by Roseanna White | Feb 22, 2016 | Remember When Wednesdays, Uncategorized
Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; 2 and He said to them, “Go
into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you
will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. 3 And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.”
4 So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. 5 But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?”
6 And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. 8 And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David
That comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!”
11 And
Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked
around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to
Bethany with the twelve.
Well time has obviously passed pretty quickly. 😉 The first ten chapter don’t really read like 3 years have gone by–at least, not to us modern folks who can travel thousands of miles in a day or two. But here we are at the triumphal entry.
What strikes me here is the simple reaction of the people with the colt. The Lord has need of it is all they need to hear, and they make no more complaint. May we all be so in tune with him and what he asks of us!
12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And
seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He
would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but
leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”
And His disciples heard it.
I admit that this little section always struck me as a bit odd. Why was Jesus expecting something unreasonable from a mere tree? But I think he did this just to show his disciples one more time the power the Spirit can give, as we’ll see below.
15 So
they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to
drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the
tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”
18 And
the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might
destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished
at His teaching. 19 When evening had come, He went out of the city.
The money-changers were ripping people off. They were charging huge fees, their goal being profit, not glorifying God. And the sellers of doves were doing likewise–it was supposed to be that you could bring your own sacrifice, so long as it was without blemish. But the inspectors had gotten to the point where they declared everything blemished unless it had been bought at the temple. It had gotten to the point of a movie theater–“No outside food or drink allowed.”
Of course this offended Jesus, and he needed to make a stand–he needed to make visible demonstration saying, “This is not the way it should be. This is displeasing to God. You have taken something that is supposed to be about repentance and turned it into a money-maker. You’ve cheapened the most sacred of things.”
20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For
assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and
be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes
that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
And here we see the miracle. Jesus could have said, “Bear fruit,” and the tree would have produced figs. But fruit can grow naturally in a few days. Instead, he cursed this tree so that he disciples would see that the impossible had happened. Trees do not wither from the roots up and die within a few days. The fact that this one did got the attention of Peter as a random fig would not have done.
So then this lesson could be taught. If we have faith . . . if we have the Holy Spirit . . . if we’re walking hand in hand with Him . . . we don’t have to pray, “Lord, do you think maybe you could wither this tree? Could you move this mountain please, God?”
If we’re walking as we should with Him, we’re supposed to know when something is inside His will or outside it. And knowing that, we can operate in the power of the Spirit. Not asking God to do something for us, but commanding the thing to be done.
This section reminds me of Moses, actually. When they get to the Red Sea and he cries out to God, God answers with a touch of impatience. Why do you cry to me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. (Ex 14:15, 16). He’s telling Moses here, “I’ve already given you the authority. Use it.”
This is the same lesson Jesus teaches his disciples here. “Command authority, and the world will respond. Ask in prayer, believing, and it will be given.”
25 “And
whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone,
forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your
trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
This little section puts a ton of weight on forgiveness, doesn’t it? If we don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive us. Is that something we consider as we hold onto our grudges? That it’s our own soul we’re endangering?
27 Then
they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the
chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. 28 And they said to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?”
29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 30 The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”
31 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘From men’”—they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. 33 So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.”
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
So my question for Mark 11 ~ Why do we think Jesus chose the demonstrations he did in his final week? The withering of the fig tree, the overturning of the tables–these are some of the last actions we see him take. What makes them the perfect final teachings?
by Roseanna White | Feb 20, 2016 | Bible Study
Then He arose from
there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.
And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He
taught them again.
2 The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” testing Him.
3 And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?”
4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.”
5 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. 6 But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
10 In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter. 11 So He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. 12 And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
Because of the hardness of your hearts.
Legal . . . but good? As God intended?
In his usual fashion, Jesus is more interested in the spirit behind the law than in the letter of it. And he knows well that the allowances Moses gave have been expanded and twisted, until anything is reason for divorce. Until a man’s family would badger him to put away his wife if she wasn’t living up to expectations or producing heirs.
Jesus, though, knew how this would rip someone’s heart to pieces. He knew how it would break and splinter a home. And he knew that there was something so much better, if both a husband and a wife will strive together for it, seeking His will above all.
13 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” 16 And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.
No wonder Jesus was greatly displeased! He’s already demonstrated how much he values the little ones, but here they are falling back into their typical mindset–that it wasn’t until adulthood that a person had full worth. Jesus, however, recognizes the purity of the children’s faith.
17 Now
as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him,
and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal
life?”
18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 You
know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do
not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your
father and your mother.’”
20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”
21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One
thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the
poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross,
and follow Me.”
22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
I’ve been waiting for the tale of the rich young ruler. 😉
Okay, here’s the deal. The typical, off-the-cuff response to this is, “But of course, Jesus doesn’t ask us all to give up all our possessions and follow him.”
No. He doesn’t. BUT.
But . . . what if he did ask that of you?
Going on two years ago, when we read this passage, I asked myself that question. And I thought about it. Really, truly thought about it. If he asked, would I give up my house? My clothes? My cars? If he asked, would I give up my books? My television? My antique dishes and lamps? If he asked, would I leave it all and go to some part of the world I’d never seen to answer his call?
I asked . . . and I didn’t like the answer. Because I just couldn’t fathom giving it all up–and I knew that was wrong.
So here’s what I did: I prayed that God would change my attitude. That he would help me put value where it belonged, and not on my stuff.
There was no big thunder-clap. There was no epiphany. There was nothing monumental. I just lived my life. And I thought long and hard before I bought anything new.
A year later, I asked myself that question again . . . and I realized that now it was quite clearly yes. Yes, Lord, I would give it all up to follow you. Whatever you ask of me. I will give it.
Jesus asked this young man to give up his wealth because that’s what was standing between him and God. That’s what he valued more than his faith. That was his idol.
That’s always what Jesus is going to ask for. Maybe it’s your money, your house, your things. Maybe it’s your family (like the man in another gospel who said, “Lord, just let me bury my father first, then I will follow you.”). Maybe it’s your job. I don’t know what it is–but if there’s anything you put above Him, He will ask you to be willing to put it aside for him.
Are you?
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”
27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
28 Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”
29 So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who
shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers
and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in
the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Quick note on the “eye of a needle” thing–he’s actually referring to a gate into the city called the Eye of the Needle. This was a low gate, and in order for a camel to enter through it, you had to completely unload the camel and then urge it to kneel down and hobble through on its knees. Possible. But very difficult.
32 Now
they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going
before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were
afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the
things that would happen to Him: 33 “Behold,
we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to
the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death
and deliver Him to the Gentiles; 34 and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”
38 But Jesus said to them, “You
do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink,
and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
39 They said to Him, “We are able.”
So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You
know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it
over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
This is a mindset I try really hard to carry into all the different facets of life–that our place is to give. To serve. To seek not honor, but simply to honor him through our every action.
Not saying it’s easy, LOL. But if I can teach my kids one thing, I want it to be this. Serve.
46 Now
they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a
great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road
begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.
Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”
50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”
52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
Question for Mark 10 ~ What would be the hardest thing God could ask you to sacrifice/leave behind to follow him?
by Roseanna White | Feb 19, 2016 | Bible Study
And He said to them, “Assuredly,
I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death
till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”
2 Now
after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a
high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Then
Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here;
and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one
for Elijah”— 6 because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.
7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 8 Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.
9 Now
as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should
tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen
from the dead. 10 So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.
11 And they asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
12 Then He answered and told them, “Indeed,
Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written
concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be
treated with contempt? 13 But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.”
We hear about this so often–The Transfiguration. It’s one of those things that probably has become cliche to us. But have we stopped to really imagine it? Jesus is there before them, as usual, when all of a sudden his clothes are shining with a blinding white light. He was changed, right there before their eyes. Exalted. Like all the special effects Hollywood of today can achieve, but there. In front of them. And suddenly Moses and Elijah were too.
I think I’d have been as in shock as Peter was. And really, what do you say? What do you ask? How to take it all in?
14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16 And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”
17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 And
wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth,
gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that
they should cast it out, but they could not.”
19 He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” 20 Then
they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit
convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the
mouth.
21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”
And he said, “From childhood. 22 And
often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to
destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help
us.”
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” 26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”
29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
I refer to this passage in A Soft Breath of Wind, since it deals with the casting out of demons. This is a glimpse into that spiritual world–that some demons are so entrenched in their hosts, a simple word isn’t enough to cast it out. It requires preparation.
So why then was Jesus able to do it? I’m not going to accept the pat answer of, “Duh, he’s Christ.” Yes, I know this is true. But he was operating through the Holy Spirit here. And he’d given his disciples authority over unclean spirits. So then, the answer that comes to mind is that Jesus was always tending that spiritual health. We see him frequently going off for time alone to pray. Presumably also to fast. He was already doing what he was telling them they’d have to do too.
30 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. 31 For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The
Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill
Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.” 32 But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.
33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. 35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever
receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and
whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”
We all know these verses . . . but they’re still hard, aren’t they? Because we don’t want to be last. We want to be successful. We want to win awards. We want to be recognized. We want everyone to know if we’re generous. We want people to talk about us with respect. We want love. We want authority.
We each have our struggle, but it’s common to a pretty big percent of us. But here Jesus tells us one of those profound, contradictory truths: the only way to get those things we want is to give up the desire for them. Give up the seeking of them. Give up reaching for them. And instead, humble ourselves. Serve. And do it, not just without expecting honor in return, but refusing it when it’s offered. This is why He charges us with doing our good deeds in secret, so pride can’t enter in.
38 Now
John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow
us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does
not follow us.”
39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side. 41 For
whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you
belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his
reward.
42 “But
whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble,
it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and
he were thrown into the sea. 43 If
your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter
into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the
fire that shall never be quenched— 44 where
‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
45 And
if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to
enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into
the fire that shall never be quenched— 46 where
‘Their worm does not die,
And the fire is not quenched.’
47 And
if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to
enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to
be cast into hell fire— 48 where
‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’
49 “For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”
With the section breaks, it’s easy to lose the flow of this, so sometimes I find it helpful to read it quickly, without those breaks. Jesus set the child on his lap and said that whoever received a child received Jesus. John says they rebuked people casting out demons in His name. Jesus says not to–and then immediately goes into the real danger being causing a little one to sin. And then the lengths we should go to, to keep ourselves free from sin.
Question for Mark 9: What does it mean to be seasoned with fire, and to have our sacrifices seasoned with salt?
by Roseanna White | Feb 18, 2016 | Bible Study
In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.”
4 Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”
5 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”
And they said, “Seven.”
6 So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. 7 They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. 8 So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. 9 Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away, 10 immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.
So even though he had just fed the 5,000 not so long ago, here they are again, in the same situation, and his disciples still question how in the world they’re supposed to feed all these people.
Isn’t that us? Sure, we’ve seen God deliver us before. We’ve seen him work. But when the next trouble rolls around, it still looks impossible. And is impossible . . .without Him.
11 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. 12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”
In one way of reading this, it’s rather curious. The Pharisees are seeking a sign from heaven . . . but really, they’re testing him. Because they’ve already seen signs and wonders, and they’ve attributed them to Satan instead of God. They don’t want anything from heaven–they want to trip him up.
So then, what does Jesus mean here? Pondering that one…
13 And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. 15 Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.”
17 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? 18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?”
They said to Him, “Twelve.”
20 “Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?”
And they said, “Seven.”
21 So He said to them, “How is it you do not understand?”
So Jesus wanted to talk about sin. About hypocrisy. About the dangers of religion and judgment.
And the disciples thought they were being subtly berated about supplies. About food.
This is becoming quite a theme in Mark! We’re so occupied with our physical lives, our physical beings. What we eat, what we wear. But Jesus tells us and shows us that he’s got that covered. We don’t need to worry about bread when we’re following the man who can make it rain from the heavens like manna. We need to worry about our hearts.
22 Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. 23 So
He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when
He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he
saw anything.
24 And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”
25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. 26 Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.”
27 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”
28 So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”
29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”
30 Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.
I always liked Peter. I think it’s largely because I had to play him in a little Sunday School act-out-the-story thing when I was about 8, honestly. 😉 But that always made me pay attention to what Peter says and does–and this right here just hammers it home. This is the first confession we see from a human (as in, not a demon) proclaiming the truth of who Jesus is. The disciples were finally beginning to see the true miracle of their Lord, and Peter was the one brave enough to say it out loud.
31 And
He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and
be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed,
and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
Of course, this is Peter, LOL. He’s bold not only in proclaiming who Jesus is, but also in letting Jesus know what Peter thinks needs to happen and doesn’t. But Peter was looking at it through man’s eyes–and all he knew was that he didn’t want his friend, his teacher, his master to suffer and die.
How often do the families of missionaries react the same way when they hear that their loved ones are going halfway around the world to a place that might be savage or war-torn? They’re thinking from their earthly hearts about the one they love and the danger they’ll be in–but God calls us from a heavenly place that sees beyond danger. That sees the must behind the maybe.
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For
whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful
generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in
the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
So then, our question of the day. What have you denied yourself for His sake? What is the cross he has asked you to take up for him? Have you done it?
by Roseanna White | Feb 17, 2016 | Bible Study
Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. 2 Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.
5 Then
the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk
according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed
hands?”
6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
7 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men —the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
This kinda resonates today, doesn’t it? We know all about germs and bacteria and viruses. We know how to sanitize and anti-bacterialize and clean. On the outside. But the cleaner our hands get, the filthier our society has. We’re so conscious of germs and so desensitized to sin. Just like these Pharisees.
9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, 13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
A little word jumped out at me here: let. You no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother. In effect, their traditions had taken away the blessing God had intended. By belittling it and shifting it, they failed to deliver the true gift of God–that with honor and respect come the kind of relationships that are rewarding and lasting and fulfilling.
14 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: 15 There
is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the
things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”
17 When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. 18 So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” 20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
Another lesson for America today! We’re concerned with whether things are gluten free and dairy free and low fat and good cholesterol and have no artificial dyes or sweeteners or flavors.
Are we as concerned with our thoughts? With our words? With our deeds?
24 From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. 25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
28 And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.”
29 Then He said to her, “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”
30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.
I love these from-a-distance healings–they prove that Jesus doesn’t need to put his physical hands on someone to heal them. Good news indeed for us today.
31 Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. 32 Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. 33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
35 Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 And
they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things
well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
The novelist in me is peeking out again. Why, I wonder, did Jesus sigh here? 😉
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.