Category Archives: Bible Study

MARK’S GOSPEL…HOLLOW PRAISE – 26

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Mark 11:7-10 NIV

“When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!””

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What do we make of this episode in Jesus’ life? Was He excited because it was yet another prophecy coming true? Was it a deliberate act to fulfil prophecy as though He were following a script? What did He think, and feel about the people’s response? Was He happy or skeptical?

Let’s follow the process. 

First, Jesus sent His disciples to fetch the donkey as though it were pre-planned. The donkey was where He said it would be. The bystanders responded as He said they would, asking the question He said they would ask. 

It was as though Jesus were following the scene He saw happening in His mind. How uncanny! History in advance!

“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭9‬:‭9‬ ‭

And so, the people rejoiced as the Word predicted! Why did they rejoice? What was their expectation? Let’s look at their words. 

“Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Clearly, the common people thought that this was Yahweh’s moment. Finally, at last, their longings, their hopes and dreams were about to be fulfilled. How they relished the anticipation that their hated oppressors would be supernaturally driven from their land! After all, hadn’t Jesus insisted that He was the Son of God, their longed-for Messiah?Hadn’t He demonstrated His power over disease, demons, and even death? They were convinced that He could get rid of the Romans as well. This was their moment of triumph. Freedom at last!

They sang and danced with abandon because they were fully convinced that miracles were about to happen. They celebrated Jesus as their Deliverer, the Son of David. Their long-awaited king! 

But wait! Why was He moving towards the temple? Why not Pilate’s palace…to give Pilate and his cronies their marching orders and to set up His government over  His own people?

Jesus deliberately turned towards the temple, the seat of His Father’s government. Rome was not the real problem. Rome was an intrusion, an interim plan to prepare the hearts of His people for the real thing…not an external force controlling the people but a new ruler on the throne of their hearts. 

As much as Jesus taught and showed them that the real enemy was inside their own hearts, the less they understood that their captor was sin, not Rome. Yes, He had come to deliver them, but not in the way they expected. 

In His debate with His enemies, He could not have expressed His intention more clearly…

“Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭34‬-‭36‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Everything He told them fell on deaf ears. 

So, He followed the script with accuracy because it had to be. He was neither surprised nor alarmed at the unfolding events. He was a purposeful player in God’s story. 

The hollow praise of His people turned to bitter disappointment, and murderous cries as they turned on Him, only a few days later, condemned Him to death, and joined their religious leaders in forcing the hand of Pilate!

Then, just when they thought that they had rid themselves of this imposter, He reappeared… from the tomb, of all things, to do what He said He had come to do!

“This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him…“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” …Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬-‭24‬, ‭36‬, ‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬

No, Jesus was not fooled by the people’s hollow praise. This was all part of the divine blueprint. Step by step as it unfolded, He  carefully followed the script, from “Hosanna” to “Crucify”, from glory to Golgotha, from death to life. With the process came the real deliverance, not from Rome but from eternal death for those who believe in Him. 

MARK’S GOSPEL…BARTIMEUS – 25

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“Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭46‬-‭52‬ NIV

Another of the stories we love, but much packed into it that can elevate our understanding and hone our faith. 

Jesus and His disciples, engulfed by a crowd of excited spectators enjoying the entertainment Jesus provided for them, were on their way out of Jericho. Sitting by the wayside was a “nobody”, a blind beggar with his begging bowl in his hands and his beggar’s cloak around his shoulders…a pitiful picture of poverty and despair. 

No one noticed him or cared about him as they rushed past, bumping and trampling him in their excitement until he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Treating him as nothing but a nuisance, “Shut up,” they kept yelling at him, but he refused to be quiet. There was no way that he was going to lose this opportunity. 

Then the crowd came to a sudden stop. A voice rang out above the hubbub. “Call him!”

The people suddenly changed their tune. “So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”

Let’s examine this little scenario. First, the beggar shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” What was he saying? Son of David…he identified Jesus as the anticipated Messiah.

Google explains…

  • “Messianic Title: The title “Son of David” was a well-known reference to the Messiah, who was prophesied to come from King David’s line. 
  • Appeal to Authority: By calling Jesus the “Son of David,” the blind man was acknowledging Jesus’ divine authority and the messianic power to bring healing and salvation.”

Second, “Have mercy on me.”

Mercy, in Hebrew…” chesed” was an appeal to God’s covenant commitment His people. 

“And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin…”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭34‬:‭6‬-‭7‬a NIV‬‬

Imagine that! In the face of the unbelief of the religious leaders and the superficial “faith” of the crowd, this despised, nobody, beggar recognised Jesus for who He was and called on Him in faith to do what he believed He would do!

Third, the man stood up, tossing aside his beggar’s cloak, his licence to beg, and pushed through the crowd to Jesus. In this gesture, he was declaring, “ I’m done with begging! I don’t need to beg any more.” So secure was he in the outcome of his faith that he cut loose from his past before it happened.

Now let’s look at Jesus’ response. The interaction between them was simple. Knowing full well the blind man’s need, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to for you?” Such a simple but such a loaded question! The request offered the beggar the opportunity to ask for anything he desired. This was Jesus, Son of David, in front of him, opening a door to the world for him. 

His sight, uppermost in his mind, would mean real life for him. Everything else he desired would follow. So, his answer was simple. “I want sight, Lord! That’s all for now.”

And Jesus said, ”Go!” With a simple affirmation, “Your faith has healed you.” What did Jesus mean? Was faith the means by which he was healed or was his faith the gossamer thread that bound the man to Jesus along which the healing power flowed? Authority…Son of David! Faith…My sight! Done…Go! 

Amid all the foolishness of the religious elite and the common people, this blind beggar understood the truth and acted on it. 

And, in the hullabaloo, Jesus heard his cry!

MARK’S GOSPEL…DO OR DONE? – 24

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As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭17‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Another great “Sunday School” story, one that some of us learned when we were knee high to a grasshopper!

…but what is the heart of this story? 

A young man, possibly a Pharisee, thoroughly comfortable with his religion and his money, yet restless inside, came to Jesus. Something was missing. Perhaps, while he was watching, listening, puzzling…Jesus had made a deep impression on him.  

What was it about Jesus that held him spellbound? Jesus had an aura of peace, of security, of authority, of not being caught up in the stresses of life but living above them in another “realm”, that fascinated him. Jesus seemed to be in a space which didn’t depend on circumstances for the serenity that seemed to encase Him. 

Jesus portrayed something he wanted…together with his wealth and comfort, that would make his life perfect. Perhaps there was something he could do that would transport him into the same realm in which Jesus lived. 

When Jesus questioned him about his religious life, he was confident of his performance. Nothing lacking in his strict adherence to the rules, so he thought. He was obviously raised in a strictly orthodox family. He was a stickler for rules. He would have to look elsewhere for the cause of his emptiness inside. Perhaps there was one elusive “thing” he had not yet “done” to fill that hole. 

Jesus smartly diagnosed the heart of his problem. He put His finger squarely on one big obstacle. In the place where Jesus should have been Lord, owning, filling, and directing his life including his bank account, was his wealth and possessions. Instead, his claim to obedience to the law was exposed, a lie! The greatest commandment of all, to love God with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength, lay in tatters. 

All this man’s “doing” had no heart. It’s no wonder he felt empty and dissatisfied. He, like so many of his own countrymen, was drinking at the wrong fountain. He was trying to quench his thirst for authentic life, for that connection with God that gave life its true meaning and purpose, through earthly substitutes. 

What was the solution? For him it was not “let Jesus have control of your money”! Jesus knew that his love of money and possessions would always clash with loyalty to Him.  The principle is clear…

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This young man already had a master. The only functional solution was “get rid of your money…your master…and put your trust in me!”

He could not “have his cake and eat it”.  There was no such thing as wealth plus Jesus. Hs wealth was not an addition…it was an obstacle. 

The only solution to this man’s issue was to dump forever his notion that doing something was the answer and keep his money in place. The real issue was about “who or what is your master?”

For us, as for him, there is nothing we can add to everything we have and everything we have already tried to do to earn God’s acceptance. One more “doing”, however noble it might seem to be, only compounds our guilt before God. 

The only solution is to cut ties with money, possessions, people, ideologies, beliefs, practices, habits…whatever or whoever is master! There can only be one master…

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭9‬

Lord! Supreme authority! 

This is the only solution to our empty hearts and restless souls, to cut loose, once and for all, from confidence in all our stuff and the notion that we can “do” something to inherit eternal life. Everything that needed “doing” has been done to save us from our self-destroying lives, including our past, present, and future. 

Here’s the solution…

“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Did the rich young man mean what he said? Did he really want eternal life? 

“At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, he chose to drink the polluted water of wealth and possessions to the end of his days at the expense of eternal life! He continued to “do” what  Jesus had already “done” for him. 

MARK’S GOSPEL…DIVORCE – 23

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Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭2‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” “What did Moses command you?” he replied. They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.””

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Divorce! A very current and thorny topic! Divorce is so easy these days that couples can spouses like changing their clothes!

It was almost like this in Jesus’ day, not because God made divorce easy but because “Moses” did, according to the interpretation of the religious leaders. 

There were two mains schools of thought, led by two respected rabbis, Hillel and Shammai. 

Google says…

“Rabbi Hillel permitted divorce for “any cause,” even for trivial reasons such as a husband finding his wife’s cooking unsatisfactory, whereas Rabbi Shammai only allowed divorce for adultery. Hillel’s view was that the term “any cause” in Deuteronomy 24:1 allowed for divorce over any issue the husband disliked, a perspective that became the dominant view in Jewish law (Halakha), though more pious individuals still favored Shammai’s stricter approach.”

The Pharisees tried to draw Jesus into the debate, testing His opinion against those of these two most respected rabbis “with authority”.

Jesus refused to be caught in their trap. As He always did, He referred them back to the source of the instruction…God’s command “at the beginning of creation”. Marriage was a creation ordinance not to be tampered with by foolish humans. 

Jesus not only took them back to the source and initiator of marriage, but He also diagnosed the cause of their deviations!

“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,”

Hardness of heart! How true it was then and equally true now! What was and is missing in many marriage relationships that undermines the meaning and purpose of marriage?

““Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Did you get that? Justice! Mercy! Faithfulness! Jesus came down hard on the Pharisees for two main reasons. One…they were hypocrites, play acting in the game of life. They wore the mask of “righteousness”, always doing the right thing in public, but rotten to the core with greed and wickedness inside. Two, they had no mercy for offenders who did not do what they demanded. 

So, if the wife “offended” them, they gave her a “bill of divorce” and sent her away without hope, while they calmly married the woman they had set their sights on… a convenient way of handling 

their unfaithfulness. 

Jesus also highlighted the purpose for marriage that most people don’t understand, ignore, or forget. 

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Marriage is not primarily because two people are “in love”, or for companionship, or legalised sex. Marriage is about two people becoming one to reflect on earth the unity “echad” between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Godhead. Sexual union is the physical symbol of this unity between one man and one woman for life. 

How far, then, has corruption in the human heart degraded marriage in all its perverse practices to what humans have made it today. The only cure for human depravity is to go back to the beginning, as Jesus did, and apply God’s Word, with hearts renewed by God’s grace to faith and obedience. 

It takes God’s grace, His strength for our weakness, to overcome the inborn selfishness of our hearts, to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ”, growing in unity as an expression of our love and obedience to Jesus as Lord. 

MARK’S GOSPEL…DEMON -22

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Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭14‬-‭26‬, ‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” 

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 

“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

What a contrast between the scene on the mountain and the upheaval in the valley! Three disciples exposed to the glory of Jesus and nine disciples struggling with a stubbornly resistant demon!

This debacle had drawn a crowd…as usual the ever-present, contentious religious leaders, an inquisitive bunch of onlookers, and nine disciples wrestling with a particularly obnoxious demon!

Jesus walked into the situation…ever the Lord of every impossibility. The distraught father of a demon-possessed boy immediately transferred his plea to Jesus, while the impotent disciples hung back because they had no answer to this dilemma. 

Jesus was incensed… angry, frustrated! His diagnosis of the situation hit the mark. 

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?” 

To whom was He talking? Who were the unbelieving people with whom He had issues? Not the Pharisees or the crowd… they had no connection with Him. It could only have been the nine disciples who could not budge the demon. 

What was the real issue! No faith! Not just little faith. Faith as small as a mustard seed, as tiny as a grain of salt, would have done the job. No faith meant only one thing…they were relying on their own efforts to dispatch the demon. Faith always has an object, ourselves or someone else. 

A “post mortem” of the event cleared up the mystery for the disciples.

“After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

Some versions add “and fasting”, but the main issue is, “What place does prayer have in casting out demons or, in fact, any intervention of God in any situation?”

Jesus put His finger on the answer. Prayer is the only way to establish the connection with God called faith. First, through prayer, we learn our true place in this relationship between God and ourselves. He is God! We are not! Anything we say or anticipate outside of our place of absolute nothingness at His feet is pure impertinence, insolence! 

Second, our nothingness before God should lead us to recognise our utter dependence on Him for, and in everything. 

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He is the sole object of our faith. The source of this conviction is found in His word. 

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, prayer is essentially, first and foremost, not as we have been led to believe…that prayer is getting answers from God. Prayer is undressing ourselves before God, layer by layer, until we know who we are so that we can learn who He is. It is the application of God’s word that renews our minds, replacing false notions about ourselves and God with truth. Faith is, intended, establishing, once and for all, who has the final authority. 

Many have been taught that  “taking authority over” demonic spirits is the way to exercise authority, to cast out demons, to get anything done. Wrong! Rather, authority only becomes real when we take our place before God in true humility. He can entrust authority only to those who have such confidence in His authority that they act in tandem with Him. 

Through prayer, we cement the conviction that Jesus is who He is and that He will do what He says He will do and what we expect Him to do because He has all authority and He is utterly faithful to His word.

It took a Gentile to define for us the nature of true faith. 

“When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭5‬, ‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Authority and faith! Did you get that? If our faith is not firmly founded on the authority of Jesus, it is not faith but presumption. 

Now, His commission makes sense…if we have absolute confidence in His authority.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.””

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