Concise Bible Commentary:
Mark
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Explanation: In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus asserts his authority over sin by healing a paralysed man. While teaching in Capernaum, a busy crowd gathered around Jesus to hear him. The crowd was so large that no space was available to reach Jesus directly, which caused four individuals carrying a paralysed man on a stretcher to take a bold step. They made a hole in the roof above where Jesus was teaching and then lowered the stretcher down to Jesus. Jesus, seeing their faith and using their faith as an example to others, forgave the sins of the paralysed man. However, before moving on to heal the man, Jesus perceived that the teachers of the Law were unhappy with what Jesus had said because only God has the authority to forgive sin. Jesus responded by asking a rhetorical question. Is it easier to forgive this man’s sins or to heal his body? From a human perspective, the first is easier because it is not verifiable. Anybody can pronounce forgiveness from God and there is no way to disprove the claim. A physical healing, on the other hand, can be seen and verified by all, and will immediately expose the person as a fraud if they lack the power to heal. Jesus therefore used what was visible and verifiable (the man’s physical healing) to prove what was unseen and unknown (the man’s forgiveness and the authority of Jesus to forgive sin). In consequence, the man was healed and the claims of Jesus were vindicated.
Application: Several important points emerge from the healing and forgiving of the paralysed man in Capernaum. First, Christianity offers forgiveness at the beginning whereas other religions promise forgiveness at the end. This is because salvation in Christianity is based on what Christ has done (hence why it is received through faith at the beginning) rather than on what a person must do. It may be the case that Jesus forgave the sins of the paralysed man to purposefully emphasise this. The man was physically unable to do many of the things people claim as requirements for salvation (water baptism, obedience to the commandments, abandoning certain sins), therefore proving that salvation is not by works. Second, the paralysed man was healed through the faith of those who brought him to Jesus. This shows that vicarious faith (faith exercised on behalf of others) is effective and can channel the power of God.
We must be careful not to swap the certainty of salvation (what Christ has done) for the uncertainty of salvation (what we must do). This (the certainty of our salvation in Christ) is the distinguishing mark between true religion and false religion and between true Christianity and false Christian sects. As mentioned, the paralysed man was forgiven at the beginning (apart from works) and thereafter released into a new life as a follower of Jesus. The same is true for us. We must also be driven by a determination to bring others to Jesus for healing and forgiveness. As with the paralysed man, Jesus will do great things as we exercise bold faith in seeking the salvation of others. It should be further noted that a changed life on the outside (whether exhibited through a physical healing or a reformed life) is strong evidence to others that Jesus is at work on the inside. These twin witnesses (the outer and the inner) should be the outworking of our salvation in Christ as our life becomes a witness to the power and authority of Jesus.
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Explanation: ​In Mark 2:13-17, Jesus is criticised for eating with tax collectors and sinners at the home of Levi. This situation arose because Jesus had instructed Levi (a tax collector living in Capernaum) to leave his occupation and become a follower of Jesus. Levi accepted and hosted a special dinner that was attended by Jesus, the disciples of Jesus and many of Levi’s friends who were tax collectors and so-called sinners. The Pharisees were onlookers. Three reasons combine to explain the controversy at Levi’s house and why the Pharisees judged Jesus to be acting inappropriately. First, tax collectors collected taxes for the enemies and occupiers of the Jews. This was the Romans during the lifetime of Jesus. They were therefore seen as traitors to their own race and nation. Second, tax collectors received an income by collecting more tax than was necessary. In other words, they were not paid by their employers and had to earn their income through excess and extortion. Third, tax collectors were shunned and excluded from Jewish society. In response, they paid little attention to the Law of Moses and associated with other sinners and outcasts. Jesus, knowing these prejudices and the criticisms that awaited, nevertheless extended his fellowship to this group of people (and to Levi in particular) by sitting and eating with them. When criticised, Jesus responded with a parable (the healthy do not need a doctor) and by affirming his mission (to call sinners to repentance). In short, the Pharisees had failed to understand the mission of Jesus (to save sinners) because they had failed to understand the heart of God (to extend forgiveness).
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Application: The Pharisees failed to understand the movement and heart of God, that sinners and outcasts were responding to a Jewish Rabbi who was seeking their repentance and salvation. This was the meaning of Jesus stating that the healthy do not need a doctor. Only the sick require medical attention, which means that the mission of Jesus would be of little value to the Pharisees if they believed themselves to be healthy, righteous and without sin. Put simply, like the tax collectors and sinners who gathered around Jesus, forgiveness is for those who know that they need it.
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Like the Pharisees, we must never allow our prejudices to blind us to what God is doing in the lives of those He is calling to salvation. We must also be careful not to exclude ourselves from salvation by wrongly thinking that others do not deserve it. Sin is universal and all are equally undeserving apart from the grace of God in Christ. In addition, Matthew and Luke relate that Levi was also called Matthew. The name ‘Matthew’ means ‘Gift of God’ and aptly pictures what Jesus purposed for Levi. Before Jesus, Levi took from others as a tax collector. After Jesus, Levi gave to others as an apostle and minister of Jesus. This service of giving eventually culminated in the writing of the Gospel of Matthew, which has been a treasured possession of Christians and a powerful witness to Jesus for nearly two thousand years.
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Explanation: In Mark 4:1-9 and 4:13-20, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a farmer scattering seeds. Some seeds land on the walkways and are eaten by the birds. Some seeds land on the rocky ground and are burnt by the sun. Some seeds land among the weeds and are choked by the plants. Some seeds land on the good soil and produce a harvest. By way of interpretation, the seeds represent the Kingdom of God (God’s will and purposes for humanity in Christ), and the farmer represents God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and all who are helping God to share the message of His Kingdom. The different types of environments or surfaces represent varying responses to the Kingdom of God. The seeds on the walkways (a hard surface) are those who flippantly dismiss or reject God because of Satan. The seeds on the rocky ground (a surface covered in a thin layer of soil) are those who respond with excitement but quickly fall away when confronted with external pressures and persecutions. The seeds among the thorns (ground infested with weeds and poisonous plants) are those who are distracted by the things of this world (the pleasures and necessities of life). The seeds on the good soil (ground that is deep and clean) are those who respond with faith, obedience and commitment. Jesus concludes this parable by stating that those who are receptive should hear and respond accordingly.
Application: It is interesting to note that the farmer scatters the seeds in a somewhat reckless and chaotic manner. For instance, as well as landing on the good soil, seeds also land on the walkways, the rocky ground and among the thorns. In picturing the farmer in this way, Jesus subtly reveals the heart and purposes of God for humanity. Just as the farmer wants the seeds to be scattered everywhere (regardless of where they land), so too does God want everyone to be joined to his purposes in Christ (regardless of who they are). Sin is universal and indiscriminate, and so too is God’s love for humanity in Christ. It should also be noted that the seeds do not fail to grow because they are defective or undesirable. The seeds fail because the environments are hostile.
As well as describing different people, the several seeds and surfaces also describe different stages. For example, our receptivity to God and His purposes can be compared to the different places the seeds landed, and our responsibility is to use this parable to assess our spiritual condition and relationship with God. As God speaks, are we like a hard walkway, a rocky ground, a thorny terrain or deep soil? We should aim not only to be like the reckless farmer by scattering the seeds (the message of Jesus) everywhere, but also like the good soil by responding to the message with faith, obedience and commitment. It is also important to remember that both scripture and history show that, through faith in Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, God can turn any surface into deep soil that is receptive to His will and purposes. This is how God produces the fruitful harvest that Jesus describes as thirty, sixty or a hundred times what was sown.
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Explanation: In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus and the disciples travel across the Sea of Galilee and are caught in a fierce storm that threatens their lives. The disciples, in a state of panic and fear, wake Jesus from sleep to tell him about their situation, and Jesus responds by stilling the storm into a perfect calm. Jesus also criticises the disciples for being afraid and having no faith. The story ends with the disciples frightened that Jesus was able to command nature (the wind, the waves and the sea) through the power of his spoken word.
Application: Both the humanity and divinity of Jesus are outlined in the account of Jesus calming the storm. As human, Jesus was tired from a long day of teaching and needed to sleep (Mark 4:1-34). As God, Jesus was able to speak to the wind, the waves and the sea with authority (Psalm 89:9). There is also some indication that the storm was under the control of Satan. The disciples, for instance, some of whom were experienced and brave fishermen, knew the Sea of Galilee and the local weather patterns very well. However, the storm was filled with a malevolent fury that caused the disciples to panic and deeply fear for their lives. Adding to this, Jesus spoke directly to the storm as if it were a conscious agent and rebuked it as if it were sinning. It may be the case that Satan was attempting to frighten the disciples and possibly drown the Messiah, but was stopped when Jesus intervened as the God-Man (fully God and fully man). The ongoing struggle between Jesus and Satan will eventually culminate at the cross, where Jesus will ransom humanity from sin and the power of Satan.
As well as Jesus being the God-Man and exercising authority over Satan, this story also teaches a lesson about Christian discipleship. The boat can be seen as symbolising life with Jesus and the storm as symbolising the attacks of Satan and the discouragements of life. Jesus was asleep in the boat until the disciples woke him, and we too must call upon Jesus in our times of need. Sometimes Jesus will only act and reveal his power as we move towards him in faith. This is why Jesus linked the fear of the disciples with their little or no faith. Human wisdom told the disciples that they were going to drown and there was nothing they could do. Faith, in contrast, told them that Jesus was in the boat with them and there was nothing to fear. The disciples therefore chose fear over faith. Faith is trusting that Jesus is with us and for us (Jesus became human). Faith is trusting that Jesus is mighty to save and that Jesus has complete authority over all things (Jesus has always existed as God). The storms of life will come for Christians and non-Christians alike (Matthew 7:24-27), but Christians have the advantage of knowing and trusting in Jesus. May we choose faith over fear and may we sleep peacefully in Jesus as the attacks of Satan and the discouragements of life swirl around us like a fierce storm (Psalm 46:10). This story was also foreshadowed in Psalm 107:23-32.
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Explanation: In Mark 6:45-53, Jesus walks across the Sea of Galilee and meets with the disciples in the middle of the waters. After spending the day with the crowds and miraculously providing for their needs through the multiplication of bread and fish, Jesus disperses the crowds, sends the disciples across the Sea of Galilee in a boat and then climbs a mountain to pray. During the night, Jesus saw that the disciples were struggling with an opposing wind and walked across the sea to meet them. The disciples responded with fear and confusion at seeing Jesus but were comforted when Jesus called out to them. The account ends with the disciples amazed at seeing Jesus walk on the water and with Jesus and the disciples safely arriving at their destination.
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Application: The Old Testament states that God alone stretches out the heavens and walks on the waves of the sea (Job 9:8-11), which is a poetic description that emphasises that God is the Almighty Creator and rules supreme over creation. That Jesus is God according to Mark 6:45-53 is seen from how Jesus walks where only God can walk. Two further considerations should be noted in support of this. First, Jesus responds to the fear of the disciples by saying, “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid”. The phrase “It is I” (Greek: Ego Eimi) matches the divine name given to Moses in Exodus. In Exodus 3:14, God reveals Himself to Moses by saying, “I Am Who I Am” (Greek: Ego Eimi Ho On). That Jesus is using the divine name as God is seen from the comment that Jesus intended to “pass by” the disciples as Jesus walked towards them on the sea. This is a peculiar phrase given that the intention of Jesus was to meet with the disciples rather than to pass them by. However, Exodus 33:12-23 says that Moses was placed within or behind a rock when the glory of God “passed by”. Jesus is therefore reenacting or recalling the story of Moses as the disciples see the glory of Jesus (God) pass them by (so to speak). See also how the confusion of the disciples in seeing Jesus walk on the sea matches the description of Job as God "passes" by in Job 9:10-11. Second, Mark states that the disciples were confused and amazed at Jesus walking on the water because they had failed to understand the miracle of the loaves. Before Jesus had sent the disciples across the Sea of Galilee, Jesus had miraculously fed a crowd of five thousand in the wilderness by multiplying bread and fish (Mark 6:30-44). In like manner, God had miraculously provided manna and quail in the wilderness for the Israelites as they journeyed towards the promised land (Exodus 16:1-18). Mark’s point is that the disciples should have recognised this parallel and acknowledged Jesus as the God of Israel (the God who miraculously provides food in lonely and secluded places) before Jesus had (again) displayed his divinity by walking on the sea. Unfortunately, the disciples had failed to recognise the true significance of either miracle, hence their bewilderment when Jesus walked on the water. In summary, after miraculously providing for the crowds in the wilderness (in fulfilment of Exodus 16:1-18), the glory of Jesus as God passed by the disciples (in fulfilment of Exodus 33:12-33) as Jesus exercised divine power (in fulfilment of Job 9:8-11) and used the divine name (in fulfilment of Exodus 3:14).
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It is also important to recognise that the disciples ended up on the Sea of Galilee at night and during bad weather because they were being obedient to Jesus. This shows that sometimes life with Jesus is stormy, and sometimes life with Jesus is dark and dangerous because the world is a dark and dangerous place and Jesus intends for us to overcome it. In addition to this, Jesus will often bring us into a place of vulnerability so that we can see the glory of Jesus more clearly and know that he is our Lord and our God. This means that if you want to see a greater manifestation of the glory of Jesus in your life then you must be obedient to him and be out on the waters with him (so to speak). Be assured too that all things are under the majestic feet of Jesus and that Jesus can exercise divine power to help or deliver you from the trials and temptations of life. This is the true message communicated from Jesus walking on the waters of the Sea of Galilee.
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