Tag: Mark

Taking on the religious guardians (Mark 12)

Jesus’ opponents were looking for an excuse to have Jesus arrested.  Here in his last week, Mark puts the focus on their attempts to trap him.  I guess that in a sense 12:1-12 forms a kind of invitation to “bring it on.” Jesus tells a parable which might also be seen as a figurative retelling… Continue reading Taking on the religious guardians (Mark 12)

Jesus for the good of the city

The other day I wrote a little bit about what it means to seek the good of the city. I was prompted to think about this because we’ve just had a week of prayer as a family of churches in Birmingham and on the Wednesday night, the theme was “For the good of the city”… Continue reading Jesus for the good of the city

A question of authority

Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem certainly was making waves.  There was something strategic about his actions.  Arriving on a donkey in line with prophetic promises of God’s anointed king arriving in such a manner, he had then gone into the Temple courtyard and caused disruption, pronouncing judgement. This was a declaration of intent. Jesus was taking… Continue reading A question of authority

Don’t miss it

We get really excited about that bit in Mark 11:22-25 which talks about having faith to move mountains. How many times have you heard it referenced in songs, prayers and sermons?  We’ve seen that in context, those words relate to Jesus having just cursed the fig tree.  Mark 11 is all about the authority that… Continue reading Don’t miss it

A redundant Temple

The Old Testament prophets promised good things for God’s Temple.  Whilst Isaiah prophesied destruction, devastation and defilement and Ezekiel and Daniel were set against the backdrop of that desolation already having happened, all the major prophets expressed hope of a coming day when God would bring his people back into the promised land, Jerusalem would… Continue reading A redundant Temple

Cursed

The cursing of the fig tree seems like one of the most peculiar events in the Gospels. What was going on there? Did Jesus just lose it with an inanimate object in the same way that I get frustrated when the internet plays up or the TV refuses to respond to the instructions I send… Continue reading Cursed

This is the moment

Spot the story arch between Mark 10 and Mark 11. At the end of chapter 10, Jesus has been interrupted on his journey through Jericho by a blind man crying to  receive his sight. Healed of his blindness, Bartimaeus now follows Jesus, joining with his disciples. When we get to chapter 11, we discover where… Continue reading This is the moment