"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.

Beware of the Leaven of the World

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 8:1) In those days the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples and said to them, (2) "I have compassion on the multitude because they have now been with me three days and have nothing to eat."

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had gone from the borders of Tyre and Sidon back to the Sea of Galilee through the borders of Decapolis.  It was in the days He was there that a great multitude of people were with Him and had apparently been listening to Him teach for three days.  He called His disciples to Him and told them that He had compassion on the multitude of people because they had been with Him so long and had nothing to eat.

(3) "And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint on the way, for some of them came from far."

Jesus told His disciples He did not want to send the people away back to their houses being so hungry as they might faint on the way, as some of them had come quite far.

(4) And His disciples answered Him, "From where can a man satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?"

Remarkably, the disciples asked where they could get bread enough to satisfy the multitude out there in the wilderness.  Had they not remembered how Jesus had fed so recently the five thousand?  And even if this event had actually happened chronologically before the other, then they had forgotten at that time how Jesus fed the multitude.

(5) And He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven."

Jesus asked them how many loaves they had, and they answered they had seven.  For the first time I see significance in the number of loaves, seven.  Seven has a spiritual meaning in the Bible; it represents completeness and fullness, even perfection.  Even in the feeding of the five thousand, they had five loaves and two fishes equaling seven.  In both instances, they had the perfect number to feed the multitudes.

(6) And He commanded the people to sit down on the ground, and He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, and broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.

Jesus instructed the people to sit on the ground.  He took the seven loaves of bread and gave thanks for them.  He then broke the bread and gave it to the disciples to set before the people, which they did.

(7) And they had a few small fish; and He blessed and commanded to set them also before them.

The disciples also had a few small fish, and Jesus took those, blessed them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the people.

(8) So they ate and were filled, and they took up of what was left seven baskets.

The people ate and were filled, and when the disciples took up the leftovers, there were seven baskets full.  Again that number of perfection.  At the feeding of the five thousand, they had twelve baskets remaining.  Twelve, of course, represents the twelve tribes of Israel and also means perfection and completeness.

(9) And those who had eaten were about four thousand; and He sent them away.

This time Jesus had miraculously fed four thousand.  After they had eaten and were filled, He sent them away.

(10) And immediately He entered in a ship with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

After the multitude left, Jesus got onboard a ship, as they had been on the seashore.  He and His disciples sailed to the region of Dalmanutha which was a city in the coasts of Magdala, which is where Matthew said they had sailed to in his account.

(11) And the Pharisees came forth and began to question Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.

The Pharisees there came to Jesus to question and test Him.  They asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.

(12) And He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek after a sign? Verily, I say to you there shall be no sign given to this generation."

Jesus sighed deeply in His soul, saddened by the hardness of the Pharisees' hearts, knowing they only sought to test Him, as they had already seen so many signs.  He told them there would be no sign given to them.  In Matthew's account, Jesus had added except for the sign of Jonah, which referred to His being in the tomb three days and then rising.

(13) And He left them, and entering into the ship again, departed to the other side.

Jesus left the Pharisees and returned to the ship and sailed toward the other side of the sea.

(14) Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they more than one loaf in the ship with them.

The disciples had forgotten to take bread with them on the ship, which apparently was their usual practice, as they might be at sea for days.

(15) And He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."

Jesus spoke to the disciples, having just left the Pharisees, telling them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.  In Matthew's account, Jesus had said the Pharisees and the Saducees.  It is very probable He had said to beware of them all.

(16) And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "Because we have no bread."

The disciples reasoned among themselves that it was because they had forgotten bread that Jesus was talking about food.

(17) And when Jesus knew it, He said to them, "Why do you reason, because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive, neither understand? Is your heart yet hardened?"

Jesus knew what they were saying and asked why they reasoned that He was talking about food.  He asked if they still didn't understand and if their hearts were still too hard to perceive what He was talking about.

(18) "Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?"

Jesus seemed quite exasperated with His disciples and continued, asking if they had eyes but could not see; they had eyes to see physically, but failed to see with their spirits and understand.  He asked if they had ears but could not hear, meaning their spiritual ears that failed to hear.  Jesus asked them if they didn't remember; they had seen and heard countless things from Him and should have been able to comprehend the spiritual things.

(19) "When I broke the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?" They said to Him, "Twelve."

Jesus then questioned the disciples about the recent miracles they had just witnessed.  He asked about the time He broke five loaves of bread and fed five thousand with it.  He asked how many baskets of leftovers they took up after the people had eaten their fill.  They answered twelve.

(20) "And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?" And they said, "Seven."

Jesus then asked them about the most recent time He had just fed four thousand with seven loaves; how many baskets of leftovers had they taken up then?  They answered seven.

(21) And He said to them, "How is it that you do not understand?"

Jesus asked His disciples how it was that they did not understand.  His point was, of course, that they had no need to be worried about bread, and He certainly wouldn't be concerned about bread, the food, so why was it they had reasoned among themselves that He would be talking about food?  How was it they couldn't understand He was talking about spiritual bread?  The leaven He had been talking about was the false spiritual leaven of the hypocrites which like leaven would spread throughout the heart and soul and even a population.

(22) And He came to Bethsaida, and they brought a blind man to Him and beseeched Him to touch him.

Jesus came to Bethsaida, a fishing town on the Sea of Galilee.  The account in John tells us it was the city of Peter, Andrew, and Philip.  Some people brought a blind man to Him and begged Him to touch the man.

(23) And He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town, and when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of town.  He was either avoiding vain praise and glory, or perhaps because of the unbelief and hardened hearts of the people in this place, He did not wish to perform a miracle in their presence.  Jesus was not about vain show, but did have mercy on and wish to heal this man.  When they were out of town, Jesus spit on the blind man's eyes and put His hands on him and asked if he saw anything.

(24) And he looked up and said, "I see men as trees, walking."

The blind man told Jesus he could see men who looked like trees walking.  From a distance, they all looked the same, but because of their motion, he was able to distinguish the men from the trees.

(25) After that He put His hands again on his eyes, and made him look up; and he was restored and saw every man clearly.

Jesus put His hands on the man's eyes again, and this time when the man looked up, his vision was perfectly restored and he could see every man clearly.  Once again, we see Jesus heal in a different way.  He could have merely spoken and the man would have been healed.  He could have been healed the moment Jesus touched him.  Why was this done in stages?  I believe it was to show us there was no magic formula; we do not have to have Jesus physically touching us to heal us.  Sometimes Jesus might use doctors to heal, and it might be a gradual healing, but the same miraculous result may occur.  In addition, it was an illustration of spiritual blindness.  A sinner is blind to the truth, and through the effects of religion and the Holy Spirit, begins to see, but at first not clearly.  At first doctrines may seem mysterious and he cannot totally comprehend them.  However, as he is converted and becomes a new man and has the Holy Spirit to guide him in all truth, he soon can see distinctly.

(26) And He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town nor tell anyone in the town."

Once again Jesus charged a recipient of His miraculous healing not to tell anyone about it, to go to his house and not to go into town.  Once again we can assume that Jesus did not wish to give more fuel to the fire of the Pharisees' jealousy and bring their action before its time.

(27) And Jesus went out and His disciples into the towns of Caesarea Philippi, and by the way He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Whom do men say that I am?"

Then Jesus and His disciples went into the towns of Caesarea Philippi, so called because it was ruled by Philip the Tetrarch.  On the way He asked His disciples whom men said that He was.

(28) And they answered, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah, and others, one of the prophets."

They answered by saying some said He was John the Baptist, others thought He was Elijah, as they were expecting Elijah to come before the Messiah, and still others thought He was one of God's prophets, either one of the past come again, or a new prophet raised up by God.

(29) And He said to them, "But whom do you say that I am?" And Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."

Jesus then asked His disciples who they thought He was.  Peter answered that He was the Christ.  In the account in Matthew, Jesus told Peter that he was blessed to know that because he could not have known by "flesh and blood," but only by Father God in heaven.

(30) And He charged them that they should tell no man about Him.

Jesus commanded His disciples not to tell anyone that fact, at least for the time being.  He didn't want the people trying to set Him up as a king which was what many were expecting the coming Messiah to be, and He didn't want to provoke the anger of the scribes and Pharisees to try to destroy Him before His time.

(31) And He began to teach them that the Son must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Jesus then began to teach His disciples about what was to happen to Him on earth.  He was going to have to suffer at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He would be killed, but after three days, He would rise again.

(32) And He spoke that word openly. And Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him.

Jesus spoke very openly and honestly to His disciples about what was to happen to Him.  However, Peter, not liking what he was hearing about Jesus's suffering and death, took Him aside and began to argue that fact with Him.  The account in Matthew told us Peter said that it would not happen that way to Him.

(33) But when He had turned about and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you don't savor the things that are of God, but the things that are of men."

I'm sure, as quite a surprise to Peter, Jesus turned and rebuked him, even seemingly called him Satan.  In fact, Jesus was speaking to Satan who must have prompted Peter to say what he did.  He told him he didn't speak the things of God, but only the selfish feelings of man; for, of course, we know God had a much greater purpose in mind.

(34) And when He had called the people to Him, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me."

Jesus then called the people to Him that had been close by as they always seemed to be around Jesus.  He also called His disciples to Him to hear this truth, that whoever desired to follow Him must be prepared to deny themselves of their worldly and selfish desires.  They must deny their own wills and embrace the will of God, no matter what the painful consequences.

(35) "For whoever will save his life shall lose it, but whoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel's, he shall save it."

Jesus went on to tell them that whoever tried to save his own life by his own means would lose it.  However, whoever gave up his life and his will for the sake of Christ and the gospel, he would save his life, even have an eternal life.

(36) "For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

Jesus then asked rhetorically what good was it if a man had all the money and power and means to gain the entire world, but lost his soul in the process.

(37) "Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Jesus then posed another question, just what would a man give in exchange for his soul?  All the riches and power in the world would only be a temporary thing, a blip in eternity.  Was man willing to give his eternal soul in exchange for a brief worldly gain?

(38) "Whoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

One of the reasons that the Jews rejected Jesus was that they were expecting a king to come save them in the traditional sense.  Had He indeed come clothed in royal robes, He would probably have had a huge following, but most of them would have been hypocrites.  Jesus came to the world in a lowly manner that the world might be saved by receiving His message and accepting His gift of redemption, not by adoration to a worldly king.  If any man was ashamed of Him and His words because He was not a rich and beautiful worldly king, then he would be lost and condemned when the Lord returned to gather His saints.  Jesus came in opposition to the ruler of the darkness of this world who deceives with worldly riches and power, so why would He have come in worldly riches and power?  Salvation is in Him and His words alone, not in any worldly riches, power, or fame.  Anyone who rejected that seemingly lowly person and message would be eternally lost.  And should He die a lowly miserable death, words Peter had rejected, it did not diminish Him and His word; in fact, as Peter and all the disciples would learn, it is what brought salvation and victory over death when Jesus would triumphantly rise again.

The Heart of the Law Vs. Traditions of Man

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 7:1) Then came together to Him the Pharisees and certain of the scribes, who came from Jerusalem.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had come into the land of Gennesaret.  It seems that the Pharisees and some scribes heard He was there and decided to go from Jerusalem to see Him there.

(2) And when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashed hands, they found fault.

When the scribes and Pharisees saw some of Jesus's disciples eating bread with unwashed hands, they immediately found fault, for which they were probably looking when they decided to come to Gennesaret to observe Jesus.

(3) For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands scrubbing, holding the tradition of the elders. (4) And when they come from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received to hold, the washing of cups, pots, copper vessels, and tables.

It was a tradition handed down by the elders that the Jews must scrub their hands well before eating.  When they came from the marketplace perhaps having bought food, they were not to eat it until they had washed.  There were many other things that the Jews held as tradition that had been passed down from the elders, like the washing of utensils and tables, etc.

(5) Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"

Having seen some of the disciples eating with unwashed hands against their tradition, the scribes and Pharisees came to Jesus and asked Him why they did not walk according to those traditions and ate with unwashed hands.

(6) He answered and said to them, "Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.'"

Jesus answered the scribes and Pharisees, first by saying that Isaiah had pegged them well when he prophesied of such hypocrites, and then He quoted Isaiah 29:13 which spoke of the people honoring the Lord with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him.

(7) "'How in vain they do worship Me teaching doctrines the commandments of men.'"

Jesus continued quoting Isaiah in a paraphrase of Isaiah 29:13 that spoke of the people teaching as doctrine the precepts of men.

(8) "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the washing of pots and cups, and many other such things you do."

Jesus accused them of setting aside the commandments of God, and holding to their own traditions of men, such as the washing of utensils, the ritual washing of hands, and many other such things.

(9) And He said to them, "Full well you reject the commandment of God that you may keep your tradition. (10) For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him die the death.'"

Jesus reiterated how the scribes and Pharisees rejected the commandment of God in order to keep their own traditions.  He went on to quote Moses on the commandment to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12), and the law's penalty for cursing father or mother, death (Exodus 21:17).

(11) "But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "It is Corban," that is to say, a gift, "by whatever you might have received from me."' (12) And you allow him to do no more for his father or his mother."

Rather than obeying Moses's commandment of God, Jesus said that the Pharisees had made their own law of man that said a man was allowed to call whatever gift he would have supposedly given to his father and mother "Corban," meaning a gift offered to God.  Then he was released from doing any more for his parents.  It's as if he said that he had given an offering to the synagogue in their name, rather than giving them the offering to help in their need.  It was an offering that he should have given the synagogue anyway, and also he should have supported his parents.  However, by telling his parents that he had devoted their portion to God, he got away with not supporting them, thus not honoring them as the commandment instructed.

(13) "Making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have delivered; and many such like things you do."

With the tradition in Jesus's example to the scribes and Pharisees, He told them they had subverted the word of God and had made it of no effect through their tradition of men.  That was one example of how they did it, but He said they did it with many other things in that manner.

(14) And when He had called all the people to Him, He said to them, "Hearken to Me, everyone, and understand."

Jesus then called all the people to Him to hear Him continue with the teaching He had begun in His answer to the scribes and Pharisees.  He urged them all to listen to Him and to understand.

(15) There is nothing from outside a man that entering into him can defile him, but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.

By saying that nothing from outside a man going into him could defile him, Jesus was further answering the question about why the disciples ate with unwashed hands.  Eating food with dirty hands, suggesting that dirty food went into a man, did not defile a man.  It's the things that came out of him that defiled him.  As Jesus had said in Matthew 12:34, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."  It's those things from his heart that he spoke that defiled him.

(16) "If any man has ears to hear, let him hear."

Jesus had called the people to Him, urging them to listen and understand.  He now reiterated that sentiment by adding that anyone who had ears to hear Him, let him truly hear, inferring his understanding.

(17) And when He had entered into the house from the people, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.

When Jesus had gone into a house away from the crowd of people, His disciples asked Him about what He had previously said.  It seems to me it hardly qualified as a parable, but the disciples hadn't been able to understand Jesus's meaning, so it seemed a parable with hidden meaning to them. 

(18) And He said to them, "Are you so without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever thing from outside enters into the man cannot defile him? (19) Because it does not enter into his heart, but into the belly and goes out into the privy, purging all foods."

Jesus seemed a bit exasperated with His disciples.  He asked if they were also with no understanding as the people He had spoken to outside.  After all, they had been with Him all this time, being taught by Him, and it had been given them to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13:11).  Jesus asked His disciples if they could not understand that what entered into a man could not defile him, because what went in went to the belly and not the heart, and it further went out into the toilet, purifying all foods.  The body took what was nutritious and used it, and eliminated the rest as waste; therefore it had been purified by the body and could not defile him.

(20) And He said, "That which comes out of the man, that defiles the man. (21) For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, (22) Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. (23) All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

Jesus went on to explain the rest of the "parable."  It's what came out of the man that defiled him, for those things came from his heart.  All evil thoughts and plans for evil deeds start with feelings embedded in the heart.  Jesus then went on to name a long list of evil intentions that came from the heart of man, coming from within and defiling the man.

Sometimes I am struck by the slowness of the disciples to grasp what seems so obvious.  However, I have had the benefit of much more learning than they had had at that point.  We have the entire Biblical manual, including the New Testament, with all the mistakes of human beings, including the disciples, from which to learn.  It should give us great hope and inspiration to know that such flawed and seemingly intellectually dull people could do such great things with God.  After all, God used even a donkey (Numbers 22:28)!

(24) And from there He arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into a house, and wanted no man to know but He could not be hidden.

Jesus then went from Gennesaret to the borders of Tyre and Sidon, two cities in Phoenicia.  It seems He did not go into those cities but was on the outskirts in those areas of Galilee that bordered on Phoenicia.  He went into a house there desiring no one to know He was there, but Jesus had become too famous to be hidden.

(25) For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard of Him and came and fell at His feet.

A woman who had a daughter with an unclean spirit indeed heard Jesus was there and came to Him and fell down at His feet.

(26) The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by nation; and she begged Him to cast the devil out of her daughter.

The woman was Greek, a Gentile, not a Jew.  She was a Syro-Phoenician or a Canaanite, as it seems Canaan was sometimes called Syro-Phoenicia as it lay between Syria and Phoenicia.  She came to Jesus and begged Him to cast the devil out of her daughter.  According to the account in Matthew, she repeatedly begged, having received no answer at first.

(27) But Jesus said to her, "Let the children first be filled, for it is not good to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs."

Jesus finally did answer her and told her that the children of Israel were to be filled first, for He had come to save the lost sheep of Israel.  He said it was not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs, meaning it was not the time and not proper to give the Gentiles what was meant for the Jews.

(28) And she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, but the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs."

The woman did not deny that what Jesus said was true.  She agreed but pointed out that even the dogs under the table were able to eat the crumbs that the children dropped.  I am struck by the ability of this woman to understand Jesus's analogy when even His disciples did not understand some of the simplest analogies.

(29) And He said to her, "For this saying go your way; the devil is gone out of your daughter."

Jesus was evidently also struck by her understanding and faith in Him that even the crumbs of His greatness could cure her daughter.  He told her that because she had said what she did, her daughter was healed and she should go her way.

(30) And when she had come to her house, she found the devil gone out and her daughter lying on the bed.

Indeed, when the woman went to her house, she found her daughter lying peacefully on the bed and the devil was gone out of her.

(31) And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, He came to the Sea of Galilee through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

Jesus then went back from the borders of Tyre and Sidon and headed back to the Sea of Galilee through the midst of the region of Decapolis.  The verse said He came to the Sea of Galilee, but I believe the point is that He probably neared it but was still on the edge of the borders of Decapolis.

(32) And they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they beseeched Him to put His hand upon him.

While in this region, some people brought to Jesus a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech.  They begged Him to lay His hand upon him, obviously knowing that would heal the man.

(33) And He took him aside from the multitude and put His fingers into his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.

Jesus took the man aside away from the multitude.  He put His fingers into the man's ears, then spat probably on His finger and then touched the man's tongue with it.

(34) And looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."

Jesus then looked up to heaven and sighed, pitying the sufferings of the man before Him, and then said, "Ephphatha," which literally meant "be opened."  It was an emphatic statement; He was not asking His Father God in heaven to open the ears of the man, for He had all the power to do that Himself.  I believe in this action He demonstrated that healing came from God in heaven above.  I also believe that in the way He healed the man in this situation, He sought to teach that there was no magic formula to receive healing.  Jesus had power over all and could heal with just His word, but the people who brought the man to Jesus asked that He put His hand on him.  I believe Jesus wanted to demonstrate that the healing came from God in heaven above and took a few more steps this time to prove that.  After all, Jesus would not always be there with the people to lay His hands on them; they needed to understand just where His power came from.

(35) And immediately his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed and he spoke plainly.

Immediately the man's ears were opened and he could hear, and his tongue was freed so that he could speak plainly.  I love the double meaning of the original word used for "bond," that is, "desmos."  It meant "band" as in the ligament in the man's tongue that was loosened, and it also meant "bond" as in shackled or bound, as the man surely was in bondage to his disability.

(36) And He charged them that they should tell no man, but the more He charged them, so much the more they published a great deal.

Once again Jesus commanded that the man and the people who witnessed his healing not to tell anyone about it.  Once again He was desirous to keep the scribes and Pharisees from adding fuel to their fire, so to speak, as it was not yet time.  And once again the people just could not contain their joy and awe at the healing.  Mark went as far to say that the more Jesus charged people not to tell of their healing, the more they proclaimed it.  I'm sure it wasn't that they wanted to disobey; it was just too good to keep to themselves.

(37) And were beyond measure astonished, saying, "He has done all things well; He makes both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak."

The deaf man, the people who witnessed the healing, and perhaps also meaning the people who were told of the miraculous healing, were amazed beyond measure at all the ways Jesus healed completely and perfectly.  They referred to the healings they could see, but Jesus also perfectly and completely redeemed men's souls, saving the entire lost world if its inhabitants just accept His offering.

In this chapter, we saw Jesus teaching the heart of the law, not the legalistic tradition of man it had become.  You could also see the heart of the law in His healing of the Syro-Phoenician woman's daughter.  Although He had come to save His own people, the heart in the law was to save all people who would have faith in Him.  His heart was demonstrated in the healing of the deaf man when He sighed and looked up to heaven to show all where their hope and healing came from.  Truly God loves all His creation and meets us where we are to give us just what we need to receive His mercy and grace.

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand and Walks on Water

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 6:30) And the apostles gathered themselves together to Jesus and told him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.

In the last post, Jesus had sent His disciples out two by two to preach the Gospel.  They now had come back to Jesus and reported all they had taught and done.

(31) And He said to them, "Come yourselves apart to a desert place and rest awhile," for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

Jesus told His disciples to go out to a deserted place to rest, for where they were, so many people were constantly coming and going that they didn't even have time to eat.  Jesus knew that rest was necessary, and it is the reason that God rested the seventh day of creation, to show us the need for rest.

(32) And they departed to a desert place by ship privately.

Jesus and the disciples were able to separate themselves from the people by taking a ship to a deserted location.

(33) And the people saw them departing and many knew Him and ran afoot there out of all the cities, and outran them, and came together to Him.

Although they had separated themselves from the people by boarding the ship, the people saw them departing and many ran by foot and outran the boat, and came together to Jesus when He arrived at His destination.

(34) And Jesus, when He came out, saw many people and was moved with compassion toward them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and He began to teach them many things.

When Jesus came out of the boat and saw the many people who had run ahead to meet Him, He had compassion on them.  They were as lost sheep without a shepherd.  They were hungering to be taught by Jesus because they had no good teachers in the scribes and Pharisees.  Therefore, Jesus began to teach them many things.

(35) And when the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a desert place and now the time is far passed. (36) Send them away that they may go into the surrounding country and into the villages and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat."

It appears Jesus taught the people most of the day.  When it was late in the day, His disciples came to Him suggesting that it was getting quite late and since they were in a deserted place, He should send the people away so that they might go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves something to eat.

(37) He answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said to Him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii's worth of bread and give it to them to eat?"

Jesus told His disciples that they should give the people something to eat instead of sending them out to get it themselves.  This brings to mind something that happened to me once.  My husband and I were getting out of the car at church one Sunday morning when a young lady approached us.  She had just been released from the jail across the street and had no money and no ride.  My first impulse was to run inside the church to get her some help.  I was even on my way when I stopped and turned around and said, "I guess we can help her."  My husband nodded knowingly as he usually did know the right thing to do in these type situations.  She just needed a lunch at Burger King, a ride to the bus station, and a ticket home.  Of course, we were able to do that!  But like the disciples, my first thought was to send her away to someone else to help.  

Back to Jesus and His disciples--when Jesus directed the disciples to feed the people themselves, they asked if they should go buy bread to feed the people.  In the account in John, Philip suggested that two hundred denarii's worth of bread wasn't even enough to give every single one of the people there just a little bread.  The disciples were limiting Jesus to what they themselves might be able to do without Him.  We humans do seem to want to put God in a little human box and limit Him to our understanding.  2 Timothy 3:5 talks about people who have a form of godliness but deny its power.  Paul told Timothy to turn away from such people!  That is like the scribes and Pharisees were; they had a form of godliness in religion, but denied the power of the true all-powerful God.  Our one true God and Jesus in the flesh could do all things!  The disciples should have realized that by now.

(38) He said to them, "How many loaves have you? Go and see." And when they knew, they said, "Five and two fish."

Jesus asked the disciples to go and see how many loaves of bread they had.  They came to Him and reported they had five loaves of bread and two fish.

(39) And He commanded them to make all sit down in groups on the green grass.

Then Jesus instructed the disciples to have all the people sit down on the grass in groups.

(40) And they sat down in groups, in hundreds and in fifties.

Indeed, the disciples had the people sit down in groups of one hundred and groups of fifty.

(41) And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to the heaven and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.

Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, and looked up to heaven and blessed the food.  Our food and all provisions are surely blessed by God in that He provided them to us, and we should always be mindful to thank Him for these blessings.  Jesus then broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people.  He also divided the two fish.

(42) And they all ate and were filled.

Miraculously all the people were able to eat their fill!

(43) And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments and of the fish.

When the people were full, the disciples picked up the leftovers in baskets and filled twelve of them, much more than when they started.

(44) And those who ate of the loaves were about five thousand men.

Jesus had fed five thousand men, not including women and children, according to the account in Matthew, with what began as five loaves of bread and two fish.

(45) And immediately He compelled His disciples to get into the ship and to go to the other side over against Bethsaida while He sent away the people.

Immediately after they ate, Jesus instructed His disciples to get into the ship and go to the other side of the sea across from Bethsaida while He sent the multitudes away.

(46) And when He had sent them away, He departed to a mountain to pray.

When Jesus had sent His disciples away in the ship and had sent the multitude of people away, He was alone to depart into a mountain to pray.  It is interesting that Jesus being God, prayed to God in heaven as often as He did.  Did He need to pray in order to continue to have power on earth?  I don't think so.  As completely human, He did have a need for prayer, but not because it would give Him the innate godly power He already had on earth.  Rather it was a need for spiritual support, and a desire to be in communion with God in heaven, and prayer is the only way we here on earth can communicate with God in heaven.

(47) And when evening had come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He was alone on the land.

By the time evening had come, Jesus was alone on the shore as He had sent all the people away, and the ship with His disciples was in the midst of the sea.

(48) And He saw them toiling in rowing for the wind was contrary to them; and about the fourth watch of the night He came to them walking on the sea, and would have passed by them.

Jesus saw the disciples in their ship in the midst of the sea struggling to row against the wind.  It was in the fourth watch of the night, which would have been after 3:00 in the morning, when He came to them walking on water, and it seemed as though He would have walked right past them.  Why was that part significant enough to be added to the scripture?  I think it was meant to give a visual of how Jesus appeared on the water.  By the direct line in which He appeared to be going, and perhaps with the swiftness and determination with which He walked, it seemed as if He would walk right past them.

(49) But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a spirit and cried out.

When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea, they assumed it was a ghost and cried out in fear.

(50) For they all saw Him and were troubled. And immediately He talked with them, and said to them, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."

All the disciples had seen what they thought to be a ghost walking on the water and were afraid.  However, Jesus spoke to them, telling them to be of good cheer, for it was Him and they had no need to be afraid.

(51) And He went up to them in the ship, and the wind ceased; and they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure and wondered.

Jesus went up into the ship with the disciples and the wind ceased and the sea was calm.  Amazingly, the disciples were so amazed beyond measure and marveled at what they had seen Jesus do.  They had seen countless miracles, even the raising of the dead, and so recently the feeding of the more than five thousand, yet this miracle of walking on water amazed them beyond measure?

It is also interesting to note that although Mark was said to be Peter's scribe, he did not write about Peter's walking on water to meet Jesus as Matthew had written.  It seems that Matthew often elevated Peter to a position greater than the other disciples, as if he were the head of their group.  I would imagine Peter, in turn, would not want to boast about himself, but rather concentrate on the greatness of his Master.

(52) For they considered not the loaves, for their hearts were hardened.

Indeed, the scripture points out that the disciples should have considered the miracle of the loaves they had just witnessed, as well as countless other miracles, and known in their hearts that Jesus was perfectly capable of any such miracle.  However, their hearts and minds were still hard and slow to understand.

(53) And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret and drew to the shore.

When Jesus and His disciples had completely crossed over the sea, they came to the land of Gennesaret and brought their boat to shore.

(54) And when they had come out of the ship, immediately they knew Him.

When Jesus and the disciples came out of the ship, the people there immediately recognized Jesus.

(55) And ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about in beds those who were sick to where they heard He was.

The people ran through the whole region scrambling to bring to Jesus those who were sick wherever they heard He might be.

(56) And wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought Him that they might touch if it were only the border of His garment; and as many as touched Him were made whole.

Wherever in that region that Jesus went, whether in the villages, the cities, or even in the country, people brought their sick to Him and laid them in the streets, beseeching Him that they be allowed to merely touch the hem of His garment.  It seems as though the news of that such miracle as with the woman with the issue of blood had reached them, and they desired merely to be able to touch His hem.  All those who touched Him were indeed made whole.  We aren't told that the people desired to hear Jesus's teaching, only to be healed, but just as Jesus had compassion on the sick in Nazareth where it was said He could do no mighty work because of their unbelief, He had compassion on these sick people.

Jesus Is Rejected in Nazareth, Then Sends His Twelve Disciples Out to Preach; Beheading of John the Baptist

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 6:1) And He went out from there and came into His own country, and His disciples followed Him.

At the end of the last chapter Jesus had just healed the daughter of a ruler of the synagogue at the ruler's house in Capernaum.  He now went from Capernaum to His own land around Nazareth.  Nazareth was said to be Jesus's own city because He had been conceived there and had been educated there.  He had regard for it as His hometown.  His disciples followed Him there.

(2) And when the Sabbath day had come, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him that even such mighty works are wrought by His hands?"

When the Sabbath day had come, Jesus began teaching at the synagogue in Nazareth.  Many of the people hearing Him teach marveled and were astonished at His teaching.  They wondered where He had gotten such ideas and wisdom.  They recognized that He had some power to perform miracles and wondered what gave Him such power and wisdom.

(3) "Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, the brother of James, Joses, Judah, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" And they were offended at Him.

Although the people marveled, they recognized that Jesus was the carpenter, the son of Mary, who had grown up with them.  Matthew had stated in his account that Jesus was the carpenter's Son, but it is perfectly reasonable to believe that Jesus had worked in His earthly father's trade in His younger years.  The fact that Mary was mentioned and not Joseph, might mean that Mary was a widow by then.  James, Joses, Judah, and Simon might have been the half-brothers of Jesus, sons of Mary and Joseph, but they might also have been close kinsmen, close enough to be called brothers.  The point is that these people knew Jesus's roots and His family.  They knew His sisters who were still among them.  They became offended that "one of them" should now claim this apparent spiritual superiority over them.  At least that is the way they probably saw it.  Seeing Him grow up with them and knowing His family, they could not or would not believe who He truly was, and by what power and wisdom He did the things He did.

(4) But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and among his own kin and in his own house."

Jesus somewhat pardoned their ignorance.  He recognized that the primary place a prophet was without honor and respect as a prophet was among the people with whom he had grown up and his own family and household.  However, that did not completely excuse them.  Jesus recognized that it might be harder for them to believe and be saved, just as it is harder for a rich man to be saved (Matthew 19:24) or for a good man (1 Peter 4:18).  His own people find it hard to believe, a rich man finds it hard to give up his money, and a "good" man doesn't see his need as a sinner.  It might be harder, but not impossible, and it is necessary to be saved only through the saving grace of Jesus Christ's sacrifice.  

(5) And He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick folk and healed them.

It's not that Jesus was unable to do mighty miracles because of the people's unbelief, but the purpose of miracles is to bring people to a saving belief in Christ.  If people were not receptive to His message, then Jesus was not about vain show.  He knew the hearts and minds of those people before He spoke and knew whether or not they would be receptive of His teaching.  He concluded it was useless to perform a mighty work there.  However, Jesus did have mercy on a few sick people and healed them.

(6) And He marveled because of their unbelief.  And He went round about the villages, teaching.

Jesus the man could not help but be amazed at the unbelief of His very own people.  There He was offering grace and eternal life, and the people were too stubborn to even listen.  So Jesus went around to the surrounding villages and taught.  

(7) And He called the twelve and began to send them forth two by two and gave them power over unclean spirits.

Jesus called His twelve disciples to Himself and sent them out in pairs to preach and teach the Gospel.  By sending out two together, they would be able to support and encourage each other.  Besides, there was that scriptural adage that a thing was established if out of the mouth of two or three.  Jesus gave His disciples the power over unclean spirits.  In the last chapter, we were told of Jesus's innate nature to heal and drive out evil spirits.  The disciples were not able to drive out spirits of their own power, but Jesus gave them that power.  That squashes the notion of faith teachers that we can all heal and exorcise demons if we have enough faith.  It is only if it is within God's will and He gives us that power, and the Holy Spirit so directs us; then it is actually Him doing the healing or exorcism.

This reminds me of something I personally witnessed.  I was in a women's mentoring group, and prayer was asked for a sick member.  One woman prayed humbly that if it was in God's will, would He please heal that woman.  Another woman, apparently not pleased with the path of her prayer, interrupted and began praying that she knew God wanted that woman healed and therefore she demanded that sickness leave that woman's body.  She presumed to know the mind of God!  I've been in Word of Faith groups before, and they take scripture and claim every one as a promise for us all, and therefore think they know what God wants at any given moment.  As a result, they think they have the right to demand it.  What they fail to realize is that God's ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9).  There may be a greater purpose in allowing a person to suffer with an illness.  There may be countless people saved because they see the faith and joy and peace of Christians regardless of their apparent hopeless situations.  I have a personal testimony regarding my husband that attests to that.  My husband was blind; he actually regained slight vision and then lost it totally again.  He had a weak heart and countless other medical problems resulting from a terrible car crash when he was younger.  His parents had been told on countless occasions that he would not make it through the night.  He was always in a lot of pain and normal daily activities seemed a struggle.  His heart finally did give out and he is no longer with me, but I cannot tell you how many people he touched just by his humble life and soft-spoken words.  And he always gave glory to God for all the little things.  People saw that and continue to tell me what an inspiration he was.  Just by living with all his infirmities and continuing in faith and love, he was an inspiration!  If countless more people were saved observing his life than would have been if he had not gone through it all, then which is the good thing?  Our selfish afraid of adversity selves would say the good thing would be to be immediately healed!  But what if it is God's purpose for our lives that we persevere in adversity so that others may see the hope within us and be saved?  We can't all be preachers and missionaries.  But if we perform our purposes with willing and glad hearts, there is great reward in heaven.  And this life on earth is just a blip in the whole of eternity.  As it says in Romans 8:18, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

(8) And commanded them to take nothing for their journey except a staff only, no bag, no bread, no money.

Jesus commanded His disciples to take nothing with them as they went forth two by two, except for a staff, which probably served as a walking aid.  They were to be about their work and not concerned with their "things."  God would provide.

(9) But be shod with sandals and not put on two coats.

They were to wear sandals but were not to take extra clothes.  Again, all their needs would be provided.  

(10) And He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, abide there till you depart from that place."

Jesus further instructed His disciples.  In whatever city or town they went to, when they were invited in to stay at a house, they were to stay there until they left that city or town.  That was to be their headquarters, so to speak.  They weren't to go from house to house throughout the town spending the nights in different places.  There was wisdom in that command, as there always is with Christ's commands.  Once they were welcomed into a place, it should only increase the pleasure of their hosts to be a small part of their great work; and the time it would take to find another place to stay and settle into there would only take away from their work.  Jesus would make sure they were welcomed into the right place in the beginning!

(11) "And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city."

If the disciples came to a city where no one would receive them into their houses or even listen to them, Jesus told them that when they left that city, they were to shake off the dust of that city's ground as a testimony against them.  They had been in that city's ground but now shook it off, leaving that city completely behind that had rejected the Gospel.  Jesus went on to say that in the day of judgment still to come, judgment on the city that rejected the disciples and their gospel message would be more severe than it would be for even Sodom and Gomorrah.

(12) And they went out and preached that men should repent.

The disciples went out as Jesus sent them forth, two by two, preaching that men should repent of their sinful ways.

(13) And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

The disciples were able to cast out devils with the power Jesus had given them.  They anointed the sick with oil which was a common custom among the Jews as it might have a soothing effect on the body.  In the case of the disciples, they also healed the sick by the power given them by Jesus.

(14) And King Herod heard of Him (for His name was spread abroad), and he said, "That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him."

King Herod began to hear of Jesus and the fame of His works.  He thought that it must have been John the Baptist risen from the dead.  I suppose his reasoning was that if John had the power to rise from the dead, he would have the power to do miracles.

(15) Others said, "That is Elijah." And others said, "That is a prophet or like one of the prophets."

Other people thought it was Elijah whom the Jews did expect to come before the Messiah.  Still others said it was one of the old prophets risen up, or a new prophet who had been raised up with the same power as the old prophets.

(16) But when Herod heard, he said, "It is John whom I beheaded; he is risen from the dead."

When Herod heard the opinions of others, he rejected them.  He was sure it was John the Baptist whom he had had beheaded.  Obviously, his conscience was bothering him for having so good a man beheaded, and he was sure John had come back from the dead.

(17) For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold of John and bound him in prison for Herodias's sake, his brother Philip's wife, for he had married her. (18) For John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

More detail is given about how Herod came to have John beheaded, and why his conscience might be bothering him.  Herod had taken his brother's wife, Herodias, as his own.  John had told Herod that it was unlawful for him to do so, so he had had John seized and bound in prison for Herodias's sake, and honor, as I suppose he would have thought it.

(19) Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him and would have killed him, but she could not.

Prison for John was not good enough for Herodias.  She wanted him killed, but it was not in her power to do so.

(20) For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and holy, and observed him, and when he heard him, he did many things and heard him gladly.

Herodias had surely petitioned Herod to have John killed, but Herod feared John because he knew he was a just and holy man.  He kept him in prison, but observed him, listening to what he had to say.  He did many things and listened to John gladly.  We aren't told what many things he did, but it seems to be in reference to the things John was telling him that he received gladly.  However, we know that he did not fully embrace John's message as he continued to keep his brother's wife as his own.

(21) And when a convenient day had come when Herod on his birthday made a supper for his lords, high captains, and chiefs of Galilee; (22) And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in and danced and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the damsel, "Ask of me whatever you will and I will give it to you."

An opportune time came for Herodias when it was Herod's birthday and he held a supper for all his nobles and chief officers.  The daughter of Herodias danced for Herod and the men who sat with him.  He was so pleased with her performance that he told her he would grant her whatever she wished; she needed merely to ask.

(23) And he swore to her, "Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom."

Herod went all out and swore an oath to Herodias's daughter that whatever she asked, he would give her, up to half his kingdom.  That's quite a reward for a dance!

(24) And she went forth and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist."

Herodias's daughter asked her mother what she should ask for, and she told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist.  That woman could surely hold a grudge, for John had been in prison for almost two years, say Biblical scholars.  She probably didn't like the fact that Herod seemed to enjoy listening to John.

(25) And she came in right away with haste to the king, and asked, saying, "I want that you give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."

Indeed, Herodias's daughter went immediately in to King Herod and asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

(26) And the king was exceedingly sorry, but for his oath's sake, and for their sakes who sat with him, he would not reject her.

King Herod was very sorry he had opened his big mouth, so to speak, to offer the girl anything she desired.  However, because he had sworn an oath, and because he had done it in front of all his guests, he would not refuse the girl her request.

(27) And immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought; and he went and beheaded him in prison.

The king sent an executioner to the imprisoned John, and commanded that he bring John's head to him.  The executioner indeed beheaded John in his prison.

(28) And brought his head on a platter and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother.

The executioner brought John's head on a platter and gave it to Herodias's daughter, and she, in turn, gave it to her mother.  And that explained why Herod was haunted by his killing of a good and holy man for a dance!

(29) And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

When John's disciples heard about what had happened to him, they came to the prison and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

As this is a rather long chapter with rather long commentary, I will end this post here and continue Mark 6 in the next.