said that He uses fire to refine us as silver and gold (Zechariah 13:9).  Every sacrifice will be salted with salt.  We are living sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1).  The law in Leviticus 2:13 stated that every offering of flesh was to be salted.  The verse explained further what that salt represented when it went on to state that one must never allow the salt of the covenant of God to be lacking from any of their sacrifices.  We living sacrifices must always be salted with the covenant of God.

(50) "Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves and have peace one with another."

Jesus went on to say that salt was good, but it must retain its saltiness.  If that salt of the covenant of God is gone from us, there is nothing else that can replace it.  As Matthew 5:13 stated, we are to be the salt of the earth, but if our salt loses its flavor, it is good for nothing except to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.  Jesus said for us to retain that salt in ourselves and to have peace with one another.  Something I did not realize or remember until I read John Gill's commentary was that in Numbers the covenant of salt was also called a covenant of peace.  Having peace with one another is one of the main ingredients in that covenant of God, that Gospel of Peace.  When Jesus was asked in Matthew 22 which was the greatest commandment, He answered it was to love God with all one's heart, soul, and mind, and that the second greatest was to love your neighbor as yourself.  He added that all of the laws were centered on those two commandments.  Certainly, loving your neighbor is to have peace with him.

All of Jesus's lessons in this post are related to one another.  First, we must have humility and not seek the highest position of honor.  That humility would have us non-judgmental against those who don't think as we do.  If they are not against Christ, then they are with Christ to some degree and not to be discouraged.  The same with baby Christians and all believers, none should be discouraged or offended for their faith, although it may not be as ours.  Having peace with one another encompasses all these things:  we will not seek the highest honor, but esteem others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3); we will not judge others who honor God in their own ways, we will not discourage those who love God in their own ways, and we will have peace with one another.

The Transfiguration; All Things Are Possible to Him Who Believes

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 9:1) And He said to them, "Verily, I say to you that there are some who stand here who shall not taste of death till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power."

This first verse actually is a proper ending for the message Jesus had been giving at the end of the last chapter.  Jesus had been talking about what it meant to follow Him.  He concluded with this statement that there were some people there among His disciples and the other people who were listening to Him, who would not die before they got to see the kingdom of God come with power on the earth.  He was referring to the time when the Holy Spirit would descend upon three thousand in a baptism of fire that would ignite the Christian church.

(2) And after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up in a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.

Six days after that Jesus took Peter, James, and John, apart from the other disciples, and led them up on a mountain.  He was transfigured before them.  It seems whenever Jesus desired two or three witnesses, He usually always took Peter, James, and John, who seemed to be His closest disciples.  The original word used that was translated as "transfigured" is entirely recognizable as "metamorphoo."  However, more than just a metamorphosis to another form, John Wesley, in his Notes on the Bible, stated that the word seemed to refer to a transformation into a form of God.  Indeed, the only two other places in scripture it is used refer to a Godly transformation into the image and character of God.  In 2 Corinthians 3:18, although the word is translated as "changed," the original is "metamorphoo" and speaks of us changing into the same image of Christ's glory.  In Romans 12:2, Paul speaks of a transformation of our minds in opposition to conformity to the world to a Christlike mind that can discern the perfect will of God.  In all three cases that the word "metamorphoo" was used, although it was translated three different ways, it does indeed seem to mean a Godly metamorphosis.

(3) And His clothing became shining, exceedingly white as snow such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.

In His transfiguration, Jesus's clothing became shining bright white, whiter than any white that could be produced by man.

(4) And there appeared to them Elijah and Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

Not only was Jesus transfigured before the three disciples, but Elijah and Moses also appeared, and they were talking with Jesus.  The account in Luke states they were discussing Jesus's "decease" that He would "accomplish" at Jerusalem.

(5) And Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here, and let us make three tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." (6) For he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.

Peter spoke to Jesus and told Him how good it was to be there with Him and witness such a glorious event.  Then he, rather oddly, added that they should make three tabernacles, one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.  However, we are told that he really didn't know what to say for the three disciples were greatly afraid of what they were witnessing.  What Peter failed to realize in his proposal to make three tabernacles was that what he was witnessing was the law, represented by Moses, and the prophets, represented by Elijah, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ being brought together in perfect unity.  And isn't it interesting that the disciples knew it was Moses and Elijah they saw with Jesus?  It's not as if they had ever seen photographs of them.  It was surely by the Holy Spirit of God that they knew who they were witnessing, but they didn't quite grasp why they were witnessing them or rather, what was represented by it.

(7) And there was a cloud that overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son; hear Him."

A cloud overshadowed all of them, probably a cloud of glory such as accompanied Israel in the wilderness, and God's voice came out of the cloud proclaiming that Jesus was His beloved Son and that they hear Him, perhaps meaning in preference to Moses and Elijah who were just harbingers of the coming Christ the Messiah.

(8) And suddenly when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore except Jesus only with themselves.

The disciples apparently looked around or perhaps down, as indicated in Matthew 17:8, when they heard God speak, and when they looked up or back toward the transfigured trio there was no longer anyone there except for Jesus and the disciples themselves.  

(9) And as they came down from the mountain, He charged them that they should tell no one what things they had seen till the Son of man was risen from the dead.

Jesus and the three disciples then came down from the mountain, and as they were coming down, Jesus instructed the three not to tell anyone of the things they had witnessed there until He was risen from the dead.

(10) And they kept it to themselves, questioning one another what the rising from the dead meant.

They indeed kept it to themselves, but they discussed with one another about what Jesus had meant by rising from the dead.  It's not that the idea of resurrection was foreign to them; it was not.  However, they probably pondered among themselves just what form it would take with Jesus.

(11) And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

The three disciples did however ask Jesus a different question about why the scribes said that Elijah must come first, that is, before the Messiah.

(12) And He answered and told them, "Elijah indeed comes first and restores all things, and how it is written of the Son of man that He must suffer many things and be set as nothing."

Jesus confirmed that Elijah was indeed to come first and begin to set things right.  Part of that restoring or fulfilling prophecy would include what had been written about the Son of man that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt as if He were nothing.

(13) "But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they have done to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."

Jesus went on to tell the disciples that Elijah had indeed already come, and by that He meant in the form of John the Baptist, just as it had been written or prophesied about him.  The clause "and they have done to him whatever they wished" was a parenthetical statement about what the powers that be had done to John the Baptist, an additional fact that proved that Elijah was John the Baptist who had already come and had been killed.

(14) And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them and the scribes questioning with them.

When Jesus and the three disciples who had gone with Him came down from the mountain to the rest of the disciples, Jesus saw them with a great multitude of people around them and scribes were questioning and arguing with them.

(15) And immediately all the people, when they saw Him, were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.

All the people who had surrounded the disciples were surprised when they saw Jesus coming and they ran to greet Him.

(16) And He asked the scribes, "What question have you with them?"

Jesus asked the scribes what they had been questioning the disciples about.

(17) And one of the multitude answered and said, "Master, I have brought to You my son who has a dumb spirit."

One among the multitude spoke up and told Jesus that he had brought his son to Him because he had a dumb or mute spirit that prevented him from speaking.

(18) "And wherever it takes him, it tears him and he foams and gnashes with his teeth and withers away; and I spoke to Your disciples that they cast it out, and they could not."

The man who spoke up to answer Jesus continued to tell Him about how the spirit would take hold of his son, thrashing him about and hurting him.  He would foam at the mouth and gnash his teeth until he fell limp.  The man had asked the disciples to cast out the evil spirit but they could not do it.

(19) He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."

Jesus answered the man and spoke to him and all the people around him, calling them a faithless generation and asking how long He would have to bear with their faithlessness.  He then told the man to bring his son to Him.

(20) And they brought him to Him, and when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming.

The people brought the man's son to Jesus, and as soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it convulsed the young man so that he fell rolling on the ground and foaming at the mouth.

(21) And He asked his father, "How long has it been since this came to him?" And he said, "As a child."

Jesus asked the father how long the evil spirit had possessed his son, and he told Him it had been with him since he was a child.  We don't know how old the son was now, but it had evidently been a long time with him.

(22) "And often times it has cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him; but if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."

The man continued to tell Jesus about how the spirit would often cast him into fire or into bodies of water in an effort apparently to destroy him.  The man doesn't appear to have much faith; perhaps it had diminished because the disciples had been unable to help him.  He asked "if" He could do anything, would He please have compassion on him and his son.

(23) Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."

Jesus told the man that if he would only believe, all things would be possible to the one who would believe.  The man had said "if" Jesus could help, and Jesus put it back on him that it was "if" the man had faith in Him, not that there was any power lacking in Jesus to heal the man's son.

(24) And immediately the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, "Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!"

This is one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible!  I guess because I have often felt this way.  The man cried out that he did believe his Lord but asked Him to help with his unbelief.  He did believe in the power of the Lord, but asked for help with any measure of unbelief that was blocking the healing of his son.  Sometimes we want to put Jesus into a little human box of our understanding, and although we desire to believe all things, our human understanding of things sometimes gets in the way of believing that literally all things are possible.  It's why we don't always observe incredibly great miracles in our modern civilized world like converts in simpler third world countries can.  There are some amazing accounts of fantastic miracles in some isolated parts of the world when people are introduced to Jesus.  They believe and don't have all the worldly garbage to get in the way of their belief.

(25) When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the foul spirit, saying to him, "Dumb and deaf spirit, I charge you, come out of him and enter him no more."

Jesus saw more people running toward them and the crowd was getting larger, probably because they heard the commotion and the man crying out.  At that point He rebuked the demonic spirit and spoke to it directly, commanding it to come out of the man's son and never enter him again.

(26) And the spirit cried out and convulsed him greatly and came out of him, and he was as one dead, in that many said, "He is dead."

The spirit cried out and greatly convulsed the young man and came out of him so violently that it left him limp and looking as if he were dead.  Actually, many people even said that he was dead.

(27) But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

However, Jesus took the young man by the hand and lifted him up and he indeed arose and was not dead.

(28) And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"

Perhaps Jesus led the young man into his own house, or it could have been any house that Jesus entered to rest and refresh.  The important point is that it was when they were in private that the disciples asked Jesus why it was that they were not able to cast the demon out of the young man.

(29) And He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

Jesus told the disciples that that particular spirit could only come out by prayer and fasting.  In the account in Matthew Jesus additionally told them that it was because of their unbelief.  The disciples surely believed they could cast the demon out, or else they wouldn't be asking why they were unable.  This is similar to what the father of the possessed man had said.  He did believe but he asked the Lord to help him with his unbelief that was hindering any healing.  That is what the disciples should have done.  Jesus was pointing out to them that not everything was free and easy and at their fingertips.  That spirit had been with the young man a long time and was not so easily dispossessed.  Jesus could do it with a word, but the disciples needed that strength from Jesus, what they could only get through prayer and fasting, and in close communion with God.  It's important to stay rooted and continue to get our strength from the source; it is never of ourselves that miracles are performed and we must be made brutally aware of that fact sometimes.  Another reason for staying rooted is to know the will of God.  All things are possible to him who believes, yes, but it must be within the will of God.  Belief must be in Him and in His will; it is never of ourselves or of our own selfish wills.

This is a rather long chapter, so I will end this post here for now, and continue with the ninth chapter of Mark in the next post.