Thoughts on Mark – Part 2
MK 10:52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
The physical healing of this blind man was a picture of spiritual healing. From a lost sinner who could not see to being saved by faith.
And notice what the man did after he received his sight. He followed Jesus in the way. What an example for us to follow. After you get saved, you are then to follow Jesus. It is the wrong reaction to accept the free gift of salvation and then turn your back on Jesus and walk in a different direction. We should be grateful and we should love Him because He first loved us. This man did not delay. He did not receive his sight and then wait for a year to start to follow Jesus. No he started immediately.
He also followed Jesus in the way. This implies that there is a specific way. It was not just any old way. The way was not random. It is NOT like Jesus to wonder around without a purpose. After you are saved Jesus has a plan for you. He has a purpose for your life. His way is best, his plan is perfect. We do not need to understand it, we just need to follow.
MK 10:1 And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.
MK 10:2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.
In verse one we are told that Jesus taught them again, and the verse tells us that Jesus did this as he was wont.
To be wont is to be in the custom or habit of. It is to be accustomed to doing something. To dwell, to remain, to endure, to consist.
Teaching was something that was normal for Jesus to do. He was accustomed to doing it. He habitually did it. Teaching was a big part of His life, not a sideline. Jesus was wont to teach. And Jesus taught regardless of the reception of His teaching. In verse 2 we see the Pharisees come and ask Him a question, but they had the wrong motivation. They did not want to listen to Jesus’ teaching to get an answer. No, they were trying to trip Jesus up. They wanted to get Jesus to make a mistake. They did not listen to His teaching to learn, and thereby change their actions to conform to the teaching. Instead they had cold hard hearts.
Many times in the Bible we see men like this. Men who listened to Jesus teach, but who did not receive what He taught. But Jesus taught them anyway. If Jesus only taught for the approval of men, then He would have not taught very often. Jesus taught for the love of the Father. Jesus was doing the Fathers will. Jesus taught to give men a chance to accept the truth. Jesus taught out of love for the people. Jesus taught the word of God, because it is the right thing to do. Our job is not to make sure that everyone loves our teaching. Our job is to teach regardless of the reception of our message. When you are rejected, and you will be from time to time, just remember how Jesus taught. Jesus was wont to teach. It did not matter what reaction He got, He just kept on teaching.
It is easy to get discouraged, especially during periods where you are not seeing great results. I used to teach 2nd and 3rd grade Sunday school. Some days just don’t go as well as others. Sometimes you wonder did these kids get anything at all out of the lesson. Just keep standing in there and teach the word of God. You will be amazed at what effect you have over time. Not every lesson will be warmly received. Teach anyway. Care anyway. Love them and pray for them anyway. In the end it will be worth it all when you hear well done good and faithful servant.
MK 11:9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
MK 11:10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
These people were excited to see Jesus fulfilling prophecy and riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. They were excited because they thought that Jesus would set up His kingdom and thereby deliver them from the Romans. They wanted Jesus to restore the kingdom of David. In verse 10 they say blessed be the kingdom of our father David. They thought that kingdom was going to be restored right then. They were very excited, but that quickly turned to disappointment and anger.
When Jesus did not deliver to them what they desired, then they went from crying Hosanna to crucify. They did not understand that Jesus had to go to the cross first and then the church age was to come. Jesus often talked about how He must suffer, die, and then be raised again. They did not take it to heart. That is not what they wanted. But Jesus knew better. The cross was more important to the eternal future of these people than an earthly kingdom. Being delivered from sin was a far better thing for them than being delivered from the Romans. Jesus refused to give them what they wanted at that moment. Instead Jesus gave them a far better thing. He provided the payment for their sins.
Now I understand we are not in the same exact situation as they were. We are not wanting Jesus to give us a kingdom without a cross. We are waiting for a kingdom, but we glory in the cross. We have the advantage of the full revealed word of God. However, we do sometimes want Jesus to do a specific thing for us. We do desire things of Him, and we are instructed to tell Him of our needs in prayer. And because He knows what is really best, sometimes He will not give us what we desire. We need to NOT be like those people who went from crying Hosanna to crying Crucify when they did not get what they desired. Keep in mind that they wanted a good thing. Being delivered from the Romans would have been good. But it was not what was best or most needful. Many times what we want is good, but in God’s wisdom it is not what is best or most needful.
When we do not get what we want, we need to not be disappointed. We need to trust in our Lord’s great wisdom. And we need to keep saying Hosanna. We need to keep praising the Lord. He is worthy. Amen.
MK 12:23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
MK 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
MK 12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
Jesus told them they erred because they did not know the scriptures. Nowhere in God’s Word does it say that life in heaven will be like life down here. The Sadducees had made a false assumption that was not based on the Word of God.
Jesus explains to them that there is no marriage in heaven. Jesus also tells them that they don’t know the power of God.
All false teaching comes from these two things. Not knowing the scriptures and not knowing the power of God.
People who teach a works salvation don’t know the scriptures.
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
And people who teach a works salvation do not know the power of God. They don’t understand that God has the power to forgive sin.
People who teach that you have to join the Bible of the month club have the same problem. They don’t know the scriptures. God promised to preserve His Word.
Psa 12:6 The words of the LORD [are] pure words: [as] silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Psa 12:7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
And they don’t know the power of God. If God has the power to inspire His Word, then He has the power to preserve them.
Instead of falling for false teaching, we need to know the scriptures and the power of God.
MK 12:13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.
They had come to do the impossible. They came to catch Jesus in his words. It did not matter how hard they tried or what they said, they were not going to catch Jesus. You can’t trip up, all knowing, and all powerful.
MK 12:14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
They tried to catch Jesus off guard by first giving Him flattery. They give Jesus a complement on His teaching, and then they hit Him with what they thought was a trick question. No doubt they had reasoned He can only answer this way or that way, and either way He answers we got Him. Clearly this question was asked with a hard heart.
MK 12:15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.
MK 12:16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s.
MK 12:17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.
They marveled at Jesus. All their plotting, planning and scheming did not foresee this answer. They were speechless. Jesus once again shows forth a small glimpse of His attribute of being all knowing and having perfect knowledge.
His answer was not just for them. Jesus lays out a principal here that applies to us. A Christian should pay his taxes. Some will argue but my money will be used in a way that goes against my faith. And I would say yes the money is not always used with Christian values in mind. But it has always been that way. It was no different in Caesar’s day. When Christ walked the earth, tax money was used for a variety of wicked immoral things, and still Jesus taught that it is right to pay our taxes. This truth still applies today. It is never right to do wrong. The end never justifies the means. Christians need to keep a good testimony. Paying all our bills (including taxes) are a part of that.
What a vivid picture Jesus paints of what the tribulation will be like. He says that it is so bad that no flesh would be saved if it was not shortened.
Those who think that the tribulation is happening now have never read this chapter or they simply do not believe what Jesus said. And after this terrible period of tribulation, then Jesus comes back (verse 26) with great power and glory.
This is when Jesus will establish His millennial rein on the earth. Jesus tells us to be watching, praying and working because we do not know when He is coming.
It is important to remember here that Jesus is coming back twice. Once in the clouds for His redeemed, and again after the Tribulation to set up the kingdom.
MK 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
In the past and even today some will try to discredit the book of Daniel. Why? The answer is simple, they do not like what the prophecies of Daniel say is going to happen. They like to think that we are going to get better and better. And finally get so good that we will bring in the kingdom. That unbiblical idea comes from the prideful heart of man. Things are not going to get better, they are going to get worse. And then is going to come a tribulation period the likes that this world has never seen. God’s wrath is going to be poured out upon this world. Some do not like that and try then to discredit books like Daniel. If they say they believe Jesus but not Daniel. Well that is an impossibility because Jesus validated Daniel as a prophet, and Jesus validated Daniel’s writings. The book of Daniel has the stamp of approval from God manifested in the flesh. That is good enough for me.
There are many other times where Jesus validated the Old Testament as being the Word of God. Jesus never, ever, hinted that some parts may be wrong or need changed, or that it only contains the thoughts of God. No sir! On the contrary, Jesus taught that the Old Testament is the Word of God. We can trust the Word of God, both the Old and New Testament.
The context here is the coming of Christ. Notice the clear unmistakable language that no man knows the day.
MK 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
Again Jesus teaches that ye know not when the time is.
MK 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
It is hard for me to grasp why so many people thru the ages have been deceived by men who said that they had figured out when Jesus is coming back. Time and time again their date will pass and then they will set a new date. All people have to do is read the Bible and they would know that they are being misled. The word of God is unmistakably clear in declaring that no man can know when Jesus is coming back.
MK 13:34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
MK 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
MK 13:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
MK 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Still speaking about the same topic Jesus teaches that because you can’t know when He is coming back then, “Watch ye therefore”. Some people will tell you that they are watching for Jesus coming back, but they have the wrong idea about what type of watching Jesus is talking about. Looking at their lives you can tell they think that watching for Jesus is sitting on a park bench looking up. That is not it at all. To make sure we knew what He was talking about Jesus tells a parable in connection with this.
MK 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
MK 13:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
The servant was to be busy working. He was to be doing what the master wanted him to do. The servant was to watch as in always be busy about the work because you don’t know when the master is coming home. Be busy in the morning because the Master might come home, be busy in the evening because the master might walk in. Verse 36 implies that it would be a bad thing if the master came home and found you sleeping.
The kind of watching that Jesus was talking about is watch like the servant. Be always busy about the master’s work, because you never know when He is going to come. And you don’t want Him to catch you sleeping. You want Him to come back and find you busy about the work that He left us to do.
If someone tells you that they are watching for Jesus to come back ask them, how many tracts have you gotten out this week and how much have you done for Jesus this week? If they say none, then they are not watching for Jesus at all. And when Jesus comes He will find them sleeping. We need to be watching as in working.
MK 14:8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
This is a well-known account to all of us. Jesus said that it would be. He said, “Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” I have heard many sermons about her, and most likely you have also. Much can be said about her. What I want to bring out today is that, “She hath done what she could”
Her heart was right. She loved the Saviour. Love is not empty emotion. Real Biblical Love will always result in action. It is a love that motivates to action and not an emotional frenzy. She Loved Jesus and thus had to do something. She did not make any excuses. She did not say the only ointment that I have is too expensive. Or I don’t have time or any other common excuse people have. She loved Jesus and thus did what she could. She spent some of her time and some of what she had on Jesus. Others spoke against her, but Jesus commended her for it. She was more concerned about doing something for Jesus than what others thought or said. Out of Love she did what she could for her Saviour.
That is really all that Jesus asks of us. He does not ask us to do what He does not enable us to do. His requests of us are NOT unreasonable. After all that He has done for us, we should do all that we can for Him.
I dare say that most of us can do a whole lot more than we do. Can Jesus say of us that we have done what we could?
MK 14:12 And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?
MK 14:13 And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.
MK 14:14 And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?
MK 14:15 And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.
MK 14:16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
Jesus and His disciples needed a place to eat the Passover. Jesus was also going to institute the Lord’s Supper with them and so a place was needed. What is ordained of God will be provided for. But notice the provision was thru a man. God uses people to provide for His work. He does work in the hearts of men. And we see God’s perfect foreknowledge here. Jesus knew exactly who it was that would provide the place for the meal. He knew where to send His disciples to meet him. He knew what one of the servants of the house would be doing at the time. Jesus tells them that they would find him carrying a pitcher of water. They were told to follow the man to a house. They were then to ask for a place and they are assured that it will be granted.
The foreknowledge of God is perfect in every detail. God knew exactly whose heart would be willing to provide the place for the meal. God blessed the man so that he would have the means to provide the place for the meal. Once again we see the free will of man, the sovereignty of God, and God’s perfect foreknowledge. All are true. It is nothing for an all-powerful God to let man have a free will and at the same time keep His sovereignty.
What can we get out of this account that is applicable to our lives? One thing is that we see a man who was willing to give to the work of God, and God knew it. And he was given the means to be able to provide a place for this important meal. It is God’s place to give and provide as He wills. It is our place to have a willing heart. I believe we would see God do more with His people if God’s people had more willing hearts.
Verse 43 tells us that Joseph of Arimathaea was an honorable counsellor and that he waited for the Kingdom of God.
Matthew 27:57 tells us that he was Jesus’ disciple.
Luke 23:50 tells us that he was a good man and just.
Matthew 27:57 also tells us that this Joseph was a rich man.
About rich men Mark 10:25 says, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
But then Jesus says in, Mark 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men [it is] impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Joseph of Arimathaea is an example how even though it is hard for a rich man to be saved, that all things are possible with God.
Do not exclude the rich man from your witness.
And notice this man is one of the few men mentioned at the crucifixion. There are many women mentioned, but most of the men had forsaken Jesus and are in hiding.
We need more men today with the heart of Joseph of Arimathaea.
MK 15:44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.
MK 15:45 And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
Death by crucifixion was not designed to be quick. It was meant to be a very slow agonizing death. It was not uncommon for it to take two or three days for someone to die. No doubt Pilate had sent many others to die in this way. Hearing that Jesus was already dead was something that was not expected. This is why Pilate marvelled that Jesus was already dead after only a few hours. Pilate called for the centurion and asked him to verify this claim that Jesus was already dead. It was too incredible to believe. He would not take just anyone’s word on it. He wanted the testimony of a professional. He called for the man who was in charge of this crucifixion. A man who was well acquainted with death. Only after the death of Jesus was confirmed did Pilate give the body to Joseph.
Pilate knew all about crucifixion and he knew that it should have taken longer for Jesus to die. The question then comes why did Jesus die so soon?
The answer is that no man took the life of Jesus. Jesus laid down His own life.
Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Jesus did not hang on the cross one minute longer than necessary. As soon as the sin debt had been paid and all prophecy about the cross had been fulfilled, Jesus declared it is finished and then He gave up the ghost. No man has the power to lay down his life and then to take it again. On the cross Jesus proved His deity by demonstrating the power to lay down His own life. And three days later He demonstrated His deity by raising from the dead. Jesus was much more than a man, He was God manifested in the flesh.
MK 15:7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.
MK 15:8 And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.
MK 15:9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
MK 15:10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.
MK 15:11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.
The Perfect, Sinless, Holy, Loving, Just, Righteous Son of God or a murder. That was the choice. You would think that it would be a no-brainer as the saying goes. The right choice; the honorable choice; the correct choice would be to choose Jesus. Pilate knew it. He even tried to get them to choose Jesus and they demanded Barabbas. What a vivid picture of how those who reject Jesus love sin. They would rather have the terrible sin of murder than have Jesus.
This is the horrible sin nature of man at its worse. Crucifying the Saviour, the very Son of God, in exchange for a murderer. They were putting to death the just and letting the unjust go free. They did not even have a real charge against Jesus. When it comes right down to it, they did this because they loved darkness rather than light. It was not a good choice to reject Jesus for sin, but that is what they did. This is the same thing that people do today. Many reject Jesus also for no good reason. They don’t like how Jesus sheds light upon their darkness and so they lash out in hate. More and more often you see it in the news. How they put down Christianity; how they want the name of Jesus removed from the public. They will spout off a lot of accusations, just like you see in the Bible, but none of them stick. They really don’t have any charge that can be laid to Jesus, but they accuse and attack anyway. Just like these people in Mark, they are driven to irrational attacks that are unfounded and unjustified.
And notice how Jesus responds. MK 15:5 But Jesus yet answered nothing;
The unjust charges were not worth answering. Instead Jesus went out and died for these sinners and prayed Father forgive them. Jesus did nothing but make the ultimate sacrifice for them and offered them the greatest gift of all. The gift of eternal life. He offers to all the gift of having our sins blotted out. The next time you see someone attack Jesus, remember that Jesus also died for them, and remember instead of attacking back, He offered them eternal life.
There are two sections in this chapter that are used to teach error.
The first one is verse 16. People will use this verse to teach that baptism saves. But they never use the whole verse. The last part of the verse says that it is not believing that damns. It does not say that not getting baptized damns. Always watch out for people who do not use scripture in its context. You need to use scripture in the context of the whole verse and you need to use scripture in the context of the whole Bible. Eph. 2:8-9, John 3:16, ect…
The second section is verses 17 and 18. These signs were temporary sign gifts. The they was the apostles. The purpose of the gifts was to confirm the truth of what they were saying because the Bible had not been finished yet.
Look closely at verse 20. It says the Lord confirmed the word with signs. This is no longer needed because we have the scriptures.
These signs were temporary gifts for the specific reason of confirming the Word and they ceased when they were no longer needed.
MK 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
Jesus had risen and already showed Himself to many. Those who had seen the risen Saviour were witnessing and telling others about it. The eleven apostles did not believe the true witness that Jesus had risen. Jesus came and appeared unto the eleven as they were eating and notice what He did. He rebuked them. Even after all the evidence they had of His resurrection they still did not believe. This shows that they did not make up the resurrection. They did not expect His resurrection and they did not believe that He rose until it was impossible for them to deny it. It is only after they saw Him face to face.
Jesus was not pleased with their unbelief. In verse 14 we see that Jesus also upbraided them for their hardness of heart as well as their unbelief. The two really are connected. Why do men often not believe today? Even with all of the evidence they still refuse to believe. It is because of hard hearts. It is often the case that a hard heart will result in unbelief. This is true for the lost.
A hard heart can also cause a Christian to refuse to believe some of the promises that God gives to His redeemed. For example if we let our hearts become hard, then we can start to doubt His promise to provide for our needs (notice I did not say wants). We need to pray that God will help us to keep our hearts tender to the things of God.
MK 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Notice what they were doing. They went forth everywhere and preached.
Notice who was empowering their effort. The Lord working with them.
Notice what the signs were for. Confirming the word that was preached.
They did not have a completed Bible yet. So God gave them sign gifts to confirm what they were preaching. God did that for those people at that time because there was a need for it. Today if you want confirmation that what a man is preaching is from God, then all you have to do is compare what he preaches to the Bible. We have God’s completed revelation to man and in America anyone can hold it in their hands.
Notice the priority. They went preaching. It does NOT say that they went everywhere performing signs. The signs confirmed the preaching. It is clear that God put a priority even then on the preaching, and the signs were only to confirm the preaching. Preaching was the most important. Once the Bible was completed the sign gifts were done away, but not the preaching. God still puts a priority upon preaching. God still works in the hearts of men thru preaching. Stop the entertainment and get back to what God puts a priority on. Let’s get back to putting a premium on the preaching of the Word.
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