Sunday 29 July 2007

Mark 3:1-6 Sabbath: Good

I don't get why Jesus had to provoke this incident.

He could have waited and healed the man later, couldn't He? He knew the Pharisees were watching to see if he would heal on Sabbath, an offense in their sight, so why provoke them?

Mark, I guess, is trying to continue the theme of "new wine in new wineskins" ie. the new kingdom of God is to be lived out from very different motives. He already quotes Jesus saying "the Sabbath was made for man", now he's showing what "for man" means.

But is this really worth making people so mad that they would work together with their political enemies to destroy Him? He obviously thought so!

I really like the fact that He asks a question that would entrap his enemies. Obviously the Sabbath is a day to do good and to save life, even to the Pharisees keeping the Sabbath so God will notice them. But they are far too busy trying to catch Him breaking their little rules. So they won't answer.

This really irks Him. He looks angrily at each one.

I like this Jesus. Yes... there is a big problem here. They are concerned about looking good, God with doing good. God with saving life and they with immediately, on their precious Sabbath, going out to plot, with the Herodians of all people, to destroy Jesus.

Jesus is angry because they have hard hearts. My Strongs defines hardness as stupidity or callousness, blindness. They were blindly defending themselves and their ideas in the face of reality. We usually can't treat long-term brachial palsy these days, this man's hand could not be healed by a human. Couldn't they see that their little test proved that Jesus is indeed Lord?

So I guess Jesus is saying:

  1. Sabbath is a day of forgetting how I look and doing what others really need

  2. Others really need salvation

  3. My hardness of heart bothers God, when my plans and positions take precedence over people

  4. Jesus is more concerned with having his enemies and me face reality than He is with His own preservation.


Hey, this has been another great Bible time for me. Thanks, Jesus! Make me more self forgetful and more healing.

Sunday 22 July 2007

Mark 3:23-27 Lord of the Sabbath

The 'new wine' needs totally 'new wineskins'! Jesus shows us just what these new ways of operating really are. In this section, ending at Mark 3:6, we deal with the Sabbath and how it works in the new kingdom?

The disciples are accused of breaking the Sabbath law, probably the part where the commandment says ...you shall do no work, because they plucked some grain to eat on the Sabbath.

Jesus reminds the accusers of a story of King David when he ate the showbread in the temple because he was "in need and hungry". This was only to be done by priests!

The implication is that the disciples were hungry and so it was alright for them to be picking grain, even though it seemed contrary to the law because it was to satisfy a real need. In any case it is a pretty fine point of law.

But, as usual, he presses the point home by adding that the Sabbath was made for man not the other way around. So the first principle of 'new wine' Sabbath keeping is that it is good for us. The Sabbath was made, in Eden, to enhance humanity's existence. It is a gift from the Creator to all humans.

God wants us to keep the Sabbath, not as a method of impressing God, but for enhancing our relationship with Him. Jesus explains it by by saying in effect "because the Sabbath is a gift to man, then the 'Son of Man' , through His humanity, can use it for His own good (including satisfying the disciples' hunger).

He, of course is not just a man, He is the Creator as well! He is "Lord of the Sabbath" because He made it! He gladly rules over the Sabbath and ensures that it is a blessing.

So, as He did with fasting, Jesus takes a facet of spirituality and makes it new, not by changing the action, but by changing the motivation behind the action. We are to fast to clear our mind and to clear our time for relating to God. In the same vein, we are to keep Sabbath in order to know its LORD

Once again, Jesus shows that He has authority. He is the Creator and is Lord of His creation, the true 'Time Lord'. He defines the purposes of week, and blesses those who seek for Him.

So far Jesus has shown He has authority in :

  • Teaching Scripture

  • Casting out Demons

  • Healing diseases

  • Cleansing lepers

  • Forgiving sin

  • Calling sinners

  • Fasting

  • the Sabbath


He really is LORD!

Tuesday 17 July 2007

Mark 2:18-22 They Cannot Fast

(remember that you can click on the reference in the title to see the text)

I had my aching, abscessed upper-left wisdom tooth pulled out a couple of hours ago, so I can't eat with the family. I'm fasting! (for another hour), so the numbness can wear off and I won't damage the blood clot where the tooth used to be. That means I'm fasting for my own good, but why were John's disciples and the Pharisees fasting?

I think the preceding three stories at least may hint at the reason.

The leper wanted to be cleansed. Jesus spoke and he was clean! But then was asked to comply with Moses' law for his cleansing. In this case, there was an appropriate law and it should be followed.

The paralytic was forgiven. Once again the power came from Christ's word. (Oh, he was healed too). But here were offerings for forgiveness and Christ did not ask that these be followed, in this case. Why, because forgiveness is invisible so it would be no testimony to the priesthood? And there is no offerings for healing (the visible part) anyway.

The last story is about the sinners and tax collectors feasting with Christ. What was happening here was that Christ, as a physician, was calling them to be healed of their disease (sin). We are now at a meal, getting even further from the temple and its sacrifices. Maybe Mark is writing this progression down.

I thinks John's disciples and the Pharisees are fasting to be:

  1. Clean

  2. Forgiven

  3. Called of God
They are like the people in Isaiah's day who fast so that
God will notice them


The feasting at Levi's would surely make their fasting look pretty ridiculous especially if it was obvious that the leper, the paralytic and the sinners were getting all that the fasters wanted so badly!

"Don't you get it?" Jesus asks them, "the goodies you want are here with me in the kingdom of God. If you are in the kingdom then you can't fast, you are too busy celebrating. This is a totally new thing, you can't drag in the fasting and other things that Moses never commanded, you have to start again. Only the new will do!"

He disconcertingly adds that one day the He would be "taken away", then we will have to fast. Was this prophetic of his crucifixion or was this about his ascension to heaven?

There is a time for fasting, it is when we are separated from Christ. Not for calling, cleansing or forgiveness, they already exist for us in Christ, but for seeking our friend, "the Bridegroom". Fasting is a way of cutting through obstructions. So He doesn't dismiss fasting, just says that the purpose of fasting is different now.

Maybe I should fast from food, TV, when I want more of Christ.

I've enjoyed this Bible study, I didn't understand the "new wine in new wineskins" before...But now its time to test out my remaining teeth.

Friday 13 July 2007

Mark 2:13-17 Follow Me

This Jesus, who by forgiving sin does greater miracles than He does by healing paralysis, now shows what forgiveness is in practice. He demonstrates that enemies (sin and sickness) are not to be feared "for the LORD your God, the great and awesome God, is among you
Deuteronomy 7:21


Jesus concentrates on teaching, then He calls Levi (Matthew) to discipleship. His teaching demands a radical change such as Levi's was. As Levi was the worst of sinners, a dreaded tax collector.

But even converted tax collectors have friends! So Matthew hosts a dinner to introduce Jesus to his friends, tax collectors and sinners! I wonder what sort of person you have to be to earn the sobriquet of 'sinner'?

It was no little gathering because it uses the word 'many' is use twice in verse 15 but the most interesting thing is that "they followed Him". Jesus is attractive to sinners! No need to be afraid.

But the self-righteous ones disliked this fraternisation and complained to Jesus' disciples. They weren't up to challenging Christ Himself, or maybe they were just creating doubt. But actually it creates the opposite because I once heard a liberal theologian saying that you can only believe those parts of the gospels that were against the social norms of the time. So, even by this sorry logic, Jesus willingly associates with sinners! Good news indeed!

In any case it got back to Jesus who comes up with a great line on many levels. True the well don't need a doctor, only the sick. So Jesus came to call, not the righteous but sinners!

That is against the social norms of our degenerate day, let alone His! I want "a better class of people", 'nice people', 'good Christians" at my church and dinner table. But Jesus was, and is. on a mission, one that actively calls, even the rejects of society, to become disciples.

The truly 'righteous' don't need to be called because they are already with Christ.

And the 'self-righteous' scribes and Pharisees are not being called as they are far too busy building up their 'self worth' by calling others 'sinners'. They don't feel any need of forgiveness. And theyobviously don't believe even miracles of healing can show that Jesus can forgive. "You have to work hard to be forgiven", they say.

Jesus is clear on his mission. He has come to call sinners and forgive them. He is looking for sinners, he wants to be with them, even eat and drink with them. And they responded.

He still says "Follow Me"... Who wouldn't?

Tuesday 10 July 2007

Mark 2:1-12 That you may know

I love this story. It cuts to the core of what Jesus was all about.

Jesus, after some time, returns to Capernaum to Simon and Andrew's house and 'immediately' He is crowded out

So "He preached the word to them." Jesus is right on task but He about to be interrupted.

Interuptions really rile me up. I resented having to spend so many of my days off cleaning up after last month's storm, despite the good feeling from having thrown out so much junk, cleaning under the house and getting the garden looking good.

But not so Jesus! He looks at the motives, not of the paralytic but of his friends. He saw "their faith". Is this what intercessory prayer is about?

So he forgives the man's sins.

What gives here? Isn't healing the big thing, isn't this the reason the paralytic was brought? Sure he is forgiven but he's still helplessly paralysed.

Is this how God answers prayer? He gives what is needed, not what is asked for. What is more important from God's perspective, health or holiness?

The scribes are there, "reasoning in their hearts". And doing a good job of it. Their reasoning goes like this:

  1. Only God can forgive sins

  2. Jesus has just forgiven this man's sins

  3. Therefore Jesus is claiming to be God

  4. But anyone can claim to be God - that's blasphemy - a big sin indeed (unless He really is God, which is unlikely)


All perfectly logical and true. They are good thinkers. But also human. They, as locals, probably knew this paralytic and knew what sins he had committed. Maybe they had even told him that his paralysis was a result of his sinfulness. And now they accuse Jesus of sin as well. How often have I been ready to think the worst?

But Jesus knows their thoughts. This is amazing! Can He read minds or is He just a shrewd observer of humanity. In any case He answers the implications of their logic with a great question, the answer of which determines my salvation.
"Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ' Your sins are forgiven you" or to say 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'?"

A "no-brainer": it's easy to SAY either, but it's impossible for a human to actually DO either - only God could heal a paralytic (even modern science has to wait for nature to take its time to heal paralysis - there is no immediate cure, even today).

The easiest to SEE however, is the healing. Forgiveness is invisible. So Jesus answers the scribes' unspoken question by using the visible to prove the invisible and also to prove His own divinity.

"That you may know" - I can be sure.
"that the Son of Man" - what Jesus consistently, and humbly, calls Himself
"has power on earth" - He already has authority in heaven, now He claims it here
"to forgive sins" - proof that He is God, and can meet my true needs
"Arise" and "Immediately he arose..."

This is the part I like.: Jesus has the power to do impossible healing so He can do the bigger impossible - forgive. At least one of the reasons that Jesus heals is so I can believe that He forgives, that He can indeed save, even in this world. My salvation is secure!

Glorify God saying "We never saw the like!

Sunday 8 July 2007

Mark 1 The Real Jesus

In the "Christian Growth" section of the newly opened Argenton branch of Koorong, I found this great book Jesus Mean and Wild. Mark Galli bases his book on Mark's Gospel so I grabbed a copy.

He suggests that Jesus, contrary to the prevailing view, is not gentle, meek and mild all the time. Galli spends his first three chapters in Mark 1 showing us the love of an "untamable God".

Chapter One, entitled "Difficult Love", comes from
Mark 1:11-13
. He brings out that straight after being filled with the Spirit and affirmed by His Father Jesus is driven by the Spirit into the wilderness for testing. He sums it up by saying "God loves you and has a difficult plan for your life". Those God loves the most are the ones He tests to their limits and refuses to pamper. Why?...Galli posits that suffering renews our spiritual vitality and strengthens our character, but maybe more importantly, it also prepares us for ministry. He says that God may appear cruel but really He is fashioning us, like he did with Christ in the desert, to go out into the wilderness of this world with the gospel. Just as his Beloved Son did.

Chapter Two, entitled "A Hopeful Repentance" is based on
Mark 1:14-15
where Jesus connects the gospel with repentance (ie. to start living and acting differently). Galli says that the shame and guilt of looking honestly at our lives and realising that we are miserable sinners drives us to Christ and repentance This repentance has hope because God is gracious and will not only heal but will also change our actions. As Galli quotes from Frederica Mathewes-Green:
"Jesus didn't come to save us just from the penalty for our sins; he came to save us from our sins - now today, if we will only respond to the challenge and let him.... The Lord does not love us for our good parts and pass over the rest. He died for the bad parts and will not rest until they are put right. We must stop thinking of God as infinitely indulgent. We must begin to grapple with the scary and exhilarating truth that he is infinitely holy, and that he wants the same for us."

Chapter Three, "Holy War", about
Mark 1:23-26
where the demon rightly assumes that the Holy one of God is here to destroy evil.. Even though he fears for his life, the possessed man is attracted to Jesus. He realises that Jesus loves him. Galli says
"The one who loves us is the Holy One who wishes to make all unclean things holy. That means the one whom we cannot stay away from is the same one who is out to destroy those very habits, sins, notions, addictions, and self-justifications that we think we can't live without. And there are times when we feel as if Jesus is out to destroy us.
It is a wonderful and a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the real Jesus."

The real Jesus!

Saturday 7 July 2007

Mark 1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ

Months ago a friend, whose children have grown up, gave me his old telescope. It is about a metre long, dusty and dirty with its tripod legs rusted in the fully extended position, a result of years stored under his house. The eye pieces were in a plastic bag, and the one I looked at back then was broken and unusable. I held little hope that it worked and didn't even try it out. So it was stashed under our house in all the garden stuff, between the stack of old newspapers and the rusty wire and star pickets. Unused again.

Then the storm came and we were forced to throw the old wire and some of the pickets onto the small mountain of rubbish out on the nature strip. The newspapers, from the past three years, heavy with flood water, now thickly cover the" vegetable" beds, smothering the crops of weeds and grass. The telescope only had its tripod wet so it was one of the few things from that pile under the house to be actually kept.

Being so obvious now, the other night as a fullish moon rose, I dragged out the telescope. and tried out an eye piece. Wow!! I could see the craters on the moon! And the the disc of Jupiter! I dragged the kids out of the warm house, they were vaguely impressed. But it was too cold for my wife.

Then a week ago I noticed that Venus was high in the dusk sky, so the scope came out again and this time I tried out another eyepiece (there are three in all) and this one was a higher resolution and Venus looked like a small version of the waxing moon with a crescent of light on the sunward side. Jupiter was still high and I could see three of its moons!

But below Venus was another untwinkling body. Was it Mercury? It was definitely a planet. I excitedly called the youngest, and his neighborhood friend away from the online games. And it was his 12 year old eyes who found that "Mercury" had rings! Another look and some focusing and it was confirmed, we had Saturn!

I have only ever seen the rings of Saturn through a telescope once before, with a bunch of noisy, pushing kids, but here in the quiet of my backyard (and at much smaller resolution) this sighting made a deep impression on me.

Saturn was real! It actually was up there, I could see it!

So to confirm it, the scope came out last night and the white little planet and the silver rings were still there! I even convinced my beautiful woman to leave the warmth and take a look.

I think Mark One has been a neglected telescope for me. Jesus Christ is real. He has been there all the time but I haven't taken the time to look.

Who is this Jesus I have been introduced to?

  • He is Good News - He preaches the Gospel everywhere, that is His purpose in coming. He lives the Gospel, by healing the demon possessed, the fevered and the unclean leper. He teaches the Gospel with authority. He invites belief in the Gospel. And all this is just the beginning!

  • He is the LORD - the Son of God. The Creator and re-creator, God of the Old Testament, YAHWEH. Even the unclean spirits knew that He was the "holy One of God".

  • He is the Cleaner - of men with unclean spirits and unclean diseases (leprosy)

  • He brings a new and close-by kingdom - He's the King

  • He demands change - Repentance, a change of heart, a change of thinking. The biggest change of all. He has four men leave their occupations and family to become, not fishermen, but fishers of men. Rebuking the spirits, He changes the thought life of a possessed man. He keeps moving, changing location, there is always a "next town". He tries to silence the leper, now bursting with health, demanding he go to the temple silently.

  • He cares for the rejected leper, even touching him. He also cares for the loved mother-in-law too.

  • He attracts - first disciples then crowds, the sick, the possessed and the curious.

  • He prayed - in the wilderness and came back with a sense of mission
Jesus you are still here, sorry for neglecting You.