Mark chapters 11-12

The servant in Jerusalem(chapters 11-12).

This is now less than a week before the crucifixion;  Jesus draws nigh and enters Jerusalem at the time of the Passover.  It was a time of delight for the Jews, and the population increased many times during this festival.  The Servant of God enters the final phase of His journey.  Most of His work had been done in and around Galilee, now He approaches the capital city, thronging with worshippers, as the last week of His visible service commences.  They came "nigh unto Jerusalem"(verse 1), "unto Bethpage at Bethany at the mount of Olives".  From this vantage point, some 2600 feet above the city, He had a panoramic view of the place where His Father had placed His name, the place where He would die for the sins of many, a fact He had repeated time and again throughout the journey(Mark 8 v31; 9 v31; and 10 verses 33-34 with verse 45).  Now the time had come and with courage and single-mindedness He proceeded to fulfil His mission.  He strode forward in the service of God in full knowledge of what He was about, even if no one else did.  All around is confusion, even the disciples were confused, only the man in touch with God knew what He was about.

• Verses 2-10                          A crowd without understanding
• Verses 11-14                        A tree without fruit
• Verses 15-19                        A temple without reverence
• Verses 20-26                        Disciples without faith
• Verses 27-chapter 12 v40    A leadership without shame
• Verses 41-44                        A widow woman without resources             

The above summary is a sad indictment indeed on a nation, which trusted in God, but bespeaks a servant with purpose of spirit as He unflinchingly moves on.  The perfect servant did not allow the imperfections of others to deter Him.

Verses 2-10  a crowd without understanding            There is no doubting the sincerity of the people who lined the way into Jerusalem, and expectations were high.  Jesus knew their adulation was misplaced, but He must fulfil the prophetic scriptures concerning Himself.  He loses no time in taking control of the situation.  His masterly control of everything reminds us that He is not only the Servant of God, He is the Son of God as stated at the outset of this gospel(Mark 1 v1).  Who else but the Son of God would know there was a colt tethered in the next village;  who would know no one had sat on it;  who would know the owners would lend it to Him?   He orders two of His disciples to take charge of a colt of an ass which He knew to be tethered in a certain place.  This was to be His conveyance into Jerusalem, befitting a king;  all this in line with prophetic scripture from Zechariah 9 v9 and Psalm 118 v26, which is quoted here. They were to say "The Lord hath need of him", and that would be enough.  What follows is an adulation befitting the coming of Messiah.  Garments(of a people in poverty) laid before Him as a carpet;  branches of trees cut down and strewn in the way;  voices in unison chanting "Hosanna", which is the cry for Messiah and means "Save now", that is deliver us from all our enemies.  They cry "Blessed is He that cometh(the promised coming one, Messiah) in the name of the Lord";  "blessed is the kingdom of our father David that cometh in the name of the Lord;  Hosanna in the highest".  This for them was the fulfilment of the ages, the long promised seed who would exalt Israel to be the head of nations and roll back the reproach of years.  This was their jubilation but, it was misplaced.  He was indeed their Messiah but the time for the kingdom was not yet.  They should have known from the sacred writings that the suffering of crucifixion must come first.  Mark has stressed this all the way through, but even His disciples didn't know.

Verses 11-14    a tree without fruit           Jesus had a look over the temple, His next port of call before retiring with His disciples to Bethany.  On His return He saw a fig tree with leaves from afar and sought figs to eat.  Bethphage means "the house of unripe figs", so there were many fig trees about.  This particular tree had leaves but when He came it had no fruit, even none of the green knobs which were edible, which later would ripen into full grown fig fruits.  The absence of these on the tree meant there would be no fruit even later.  Jesus used this to teach His disciples a sore lesson, for He had in mind fruitless Israel.  He cursed the tree and later they found it "withered from the roots"(verse 20).  Symbolically Jesus is applying this to the spiritual state of the nation.  It is a solemn reminder to all that we are here on this earth to produce spiritual fruit and if there is none our time on earth is done.  "Leaves without fruit" symbolises religious show without reality, and that described the nation.  Their outward festivals still went on but there was nothing for God.  There are three trees in scripture describing Israel, the Vine...Israel in rebellion in the past;  the Fig tree.....Israel in rejection in the present age;  the Olive tree...Israel in restoration in the future.  The symbolism here is very powerful.   We recall the first mention of fig leaves in scripture was to cover the nakedness of the guilty pair.  The comparison is obvious, Jesus views the existence of leaves without fruit  as a cover for failure.  The nation had plenty of outward show, but had nothing that was of value to God.  What a solemn warning that God has no use for a fruitless tree.

verses 15-19    A temple without reverence              The Jewish temple was the one place on earth where God placed His name, and where He, symbolically dwelt amongst His people.  It was the most sacred place on earth, but, because of departure had become profane.  It is good to visualize the temple layout to understand this incident.  There are two important words for "temple", the first being "heiron" which means "sacred place", and refers to the entire temple area of about 30 acres including the holy of holies and the outer temple where this took place;  secondly there is "naos" which is the court of the priests where they officiated in the service of God.  Beyond this was the court of the Gentiles, where travelling Jews or Gentiles could come and pray and prepare for the festivals;  the court of the women, which was exclusively for the women;  and the court of the Israelites where the Jews came to be taught in the law of the Lord(this was sometimes called Solomon's porch).  It was in the outer court of the Gentiles where this secularisation had been established where money for payment of sacrifices was changed and it seems extortion was being practised to take advantage of the pilgrims and profit from the worship of God.  The mention of "the table of doves" suggested that even the poor people were being overcharged.  Jesus forbad this quoting Isaiah 56 v7 and Jeremiah 7 v11, reminding them this was "my Father's house", and it should not be used for corrupt business or even legitimate business for He would not allow the comers to use the outer court for a thoroughfare.  This was a stark rebuke for their profanity of a sacred place.  This caused alarm amongst the scribes and chief priests, who sought ways to destroy Him for they were afraid of Him for His doctrine was beyond the normal and the people knew it.  Any who seek to upset ungodly culture today should not be surprised if similar enmity ensues.  He had to cleanse the temple at the outset of His public ministry, there has been no change in three years.

Verses 20-26   Disciples without faith         All the while Jesus was teaching His disciples about real faith in God, for they were lacking it.  His message to them with all these events was to trust implicitly in God, there was no need to seek the approval of men, nor fear their disapproval.  It is too easy to replace the fear of God with the fear of man and only what is for God is of any value.  He has just proclaimed a curse on the fruitless tree and they were astonished that so quickly it had withered from the roots.  He utters His now famous words that "Faith can remove mountains".  How much do we believe that today, how much faith, really, do I have in God?  Jesus is teaching His disciples that there are no boundaries to what God can do even impossible things are within our power, if only we believe.  God will do anything for us if it is His will, we must demonstrate this unshakeable belief in our prayer life, applying it to everything we ask, we must truly believe He will grant it and not to be doubting..."Therefore I say unto you, what things ye ask, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them".  This raises prayer to a high level and we should have courage to do His will and to believe Him.  God is disposed to give us good things!  He makes one condition, do not pray with a hurtful attitude toward others;  do not be bitter toward others in your prayers, and expect God to be favourable to you.  Be to others what you expect God to be to you.  In summary true faith requires true prayer, not just saying prayers, but really praying, and really believing.  Pray in faith, believe in the impossible, trust in God and be forgiving in spirit.  Remember God has forgiven you more than you will ever forgive others.

Verses 27-chapter 12 verse 40   Religious rulers without shame           It is commonly believed that a nation will not rise above it's leaders, and this was certainly true of Israel in the time of Christ.  What follows is a concerted attack on His person from every section of the prominent ruling class at the time.  The nation that was taught "Thou shalt not kill", had murder in mind.  Jesus had become an unacceptable thorn in their flesh and He was vilified from all quarters.  The verses are dominated by a series of challenges from the ruling elite in the form of questions which masked the true ungodly state of their hearts.  They begin by asking "By what authority doest thou these things?", referring to His actions to cleanse the temple:

• Chapter 11 v27-chapter 12 v12     The religious challenge from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
• Chapter 12 v13- v17                      The political challenge from the Pharisees and the Herodians. 
• Chapter 12 v18-v27                       The liberal challenge from the Sadducees.
• Chapter 12 v28-40                         The legal challenge from the scribes 

Chapter 11 v27 chapter 12 v12 a cunning question and a piercing answer.   The chief priests and scribes and elders were the spiritual authority in Israel;  the chief priests oversaw the religious ritual, ensuring that all was carried out in accordance with the Mosaic procedure; the scribes interpreted and applied the law of Moses from a legal standpoint, ensuring the instructions and the intent were enacted in all service; the elders were the mature of age and status who were examples to all those under their shepherd care.  All three had departed from the scriptures on the altar of convenience and the desire to accommodate numbers.  Jesus was angry about three things concerning the temple;  the obvious exploitation of the people at a time of worship as implied by the description "thieves";  the desecration of the sacred precincts which were to be used only for prayer and worship, instead it had become a market place;  the possible exclusion of Gentiles for whom a court in the outer temple was provided, by His assertion that the house was for "all nations", not just the Jews.  None of this was in line with the Divine law, yet these rulers had the gall to question His authority.  He rounds on them with another question that exposes their hypocrisy, "was the baptism of John human or Divine?".  They could not answer for they had rejected John.  Jesus was not here(nor are we) to satisfy curiosity, but to expose fallacies and challenge practices by even the elite!  Having refused plain language, Jesus then spoke to them in parables, and He begins by relating the parable of the vineyard.  The clear inference was that God had left them a vineyard to produce fruit but they had produced nothing, had abused the emissaries and even killed some, and now the son, the well beloved had come and they were now rejecting Him, as the scripture prophesied.  They wanted to take Him but they feared the people.  They had become a profane leadership presiding over a profane temple service and there was nothing for God.  

Chapter 12 v13-17, strange bedfellows, the Pharisees and the Herodians.       If ever there was a mismatch it was these two groups.  The Pharisees, hotly patriotic, deeply opposed to Roman occupation, descendants of the Maccabean resistance against the Greek invader Antiochus Epiphanes, who would accept no foreign occupation;  religious to the core in that they accepted the teachings of Moses;  they were a powerful group in Jewish society about 6000 strong and were very influential.  Conversely, the Herodians were followers of the Idumean(descendent of Edom) usurper of the throne of Israel.  They were quite unpatriotic, indeed courting the pleasure of Rome, for the sake of personal gain, and they had no regard for the law of Moses, the only moral compass being that which brought them personal gain.  These two opposite groups found unity in their mutual enmity against Christ.  Some of their united group were sent to "catch Him in His words", literally to entrap Him, with a question that involved, in modern language the tension between the church and the state.  This was a very serious question involving the role of religious Israel in the situation of Roman occupation.  They came with flattery(beware the flatterers), "Teacher we know that thou art true and carest for no man for thou regardest not the person of men but speakest the word of God in truth".  Then comes the punch line, (for all they regarded was the personalities of men), "Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar or not?".  He detected immediately their hypocrisy "Why tempt ye me?"  He pointed to the image of the denarius which was readily available to them and in which they were trading.  The Roman occupation of Israel was now longstanding, well over 60 years, and their presence clearly marked the judgment of God on the nation.  The masterly answer "Render to Caesar the thing which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's!"    They marvelled at Him, for no one before had spoken with such wisdom.

Chapter 12 v18- 27 the wealthy aristocrats who achieved high positions of influence in Roman times.

            These were the majority members of the Sanhedrim ruling body, whose friendship with Rome earned them positions of high esteem and brought ever increasing streams of wealth.  They cared nothing for "other worldly" matters and lived only for the present world.  They did not believe in the spirit world either demon or angel, or the resurrection, their sights firmly on this world.  They were remote from normal reality and cared little for those in poverty.  They probably challenged Jesus because He had reduced their revenue by refusing trade in the temple precincts from which they would profit.  Their question was one of cynical unbelief, bringing up a ridiculous hypothesis about multiple deaths in one family and how the "levirate" law of marriage would apply in this scenario.  Jesus ignored their folly and responded simply by reasserting the truth of the resurrection, and establishing their crass ignorance of both the scriptures and the God of the scriptures.  In this reply, He followed the wisdom of the proverb, "Answer a fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own conceits".  The bible views the likes of these Sadducees as fools and losers.

Chapter 12 v28-40 the smart legal eagles, the interpreters of holy scripture.         He acknowledges there was some sincerity in this individual scribe but warned His disciples against their "set".  Perceiving that Jesus wisdom was greater than His questioners, the scribe asked "What is the greatest commandment of all?"  Whether this question was frivolous or not we don't know, for all the commandments are to be observed.  Certainly the Lord answered plainly, such that there could be no doubt, in simple terms "Love God"....love your neighbour".  These two great commandments say it all;  to love the Lord with all you have, and to love your neighbour as yourself  is the sum and substance of the Divine law.  The scribe replied with understanding, which the Lord acknowledged, and makes the bold observation that to "Thou hast said the truth, for there is one God and there is none other but He; and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding, and with all the soul and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself is more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices".  This scribe knew that inward reality was more than outward ritual .  Jesus said "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God".  He was not in the kingdom but he was not far.  This being a very personal application, from this point on no one dared ask Him any questions, possibly because they feared the personal challenge.  We don't actually know whether this scribe, this legal expert, who had shown a firm grasp of scripture, ever entered the kingdom, for it is one thing to know what to do, another to do it.
What we do know is that the scribes, as a group, were generally out of touch with reality.  Their legal reasoning was faulty, and could this man swim against the tide of error amongst his own fellows?   He cites one instance where they had misinterpreted the meaning of the Messiah.  The scribes say that the Christ(the Messiah) is the son of David, inferring that David is superior, yet David by inspiration of the Holy Spirit called Him "Lord"(Psalm 110).  The scribes were wrong and the common people were happy.
He warned them to beware the scribes because of their hypocrisy.  They love the outward appearance of religion;  the long distinctive garb; the salutations in the market places where the public honoured them;  the chief seats in the synagogue which elevated their ego's, yet internally they were corrupt.  "They devour widow's houses, and for a pretence make long prayers".  He gives a withering assessment "These shall receive greater condemnation!"  Sham religion is a serious matter which will bring judgment on those who perpetrate it.  

Verse 40-44   A widow woman without resources             Probably tired after a day's grilling, Jesus sat over by the treasury which was in the women's court.  He beheld how everyone gave to the Lord;  (He beholds how we give of our service whether it is merely outward or from the heart).  Many who could afford it cast in much, others only what they could give.  He noticed a poor widow woman, not just a widow but a poor one. She cast in two mites, the smallest, thinnest copper coins of miniscule value, yet Jesus proclaims "She has given more than they all!".  Once again earthly values turned on their head.  They, out of their abundance gave much, but she, out of her poverty has given all that she had, all her living.  What a commendation from the One who is to be the judge of all the earth, who will in a coming day assess all our service.  There a number of observations here;  the value of sacrifice is relative, not what we give, rather what we have left;  the cleanness of the gift comes into it for Jesus observed that the scribes "devoured widow's houses", that is they came by riches heartlessly and dishonestly, this poor widow gave all her living;  what is the heart of the gift, is it total devotion or is it partial ritualism?  The scribe who came to Jesus with a question proved he knew intellectually what was required;  He could interpret the scripture correctly "Love the Lord with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul and all your strength".  The woman knew it from her heart for she gave all that she had.  The scribe was not far from the kingdom the woman was in it!!  The scribe said "Love your neighbour as yourself", the woman only had two mites, she probably needed one of them but her neighbour's need she made her own   What a wonderful ending to a harrowing revelation of the state of things in Israel.  How He must have appreciated this in view of Calvary when He would give His all.  It seems this poor widow came out better than them all with their long flowing garments and their extravagant riches and their high positions and their ignorance of true values, the woman with the two mites was better than them all in the eyes of the Judge, and His assessment is all that will matter.                                            

THE GOSPEL OF MARK "Behold My Servant"

         Jesus the master teacher             Mark chapter 10

Jesus is travelling from now on, from the north to the southern province of Judea (verse 1, verse 32, chapter 11 v1, and 11 v11), inexorably to reach Jerusalem where He would accomplish His final mission as the servant of God.    He travelled along the eastern Jordan valley, which was an area of sparse population, He sought, not only the masses, but the villages and hamlets wherever people were.   Nevertheless the crowds would follow Him even there.   Wherever He was, there were also the Pharisees who tracked Him all the way, not because they followed Him but they saw Him as a threat to their position, and they tried to trap Him in His teachings.   Wherever He went He was "wont" to teach the things of God (verse 1).    He was the master teacher, He did not use long sermons, instead short sharp burst of living truth, and this is perfectly illustrated here.   He made heavenly pronouncements on earthly situations using many different means.   Deep spiritual truth was distilled from His lips, like the dew of heaven on the dry earth, bringing life and vitality and growth in every situation.   He was bombarded with questions and whether from the elite Pharisees or clever lawyers or the common people or His own disciples He had a ready answer.   Those answers were not always explained, for God's truth takes time to sink in, and time and space must be allowed to think on them, but they are recorded and precious for every generation.   In this chapter He uses the method of paradox to elucidate the mind of God.   A paradox is an apparent contradiction of two things placed together to enhance an important truth.   In other parts He uses symbols, parables, miracles, types, and proverbs, elevating the metaphorical principles of language.   It is often said that "a picture speaks a thousand words" and Jesus made full use of this.   Difficult truths of God are best understood by the use of word pictures.   According to the great biblical expositor Wiersbe, there are five paradoxes in this chapter, and an exhaustive study of the chapter will reveal that this outline cannot be bettered, so I have included it in the study.   I will state them, then say a little word on each.

• Verses 1-12           Two shall be one
• Verses 13-16         Adults shall be children
• Verses 17-31         The First shall be Last
• Verses 32-45         Servants shall be rulers
• Verses 46-52         The Poor shall be Rich  

Verses 1-12 Two shall be one        "From the beginning it was not so."

The Pharisees were always asking "loaded" questions, not sincerely, always trying to trap Him in His words.   "They came to Him and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife, tempting Him....".   Jesus was in the country of Herod Antipas, whose marital situation was anything but normal, and perhaps they were stirring debate that would put Jesus in a bad light.   They had no interest in truth, just anything that would put their rivals in a bad light.   We must be wary of such today.   The question was at the very heart of family/social life and had to be answered.   We cannot but marvel at His reply...."What did Moses command you...."?   They were professed followers of Moses, they had perverted many of the laws with their own interpretations, but still they claimed adherence.   Jesus' reply was classic, pointing out the bill of divorcement was granted because of hardness of heart, but God's original design was for a permanent relationship "..from the beginning it was not so".   He quotes from Genesis 2, and who wrote this but Moses whom they were keen to quote/   Firstly He is demonstrating that unlike what they were slanderously reporting that He was teaching contrary to Moses, He ratified his words;   secondly He exposes their false interpretation of Moses who established the principles of marriage, as instituted by God in the beginning.   Any relaxation of one man/one woman for life was because of failure.   This had been abused as they allowed divorce for almost any reason.   God's creation order stands and divorce is not in the mind of God.   This is further clarified by Paul in Ephesians 5vv 22-33 where the union of man and woman as husband and wife is to reflect the indivisible and eternal union of Christ and the church.   God's creation order stands and the words of Jesus to that and every succeeding generation rings out "What therefore God has joined together let not man put asunder".   No magistrate or judge has the right to annul any marriage and to marry another whilst the spouse is still alive constitutes adultery in the sight of God.   Separation may be necessary in extreme cases, but there is no sanction from God for remarriage.    Two as one for life is God's pattern for life, and if His will is paramount in two lives, the unity can be pleasant and the progeny blessed.

Verses 13-16   Adults to become children       "...of such is the kingdom of God."

The natural sequence is obvious, first marriage, then children.    It seems to have escaped the present thinking that the reason for a good marriage makes a secure and healthy home in which a child can prosper.  The ideal family is described in Psalms 127-128.   It is no coincidence that the breakdown of stable homes has contributed to the breakdown of society as a whole.   Families brought their children to the Rabbis for a blessing.   The disciples of Jesus, trying to protect their Master, rebuked them for bringing their children but this exposed a deep flaw in their attitude.   It seems children were not important to them, but Jesus made it clear, something that needs to be proclaimed today that God loves children, that He will protect them, that any who abuse them will be severely punished that those who ignore them are arrogant and need to humbled themselves.   Jesus is confronting attitudes in adults here and says "....of such is the kingdom of God."   The kingdom of God is not about self importance, but about developing a childlike approach in humility and self-abnegation.   "Forbid them not..." this is the second time in two chapters He has had to check ungracious behaviour in His disciples (see chapter 9v39).... He does not want ungraciousness and pride in His people, for they are contrary to the principles of the kingdom.
Jesus was "much displeased with them..."   the word is indignant, extremely angry, and He rebuked them.   Jesus reverses normal adult/children values and says adults need to become more like children.   Little children are in view, not spoiled children, but those who do not argue, but accept simply what they are told, for they know very little and they are pleased to follow instructions.   In the kingdom of God we are to be like children, we enter in that way and we are to continue the same.   Little children are a pattern for Christian living in many ways;   weak,  humble, dependent on others, receptive to instructions, respectful to adults.   This is the very essence of the kingdom and is to be our constant demeanour.   Paul takes up the theme in 1st Corinthians 14 v20 where he gives the balance, that we are to be childlike, not childish..."Be not children in understanding, howbeit in malice be children, but in understanding be men".

Verses 17-31   The first shall be last            "...in the world to come eternal life."

Heaven's estimate of things is not as in the present world.   Values are turned upside down, and Jesus has come to tell us.   This portion is the story of two questioners, one a self righteous man who loved his riches more than God, and another who had given up everything for God but was rather priding himself in his sacrifice.   The answer of Jesus is interesting in both cases and presents much food for thought.
The first is a man (young as per Matthew 19 v20);    successful ("..he had great possessions.");   needy ("...he came running..");   courteous ( "..kneeled to Him..");   and unfulfilled ("..asked Him what must I do to inherit eternal life?").      Despite what we would call today as a role model of a man, financially independent, well mannered, yet it was not enough, there was something missing, he did not have assurance about the future.   Despite all his life achievements, he had a very shallow view of things spiritual.   His was a worldly view, typical of many today.   He had a superficial view of the Saviour...he called Him "good master" or "good Rabbi".   Jesus reminded him that only one was good, that is God and if I am good I must be more than a Rabbi.   He had a superficial view of sin, because he reckoned he had kept all the law from his youth up.   He had a superficial approach to salvation for he assumed he had to do something to achieve eternal life as a rightful inheritance.
Jesus response to him was first of all to love him.   Jesus loves every sinner, and especially He has a special place for courteous people who confess they need His advice.   There is something commendable in the eyes of God toward courteous admission of something lacking in their lives.   Next He challenges him "..one thing is lacking, go thy way, sell that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come take up the cross and follow me."    God does not demand everyone to give up their riches but those who have made riches their god.   The young man had, perhaps, kept the man ward aspect of the law but he had replaced love for God with love for riches.   "He was sad at that saying", he was not prepared for that.    Jesus turns to His disciples "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God."   In the previous lesson only those humble as a child can enter, here only those who put God first in life can enter!   This involves accepting and following Jesus in His earthly mission, even to the cross.    It is difficult for the rich to be saved because it will almost certainly mean relinquishing their riches in line with the Sermon on the Mount that a man cannot serve God and Mammon.   This astonished the disciples but Jesus assures them that "all things are possible with God."    Many who are first in this life will be last in the next is the summing up of this section, and here is an example.
-45 Peter latches on to this to say the disciples as a group have left all to follow Him, perhaps smarting from the rebuke over the episode with the children.   Jesus reply is to confirm that all who sacrifice anything will be compensated.   No one will lose anything who have given for the kingdom.     Houses, family, or lands given up for the sake of Christ will be returned an hundredfold.   This word "hundredfold" is not merely 100 times the investment, but the greatest possible return (see Matthew 13 "some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, some an hundredfold").   With God the maximum possible return is infinite... scripture speaks of "the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory".    He said, "..now in this time, houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions...".   Any one who follows me will suffer, not only earthly loss but criticisms and antagonism.   In the midst of personal sacrifice and loss there will be unlimited compensation in this life and in the next eternal benefit.    However the Lord sounds a caution...."But many that are first shall be last and the last first".   This goes to motive and we are counselled in scripture to do things for the right reasons, not to have an eye on the reward, but on the one who rewards.  An example of this is in 1st Corinthians 13 v3 "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not love it profiteth me nothing."   An o/t example is Joab, the commander of David's armies, fiercely loyal to David, a brilliant military strategist who never lost a battle in the field, yet was omitted for reward and was not classed as one of the mighty men in the day of reward.    The quality of the work is more important than the quantity and this is a solemn lesson.   Paul made it clear that in the service of God, motive was everything "And if any man also strive for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully.".   It is this to which Jesus is referring, He is trying to counter the pride manifested by His disciples.   He is reminding them of the need for humility, that if their service is based on a quest for reward, they may lose out, because there are first that shall be last and last first.

Verses 32-45   Servants shall be rulers          "...whosoever shall be great among you shall be your servant."      This cameo focuses on His journey to Jerusalem where He would suffer and die.   This is reminiscent of the prophecy concerning the Servant of God that He would set His face like a flint (Isaiah 50 v7).   His mind is fully set on the mission for which He came, and in these verses, for the third time in the gospel of Mark, He announces that "The Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and unto the scribes and they shall condemn Him to death and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles and they shall mock Him and shall scourge Him and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him, and the third day He shall rise again.".   He describes His ordeal ahead as "the cup that He drank of"......and "the baptism that I am baptized with".   The deluge of suffering about to fall was at the forefront of His mind and was the goal of His every move.   Yet the focus of the disciples was elsewhere, they were thinking only of their position in the kingdom.   Although this request by John and James was incredulous in the least, the others had been guilty of similar thoughts.   What they asked for was to be placed at the highest pinnacle of power above all others...to sit one on the left hand and the other on the right hand in the glory.   He was fixed on the cross, they were fixed on the crown!     He repeats to them what they had failed to take in, that is the lesson of servitude before greatness, the suffering before the glory, the pathway to kingdom glory is by way of the cross.   They were slow to learn it and so are we.   His rebuke to them is not to follow the way of the Gentiles, who delight in exercising authority over their subjects.   Rather the way up is the way down for disciples.   In the supreme example of the Son of Man, who came to serve before He would reign, the sure pathway to glory is that of humble service.    Those who serve will rule, the last in this life shall be first.

Verses 46-52    The poor shall be rich            "Jesus thou Son of David.....and followed Jesus in the way."       Having stated it is difficult to enter the kingdom of God if you are rich, in this final cameo He illustrates how the kingdom will be populated with the poor.   "God has chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to them that love Him (James 2v5).   The greater number of saints will be from among the poor of earth, there is a kind of poetic justice about that.   In passing through Jericho, next stop Jerusalem, He stopped to heal two blind beggars (see also Matthew 20 v30).   This is exactly why Jesus came into the world so He could appeal to all including the marginalised of society.   In every generation there will be the poor (materially), as also today.   These men were disadvantaged in life, they were blind and they were reduced to begging.   However they could speak and they cried to Jesus, one was more vocal than the other and stopped Jesus in His tracks.   The Saviour still hears the cry of faith and He responds.   It is not immediately obvious the link between their poverty and ultimate riches in Jesus.   The clue is in the cry of faith by blind Bartimaeus, twice over he cried "Thou Son of David".   This repeated acknowledgment that Jesus was the Messiah (for that is the force of the "Son of David") was the key to endless and unlimited riches for this man for the Son of David ,according to the prophecy will rule the world (Psalm 89 v3; 72 v8; Isaiah 60 vv1-5).   Disadvantaged in this life, poor in this life but endued with incalculable riches in Christ.  He followed Jesus to Jerusalem, shared in His sufferings and will partake of His glory.

THE GOSPEL OF MARK "Behold My Servant"

The disciples lack of spirituality       Mark  9v11-50

The main purpose of these events is the spiritual teaching by Jesus of the disciples who would later evangelise the world.   It is important to develop spiritual graces in the service of God and this chapter deals with four areas where the disciples were deficient.   As participants in the future kingdom they had to learn the decorum of what it is to be a Christian.

• Lacking in understanding        verses 11-13
• Lacking in spiritual power       verses  14-32
• Lacking in humility                 verses  33-37    
• Lacking in spiritual grace        verses  38-50

Verses 11-13      Lack of understanding    Jesus had to be very patient with His disciples.   They were chosen for a global enterprise which still stands today, and mostly they were from the working classes.   None taken from the colleges or the elite, they had to be trained in His ways and much of the gospel records are about their training.   The book by A.B. Bruce entitled "the training of the twelve" deals with this comprehensively and space forbids us to elaborate here;   suffice to say this chapter records a number of ways in which Jesus was preparing them for greater work.   In verse 10, it is clear they did not understand the resurrection, since they had not perceived that their Messiah was to be killed.   Their perception of future events and present trends was exposed in verses 11-13.   They were still focused on the glory of the Messiah to set up His kingdom, not fully understanding He must also suffer death beforehand.   The Jewish people were reared on the scriptures yet their understanding was faulty.   The lesson is obvious that a good heritage does not always guarantee true understanding;   rather do we focus on what we want to be the truth...what we want to believe, becomes the truth and Jesus had to enlighten them.   The scribes, the professional interpreters of old testament scripture, taught (correctly) that Elijah must first come before Messiah returns(Malachi 4v5-6).   They had the scriptures but not the discernment for Elijah had come in the shape of John the Baptist (Matthew 11 v14), but the people had not turned to the Lord and John was martyred.   Elijah will yet come before "the great and terrible day of the Lord"( Revelation 11 v3-6).   Possession of Holy Writ does not mean understanding of them.   Their misunderstanding was highlighted in verse 32

Verses 14-32     Lack of spiritual power      The evidence that Jesus was the Messiah was demonstrated before their eyes in the healing of the young man with a dumb spirit.   The portion centres around the condition of this boy, which Jesus uses to illustrate the spiritual condition of the multitude, of the scribes, of the disciples.   He was dumb, he could not speak;   he was deaf, he could not hear.   This tragedy was symptomatic of the spiritual malaise of most in Israel at this tine....cannot hear God's words, cannot speak His true words, cannot wield His power.   The reason was because of unbelief.

• Verse 19   "Oh faithless generation, how long shall I be with you, how long shall I suffer you"?   His disciples could not cast the demon spirit out, but He  addresses not only the hapless disciples, but the entire generation who were faithless because they had stopped hearing God's word and they could not discern God' work.
• Verse 23   "Jesus said unto him (the father of the troubled boy), if thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believes".   Speaking to the father, He was speaking to all of them, the multitude, the scribes, the disciples, the father, and, indeed, to all of us today.   For a long time the boy had this disturbing condition, which caused abnormal and harmful behaviour.   All it takes is simple belief in the Son of God.   All other activities were in vain.
• Finally the father grasps His meaning Verse 24 "Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief!".   The title "Lord" stands out in the chapter, where three times  others have addressed Him as "Master" (v5, v17 and v38).   This title of Master is a respectful  term but demeans the reality of who He is.   The father realises that before him is the Sovereign Lord, but confesses he has to overcome his doubts, as we have today.
• Behind the doubt and dullness of hearing is the demon spirit, who from the beginning cast doubt on the word of God, on the goodness of God, on the judgment of God.   Interference by demons in this world is the source of all our problems ("...the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience" Ephesians 2v2).   Even if we won't believe the power of Jesus the demon spirits do, and immediately they saw Jesus they sent the boy into convulsions.
• The Lord demonstrates His Sovereign power over the power of demons who inflict such torment on humans, yet the disciples were perplexed, "Why could we not cast him out?"   Disciples today similarly bemoan lack of power and the answer is unbelief.   The solution was to seek the power of God through fasting and prayer, that is by closing down the material and opening the spiritual.

For all who lack spiritual power, the answer lies in this story.   All things are possible if we believe, and we need to be committed even to the extent of cutting off necessities.   The book of Daniel would illustrate this.

Verses 33-37         Lacking in humility                    

"What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?"   The besetting sin of human beings, pride of life, that sin which brought Satan down.   They were in the presence of Majesty, so great that demon spirits succumbed to Him.  Three of their number had witnessed the transfiguration with Moses and Elijah discussing His death, yet they are still focused on the glory and the place they will have.   Great or greater had little meaning in relation to His Lordship.   Even the fact that in walking ahead of them He was aware of their secret disputes....by the way He hears every word!   In verses 31-32 , in the house He told them of His suffering and resurrection, and all they could argue about was their position!    He sat down and called the twelve together and gave them the most humbling lesson they would ever hear.   "If any desire to be first, let him be last of all and servant of all."   It is the humility before the glory. Heaven's estimate of greatness is opposite to ours!   By object lesson He took a little child and  set it among them.   "Whosoever will receive one such little children in my name receives me...."     A humble attitude is required for this, for a child has no accomplishments, normally no possessions, certainly no status but because they are His we receive them.   LAST OF ALL, SERVANT OF ALL, this is the formula for greatness in the kingdom of God.  

Verses 38-50         Lacking in spiritual grace

"Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name and he followeth not us, and we forbad him because he followeth not us ."   This portion is a strong lesson for the disciples and also today, that no group however faithful can claim exclusive rights to Divine power, regardless of how much more faithful to the Lord they deem themselves to be.   This attitude drew deep rebuke from the Lord, who calmly said "forbid them not".    The reality is that in this great global work of evangelism there will be many who do things differently, but if the Lord is pleased to work with them and through them, then who are we to forbid?   This outlook by John is typical of many Christian groups who think they hold a divine right to God's blessing, that because they do things better, others who don't follow them have no approval from above.   This is a legalistic, arrogant, and self sufficient attitude and is held by many diverse groups in the work of God.    He is pleased to bless their work and we should have the grace to acknowledge it.   Jesus' explanation is far reaching ""Forbid him not; for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me, for he that is not against us is on our part".    Orthodoxy is not the test of spirituality, and we have vital links with all God's people.   The balance to this is found in Luke 11v23 "He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth."   God doesn't want His people all gathering in different ways, but in the reality that it will happen, we must shew grace to others whom God is pleased to use.   The fallacy here is that the disciples who prided themselves in their position, were not in a condition to be used in power.   They could not cast out the devil, but they wouldn't have anyone else do it!   We need to develop the grace to recognise the gift of God to others.   We must lose the air of political correctness, and imbibe the freedom of the Spirit to use whom He will.
The Lord then drives the lesson home.  "Whosoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward."   The issue of reward in the things of God is that the smallest thing given if it be done in His name will be rewarded.   The perspective is "because ye belong to Christ", not how they follow.   We are starkly reminded here that we have vital links with all Christians.   This legalistic tendency was seen again in John and his brother James who wanted to call down fire from heaven on the Samaritans (Luke 9v54) and again received His rebuke "...ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of " ...(Luke 9v55).

The remaining verses focus on offences, and the Lord turns from  the offensive behaviour of the disciples to warn them not to be placing a stumbling block before any of His children, rather they were to be more concerned with the their own offences and the very real forces that present themselves.   In verses 43-48 He reminds them there were things very close to them that could hinder their spiritual life....the hand....the foot...the eye.   These, if not personally regulated would seriously affect them, just as sin leads inevitably to eternal punishment.   Unquenchable fire is eternal fire and is the end of all who live in sin.   He is reminding them of the seriousness of sin, and the closeness of sin, the propensity to sin in every human being.   Rather than list the sins committed, He lists the body parts which are the instruments of sin, and which will lead many to Gehenna, symbolic of the eternal dwelling place of the sinner.

He closes this solemn section by referring to the use of salt in the physical world and applies it to the spiritual.   "Everyone will be salted with fire", that is put to the Divine test, whether believer or unbeliever.   Sin brings consequences and the severity of the language is to focus the mind on avoiding it at all costs.   We are sometimes too concerned with the faults of others, and we need to pay attention to ourselves.   It was mandatory for every offering to God to be salted (Leviticus 2v13, Ezekiel 43v24).   The salt was called "the salt of the covenant of thy God."   Because of the presence of impurities, just as we salt our food, so God required the sacrifices to be palatable to Him.   His advice in closing was to have salt within themselves (deal with personal sins), and have peace one toward another (live in harmony with others).   This has been a humiliating series of rebukes for the disciples but it would profit them in future. 

The GOSPEL OF MARK "Behold My Servant"

The glory that will follow               Mark chapter 9v1-10

"And He said unto them "Verily I say unto you that there be some of them which stand here which shall not taste of death until they have seen the kingdom of God come with power"

Jesus intimates that some of them will receive a sneak preview of the kingdom come in power.   As sure as the suffering must come, so the glory will follow and the next experience on the mount will demonstrate it.   The kingdom of God has been long promised (Psalms 72, and 93-99 in particular deal with it along with a host of other scriptures).   The kingdom of God, as predicted, is the visible, universal and eternal rule of God, that is coming to the world and three chosen apostles are now privileged to see the reality of it.   Thus the interpretation of the transfiguration which follows in verses 2-8 is that this is how the kingdom will be, and it is a very fascinating picture which should bolster our faith.  His first coming was in humility and meekness, (and necessarily so), the second coming will be in power.  

                        We are now treated to some wonderful features of the kingdom:

                                                    The transfiguration      verses 2-5

• "After six days...."    The kingdom in power will be on the seventh day!   The symbolism is very striking.   The kingdom will be for 1000 years (Revelation 20 v2v3v4 v5 v6 v7).   "Be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" 2nd Peter 3v8.  We are not given the precise details of when the kingdom will come, but all it says is "we know not the day nor the hour".   This does not mean we cannot calculate a reasonable estimate that the kingdom is coming soon, and the King is coming soon".   Certainly 6000 years of human history are almost complete and the present generation is on the cusp of the return of Messiah-king Jesus Christ.   This preview of the kingdom took place almost 2000 years ago and it's reality is at the doors.   Peter in his epistle interpreted this occasion as follows "We were eyewitnesses of His majesty" and "when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" 2nd Peter 1v16..
• "Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John"      There were twelve disciples with Him but only three were privileged to see the preview.   In the kingdom, which will be a marvellous experience for all, not all will hold the same position of privilege.   There are some who will be higher than others and this principle pervades all of scripture.   A Sovereign Lord in His wisdom will promote some above others.   On three separate occasions these three were given special place;   in Mark 5v37 at the raising of Jairus' daughter;   here at the transfiguration;    and in Mark 14 v33 at the garden of Gethsemane.   These three men were called to witness His power, His glory, and His suffering in a very unique way.   They would be called later to do great things and they were being equipped for the task.   James would be the first martyr (Acts 12);   Peter would open the doors of the kingdom (Acts 2), become the apostle to the Jews; and John would become the apostle to the churches of the Gentiles in the last days of the apostles.
• "Leadeth them up to a high mountain"          The high mountain is symbolic of Zion from which the Lord will rule in righteousness for the duration of the kingdom.   Relevant scriptures are Isaiah 2v2; Micah 4vv1-2; Ezekiel 20 v40.   In each reference the mountain of the Lord is above all mountains.   His rule will surpass all rulers, His word will go forth with the highest authority, His reign will be supreme.
• "He was transfigured before them"          In the kingdom to come Christ and His followers will have different bodies, called "spiritual bodies" in 1st Corinthians 15 and "glorious bodies" in Philippians 3.    Just as in creation bodies were given to suit the environment (1st Corinthians 15vv38-44) so it will be in the kingdom of God.   The bodies of believers will be "fashioned like unto the body of His glory"..   There will be no longer any limitation of time space or energy;   there will be no more any illness or death, they will endure for ever.   This event of transfiguration reveals the extent to which Christ humbles Himself to come amongst us.   The transfiguration was the outshining of what He really is, as described by the writer to the Hebrews as "the brightness of God's glory", the effulgence of a light beyond compare.     The word for transfiguration is metamorphoo  which is transformation like the caterpillar transforming into the butterfly.   As the biblical narrative progresses it is clear He will be able to change His appearance at will, as will we in the coming kingdom.
• "His raiment became shining (glittering), exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them"             Matthew records "His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light".   Luke says ""...the fashion of His countenance was altered and His raiment was white and glistening (flashing like lightning).   When Paul saw Him on the Damascus road he wrote "...at midday O king I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun....".   There is no doubt the kingdom of God will be characterised by striking physical brilliance as well as moral excellence.
• "There appeared unto them Elias with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus"  There is indicated here freedom of movement between heaven and earth.   There may be inference also that the spirits of just men in heaven can take bodily form.   There may be a symbol here of the Rapture, Elijah representing those who go to heaven without dying, and Moses those who pass through death.   What is clear is that both were on speaking terms with Jesus.

                                                   The response of Peter    verses 5-10

There were many flaws in Peter's response, much of it to do with his disorientation because of the awesome sight that was before him.   It is when we are faced with unexpected things our understanding is tested and Peter failed miserably on a number of counts.   He spoke in typical bold style, but failed to grasp the reality before his eyes.

1. He called the Lord "Master" (Rabbi).      This title could be applied to many, he forgot the majesty of the One who was transfigured before him.   This in the context of having declared Him to be the Messiah the Son of the living God (chapter 8 v29).   How soon he forgot, how soon do we?!   He took his eyes off the Lord.   Later John will make the same mistake, and in the process going beyond his calling.
2. He misinterpreted the whole scene         Focusing only on the awesome glory, he assumed the kingdom was about to start by referring to the tabernacles, the glorious future day when all Israel will dwell safely in festal mood and rejoicing in the kingdom.   According to Luke in chapter 9, the discussion on the mount was all about his death, the suffering, Peter's eyes were on the glory.   Interesting that those on earth saw only the glory, whilst those coming from the glory saw only the cross!   Are we fixated on the spectacular, for there was nothing more spectacular than His death at the cross.
3. He put the Lord on the same level as men             "...one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias."    Great men though they were and now glorified as they now were Peter in his impetuosity (albeit sincerity) made a fundamental error in his thinking.   Immediately the answer came as the cloud enshrouded them on the mount, and the voice from heaven was heard "This is my beloved Son hear Him!"     Not a mere Rabbi, not here to set up the kingdom, with no rival on earth or heaven.   You need to listen to Him in everything He says!

Then almost as soon as the vision had come, it was gone and they were alone with Jesus on the mount.   Now they knew who He was, and what He was about.   They had seen things of great importance but were told to keep them secret until after the resurrection.   This experience raised many questions that would only be understood in time.   The great teacher was patient with His pupils as He is with us today.

 .

THE GOSPEL OF MARK "Behold My Servant!"

                        Jesus the suffering servant            Mark 8vv31-38

No sooner was the vision of the Messiah in the hearts and minds of the disciples than they are brought face to face with the reality of His mission on earth.   He goes on to expound that before the glory, when Messiah will reign in glory, He must undergo suffering, such suffering as has never been witnessed.   He wasn't speaking to religious teachers who should have known this aspect of Messiah, but to ordinary men whose grasp of scripture was surface at best.  

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

This is the first of three declarations by Jesus in the gospel of Mark of His suffering, and suffering of the most brutal kind that would culminate in His death on a cruel cross. The others are in chapter 9v31 and 10vv33/34.  People ask why suffering?....it is because for God to ultimately bless man, He must first deal with his sin, and since that involves the exposure of sin before the cure, God's servant must suffer all that humanity would ever endure.   It is all written in the Old Testament in the Torah, in the wisdom books and the prophecies that the Coming one would suffer.   From the very beginning God stated that in bruising the head of the serpent, the seed of the woman's heel would be bruised (Genesis 3v15).   The unfolding of holy scripture, in the blood sacrifices and the severe suffering of the nation of Israel and the constant predictions of the holy prophets of the suffering of Messiah should have prepared this people for these events, but instead their minds were focused on the glorious power and supremacy that would ensue.   They looked for a conqueror Messiah, not a crucified one.   Their vision of salvation was freedom from their enemies and unfettered occupation of the promised land;   this they will have but first Messiah must deal with their sins, he must repair their defiled hearts, and so He must take upon Himself the sins of the people before they can settle in peace from their enemies;   the greatest enemy is within.   This was not generally understood in Israel, neither by the disciples.   The initial euphoria with the crowds following Him was because they thought the kingdom of God had come to them;   indeed the king had come but He must first be rejected and suffer on their behalf.   The prophecy of Isaiah, which expounds the elect servant of God, clearly states He will first suffer, and not merely in a physical sense at the hands of evil men, but spiritually from God......Isaiah 53vv3-6   "He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from Him, He was despised and we esteemed Him not.   Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem Him stricken smitten of God and afflicted;   but He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed."

Peter, who confessed that in the face of all the evidence He must be the Messiah, did not fully comprehend...."Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him."    He couldn't take on board the idea of a martyred Messiah.   Jesus in turn rebuked Peter, perceiving the voice of Satan from lips that had declared Him to be the Christ.    The work of Messiah was to obey the will of God, it was Satan the adversary who opposed, as all attempts to contradict the mission of the Saviour of the world or any opposition to the work of God will be.   Even believers can become the mouthpiece of Satan.   Jesus summarised his error as "the things of men, not the things of God."    God will bring to the world His gracious salvation, but in His own prescribed way and any deviation will not be countenanced.   Nothing perturbed the Messiah more than public opposition to His work and He turned and looked angrily at His disciples.

                       Take up the cross and follow me

Then follows the famous discourse on discipleship.   In essence Jesus says to them, you want to follow me , you want  to share my kingdom, then it must be via the cross.  In this present age Messiah must suffer (Amplified version--"must of necessity suffer.") and those who follow Him also.   He lays out the issues of discipleship for all:

• The scope of discipleship                      This is the challenge to all.   He calls the disciples and the multitude and lays out the terms for following Him.   "Whoever will (desires) to come after me...."    There is no neutral ground in relation to the claims of Christ, we are either for Him or against Him.   There is no coercion in the matter, it must be our desire to follow Him or not.   He does not force His way into our lives, He invites us to follow Him.   If, however we choose to do so it must be by the way of the cross.   
• The cost of discipleship                         The cross symbolises an earthly loss, it carries a stigma;    To the well educated Greek it was just foolishness, their idea of God was one who was powerful, assertive, higher, better than all, not one who was humble, or allowed weaker beings to suppress.   To the religious Jew it was a stumbling block for their expectation was of a warrior king who would suppress enemies and establish their nation.   Jesus makes it clear the way to ultimate blessing was via the cross, the suffering ,the shame, before the glory.
• The system of discipleship                     This involves turning world values on their heads.         "Saving life" in the sense of getting as much out of the here and now, in Jesus terms actually means losing life.   "Losing life" in the sense of humility and self denial. in Jesus terms means   actually saving it, since we live for the next world.   This world is nothing because of sin, and anything in it is not worth our attention, let alone our adoration.
• True measure of profit and loss            In a world where the gain of material things is everything and time and energy is spent in the pursuit of worldly possessions the challenge goes out from the one who created all, sustains all and who will inherit all....."What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his soul...?"     notice He puts the value of the entire world against the value of one human soul!!   It is impossible for anyone to gain the world, and so to lose your soul for a small part of it is even more ridiculous.    When you come to the end of life, what will you give in exchange for the soul, since it's value is greater than everything in the world.   Jesus is hitting hard, deep into the consciences of all.   His mission to the cross was to save the human soul, whose salvation is beyond the currency of men.   The prophet Micah (chapter6vv6-7) expressed it like this   "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the High God?   Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?   Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?   Shall I give my firstborn for my  transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"     The human soul is priceless and eternal and we can save it or lose it depending on our attitude to Christ.
• The coming glory                                     He has exchanged the cross for the crown, the tree for the throne.   He went through the shame of the cross, and now for the glory.   Disciples must follow in the same pathway.   Am I ashamed of Him now, both of Him and His words?   Then He will be ashamed of me in the world to come.   Association with Him in the present will bring earthly loss, but eternal gain.   He is coming in the glory of the Father with the holy angels.   This world will see the blessing of God in Christ, and all associated with Him will share in that glory, but the pattern is unalterable..."the sufferings of Christ and the glory that is to follow."

Note the triumphant climax to those classic old testament predictions of the crucifixion in Psalm 22vv25-31 and Isaiah 53vv11-12.   This is God's way, and, if we would be blessed, it will be our way also.

THE GOSPEL OF MARK "Behold My Servant!"

Jesus develops the perception of His disciples        Mark 8vv1-30 

In the study of Mark's gospel we bear in mind that he was a failed servant now writing about a Perfect Servant and he possibly sees the training of the disciples by Jesus as an indication of why he failed.  He presents his material in a very ordered and deliberate way such that we can grasp the need for the gradual development of our spiritual understanding.   If in chapter 7 he presented the healing of the deaf mute to illustrate the hardness of hearing both in the nation and in the disciples, here now in chapter 8 he presents the healing of the blind man to illustrate their dimness of perception.   It  becomes clear in the gospel records that not only are the disciples of Christ being prepared for service on earth, they are being readied for service in the great future kingdom.   For us lesser servants to follow in the footsteps of the Perfect Servant it is necessary to slowly but surely take in all His ways. The verses can be summarised in the following way:

1. In verses 1 - 9       we have dimness of perception.
2. In verses 10 - 21   we have wrong perception.
3. In verses 22 - 26   we have gradual perception.
4. In verses 27 - 30   we have fullness of perception.

In training these apostles for future service, Jesus uses repetition because of how dim we human beings are in spiritual matters.   He repeats the miracle of the feeding of thousands; He crosses again the sea of Galilee; He confronts again the unbelieving Pharisees; He performs another miracle of healing; and He moves His disciples from Galilee to the Gentile region of Caesarea Philippi.   A survey of all these actions and journeys is simply repetition of what has been experienced before, yet now he wishes to take them onto a higher plain.   This could be seen as the disciples higher education.   One thing is outstanding is His patience and determination to educate them fully, the Divine teacher demonstrating by word and deed the things of God.   Now seated in the glory of heaven our Lord is still patiently and expertly leading His people as stated in Ephesians 1vv17-18 "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that ye may know......"

The dimness of the disciples perception in the feeding of the multitude       verses 1-9.   It is surprising how soon the disciples missed the impact of the feeding of the 5000 in chapter 6, yet in reality it is recorded that only a few hours later "they considered not the miracles of the loaves and fishes, for their heart was hardened."    We only need ask ourselves when faced with a new situation how soon we forget the wonders our God has performed in the past.   The dimness of our perception is staggering because we are in the main earthbound.   Here is a perfect example of the insensitivity of the human mind to the things of God.   A very great multitude were following Jesus, even to the exclusion of eating food!   (When last did people go without food to seek spiritual and bodily healing?).   Many had come from far and had little chance of finding food quickly.   Jesus said "I have compassion on the multitude...." always thinking of the needs of others.   Despite all they had witnessed before, the disciples were still seeing the situation from a purely earthly point of view.  If we are honest that is just the same with us, yet when we see this recorded on the page of holy scripture we are truly surprised and that is because we are as spiritually dim as they!   The disciples, when faced with a new situation reacted with the same unbelief as before and the Lord , graciously,  instructed them in the way of faith.   He simply asked the what they had....He will use what we have.  The lack of our resources is no barrier to Him working, He needs not our resources, only our faith.   Previously He fed 5000 with five loaves and two fishes.   Now He feeds 4000 with seven loaves and a few fishes.   The lesson is clear, His ability to provide is independent of the level of our contribution!   Less produced more, more produced less, but always enough to meet the need.   He takes our little and  multiplies it;   our little in His hand can achieve great things.   

The wrong perception of both believers and unbelievers alike         verses 10-21.           This is in two parts, the sceptical error of the Pharisees, and the misunderstanding of the disciples.   The disciples were just ordinary people who had been reared to venerate the Pharisees and Jesus had to adjust their thinking.   The Pharisees who enjoyed a reputation of godliness in Israel saw Jesus as a threat to their perceived position in society.   In typical style of elitist charlatans they ignored the evidence of their own ears and eyes, demanding of Jesus a sign, questioning His authority.   The two sections of these verses end with a somewhat frustrated question by Jesus as He sighed in His spirit at the hardness of the human heart:   verses 11-13 "Why doth this generation seek after a sign?" and verses 14-21 of His disciples "How is it that ye don't understand?"    Why would anyone require any more evidence of who He was.....in the words of the song by Mark Lowry...."the blind see, the deaf hear, the dead live again;   the lame leap, the dumb speak the praises of the Lamb.   Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?....did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?....did you know that He is heaven's perfect Lamb, that the child who sleeps within your arms is the great I AM?"   The Pharisees didn't know, neither yet did His disciples....do we??
He sounds a warning to His disciples "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod."   Leaven in holy scripture almost always denotes evil, the puffing up of the human mind out of touch with God.   Certainly in this context Jesus is warning His followers not to allow even a small amount to pervade their thinking because it has the nature of corrupting the whole.   He refers in Matthew 16v6 to the leaven of the Sadducees... what do these things mean for us today?   
The Pharisees were the fundamentalists and their error was hypocrisy.   They bound heavy burdens on others but did not practice them.   The Sadducees were the liberals and their error was false doctrine, they did not believe in the afterlife or unseen spirits whether angel or demon (Acts 23v8).   The Herodians were followers of Herod whose doctrine was pragmatism, achieving power by political means, essentially compromising right for gain.   The Pharisees added to God's word, the Sadducees took away from God's word, the Herodians disregarded God's word.   Theses were three very powerful sects in Israel and Jesus warned that their teaching and their ways were leaven, corrupt, with a corrupting influence on true spiritual life.   We have all three shades with us today masquerading as teachers of good things and it takes true spiritual perception to distinguish between truth and error.   What Jesus is teaching His disciples here is that He and He alone is the truth and He has amply demonstrated this in mighty power if only they could perceive it.

The gradual perception of the blind man        verses22-26            There is no indication here that the disciples were present at the healing of the blind man, but for sure they knew about it and the lesson is clear.   Jesus could have healed the man's sight immediately, as he did elsewhere, but He is illustrating to men with dim spiritual vision that sometimes full vision only comes gradually.   The scene is in Bethsaida, a place upon which Jesus has proclaimed a curse for their faithlessness (Matthew 11vv20-22).   He separates the blind man from the city, leading him out of it.   Because God has condemned a city doesn't mean individuals there cannot have faith.   Those who asked Jesus did as well as the blind man.    He used spittle to soften the eyelids and laid His hands on him.   He asked him if he saw anything...here we have personal contact between the Lord and the needy man.   He said he saw men as trees walking, so this man had seen before, and had become blind, we know not for how long.   Jesus touched him again and made him look up and he was restored to full sight and saw clearly.   What was it that restored his full sight?....it was faith in Jesus word and looking up to Him.    This is true today, that only faith in Jesus word and looking up to Him will fully open our eyes.   The man was forbidden to go into the town to tell them for Jesus had pronounced the curse.  He will not force Himself on those who do not want Him.    The bible describes the spiritual condition of people as blind, or more accurately blinded (2 Corinthians 4v4).   There are situations where even professing believers are said to be blind (2 Peter 1v9).   The only answer to this blindness is Christ who is the light of the world and who can dispel all darkness.   If we are to see clearly whether in initial opening of our eyes, or the increasing of spiritual perception He is the only answer and He alone can turn our night to day, can bring us from darkness to light just as He did in the original creation, (2 Corinthians 4v6).

Fulness of perception             verses 27-30                     He removes the group from Bethsaida and comes to Caesarea Philippi, a city largely occupied by the Roman army.  Situated some twenty five miles north of the sea of Galilee at the foot of Mount Hermon it became a place of great significance in early church history.   There is the now famous confession of Peter that Jesus was the Messiah;   The prediction of the church was first made;   the transfiguration of Christ took place;  and the Apostle Paul was first held captive pending his appeal to Rome.   It is here that the full perception of who He was first dawned upon the disciples.   Removed briefly from the toxic air of religious Israel He asked them who they thought He was.   He did this by asking who men thought He was.   It was a fair question because miraculous things had happened which demanded an opinion.   The answer was varied, most acknowledging Him as a prophet, but the full blaze glory of His person finally dawned on these worshippers...there was in the face of all the facts only one possibility, Peter the spokesman said "Thou art the Christ" the long promised anointed of God, no less than the One in whom all the promises would be fulfilled... "the coming One" now come standing before them, living out the reality of the Divine emissary.   These humble fishermen now knew more than the elite of Israel and had the key of knowledge to all the future of mankind.   They still had much to learn but what they saw that day was greater than even any of the prophets (apart from John the Baptist ) understood.   Slowly but surely they had come to know that their leader was none less than "the seed of the woman" who would bruise the serpent's head.   It was not His wish for this to be publicised for this realisation must come through the exercise of faith and not  by public clamour.   Such precious Divine revelations are not for everyone, only for those ready to receive it.   These chapters are full of instances where Jesus discouraged public awareness of who He was (chapter 7v36; chapter 8v26, and now chapter8v30.)   That perception would only grow as it can with us.... thus Peter enjoins us in his second epistle chapter 3v18 "Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
  

THE GOSPEL OF MARK "Behold My Servant!"

                       He hath done all things well          Mark 7vv31-37

We are studying the work of the perfect servant of God, and the testimony of the people of His day is that His service was good;   not only does heaven acknowledge the perfection of this but earth as well.   Many a servant does a few things well but He did all things well, this is high praise indeed.   This is the culmination of a series of miracles witnessed by the people of His day.   The one before us involves the healing of a man who was deaf mute.   In the context the condition of the man represented the spiritual condition of the nation.  It is significant that in a chapter where He emphasized the need to hear God rather than man, the y bring to Him one who was both deaf and partially dumb.   The man could not hear and could not speak properly, just like the nation who were hard of hearing to the word of God, and unable to adequately utter God's praise.   Jesus, returning to Galilee was able to heal the man's impediment.   This is the only record of this miracle, which makes it unique in a book which otherwise contains similar records to the other three gospels.  We can look at it in a number of ways:

The detour that He made       ".....departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, He came unto the sea of Galilee through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis."  

 

A study of the map reveals that He travelled the long way round, Decapolis taking in the ten cities and districts of Damascus, of Canatha, of Hippos, of Dion, of Abila, of Gadara, of Pelia, of Scythopolis, of Gerasa, and of Philadelphia.   Many reasons are given, but one thing is sure, that Jesus will go to any lengths, and travel any distance to heal human beings.   In chapter 5 the demoniac "began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him."   Perhaps Jesus was consolidating this work.   It seems only one man was healed in this tour, telling us that God is as much interested in the individual, as in the masses.   Another evidence of this is in Acts chapter 8 where the evangelist Philip was caught away from the crowds in Samaria to bring one man to conversion in the desert.   It is also possible that Jesus used this detour to further teach His disciples who were in a steep learning curve.

The cure that He effected           They brought to Him a deaf man whose speech was also affected.  They beg Him to touch Him with His hand.   Many and varied were the miracles that Jesus did, sometimes with the touch of the hand, sometimes with simply the spoken word, sometimes by the touch of His garments, sometimes using saliva, sometimes at close quarters, sometimes remotely. The significance of this cure is that it resonates with the prophecy of Isaiah in chapter 35 v5 "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, then shall the lame leap as the hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing."    This is a Messianic prophecy, predicting the coming kingdom, and the cure of this man was a precursor to this future worldwide event.   The significance is obvious, even if it was lost on many.   The power of the kingdom was in evidence because the King was on earth.   Observe how He dealt with the man's need:

• "He took the man aside from the multitude.."    If we are to be healed, we must have personal dealings with the Lord, away from the crowd.   The Lord will heal us privately apart from the prying eyes of the public.   He emphasised the personal aspect of spiritual life in Matthew chapter 6 when He taught we should do all in the full view of the Father and not before men.   This personal one to one relationship is repeated over and over in the new testament teachings.  Salvation is a matter of individual fellowship with the Lord as is further growth and development in Christian life.
• "He put His fingers into his ears and He spit and touched his tongue...."     The Lord identified the specific problem, the ears and the tongue.   In others it would be different;   it is true to say we are all sinners affected by the consequences of the fall, but each of us has a specific need and the Lord attends to that.   He uses spittle in the cure as He does in Chapter 8vv22-26.   It seems He only used this method of cure when the externals of the body were affected.   The eyelids of the blind and the ligaments of the tongue, through lack of use, would have seized up and Jesus used saliva to soften the skin and so facilitate the healing process.   This tells me that in the healing of bodies our Lord did not by-pass natural means and we should take careful note.   In the curing of ailments He used both natural and supernatural means.   The result was spectacular as always, "..straightway (immediately) his ears were opened and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain!   The cure was instantaneous and perfect.
• "And looking up into heaven......"       It is from heaven the power comes, supernatural power, Jesus never acted without the approval and cooperation of heaven.   Sin has separated heaven and earth , it is in Jesus alone they can come together.   He came down from heaven to bring us to heaven.   All the maladies of mankind are the result of sin, here Jesus deals with the fruits of it, soon He will deal with the root of it.

Interesting that He spoke in Aramaic, the language of the common people, not Hebrew, the language of the scholars.   He had come for all people, not just an elite few.

The impression that He left       He charged the public not to publish His miracles for He did not want them to focus on the spectacular, rather the deep seated problems of the human heart in separation from God.   Nevertheless He left His mark and the more He dissuaded them the more they spoke about Him.   The impression was deep "they were beyond measure astonished..."    Astonishment is the only description adequate to describe the wonders of Jesus Christ;   astonishment at His doctrine, astonished at His understanding, astonished at His grace, astonished at His wisdom, astonished at His miracles, astonished at His sufferings.......and, yet to come astonishment at His glory!!   Indeed it is one of His titles in the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 9v6 "..and His name shall be called Wonderful."   It is rather a pity for those who treat Him as commonplace, for He is anything but that, let alone those who mock Him and belittle Him.   Like the people of His day let us give Him the praise and say with them "He hath done all things well".