Reading the Gospels in 2026: (2/17) Mark 12:13-27

Feb17

A 5-day per week study.

February 17– Reading Mark 12:13-27.

Read and believe in Jesus.

“Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” Mark 12:14b

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The Gospel according to Mark 12:13-27

The religious leaders have been confronting Jesus ever since His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. “Tell the people to stop cheering!”  ” Who gave you authority to clear out the Temple?”  “Are you saying WE are the wicked tenants?”

Now, a different set of leaders approaches Jesus.  Two completely opposite sects: the uber strict, law-keeping Pharisees and the Roman-tolerant Herodians will now “test” Him. Later, the life-after-death-denying Sadducees will try their hand at a trick question.  But don’t worry.  Jesus can handle them all.

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Vss.13-17.

Having been defeated in confrontation and enduring a stinging parable against them, the chief priests, scribes, and elders sent some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians to “trap Jesus in His talk.”

These came with flattery, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. You are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God.”  (Choke, choke, gag, gag!)

Then came the question to trap Him between a rock and a hard place.  “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?  Should we pay them, or should we not?”

If Jesus said, “No,” which would please the Pharisees, He might be arrested by the Romans.  If He said, “Yes,” then the people would rise up in protest.   The questioners leaned back in smug pleasure.

‘Bring me a denarius and let me look at it,” Jesus said.

The coin was produced, and Jesus held it up for all to see.

“Whose likeness and inscription is this?” He asked.

“Caesar’s.” They said, not realizing they were falling into the very trap they laid.

Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 

And they marveled at Him!

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If you want to look further into a Christian’s obligation to the leader of the country where they live, check out:

  • Romans 13:1-7. “…be subject to the governing authorities.”  “…pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God…”   “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue… respect… honor…”
  • 1 Peter 2:13-17. “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor… or to governors…”   “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”
  • Genesis 1:26-27. “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”   (So, as we bear God’s own image, we are to give to HIM what is due Him.)

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Vss. 18-27.

As the Pharisees and Herodians leave, a group of Sadducees arrives.  (Remember they do NOT believe in life after death – that is why they are Sad, you see.)

These are the wealthiest Jewish leaders and include the High Priest, the chief priests, and almost all of the ruling body, the Sanhedrin.  They have loads of (ill-gotten) money now, so why should they hope for Heaven?

They consider ONLY the Torah – the five books of Moses – to be scripture.

Their long, complex question concerns life after death, specifically the “resurrection,” presumably to Heaven.  They are taking it from one point in the Mosaic Law. (Deuteronomy 25:5-6) 

In these verses, God made a provision for widows to preserve tribal names, families, and inheritances in the Promised Land before Israel even entered Canaan.  In it, a widow without children could marry her dead husband’s brother and have a child, which would bear the name and inherit the property of her former husband, and so carry on his place.  (Actually, Boaz did this for Ruth, in the book of that name. Check it out.)

These priests knew that Jesus highly regarded the scriptures and thought He couldn’t disagree with them on this, and they would defeat his teaching on the resurrection.

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They began,

“Teacher, Moses wrote that ‘if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife with no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.”   

All is well and good, so far, but they continue.

“There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died, left no offspring.  And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring.  And the third likewise.  And the seven left no offspring. Last of all, the woman also died.”

Okay, this “could” happen, though pretty unlikely.  But the Sadducees’ assumption that followed was the real kicker. THIS would stump Jesus for sure!

“IN THE RESURRECTION, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”

“Heh, heh, heh,” they thought as they leaned back and clasped their golden-ringed hands across their bulging bellies.

But, whoa!  Jesus smacked right back.

“The reason you are wrong is that YOU KNOW NEITHER THE SCRIPTURES NOR THE POWER OF GOD. 

Point one:  “For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage in Heaven, but will be like the angels. 

Point two:   “As for the dead being raised, HAVE YOU NOT READ IN THE BOOK OF MOSES (what a dig!), in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to Moses, saying, ‘I AM the God of Abraham, the God of  Isaac, and the God of Jacob?  He is NOT God of the dead, but of the living.  You are quite wrong.”

Whoa!  Talk about a slap in the face.

But they will have their vengeance… After Jesus is arrested, He will be tried in the High Priest’s home and then before the Sanhedrin.

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One more group will test Jesus with a question in tomorrow’s reading.  You will be surprised at how Jesus responds.

 

 

 

 

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (2/16) Mark 12:1-12

Feb16

A 5-day per week study.

February 16– Reading Mark 12:1-12.

Read and believe in Jesus.

“A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenents and went away.”  Mark12:1b

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The Gospel according to Mark 12:1-12.

Jesus had ridden into Jerusalem on a donkey to the wild acclaim of the people.  Their King had come!  He was going to end Roman rule and free Israel.  But, early the next morning, Jesus had instead ended the Sadducee-approved buying, selling, and money-changing in the Temple area.

The next day, these men had accosted Him, demanding to know on whose authority He had done such a thing.  When they refused to answer His question about John the Baptist, Jesus refused to answer their question.  Again, their fear of the adoring crowds kept them from arresting Jesus.

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Vss.1-5.

It is still the same day, a few minutes later, and Jesus spoke TO THEM in a parable.

(Remember, earlier, Jesus had told His disciples that He taught in parables because of the hardness of the people’s hearts. They would not receive truth, so He veiled it in stories.)  He did that here, looking directly at the chief priests, scribes, and elders as He spoke.  They KNEW this parable was directed to them, and they fumed.

The Parable of the Tenants would have instantly reminded these teachers of Israel of Isaiah 5:1-7.  Please DO read this now!)  

They understood that the vineyard represented Israel, and the tenants were a picture of THEM.

Jesus’ parable told of evil, greedy tenants who wanted ALL the harvest for themselves, not just the 10% they earned.  So, as each of the slaves that the landowner sent to collect his portion of the profit arrived, they beat him up or killed him.  MANY of them.

This, of course, represented the many prophets God had sent to Israel and its leaders to correct their evil ways, and to “collect” the love, obedience, and worship He so rightly deserved.  The religious leaders had ignored the prophets and many times killed them. (Read Matthew 23:34-36)

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Vss. 6-9.

Jesus then tells them that the landowner had ONE SON (a picture of Himself) whom He finally sent to get the “harvest” He deserved.  But the wicked tenants, seeing this as their last chance, KILLED THE SON.  “Now… it’s all ours,”  the thought.  THEY THOUGHT!

This evil vividly depicts what the chief priests and elders were going to do to Jesus in just a couple of days.  HE knew it.  He’d told his disciples three times (Had they heard at all?).  And in the minds of these religious leaders, that was JUST what they wanted to do … if they could only figure out how to do it.

Then Jesus said something in the parable that I’m sure the Jewish leaders did not understand.  “The tenants would be destroyed, and the vineyard would be given to others.”

Yes, Jesus would be crucified, but He would be resurrected.  His church would begin and grow from the small band of Spirit-empowered followers with Him.  Churches would be established where believers would worship and glorify God.   AND … in a mere 40 years, Jerusalem would be destroyed, along with the Temple, the sacrifices, and all the priesthood.

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Vss. 10-12.

Jesus then quotes Psalm 119:22-23.

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”

Jesus connects the Son that the tenants killed to the “Stone” (Himself)  that the builders (religious leaders) rejected.  The resurrected Son would be the Cornerstone of the church, upon which the prophets and apostles would build.

The religious leaders fumed.  They seethed.  They WANTED to arrest Him, but, once again, feared the people.  So, they left Him and went away.

(But they would soon come at night, when no crowd’s adoration could protect Him.  And they would have their way with Jesus, just as the evil tenants had with the landowner’s son. )

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Just as God had planned it all from eternity past.

 

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (2/13) Mark 11:27-33

Feb13

A 5-day per week study.

February 13– Reading Mark 11:27-33

Read and believe in Jesus.

“And they said to Him, ‘By what authority are You doing these things?’”  Mark 11:28a.

 

The Gospel according to Mark 11:27-33

Yesterday (in the “meat” part of Mark’s writing sandwich), we saw Jesus enter Jerusalem and drive out the buyers and sellers of animals and the money-changers (extortionists) that He found “desecrating” the Temple area.  He was indignant that they should be making what should have been “a house of prayer” into a “den of robbers.”

Today, we look at the reaction this caused.

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Vss.27-33.

After checking out the withered fig tree and hearing Jesus’ teaching about having faith in prayer, Jesus and the disciples entered Jerusalem.  Jesus immediately went to the Temple Mount. He walked around, probably checking to see if any of the animal sellers or money-changers had oozed back inside.

Immediately, Jesus was confronted by the entire entourage of Jewish religious leaders: chief priests (Sadducees), scribes/teachers of the law (Pharisees), and elders, which included the “captain of the Temple.” All these had benefited from the money-changing extortion and inflated animal prices, which Jesus had eliminated.  When you touch a man’s “pocket,” sparks fly.

“By what authority are you doing these things?  Who gave you this authority to do them?” they demanded of Jesus.

Jesus calmly countered, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.” 

Perhaps He paused to look at each of them before asking, “Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” 

This was throwing their question back at them. First, they had to evaluate John’s authority to baptise and hail Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. In confirming John’s authority, they would also be confirming Jesus’ authority.

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They bunched into a tight group to discuss what their answer might be.

“If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?'”

“But shall we say, ‘From man?'”   Not a chance because they feared the people who believed (rightly) that John really was a prophet.  They were between the proverbial “rock and a hard place.”  (What a curious and funny dilemma!)

So they responded to Jesus’ question with, “We don’t know.”

I can imagine Jesus smiling and, as He turned away, saying,  “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

(Foiled again!)

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(NOTE: In these confrontations with the leaders of Israel, Jesus always comes out on top.  This shows clearly that when He is actually arrested, sent to trial, and crucified, it is HIS OWN DECISION AND TIMING.  Jesus’ life was NOT taken from Him.  He laid it down of His own accord, exactly in the perfect time and manner He chose.

(John 10:18 – “No one takes it [My life]  from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.”)

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We’ll see in the next chapters that Jesus continues to teach the people on the Temple Mount and to respond to confrontations with the Jewish leaders.

 

 

 

 

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (2/12) Mark 11:12-25

Feb13

A 5-day per week study.

February 12– Reading Mark 11:12-25

Read and believe in Jesus

“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”  Mark 11:17b

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The Gospel according to Mark 11:12-25

Last time, we saw Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, to the hails of “Hosannah!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”  The people thought that Jesus was finally going to set up His Kingdom and defeat the Romans.  They didn’t know that by that Friday, Jesus was going to be crucified by those very Romans at the behest of their Jewish religious leaders.

After He came into the Holy City, He went to the Temple Mount, where He looked carefully around at the buying and selling, the noise and the mess, the greed and the hypocrisy.  Then He went with His disciples back to Bethany, possibly to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus for the night.

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Vss.15-19.

The next morning (Monday), Jesus entered the city and went again to the Temple Mount.  A cacophony of raised voices and distressed animal cries assaulted Him. Vile odors filled his nostrils, and where peace and worship should have been, there was hypocrisy, greed, and extortion. Yes, many who traveled a great distance for Passover had to purchase animals for sacrifice upon their arrival. Their Roman or foreign coins were not accepted in the Temple, and they also had to be exchanged (for a fee). But this all should have been done outside the courts of the Temple!

In righteous anger for the sake of His Father, the Holy One of Israel, Jesus began driving out those who sold and those who bought animals.  He overturned the tables of the moneychangers, scattering the coins across the pavement, and He upset the seats of those who sold pigeons. Chaos ensued. Angry shouts and threats followed His actions.

In a loud voice, Jesus quoted Isaiah 56:7, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations!'” and Jeremiah 7:11, “But you have made it a den of robbers!”

The chief priests and scribes were furious at the loss of their commerce.  They wanted to destroy Jesus, but feared Him, because the crowd was astonished at his teaching. 

Later, towards evening, when things quieted down, Jesus and the disciples left the city.

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That was the “meat” of this section’s “sandwich.”  You remember Mark’s sandwiches?  Next, we’ll look at the top and bottom “bread” sections.

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Vss. 12-14. (bottom slice)

Early that same morning, Jesus and the men left Bethany. Jesus was hungry. (Perhaps they’d left before Martha could prepare food.)  As they walked over and down the Mount of OLIVES, Jesus saw a green FIG tree in the distance, along the road.  A handful of figs would do nicely for breakfast. But when they got close, they saw the tree had NO FRUIT, despite being fully leafed out. 

(When fig trees end their winter dormancy, they first develop figs, which grow ripe as the leaves come on.  It was early in the year, but if there were leaves, the tree SHOULD have had fruit.)  What a disappointment.

Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”

Okay, Jesus was not having a temper tantrum. 

Because He spoke “to” the tree, this shows He was personifying it.  The fig tree was frequently an Old Testament “type” of the Jewish nation of Israel. (See Hosea 9:10, Joel 1:7, Nahum 3:12, Zechariah 3:10.)  This was a divine “object lesson” about Israel’s hypocrisy and fruitlessness despite all its advantages.  Jesus’ cursing of it illustrated God’s judgment against the earthly Israel, especially in the rejection of their Messiah.

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Vss. 20-26. (top slice)

Morning again.  It’s Tuesday, and again Jesus and the disciples are leaving Bethany and heading towards the City. They come by the fig tree, which is now completely withered from the ground up.

At once, Peter notices it and cries out, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that You cursed has withered.”

And Jesus answers, “Have faith in God. Truly, I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass … it will be done for him.”  And, “Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

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Now, what in the world was Jesus teaching?  Surely NOT the “Name it and Claim it” doctrine so foolishly taught by some tele-evangelists today.

The expression “rooter up of mountains” was used in Jewish lore about great rabbis or leaders who could solve difficult problems and seemingly do the impossible. 

(NOTE: Jesus never did gratuitous miracles, although the Pharisees demanded Him several times for such a sign to prove He was a Messiah.)   

No, Jesus was telling His disciples that if they sincerely trusted in God and realized the power that is available through such faith in Him, they would see mighty powers at work. 

In His private “upper room discourse” with them (John 14:12-13), Jesus said, “Whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” And, “Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, that the FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED in the Son.”

And of course, 1 John 5:14. “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, He hears us.” (and will give us what we request.)

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Yes, Jesus is still teaching His disciples by words and actions. His time with them is very short.  In two days, what He told them three times  will begin to come to pass:

  1. The Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes.
  2. They will condemn him to death and deliver Him over to the Gentiles.
  3. They will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him … and kill Him.
  4. And after three days, He will rise.  (Mark 10: 33-34)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (2/11) Mark 11:1-11

Feb11

A 5-day per week study.

February 11– Reading Mark 11:1-11

Read and believe in Jesus.

“Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!  Hosanna in the highest!”  Mark 11:9b-10

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The Gospel according to Mark 11:1-11

Last time, we saw Jesus and His disciples moving from east of the Jordan River, through Jericho, stopping to heal blind Bartimaeus, and then going “on the way.”  This means “towards Jerusalem” (and His death, which He’s been foretelling to His disciples for months).  The crowds are still with Him, and many others are heading towards the Holy City too for the upcoming Passover Celebration in less than a week.

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Vss. 1-3

Bethphage and Bethany (where Mary & Martha lived) were on the east slope of the Mount of Olives, which stands just before Mt Zion, on which Jerusalem is built.   Jesus tells two of his disciples to go into “the village in front of you,” (probably Bethphage).  (I wonder which two He sent…)

Anyway, they would immediately find a colt tied up. (Matthew mentions that its mother was also there.)  They were to untie it (them) and come back to Jesus.  If anyone asked what they were doing, they were to say simply, “The Lord needs it.”

And so it happened.

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Vss 4-10.

Many of the crowds witnessed this and wondered.  What was Jesus doing?  Some began thinking of, and maybe quoting, the scriptures, especially when a cloak was thrown over the back of the colt, and Jesus mounted it.

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  • Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is He, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey!”
  • Isaiah 62:11 – “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your salvation comes; behold, His reward is with Him, and His is recompense before Him.'”
  • Psalm 118:25b-25a – “Save us (Hosanna), we pray, O LORD!  O LORD, we pray, give us success!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!”

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They began cutting palm and other branches, waving them and laying them down with their cloaks, on the road before Jesus: a colorful, leafy green path to the Holy City.  (Jesus, with the steady hands of its creator, calmed the young colt in this chaos.)

The whispered verses from before were said aloud, then shouted with joy.  He IS the king!  THEY KNEW IT from when He fed the multitude in Galilee! And here He was entering the city to be crowned… to free Israel from oppression!  Hallelujah!  “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” Hosannah!  Hosanna in the Highest!”

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(Luke 19:39-40 tells of some Pharisees coming to Jesus as he approached the city and demanding that He stop the crowds from saying these things. Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”)

(Luke 19:41-44 also mentions Jesus weeping as He nears Jerusalem. He foresees the time when the Holy City is destroyed, it and its people… “because you did not know the time of your visitation.”)

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Vs. 11.

Inside the city, Jesus dismounted and sent the donkeys back to their owner.  The crowds watched or went their own way.  With kingly authority, He went to the temple, “and looked around at everything.”  

Jesus inspected the buildings and the grounds, missing nothing…. including the noisy moneychangers and merchants, the loud animals and birds, and their messes… in the Temple.

It was late, so He and the disciples went back to Bethany.  But He would be back the next day… and they had better watch out.

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (2/10) Mark 10:32-52

Feb10

A 5-day per week study.

February 10– Reading Mark 10:32-52

Read and believe in Jesus.

“What do you want me to do for you?”  Mark 10:50b

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The Gospel according to Mark 10:32-52

We left Jesus and the disciples on the eastern side of the Jordan River.  They’d just watched the rich young ruler turn away from Jesus.  Jesus told them that riches did not buy their way into the kingdom of God, but following Him and giving up material things was the way to blessing.

Now they were heading west towards Jerusalem.  They would pause for a short time in Jericho, then walk through the wilderness up to the holy city for Passover.

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Vss. 32-34.

Right on the heels of that conversation about leaving all to follow Jesus, He – for the third time – told the disciples that He would “be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they would condemn Him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock Him and spit on Him, and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise.”

Again, we see no response.  Surely they heard the words. Pain. Death. Resurrection….

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Vss. 35-45.

But it seems it was the turn of the “Sons of Thunder” to ask about the Kingdom of God.  Not about leaving everything behind or about suffering and dying, but about honor and privilege when the kingdom came.

  • “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you,” said James and John.
  • “What do you want me to do for you?” asked Jesus, although He knew exactly what they were going to ask.
  • “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in Your glory.”
  • I imagine Jesus just shook His head at their naivety. “You do not know what you are asking.  Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptised with the baptism with which I am baptised?” 

Jesus, of course, was speaking of the suffering and the horrible substitutional death He would experience for all who would be saved from their sins.

  • Proudly, the two answered, “We are able.”

Jesus probably looked at them with love, these two fiery young men who willingly followed Him. He knew that James would be the first martyr of the Twelve in just a few years, and that although John would live to an old age, he would be tortured and spend years in exile.

  • “The cup I drink, you WILL drink, and my baptism, you WILL experience.  But to sit at my right and left hands … is not mine to grant, but for those for whom it’s been prepared.”

Of course, the other ten disciples were indignant with James and John.  How dare they!  Why did they think THEY were better?

  • Jesus had to calm them all down. “Actually…”He said, “Ruling and authority over others shall NOT be so among YOU.” 
  • He looked around at them closely. “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.”
  • “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”  

(I bet that quieted them for a while.)

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Vss 46-52.

They spent a short time in Jericho, then, amid a huge crowd of people, they went out from the city. By the side of the road was a blind beggar, whose name was Bartimaeus (Son of Timaeus).  He heard the crowd passing -possibly coughed at the dust that rose.  He learned that it was Jesus of Nazareth.  He’d heard of the great teacher/healer, and who He was.  Hope rose in him.  And panic that Jesus would pass him by.

  • “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” cried Bartimaeus.
  • The crowd looked at him, not in pity but in annoyance.  “Be quiet!”
  • “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” he cried even louder.

Jesus heard him and stopped. He called for someone to bring the blind man to Him.

  • Now the voice of the crowd changed. “Take heart. Get up; He is calling for you.”

Bartimaeus threw off his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus … following the sound of that kind voice.

  • “What do you want me to do for you?”
  • “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”
  • “Go your way; your faith has made you well.

And immediately he recovered his sight … AND FOLLOWED JESUS ON THE WAY.

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What a good story of simple faith. And determination.

Since the blind man was named (and was wearing a cloak), it’s possible that he was a known merchant of some standing in the city, who had, for some reason, lost his sight and was left to beg for a living.  Perhaps an accident or a disease had caused him to be blind. Notice he asked that his sight be recovered, as in, found after being lost.

He’d heard of Jesus.  And he believed in Him.  Notice what Bartimaeus called Jesus.  “Son of David” was Jesus’ Messianic title.  Bartimaeus knew Jesus was “the One to come,” and knew if he could get close to Him, he would be healed.

And afterward… Bartimaeus followed Jesus.   No question. So unlike the rich young ruler.

 

 

 

 

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (2/9) Mark 10:17-31

Feb9

A 5-day per week study.

February 9– Reading Mark 10:17-31

Read and believe in Jesus.

“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”  Mark 10:17b

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The Gospel according to Mark 10:17-31

Last time, Jesus taught about divorce, man’s hardness of heart, and adultery. Then He gathered up children into His arms and taught that His Kingdom was made up of such tender souls as these, who openly desired and received Him.  His disciples were confused.  They will be even more confused after the encounter they watched in today’s reading.

(NOTE: Having a list of the ten commandments before you today might be helpful. Exodus 20.)

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Vss. 17-18

The man who met Jesus today is the kind of person that society admires and envies.  He is generally referred to as “the rich young ruler.”  Think about that.  He had mega wealth.  He had youth.  He had power. He had it ALL.  Most of us would be happy to have just one of these.  And yet, this man had a discontentment in his heart.  He knew he lacked something.  Something that he couldn’t buy, achieve through his strength, or demand to be given to him.

“Good Teacher, what must I DO to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus answered him with a question, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”  

Jesus was not saying that HE, Himself, was not good. In this statement, Jesus was pointing the young, rich, and powerful man to the first commandments.  #1 Thou shalt have NO OTHER gods before the LORD, and #2 Worship only God, never any idols you make.  God alone is good and due our worship.  We’ll find out later just what this man “worshipped.”

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Vs. 19 with Romans  13:7-10

Then, Jesus points this young man to the other commandments. #6 Do not murder, #7 Do not commit adultery, #8 Do not steal, #9 Do not bear false witness, and skips to #5, Honor your parents.

In both Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts, #10 is omitted altogether, but Mark says, for #10, Do not defraud.  Defrauding someone is causing shame or dishonor to be brought upon them, their reputation (name), or their integrity.  (Basically, this is commandment #3. Do not take the NAME of the Lord in vain. 

Jesus probably didn’t say, “Do not covet,” because that was actually the young man’s basic sin.  He coveted wealth and the power it brought.

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Take a minute to read the verses in Romans, where Paul says, Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes, revenue, respect, and honor. “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments (he names some) are summed up in this word: ‘Love does no wrong to (doesn’t DEFRAUD) a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.'”

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Vss. 20-22.

Okay, back to Mark.  The rich, young ruler looked at Jesus sincerely and said, “Teacher, all these I  have kept from my youth.”  He saw no fault, no sin in himself.

Jesus looked at this man, so blessed in life, and “trying” to be a good person, and He loved him.  But it’s clear that the young man missed what Jesus said at the beginning, “Only God is good.”

“You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, AND YOU SHALL HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN, and come follow me.”

Now, selling all our possessions and giving the proceeds to the poor does not make us eligible for Heaven.  Jesus knew the man’s weakness.  His wealth, greediness, covetousness… and of course, the power all that wealth brought was VERY IMPORTANT to him.   TOO important for him to give up… EVEN to have eternal life.  Wow.

Disheartened, the young man walked away with his head down and shoulders slumped.  He was sorrowful … because of his “great possessions.”

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(What about us?  The “thing” we lack before coming to Jesus is the acknowledgment, confession, and forsaking of our sin. HE must be the most important thing to us.  After we confess and forsake sins, we can joyfully “follow Him.”

I John 1:9: “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.”

Romans 10:9-10: “For if you confess with your mouth that JESUS IS LORD (in your life, not possessions, etc.) and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

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Vss. 23-31.

The disciples had watched this scene silently (perhaps enviously), but I’m sure their thoughts were now all over the place.  They viewed that young man as a blessed and law-keeping, righteous person.  His walking away confused them.

“How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God,” Jesus said, shocking those twelve men around Him. The belief of that day was that wealth was a BLESSING of God to show He was pleased with you.  Now, Jesus was saying it was a “hindrance.” They just couldn’t take it in!

So, Jesus repeated for them, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

Astonished at this concept, they cried out, “Then WHO can be saved???”

Jesus must have just looked at them until they quieted down.  Then, “With man it is impossible.  But not with God.  For all things are possible with God.”

Peter blurted out the mixed feelings of his heart, “Well, WE have left everything and followed You….”

Jesus smiled at his chief disciple, then looked around to the others.  “Truly, I tell you, there ia no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father, children, or lands for MY SAKE and for the Gospel’s …. who will not receive a hundredfold NOW in this time, houses, bothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands (WITH persecutions,) and in the age to come… eternal life.

Did the disciples feel better?  Understand more?  Feel assured?   A hundredfold, NOW??   Their minds buzzed.  Did they think of their homes and families back in Galilee?

Unknown to them, these disciples (except Judas) would travel a whole lot farther for the Lord and for the Gospel before they died. They would feel the sting and cut of persecution, but God would supply all their needs in the houses and provisions of other believers on their travels.  And then… ETERNAL LIFE with Him!

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Did the rich young ruler ever forsake all and believe in Jesus?   I hope so.  

 

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (2/6) Mark 10:1-16

Feb6

A 5-day per week study.

February 6– Reading Mark 10:1-16

Read and believe in Jesus.

“Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter in.”  Mark 10:15

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The Gospel according to Mark 10:1-16.

Vulnerable people: unwanted wives, little children.  Who will love and care for them? Are adult men the only ones suitable for the Kingdom?   Jesus teaches otherwise.

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Vss. 1-2.

Jesus and the disciples now move south into the region of Judea, then east across the Jordan River. This area is the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas (who murdered John the Baptist). Crowds flocked to Him as usual, and He taught them.

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Vss. 3-12.

Some Pharisees came from Jerusalem to “test” or “trap” Jesus. The posed the question, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”  

This is not a question THEY really wanted to know the answer to, for they had well made up their minds already.  There were two schools of thought among the famed rabbis about divorce.  1) Divorce was allowed for ANY reason. (The wife was a bad cook, or the man found another, more desirable woman, etc.)   Or, 2) Divorce was allowed ONLY in the case of her adultery.   The Pharisees thought Jesus would side with one group, angering the other.

Jesus would NOT be trapped by any of their trick questions.  He asked one in return. ‘What did Moses command you?”  Jesus did not abide by rabbinical interpretations, but by the Scripture alone.

They piously answered, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.”  (See Deuteronomy 24:1-4).

Jesus agreed and told them why.  “Because of your HARDNESS OF HEART, he wrote you this commandment.”  (Because otherwise, men who were dissatisfied with their wives could simply (and cruelly) send them away with no home or financial protection. That “certificate” served as her formal release from the marriage, and allowed her to remarry, assuming she was not guilty of immorality.)

Jesus then quotes Genesis 1:27 and 2:24.  “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.”  and  “Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh.” 

Regarding His stand on divorce as the Creator, Jesus says, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Jesus had not answered the Pharisee’s trick question.  He had sided with neither of the extolled rabbis.  He, as the Son of God, spoke with divine authority.  The Jewish leaders had nothing to say in return. (Foiled again!)

But later, in the privacy of the house where they were staying, Jesus answered the disciples’ question.  He told them that whoever divorces his wife (or her husband) and marries another person commits adultery. (Because in God’s sight, they are still one with the first spouse.)

In the times when women were often considered merely as “chatel”, this was God’s hand of Fatherly care and protection on those who were also created in His image.  Praise God!

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Vss 13-16.

Later, when Jesus was again outside, teaching and healing, parents brought their little children (Luke calls them “infants”, 18:15) to Him so He could lay His hand on them and bless them. (A practice parents often did with prominent rabbis.)  The self-important disciples rebuked these parents and tried to send them away. (THIS, after Jesus had just recently told them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me…” See Mark 9:37.)

Jesus was indignant with their actions.  He told them, “LET the children come to me, do NOT hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.  Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child, shall not inherit it.”

Then Jesus tenderly took them into His arms and blessed them.  (What a glorious sight for these parents, and us!)

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(When we feel insignificant in God’s kingdom, perhaps useless, impotent, and helpless, these words of Jesus should encourage us.  God cares for each one of us! )

 

 

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (2/5) Mark 9:30-50

Feb5

A 5-day per week study.

February 5– Reading Mark 9:30-50

Read and believe in Jesus.

And He said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”  Mark 9:35

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The Gospel according to Mark 9:30-50.

Jesus and all his disciples are together again when Jesus heals the boy with the unclean spirit. This demon had been tormenting him with violent and murderous assaults, and the nine disciples alone could do nothing to help.  But Jesus released him and encouraged the father’s small belief.  Afterwards, Jesus told the disciples that this kind of spirit would come out only through totally concentrated, selfless prayer.

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Vss. 30-32.

Jesus leads His disciples (a few elated by the incident on the Mount, and the rest subdued by their inability to help the boy) back through Galilee.  He didn’t want anyone to know He was there, because He had more to teach them. His time with them was growing short. He is heading more and more towards Jerusalem and His death.

For the second time, as they walked along, Jesus said, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him.  And when He is killed, after three days He will rise.”

This is very understandable to us, 2000 years AFTER the fact, but to the Twelve who believed Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, this was nonsense.  Die?  No, their Messiah was to establish the Kingdom, defeat the Romans, and rule from Jerusalem!  They did not understand! And it seems they especially did not grasp what Jesus said about resurrection.

But after Jesus’ rebuke of Peter the last time He told them about His death, they were afraid to ask about it now.

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Vss. 33-37.

As they walked, some of the disciples were arguing about another topic.  Again, it was related to the soon and hoped-for setting up of the Kingdom by their Messiah. When they were once again in Capernaum and safely ensconced in Peter’s home, Jesus quizzed them about it.

“What were you discussing on the way?”  (Wow, is there nothing that Jesus did not know about them??)

Again, they were silent, which was foolish because He already knew.  They had been arguing over who was the greatest.  Surely Peter was a contender, but the brothers, James and John, were also in the inner circle.  Did any of the other nine think they should be on top, too?

Jesus must have been so discouraged with them.  Hadn’t they learned anything about Him? Had they ever seen Him elevating Himself above everyone else?  Hadn’t they observed the Messiah as meek and lowly?  Sure, He taught the scriptures with authority! Sure, he commanded sickness and legions of demons, and they instantly obeyed Him. But had He asked any followers to bow to Him?

“If ANYONE would be first, he must be LAST of all … servant of all.

Then Jesus picked up a child (Peter’s niece or nephew?) and held him in His arms, smiling and perhaps tickling him.  And looking up to His men, He said, “Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me, receives not Me (only) but Him who sent Me.”

Jesus would say more on this, but John interrupted Him.

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Vss. 38-41.

“Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”  (Oh man, was John ever looking for a pat on the head and an “atta boy!”  He thought they had done well.  NOPE.  Also, was this a “dig” on the nine disciples who were UNABLE to cast out that demon?)

Jesus said, “Do NOT stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in My name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of Me.  For the one who is not AGAINST us is FOR us.  For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.”

Huh?  John (or any of them) said nothing to this rebuke.  Truly, Jesus had a lot more to teach them!)

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Vss. 42-50.

Again looking to the little one on His lap, Jesus said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.”

 

Okay, they understood that. But then, Jesus said,

“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.”

What??

“And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.”

The disciples must have been stunned!

“AND, if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.  (See Isaiah 66:24)

What were they to make of this?  Surely self-mutilation was NOT what Jesus was teaching.  But sin is serious, whether it involves doing, going, or seeing.  They were to be brutal in eliminating it from their lives.  (Paul would later write, “Present our bodies as a living SACRIFICE, holy and acceptable to God. Do NOT be conformed to this world, but be transformed…  (See Romans 12:1-2)

 

Jesus continued, also thinking of sacrifice, “For everyone will be salted with fire.”

They all would be purified with suffering and persecution – not just Him – like the OT sacrifices that were often accompanied with salt.  Suffering?  Self-denial?  Sacrifice?  What kind of Kingdom was Jesus bringing?

“Salt is GOOD.  Have salt in YOURSELVES. And be at peace with one another.”   

Salt is a good preservative. Let the words of Christ enter and dwell in them (and us), cleansing, cauterising.  Then they will make a difference in the world … for Christ.

And, for goodness sake, STOP ARGUING among yourselves!

 

 

 

 

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Reading the Gospels in 2026: (2/4) Mark 9:14-29

Feb4

A 5-day per week study.

February 4– Reading Mark 9:14-29

Read and believe in Jesus.

“And Jesus said, ‘All things are possible for the one who believes.’”  Mark 9:23

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The Gospel according to Mark 9:14-29

Jesus and the “inner three” disciples have come down from Mount Hermon, where Jesus had been transfigured.  Those disciples had been stunned by the vision of Jesus in all his Heavenly glory, talking to Moses and Elijah.  When Peter tried to say something smart, the mighty voice of God broke through, saying He was very pleased with His Son … and told Peter (and us) to listen to HIM.

The atmosphere was quiet as they hiked down the mountain. Jesus had told them not to tell anyone about this incident until AFTER he’d been raised from the dead.  Not knowing how to respond to THAT, they thought of seeing Elijah and asked whether the prophet was yet to come.  Jesus told them yes, and no, so it was still as clear as mud to them.

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Vss. 14-18.

Reaching the end of their hike down, Jesus and the three saw a great crowd and some scribes clustered around the other nine disciples.

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(NOTE: After a “mountaintop” spiritually uplifting experience with the Lord, always be prepared to face problems in “the valley.”)

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“What’s going on here?”  Jesus demanded, His “mama bear” hackles rising at the possibility of His own being threatened.  And looking right at the learned scribes, Jesus added, “What are you arguing about with them?

But it was a man of the town who spoke up.  “Teacher, I brought my son to You for he has a spirit that makes him mute.  And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.  So I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they were not able.”

(This is surprising when you think of the things the disciples did on their two-by-two training mission several months back, specifically casting out demons. (See Mark 6:13)

Jesus’ exasperation at the unbelief is shown by his questions, “O faithless generation, how long am I to BE with you?  How long am I to BEAR with you?”

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(NOTE:  So just who was Jesus so upset with?  Them all!  The father, for sure, the nine disciples, the unbelieving scribes who were probably gloating over the disciples’ failure, the crowd, and, yes, with unbelieving Israel in general.  Faith, belief in Jesus, was key to His entire mission on earth!)

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Vss. 19-27

“Bring him to Me,”  Jesus said to the father, and the child was brought.  Instantly, on seeing Jesus, the spirit convulsed the boy. He fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.”

“How long has this been happening to Him?  Jesus asked.

“From childhood,” the father said.  “And it has often cast him into the fire and into water to destroy him. But … if you can do anything … have compassion on us and help us!”

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(NOTE: The man said, “If you CAN.”  Compare this with others who brought their sick to Jesus, and asked, “If you WILL, have mercy on —.” or “If you WILL, you can heal me.”  Probably, since the other disciples were unable to help his son, the father’s hope had begun to waver. He had started to doubt that healing was possible – much like we do sometimes.)

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Jesus picked up on that word, “can.”  And seeing the man’s faith wavering like a “bruised reed,” Jesus did not break it, but strengthened it.

“‘If you can,'” Jesus quoted the man, then added, “All things are possible for the one who BELIEVES.”

“I believe!!  Help my unbelief!”  the man cried out.

Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, ‘You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again!”

After crying aloud and convulsing the boy terribly, it came out.  But the boy lay still as a corpse.  “He’s dead!” some said.

But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up.  And he arose.  (Does this mean…..?)

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(NOTE:  Jesus often healed those in a crowd without requiring faith.  He has the power.  He can do that.  But sometimes – maybe looking at the man as one who would eventually believe unto salvation – Jesus tested and strengthened his faith.  Or maybe, Jesus glanced at the nine disciples when He said, “All things are possible for the one who believes.”)

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Vss. 28-29.

Later, in the house where they were staying, the disciples asked Jesus why THEY couldn’t cast out the unclean spirit?

“This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer,”  Jesus told them.

  • (NOTE: Both Matthew 17:21 and Mark 9:29b leave out the phrase, “and fasting,” in some versions.)
  • 1)  Perhaps the nine disciples had been overconfident because of past experience. Perhaps they had trusted in their own words and had neglected to draw on the power of the Spirit.
  • 2)  Matthew 17:18-20 says their faith was lacking.   
  • 3)  Some demons are more powerful and obstinate, more resistant to being cast out. (See Matthew 12:43-45)   

 

 

 

 

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