Strong and shocking words from Jesus “Get behind me Satan”. Why does he use such strong language? It’s because he recognises in Peter’s response to his teaching that he must suffer and die one of the devil’s big temptations. Earlier we saw how the Pharisee’s demand for a sign echoed Satan’s encouragement that Jesus should… Continue reading Get behind me (Mark 8:27-38)
Tag: Mark
Food shortage? (Mark 8:13-21)
After refusing to give the Pharisees a sign, Jesus heads off with his disciples across Galilee by boat. Once again we are faced with a bread crisis. The Disciples have only remembered to bring along one loaf of bread, that’s probably a small loaf so it’s not going to feed all of them. This seems… Continue reading Food shortage? (Mark 8:13-21)
What do you need to see? (Mark 8:8-12)
Yesterday we saw Jesus willingness to repeat a sign to help his disciples get the point. Today, we find him refusing to play the Pharisee’s game and meet their demands for a sign. Are those two things in tension? Do they contradict each other? On the one hand, we’ve just said that Christ is more… Continue reading What do you need to see? (Mark 8:8-12)
Worth doing twice (Mark 8:1-7)
Sometimes I wonder what tone Mark expects us to read different episodes from his Gospel in and where the emphasis is. I imagine that 8:1 is meant to sound something like: “and the people ran out of food AGAIN.” We’ve been here before, and at first sight it looks like Galileans were poor planners. This… Continue reading Worth doing twice (Mark 8:1-7)
Halfway there? (Mark 8:1-9:1)
We are in effect at the mid-point of the Gospel here. The challenge then is whether or not people are beginning to see, hear and understand the truth about who Jesus is. In case the disciples have not learnt yet, Jesus offers a reprise of the miraculous feeding -this time with 4000 men (8:1-10). Even… Continue reading Halfway there? (Mark 8:1-9:1)
Why did Jesus heal? (Mark 7:31-37)
Mark 7 closes with another healing. Returning from Tyre and Sidon to Galilee, he is met by a man who is deaf and also unable to speak. It may well be that his muteness is a consequence of his deafness and not hearing speech. The context of the two healing miracles at the end of… Continue reading Why did Jesus heal? (Mark 7:31-37)
Scraps (Mark 7:25-30)
Jesus and the team head out from Galilee to Phoenicia, close to Tyre and Sidon. There a Gentile woman comes and asks him to heal her daughter but Jesus at first appears reluctant, he says that in the family, the children should eat first. She responds by pointing out that even dogs get to wat… Continue reading Scraps (Mark 7:25-30)
Inside out – lessons from the digestive system (Mark 7:14-23)
Perhaps one of the most helpful illustrations I’ve both seen used and used myself in pastoral conversations is this. You take a glass and you fill it with water up to the brim and then set it on a table. Then you hit it so that water spills out. You ask those observing why the… Continue reading Inside out – lessons from the digestive system (Mark 7:14-23)
Misplaced Honour (Mark 7:8-13)
The Pharisees have criticised Jesus’ disciples – and therefore by implication him – for failing to properly honour their traditions. Failure to honour those traditions, the rules and regulations of the elders or forefathers might be seen as breaking the fifth commandment -a failure to honour parents. And if they dishonoured their elders and fathers,… Continue reading Misplaced Honour (Mark 7:8-13)
When worship becomes farce (Mark 7:1-8)
Jesus receives a delegation from Jerusalem. It’s kind of like the rabbinic version of an OFSTED visit. The scribes and pharisees have come to see him, to check out what he is saying and doing, to test him and no doubt hoping to trap him. It looks like they are welcomed in and offered hospitality.… Continue reading When worship becomes farce (Mark 7:1-8)
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