The Gospel According to Mark. Teaching Series Conducted At West Side Church of God in Christ Rockford, Illinois

Transcription

1 The Gospel According to Mark Teaching Series Conducted At West Side Church of God in Christ Rockford, Illinois Maurice A. West November 2009 June 2010

2 INTRODUCTION

3 Blessings upon you, people of the most high God! As you prepare to read this study, it is my prayer that it will be a blessing to you. This study was conducted at West Side Church of God in Christ in our Friday evening teaching services. I hope this study is a blessing to you and gives you the encouragement you need to dig deeper into the Word of God. I speak blessings into your lives in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor Maurice A. West June 25, 2010

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5 THE LEGAL DISCLAIMERS There will be various translations of the Scriptures used in our study. If we depart from the King James Version, which will be our standard, what follows are the typical translations used: Amplified Bible The Amplified Bible. Copyright 1965, Zondervan Publishing House. Net Bible The Net Bible. Copyright , Biblical Studies Press NIV The New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. NKJV The New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. NLT The New Living Translation. Copyright At various times in this study, you may also find the following designations referring to reference material used to assist in putting together this study. Direct quotations will be shown in italicized text. {Adam Clarke} Adam Clarke s Commentary on the Whole Bible {David Guzik} Pastor David Guzik. Enduring Word Ministries {JF&B} The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary {Matthew Henry} Matthew Henry s Commentary on the Whole Bible in One Volume {Dake} Dake s Annotated Reference Bible {Thompson} The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible {McGee} Thru the Bible Commentary Series by Dr. J. Vernon McGee If other references, commentators, or Bible translations are used they will be identified in the text. INTRODUCTION WRITER: A man named, John Mark, wrote The Gospel of St. Mark. He accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey and abandoned the work. He could not take the pressure or something bothered him and he abruptly turned back and went home. His lack of passion for the work so enraged Paul that in their next journey, he and Barnabas had a heated argument about whether he should go with them again. Paul and Barnabas, tremendous friends, separated over this issue. In light of this, it shows the compassion and great mercy of God in that the Holy Spirit chose Mark, who started as an unfaithful servant, to record for us the works of the Faithful Servant. It also shows the spirituality and love of the early church in that Paul later re-embraced Mark as special to him but Mark also paid the price for that respect. COLOSSIANS 4:10 NLT Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas s cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way. Rome, where Paul was imprisoned at the time of this epistle was 1,200 miles from Colossae. (This is the distance from Chicago to Miami, Florida, and would have been travelled on foot.) Mark showed his great concern for Paul by travelling that distance, and not a few times, and Paul wanted to make sure that when Mark returned to the region that he was well received. Maurice A. West Page 1 of 120

6 PHILEMON 1:23-24 NLT Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers. Notice how Paul was careful to mention Mark again. 2 TIMOTHY 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. The man that was once unprofitable has become profitable because God, and the Church, gave him a second chance. Praise God for His love and for the love of His people! Mark was said to be a companion of Peter (when Peter was miraculously released from prison, he went right to the home of Mark s family, Acts 12:12), and therefore, the Gospel of Mark contains primarily the views of Peter even though it is clear that Mark was probably an eyewitness to many of these events. {Matthew Henry} Marcus was a Roman name, and a very common one, and yet we have no reason to think, but that he was by birth a Jew; but as Saul, when he went among the nations, took the Roman name of Paul, so he of Mark, his Jewish name perhaps being Mardocai. As in many books in the Bible and books written before there were good, sound forms of preservation of the author, there is some controversy as to whether the Mark mentioned in the Scriptures is the author and whether there were two people named Mark. One thing seems to be universally accepted, though, and that is the fact that the author of the Gospel was a pupil of Peter and the accounts come primarily from Peter. 1 PETER 5:13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son. {Matthew Henry} Though it is true Mark was no apostle, yet we have all the reason in the world to think that both he and Luke were of the number of the seventy disciples, who accompanied with the apostles all along (Acts 1:21), who had a commission like that of the apostles (Luke 10:19, compared with Mark 16:18), and who, it is highly probable, received the Holy Ghost when they did (Acts 1:15; 2:1-4), so that it is no diminishing at all to the validity or value of this gospel, that Mark was not one of the twelve, as Matthew and John were. St. Jerome said that, after the writing of this gospel, he went into Egypt, and was the first that preached the gospel at Alexandria, where he founded a church, to which he was a great example of holy living. {Ray Stedman} If you would like to meet Mark personally, turn to the 14th chapter of this Gospel for the only account of Mark s appearance among the disciples. This is the account of the passion of our Lord as He is moving to the cross, just after He was captured in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the middle of the account, we suddenly read these words (verse 51-52): And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: 52 And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. No other Gospel tells us that, and it is almost certain that this is Mark. He was the son of a rich woman in Jerusalem and it is very likely that his mother owned the house in which the disciples met in the upper room. Mark, therefore, was present at some of these events. Almost certainly this incident is included, because he himself was involved. Maurice A. West Page 2 of 120

7 DATE: {JF&B} Regarding the date of this Gospel--about which nothing certain is known--if the tradition reported can be relied on that it was written at Rome, after the departure (or death) of Peter and Paul, we may date it somewhere between the years 64 and 68; but in all likelihood this is too late. It is probably nearer the truth to date it eight or ten years earlier. For this reason, we can agree with Dake who says the book was written around AD within the first 30 years of the New Testament church age. This is important because it points to the fact that Mark may have been an eyewitness to the events of his Gospel. STATISTICS: {Dake} The Gospel of St. Mark is the 41st book of the Bible. It contains 16 chapters and 678 verses. BACKGROUND AND WHY THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN: {Ray C. Stedman} The Gospel of Mark, the second book in the New Testament, is 16 short chapters long, the briefest of all the Gospels, and therefore easy to read in one sitting. Its brevity is probably the reason it is the most often translated book of the New Testament. This Gospel has a completely different atmosphere from the (other) Gospels. We make a mistake if we think these four Gospels are four biographies of the Lord. They are not biographies at all, they are character sketches, intended to be different, intended to present different points of view. Therefore, they constitute four distinct views of our Lord and of his work. The Gospel of Matthew is written to present Christ as the King. THE GOSPEL OF MARK PRESENTS [CHRIST] AS A SERVANT. The Gospel of Luke presents him as the Son of man---as man in his essential humanity. The Gospel of John presents him as the Son of God, and there you find the greatest claims for His deity. It is also noteworthy that the recipients of these Gospels were different. Matthew wrote his Gospel primarily for the Jews, and it is filled with references and quotations from the Old Testament. In Matthew you have the fulfillment of the sacrificial feast with which the Jews were so familiar. But Mark writes his Gospel for the Roman mind. This is the Gospel that has the most Latin words in it--- the Gospel of haste and action, characteristics of Rome. The key words in this book are straightway and immediately. The word straightway, which means immediately; without loss of time; without delay, appears 19 times and the word immediately appears 17 times. These words point to the mission and focus of Jesus in completing His task within a short period of time. Maurice A. West Page 3 of 120

8 AUTHOR S NOTE: Throughout the text, I have added what I call Saints Principles (key points directed to all Christians) and Leadership Principles (key points directed primarily to church leaders especially pastors). The intention of these principles is to point out truths, as I see them, based on something that has occurred in the Scripture. Finally, as we prepare to go into this study, we have a three-fold purpose for this study. While going through this Gospel, as we do with all of the Gospels, it is our intention to: Expose myths Fables and nice ideas that are not Scriptural. Uncover truths Key information that may have been missed in other studies. Find out who Jesus Christ really is according to the Scripture. Maurice A. West Page 4 of 120

9 Chapter 1 {McGee} There probably is more content in this first chapter of Mark than any other chapter in the Bible (with the exception of Gen. 1). It covers the ministry of John the Baptist, after going back to the prophecies of Isaiah and Malachi. It takes in the first year s ministry of Jesus and follows Him through a busy Sabbath day. It concludes with the mighty work of cleansing the leper. In spite of the pressure of a busy life, Jesus took time to pray. INTRODUCTION: {McGee} This chapter of crowded content is made striking by the absence of genealogy which is so prominent in Matthew. A King must have a genealogy. A Servant needs references, not a birth certificate. It is not a question as to His ancestors, rather as to His actions can He do the job? Jehovah s Servant is marked out here by His accomplishments. THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST 1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; Mark starts his book with a statement that tells us what his book is about it is an account of the Good News (Gospel) of a man named Jesus Christ who is the Son of God. He does not begin his gospel like Luke or Matthew, with a genealogy or like John with events leading up to the ministry of Jesus. He just goes right into ACTION (an attribute that the Romans liked) and introduces Jesus Christ as the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The Gospel didn t begin with the Lord Jesus but it began with John the Baptist for his work fulfilled the prophecy from Malachi 3:1. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Mark also puts in here the prophecy from Isaiah 40:3. Both together tell the story of the ministry of John the Baptist. 4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. This baptism is similar to water baptism after salvation except John s baptism was looking FORWARD to the remission (the cancellation of a debt, charge, or penalty) of sin. Since Christ had not yet fulfilled His mission, this benefit of salvation was not yet available. 5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. The spirit of revival was in the land! The people came from everywhere to the Jordan River to not only be baptized but to publicly confess their sins. There was an anticipation of God preparing to do something that had not been experienced before in their history. {Adam Clarke} It was an invariable custom among the Jews to admit no proselyte to baptism, till he had, in the most solemn manner, declared that he forever had renounced all idolatrous worship, all heathenish superstitions, and promised an entire and unreserved submission to the law of Moses. This was necessary for a proselyte adult [and] a child dedicated to God by baptism must be brought up in this faith. 6 And John was clothed with camel s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; Why was John s attire important? {Matthew Henry} In John s way of living there was the beginning of a gospel spirit; for it [showed] great self-denial, mortification of the flesh, a holy contempt of the world, and nonconformity to it, which may truly be called the Maurice A. West Page 5 of 120

10 beginning of the gospel of Christ in any soul. SAINT S PRINCIPLE: {Matthew Henry} The more we sit loose to the body, and live above the world, the better we are prepared for Jesus Christ. LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE: The attire and life of John the Baptist showed a reluctance to touch anything that would distract him from the mission. 7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. 8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. John s message matched his attire. His focus was not on eloquence or lifting himself up. He focused on the One that he was sent to introduce. He also made sure that his audience understood that the steps they had taken so far were not the end because the Lord Jesus had more for them through the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. {Adam Clarke} As if he had said: This baptism is not to be rested in; it is only an emblem of that which you must receive from him who is mightier than I. It is he only who can communicate the Holy Spirit; and water baptism is nothing, but as it points out, and leads to, the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. THE BAPTISM OF JESUS CHRIST 9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. This baptism took place in the upper part of Jordan near Galilee so it wasn t a great distance for the Lord to travel. (See my notes on John 1:28). 10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: The account of the baptism of the Lord Jesus is one of the few events mentioned in all four Gospels. The Second Person of the Trinity came out of the water and Third Person of the Trinity descended upon Him like a dove. 11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. With the events of the previous verse complete, the First Person of the Trinity speaks from heaven. These two verses together provide significant evidence of the proof of the doctrine of the Trinity. We have all three persons of the Godhead represented. It also disproves the MYTH of the Jesus only doctrine (this recent doctrine, which came to light over the last 75 years, says that Jesus Christ is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost there is none in the Godhead but Jesus only). Why would Jesus split Himself all of these ways? In addition, the Apostle John gives a clear word to support the Trinity in his first epistle: 1 JOHN 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. THE TEMPATION OF JESUS CHRIST 12 And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. The Holy Spirit did not move upon the Lord to make him feel good but to move Him into a place of trial and testing by the devil. SAINT S & LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE: We must be careful what test we use to figure out if the Lord is leading us His direction does not always follow the model we expect. 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. There are detailed accounts of the temptations of the Lord in Maurice A. West Page 6 of 120

11 Matthew and Luke. Mark chooses to summarize it in this one passage, which tells us the temptation was not only spiritual ( tempted of Satan ) but also natural ( with the wild beasts ) and there was a blessing in success ( the angels ministered unto him ). THE BEGINNING OF CHRIST S MINISTRY 14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, One of the most difficult principles to grasp in today s worldly, success-oriented Church was one taught by John the Baptist in JOHN 3:30 where John says of his relationship to Christ, He must increase, but I must decrease. We don t like that principle because it contradicts many of our MYTHS that says we ll always be blessed. However, God has a succession plan (a means to continue the growth of the Church as one leader fades off the scene) and, for it to be most effective, He can t have the people confused by multiple leaders. How did John decrease? God allowed him to be imprisoned which stopped his ministry. Once that occurred, the Lord returned to Galilee after His temptation and began preaching the Gospel. We don t know where He was during the temptation, and that s probably irrelevant, but we know He followed the leading of the Spirit because as John s preaching stopped, His preaching began. {Matthew Henry} When he had finished his testimony, then Jesus began his. The silencing of Christ s ministers shall not be the suppressing of Christ s gospel; if some be laid aside, others shall be raised up, perhaps mightier than they, to carry on the same work. 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. The Lord s message had four parts: (1) URGENCY the time is fulfilled, the time is NOW. The best Bible scholars have to understand time to be effective. God always works on time and those that understand the times are blessed and comforted during rough times. (We need people in the church today with the spirit of the men of Issachar: 1 CHRONICLES 12:32 And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the TIMES, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.) This time also speaks to urgency or an opportunity that will not always be present. People today have allowed so much baggage to come into their lives that it appears to be difficult for them to make an URGENT decision for Christ. However, the same urgency we used to get IN to our situation has to be used to get OUT. (2) THE KINGDOM OF GOD, which is God extending His rule over the universe into the earth, is about to break forth upon mankind. God s promise of intervening in human existence that He made in the Garden of Eden after the Fall is about to take place. He s allowed the devil to rule for thousands of years but now He s going to step in with a remedy for restoration of fellowship to God. (3) REPENTANCE (change what you re doing for the better) in order to prepare for what God is about to do. {McGee} When you turn to Jesus Christ in faith, you are actually turning to Maurice A. West Page 7 of 120

12 Him from something else, and that turning from something is repentance. If there was not that turning from something, then apparently there was not a real turning to Christ. It is true that if there is a real turning to Christ, there will be a manifestation of a change in the life showing that the believer is turning from something. Repentance is essential but repentance is not enough. Many repent and turned to Islam or Buddhism. Religions require some type of repentance but to be saved and in fellowship with God, you must go to the next step. (4) BELIEVE the Gospel whose central and singular figure is Jesus Christ. ACTS 4:12 The Message Bible Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this One. And that one name is Jesus Christ. The Gospel has one message, one central figure, one central theme, and one viewpoint and that s all found in the person of Jesus Christ. THE CALL OF THE EARLY APOSTLES 16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw SIMON and ANDREW his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. This was not the first time that the Lord had run into Simon, Andrew, James, and John. He met them before when John the Baptist was ministering (see John 1:35-42). We know that meeting was before this one because John is now in prison a place he will not leave alive. Jesus had worked to develop a relationship with them at that time because that is when He gave Simon the nickname of Peter, or Cephas (see John 1:42). SIDE ROAD: When I first titled this section, I called it The Call of the First Apostles. However, if the Gospel timeline is accurate, Philip and Nathanael were called before Simon and Andrew (see John 1:43-39) and they accepted the call more readily. 17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. The call of the Lord is not a call to a religion or a denomination. We must never forget that He invites people to follow HIM no matter how great we think our church is. Once we dilute His call by emphasizing our doctrine, our religion, our style of worship, or anything about us, we have moved away from the purity of His call. His call is also conditional. If you do something (come after Him), He ll do something (develop us into fishers of men). 18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. They followed Him for now but we ll soon see that they did not completely forsake their nets at this time. Peter especially had a problem with holding on to the Lord even returning to fishing after the Resurrection. However, if God can do something for him, He can certainly do something for all of us! 19 And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw JAMES the son of Zebedee, and JOHN his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. James and John were in the fishing business with their father. John probably met the Lord with Andrew during the ministry of John the Baptist (see my prior reference in John 1). 20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. We gain a very subtle view of the life of James and John in this verse. Maurice A. West Page 8 of 120

13 First, we know that they followed the Lord Jesus and left the family business to do so. But did you see who they left behind with their father? They left the hired servants. This means that they came from a family of means and gave this up to follow the Lord. Why is this important? Too often people portray Christianity as the religion for the poor and downtrodden. These men were neither but they left what they had to follow Jesus. SAINT S PRINCIPLE: Christianity isn t just for poor people; it s for ALL people. SIDE ROAD: I know we re often excited about the call of the original disciples and we have reason to be. However, their decision was not made hastily and their deliverance was not immediate. This is now the second call of the Lord to these men. The first occurred in John 1 (we ve talked about that), this is now the second, and Luke brings out the third and final, which is AFTER the Lord healed Peter s mother-in-law (later in this chapter) and they have gone back to fishing (see Luke 5). Even then Jesus was the God of a second chance! THE CALL OF THE EARLY APOSTLES 21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. Jesus made His way to church on the Sabbath day. What day of the week that was is unimportant it was the accepted Lord s Day of that time and the Lord made His way to church on that day. SAINT S QUESTION: Since going to church was important to the Lord, shouldn t it be important to us? Once the Lord got to church, He made Himself busy in the church. {David Guzik} Typically, the synagogue had no set teachers; the custom of the freedom of the synagogue, where learned guests were invited to speak on the Scripture reading for that day gave Jesus the opportunity to preach. We need to define two key words out of this verse that will be important for the remainder of our study. Both definitions are from Nelson s Bible Dictionary: SYNAGOGUE a congregation of Jews for worship or religious study. The word synagogue comes from [a] Greek word, which refers to any assembly or gathering of people for secular or religious purposes. Eventually the term came to refer exclusively to an assembly of Jewish people. The synagogue was a place where local groups of Jews in cities and villages anywhere could gather for the reading and explanation of the Jewish sacred Scriptures and for prayer. The original emphasis was not on preaching but instruction in the Law of Moses. The earliest Christians were Jews. Therefore, church worship followed the synagogue pattern with Scripture reading, prayer, and a sermon. CAPERNAUM [kuh PURR nay uhm] (village of Nahum) the most important city on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee in New Testament times and the center of much of Jesus ministry. Capernaum is not mentioned in the Old Testament, and the Nahum after whom it was named is probably not the prophet Nahum. In all likelihood, Capernaum was founded sometime after the Jews returned from captivity. By the New Testament era, Capernaum was large enough that it always was called a city (Matt. 9:1; Mark 1:33). It had its own synagogue, in which Jesus frequently taught (Mark 1:21; Luke 4:31 38; John 6:59). Apparently the synagogue was built by the Roman soldiers garrisoned in Capernaum (Matt. 8:8; Luke 7:1 10). The synagogue was a center for the Roman system of taxation; for it had a permanent office of taxation (Matt. 9:9; Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27), and Maurice A. West Page 9 of 120

14 itinerant tax collectors operated in the city (Matt. 17:24). After being rejected in His hometown, Nazareth, Jesus made Capernaum the center of His ministry in Galilee. He performed many miracles here, including the healing of the centurion s paralyzed servant (Matt. 8:5 13), a paralytic carried by four friends (Mark 2:1 12), Peter s mother-in-law (Matt. 8:14 15; Mark 1:29 31), and the nobleman s son (John 4:46 54). As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee near Capernaum, He called the fishermen Simon, Andrew, James, and John to be his disciples (Mark 1:16 21, 29). It was also in His own city (Capernaum) that Jesus called the tax collector Matthew (Matt. 9:1, 9; Mark 2:13 14). Immediately following the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus delivered His discourse on the Bread of Life near this city (John 6:32). 22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. {David Guzik} The scribes of Jesus day rarely taught boldly. They would often simply quote a variety of Rabbis as interpreters. Jesus taught with boldness. The Lord s teaching was His own teaching rather the quotations of other scholars. HE told us what to do. {McGee} Here we see the effect of the potency of truth and the manner of this Man. The criticism against the church today and against the ministry is that we do not speak with authority. The synagogue offered nothing vital in that day, and as a result, when our Lord spoke, they were astonished at His doctrine. Let this be a caution against our churches embracing the same spirit and offering nothing vital in this day. 23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Notice where the devil was he was IN the synagogue, the church of that day. The very presence of Jesus made him uncomfortable and he cried out with a loud voice. SAINT S PRINCIPLE: If the devil came to church in that day knowing that Jesus would be there, he has no problem coming to our churches today. (Remember this verse to help those that feel like everyone in church today is a hypocrite so they won t go. This is not a new thing.) 24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. There are a couple of things we need to understand about our adversary out of this verse: First, he does not have God s attribute of omniscience (knowing everything) to know everything including our future. He didn t even know HIS future here so why do you worry about him knowing yours? Second, once he met the Lord, he had a scheme to discredit the Lord by lifting Him up and making it appear that the Lord was aligned with an obviously demon possessed man. Wouldn t that have played well with those that said He cast out demons by the prince of demons? 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. 26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. We often see where demons, upon being cast out, tore their hosts. Another translation speaks of convulsions. SAINT S PRINCIPLE: Demons don t leave easily (which is why the practice is known as casting out devils) so don t allow yourself to get into a position where you have to go through this. Maurice A. West Page 10 of 120

15 27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. 28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. It s interesting that what people don t understand, they talk about. They were amazed and questioning but had to tell someone what Jesus had done. THE LORD S HEALING MINISTRY BEGINS 29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Take note of this interesting but obscure point Simon and Andrew lived together. The next verse will show us that they had extended families in this house. {JF&B} The mention of these four--which is peculiar to Mark--is the first of those traces of Peter s hand in this Gospel. 30 But Simon s wife s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. Not only was Andrew there but also Simon s wife, mother-in-law, and possibly other members of his family. SIDE ROAD: The Catholic Church teaches that Peter was the first pope of Rome and, as an example to future priests, was unmarried. However, he either was married or a widower taking care of his late wife s mother when he met the Lord. 31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. Another Gospel says that the Lord rebuked the fever. Either way, a touch or a rebuke, He showed His mastery over sickness and disease. 32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. Look at how the people were in bondage because of the false teaching and traditions of the religious leaders! The waited until sunset because that was the end of the Sabbath. The Jewish leaders had the people in such bondage that they refused to go after their healing until they had satisfied their traditions. (These are the same ones that taught that there were six days in the week to be healed but not on the Sabbath day. Obviously, they had never been sick.) SAINTS PRINCIPLE: Don t allow people to put you in bondage with teaching that does not line up with the Word of God but make sure you rightly divide the Word of Truth. Be careful with this principle because some have found themselves in disobedience and rebellion because they didn t fully understand this principle. 33 And all the city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. This probably went on until very late in the night because they had never experienced anyone like Christ and the same remains true today. THE LORD S TRAVELING PREACHING MINISTRY BEGINS 35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. You would think, after such a busy day before, the Lord would use Maurice A. West Page 11 of 120

16 this next day to sleep in but He disciplined Himself to stay the course and begin it with prayer and time with God. 36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. {JF&B} Mark, having his information from Peter himself, speaks only of what related directly to him. They that were with him would probably be Andrew his brother, James and John, with a few other choice brethren. 37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. 38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. At a time when the carnal minded person would feel very smug and satisfied with their accomplishments and be ready to accept compliments and awards, the Lord moves on to other towns before the multitude catches up with Him and detains Him. He was more focused on His mission than the praise of men. 39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. The Lord preached out Galilee (an old term meaning that He fully spread the Gospel in that region) during His three-year ministry. This was only the beginning. SIDE ROAD: There are three things about the Lord s ministry that I saw in this passage: (1) Prayer (private prayer) was more important to the Lord Jesus than His physical well-being. He deserved some rest after such an exhausting night. Ministering to people is physically taxing but He shows an example of the importance of prayer and time with God. (2) The accolades of the people did not move Him but He stayed focus on His ministerial mission. How many great ministries have been destroyed because the preacher lost focus? Once the preacher loses focus, they are no longer fit for the task. (3) Because He had the two prior attributes, He successfully preached out Galilee and remained a force against the devil. THE LORD HEALS A LEPER 40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. There is probably a break in time here because Matthew puts this incident after the Sermon on the Mount and Luke puts it out further when the Lord taught from Peter s ship. Notice this man s faith! He said, My healing will happen based on what YOU want to do. His worship also indicated that he knew who the Lord was. 41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. {McGee} There is a tremendous psychological side to this miracle. One doesn t touch a leper. This man hadn t been touched in many years. Nor had he been able to touch anyone. I imagine his family brought out the food and drink for him, left it, and after they had retired he would come up and get it. He probably could wave to them, but he could never come to them again, never hold them in his arms, never touch them. But now the Lord touches this man, and He cleanses him! This is one of the most powerful verses in the New Testament because it points to the great compassion of the Lord Jesus. Maurice A. West Page 12 of 120

17 42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. 43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; 44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. NLT Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning: 44 Don t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the Law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed. (See Leviticus 14:2-32 for the details on this.) Every healing can stand the scrutiny of today s physicians just as the Lord commanded the man to fulfill the requirements of the Law so he could publicly and officially be declared free of leprosy. But he chose to go his own direction a move he should not have made no matter how excited he was. 45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter. This man s lack of obedience and lack of discipline cost many, who could not go out to see Him, the opportunity to experience the ministry of Jesus firsthand. {McGee} The Lord told him not to tell anybody and he told everybody. He tells us to tell everybody and we tell nobody. Maurice A. West Page 13 of 120

18 Chapter 2 In this chapter, we will begin to slowly move away from the popularity of Christ to the confrontations He experienced from the religious leaders. This is especially true in this chapter, and sets the stage ultimately for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. A PARALYZED MAN HEALED 1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. The house that the Lord entered was the home of Peter and Andrew. This was the home He used as His base when He was in Capernaum. What we have in this passage is the eyewitness account of the Apostle Peter of the events that occurred in his home. 2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. The mere presence of the Lord Jesus drew a crowd that could not fit into the house where He was staying but overflowed outside of the house. They could not even get into the door. The Lord used this opportunity to preach to the people. His preaching was not of great philosophers, of a church doctrine, or of a Jewish theme but His preaching was Word based. MINISTRY PRINCIPLE: There are two things that the minister of the Gospel must see out of this verse: People come because of Christ. An immediate multitude is not drawn by our programs or preaching abilities. Remember, the fact that He was back in town was only based on hearsay and rumors. This was enough to draw a MULTITUDE to a house where He had ministered before. The people wanted Christ. Once the people came for Christ, He gave them what they really needed the Word. I remember how I encouraged my son to attend a certain church and when he got there the preacher spent all of his ministry time on a social issue. It was an important issue but it was time for the Word. People come for Christ and for Christ only. GIVE THEM CHRIST! 3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. According to Unger, the disease of palsy was a disease of paralysis and typically involved the lower limbs. Apparently in this case, the disease had spread to all of the man s body because they brought him on a bed (a gurney). A beautiful aspect of this verse is that whatever physical issue this man had, he had people that loved him. He had four friends that had no problem in seeing to it that they brought him to Jesus. But they weren t satisfied with just getting him to the meeting, they wanted to make sure that Jesus saw and dealt with the man s condition. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. THESE MEN BELIEVED IN JESUS! They were intent on their friend getting in front of Jesus for his healing. They were so confident of this that they tore off the roof of someone else s house to make sure that their friend would be right in front of Jesus. Just seeing their determination, fueled by their faith, to get their friend in front of the Lord makes me wonder about myself. Would I go Maurice A. West Page 14 of 120

19 that far for my friend? Maybe I would for a friend but all we know of these men is that they carried the man that was sick. Maybe he was just an acquaintance. Would I go that far for an acquaintance? 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. Interesting! The faith of these men ( Jesus saw THEIR faith ) helped the soul of this man. Of course, the man was part of the their faith also. The first thing that Christ was concerned about was this man s soul in spite of the fact that he had an obvious physical need. 6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Luke says that there were doctors of the Law in the audience. Isn t it amazing how that those that wanted and needed Jesus had to break up the roof to get to Him while His accusers came early and got seats IN the house? SAINT S PRINCIPLE: We must be careful not to allow those with no heart for Christ to show more passion to discredit Him than we do in lifting Him up. 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? As a quick side road, don t build a doctrine based on the accusation of the scribes but the Scripture does bear out the truth of their words this time. This is the first time that Christ has thrown out such a tremendous challenge as to say that He can forgive sins. They had never heard this before from a man but they were too evil or too cowardly to confront Him directly. (I say that they were evil and cowardly because, as scribes and doctors of the Law, their responsibility was to protect the people from heresy and false teaching. If this was blasphemy, it needed to be confronted directly and not through murmuring and thoughts in their minds, but they were afraid of His popularity.) SAINT S PRINCIPLE: Popularity does not take precedence over the Truth. Look how Christ used their words to snare them in the next passage. Since God is the only one that can forgive sin, He has to also be the only one that can heal an incurable disease like the palsy. SAINT S PRINCIPLE: Christ never backs down from a challenge. 8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. The Lord Jesus accepted their challenge and threw a challenge back to them which is easier to SAY to this sick man, Your sins are forgiven or Arise, take up your bed and walk? The challenge He threw down was if He can cure the incurable lying before Him then He also has the power to forgive sins ( But that ye may KNOW that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins ). They did not question this challenge but accepted it. What will they do if they re wrong? {Matthew Henry} This was a suitable argument in itself. He could not have cured the disease, which was the effect, if he could not have taken away the sin, which was the cause. And besides, his curing diseases was a figure of his pardoning sin, for sin is the disease of the soul; when it is pardoned, it is healed. Maurice A. West Page 15 of 120

20 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. Look how the man with the palsy cooperated with the Lord for the verse says, immediately he arose. We re often excited about the faith of the four men who broke up the roof but this man had the faith to believe that he could do what the physicians and his body said he could not do based on the Word of Christ. Therefore, because of his faith, he IMMEDIATELY got up! It does not say that he received strength to get up but he made the conscious decision within himself based on his faith in Jesus Christ that his days of lying in that bed had come to an end. The other interesting point about this verse comes from the words of the people they glorified God because they had never seen it on this fashion. They did not glorify God for the great things that had occurred to their fellow man nor did they glorify God because a great prophet was in their midst. No, they were excited because they saw something new. This shows us the fickleness of the people, which will become very obvious later in His ministry. SAINT S PRINCIPLE: Once things get old, people will change. However, we certainly cannot deny the fact that Christ s works were without precedent. THE CALL OF MATTHEW (LEVI) 13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. This is still the year of the Lord s popularity so the multitudes have no problem with Him because following Him was the thing to do at that time. {Matthew Henry} Christ preached by the seaside, [where] he went for room, because he found, upon second trial, no house or street large enough to contain [Him]. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. {David Guzik} Levi (also known as Matthew in Matthew 9:9) was a tax collector. In that day, tax collectors were despised as traitors and extortionists. The Jewish people rightly considered them traitors because they worked for the Roman government, and had the force of Roman soldiers behind them to make people pay taxes. They were the most visible Jewish collaborators with Rome. The Jewish people rightly considered them extortionists because they could keep whatever they over-collected. A tax collector bid among others for the tax collecting contract. For example, many tax collectors might want to have the tax contract for a city like Capernaum. The Romans awarded the contract to the highest bidder. The man collected taxes, paid the Romans what he promised, and kept the remainder. Therefore, there was a lot of incentive for tax collectors to over-charge and cheat any way they could. It was pure profit for them. When you look at the words from Pastor Guzik, it makes you realize that Matthew was probably a man that was doing pretty well financially since he had the contract to collect taxes in a city the size of Capernaum. However, he gave that up to follow Jesus. When he did that, there was no turning back. No doubt, someone else had his job before the week was out. Maurice A. West Page 16 of 120

21 SIDE ROAD: There is some speculation and mystery about Matthew (Levi). We know he was a tax collector and a man of means. Mark is the only writer to point out that he was the son of Alphaeus, which may have made him the brother of the apostle, James the Less (not the James who is the brother of John). ({Matthew Henry} This Levi is here said to be the son of Alpheus or Cleophas, husband to that Mary who was sister or near kinswoman to the virgin Mary and if so, he was own brother to James the less, and Jude, and Simon the Canaanite, so that there were four brothers of them apostles. ) Another points out that Matthew may have been the name given to him by the Lord who often gave special names to His disciples. Others are undecided about whether he died a natural death or was martyred. However, none of these things are really that important. That which is important is what the Scripture has told us he was a tax collector, a man of means, and a man that brought many to Christ, which we ll see in the next verse. 15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. Obviously Matthew had a large house since there were MANY at this dinner. The Scripture says that these publicans and sinners followed Jesus. Perhaps Matthew is directly responsible for this. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? What an ugly attitude toward people that followed Christ! What frightens me is that this is the attitude so often displayed among Pentecostal Holiness people, the people that I minister to. Will our Holy Ghost be diminished by going among those that don t know the Lord like we do? Will we pick up some spiritual disease by going among those that need Christ? Will we ruin our reputation in this manner? Abraham Lincoln said, Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. If we have the right character, our reputation will not be tarnished and we can do the work of the Lord wherever He would lead. 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. When the Lord used the word righteous, He was speaking of the SELF-righteous. There s nothing that can be done with the self-righteous but those that are willing to acknowledge their sin want Christ. JESUS GIVES CLARITY ON FASTING 18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? This is another accusation by the self-righteous: Since we, the disciples of John fast, and the Pharisees fast, why don t YOUR disciples fast? I thought at first that it might be an honest question but John is currently in prison and has told his followers to follow Christ. Therefore, these are NOT very good disciples of John or, as so often happens, they refuse to get with the program. 19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. {David Guzik} Rabbis known in the days of Jesus declared that if the observance of any law came in the way of having a good time during a wedding, you didn t have to keep the law. You could just go and have a Maurice A. West Page 17 of 120

22 good time. This is an interesting law and, as the Lord often did, He used their law against them. His key point, though, was that fasting has its appropriate place. I teach that fasting should be entered into with wisdom in order to keep the sanctity of the fast. Here s an excerpt, which, I think, might help us understand what the Lord is trying to say: There is a sacredness in fasting that goes beyond any other Christian discipline. The fast is a secret, private affair between you and the Father. If you don t work to keep it sacred and secret, you will lose the benefits of the fast. Now why have I said this? Many times I have been at banquets, church dinners, and other functions that involved food when I, and others, have been faced with a person who is not eating and is making an obvious point of the fact that they are fasting. Before the engagement is over, everyone is uncomfortable [because] someone who has not obeyed God has disturbed the sacredness of their fast. Since a fast is sacred and private, you need to prepare for it adequately. ( The Fasting Seminar, by Maurice A. West available at The Lord let them know that His brief time on earth was not the time to fast. However, before we do as others and throw out fasting as a Christian discipline, let us read on. 20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. NLT But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. Let s be clear Jesus Christ said that we should fast now that He has gone back to heaven. I ve heard people say that fasting is an Old Testament discipline but the Lord Jesus Christ said that His people should fast when the bridegroom (Christ Himself) is taken away. That seems very clear to me. PARABLE OF THE GARMENT AND BOTTLES 21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles. This parable is a continuation of the Lord giving clarity on fasting. {Dake} [This parable] illustrates renewal of life with God, how the old and new systems of religion cannot be mixed, and how the disciples were going through a process to fit them for the responsibilities of the new religion when He would leave them. In like fashion, the new Christian cannot bring baggage from the sinful life to the life of Christ. This is why the born again process is so important it represents our spiritual extreme makeover. {David Guzik} The religious establishment of any age is not necessarily pleasing to Jesus. Sometimes it is in direct opposition to, or at least resisting His work. THE FIRST SABBATH DAY CONTROVERSY 23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the Sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. This seems like no big deal but you have to watch two words in this verse Sabbath and pluck. Any type of work on the Sabbath was strictly forbidden (unless it worked to the advantage of the religious leaders). Maurice A. West Page 18 of 120

23 24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful? The violation of the Sabbath, as brought out clearly in the Gospel of St. Matthew and it was the primary reason that the religious leaders felt that it was necessary to destroy Jesus. In reading the Gospels, I always thought it amazing how the Pharisees and the scribes were always around; in this case they were even around when they went through a cornfield. This is a good lesson for us today when dealing with the enemy of our souls never drop your guard! 25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungered, he, and they that were with him? 26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the showbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? The Lord s first argument against their accusation is that they had an example in the one that they held supreme only Moses held a higher place in their minds. If King David could eat the showbread because he was hungry, why could they not pluck corn and eat it because they were hungry? 27 And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: 28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath. The Lord s second argument focused on the purpose of the Sabbath. Yes, it is holy and yes, it is sacred, but it exists to refresh man. The Sabbath represents a benefit to man. Therefore, the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) has authority over the Sabbath. {David Guzik} If He, the very Lord of the Sabbath, was not offended by His disciple s actions, then these sideline critics should not have been either. Because the Sabbath was such a critical part of the Jewish religious system in those days, the Lord has just opened the door to the Cross in what He has said but He knew that. Maurice A. West Page 19 of 120

24 Chapter 3 This is a chapter of confrontations, not only from the religious leaders but we ll end the chapter with confrontation from His own family including His mother. A MAN HEALED ON THE SABBBATH 1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. The original Greek suggests that the man s hand was as useless as if it had been dried up. 2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day; that they might accuse him. Of course, they are the religious leaders the scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, and doctors of the Law. Jesus ministry has not been going on that long but they already see Him as a threat. {David Guzik} The critics of Jesus expected Him to heal this man with the withered hand. By their expectation, they admitted that Jesus had the power of God to work miracles. At this point, let s get some background on the Sabbath as first understood through Old Testament Scriptures and then as applied by the religious leaders of our Lord s time because it will be a key issue in the remainder of our study of this Gospel. This is now the second time that it has caused a direct confrontation in the life of Christ. The following highlights about the application of the Sabbath in the Jewish religion are from Meaning of the Sabbath The Sabbath was the consecration of one day of the [week] to God as the Author of the universe and of time. The day thus being the Lord s, it required that man should abstain from working for his own ends and interests, since by working he would [be giving] the day to himself, and that he should devote his activity to God by special acts of positive worship. o The Sabbath was a day of rest sanctified to the Lord (Ex. 16:23; 31:15; Deut. 5:14). o All work was forbidden, the prohibition including strangers as well as Israelites, beasts as well as men (Exodus 20:8-10; 31:13-17; Deuteronomy 5:12-14). The following particular actions are mentioned as forbidden: cooking (Exodus 16:23); gathering manna (Exodus 16:26); plowing and reaping (Exodus 34:21); lighting a fire (for cooking, Exodus 35:3); gathering wood (Numbers 15:32); carrying burdens (Jeremiah 17:21-22); pressing grapes, bringing in sheaves, and loading animals (Nehemiah 13:15). o [Originally] travelling, at least with a religious object, was not forbidden, the prohibition of Exodus 16:29, referring only to leaving the camp to gather food. At a later period, however, all movement was restricted to a distance of 2,000 cubits (between five and six furlongs), or a Sabbath day s journey (Acts 1:12). Willful violation of the Sabbath was to be punished with death (Exodus 31:14-15 Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it [is] holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth [any] work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his Maurice A. West Page 20 of 120

25 people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh [is] the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth [any] work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.) [After the return of the Jews from the Babylonian Captivity], a movement set in towards an [overly careful] observance, which went far beyond what the law contemplated. At the time of the Macabees [(during the period between Malachi and Matthew)] the faithful Jews allowed themselves to be massacred rather than fight on the Sabbath. Under the influence of [the Pharisees] a system of minute and burdensome regulations was elaborated, while the higher purpose of the Sabbath was lost sight of. [One interpretation of the Law provides] thirty-nine main heads of forbidden actions, each with subdivisions. Among the main heads are such trifling actions as weaving two threads, sewing two stitches, writing two letters, etc. To pluck two ears of wheat was considered as reaping, while to rub them was a [form] of threshing. To carry an object the weight of a fig was carrying a burden; hence to carry a bed was a gross breach of the Sabbath. [According to the Pharisees] it was unlawful to cure on the Sabbath, or to apply a remedy unless life was endangered. 3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. Jesus knew that His accusers were waiting to pounce so He used this as a time to confront them first. 4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. {David Guzik} There is never a wrong day to do something truly good. This question was not directed to the Law of Moses but to the Pharisees interpretation of the Law, which kept the people in bondage and made a life in service to God empty and drudgery. 5 And when he had looked round about on them WITH ANGER, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. Notice that Christ looked round about on the leaders as if they were many and, possibly, surrounding Him. In spite of that, their numbers did not move Him. The Greek word for anger (orge) here is translated wrath 31 times, anger 3 times, vengeance 1 time, and indignation 1 time in the King James Version. Since this word usually refers to wrath, the emotion our Lord has displayed is significant. This is not a slow burn type of anger but a visible, hostile anger. MYTH: The humility and meekness of Christ caused Him to take all kinds of abuse from people throughout His ministry. Is that true here? No, He not only confronted the leaders directly, He let them see His obvious anger and displeasure at their system, and healed the man in spite of them. These are not the actions of Someone allowing Himself to be a punching bag! However, note that one commentator said the anger was a burst but the grief He felt for their hardness of heart continued on much longer. He did not hold a grudge in His anger but held the hurt in His grief. 6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. The Lord s actions have caused two groups that hated each other to be unified in a common goal His destruction. Because the Sabbath was such a critical part of the Maurice A. West Page 21 of 120

26 Jewish religious system and the bondage that the leaders kept the people in, the Lord has further opened the door to the Cross in what He has DONE. This second recorded healing on the Sabbath in the Gospel of Mark was a turning point for Jesus in His relationship with the religious leaders. He is no longer a curiosity; He is a threat. JESUS WITHDRAWS HIMSELF AFTER THE CONFRONTATION 7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea, The Lord was not running. He had a mission to be killed in Jerusalem during Passover at the proper time in His ministry. He planted the seeds for His execution in the minds of the leaders but it s not time to push them to action yet. Therefore, He moves His ministry to the Sea of Galilee, which will also provide Him with more space. 8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him. Look at why the people followed Him they were excited about what He did. Also, look (from the map) how far they came to SEE something. LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE: {David Guzik} It is wonderful for people to be attracted to Jesus. But if their focus is on what He can DO for them instead of Who He is, they will not follow Him for long. 9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him. 10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues. 11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. 12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known. The Lord Jesus did not accept a testimony from devils and we should not be excited when the world is happy for us. These are the same people that will not be there for Him when He goes to the cross. (Who knows, some of them may have been among them that cried out, Crucify Him! ) THE ORIGINAL TWELVE APOSTLES CHOSEN 13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: 16 And Simon he surnamed Peter; 17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: 18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Maurice A. West Page 22 of 120