IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE BIBLE THAT PUZZLES YOU?

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THE PENTATEUCH

GENESIS ---EXODUS--- LEVITICUS 1.1-7.38 --- 8.1-11.47 --- 12.1-16.34--- 17.1-27.34--- NUMBERS 1-10--- 11-19--- 20-36--- DEUTERONOMY 1.1-4.44 --- 4.45-11.32 --- 12.1-29.1--- 29.2-34.12 --- THE BOOK OF JOSHUA --- THE BOOK OF JUDGES --- PSALMS 1-17--- ECCLESIASTES --- ISAIAH 1-5 --- 6-12 --- 13-23 --- 24-27 --- 28-35 --- 36-39 --- 40-48 --- 49-55--- 56-66--- EZEKIEL --- DANIEL 1-7 ---DANIEL 8-12 ---

NAHUM--- HABAKKUK---ZEPHANIAH ---ZECHARIAH --- THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW ---THE GOSPEL OF MARK--- THE GOSPEL OF LUKE --- THE GOSPEL OF JOHN --- THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES --- 1 CORINTHIANS 1-7 --- 8-16 --- 2 CORINTHIANS 1-7 --- 8-13 -- -GALATIANS --- EPHESIANS --- COLOSSIANS --- 1 THESSALONIANS --- 2 THESSALONIANS --- 1 TIMOTHY --- 2 TIMOTHY --- TITUS --- HEBREWS 1-6 --- 7-10 --- 11-13 --- JAMES --- JOHN'S LETTERS --- REVELATION

--- THE GOSPELS

IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE BIBLE THAT PUZZLES YOU?

If so please EMail us with your question to jonpartin@tiscali.co.uk and we will do our best to give you a satisfactory answer. EMailus.

Mark’s Message (The Gospel of Mark)

Mark begins by telling us immediately what his message is all about - “the beginning of the good news of Jesus the Christ.”

‘The beginning’ - in Mark’s eyes his whole account is only ‘the beginning’, the beginning of a long, ongoing, triumphant period, a period of the successful spreading of the good news, which embraced the successes of the early church, and would go on until the end of the age. His account is to be seen as describing ‘the beginning’ - the initial stages of that process, the work of Christ on earth. But that is only ‘the beginning’.

‘Jesus the Christ’

But at no point in the ministry of Jesus as described in Mark does Jesus Himself directly make the claim to be the Christ. However, Mark 9.41 clearly implies it, and when Peter declares Him to be the Christ He silently accepts the fact, but immediately turns the minds of the disciples to His own title for Himself - “the Son of Man”. With one illuminating exception, this is true of all four Gospels.

The only time when Jesus reveals Himself as the Christ outside the inner circle of His disciples (where He does it indirectly), is to the Samaritan woman in John 4. This was in a place where the false ideas about ‘the Christ’ were not prevalent, so that it would not be misconstrued. This remarkable fact demonstrates how carefully the Gospel writers kept strictly to the actual words of Jesus. Can we conceive that later writers, who thought of Him constantly as ‘the Christ’, would have been able to prevent themselves from putting the words into Jesus’ mouth?

Thus it is evidence of the accuracy with which Mark is presenting us with the facts, that, even though his aim is to present ‘Jesus, the Christ’, he does not change the words of Jesus so as to introduce the title on Jesus’ lips. Instead he draws out that the main title found on His lips is that of the ‘Son of Man’.

The Son of Man

Why does Jesus portray Himself as the ‘Son of Man’?

  • The title Christ (Messiah) had become connected with the idea of a revolutionary leader who would rally the people against the Romans. This was not how Jesus wanted people to see Him. It was why, once His disciples had recognised Him for what He was, He re-educated them into what being ‘the Christ’ involved in terms of ‘the Son of Man’.
  • The phrase Son of Man could hold a variety of meanings.
    1. In the Old Testament it regularly parallels ‘man’ as a synonym (eg Psalm 8.4). Thus Jesus is holding Himself out as true man.
  • It is used by God to Ezekiel stressing he is but a man.
  • It is used in Daniel 7.13 of one who comes as a representative of Israel before God’s throne to receive universal power.
  • It is used, in apocalyptic literature, of Enoch in a heavenly ministry, spoken to as as “you, son of man”.

It stressed therefore both humiliation and glory, was not open to being politically manipulated, and brought out Jesus’ role as the representative of mankind.

The passage in Daniel deserves special mention. There Israel as God’s people are compared with the nations round about who are described as ‘beasts’. Israel alone (in its ideal form as obedient to God) is truly human. Because of this the people of God are subjected to suffering under the beasts (see especially Daniel 7.25) until the great time of Judgment. Then comes ‘one like to a son of man’ with the clouds of Heaven, to receive power and glory and universal rule (7.13). He is the representative of ‘the people of the saints of the Most High’ (7.27).

So the ‘son of man’ represents one who suffers at the hands of brutish man, followed by a triumphant entry into the presence of God to receive power and glory.

The Use of Son of Man in Mark

Mark selects sayings of Jesus which bring out what to him is the essence of the His claim to be the ‘Son of Man’.

  • The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins (2.10) (i.e. as well as in Heaven).
  • The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath (2.28). He has authority to pronounce on God’s ordinances.
  • It is necessary for the Son of Man to suffer - and rise again (8.31; 9.12; 9.31: 10.33). Notice the constant repetition. This is His destiny and is now His constant theme. The disciples must be made to understand.
  • The Son of Man will give His life a ransom for many (10.45).
  • The Son of Man will take His seat at the right hand of God and will come on the clouds of heaven, in the glory of the Father, with the holy angels (8.38; 14.62). (This directly links Jesus with Daniel 7.13).

Thus Jesus declares Himself to be here with heavenly authority, for the purpose of suffering and rising again, so that He may ransom men for Himself, with a view to His receiving power and authority, and finally coming in the glory of the Father.

Jesus as Son of God

Mark tells us that Jesus is declared to be the Son of God

  • By supernatural witnesses - the unclean spirits (3.11; 5.7).
  • By the centurion at His crucifixion (15.39).

Both worlds are forced to recognise Who He is.

The claim is rare on the lips of Jesus (John 5.25 (indirectly); 10.26; 11.4) although He acknowledges it on the lips of others (Matthew 14.33; 16.16 and parallel; 26.63; John 1.34; 1.49). He was aware that it was very much something people had to become aware of for themselves.

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A Summary of Mark’s Good News

Preparation (Mark 2.1 - 13).

As prophesied in Scripture John the Baptiser comes to prepare the way for the One Who is coming, preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus is then baptised by him and receives the Holy Spirit from Heaven, and the voice from Heaven testifies that Jesus is the coming King and Servant of God. He is tested by Satan in the wilderness, and triumphs.

Jesus Proclaims the Rule of God as Available (1.14 - 15)

Men and women must change their attitude to wrongdoing and believe that the Rule of God is here.

Jesus Calls His First Disciples(Mark 1.14 - 20)

Peter and Andrew, James and John are called to be ‘fishers of men’.

Jesus Teaches in the Synagogue(Mark 1. 21 - 34)

He astonishes the people by teaching as One Who has authority, and reveals His authority over evil spirits by casting out a spirit who identifies Him as ‘the Holy One of God’. So His fame spreads everywhere.

He heals Peter’s mother-in-law, and many others come to be healed and to be freed from evil spirits.

His Ministry Continues and His Fame Increases Even Further (Mark 1.35 - 45) He goes alone to pray in the early morning, then stresses that He must go from city to city to preach, as that is why He has come. He goes throughout the whole of Galilee preaching, and makes a leper clean, an incident which reinforces His reputation even more.

Five Pronouncements of Jesus and the Growth of Opposition (Mark 2.1 - 3.6).

  • He heals the paralysed man “So that you may know that the Son of Man has the authority to forgive sins on earth” (2.10). The teachers of the Law consider it blasphemous. The common people are thrilled and amazed.
  • He calls Levi the tax-collector (Matthew) to be a disciple and to follow Him, and eats with his tax collector friends, (traitors in the eyes of the Jews), and with people who have not washed in accordance with ceremonial rules. When the scribes and Pharisees mutter about it to His disciples, He declares, “Those who are whole do not need a healer. Those who are sick do. I have not come to call those who are without fault, but to call sinners to change their ways.”
  • When He is asked why His disciples do not observe fasting (going without food as a sign of religious dedication). His response is - “Can the guests at the reception fast while the bridegroom is with them? While he is there it would be wrong. But a day will come when the bridegroom will be snatched away from them. Then, when those days come, they will fast.” He then demonstrates that He has brought something new with the parables of the patching of old clothes with a piece of new cloth, and using old wineskins for new wine. In the same way the old standards cannot be applied to Him and His teaching.
  • His disciples pluck corn on the Sabbath day and roll it between their palms, thus technically reaping and threshing on the Sabbath. When challenged by the Pharisees He compares Himself with David and declares, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
  • He heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. The Pharisees believed healing should only take place on the Sabbath in an emergency, and then only as far as was minimally required, and they had put the man there as a test. Jesus asks, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? To save life or to kill?”, and they have no answer. He is grieved because they cannot see their failings. They are filled with anger and begin their plots to have Him killed.

Thus Jesus has claimed:

  1. To be the Son of Man who has authority on earth to forgive sins.
  2. To be the Healer who has come to call the unworthy to a new way of life.
  3. To be the Bridegroom whose presence is so wonderful that it removes the need for fasting, (it is significant that in the Old Testament God was the bridegroom, and Israel His bride), but Who will one day be ‘snatched away’ from them.
  4. To be the Unique Teacher who has brought a new message like none before.
  5. As Son of Man to be Lord of the Sabbath and comparable with the great King David.
  6. To be the Compassionate One who is not bound by religious interpretations when they fly in the face of compassion.

Jesus Continues to Preach, to Heal and to Cast Out Evil Spirits. His Fame Continues to Spread (Mark 3. 7 - 12)

The evil spirits declare Him to be the Son of God but He forbids it. He does not want men’s awareness of Him to come from such a source. His ministry and popularity have now become such that not only Galileans, but also people from Jerusalem and Idumaea, and from Transjordan and Syria, flock to hear Him.

He Selects Twelve Men to Assist Him in Spreading His Message(Mark 3.14 - 21).

The twelve are chosen to go out to preach, to heal and to cast out evil spirits, thus taking His message of the arrival of the Rule of God even further afield.

He Declares that as the Strong Man He Is Binding the Forces of Evil (Mark 3.22 - 30)

His success has been such that it is no longer only the local teachers of the Law who oppose Him. Certain leading teachers from Jerusalem, the ‘experts’, have been called in. They try to argue that His success springs from Satan. Jesus demonstrates the nonsense of this. Satan would encourage evil spirits, not cast them out. The fact that Jesus can do this shows that He is stronger than Satan, and is able to bind him and his minions. He warns that deliberate refusal to recognise in this the work of the Holy Spirit of God is a blasphemy far worse than any they accuse Him of.

He Declares that His Ministry Has Put Him Beyond Earthly Constraint (Mark 3.31 - 35)

When His mother and brothers come for Him, to try to dissuade Him from His work, He points out that from now on His responsibility is to those who “do the will of God”. They, and they alone, are the ones who have a special call upon Him. .

He Proclaims in Parables the Need to Respond to the Rule of God (Mark 4. 1 - 34).

Jesus preaches in parables and explains to His disciples that it is necessary for Him to do so, so that they will have to think things out for themselves and not just accept teaching by rote. Only those who are so moved that they are willing to take matters further and seek out Jesus will learn the full truth.

  1. The parable of the sower. The seed (the words of Jesus) is being sown and then the harvest (the final judgment) will come. Some will meanwhile respond and bear fruit, and thus be ready for the harvest, but others will allow the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of wealth or the desire for other things to choke the word, so that when the harvest comes they are unfruitful and rejected.
  2. The parable of the light in the house. When light shines through His teaching men must respond to it and not try to hide it or quench it.
  3. The parable of the seed that grows secretly. In the purposes of God there are those in whose hearts the words of Jesus will secretly bear fruit. No one knows who, or how, until the fruit springs up and steadily grows, and the harvest proves it as genuine.
  4. The parable of the grain of mustard seed. The beginnings may seem small and unimportant, compared with others who make great claims for themselves, but its effects will continue to grow until they are spread far beyond anything that could have been dreamed of.

SUMMARY

Being full of the Holy Spirit Jesus has taught widely, revealed His uniqueness and won the hearts of the common people. His fame has now spread far beyond the borders of Galilee. He has demonstrated His authority over sin, over the Law and over the kingdom of evil, and has shown the common people that their failure to achieve the standards set by the very religious has not finally excluded them from God’s forgiveness.

But if they wish for forgiveness they must change their minds and attitudes and commit themselves to the Rule of God, obeying God’s teaching as revealed by Him. He does not excuse sin. He offers forgiveness for it to those who wish to be changed. His words are going out and it is now up to men to respond, or fail. What, however, is sure is that the word will continue its work until great numbers are made ready for the harvest.

The opposition of certain religious men has also developed and expanded, and these men are the very ones that in the past the people have looked up to. They feel that their control is slipping away and that their teachings are being undermined. Jesus will not fit in with their ideas, so Jesus must go. (It should be noted that not all Scribes and Pharisees are to be seen as involved in this. The narrative only brings us into contact with the ones who come to test Jesus out and then refuse to acknowledge the authenticity of His ministry. They would be the ones who actively sought to bring about His downfall).

He Reveals His Authority over Evil Spirits and over Death Itself (Mark 5. 1-43).

He casts many evil spirits out of a demon possessed man and restores to life the daughter of Jairus, a rich and pious man. On the way a woman who had an ‘issue of blood for twelve years’ is healed by touching his cloak.

(His own friends and neighbours sadly cannot face up to the fact that ‘our Jesus’ is a great prophet and healer. They are so uptight that they do not bring their sick to be healed (Mark 6. 1-6)

The Twelve Are Sent Out to Preach and Heal, and With Authority Over Unclean Spirits, and Achieve Great Success, So That The News Even Reaches the King and His Conscience is Troubled (Mark 6. 7-31)

They are sent out in twos and told they must be dependent on the hospitality of their hearers. They are assured that those who reject them will face severe judgment. Their success reaches the ears of the king whose conscience is troubled because as a result of a careless promise he has cruelly put to death John the Baptiser, a man whom he had admired and respected. The apostles return to Jesus to announce their triumphs.

Jesus Reveals His Power Over Nature By Miraculously Feeding a Large Crowd and Causing a Storm to Cease At His Command (Mark 6. 32 - 56)

The crowds continue to follow Jesus wherever He goes and are so enthusiastic that they go unprepared. Jesus feeds 5000 of them with five loaves and two fishes. He sends the disciples over the lake while he remains to pray. They are caught in a severe storm and are terrified, but He comes to them, walking on the sea, and the storm ceases. Further crowds gather and he heals all who come.

The Pharisees and Scribes Continue to Watch and Criticise Him. He Points Out that What is Within the Heart is What Matters (Mark 7. 1 - 23)

He is challenged because some of His disciples eat without performing the correct ceremonial washings. Jesus uses examples to show the Pharisee’s inconsistency. He points out that what really defiles a man is what comes from within, evil thoughts, lustful thoughts, pride and greed.

A Gentile Woman Seeks His Help and her Daughter is Cured (Mark 7. 24 - 30)

From now on Jesus’ ministry will reach out to the Gentiles.

(This story is a pivotal point in Matthew’s Gospel where it is the crucial point when Jesus’ ministry is specifically extended to the Gentiles).

A Deaf and Dumb Man Hears and Speaks (Mark 7. 31 - 37)

This is in Decapolis, the Greek speaking ‘ten towns’. The ears of the Gentiles can also be opened - in more ways than one! Jesus’ fame spreads among the Gentiles.

Crowds Which Include Gentiles are Also Fed Miraculously (Mark 8. 1 - 9).

The great crowds have followed Him for three days. He feeds them with seven loaves and a few small fish. They would include many Gentiles.

The Pharisees continue Their Campaign Against Him and Jesus Warns his Disciples to Beware of Their Machinations (Mark 8. 10 - 21)

The Pharisees seek a sign in spite of all that is happening around them. Jesus refuses to perform signs as ‘proof’. He warns His disciples against their manoeuvrings and plots.

SUMMARY

The ministry of Jesus has now been expanded even further, both by the sending out of the Apostles on a specific outreach, and by going among the Gentiles with the message of the Rule of God. He has revealed His power to an even greater extent by His control of nature and by raising the dead, and the Apostles have begun to experience some of this power through themselves. The Pharisees and Scribes have continued their opposition and plotting.

From now on there will be a decided change in the narrative. Attitudes must be changed. The real schooling of the Apostles is about to begin.

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IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE BIBLE THAT PUZZLES YOU?

If so please EMail us with your question and we will do our best to give you a satisfactory answer.EMailus.

FREE Scholarly verse by verse commentaries on the Bible.

THE PENTATEUCH

GENESIS ---EXODUS--- LEVITICUS 1.1-7.38 --- 8.1-11.47 --- 12.1-16.34--- 17.1-27.34--- NUMBERS 1-10--- 11-19--- 20-36--- DEUTERONOMY 1.1-4.44 --- 4.45-11.32 --- 12.1-29.1--- 29.2-34.12 --- THE BOOK OF JOSHUA --- THE BOOK OF JUDGES --- PSALMS 1-17--- ECCLESIASTES --- ISAIAH 1-5 --- 6-12 --- 13-23 --- 24-27 --- 28-35 --- 36-39 --- 40-48 --- 49-55--- 56-66--- EZEKIEL --- DANIEL 1-7 ---DANIEL 8-12 ---

NAHUM--- HABAKKUK---ZEPHANIAH ---ZECHARIAH --- THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW ---THE GOSPEL OF MARK--- THE GOSPEL OF LUKE --- THE GOSPEL OF JOHN --- THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES --- 1 CORINTHIANS 1-7 --- 8-16 --- 2 CORINTHIANS 1-7 --- 8-13 -- -GALATIANS --- EPHESIANS --- COLOSSIANS --- 1 THESSALONIANS --- 2 THESSALONIANS --- 1 TIMOTHY --- 2 TIMOTHY --- TITUS --- HEBREWS 1-6 --- 7-10 --- 11-13 --- JAMES --- JOHN'S LETTERS --- REVELATION

--- THE GOSPELS


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