Today Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem as Zion's king as foretold by the prophet Zechariah, "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." (Zechariah 9:9) Jesus has visited Jerusalem from time to time, as reported by the other gospel writers, but He has conducted the majority of His ministry outside the city. This is His final journey to the city. He enters it today to the shouts of "Hosanna!", but later in the week His ears will ring with cries of "Crucify Him!"
"As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of His disciples, saying to them, 'Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'" (Mark 11:1-3) Critics who say Jesus never claimed to be God have evidently never read the Scriptures properly. He clearly calls Himself the "Lord" here in verse 3. He frequently uses the Messianic title "Son of Man". He refers to God as His literal Father. He accepts worship as if He is God Himself. A person would have to deliberately put blinders on his heart and mind to be able to read the gospels and still assert Jesus never said He was God.
"They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, 'What are you doing, untying that colt?' They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go." (Mark 11:4-6) Kings rode donkeys when they came in peace; horses were for battle. At His first advent we find Jesus meek and lowly, riding on a donkey, coming in peace. But at His second advent we find Him mounted on a white horse, waging war against the enemies of God, "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: King Of Kings And Lord Of Lords." (Revelation 19:11-16)
When God became flesh and dwelt among us, He wore a cruel crown of thorns. But when He comes to dwell among us forever, He will be crowned with many crowns. He will be the head of every nation. He will have sovereign rule over all the earth. Christ Jesus will be the king of all peoples. Like any king who comes to power, He must vanquish His foes and establish His absolute authority. But unlike earthly kings, the kingdom He establishes will be one of righteousness. There will be nothing unfair in it. There will be nothing corrupt in it. He will rule over us with love, the same love that compelled Him to give His life for us.
"When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, He sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, 'Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" (Mark 11:7-10) "Hosanna" means "Save now!" The people are recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, but they want the kingdom to come now. They are declaring Him their king in a political sense. They want Him to rescue them from the power of Rome and to establish His authority over Israel. They quote from Psalm 118, which has Messianic undertones, but interestingly they skip over verses 22-24 (the verses that indicate the rejection of Christ at Jerusalem: He is "the stone the builders rejected") and go straight to the verses which suggest ultimate and absolute victory, "Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." (Psalm 118:25-26a)
Jesus deliberately presents Himself as king to the people. He purposely sets this scene up to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah. The people understand what He's saying and they respond joyfully. They believe Jesus is the Promised One. They are seeking the salvation of the nation more than they are seeking the salvation of their souls, and I can't help but be grateful that the religious leaders of Jesus' day rejected Him, for if He had not gone to the cross, where would be the eternal and perfect sacrifice for our sins? I'd still be lost, "separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world". (Ephesians 2:12)
Saturday, December 16, 2017
Friday, December 15, 2017
The Gospel According To Mark. Day 45, Blind Bartimaeus
Jesus is about fifteen miles from Jerusalem now, on a crowded road filled with pilgrims on their way to the city to celebrate Passover. This is a good opportunity for a man like the blind Bartimaeus to sit by the roadside to ask for money. He can't work because he can't see, so he is reduced to begging money from passersby. Considering the size of the crowds going down the road at this time of year, he stands to take in a pretty neat sum. But Bartimaeus is going to get more than he bargained for today. Jesus is passing by, and Jesus will give him the thing he wants most.
"Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and His disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means 'son of Timaeus') was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'" (Mark 10:46-47) Bartimaeus has obviously heard a lot about Jesus, but I bet he never dreamed he'd actually meet Him. Being blind, he isn't able to travel to any of the locales where Jesus has been teaching and healing. He is not as fortunate as some of the characters we've already met who had friends who took them to Jesus. Bartimaeus is able to do nothing but what he has done most of his life: sit by the roadside and hope passersby will have compassion on him. There are no social programs to help him. There are no assisted-living centers to take care of him. Nobody from Meals On Wheels is going to bring him a lunch every day. He's doing the only thing he knows to do in order to keep bread on his table. Imagine how discouraging it must have been for him to have to get up every morning and spend the day asking for money. Imagine how depressing it was for him to think the rest of his life was going to be like this.
But suddenly the unexpected happens. He's used to the commotion the crowds make on their way to Jerusalem, and he knows there are more people on the road right now than usual, but there's an excitement in the air. There is a sense of boisterous joy. He knows something is different about this crowd, so he asks what's going on and is told, "It's Jesus of Nazareth!" Bartimaeus can hardly contain the hope that wells up inside of him. These words burst out of his mouth, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Here is the one person on earth who can help him, really help him!
"Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'" (Mark 10:48) Some in the crowd who recognize Bartimaeus are probably telling him to shut up because they are thinking, "There's that old beggar who pesters everybody who walks down this road! How dare he bother the Master?" Others who tell him to be quiet may be the religious leaders, who object to the use of the Messianic title "Son of David" being used in reference to Jesus of Nazareth. Bartimaeus doesn't care who they are and he doesn't care what they are saying. All he knows is that Jesus is passing by. All he knows is that Jesus can help him. Because he is blind he can't make his way through the crowd to Jesus. He isn't sure exactly where Jesus is and the crowd would probably block his way. He can't get to Jesus on his own, so he just keeps shouting louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Jesus hears his cry for help. He hears Bartimaeus' confession of faith that He is the Messiah. "Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him.' So they called to the blind man, 'Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you.' Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus." (Mark 10:49-50) Jesus makes Himself accessible.
"'What do you want me to do for you?' Jesus asked him." (Mark 10:51a) I'm sure Jesus knows what Bartimaeus wants. He can clearly see the man is blind and begging by the roadside. But for the sake of the disciples and the huge crowd, Jesus asks him to make his request. The onlookers need to understand the nature of the problem so they can witness the miracle. In addition, I think it's important that we clearly make our requests of Jesus. We need to confess the desires of our hearts. We don't want to be like those of whom the Lord's brother James says, "You have not because you ask not." (James 4:2b)
"The blind man said, 'Rabbi, I want to see.'" (Mark 10:51b) We don't know whether Bartimaeus was born blind or whether some illness or injury caused his condition. But more than anything else in the world, he wants to be able to see. He wants to be able to live a normal life, to work with his own hands and provide for himself. Sitting by the roadside begging is killing his soul. He feels like less than a man, less than human. He knows he's an annoyance to those he begs from. He knows at at best they pity him and at worst they despise him. He wants nothing more than just to be a regular guy living a regular life.
"'Go,' said Jesus, 'your faith has healed you.' Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road." (Mark 10:52) The first face Bartimaeus sees is that of Jesus! Bartimaeus could have gone his way at this point. He could have been like nine of the ten lepers of Luke 17 who, after being healed by Jesus, went their way without even thanking Him. But Bartimaeus is deeply grateful to Jesus, so much so that he follows Him to Jerusalem. Nothing good awaits Jesus at Jerusalem, but Bartimaeus is willing to follow Him anywhere. He believes Jesus is who He says He is. He wants to go wherever Jesus is going. The fact that a cross is at the end of this road instead of glory doesn't matter to the blind man who can now see. He has decided to follow Jesus. Nothing is going to make him turn back.
Let's conclude our study this morning by singing along with the simple lyrics of the song "I Have Decided To Follow Jesus". The link is below.
I Have Decided To Follow Jesus
"Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and His disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means 'son of Timaeus') was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'" (Mark 10:46-47) Bartimaeus has obviously heard a lot about Jesus, but I bet he never dreamed he'd actually meet Him. Being blind, he isn't able to travel to any of the locales where Jesus has been teaching and healing. He is not as fortunate as some of the characters we've already met who had friends who took them to Jesus. Bartimaeus is able to do nothing but what he has done most of his life: sit by the roadside and hope passersby will have compassion on him. There are no social programs to help him. There are no assisted-living centers to take care of him. Nobody from Meals On Wheels is going to bring him a lunch every day. He's doing the only thing he knows to do in order to keep bread on his table. Imagine how discouraging it must have been for him to have to get up every morning and spend the day asking for money. Imagine how depressing it was for him to think the rest of his life was going to be like this.
But suddenly the unexpected happens. He's used to the commotion the crowds make on their way to Jerusalem, and he knows there are more people on the road right now than usual, but there's an excitement in the air. There is a sense of boisterous joy. He knows something is different about this crowd, so he asks what's going on and is told, "It's Jesus of Nazareth!" Bartimaeus can hardly contain the hope that wells up inside of him. These words burst out of his mouth, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Here is the one person on earth who can help him, really help him!
"Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'" (Mark 10:48) Some in the crowd who recognize Bartimaeus are probably telling him to shut up because they are thinking, "There's that old beggar who pesters everybody who walks down this road! How dare he bother the Master?" Others who tell him to be quiet may be the religious leaders, who object to the use of the Messianic title "Son of David" being used in reference to Jesus of Nazareth. Bartimaeus doesn't care who they are and he doesn't care what they are saying. All he knows is that Jesus is passing by. All he knows is that Jesus can help him. Because he is blind he can't make his way through the crowd to Jesus. He isn't sure exactly where Jesus is and the crowd would probably block his way. He can't get to Jesus on his own, so he just keeps shouting louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Jesus hears his cry for help. He hears Bartimaeus' confession of faith that He is the Messiah. "Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him.' So they called to the blind man, 'Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you.' Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus." (Mark 10:49-50) Jesus makes Himself accessible.
"'What do you want me to do for you?' Jesus asked him." (Mark 10:51a) I'm sure Jesus knows what Bartimaeus wants. He can clearly see the man is blind and begging by the roadside. But for the sake of the disciples and the huge crowd, Jesus asks him to make his request. The onlookers need to understand the nature of the problem so they can witness the miracle. In addition, I think it's important that we clearly make our requests of Jesus. We need to confess the desires of our hearts. We don't want to be like those of whom the Lord's brother James says, "You have not because you ask not." (James 4:2b)
"The blind man said, 'Rabbi, I want to see.'" (Mark 10:51b) We don't know whether Bartimaeus was born blind or whether some illness or injury caused his condition. But more than anything else in the world, he wants to be able to see. He wants to be able to live a normal life, to work with his own hands and provide for himself. Sitting by the roadside begging is killing his soul. He feels like less than a man, less than human. He knows he's an annoyance to those he begs from. He knows at at best they pity him and at worst they despise him. He wants nothing more than just to be a regular guy living a regular life.
"'Go,' said Jesus, 'your faith has healed you.' Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road." (Mark 10:52) The first face Bartimaeus sees is that of Jesus! Bartimaeus could have gone his way at this point. He could have been like nine of the ten lepers of Luke 17 who, after being healed by Jesus, went their way without even thanking Him. But Bartimaeus is deeply grateful to Jesus, so much so that he follows Him to Jerusalem. Nothing good awaits Jesus at Jerusalem, but Bartimaeus is willing to follow Him anywhere. He believes Jesus is who He says He is. He wants to go wherever Jesus is going. The fact that a cross is at the end of this road instead of glory doesn't matter to the blind man who can now see. He has decided to follow Jesus. Nothing is going to make him turn back.
Let's conclude our study this morning by singing along with the simple lyrics of the song "I Have Decided To Follow Jesus". The link is below.
I Have Decided To Follow Jesus
Thursday, December 14, 2017
The Gospel According To Mark. Day 44, Jesus Speaks Of His Death Again/James And John Ask For High Positions In The Kingdom
During His entire ministry, Jesus has been teaching and healing in the regions round about Jerusalem, saving Jerusalem for last because that is where He will meet His death. Today He heads straight for the city where He will be crucified, and along the way He reminds the disciples that no king's crown awaits Him there. The brothers James and John ask for high positions when Jesus inherits His kingdom.
"They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again He took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to Him. 'We are going up to Jerusalem,' He said, 'and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and hand Him over to the Gentiles, who will mock Him and spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him. Three days later He will rise.'" (Mark 10:32-34) The disciples are astonished that Jesus resolutely sets one foot in front of the other on the road to Jerusalem. He knows what awaits Him there, yet He continues. The entire group following them is filled with a sense of dread.
We spoke earlier in our study about Jesus having set His face like flint, knowing what's ahead of Him but refusing to turn back, and in His statement above we find further references to the same passage of Isaiah who said this of the Messiah, "I offered My back to those who beat Me, My cheeks to those who pulled out My beard; I did not hide My face from mocking and spitting. Because the Sovereign Lord helps Me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. He who vindicates Me is near. Who then will bring charges against Me? Let us face each other! Who is My accuser? Let him confront Me!" (Isaiah 50:6-9) Jesus' accusers will not be able to find charges against Him that stick; the only thing they will be able to accuse Him of is blasphemy for making Himself equal with God (a thing that is not blasphemy when it's true). Pontius Pilate will find Him innocent. God will find Him innocent. His accusers may hand Him over to the Gentiles who will beat Him, spit on Him, and put Him to death, but He will die an innocent man, guilty only of telling a truth the religious leaders didn't want to hear.
"Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, 'Teacher,' they said, 'we want You to do for us whatever we ask.' 'What do you want Me to do for you?' He asked. They replied, 'Let one of us sit at Your right and the other at Your left in Your glory.'" (Mark 10:35-37) The timing of their request is odd. On the surface it appears callous to make such a request while Jesus is foretelling His suffering and death. But on a deeper level their request displays their faith in Him. It proves to us that, though they don't fully understand what Jesus is telling them, they believe Him. They believe He's who He says He is. They believe He's going to die and rise again. They believe He's going to inherit the kingdom of God and someday reign over the world. If they weren't convinced of these things, they wouldn't apply for the positions of Jesus' top officials. William Barclay has this to say about verse 37, "It is amazing that they could still connect glory with a Galilean carpenter who had incurred the enmity and the bitter opposition of the orthodox religious leaders and who was apparently heading for a cross. There is amazing confidence and amazing loyalty there. Misguided James and John might be, but their hearts were in the right place. They never doubted Jesus' ultimate triumph."
"'You don't know what you are asking,' Jesus said. 'Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?' 'We can,' they answered. Jesus said to them, 'You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at My right or left is not for Me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.'" (Mark 10:38-40) Jesus has been teaching the disciples to have the heart of a servant, to be humble, and to put the needs of others above their own needs. They keep missing the point. They won't always miss it, because following the resurrection they will be willing to risk their very lives to get the gospel to the world, but right now these young ambitious men are busy sizing each other up and vying for promotions. They are still thinking according to worldly standards and behaving according to worldly standards.
Jesus is about to drink a bitter cup. He is about to endure betrayal, torture, and death. He wants these men to think about what they are asking. If they want to hold high positions in His kingdom, they must be willing to endure the same type of persecution He is going to endure. Being a first-century Christian means being in constant peril. Is He worth it to them? They believe He is, at least in this moment while they are still on the dusty road to Jerusalem. They believe He is, right now while He is still a free man. When He is arrested they will flee in terror. But that's alright, because that isn't the end of their story. After seeing the resurrected Christ, they will have the boldness to stand up to anything. They will preach the gospel fearlessly. Jesus speaks the truth when He says they will drink the cup and endure the baptism. James will be the first disciple to be martyred for the faith. John will live a long life filled with persecution and troubles and will die an old man in exile and in prison. It is believed by some scholars that he died of natural causes, while others think he was executed. God will decide who occupies the top spots in the kingdom, but if these men want to be great men of faith in the early Christian church, they can hold nothing back.
"When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John." (Mark 10:41) I don't think the ten are indignant because they feel the request of James and John is inappropriate. I think they're indignant because they didn't think of it first! They're also upset because James and John apparently consider themselves better "leader material" than the rest of the group.
Jesus often has to take on the father role when these "children" bicker among themselves. "Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.'" (Mark 10:42-44) Jesus has made this point before, but He doesn't become angry or impatient. He knows a time is coming when these "children" will grow up and become mighty warriors in the kingdom of God. When we were children, our parents taught us important principles that we would need when we became adults. Jesus is doing the same thing. These men aren't getting it yet, but they will. When the proper time comes, everything He's taught them will make sense, and they will have such hearts for serving others that they will be willing to give their lives to share the good news of the gospel.
Jesus uses Himself as an example for the men to follow, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45) If we want to be great men and women in the kingdom of God, we have to follow the example of Jesus. To follow Him is to be like Him, which is why He will say on the night before the crucifixion, "By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35)
"They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again He took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to Him. 'We are going up to Jerusalem,' He said, 'and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and hand Him over to the Gentiles, who will mock Him and spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him. Three days later He will rise.'" (Mark 10:32-34) The disciples are astonished that Jesus resolutely sets one foot in front of the other on the road to Jerusalem. He knows what awaits Him there, yet He continues. The entire group following them is filled with a sense of dread.
We spoke earlier in our study about Jesus having set His face like flint, knowing what's ahead of Him but refusing to turn back, and in His statement above we find further references to the same passage of Isaiah who said this of the Messiah, "I offered My back to those who beat Me, My cheeks to those who pulled out My beard; I did not hide My face from mocking and spitting. Because the Sovereign Lord helps Me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. He who vindicates Me is near. Who then will bring charges against Me? Let us face each other! Who is My accuser? Let him confront Me!" (Isaiah 50:6-9) Jesus' accusers will not be able to find charges against Him that stick; the only thing they will be able to accuse Him of is blasphemy for making Himself equal with God (a thing that is not blasphemy when it's true). Pontius Pilate will find Him innocent. God will find Him innocent. His accusers may hand Him over to the Gentiles who will beat Him, spit on Him, and put Him to death, but He will die an innocent man, guilty only of telling a truth the religious leaders didn't want to hear.
"Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, 'Teacher,' they said, 'we want You to do for us whatever we ask.' 'What do you want Me to do for you?' He asked. They replied, 'Let one of us sit at Your right and the other at Your left in Your glory.'" (Mark 10:35-37) The timing of their request is odd. On the surface it appears callous to make such a request while Jesus is foretelling His suffering and death. But on a deeper level their request displays their faith in Him. It proves to us that, though they don't fully understand what Jesus is telling them, they believe Him. They believe He's who He says He is. They believe He's going to die and rise again. They believe He's going to inherit the kingdom of God and someday reign over the world. If they weren't convinced of these things, they wouldn't apply for the positions of Jesus' top officials. William Barclay has this to say about verse 37, "It is amazing that they could still connect glory with a Galilean carpenter who had incurred the enmity and the bitter opposition of the orthodox religious leaders and who was apparently heading for a cross. There is amazing confidence and amazing loyalty there. Misguided James and John might be, but their hearts were in the right place. They never doubted Jesus' ultimate triumph."
"'You don't know what you are asking,' Jesus said. 'Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?' 'We can,' they answered. Jesus said to them, 'You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at My right or left is not for Me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.'" (Mark 10:38-40) Jesus has been teaching the disciples to have the heart of a servant, to be humble, and to put the needs of others above their own needs. They keep missing the point. They won't always miss it, because following the resurrection they will be willing to risk their very lives to get the gospel to the world, but right now these young ambitious men are busy sizing each other up and vying for promotions. They are still thinking according to worldly standards and behaving according to worldly standards.
Jesus is about to drink a bitter cup. He is about to endure betrayal, torture, and death. He wants these men to think about what they are asking. If they want to hold high positions in His kingdom, they must be willing to endure the same type of persecution He is going to endure. Being a first-century Christian means being in constant peril. Is He worth it to them? They believe He is, at least in this moment while they are still on the dusty road to Jerusalem. They believe He is, right now while He is still a free man. When He is arrested they will flee in terror. But that's alright, because that isn't the end of their story. After seeing the resurrected Christ, they will have the boldness to stand up to anything. They will preach the gospel fearlessly. Jesus speaks the truth when He says they will drink the cup and endure the baptism. James will be the first disciple to be martyred for the faith. John will live a long life filled with persecution and troubles and will die an old man in exile and in prison. It is believed by some scholars that he died of natural causes, while others think he was executed. God will decide who occupies the top spots in the kingdom, but if these men want to be great men of faith in the early Christian church, they can hold nothing back.
"When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John." (Mark 10:41) I don't think the ten are indignant because they feel the request of James and John is inappropriate. I think they're indignant because they didn't think of it first! They're also upset because James and John apparently consider themselves better "leader material" than the rest of the group.
Jesus often has to take on the father role when these "children" bicker among themselves. "Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.'" (Mark 10:42-44) Jesus has made this point before, but He doesn't become angry or impatient. He knows a time is coming when these "children" will grow up and become mighty warriors in the kingdom of God. When we were children, our parents taught us important principles that we would need when we became adults. Jesus is doing the same thing. These men aren't getting it yet, but they will. When the proper time comes, everything He's taught them will make sense, and they will have such hearts for serving others that they will be willing to give their lives to share the good news of the gospel.
Jesus uses Himself as an example for the men to follow, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45) If we want to be great men and women in the kingdom of God, we have to follow the example of Jesus. To follow Him is to be like Him, which is why He will say on the night before the crucifixion, "By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35)
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
The Gospel According To Mark. Day 43, Little Children/The Rich Young Man
We study two events in today's passage. One involves humble little children and the other involves a man who values wealth more than he values his relationship with God.
"People were bringing little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them." (Mark 10:13-16) The disciples feel it's a waste of Jesus' time to be blessing all these little children, but this is because they have not learned the lesson He taught a few days ago in which He held a small child and warned them never to hinder the faith of a little one. He also pointed out that in order to be great, we must serve even those who can give us nothing in return, and He used the small child as an example. The disciples want to shoo these children away but Jesus lovingly takes them in His arms and blesses them. He is the greatest of the great, yet He has time for the meek and helpless. These small children have no power or influence, yet He treats them with care and respect.
"As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell on his knees before Him. 'Good teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' 'Why do you call Me good?' Jesus answered. 'No one is good---except God alone.'" (Mark 10:17-18) Critics have used verse 18 to make the statement that Jesus is denying that He is God. On the contrary, He wants this man to examine why he believes Jesus has the answer he seeks. Jesus has repeatedly used the Messianic title "Son Of Man" in reference to Himself. Time and again He has claimed God is His Father, and to be the adult son of someone was to be his heir and his equal. He has presented all the credential of the Messiah by performing the miracles that were predicted by Old Testament prophets. If He is not who He claims to be, He is not good. Jesus is asking the man something like, "Why do you call Me good? Only God is good; does this mean you believe I am God? Why have you come to Me for advice on eternal life? Do you believe I can give you eternal life?"
Next Jesus quotes a portion of the ten commandments which have to do with how to treat our fellow man. "You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.' 'Teacher,' he declared, 'all these I have kept since I was a boy.'" (Mark 10:19-20)
This man is telling the truth. He has faithfully followed God's commandments in regard to his interactions with other human beings. But Jesus sees straight into his heart. He knows this man has not kept a commandment that has to do with his relationship with God. He has broken the commandment that says, "You shall have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20:3) He has kept the letter of the law, but has lost the heart of it. The law is not merely a keeping of rules, but the building of a relationship. "Jesus looked at him and loved him. 'One thing you lack,' He said, 'Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.'" (Mark 10:21)
The man has put another god before the living God: his wealth. "At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth." (Mark 10:22) Jesus isn't saying that we all must give our earthly goods to the poor in order to follow Him. He's saying we must lay aside anything that hinders us from following Him. That will be something different for each of us according to our individual personalities. In this man's case it was his wealth. Wealth is what he really worships more than anything else, so Jesus urges him to cast this idol out of his life so that God can have the number one spot in his heart.
After the man departs, Mark tells us that, "Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!' The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said again, 'Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.'" (Mark 10:23-25) In ancient times wealth was looked upon as proof of the favor of God. The thinking of the disciples was, "Wow, the Lord has really blessed this man! He must be a pretty good guy. God must be pleased with him to have given him so much money." But as men such as Job and Solomon pointed out, the wicked sometimes prosper in this fallen world while the righteous suffer hardship. Wealth is not proof that God is pleased with a person's life.
The thinking of the world led the disciples to believe this man has a better chance of getting into heaven than they do, but the opposite is true. This man trusts in his riches. This man constantly has his mind on his riches and is always worrying about how to keep his money and about how to make it multiply. He has little time left over to think about God, so his worship has become legalistic. He keeps the law as best he can because he knows right from wrong, but at the same time his heart is very far from God. He's trying to obtain salvation through works, but salvation has never been obtainable by works. Salvation is by faith. Salvation comes through a relationship with our Maker, not through the keeping of rules. God wants our hearts. If we give Him our hearts, our obedience to Him will naturally follow. But obedience is a heavy burden when our hearts aren't in it.
"The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, 'Who then can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.'" (Mark 10:25-27) I bet you've heard the expression, "What can you give the man who has everything?" The trouble with immense wealth is that it has the tendency to make a person believe he has all he needs. In general, who is more likely to cry out to God for help: the person who needs God to put daily bread on the table, or the person who lives in complete comfort without a care in the world? But we find several examples in the Bible of wealthy men who are faithful to God. And we can find many examples in our world today of wealthy individuals who love the Lord with all their hearts. By the standards of a fallen world, such a thing appears impossible, that a person who has all he needs materially speaking would still turn to God for the needs of his soul. But such things do happen, because nothing is impossible for God.
"Then Peter spoke up, 'We have left everything to follow you!' 'Truly I tell you,' Jesus replied, 'no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields---along with persecutions---and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.'" (Mark 10:28-31) Peter is thinking that surely he and the other disciples will be highly regarded in the kingdom of heaven. They've left their livelihoods to follow Him. They've risked their reputations to follow Him. It will soon be a risk to their lives to follow Him. Jesus assures Peter there is a reward for putting Him first. These men who are going to share the gospel with the world will endure persecutions, and some of their family members and friends will turn their backs on them, but at the same time they will gain a new family and friends. They will become members of the ever-growing body of believers. They will also inherit eternal life because of their faith and because they have not put other gods in place of the one true God.
Jesus reminds Peter not to be overcome with pride. It is God's business who holds the highest positions in His kingdom, and it may not be those we expected. It may not be the ones who most visibly served Him or who gave the most money or who devoted the most time to church work. It may be the prayer warriors who knelt privately in their homes every morning. It may be the unsung heroes who worked behind the scenes. God will sort these things out when the time comes. In the meantime, Peter is not to be concerned with who is the greatest, but with how best to serve God and his fellow man.
"People were bringing little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them." (Mark 10:13-16) The disciples feel it's a waste of Jesus' time to be blessing all these little children, but this is because they have not learned the lesson He taught a few days ago in which He held a small child and warned them never to hinder the faith of a little one. He also pointed out that in order to be great, we must serve even those who can give us nothing in return, and He used the small child as an example. The disciples want to shoo these children away but Jesus lovingly takes them in His arms and blesses them. He is the greatest of the great, yet He has time for the meek and helpless. These small children have no power or influence, yet He treats them with care and respect.
"As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell on his knees before Him. 'Good teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' 'Why do you call Me good?' Jesus answered. 'No one is good---except God alone.'" (Mark 10:17-18) Critics have used verse 18 to make the statement that Jesus is denying that He is God. On the contrary, He wants this man to examine why he believes Jesus has the answer he seeks. Jesus has repeatedly used the Messianic title "Son Of Man" in reference to Himself. Time and again He has claimed God is His Father, and to be the adult son of someone was to be his heir and his equal. He has presented all the credential of the Messiah by performing the miracles that were predicted by Old Testament prophets. If He is not who He claims to be, He is not good. Jesus is asking the man something like, "Why do you call Me good? Only God is good; does this mean you believe I am God? Why have you come to Me for advice on eternal life? Do you believe I can give you eternal life?"
Next Jesus quotes a portion of the ten commandments which have to do with how to treat our fellow man. "You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.' 'Teacher,' he declared, 'all these I have kept since I was a boy.'" (Mark 10:19-20)
This man is telling the truth. He has faithfully followed God's commandments in regard to his interactions with other human beings. But Jesus sees straight into his heart. He knows this man has not kept a commandment that has to do with his relationship with God. He has broken the commandment that says, "You shall have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20:3) He has kept the letter of the law, but has lost the heart of it. The law is not merely a keeping of rules, but the building of a relationship. "Jesus looked at him and loved him. 'One thing you lack,' He said, 'Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.'" (Mark 10:21)
The man has put another god before the living God: his wealth. "At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth." (Mark 10:22) Jesus isn't saying that we all must give our earthly goods to the poor in order to follow Him. He's saying we must lay aside anything that hinders us from following Him. That will be something different for each of us according to our individual personalities. In this man's case it was his wealth. Wealth is what he really worships more than anything else, so Jesus urges him to cast this idol out of his life so that God can have the number one spot in his heart.
After the man departs, Mark tells us that, "Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!' The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said again, 'Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.'" (Mark 10:23-25) In ancient times wealth was looked upon as proof of the favor of God. The thinking of the disciples was, "Wow, the Lord has really blessed this man! He must be a pretty good guy. God must be pleased with him to have given him so much money." But as men such as Job and Solomon pointed out, the wicked sometimes prosper in this fallen world while the righteous suffer hardship. Wealth is not proof that God is pleased with a person's life.
The thinking of the world led the disciples to believe this man has a better chance of getting into heaven than they do, but the opposite is true. This man trusts in his riches. This man constantly has his mind on his riches and is always worrying about how to keep his money and about how to make it multiply. He has little time left over to think about God, so his worship has become legalistic. He keeps the law as best he can because he knows right from wrong, but at the same time his heart is very far from God. He's trying to obtain salvation through works, but salvation has never been obtainable by works. Salvation is by faith. Salvation comes through a relationship with our Maker, not through the keeping of rules. God wants our hearts. If we give Him our hearts, our obedience to Him will naturally follow. But obedience is a heavy burden when our hearts aren't in it.
"The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, 'Who then can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.'" (Mark 10:25-27) I bet you've heard the expression, "What can you give the man who has everything?" The trouble with immense wealth is that it has the tendency to make a person believe he has all he needs. In general, who is more likely to cry out to God for help: the person who needs God to put daily bread on the table, or the person who lives in complete comfort without a care in the world? But we find several examples in the Bible of wealthy men who are faithful to God. And we can find many examples in our world today of wealthy individuals who love the Lord with all their hearts. By the standards of a fallen world, such a thing appears impossible, that a person who has all he needs materially speaking would still turn to God for the needs of his soul. But such things do happen, because nothing is impossible for God.
"Then Peter spoke up, 'We have left everything to follow you!' 'Truly I tell you,' Jesus replied, 'no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields---along with persecutions---and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.'" (Mark 10:28-31) Peter is thinking that surely he and the other disciples will be highly regarded in the kingdom of heaven. They've left their livelihoods to follow Him. They've risked their reputations to follow Him. It will soon be a risk to their lives to follow Him. Jesus assures Peter there is a reward for putting Him first. These men who are going to share the gospel with the world will endure persecutions, and some of their family members and friends will turn their backs on them, but at the same time they will gain a new family and friends. They will become members of the ever-growing body of believers. They will also inherit eternal life because of their faith and because they have not put other gods in place of the one true God.
Jesus reminds Peter not to be overcome with pride. It is God's business who holds the highest positions in His kingdom, and it may not be those we expected. It may not be the ones who most visibly served Him or who gave the most money or who devoted the most time to church work. It may be the prayer warriors who knelt privately in their homes every morning. It may be the unsung heroes who worked behind the scenes. God will sort these things out when the time comes. In the meantime, Peter is not to be concerned with who is the greatest, but with how best to serve God and his fellow man.
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
The Gospel According To Mark. Day 42, The Pharisees Question Jesus About Divorce
The Pharisees are at it again. They've come up with a question for Jesus regarding divorce and the question is intended as a trap. Before we get started I want to tell you that you don't need to fear reading today's passage if you have a divorce in your past or if you're currently going through a divorce. Even if you divorced someone for what could be considered non-Biblical reasons, you don't need to keep beating yourself up for anything Christ has already forgiven you for. If you and the Lord have dealt with it, He's done with it.
"Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to Him, and as was His custom, He taught them. Some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?'" (Mark 10:1-2) Matthew reveals to us the true nature of their question, "They asked, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?'" (Matthew 19:3) The law of Moses said a man could divorce his wife if "he finds something indecent about her". (Deuteronomy 24:1) The early rabbis interpreted this as meaning the man's wife has been unfaithful to him, so they said divorce was legal only in cases where adultery has taken place. By Jesus' day the law regarding divorce was interpreted very liberally. A man could divorce his wife simply because the bloom has worn off the relationship and he finds her irritating. He could divorce her simply for speaking with another man in public. He could divorce her for something so ridiculous as burning his dinner. By Jesus' day marriage was beginning to be treated as something disposable according to the whims of man.
Jesus answers the Pharisees' question with a question. "'What did Moses command you?' He replied." (Mark 10:3) Jesus asks something like, "What did Moses actually say? Did he say you could divorce your wife for any old reason that suits you? What is the heart of this law? Was it not intended for the good of the person who has been betrayed, so that this person will not have to continue living with the one who has hurt and shamed them? Or do you think it was intended so that men can continually upgrade their wives, trading in the old for the new?" Jesus has already pointed out several times in the book of Mark that the religious leaders have twisted God's laws to suit their own selfish desires. For instance, they said a man could refuse to support his parents in their old age by devoting the funds to the temple instead. (Mark 7:11) This allowed a man to refuse to honor his parents, which breaks one of the ten commandments, yet at the same time he could feel virtuous about giving a large offering to the Lord. The same thing is going on in today's passage. The Pharisees are allowing men to perpetrate cruelty upon their wives by permitting them to divorce their wives for any reason that pops into their heads. They are allowing men to be inhumane to the women God intended them to cherish and protect.
In their answer, the Pharisees avoid quoting the part of the law which says a man can divorce his wife because of "indecency", and instead they quote the part that tells a man how to go about obtaining the divorce. "They said, 'Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.'" (Mark 10:4) I believe they already realize they've been caught in their own trap. They aren't going to get the best of Jesus; He's going to get the best of them. They thought He would speak words contrary to Moses so they could accuse Him of claiming to be a greater authority than Moses. They thought His answer might put Him at odds with Herod Antipas, whose wife already had John the Baptist killed for criticizing the fact that they divorced their spouses to marry each other. They thought His answer might anger the crowd, which probably contains a number of divorced people, so that they would turn away from Jesus' teachings. But Jesus puts the Pharisees to shame.
"'It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,' Jesus said. 'But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female'. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.'" (Mark 10:5-9) Jesus quotes a law that supersedes that of Moses: the words spoken by God Himself . God created the laws for marriage. His authority is greater than that of Moses. Jesus has answered in a way that leaves the Pharisees unable to reply. They cannot now attack Him and say, "Who do You think You are by saying divorce isn't lawful? Are You greater than Moses?" Jesus is indeed greater than Moses, but instead of pointing this out, He quotes directly from the word of God. No one in His audience doubts that God is greater than Moses, so the discussion is ended.
In the book of Mark it would almost appear that Jesus is denying there are any grounds for divorce, but Matthew helps us see that this is not the case. In Matthew 5:31-32 and in Matthew 19:9 Jesus clearly states that divorce is permissible in cases of infidelity. This does not mean a person has to divorce his or her unfaithful spouse if there is a way to save the marriage, but it means it is not a sin to do so. Though Mark doesn't specifically say so, I believe we can safely assume that in today's passage Jesus is upholding the heart of the law regarding divorce, which is that a person may divorce a spouse for adultery (the 'indecency' mentioned in the law of Moses), but that He finds all other reasons unlawful.
In the privacy of the house the disciples want to know more. "When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, 'Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.'" (Mark 10:10-12) In this example it seems the man is divorcing his wife because he wants to be with another woman, and the woman is divorcing her husband in order to be with another man. In Jesus' eyes these reasons are not legitimate. He's telling us it's not okay to say, "I've fallen out of love with my husband. I think I may have married the wrong man. If he were the right man for me, I'd be happy, wouldn't I? If he were the right man for me, I couldn't have fallen in love with the guy from work, could I? I don't believe God put me and my husband together. I think God meant for me and this other man to be together instead."
Today's passage is not intended to discourage anyone about what they've done in the past, but to keep us from making mistakes in the future. Today's passage is intended to help us see what is at the heart of the law and to put God's word above man's word, and God's word never said anything about looking for the man or woman who is our "soul mate". I believe the idea of a soul mate is the greatest scam against marriage that Satan has ever come up with. The only soul mate you and I will ever have is Jesus Christ. The only one who will ever complete us is Jesus Christ. The only one able to fulfill us emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually is Jesus Christ. Your spouse is not the wrong person for you simply because he or she doesn't feel like a soul mate. He or she was never intended to be a soul mate but to be your partner in life and your companion on the Christian journey. Once we realize only Christ can fulfill our deepest needs, we are free to love our spouses in the way God intended. My husband of twenty-three years is not Jesus Christ. (There have been many days in our marriage where neither of us resembled Jesus very much, I'm afraid.) Your husband or your wife is not Jesus Christ. Let's let Jesus be Jesus and let's let our spouses be our spouses.
One last point I want to make is this: we can't use the excuse that perhaps God didn't join us together with our spouses. Did you marry the wrong person? Did I? Some of us more than likely did! Some of us chose a spouse who was not the best choice for us, but that's not the point Jesus is making when He says, "what God has joined together, let no one separate". He's not saying God didn't join us with our spouse if we chose the wrong person or that God doesn't expect us to try and make the marriage work. In the original language the joining together means God witnessed our marriage vows and signed His name to the marriage document. This is the same way in which a priest, minister, or justice of the peace would witness our marriage and sign the document. If the minister who witnessed my wedding vows and signed my marriage certificate didn't think I made a good choice, is his signature any less valid? No, and neither is God's. The minister joined us together whether he approved of our choice or not and he expected us to leave the church and try to make a go of it. In the same way, God joined us together and expected us to try and make a go of it.
Any of us could end up divorced, either willingly or unwillingly. I'm not here to judge anyone. I was planning to file for divorce myself at one time. My husband was too. It just so happened that by the time we decided we were done trying, we were also out of money. Neither of us could afford to go downtown to a law office and shell out the sum of money necessary to get the proceedings started. Divorce is something that has the potential to occur in any marriage, but Jesus lays down some principles in today's passage that are able to help those of us who are currently married or those who may someday get married.
Maybe you have a broken marriage in your past, but you aren't living in the past. Maybe your divorce was caused by reasons other than those considered valid in the Scriptures, but if you and the Lord have dealt with this matter, He's done with it. He's not going to keep bringing it up. He's more concerned with where you're going than with where you've been.
"Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to Him, and as was His custom, He taught them. Some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?'" (Mark 10:1-2) Matthew reveals to us the true nature of their question, "They asked, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?'" (Matthew 19:3) The law of Moses said a man could divorce his wife if "he finds something indecent about her". (Deuteronomy 24:1) The early rabbis interpreted this as meaning the man's wife has been unfaithful to him, so they said divorce was legal only in cases where adultery has taken place. By Jesus' day the law regarding divorce was interpreted very liberally. A man could divorce his wife simply because the bloom has worn off the relationship and he finds her irritating. He could divorce her simply for speaking with another man in public. He could divorce her for something so ridiculous as burning his dinner. By Jesus' day marriage was beginning to be treated as something disposable according to the whims of man.
Jesus answers the Pharisees' question with a question. "'What did Moses command you?' He replied." (Mark 10:3) Jesus asks something like, "What did Moses actually say? Did he say you could divorce your wife for any old reason that suits you? What is the heart of this law? Was it not intended for the good of the person who has been betrayed, so that this person will not have to continue living with the one who has hurt and shamed them? Or do you think it was intended so that men can continually upgrade their wives, trading in the old for the new?" Jesus has already pointed out several times in the book of Mark that the religious leaders have twisted God's laws to suit their own selfish desires. For instance, they said a man could refuse to support his parents in their old age by devoting the funds to the temple instead. (Mark 7:11) This allowed a man to refuse to honor his parents, which breaks one of the ten commandments, yet at the same time he could feel virtuous about giving a large offering to the Lord. The same thing is going on in today's passage. The Pharisees are allowing men to perpetrate cruelty upon their wives by permitting them to divorce their wives for any reason that pops into their heads. They are allowing men to be inhumane to the women God intended them to cherish and protect.
In their answer, the Pharisees avoid quoting the part of the law which says a man can divorce his wife because of "indecency", and instead they quote the part that tells a man how to go about obtaining the divorce. "They said, 'Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.'" (Mark 10:4) I believe they already realize they've been caught in their own trap. They aren't going to get the best of Jesus; He's going to get the best of them. They thought He would speak words contrary to Moses so they could accuse Him of claiming to be a greater authority than Moses. They thought His answer might put Him at odds with Herod Antipas, whose wife already had John the Baptist killed for criticizing the fact that they divorced their spouses to marry each other. They thought His answer might anger the crowd, which probably contains a number of divorced people, so that they would turn away from Jesus' teachings. But Jesus puts the Pharisees to shame.
"'It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,' Jesus said. 'But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female'. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.'" (Mark 10:5-9) Jesus quotes a law that supersedes that of Moses: the words spoken by God Himself . God created the laws for marriage. His authority is greater than that of Moses. Jesus has answered in a way that leaves the Pharisees unable to reply. They cannot now attack Him and say, "Who do You think You are by saying divorce isn't lawful? Are You greater than Moses?" Jesus is indeed greater than Moses, but instead of pointing this out, He quotes directly from the word of God. No one in His audience doubts that God is greater than Moses, so the discussion is ended.
In the book of Mark it would almost appear that Jesus is denying there are any grounds for divorce, but Matthew helps us see that this is not the case. In Matthew 5:31-32 and in Matthew 19:9 Jesus clearly states that divorce is permissible in cases of infidelity. This does not mean a person has to divorce his or her unfaithful spouse if there is a way to save the marriage, but it means it is not a sin to do so. Though Mark doesn't specifically say so, I believe we can safely assume that in today's passage Jesus is upholding the heart of the law regarding divorce, which is that a person may divorce a spouse for adultery (the 'indecency' mentioned in the law of Moses), but that He finds all other reasons unlawful.
In the privacy of the house the disciples want to know more. "When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, 'Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.'" (Mark 10:10-12) In this example it seems the man is divorcing his wife because he wants to be with another woman, and the woman is divorcing her husband in order to be with another man. In Jesus' eyes these reasons are not legitimate. He's telling us it's not okay to say, "I've fallen out of love with my husband. I think I may have married the wrong man. If he were the right man for me, I'd be happy, wouldn't I? If he were the right man for me, I couldn't have fallen in love with the guy from work, could I? I don't believe God put me and my husband together. I think God meant for me and this other man to be together instead."
Today's passage is not intended to discourage anyone about what they've done in the past, but to keep us from making mistakes in the future. Today's passage is intended to help us see what is at the heart of the law and to put God's word above man's word, and God's word never said anything about looking for the man or woman who is our "soul mate". I believe the idea of a soul mate is the greatest scam against marriage that Satan has ever come up with. The only soul mate you and I will ever have is Jesus Christ. The only one who will ever complete us is Jesus Christ. The only one able to fulfill us emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually is Jesus Christ. Your spouse is not the wrong person for you simply because he or she doesn't feel like a soul mate. He or she was never intended to be a soul mate but to be your partner in life and your companion on the Christian journey. Once we realize only Christ can fulfill our deepest needs, we are free to love our spouses in the way God intended. My husband of twenty-three years is not Jesus Christ. (There have been many days in our marriage where neither of us resembled Jesus very much, I'm afraid.) Your husband or your wife is not Jesus Christ. Let's let Jesus be Jesus and let's let our spouses be our spouses.
One last point I want to make is this: we can't use the excuse that perhaps God didn't join us together with our spouses. Did you marry the wrong person? Did I? Some of us more than likely did! Some of us chose a spouse who was not the best choice for us, but that's not the point Jesus is making when He says, "what God has joined together, let no one separate". He's not saying God didn't join us with our spouse if we chose the wrong person or that God doesn't expect us to try and make the marriage work. In the original language the joining together means God witnessed our marriage vows and signed His name to the marriage document. This is the same way in which a priest, minister, or justice of the peace would witness our marriage and sign the document. If the minister who witnessed my wedding vows and signed my marriage certificate didn't think I made a good choice, is his signature any less valid? No, and neither is God's. The minister joined us together whether he approved of our choice or not and he expected us to leave the church and try to make a go of it. In the same way, God joined us together and expected us to try and make a go of it.
Any of us could end up divorced, either willingly or unwillingly. I'm not here to judge anyone. I was planning to file for divorce myself at one time. My husband was too. It just so happened that by the time we decided we were done trying, we were also out of money. Neither of us could afford to go downtown to a law office and shell out the sum of money necessary to get the proceedings started. Divorce is something that has the potential to occur in any marriage, but Jesus lays down some principles in today's passage that are able to help those of us who are currently married or those who may someday get married.
Maybe you have a broken marriage in your past, but you aren't living in the past. Maybe your divorce was caused by reasons other than those considered valid in the Scriptures, but if you and the Lord have dealt with this matter, He's done with it. He's not going to keep bringing it up. He's more concerned with where you're going than with where you've been.
Monday, December 11, 2017
The Gospel According To Mark. Day 41, More Jealousy Among The Disciples/A Lesson On Hell
In yesterday's passage Jesus told the disciples not to squabble among themselves about which of them is the greatest. The disciples may be willing (for the moment at least) to concede that God views them all equally, but they definitely do not view those outside their group as equals. "'Teacher,' said John, 'we saw someone driving out demons in Your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.'" (Mark 9:38) It's bad enough that some of the disciples lacked the faith to drive a demon out of the boy who was brought to them earlier in Chapter 9, but they hindered the successful exorcism ministry of someone else. The unnamed man's faith in Jesus was powerful enough to do what nine of the disciples together had been unable to do. Yet they forbade him to continue the work because he was not one of the Twelve.
"'Do not stop him,' Jesus said. 'For no one who does a miracle in My name can in the next moment say anything bad about Me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in My name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.'" (Mark 9:39-41) He cautions the Twelve, "Don't stop anyone from doing good in My name. Anything good done in My name brings glory to me and has the capability to draw others to salvation."
I think Jesus is still holding the small child in His lap, the child He used in a teaching moment yesterday, because He goes on to say, "If anyone causes one of these little ones---those who believe in Me---to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea." (Mark 9:42) The 'little ones' may represent not only children but anyone new to the faith. Jesus says woe to anyone who hinders the faith of new believers. He mentions a method of execution that was actually used by the Romans, in which a large millstone of the type drawn by donkeys across a threshing floor would be tied by ropes to a condemned person before that person was cast into a body of water to drown. He says that a person would be better off to suffer capital punishment at the hands of man than to face a holy God after crushing the faith of a new believer.
Since we will all someday stand before a holy God, Jesus gives more stern warnings about how we are to live our lives. "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be cast into hell, where 'the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.'" (Mark 9:43-48) Jesus is not advocating self-mutilation. He's saying that sin is more disabling than anything else that could ever happen to us. After all, the things that happen to us in this life can only kill us once. No illness or injury can kill our souls. But the sins we commit in this life are able to cause an early death for our bodies and are able to separate our souls from God for eternity. The word Jesus uses for "stumble" indicates a type of falling that is without recovery. We all stumble in the sense of making mistakes from time to time, but Jesus is not talking about the person who messes up, repents, and continues following Him. He's talking about the person who is so deeply entrenched in sin that he doesn't want to be rescued from it. This is a soul that prefers the life of sin and has no desire for the things of God.
Jesus quotes Isaiah 66:24 in which God promises to deliver Israel from her enemies, because Israel's enemies are God's enemies. He says that His people "will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind." Anyone who lives in rebellion against God's word is His enemy, and if a person lives his entire life in this unrepentant attitude, a fearful judgment awaits him. The English word "hell" has been put in the place of "gehenna", which is the word Jesus uses for the location where unrepentant sinners will be cast. Gehenna refers to the Valley of Ben Hinnom, which is a deep ravine outside Jerusalem where the Ammonites worshiped their loathsome god Molech. It was in this area that the pagan peoples sacrificed children in the fire to their god Molech. Two of Judah's own kings, Ahaz and Manasseh, sacrificed their offspring to Molech. It's unknown how many citizens of Judah did likewise when they fell into idolatry. Because of it's deplorable history, the Valley of Ben Hinnom became a depository for all unclean things, such as carcasses and garbage. By Jesus' day it is believed it had been turned into something like a city dump where fires burned continually to devour the waste and where maggots feasted on rotting food and the flesh of dead animals.
Does this mean hell is a literal place of unquenchable fire? Our passage today is probably where the idea of a burning hell comes from, since Jesus likens the eternal destiny of the rebellious soul to the fate of the detestable things rotting and burning in the city dump. There are other passages which seem to indicate hell is a place of intense heat, one example being the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) where the rich man who went to hell says he's tormented in the flames. The place prepared for Satan and for those whose names are not found written in the Lamb's book of life is called the "lake of fire" in Revelation 20:14-15. But more to the point, Jesus uses the word gehenna not so much because it is a place where fire burns but because it is a place of no return. It's a place that symbolizes destruction. It's the destination of souls who, to their eternal shame, rejected everything to do with God. Gehenna stands for waste and uselessness. It is a destination for things that are unclean and of no value.
What do we do with our household waste? We either have the garbage men pick it up or we haul it to a dumpster, but either way it all ends up at the dump because it's useless and of no value. What is God to do with rebellious souls who have been of no use or value to Him or to His children? They cannot be assigned a place in eternity with His precious children. God will protect those who are His from all eternity from anything wicked or defiled, so He made a separate place for those who have rebelled against Him. What that place will be like, I don't know. Whether it will be a literal place of burning, I don't know. But it will be a place where darkness can never mix with light, where the children of the night can never interact with the children of the day. It will be a location of desolation and hopelessness from which no one will ever return.
The main thing to take away from all this is that hell, whatever its nature may be, is a place we want to avoid at all costs. It is a place we can avoid by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, whose shed blood is the only sacrifice God finds acceptable for our sins. Through Him we can escape a fate of desolation and hopelessness. Through Him we can enjoy a more abundant life here on this earth and an eternal life in His glorious presence.
"'Do not stop him,' Jesus said. 'For no one who does a miracle in My name can in the next moment say anything bad about Me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in My name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.'" (Mark 9:39-41) He cautions the Twelve, "Don't stop anyone from doing good in My name. Anything good done in My name brings glory to me and has the capability to draw others to salvation."
I think Jesus is still holding the small child in His lap, the child He used in a teaching moment yesterday, because He goes on to say, "If anyone causes one of these little ones---those who believe in Me---to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea." (Mark 9:42) The 'little ones' may represent not only children but anyone new to the faith. Jesus says woe to anyone who hinders the faith of new believers. He mentions a method of execution that was actually used by the Romans, in which a large millstone of the type drawn by donkeys across a threshing floor would be tied by ropes to a condemned person before that person was cast into a body of water to drown. He says that a person would be better off to suffer capital punishment at the hands of man than to face a holy God after crushing the faith of a new believer.
Since we will all someday stand before a holy God, Jesus gives more stern warnings about how we are to live our lives. "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be cast into hell, where 'the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.'" (Mark 9:43-48) Jesus is not advocating self-mutilation. He's saying that sin is more disabling than anything else that could ever happen to us. After all, the things that happen to us in this life can only kill us once. No illness or injury can kill our souls. But the sins we commit in this life are able to cause an early death for our bodies and are able to separate our souls from God for eternity. The word Jesus uses for "stumble" indicates a type of falling that is without recovery. We all stumble in the sense of making mistakes from time to time, but Jesus is not talking about the person who messes up, repents, and continues following Him. He's talking about the person who is so deeply entrenched in sin that he doesn't want to be rescued from it. This is a soul that prefers the life of sin and has no desire for the things of God.
Jesus quotes Isaiah 66:24 in which God promises to deliver Israel from her enemies, because Israel's enemies are God's enemies. He says that His people "will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind." Anyone who lives in rebellion against God's word is His enemy, and if a person lives his entire life in this unrepentant attitude, a fearful judgment awaits him. The English word "hell" has been put in the place of "gehenna", which is the word Jesus uses for the location where unrepentant sinners will be cast. Gehenna refers to the Valley of Ben Hinnom, which is a deep ravine outside Jerusalem where the Ammonites worshiped their loathsome god Molech. It was in this area that the pagan peoples sacrificed children in the fire to their god Molech. Two of Judah's own kings, Ahaz and Manasseh, sacrificed their offspring to Molech. It's unknown how many citizens of Judah did likewise when they fell into idolatry. Because of it's deplorable history, the Valley of Ben Hinnom became a depository for all unclean things, such as carcasses and garbage. By Jesus' day it is believed it had been turned into something like a city dump where fires burned continually to devour the waste and where maggots feasted on rotting food and the flesh of dead animals.
Does this mean hell is a literal place of unquenchable fire? Our passage today is probably where the idea of a burning hell comes from, since Jesus likens the eternal destiny of the rebellious soul to the fate of the detestable things rotting and burning in the city dump. There are other passages which seem to indicate hell is a place of intense heat, one example being the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) where the rich man who went to hell says he's tormented in the flames. The place prepared for Satan and for those whose names are not found written in the Lamb's book of life is called the "lake of fire" in Revelation 20:14-15. But more to the point, Jesus uses the word gehenna not so much because it is a place where fire burns but because it is a place of no return. It's a place that symbolizes destruction. It's the destination of souls who, to their eternal shame, rejected everything to do with God. Gehenna stands for waste and uselessness. It is a destination for things that are unclean and of no value.
What do we do with our household waste? We either have the garbage men pick it up or we haul it to a dumpster, but either way it all ends up at the dump because it's useless and of no value. What is God to do with rebellious souls who have been of no use or value to Him or to His children? They cannot be assigned a place in eternity with His precious children. God will protect those who are His from all eternity from anything wicked or defiled, so He made a separate place for those who have rebelled against Him. What that place will be like, I don't know. Whether it will be a literal place of burning, I don't know. But it will be a place where darkness can never mix with light, where the children of the night can never interact with the children of the day. It will be a location of desolation and hopelessness from which no one will ever return.
The main thing to take away from all this is that hell, whatever its nature may be, is a place we want to avoid at all costs. It is a place we can avoid by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, whose shed blood is the only sacrifice God finds acceptable for our sins. Through Him we can escape a fate of desolation and hopelessness. Through Him we can enjoy a more abundant life here on this earth and an eternal life in His glorious presence.
Sunday, December 10, 2017
The Gospel According To Mark. Day 40, Another Prediction Of Jesus' Death/How To Be A Humble Servant
Jesus has been performing His ministry in the regions outside of Jerusalem, but the time is coming for Him to make His way there where betrayal, a cross, and death await Him. Again He reminds the disciples that this is the purpose for which He came to earth.
"They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because He was teaching His disciples." (Mark 9:30-31a) He needs some time away from the crowds so He can speak privately with the men who will soon be carrying the gospel to the world. These men must receive enough instruction now to be able to understand the redemptive power of Jesus' death and resurrection when those things come to pass.
"He said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after three days He will rise.' But they did not understand what He meant and were afraid to ask Him about it." (Mark 9:31b-32) Up until now it's been difficult for me to understand why the disciples didn't grill Jesus with question after question. I'm the type of person who usually has to keep digging until I get an answer, even when I know the answer is going to hurt. I've always said I'd rather be told the truth, even if it hurts, than to be deceived. But this morning I was reading William Barclay's commentary on Mark 9 and he explains the disciples' reaction like this, "They were like men who knew so much they were afraid to know more. A man might receive a verdict from his doctor. He might think the general purport of the verdict bad, but not understand all the details, and he might be afraid to ask questions, for the simple reason that he is afraid to know any more. The disciples were like that."
Mr. Barclay's comments remind me of my mother's behavior upon receiving her diagnosis of terminal cancer. She asked little to no questions. My brother related to me that she told him she didn't ask the doctor how long she might have to live because she didn't want to know. The diagnosis itself was almost more than she could bear; knowing more details wasn't going to make her feel any better. The disciples are faced with news so bad they can hardly bear it. Knowing more details isn't going to make them feel any better. If they don't ask about the "when" and the "how", they can keep pretending Jesus' death is somewhere far off in the future. It allows them to put some distance between themselves and something they don't want to accept.
In order to take their minds off an unpleasant subject, the men indulge themselves in speculating which of them is Jesus' favorite and which of them will hold the highest position in His kingdom. They argue the matter all the way back to the house at Capernaum. "They came to Capernaum. When He was in the house, He asked them, 'What were you arguing about on the road?' But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest." (Mark 9:33-34) Here the disciples remind me of a group of small children. When I was a kid riding in the back seat of the car with some of the other little girls in my family, we'd often do or say things that got us into trouble with the adults in the front seat. All of a sudden one of our moms would turn around and demand to know what was going on back there. We'd all clam up. You could hear a pin drop. We didn't want to admit what the commotion was all about. The disciples behave the same way in verse 34. They know Jesus won't approve of what they've been doing, so they clam up.
Jesus knows why they've been arguing and He demonstrates His knowledge by what He does next. "Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, 'Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.'" (Mark 9:35) What a contrast we find between Jesus' teachings and the teachings of the world! The world says to us, "Step on anybody you have to step on in order to climb to the top of the ladder. Talk yourself up and push yourself forward at every opportunity. Show the bosses you're better than everyone else in the company. Watch the performance of those around you and be ready to stab them in the back with any misconduct you see. You are number one! You have to look out for number one." But Jesus says, "Do you want to be somebody great? Then serve others! Follow My example. I am the crown prince of heaven, yet I came to earth to serve mankind. I could have remained where I was, basking in the adoration of all the angels, seated on a throne beside the Father....but how would that have benefited you? It's My ministry as a servant that benefits you. Go and do likewise."
"He took a little child whom He placed among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them, 'Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me but the One who sent Me.'" (Mark 9:36-37) The Lord sets a small child on His lap, perhaps one of the children of Peter or Andrew in whose home Jesus is staying. He uses a humble and helpless child to illustrate His point. It's human nature to seek out people with the most influence and to try to impress those who can do the most for us. But Jesus reminds the disciples that every person is of equal value. If we are not willing to serve the weakest and most helpless among us, we do not have a heart like Christ's. He is saying, "If you will humble yourselves and serve even those who can't do anything for you, you are serving Me because you are behaving like Me. If you serve only those who can help you on your way, you are just serving yourselves."
There is no greater way to honor the Lord than to be like Him. Can we truly say we are His if we don't resemble Him in the slightest?
"They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because He was teaching His disciples." (Mark 9:30-31a) He needs some time away from the crowds so He can speak privately with the men who will soon be carrying the gospel to the world. These men must receive enough instruction now to be able to understand the redemptive power of Jesus' death and resurrection when those things come to pass.
"He said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after three days He will rise.' But they did not understand what He meant and were afraid to ask Him about it." (Mark 9:31b-32) Up until now it's been difficult for me to understand why the disciples didn't grill Jesus with question after question. I'm the type of person who usually has to keep digging until I get an answer, even when I know the answer is going to hurt. I've always said I'd rather be told the truth, even if it hurts, than to be deceived. But this morning I was reading William Barclay's commentary on Mark 9 and he explains the disciples' reaction like this, "They were like men who knew so much they were afraid to know more. A man might receive a verdict from his doctor. He might think the general purport of the verdict bad, but not understand all the details, and he might be afraid to ask questions, for the simple reason that he is afraid to know any more. The disciples were like that."
Mr. Barclay's comments remind me of my mother's behavior upon receiving her diagnosis of terminal cancer. She asked little to no questions. My brother related to me that she told him she didn't ask the doctor how long she might have to live because she didn't want to know. The diagnosis itself was almost more than she could bear; knowing more details wasn't going to make her feel any better. The disciples are faced with news so bad they can hardly bear it. Knowing more details isn't going to make them feel any better. If they don't ask about the "when" and the "how", they can keep pretending Jesus' death is somewhere far off in the future. It allows them to put some distance between themselves and something they don't want to accept.
In order to take their minds off an unpleasant subject, the men indulge themselves in speculating which of them is Jesus' favorite and which of them will hold the highest position in His kingdom. They argue the matter all the way back to the house at Capernaum. "They came to Capernaum. When He was in the house, He asked them, 'What were you arguing about on the road?' But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest." (Mark 9:33-34) Here the disciples remind me of a group of small children. When I was a kid riding in the back seat of the car with some of the other little girls in my family, we'd often do or say things that got us into trouble with the adults in the front seat. All of a sudden one of our moms would turn around and demand to know what was going on back there. We'd all clam up. You could hear a pin drop. We didn't want to admit what the commotion was all about. The disciples behave the same way in verse 34. They know Jesus won't approve of what they've been doing, so they clam up.
Jesus knows why they've been arguing and He demonstrates His knowledge by what He does next. "Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, 'Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.'" (Mark 9:35) What a contrast we find between Jesus' teachings and the teachings of the world! The world says to us, "Step on anybody you have to step on in order to climb to the top of the ladder. Talk yourself up and push yourself forward at every opportunity. Show the bosses you're better than everyone else in the company. Watch the performance of those around you and be ready to stab them in the back with any misconduct you see. You are number one! You have to look out for number one." But Jesus says, "Do you want to be somebody great? Then serve others! Follow My example. I am the crown prince of heaven, yet I came to earth to serve mankind. I could have remained where I was, basking in the adoration of all the angels, seated on a throne beside the Father....but how would that have benefited you? It's My ministry as a servant that benefits you. Go and do likewise."
"He took a little child whom He placed among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them, 'Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me but the One who sent Me.'" (Mark 9:36-37) The Lord sets a small child on His lap, perhaps one of the children of Peter or Andrew in whose home Jesus is staying. He uses a humble and helpless child to illustrate His point. It's human nature to seek out people with the most influence and to try to impress those who can do the most for us. But Jesus reminds the disciples that every person is of equal value. If we are not willing to serve the weakest and most helpless among us, we do not have a heart like Christ's. He is saying, "If you will humble yourselves and serve even those who can't do anything for you, you are serving Me because you are behaving like Me. If you serve only those who can help you on your way, you are just serving yourselves."
There is no greater way to honor the Lord than to be like Him. Can we truly say we are His if we don't resemble Him in the slightest?
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