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Mark 1-4
Manual of
Discipleship
Psalm 119:57-64 Key QT Ingredient
57.CHETH “Yahweh is my portion. I promised to obey your words.58.I sought your favor/face with my whole heart. Be gracious to me according to your word.59.I considered my ways, and turned my steps to your statutes.60.I will hurry, and not delay, to obey your commandments.61.The ropes of the wicked bind me, but I won’t forget your law.62.At midnight I will rise to give thanks to you, because of your righteous ordinances.63.I am a friend of all those who fear you, of those who observe your precepts.64.The earth is full of your hesed/loyal covenantal love, Yahweh. Teach me your statutes."
Observations
119:57-58.Because Yahweh is his delight (promised portion/inheritance), the psalmist pledges obedience and seeks God's favor or presence wholeheartedly. A half-hearted believer is not a viable life form. Because of his pledge and pursuit, he lays claim to God's promise to show favor toward those who obey Him.
119:59-60.
Even if you read the entire DailyTruthbase post, and looked up all the references and studied all the links, you haven't had as beneficial a Devotional Time as you would if you read one verse, understood it, and did what the psalmist commends in these two verses:
- consider/evaluate your ways (activities, values and pursuits) in light of God's revelation;
- turn your steps to walk in His ways (Note: God doesn't do this for you; it's your job);
- do it immediately (no foot dragging), so you have actually obeyed.
For those of you who've listened to too many sermons without any application, let me recap for you: Learn it and live it, obeying right away, all the way. Don't worry if your obedience is a little sloppy or inconsistent at first; the important thing is to submit your will to God's will.
Proud people do their will instead of God's, and He resists them. Humble people do God's will instead of their own, and get googles of grace, as a result (James 4:6; 1Pt 5:5).
119:61-63.
Even if encountering severe opposition from the wicked, the righteous obeyer won't forget God's word, nor neglect its obligations. You know you're transformed when your requisite for friendship is not if someone roots for the same team as you do, but if they fear and obey God wholeheartedly, like you do.
119:64.
This verse deserves special mention, since it is usually glossed over, or totally misapplied due to misunderstanding hesed and cause and effect structure (logical sequence). Hesed is God's loyalty to His covenant, fulfilling His obligation to love (protect and bless) those with whom He has made the covenant. It is incorrectly translated “mercy” or “loving kindness” in most contexts, leading to a bogus view of grace. The second half of the verse, is obvious, a request for God to teach the psalmist what He requires. What understanding of the first half of the verse lead to an intensive and intentional (Piel stem) desire to learn God's statutes (the nitty-gritty practical specifics of obedience)? An awareness of the fact that the world is full of, controlled and governed by God's hesed, yields the understanding that in order to be a recipient of God's protection and blessing, one needs to be in proper covenantal relationship with Him, fulfilling His requirements for His people. If God only blesses those rightly related to Him, then cry out: “Lord, teach me how to be rightly related to You.”
Application
As you read His word, consider your ways, and turn your steps to follow His way.
Prayer
God, I want to be wholeheartedly doing all You want me to do; as I learn Your word, show me where I need to correct my steps, so I can walk in the way that pleases You. Amen.
Proverbs 27:18-22 What You See Is What You Are
18.“Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.19.As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.20.Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes are never satisfied.
21.The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is tested by his praise.
22.Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.“
Observation
27:18-22.Our actions yield our results and reflect our hearts (the place where we make our decisions). The human heart is never satisfied with temporal things and all our results are subject to the law of diminishing returns. Sheol is the grave, and Abaddon is the destroyer or death. Together they are insatiable since people continually die, and the grave never says “Enough.” We were made to be satisfied by God (Pascal called it a God-shaped vacuum in everyone's heart), and nothing else will do. Just like a crucible reveals the true nature of the metal, a man's true nature is revealed by how he/she responds to praise (or lack of it). Some, with a poor self-image, say they're not worthy, even though they are. Others, with a poor-self image, say they are worthy, and crave more, even though they're not. When someone doesn't get praise, how do they respond? Those who know God is pleased with them, because they are doing what is right in His sight, rejoice, regardless of the circumstances. Those with a bad relationship with God, who don't do what's right in His sight, are slaves to recognition and what others think. Fools can't usually be corrected by external means, because they have to decide to embrace the right objectives for their life and actions. Fools wind up getting repeated discipline, because they refuse to repent of their folly (they usually have too much invested in what others think of them). Too bad they don't care more about what God thinks of them.
Application
Being pleasing in God's sight gives us a value that transcends the opinion of others and bad circumstances; the best of circumstances and praise won't satisfy those who aren't pleasing in God's sight.
Prayer
Lord, may I recognize the praise of men for what it is, and only crave Your approval and pleasure. Amen.
Mark 1-4 Manual of Discipleship
Mark wrote to the believers in Rome about to undergo the persecution under Nero, to show them how to live as Christ's disciples in a pagan world capital. He presents Jesus as the suffering Servant who gave His life for the benefit of others, and urges his readers to do the same. The most condensed of the gospels, he majors on the middle ministry of Christ to His disciples. Luke took over 200 verses to get to the calling of the disciples. Mark speeds through the same territory in 15 verses, and then shifts to slow motion for a blow by blow description of the call of each of the initial disciples. The disciples are highlighted. The meaning of the book opens up when you look at it though the eyes of a disciple, and ask yourself: “What were the disciples supposed to learn and do as a result of this material?” (Then go and do likewise.) This is a much more profitable activity than speculating on who copied from whom (the pastime of those who never had an original thought themselves, and who don't apply the Bible either).See Survey of Discipleship on Truthbase.net to see how followers of Jesus go from Curious to Convinced to Committed to Conformed and finally Crowned. Disciples are those having the same values, attitudes, and actions as their Master.
The early church fathers attributed the authorship to Mark (1Pt 5:13), who wrote down Peter's eyewitness accounts (and what he himself saw – see Digging Deeper below), according to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the above purpose. It's more likely than not that he is John-Mark (Acts 12:12,25).
Bill Blurb: I'll be observing the book as would an original reader, who didn't have access to the other gospels (but did have the OT) yet I'm making my comments as though you've read DailyTruthbase on Matthew first (to save pixels and time).
Mark 1 Master Maker of Disciples
1.The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.2.As it is written in the prophets, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.3.The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight/smooth!’"4.John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.5.All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.6.John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.7.He preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.8.I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit."9.It happened in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.10.Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting, and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.11.A voice came out of the sky, "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."12.Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.13.He was there in the wilderness forty days tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.14.Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God,15.and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News."16.Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.17.Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men."18.Immediately they left their nets, and followed him.19.Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.20.Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.21.They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught.22.They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.23.Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out,24.saying, "Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy one of God!"25.Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"26.The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.27.They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching? For with authority/power he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!"28.The report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.29.Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.30.Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.31.He came and took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.32.At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick, and those who were possessed by demons.33.All the city was gathered together at the door.34.He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.35.Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.36.Simon and those who were with him followed after him;37.and they found him, and told him, "Everyone is looking for you."38.He said to them, "Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this purpose."39.He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.40.A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, "If you want to, you can make me clean."41.Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, "I want to. Be made clean."42.When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.43.He strictly warned him, and immediately sent him out,44.and said to him, "See you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them."45.But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places: and they came to him from everywhere.Observations
1:1-8.Matthew started out calling Jesus, the Son of David, introduced Him as the Son of Man, and lead up to Him being confessed as the Son of God. Mark jumps right in with the title “Son of God.” In his condensed introduction, Mark gives the combo quote of Malachi 3:1, and Isaiah 40:3 (as do all the gospel writers) to place Jesus in the context of the promised Messiah who would judge, reward and rule (Isa 40:10). Therefore people needed to get their act together, and stop living as if this world was all there was, and start living in light of the reality that God would judge and reward behavior that pleased Him. See more on Matthew 3. The baptism was a cleansing immersion (parallel to that of the Holy Spirit -1:8) done in light of their repentance (change of mindset about the kingdom and purpose of life). It was the repentance that “sent away” (literal root of remission/forgiveness) their sins. The baptism was just the symbol of the cleansing.
1:9-15.
Mark records the authentication of Jesus as God's beloved son at His baptism; mentions the temptation, and the imprisonment of John, and gives his first record of Jesus' words: The Kingdom that comes from God (not which is God, cf. Kingdom which comes from the heavens), is coming. That is, the kingdom promised throughout the OT, heralded by the messenger of Isaiah 40, and described in Isaiah 40-66 (and most of the rest of the prophets).
1:16-20.
After the whirlwind introduction, Mark slows down to record the calling of the first four disciples, who immediately stopped living for this life and started living for the future kingdom. There is nothing wrong with fish or fishing, or the fishing business, but people were a higher priority, especially when the opportunity to follow and learn from the Messiah presented itself.
The lesson for disciples: The purpose of our lives must be determined from the perspective of eternity.
1:21-28.
Jesus taught in the synagogue and His teaching encountered demonic opposition (from even within the religious establishment, who knew?). The unclean/unholy nature of the demon is contrasted with Jesus being the Holy One of God. The Messianic Secret (see Matthew) was in part for crowd control and in part to prevent riots that would upset the timetable of the Father. Jesus had to announce the kingdom and train the disciples according to plan. Mark links His power with His teaching of the word of God, the power source of our world.
The lesson for disciples: The Power for Holiness in our lives must come from the Promises (Word) of God.
1:29-39.
Both Matthew and Luke record that Jesus had already been rejected by the religious establishment, and His hometown synagogue at Nazareth. Here He is finding a welcome and acceptance. Mark records that Jesus rose early (as in still dark out) to pray. We're not told the content of His prayer, but we have a few clues from the following context. When the disciples come to tell Him He has an audience, He says “Let's go elsewhere...for that's why I've come.” He had spent time conversing with the Father, getting His marching orders for the day, ordering His priorities according to the Father's will, and His purpose on earth. So He was able to resist the pull of the urgent to do the important, I,e, follow the Father's will and fulfill His purpose. See how the world's wisest man became a loser by failing to do this, in comments on Dt 17 and 1Kg 10-11.
The lesson for disciples: The Priorities of our lives must be ordered and forged by Prayer.
1:40-45.
See comments on Matthew 8:4 for how the leper should have been a witness to the priests. But instead of obeying Jesus and furthering His purposes, the cleansed leper disobeyed, hindering God's purpose on earth. See the parallel account of healing in the beginning of chapter two for the lesson for disciples.
Application
The purpose and priorities of our lives need to be determined from God's perspective and focused daily in prayer, so we can do God's will, and fulfill our raison d'etre.
See Lessons for Disciples on Truthbase.net for more elaboration and help in applying the lessons.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I want to follow You and Your model, every day during my stay on earth; help me know and do Your will and priorities. Thanks. Amen.
Mark 2 Relationship or Ritual
1.When he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that he was in the house.2.Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even around the door; and he spoke the word to them.3.Four people came, carrying a paralytic to him.4.When they could not come near to him for the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. When they had broken it up, they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on.5.Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."6.But there were some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,7."Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"8.Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you reason these things in your hearts?9.Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your bed, and walk?’10.But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins "—he said to the paralytic—11."I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house."12.He arose, and immediately took up the mat, and went out in front of them all; so that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"13.He went out again by the seaside. All the multitude came to him, and he taught them.14.As he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he arose and followed him.15.It happened, that he was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.16.The scribes and the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"17.When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."18.John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, "Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?"19.Jesus said to them, "Can the groomsmen fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they can’t fast.20.But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then will they fast in that day.21.No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, or else the patch shrinks and the new tears away from the old, and a worse hole is made.22.No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins."23.It happened that he was going on the Sabbath day through the grain fields, and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of grain.24.The Pharisees said to him, "Behold, why do they do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?"25.He said to them, "Did you never read what David did, when he had need, and was hungry—he, and those who were with him?26.How he entered into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?"27.He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.28.Therefore the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."Observations
2:1-12.This account of healing a paralytic demonstrates the power of the Son of Man to forgive sins, and corresponds to both the preceding healing, and the one at the beginning of chapter 3. (See Mt 9:2 for the parallel account.) The man's friends bring him to Jesus, believing He can help him. It was so crowded (in part due to the cleansed leper's disobedience) and they were so convinced of Jesus' power, that they dropped him down through the roof. Seeing their faith Jesus told the man that his sins were forgiven. The scribes said He blasphemed, since only God can forgive sins. Jesus does the more difficult in terms of verification (heals the guy) to show he has the power to do the more difficult in reality (forgive sins, since only God can do that). The paralytic did exactly what Jesus said, and the people glorified God (which is what life is all about). Contrast this with the leper at the end of chapter 1, where he imperfectly obeyed God (probably due to a lack of self control and need for significance, just like folks today), and hindered God's purposes on earth. Would you rather be a help or hindrance to God?
The lesson for disciples: (1:40-2:13) The Practice of our lives must be that of Perfect Obedience.
2:13-17.
Mark focused more on Jesus' ministry of perfecting the saints (Eph 4:12) and developing disciples. He calls Levi (Matthew) who follows Him, throwing a party for Jesus to meet and greet his friends. The “pickle suckers”, those of the establishment whose face resembles someone who has been sucking on a sour pickle, express their disdain and disapproval of Jesus' partying with the pagans. Establishing commonality and a point of contact is a prelude to sharing a relationship with God with another person. Those who lack inward holiness (separation from self-centeredness and sin, and wholehearted devotion to God) tend to focus on outward religiosity and legalistic separation from others who are outwardly sinners. They also tend to be hostile toward true followers of Christ. Christlike Christianity is foremost an attitude of the heart that is reflected in our outward choices, like ministering to the needs of those Christ came to save.
2:18-22.
The questions and responses on fasting are similar to those in Matthew 9. Please see comments there. This serves as the chiastic center of the passage emphasizing the importance of a relationship with Jesus rather than ritual, and the need for forms to follow function.
2:23-28.
The questions and responses the Sabbath (23-28) are similar to those in Matthew 12. Please see comments there.
The lesson for disciples: Our People Paradigm: Perfect the Saints, Party with Pagans, Persevere with Pickle-suckers (2:13-3:6)
Application
Disciples need a Commitment to the: Person of Christ, People of Christ, Purpose of Christ, Plan of Christ, and the Power of Christ. Can you point to a time when you've made each of those commitments?
Prayer
God, grant me the grace to totally obey You, embracing all You want me to, and to persevere through the opposition and discouragement of those who don't follow You. Amen.
Mark 3 The Priorities of Followers of Jesus
1.He entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there who had his hand withered.2.They watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him.3.He said to the man who had his hand withered, "Stand up."4.He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?" But they were silent.5.When he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their hearts, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored as healthy as the other.6.The Pharisees went out, and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.7.Jesus withdrew to the sea with his disciples, and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, from Judea,8.from Jerusalem, from Idumaea, beyond the Jordan, and those from around Tyre and Sidon. A great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came to him.9.He spoke to his disciples that a little boat should stay near him because of the crowd, so that they wouldn’t press on him.10.For he had healed many, so that as many as had diseases pressed on him that they might touch him.11.The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, "You are the Son of God!"12.He sternly warned them that they should not make him known.13.He went up into the mountain, and called to himself those whom he wanted, and they went to him.14.He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach,15.and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:16.Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter;17.James the son of Zebedee; John, the brother of James, and he surnamed them Boanerges, which means, Sons of Thunder;18.Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot;19.and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. He came into a house.20.The multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.21.When his friends heard it, they went out to seize him: for they said, "He is insane."22.The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul," and, "By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons."23.He summoned them, and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan?24.If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.25.If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.26.If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he can’t stand, but has an end.27.But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder, unless he first binds the strong man; and then he will plunder his house.28.Most certainly I tell you, all sins of the descendants of man will be forgiven, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme;29.but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"30.-because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."31.His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him.32.A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, "Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for you."33.He answered them, "Who are my mother and my brothers?"34.Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers!35.For whoever does the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."Observations
3:1-6.See Matthew 12 comments on the hard-hearted response to Jesus' healing in the Sabbath.
3:7-35.
A multitude, from all over, overwhelm Jesus to the point where His “friends” (literally “near ones” most likely His family 3:31) consider Him insane (beside oneself). Mark uses the press of the multitude as the backdrop for the choosing of the twelve apostles. Disciples make more disciples who can meet the needs of others. Multiplication for the Multitudes.
Since most of the material in this chapter has been discussed in Matthew (which you should understand if you don't already), we'll just look at it from the perspective of the priorities the disciples should learn from it. There's a sermon, The Priorities of Followers of Jesus, that fleshes out the points.
3:7-10 I. Priority of: Spiritual healing via Teaching over Physical healing via Touching
3:11-12 II. Priority of: Personal acceptance of Christ over Popular acclaim of Him (remember Psalm Sunday?)
3:13-19 III. Priority of: Disciples Preaching over exercising Power over demons
3:20-21 IV. Priority of: Satisfying Spiritual Appetites over Physical Appetites
3:22-30 V. Priority of: Truth and Logic (overcoming jealousy, disunity, bad theology).
The Unpardonable sin: Attributing the message-authenticating work of the Holy Spirit to Satan (speaking against it) causes the hearer to reject the message of Truth, and leaves them standing outside the sphere of forgiveness
3:31-35 VI. Priority of: Doing the Will of God (pride - worth and value independent of God, vs from what others think of us). Note that the will of God is knowable and doable (cf Eph 5:17; Heb 10:36; see outline on Truthbase.net, and the following acrostic).
Word (Which commands, principles, examples, {in that order}, have bearing on the decisions I'm making, or the paths I'm contemplating.)
Input (What do spiritual, parental, institutional/work authorities, {in that order depending on your age and circumstances}, experts, and peers who know me well think?)
Logic (Using a pro/con list for your options and potential choices, determine how of the following is advanced or hindered by each option:
Life plan to glorify and love, Obey great commission, Grow in grace/reward, Increase usefulness and glory, Christlike)
Leading of HS (Not feeling, {how do you think Jesus felt in the Garden the night He was betrayed? Or Israel felt facing Giants?} but conviction from prayerfully following the above, first). You might have noticed that your desires for success and significance aren't on the list, since those come from God to those who seek His will first (Mt 6:33).
Application
How do your priorities indicate that You are a follower of Jesus Christ? Are you confident that You are doing His will and will reap His approval and reward? Why?
Prayer
Father, Your wise will is good, acceptable, and perfect, may I be transformed in my thinking to know and experience it, rather than what I would regret if I chose Satan's will for my life. Amen.
Mark 4 Sermon by the Seaside
1.Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea, and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea.2.He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching,3."Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow,4.and it happened, as he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it.5.Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil.6.When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.7.Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.8.Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some brought forth thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much."9.He said, "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."10.When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.11.He said to them, "To you is given the mystery of the Kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables,12.that ‘seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should repent, and their sins should be forgiven them.’"13.He said to them, "Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables?14.The farmer sows the word.15.The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them.16.These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy.17.They have no root in themselves, but are short - lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble.18.Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word,19.and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts/desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.20.Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times."21.He said to them, "Is the lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand?22.For there is nothing hidden, except that it should be made known; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light.23.If any man has ears to hear, let him hear."24.He said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you who hear.25.For whoever has, to him will more be given, and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him."26.He said, "The Kingdom of God is as if a man should cast seed on the earth,27.and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he doesn’t know how.28.For the earth bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.29.But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts forth the sickle, because the harvest has come."30.He said, "How will we liken the Kingdom of God? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?31.It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth,32.yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow."33.With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.34.Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.35.On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let’s go over to the other side."36.Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him.37.A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled.38.He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up, and told him, "Teacher, don’t you care that we are dying?"39.He awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.40.He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?"41.They were greatly afraid, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"Observations
4:1-20.Mark gives some different aspects of Jesus' Sermon by the Seaside than Matthew did in chapter 13 (which you should see for the parable of the Sower and Soils). The included content is more applicable to a predominately Gentile audience in Rome, and includes teaching which Matthew had included in the Sermon on the Mount. Not every word Jesus said in either location was recorded. With different audiences Jesus would have taught some different and some similar truth relevant to their needs and His purposes. Mark and Matthew highlighted the material that was relevant for their audiences as well. In the parable of the sower, a third reason is added for the third (thorny) soil's unfruitfulness: desire/lust for other things. Lack of proper teaching (evangelistic rather than reproductive edification) is the major reason why disciples don't develop and wither. But it's desire for other things that cause well taught disciples to wash out, and fail to reproduce.
4:21-34.
Following up on the parable of the soils are three mini lessons on light and growth. The former is essential for the latter. The receptivity to the light is essential for growth of a disciple. Taken closely the metaphor is triply mixed (light, ear, measure), but there is a thread that connects them. The light of truth, must be received, and applied. The message of the Kingdom (God is coming to judge and reward and rule) will take root, grow, and eventually reach the point of being harvested (a big theme in Mt 13). What looks insignificant as mustard seed (especially in light of the rejection by the Jews) would one day be a mighty tree. If these don't make sense to you, don't worry, most of Jesus' original listeners didn't get it either :)
4:35-41.
The account of the boat ride, is different from the Jesus walking on water one (Mk 6:45; cf Mt 8:23; 14:25). He's sleeping in the stern. The wind and waves kick up, and not only is the boat in the sea, the sea is in the boat. The professional fishermen panic, and wake up Jesus to help bail. He rebukes the wind and stills the sea (the words used could apply to authority over demonic forces), and then He rebukes the disciples for their lack of faith in His word (essential survival skill for a disciple in a demonically influenced world). He had said, “let's go to the other side”; He didn't say “let's go into middle of the lake and drown”. Those who trust God's word have great peace. The disciples were fearful and questioning Jesus' identity. In the boat trip recorded in Mt 14:33 they confessed He was the Son of God.
Application
Embracing the light/word of truth, and preventing deadly desires from crowding it out of our lives, will result in faithful fruitfulness that will please God and us.
Prayer
Lord, may I readily hear Your word with my ears, so it will grow in my heart, and yield reproductive fruit, that glorifies You. Amen.
Digging Deeper
This introductory article from the ISBE gives quotes from the early church fathers attesting to Mark's authorship. You can't believe everything you read in these kinds of reference works, but quotation and scriptural references are trustworthy, while the interpretations are less so.
“The story of the youth in Mar 14:51 seems to be of a different complexion from other Gospel incidents. But if Mark himself was the youth, its presence is explained and vindicated. In that case it is likely that the Supper was celebrated in his own home and that the upper room is the same as that in Acts 12. This is favored by the fuller description of it in Mark, especially the word “ready” - a most natural touch, the echo of the housewife's exclamation of satisfaction when everything was ready for the guests. It is made almost a certainty when we compare Mar 14:17 with the parallels in Matthew and Luke. Mat 26:20 reads: “Now when even was come, he was sitting at meat with the twelve disciples”; Luk 22:14: “And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the apostles with him”; while Mark has: “And when it was evening he cometh with the twelve.” The last represents exactly the standpoint of one in the home who sees Jesus and the Twelve approaching.”
God in a nutshell: God is working out His plan to bring about the fulfillment of His promises, that will not be thwarted by the disobedience of some. God gives guidance and power to those doing His will.
Build-a-Jesus: Jesus gets angry over proud, self-seeking, hard-hearted rebels, but is compassionate toward those who humbly seek Him. He models the behavior He expects of us.
Us in a nutshell: We are invited to follow Jesus and fulfill the purpose for which we were placed upon earth, but not everyone accepts, because there is a cost involved. Those who reject God's light go so deep into darkness that they want to kill Jesus for doing miraculous good. Not everyone who fails to follow is equally dumb and deceived, but are fractionally so. Disciples of Jesus will face opposition like He did, and need the resources He used to help themselves.