Anyone can go

In The Dictionary Of Jesus and The Gospels, I found it interesting how Mark's view on the disciples is so varied. Did Jesus think that the people he choose were important or did he just pick up the first people he saw. These were the people who were eventually going to start the church, bar Judas. The Disciples are able to heal, preach and exocise demons. After seeing the amazing miracles like feeding the five thousand, they still don't believe their eyes when they see Jesus walk on water. Jesus isn't just walking on pool water he is walking on rising waves and rocking seas. My question to others could Jesus have picked any young fit men at the time, to be his disciples along the way? I think so.

The Divinity of Christ and a Really Weird Story.

Recent discussions and reading for this class have left me a bit perplexed, but at the same time amazed. I have heard and read the story of the lame man being dropped through the ceiling by his friends to Jesus recorded in Mark 2 many times, and I have always wondered as to what Christ was actually meaning when he countered the scribes with sheer wit. He uses his own authority to not only heal the man, but to forgive his sins, all the while proclaiming his divinity. It was in class Monday that I finally understood what the meaning of this text is: proclaiming the authority of Christ as the incarnite God. I can only imagine as to what the spectators of this event must have been thinking. I'm sure it was at least a story to be told.

-Steven Price

That's thick headed

As I read the portion of reading on page 183 and 184 in the DJG, I was left kind of with a "duh" moment. It amazes me to think that the disciples (the ones Jesus called out) watched as Jesus healed the sick and undemonized(?) the demon possessed and still were confused on the reality of his diety. I guess it is easier for me to look at Jesus and automatically know who he is based on the knowledge I have of what is to come. But I always have to remind myself that the disciples did not have a NASB to read up on what is to come. I don't know if any of this makes sense, but I am just astonished how they could see a "man" heal and cleanse without magic and not know he is of God. Because of the bible I know that later on Peter will confess him to be Jesus the savior and Son of God, but what kept him from realizing that earlier? Why would Judas betray the one who is empowered by God? I know it is a lack of understanding, but I would also be inclined to say it is a lack of faith.

Oh yeah, like discipleship is SO hard…you just follow Jesus around, right?

After rebuking Peter (you remember: “Get behind me, Satan!”), Jesus began to explain the costs of discipleship as well as the real meaning behind following him. (According to Garland) First, the disciple must be willing to put all his own ambitions and choices in God’s control. I love the way Garland states discipleship in the face of our culture: “Discipleship is not a part-time volunteer work that one does as an extracurricular activity. God refuses to accept a minor roll in one’s life; he requires a controlling place.” (p. 327) Secondly, discipleship requires taking up a cross EVERY DAY! To the disciples, this would have meant quite a bit considering Christ was not yet crucified and the whole idea of crucifixion with Christ had not yet been presented. The idea was that disciples of Christ had to be willing to suffer the cruelest, most humiliating death for the sake of Christ EVERY DAY; not just MWF or TTH or Sunday…7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. The third cost of discipleship is following Christ in the direction HE would have for them to go…following Christ even in a procession of cross-bearers (that's a heart-wrenching visual). Are we obedient as disciples? Are we THAT willing to sacrifice EVERYTHING, even our very lives in a procession of crosses, for Christ?

Zach Pyron

deaf and blind, but don't worry, they can still see and hear

In Isaiah 6:9-10 people are referred to as being able to see, but incapable of understanding or believing. This reference can be seen in the healing of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus (Mark 10: 46-52). Jesus is walking along the road and this blind guy sitting there yelling at Jesus to heal him. Jesus says "What do you want?" The man replies, "I want to see." So Jesus let's him see. Jesus walks off and the man follows him. Bart's physical healing can also be seen as a spiritual healing. Once Bart could physically see, he physically followed Jesus. His following of Jesus is also understood in a spiritual sense. Bart's spiritual eyes had been opened, enabling him to "see" Jesus and follow him.
Jesus also makes reference to understanding in the sense of hearing. In Mark 4 (4 & 23) Jesus tells the crowd that he's teaching, "he who has ears to hear, let him hear." Both of these verses are found in parables that refer to the understanding of spiritual matters. Jesus is telling the crowd in the first parable (the farmer sowing seed) that some people are gonna take things from God and run with them, others won't take things so well, some will not understand. He finished that parable by saying, "Hey, if you are capable of understanding, then understand." The Next parable is about the lampstand, and hiding it under a bushel...no. Um, Anyway, he's referring to God disclosing things about himself to people. If God wants it to be known, he'll make it known. Again, Jesus finishes that up with, "If God shows you something and enables you to understand it, then understand it." Jesus is telling the crowd (disciples and pharisees, too) that they're walking around with their fingers in their ears. He's inviting them to open up their spiritual senses and understand what God's put in front of them.

Alex H

An Idea about the Disciples

In the reading of Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels the editors present an idea about the disciples that is very interesting. When the disciples are introduced they get a positive portrayal from Mark, and then later they get a very negative portrayal. The book says the disciples did not truly comprehend Jesus' ministry of teaching. That is a very interesting thought to think about, because we always think about the disciples always standing behind Jesus accept the few that notably didn't stick behind him. Their incomprehension eventually leads to Judas betrayal and Peter's denying Jesus. I had never thought about the disciples in this manner it was a deep thought to think about.

The Gentile Woman

In Mark 7: 24-30, it tells the story of Jesus dealing with the Gentile woman. The woman "begged" Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. In the old testament the Gentiles were said to be a "wealthy and godless oppressor of Israel". The Gentiles were also viewed as "unclean". So questions are proposed to if Jesus will help this woman or not. Through debate between her and Jesus, we find out that Jesus does remove the demon from the little girl. I think this story is amazing. Garland gives a great detail on the passage. He says that Jesus compares the women to a dog. The women seems to understand the mircales that Jesus can perform. She is okay with being compared to a dog. She isn't asking for alot, just that Jesus would show his power "for a little dog". She knows God is the bread of Life. She seems to understand that better than the disciples who watch Jesus feed the five and four thousand. She really just wants her child healed and will do whatever it takes for that to happen. She is showing how we should be humble. She is willing to humble herself, to being compared to a dog, just for Jesus to grant this small request. The woman also shows great Faith, by knowing after Jesus said you're daughter is healed, that her daughter really was healed. She didn't need Jesus to go to her house to prove to her, she had faith Jesus did what he said. I think we as christians should be humble like this woman and be willing to be compared to a dog, just so we can be granted a small request from a mighty and powerful God.
Adam Godwin

Sad You See

This may not really be about the Sadducees, but it is about the sadness that the religious leaders and teachers of the day felt. How trivial we are when we think that the Pharisees and Sadducees were acting so ignorant and foolish. How sad and frustrated would we feel if some new spiritual figure came onto the scene and tried to totally change the way we looked at God and His great love for us. It is something of a power struggle, Dr. Foster explained it as a pie and that if one thing grew then the others had to shrink. We however as New Testament Christians have something the Pharisees and Saducees did not have. We have the Holy Spirit to help us make clear those anti-christs that do and will continue to come and try to make us change our ways of thought. This same Holy Spirit is the one the Son of God said would come and comfort us and guide us so that we would not have to be Sad you see.

So much more than a miracle

When Jesus cast out a demon or healed someone, we often find that he commands the demon/person to remain silent. Why?...Because Jesus wanted to be distinguished from the other miracle workers of the time. He didn't set out to amaze people to create a reputation. As Dr. Foster said in class, Jesus built himself a reputation, but it wasn't in that manner. Jesus wasn't like everyone else. (Yes, we know that now, but back then, things were a little bit different.) Sometimes I try to imagine myself in those days. What would it have been like to see Jesus pass me on the street? It must have been amazing to see him perform a miracle. But then I stop to think. He knew that when the news of his miracles traveled, his days would be numbered. Jesus had much more to accomplish than miracles during his time on earth.

what makes it right, anyway?

what truly made the picking of grains on the sabbath a non issue? was it due to their hunger, Messianic right, or were the rules taking the Sabbath too far? DJG 717 addresses this and comes to the conclusion that Jesus saw it better to do good and benefit others than dwell on the laws of the scribes. as is a theme throughout the gospels, many had missed the point, just as they did here. the sabbath was to help the jews and give them a time of rest, not to create concern over doing to much work. when they focused on what they did or did not do, the focus was taken off God, which is what the Sabbath was designed to do!

Silly Disciples...

I have often heard of how idiotic the disciples seemed to act at times in the gospels. I never put much thought into it, but after reading DJG I pondered it a little. The article makes a point that Jesus while they seem to be uncomprhensive of a lot of what Jesus did, they were specifically selected by Jesus and empowered by Him to do ministry in Israel. Jesus thought these guys were worth something. Sure Jesus was unhappy with them at times for their inability to understand, but they were still his disciples -- the guys he selected to help start his Church. One thing I get out of this is that we do not have to be able to completely understand everything in order for God to use us. This is not to say we should be lazy and not worry about trying to understand. Secondly and similarly, we learn from the disciple in that we should learn to try to think in terms of the Kingdom of God rather than in worldly terms. Sometimes this requires a blind faith and can be difficult, but we must strive to do it.
I think it is easy for us today to look back on the disciples and see how unbelieving they were when we would have been the same way and often ARE the same way. We should realize that we are not better than they were... the only thing that makes us different is the time in which we live and that we know how the story pans out -- a luxury the disciples did not have until after the Resurrection.

Aaron Abbott

If you need me I'll probably be in the bathroom

I have just now come upon Garland’s commentary on Mark 5:21-43. The bleeding woman and the ruler were both desperate in their situations. They were clinging to their faith in a man they hardly knew to change their lives forever. It leaves to think about how desperate we are for a savior. My desperation for something meaningful in my life led me to cling to my faith in a God who made me. Lately it seems there have been more attacks on my faith and doubt has been making its presence known. Garland quotes Martin Luther and it is basically the coolest thing I’ve read in a while. “Martin Luther once remarked that his insight into God’s grace came to him while he was ‘on the toilet.’ …the phrase was a common metaphor for being in a state of utter helplessness and dependence on God.” When it comes to faith sometimes I’m “on the toilet.” I just have to give all my doubt to him and tell him that I completely trust him no matter what. I think that in the contemporary sense that not only does being on the toilet get a laugh but it really helps us realize how helpless we are. Next time you’re on the toilet just think about how at any moment that T-Rex from Jurassic Park could come in and eat you.

Jesus Condrictions

In reading Mark I ran across some questions so if ya have any answers, let me know.
1. In Mark 10:17-18 the rich man calls Jesus "Good Teacher" and Jesus replies
"Why do you call me good? Only God is truly good."
The commentary suggests that the man's idea of "good" was very loose. He probably considered himself good also, and wanted to know how that goodness would help him. Garland's suggestion was simple, Jesus wanted clear up the issue of pride and explain that only one was good. I wonder if the man did not believe that he was God and Jesus knew this.

2. In Mark 12: 35-37 Jesus seems to be rejecting the title of "Son of David." "Why do the teachers of the religious law claim that the Messiah is the Son of David? For David himself speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
'The Lord said to my Lord
Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies at your feet.'
Since David himself called the Messiah 'my Lord', how can the Messiah be his son?"
Garland does not even address these verses, but what I got from the Dictionary was that Jesus did not want to be associated with those violent revolutionaries and the Jewish idea of a militaristic Messiah. I don't think that just because you call someone "my Lord" outomaticly excludes them from relation or sonship, so unless that was a historical thing then I think Jesus may have been trying to make another point.
So I guess I just answered my own questions, or at least with oppinions, but I guess that is all that you can have sometimes with the Bible.

Faith. . .

Many miracles were performed by Jesus, and it's not because the person in need was good, or deserved it. He did it based on their faith. Obviously, faith is a key aspect in our relationship with Christ. Without faith, it is impossible to please Him. With that being said, salvation is something that is simple. . .yet complex. It's "easy" to obtain, because we don't earn it. We don't have a relationship with Christ because of how good we are, it's because of faith. It's easy to get angry when God doesn't seem to be working in our lives the way we want. We want signs, we want certainty, we want to see...but He asks us to be faithful. Hebrews 11:1 says "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." In the Bible days, before then, and even now, our Father simply asks us to have faith.

Conflict over fasting...

I'd never fully understood Jesus' reply to the questions about fasting in Mark 2:18-22. The lightbulb came on during class on Monday. I had no idea that one was not supposed to fast on the Sabbath or at a wedding feast. Jesus often refers to himself as the bridegroom. As was pointed out in class, why would one want to fast when the bridegroom was actually present. I am still struggling to process all of the information. Much of it remains jumbled in my head. The part about the wineskins and the patches, even after going over it in class is so confusing. I often wonder why Jesus spoke in what seems like riddles...did the disciples understand these statements better. Here is all I can get out of it without wrinkling my brow in great confusion: the presence of the bridegroom calls for celebration, but the bridegroom will leave, and then the fasting will begin again.. If anyone remembers any insight about this passage that I have forgotten, please explain... The first half of the passage makes sense, the second makes my mind go in circles. I know the patches dialogue is discussing the new being incompatible with the old, but I simply cannot wrap my mind around what it means.

Stalking Jesus

With the rising conflict in Mark 2:1-3:6 over healing, tax collectors and sinners, fasting, and plucking grain and healing on the Sabbath, I begin to wonder why these Pharisees were, well, stalking Jesus. In an almost cartoon like fashion, these guys are following Him around to see if they can catch Jesus breaking some law that they so ritualistically followed. I could be wrong, but wasn't it also against the law to be out walking around on the Sabbath? I imagine them hiding behind trees as quiet as possible and then jumping out with, "AH HA! Now we got you!" But Jesus responds in ways that they cannot counter. "Curses foiled again! This guy is about to get what is coming to Him!" Jesus displays tremendous amounts of authority and power (he is the son of God after all), and this is His ultimate demise. The Pharisees see Jesus as some punk trying to take what is rightfully theirs. Jesus is seen as the inferior challenger and the Pharisees as the superior. Over and over again Jesus wins and the Pharisees loose honor and shame. When the normal systems of challenge and response are not working and the superior challengers are loosing honor and shame, someone has to die. No wonder Jesus tried to keep His identity a secret until the Gospel had been fully proclaimed.

THREE?!

Does Mark form groups of three in his book on purpose, or is this something that was went to be done for a reason. Scenes such as three boat scenes with disciples, three passion predictions, three commands to stay up and watch to the disciples, and three times they sleep. As Burridge says it appears Mark seems to just want to get the point across, which I believe is what he is doing since it is possible that more things such as the disciples in the boat could have taken place but just weren't recorded. I just find it interesting that Mark choose a three fold theme throughout some of the stories he is telling. Why didn't he choose 2 or 4 he went with three though its almost like he wants us to see this and wants it hammered in to minds as it is a very important thing we need to know.

Andy

Just a touch Mark 5:24-34

Imagine how scary it must have been for the bleeding woman when Jesus turned around asking who had just touched him. This woman was sick for twelve years and no doctor was ever able to help her but instead made matters worst. But she heard about this guy named Jesus who had healed others, and she thought to herself "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." So she saw him coming, got close enough to Jesus, reached out and grabbed his cloak. Immediately the woman was healed but then Jesus turns around and asks who touched me? Women were not though of very highly in that culture but she steps out and tells her whole story to Jesus and he just says "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." This is just another passage that just amazes me at how much power and authority Christ has, that this woman just had to grab a piece of his clothing and she was instantly healed.
Matt Justice

The Love of Christ Compells you!

In class today we talked a lot about being or "hanging" with sinners. A good way to approach this subject would be how Dr. Foster talked about the extremes of demonology and western science. Steering close to the middle is a better way to approach the lost as Jesus approached the lost, by meeting in a context that is simply not harmful to the seeker or the sought. Meeting in a bar for a Christian who has struggled with alcohol is harmful for the seeker, but meeting in a church building can be scary or intimidating to a person who isn't a Christian. Jesus met with people where they were at ease, their homes; we see this not only in the calling of Matthew, but with Zachieus. We miss this and make it awkward either for us or them, the love of Christ is compelling not expelling.