The
Mark
(NIV)
By
Syd Cleveland
(©
1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 and Revised
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Mar 1:1
Mar 1:2
SEND MY MESSENGER = Mark applies this Messianic
quotation from Malachi 3:1 to John the Baptist (see Mark 1:4). Jesus applied these prophecies to John the
Baptist (Matthew
Mar 1:3
ONE CALLING IN THE DESERT = Mark applies this quotation
from Isaiah 40:3 to John the Baptist (see Mark 1:4). Jesus applied these Messianic prophecies to
John the Baptist (Matthew
Mar 1:4
REPENTANCE = The Greek "metanoeo" (Strongs
#G3341) means "to change one's mind, repent." Theologically, repentance involves genuine
regret or sorrow, accompanied by a true change of heart toward God.
"Repentance
is necessary for salvation, but merely as a preparation of the heart and not as
a price paid for the gift of life." -- Lectures in Systematic Theology,
Henry C. Thiessen, Eerdmans, p. 202
Mar 1:8
BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT = See commentary on
Matthew
Contrary
to the Jehovah Witnesses' belief that the Holy Spirit is just an "active
force" like electricity, "the idea of 'spirit' excludes not only the
idea of material substance, but also that of inanimate substance. It implies that God (or in this case, the
Holy Spirit) is alive." -- Lectures in Systematic Theology, by Henry C.
Thiessen, Eerdmans, p. 76.
Mar 1:11
WITH YOU I AM WELL PLEASED = This is the fulfillment of
the Messianic prophecy found in Isaiah 42:1.
Mar 1:13
HE WAS IN THE DESERT FORTY DAYS, BEING TEMPTED BY SATAN
= The verbal form of the Greek word "peirazomenos" (Strongs #G3985)
is present passive participle in the nominative singular masculine case. This means Satan tempted Christ continuously
over the forty days (also see Luke 4:2).
Mar 1:15
KINGDOM OF GOD = "An analysis of 136 passages in
the NT where the expression 'kingdom' occurs, shows that it means the 'rule of
God' which was 'manifested in and through Christ,' is 'apparent in the Church,'
'gradually develops amidst hindrances,' is 'triumphant at the second coming of
Christ ('the end'), and finally is 'perfected in the world to come.'
(Edersheim, book 2, page 270).
REPENT = The Greek "metanoeo" (Strongs
#G3340) means "to change one's mind, to think differently." Theologically, repentance involves genuine
regret or sorrow, accompanied by a true change of heart toward God.
"Repentance
is necessary for salvation, but merely as a preparation of the heart and not as
a price paid for the gift of life." -- Lectures in Systematic Theology,
Henry C. Thiessen, Eerdmans, p. 202
Mar 1:21
WHEN THE SABBATH CAME, JESUS WENT INTO THE SYNAGOGUE =
Jesus lived as a Jew under the Old Covenant God made with the Israelites at
Sinai. Everything He did up to the time
of His death on the cross, was done as a Jew under the Old Covenant Law. He was required to offer sacrifices, attend
religious festivals, rest from His work on the Sabbath, et cetera -- just as
all Jews were required by the laws of the Old Covenant. As the sinless lamb of God, Jesus never broke
even the smallest of the Old Covenant laws (Hebrews
Mar 1:22
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See commentary on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 1:32
THAT EVENING AFTER SUNSET = Saturday evening. See Mark
Mar 1:34
HE WOULD NOT LET THE DEMONS SPEAK BECAUSE THEY KNEW WHO
HE WAS = If the demons had told the people Jesus was the prophesied Messiah,
they would have ruined His ministry (i.e. having the demons "working"
for Him would have made people think Jesus was actually Satan!). Instead of allowing the demons to
"help" Him (Mark
Mar 1:35
IN THE MORNING =
The previous day was the Sabbath day (Mark
Mar 1:39
DRIVING OUT DEMONS = "We have mistakenly
formulated our methods for dealing with demonic powers from the Gospels instead
of the epistles. This is easy to do,
since the only specific examples of demonic expulsion are found in Matthew,
Mark, Luke, John, and Acts. But the
Gospels are the historical record of events which occurred prior to the
cross. All authority had not yet been
given 'in heaven and on earth' (Matthew 28:18).
Satan had not yet been defeated at the cross, disarmed, and exposed
(Colossians
Mar 1:44
OFFER THE SACRIFICES THAT MOSES COMMANDED = Here Jesus
was speaking as an Israelite living under the requirements of the Old
Covenant. Jesus consistently upheld the
requirements of the Old Covenant written in stone because they were still in force until His
sacrificial death on the cross instituted the New Covenant in Christ’s
blood.
Mar 2:1
Mar 2:6
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 2:16
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
WHO WERE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 2:18
PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 2:24
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 2:27
MADE FOR MAN = The Greek "anthropos" (Strongs
#G444) means "man, human being, the human race." "Anthropos" is a generic name which
distinguishes human beings from gods or animals. Thus we have Jesus saying the Sabbath was
made for humans, not gods or animals.
Sabbatarians error by claiming this means the Sabbath was made for all
human beings, all races, all nations, for all time. However, in order to make that claim,
Sabbatarians must ignore the fact that Scripture clearly states the Ten
Commandments (including the fourth) were never given to any people before or
after God gave them to the Israelites in 1450 B.C. at Mt. Sinai (see Deuteronomy
4:8, 13; Deuteronomy 5:2-4; Nehemiah 9:13-14).
And the Sabbatarian claim must ignore the context of Christ's statement
here in Mark 2:27. When read in context,
Jesus was specifically speaking of the Israelites and not the entire human race
("He said to them"). The Bible
is clear that in all of recorded Biblical history the Sabbath was only given to
the Israelites and not given to any other nation or race (carefully read
Nehemiah 9:13-14; Deuteronomy 5:2-4; Deuteronomy 4:8-13).
“By
‘man’, is not meant all mankind; for the Sabbath was never
appointed for all mankind, nor binding upon all; but only upon the Jews, who are emphatically called
‘man’, or ‘men’ (see Ezekiel 34:30); upon which the
Jewish writers remark , that ‘they are called, אדם, ‘man’; but the idolatrous
Gentiles, and nations of the world, are not called ’men’; but
‘dogs’, ‘beasts’, et cetera’ (see Jesus
discussion with the woman in Matthew 15:26-27; Mark 7:27-28 and Paul’s
reference to evil-doers as ‘dogs’ in Philippians 3:2-3; and
Revelation 22:15). – John Gill on
Mark 2:27, quoting from T. Bab. Bava Metzia, fol. 114. 2. Zohar in Exod. fol.
35. 4.
“’DOGS.’ A term applied to all types of ceremonially
impure persons (Gentiles). In
Deuteronomy
“And
that the observation of the seventh day, was only designed for the children of
Israel, seems manifest from Exodus 31:16, ‘wherefore the children of
Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their
generations, for a perpetual covenant; it is a sign between Me and the children
of Israel’; and not between Him and the rest of the world: and in Exodus
31:14, ‘ye shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy unto you’: on
which the Jews make this remark, עממין לכם ולא
לשאר, ‘to you, and not to the rest of the nations’
(Zohar in Exod. fol. 26.4.); nor did they ever think that the Gentiles were
obliged to observe their Sabbath, only such who became proselytes to their
religion; even those who were proselytes of righteousness: for a proselyte of
the gate, was not bound to observe it; for so says Maimonides, ‘those who
take upon them the seven commandments of Noah only, lo! they are as a proselyte
of the gate, and they are free to do work on the Sabbath day for themselves,
openly, as an Israelite on a common day' (Hilchot Sabbat, c. 20. sect.
14). Yes, they not only say, they were
not obliged to keep the Sabbath, but that it was not lawful for them to observe
it; and that it was even punishable with death them to regard it; for so they
say, ‘a Gentile that keeps the Sabbath before he is circumcised, is
guilty of death, because it is not commanded him' (Debarim Rabba, sect. 1. fol.
234.4). They judged them unworthy of
having this precept enjoined them, as being not men, but beasts, and worse than
they, and had not the privilege the ass has: hence one of their commentators
says, ‘concerning the rest of an ass/donkey, thou (O Israelite!) art
commanded (see Exodus 20:8-11); but concerning the rest of a Gentile, thou art
not commanded’ (Bartenora in Misn. Sabbat, c. 24. sect. 1).'’
– John Gill on Mark
Mar 2:28
LORD EVEN OF THE SABBATH = Like many of today's
Sabbatarians, the Israelites of Christ's time were more focused on the Sabbath than
they were on their Savior. After the
religious leaders accused Jesus of Sabbath-breaking, He sharply rebuked them by
proclaiming His Lordship over the Sabbath.
Sabbatarians often use this text to claim that Jesus never stated He was
Lord over Sunday. Of course Sabbatarians
err in this, for Scripture clearly states Jesus is "Lord of all"
things including every day of the week (Acts 10:26; Romans 10:12).
The
Israelites believed that God "worked" on Sabbath: God made the sun to
shine, He made the crops grow, He provided life and breath to His people --
even on the Sabbath. And so, they
decided it was permissible for God to work on the Sabbath, because God is Lord
of the Sabbath. When Jesus laid claim to
the same title, "Lord of the Sabbath," He was in effect proclaiming
Himself to be God. He did this again in
John 8:58 and Luke 22:70 when He applied the divine term "I Am" to
Himself. It was these claims to Divinity
that infuriated the Israelites against Christ and caused them to murder Him by
crucifixion.
Mar 3:1
Mar 3:6
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
HOW THEY MIGHT KILL JESUS = This is the fulfillment of
the Messianic prophecy found in Psalm 2:2.
Mar 3:15
AUTHORITY TO DRIVE OUT DEMONS = "We have
mistakenly formulated our methods for dealing with demonic powers from the
Gospels instead of the epistles. This is
easy to do, since the only specific examples of demonic expulsion are found in
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts. But
the Gospels are the historical record of events which occurred prior to the
cross. All authority had not yet been
given 'in heaven and on earth' (Matthew 28:18).
Satan had not yet been defeated at the cross, disarmed, and exposed
(Colossians 2:15). During this period a
special agent with heaven-sent authority was needed to demonstrate the presence
of God. ... The book of Acts helps us realize that satanic encounters continued
after the cross and that evil forces continue to exist in opposition to the
growth of the church. But this
historical book does not constitute the final word on dealing with those
forces. ... The ultimate responsibility for spiritual freedom belongs to the
individual believer, not an outside agent.
It's not what you do as the counselor that counts; it's what the
counselee believes, confesses, renounces, forgives, etc. ... Many of my
colleagues still prefer to confront demons head-on. They have their stories of success, but
readily admit that when the encounter was unsuccessful it was because the
individual was unwilling to get right with God.
If you feel comfortable and are finding success in a confrontational
procedure, God bless you. But I always
caution those who deal directly with demons not to believe anything they
say. They are all liars (John 8:44). ...
I have not attempted to 'cast out a demon' in several years. But I have seen hundreds of people find
freedom in Christ as I helped them resolve their personal and spiritual
conflicts. I no longer deal directly
with demons at all, and I prohibit their manifestation. I only work with their victims. As helpers, our success is dependent upon the
cooperation of the persons we help. We
say with Jesus to those we help, 'Be it done to you according to your faith'
(Matthew 9:29). Helping people
understand the truth and assume personal responsibility for truth in their life
is the essence of ministry. ... It isn't power per se that sets the captive
free; it's truth (John 8:32)." -- The Bondage Breaker, Neil T. Anderson,
pp. 216-218.
Mar 3:17
SONS OF THUNDER = See Luke 9:54 and Mark 9:38; Luke
9:49.
Mar 3:18
SIMON THE ZEALOT = "At the time of Christ, the
name ‘Zealotes’ applied to a party among the Jews, half religious
and half political, founded by Judas the Galilean (Acts 5:37). These undertook
to punish without trial those guilty of violating Jewish practices, under which
pretext they themselves committed the greatest excesses of crime." -- AMG
Complete WordStudy Dictionary, Zodhiates.
Mar 3:22
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 3:23
IN PARABLES = The Greek word
"parabolay"(Strongs #G3850) literally means "to throw along
side." In other words a parable is story told to illustrate a truth which
is "thrown along side." The
story itself is not necessarily factual, for it only serves to illustrate a
truth. Consider these important elements
of Jesus' parables as brought out in Zodhiates' "The Complete Word Study
Dictionary of the New Testament":
"Specifically,
a parable (is) a short story under which something else is figured or in which
the fictitious is used to represent and illustrate the real. This common Oriental method of teaching was
much used by Christ in the first three Gospels, but not elsewhere in the New
Testament. ... Parables may be considered illustrations of truths already set
forth rather than as a means of conveying (new) truths (page 1097).
"No
major doctrine can be derived from the details pertaining to the description of
the physical circumstances in attributing parallel realities to the
spiritual. In the teaching, the physical
invariably falls short of adequate representation of the spiritual (page
1100)."
Thus
as we read Jesus' parables, we must not to suppose that Jesus had no capacity
to use His imagination to develop an allegory which would fit His purpose by
illustrating a truth He wanted to impress upon His listeners. Just as "Pilgrim's Progress" is an
allegory and even though the details are not necessarily factual, we read the
story to grasp a number of spiritual truths.
When
it comes to parables we must not conclude that simply because Jesus told a
story it must be absolutely true to fact, for parables are often
allegories. This is not to imply in any
way that Jesus did not tell the truth, but rather to point out that Jesus often
used imaginary symbols and allegories in His teaching. Examples of these imaginary symbols are found
in the Parable of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11 ff) and the parable of the Vine
(John 15:5 ff). Jesus was never actually
a literal shepherd, neither was He literally a grapevine, however the lesson
these parables taught is absolutely true.
Mar 3:29
BLASPHEMES AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT = This act comprises
rejecting the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. It is an eternal sin, for without responding
to the Holy Spirit a person will not come to repentance. Unrepented sin is unforgiven sin. Without God's forgiveness for sin a person is
eternally lost. Almost always those who
worry about blaspheming away the Holy Spirit have not committed this sin, for
the Holy Spirit is still working to bring them to repentance. See notes on Luke 12:10 and Matthew 26:65.
Contrary
to the Jehovah Witnesses' belief that the Holy Spirit is just an "active
force" like electricity, "the idea of 'spirit' excludes not only the
idea of material substance, but also that of inanimate substance. It implies that God (or in this case, the
Holy Spirit) is alive." -- Lectures in Systematic Theology, by Henry C.
Thiessen, Eerdmans, p. 76.
Mar 4:1
Mar 4:2
BY PARABLES = The Greek word "parabolay" (Strongs
#G3850) literally means "to throw along side." In other words a
parable is a story told to illustrate a truth which is "thrown along
side." The story itself is not
necessarily factual, for it only serves to illustrate a truth. Consider these important elements of Jesus'
parables as brought out in Zodhiates' "The Complete Word Study Dictionary
of the New Testament":
"Specifically,
a parable (is) a short story under which something else is figured or in which
the fictitious is used to represent and illustrate the real. This common Oriental method of teaching was
much used by Christ in the first three Gospels, but not elsewhere in the New
Testament. ... Parables may be considered illustrations of truths already set
forth rather than as a means of conveying (new) truths (page 1097).
"No
major doctrine can be derived from the details pertaining to the description of
the physical circumstances in attributing parallel realities to the
spiritual. In the teaching, the physical
invariably falls short of adequate representation of the spiritual (page
1100)."
Thus
as we read Jesus' parables, we must not to suppose that Jesus had no capacity
to use His imagination to develop an allegory which would fit His purpose by
illustrating a truth He wanted to impress upon His listeners. Just as "Pilgrim's Progress" is an
allegory and even though the details are not necessarily factual, we read the
story to grasp a number of spiritual truths.
When
it comes to parables we must not conclude that simply because Jesus told a
story it must be absolutely true to fact, for parables are often
allegories. This is not to imply in any
way that Jesus did not tell the truth, but rather to point out that Jesus often
used imaginary symbols and allegories in His teaching. Examples of these imaginary symbols are found
in the Parable of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11 ff) and the parable of the Vine
(John 15:5 ff). Jesus was never actually
a literal shepherd, neither was He literally a grapevine, however the lesson
these parables taught is absolutely true.
Mar 4:9
EARS TO HEAR = A reference to God's statement in
Deuteronomy 29:4 that the Israelites had not been given "a mind that
understands or eyes that see or ears that hear."
Mar 4:11
SECRET = In the New Testament the term "secret"
refers to something which God has revealed to His people.
PARABLES = By speaking in parables Jesus accomplished
several things. (1) He preserved and
prolonged His ministry by preventing His enemies from twisting His words. (2) He weeded out those who were just
onlookers and intransigents from those who listened intently through
faith. (3) He was able to draw sinners
into His message by means of these stories and clearly appeal to them. (4) When they rejected His appeal, He had
thoroughly exposed their hardhearted resistance to the Gospel. See commentary on Mark 4:2.
Mar 4:12
SO THAT = See note on Mark 4:11.
OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT TURN AND BE FORGIVEN = Jesus
always gave people the opportunity to
believe in Him. But once they
persistently closed their minds to His message (see Mark 1:15), they were
excluded from further understanding of it by His use of parables. Part of the reason was merciful because
"The one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be
beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be
demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be
asked" (Luke 12:48). Thus Jesus'
parables were a "two-edged sword" -- they revealed the secrets of the
kingdom to anyone who wanted to understand, but they created blindness for
those who choose not to see. The irony
is that the last thing these wicked people wanted was to turn and have their
sins forgiven. Thus, the parables
protected their decision to be lost by not forcing them to repent through
overwhelming evidence.
"'THEY MAY BE EVER SEEING ..." = This is a
quotation from Isaiah 6:9-10. See the
commentary note on Isaiah 6:10.
Mar 4:23
EARS TO HEAR = A reference to God's statement in
Deuteronomy 29:4 that the Israelites had not been given "a mind that
understands or eyes that see or ears that hear."
Mar 4:34
PARABLE = See commentary note on Mark 4:2.
HE DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO THEM WITHOUT USING PARABLES
= This is another way to teach, called "hyperbole" -- it is a figure
of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect.
Mar 5:1
Mar 5:10
BEGGED ... NOT TO SEND THEM OUT OF THE AREA = Demons
control specific geographic territories and exert certain territorial
rights. For reasons we can only imagine,
they prefer to remain in the area Satan has assigned to them and designated as
being under their influence.
Mar 5:26
UNDER THE CARE OF MANY DOCTORS = Here we see that it is
not only modern physicians who, at times, have caused more harm than good. Jesus never spoke against going to physicians
and implied that the "sick" need a doctor (Luke 5:31). However, often the medical profession is
unable to help. Statistics indicate more
people in the United States of America die each year due to their physicians'
mistakes than are killed by guns in the hands of criminals!
Mar 6:1
Mar 6:3
THE BROTHER OF ... HIS SISTERS = Mary was a virgin when
she married Joseph, therefore these individuals are either Joseph's children
from a previous marriage (and thus Jesus' half-brothers and half-sisters), or
they were Jesus' full brothers and sisters, being born after Jesus. Because the Roman Catholic Church believes in
the "perpetual virginity" of Mary, their position is that these were
Christ's half-brothers and sisters.
JAMES = He authored the book of James (see James 1:1;
Jude 1:1).
JUDAS = He authored the book of Jude (see Jude 1:1).
SIMON = Not Simon Peter.
Mar 6:8
TAKE ... A STAFF = This is a seeming contradiction of
Matthew
Mar 6:12
REPENT = The Greek "metanoeo" (Strongs
#G3340) means "to change one's mind, to think differently." Theologically, repentance involves genuine
regret or sorrow, accompanied by a true change of heart toward God.
"Repentance
is necessary for salvation, but merely as a preparation of the heart and not as
a price paid for the gift of life." -- Lectures in Systematic Theology,
Henry C. Thiessen, Eerdmans, p. 202
Mar 6:13
ANOINTED ... WITH OIL = This thought is developed
further in James
Mar 6:14
JOHN THE BAPTIST HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD = The
entire person is referred to here, not a "body" separated from an
"eternal/immortal" soul.
Mar 6:21
BIRTHDAY = This is one of the three passages Jehovah's
Witnesses use to argue against celebrating birthdays. See the discussion on this at Genesis
40:20-22.
Mar 6:27
EXECUTIONER = The Greek "spekoulator"
(Strongs #G4688) designated soldiers who served as bodyguards, sentinels,
scouts and executioners. Also see
Matthew 27:66; Acts 5:23.
Mar 6:48
WALKING ON THE LAKE = The synoptic accounts of this
incident appear in Matthew
Mar 7:1
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 7:3
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 7:5
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 7:6
ISAIAH WAS RIGHT = This quotation comes from Isaiah
29:13.
Mar 7:9
COMMANDS ... TRADITIONS = Sabbatarians, such as
Seventh-day Adventists, frequently use this text to teach that Christians who
do not worship on Saturday are "setting aside" God's commands in
order to observe a non-Biblical "tradition" of worshipping on
Sunday. The fact of the matter is that
the Israelites worshipped at the temple every day of the week, including
Sunday, and were specifically commanded by God to celebrate Pentecost on Sunday
every year (Leviticus 23:16). Therefore
worshipping on Sunday is not only in harmony with Old Testament Scripture, but
worshipping exclusively on Saturday is against the Old Testament
Scripture. When the Bible student
includes the fact that we are New Testament Christians -- not Old Testament
Israelites -- he cannot conclude that there is any Biblical reason to prefer
one day over another as "the" day to worship God. Christianity is not focused on a day,
Christianity is focused on the Person of Jesus Christ.
Mar 7:10
HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER = In the context of
Mark 7:11-13, "honor" includes financial assistance.
Mar 7:11
CORBAN = This is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew
word meaning "offering." It
was a part of a special religious vow in which a portion of a son's finances
became permanently earmarked as a "gift devoted to God" and could not
be changed (see Numbers 30:1-2).
Irresponsible Jewish sons used this word in a religious vow to formally
dedicate to God, or the temple, all the wealth that would have been used to
support their parents. The son could then use the money for both religious and
non-religious purposes as he chose. In
Christ's eyes the "Corban" vow was simply a clever scheme to
circumvent a child's responsibility to care for his parents as outlined in
God's Word (see Exodus 20:12 and 1 Timothy 5:8).
Mar 7:13
THE WORD OF GOD = This phrase is used throughout
Scripture to mean:
(1) a
prophecy or directive from God to a prophet [1 Chronicles 17:3-4; Luke 3:2];
(2)
the entire cannon of Scripture [Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 15:6];
(3)
the spoken word/preaching [Acts
(4)
the "sword of the Spirit" [Ephesians
(5)
"Christ in you, the hope of glory" [Colossians
(6)
literally the word from God [1 Thessalonians
(7) In
John 10:35, "the word of God" is synonymous with "the
Scripture."
(8) In
Acts 6:7; 8:14, "the word of God" is synonymous with
Christianity.
(9) In
Revelation 19:13 "the Word of God" is a title for Jesus Christ.
Mar 7:16
NOTE: The KJV has "If any man have ears to hear,
let him hear." This verse, though
present in the majority of manuscripts, is absent from the most ancient ones,
thus it is not included in the NIV. It
appears to be a scribal addition taken from Mark 4:9 or Mark 4:23.
Mar 7:19
DECLARED ALL FOODS "CLEAN" = When Jesus
declared that "all foods (are) clean" He used an Old Testament
term. This concept of "clean"
or "unclean" comes from the ceremonial laws specifying foods,
objects, or people permitted to be present at or used in religious ceremonies. By this statement Jesus declared that food is
not a ceremonial/religious issue for Christians as it was for Old Testament
Jews. However, there is a difference
between all food being ceremonially "clean," and all food being
healthful (see 1 Corinthians 6:12 and Romans 14:20). Also see the note on Matthew 15:18.
Mar 7:21
EVIL THOUGHTS = "Good thoughts bear good fruit,
bad thoughts bear bad fruit -- and man is his own gardener." -- James
Allen
Mar 8:1
Mar 8:7
GAVE THANKS FOR THEM ALSO = Many of us forget to thank God
for the food we eat, but Jesus returned thanks twice during one meal. Verse 6 tells us Jesus gave thanks for the
bread, and then had His disciples distribute it to the people. And then He learned they had a few small fish
as well. Jesus gave thanks for the fish
and then had them distributed to the crowd as well (also see John
Mar 8:9
FOUR THOUSAND = Some believe Mark was mistaken when he
recorded Christ miraculously feeding both 5,000 and 4,000 people in two
separate incidents. However, Jesus
Himself mentions both incidents, corroborating Mark's account in Mark 8:19-20. Matthew also concurs in Matthew 16:9-10.
Mar 8:10
MAR 8:10
DALMANUTHA = Also known as "Magadan" (Matthew
15:39). Some think the name has been
corrupted and is actually "Magdala," the town where Mary Magdalene
had her home (just north of Tiberias).
Mar 8:11
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
TO TEST HIM = The Greek "pieradzo" (Strongs
#G3985) meaning "to tempt" -- it's testing someone in the hope of
making him fall. It means to tempt the
way Satan tempts us. These Pharisees
were hoping to lead Jesus into sin, rather than open their hearts to the truth
that He was the Messiah, the Son of God.
Also see Matthew 16:1-4; Luke 11:16.
Mar 8:15
PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 8:22
MAR 8:22
PEOPLE BROUGHT = The primary reason people came to the
Lord was through the influence of their friends.
BLIND MAN = Spiritual blindness is as real as physical
blindness.
TOUCH = Only the touch of Jesus can truly make a person
whole. Never neglect to present the
"blind" person to Jesus.
Mar 8:23
MAR 8:23
HAND = Personal contact with Jesus is the prerequisite
to all healing. It is not what we know
"about" Jesus that matters; it is that we know Jesus personally.
LED HIM OUTSIDE = True religion is an individual
matter; we are not "saved" in groups or churches or because of
sub-cultural distinctions.
SPIT = Spittle is usually associated with disgust, yet
Jesus' blessing came through this medium. Often the very truth we once despised
is what ultimately brings us blessing.
PUT HIS HANDS ON HIM = It is not the method but the
blessing of Jesus that brings all healing.
Mar 8:24
MAR 8:24
I SEE ... TREES = Each person must remember that none
of us sees as well as we eventually shall through the grace of Christ. We all say 'I do not see as much as I should,
nor as much as I hope to see, but I do see something now! I will never be completely blind
again!" Let us be grateful for any
light we have, even as we recognize that in both spiritual and interpersonal
relationships we see imperfectly.
Mar 8:25
MAR 8:25
ONCE MORE = Continual contact with Jesus promotes true
growth. Jesus does not send us home
until we have been completely healed.
Mar 8:27
CAESAREA PHILIPPI = This town is in close proximity to
Mt. Hermon.
Mar 8:31
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
AFTER THREE DAYS = See note on Matthew 12:40.
Mar 9:1
BEFORE THEY SEE = Does not refer to Christ's second
coming, but to His transfiguration as verses 2-9; Luke 9:27-36; and 2 Peter
1:16-18 indicate. A slight variation of
Christ's words are found in Matthew 16:28 and Luke 9:27.
COME WITH POWER = Greek "erchomai" (Strongs
#G2064) means "appear, bring, come, grow." Some of Christ's disciples saw God's kingdom
grow "with power" throughout the world of their day. Thus this phrase refers to Christ's
transfiguration and the marvelous spreading of the Gospel in their lifetime
(John 12:19).
Mar 9:2
HE WAS TRANSFIGURED BEFORE THEM = The Greek word
"metamorphoo" (Strongs #G3339) means "change, transfigure,
transform." It is the root of our
English word "metamorphis."
Also see Romans 12:2; Matthew 17:2.
Mar 9:4
ELIJAH AND MOSES = Elijah was taken to heaven in a
whirlwind (2 Kings 2:1) and did not see death.
Moses died on Mt. Nebo (Deuteronomy 32:49-50) and was apparently taken
to heaven some time later (Jude 1:9).
This event on the Mount of Transfiguration took place some 1,500 years
after Moses' death, thus there is no possibility either man remained alive on
earth rather than going to heaven.
Mar 9:7
THIS IS MY SON = This is the fulfillment of the
Messianic prophecy found in Psalm 2:7.
Mar 9:11
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 9:14
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 9:31
AFTER THREE DAYS = See note on Matthew 12:40.
Mar 9:38
WE TOLD HIM TO STOP = See note on Mark 3:17.
Mar 9:43
CAUSES ... CUT IT OFF = If Christ is speaking
literally, then we must cut off the hand of every thief, and the fire of hell
never goes out. But if Christ was
speaking through hyperbole (exaggeration to make a point), then we must cut out
the sin rather than cut off the hand, and the fires of hell do not burn
forever. Jesus said the cause of the sin
must be rooted out so that we will no longer sin (see notes on Matthew
18:6-9). If Christ was speaking
literally, then Mark 9:49 literally states that everyone will be burned with
hell fire. This concept contradicts so
many texts indicating the saved escape the fires of hell that it is simply
untenable.
HELL = The destruction that occurs in the fires of hell
("lake of fire," Revelation 20:14) occurs on the surface of the
earth, not in some subterranean cavity (Ezekiel 28:18).
Mar 9:44
The NIV does not include this text, nor the one in
verse 46, because these words are absent from the most important and earliest
manuscripts. Thus, though they appear in
the KJV, it is evident they were inadvertently inserted here by later copyists
who took them from verse 48.
Mar 9:45
CAUSES ... CUT IT OFF = See the note on Mark 9:43.
HELL = The destruction that occurs in the fires of hell
("lake of fire," Revelation 20:14) occurs on the surface of the
earth, not in some subterranean cavity (Ezekiel 28:18).
Mar 9:46
The NIV does not include this text, nor the one in
verse 44, because the words are absent from the most important and earliest
manuscripts. Thus, thought they appear
in the KJV, it is evident they were inadvertently inserted here by later
copyists who took them from verse 48.
Mar 9:47
CAUSES ... PLUCK IT OUT = See the note on Mark 9:43.
HELL = The destruction that occurs in the fires of hell
("lake of fire," Revelation 20:14) occurs on the surface of the
earth, not in some subterranean cavity (Ezekiel 28:18).
Mar 9:48
WORM ... FIRE = Quoted from Isaiah 66:24, where the
reference is to "dead bodies."
Here Jesus applies this concept to "hell" (verse 47) or
"Gehenna" (Strongs #G1067).
The "worm" and "fire" are the agents God uses to
accomplish total destruction. No one
believes that the "soul" is composed of "worm" and
"fire." Therefore there is
nothing here that mentions the word "soul." Rather, in this context, Jesus is speaking
about "you" (the entire person of verse 47).
"The
rabbinic literature before and during the life of Christ used the mental
picture of the worms and fire connected with the city dump in the valley of
Gehenna to illustrate the doctrine of everlasting punishment. Christ was not teaching that hell will
involve literal worms gnawing at literal bodies." -- Death and the
Afterlife, Robert Morey, p. 30.
Mar 9:49
EVERYONE WILL BE SALTED WITH FIRE = The fire spoken of
here is the same "hell-fire" mentioned in verses 43-48. If Jesus is speaking literally, then everyone
will be burned in the fires of hell.
That concept is certainly not Biblical, thus we understand Jesus to be
focusing on the eradication of our sin (sanctification), rather than on the
punishment for our sin. Thus, in this
life we will go "through the fire" of punishment and experience to
burn away our sins, or else we will go the through fires of hell later on. Therefore, as Jesus said in Mark 9:50,
"Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.
Mar 10:1
Mar 10:2
PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 10:11
COMMITS ADULTERY = The Greek "moichao"
(Strongs #G3429) means "an adulterer, to commit adultery." The verb case is 3d person singular, present
middle indicative meaning continuous action (linear).
“The
verb here is moichátai and should be translated “causes adultery upon
her” (a.t. [‘ep’ autemn’; epí {Strongs #G1909}, means
‘upon’; ‘autemn’, the fem. of ‘autós’
{Strongs #G846}, means ‘her’). The verb is used in the passive form
meaning that adultery is caused to be committed against his new wife. The verb
is used again in the passive voice, ‘moichátai’, in verse twelve:
‘And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another,
she committeth adultery.’ In this instance, the verb is understood as
having a middle meaning. Here we are told about a woman who dismisses her
husband unjustifiably and marries another. First of all, this woman brings the
guilt of adultery upon her own self (‘moichátai’) since she becomes
married to a man other than her husband. Secondly, the verb can have a
passive meaning in that she causes her
new husband to commit adultery in marrying her since she made herself an
adulteress in dismissing her previous husband. These are the only places that
the verb is used in the middle and passive voice.
See
note on Matthew 5:23; Matthew 19:9 and reference Luke 16:18.
Mar 10:12
COMMITS ADULTERY = The Greek "moichao"
(Strongs #G3429) means "an adulterer, to commit adultery." The verb case is 3d person singular, present
indicative meaning continuous action (linear).
However, the context is extremely important as the note on Mark 10:11
makes clear.
Mar 10:18
WHY DO YOU CALL ME GOOD? = "There are two kinds of
competing 'goods' in this world. Jesus
had that in mind when He rebuked the rich young ruler, 'Don't call any man
good.' Because he held a humanistic view
of goodness, the young man thought he had become good by outwardly keeping the
commandments, and he judged Jesus by the same standard. When, therefore, he called Jesus 'good,' he
meant the opposite of what Jesus meant by that word. 'Unless you are willing to call Me good as
God is good,' Jesus implied, 'you must not call Me good at all.' Jesus pressed the sharp distinction between
the young man's apparent, outward, social, pharisaic, humanistic goodness and
the goodness that flowed from His own sinless heart." -- How to Help
People Change, by Jay E. Adams, pages 6-7.
Mar 10:19
COMMIT ADULTERY = The Greek "moichao"
(Strongs #G3429) means "an adulterer, to commit adultery." The verb case is 2d person singular, 1st
aorist active subjunctive meaning punctiliar action in the past, present, or
future (a one-time event).
Mar 10:33
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 10:34
THREE DAYS LATER = "Jesus was buried before dark
on Friday ("the first day," since the Jews reckoned days from dusk to
dusk). His body remained in the tomb
from dusk Friday to dusk Saturday ("the second day") and from dusk
Saturday to dawn Sunday ("the third day"). On the morning of the third day the
astonished soldiers felt the earth quake and saw an angel roll away the stone
sealing the tomb. ... Jesus had risen from the dead." -- The Bible
Almanac, Packer, Tenny, White, p. 521.
Also
see note on Matthew 12:40.
Mar 10:35
CAME TO HIM ... THEY SAID = Their mother, Salome, came
with them (Matthew 20:20).
Mar 10:46
JERICHO = Jericho, thought to be the oldest city in the
world, was conquered by Joshua after crossing the Jordan River and entering the
Promised Land. The name
"Jericho" means "moon."
In New Testament times Jericho was famous for its balm (an aromatic gum
known for its medicinal qualities). Being the nation's winter capital also
contributed to making it a wealthy city.
LEAVING THE CITY = Luke writes that Jesus healed a
blind man as they approached the city of Jericho (Luke 18:35). Was Jesus leaving or approaching? Some see this as an example of Scripture
contradicting itself. However, in Jesus'
day there were two Jerichos -- the ancient city which was largely in ruins and,
three hundred yards away, the newer Roman city. As the disciples gathered around Jesus,
leaving old Jericho and walking toward new Roman Jericho, they met a blind
man. Luke was apparently walking behind
Jesus and looking ahead, wrote that they were approaching Jericho (the newer
city). Mark apparently was in front of
Jesus and, looking back, observed that they were leaving Jericho (the older
city). These two accounts point out the
accuracy of the Bible writers: there were two Jerichos and each man was telling
the truth!
BLIND MAN = In ancient times, blindness was very common
and generally was the end of a person's productive life. Blindness was commonly thought to be due to
the blind person's sinful life-style (John 9:1-3). Possibly people believed blindness was always
due to the advanced stages of syphilis
contracted through an immoral lifestyle.
Thus blind people were shunned and disdained. While Scripture prohibited a blind person
from becoming a priest (Leviticus 21:18); the Bible protected blind people by
barring anyone from giving the blind false directions in order to make them run
into a wall or stumble over a stone (Leviticus 19:14).
One
thing about blind Bartimaeus that's important is that he didn't lay home in bed
bemoaning the fact that he was blind.
Instead, he went to work every day to earn an income by begging. Even though we may look down on beggars as
being cheats and pests, Bartimaeus was legitimately in need and therefore to be
commended by doing what he was able to do to earn his keep.
Mar 10:47
JESUS, SON OF DAVID = "Bartimaeus, the blind
beggar was among the first of those outsider the ranks of the apostles, who are
recorded as having proclaimed Jesus to
be the Messiah; for 'Son of David,' the title by which he addressed Jesus, was
one which was specifically Messianic. one reason for Bartimaeus's conviction
that Jesus could cure his blindness may have been his knowledge that Isaiah
61:1 foretold that the Messiah would enable the blind to see (see Jesus'
application of Isaiah to Himself in Matthew 11:5; Luke 4:18). It is to be
observed that Jesus did not command him to refrain from proclaiming His
Messiahship, as He had done to the demons (cf. Mark 1:34)." - The
International Bible Commentary, F. F. Bruce, Zondervan, p. 1171
Mar 10:51
WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU? = Jesus presented
Bartimaeus with the greatest opportunity of his life -- the equivalent to a
genie offering a person "three wishes." Like most of us, Bartimaeus was short-sighted,
and so he settled for a "quick
fix". But what could have happened
if Bartimaeus had asked Jesus to make him king of a great nation, or a great
preacher for God? What did Bartimaeus
really turn down in order to "see"?
I WANT TO SEE = "Many things caused blindness in
ancient times. One could be born blind (John 9:1) due to some developmental
defect or as a result of infection prior to birth. Usually, however, blindness
began later. The most common cause was infection. Trachoma, a painful infection
of the eye, is a common cause of blindness today and was probably prevalent in
ancient times. Leprosy can also cause blindness. In old age, vision may be
severely impaired in some persons (Gen. 27:1). Some develop cataracts. Some
have a gradual atrophy of portions of the eye. Ancient people used salves of various
types to treat disorders of the eye. Simple surgical procedures such as the
lancing of boils near the eye and the extraction of inverted eyelashes were
also employed. In reality, almost no effective treatment was available to those
who suffered from diseases of the eye and blindness. There were no antibiotics,
no effective surgical procedures for most problems, and no eyeglasses.
Miraculous healing was often sought (John 5:2-3).
"Jesus
frequently healed blind persons (Matthew 9:27-31; 12:22; 20:30-34; Mark
10:46-52; John 9:1-7). Perhaps there is no greater evidence of His compassion
and power than that seen in His willingness and ability to heal those who lived
in darkness and hopelessness." -- Holman Bible Dictionary on
"Blindness."
Mar 10:52
FOLLOWED JESUS = This man is to be emulated, for there
are numerous examples of individuals who have been miraculously healed and then
fallen away from Christ. In His mercy
God usually does not remove His healing from those who receive but do not
follow. However He warns those who have
been healed not to continue in their sin (John 5:14).
Mar 11:1
BETHANY AT THE MOUNT OF OLIVES = Jesus ascended from
the "vicinity of Bethany" (Luke 24:50). According to Luke 19:29, perhaps He arose
from the Mount of Olives.
Mar 11:2
MAR 11:2
A COLT TIED THERE = Actually a donkey and her colt
(Matthew 21:2-3).
Mar 11:7
HE SAT ON IT = This is the fulfillment of the Messianic
prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9.
Mar 11:15
JESUS ENTERED THE TEMPLE AREA = This was Monday of Passion
week. The Jews had two weekly market
days: Mondays and Thursdays. Thus we see
that buying and selling had entered right into the Temple courts.
"In
the Synoptics the cleansing of the temple occurs during the last week of Jesus'
ministry; in John it takes place during the first few months (John
2:12-16). Two explanations are possible:
1. There were two cleansings, one at the beginning and the other at the end of
Jesus' public ministry. 2. There was
only one cleansing, which took place during Passion Week but which John placed
at the beginning of his account for theological reasons -- to show that God's
judgment was operative through the Messiah from the outset of His
ministry. However, different details are
present in the two accounts (the selling of cattle and sheep in John 2:14, the
whip in John 2:15, and the statements of Jesus in Matthew 21:13; John
2:16). From Matthew's and Luke's
accounts we might assume that the cleansing of the temple took place on Sunday,
following the so-called Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:1-11). But Mark (11:15-19) clearly indicates that it
was on Monday. Matthew often compressed
narratives." -- NIV Study Bible Note, Zondervan (Matthew 21:12-17).
Mar 11:18
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 11:24
BELIEVE ... AND IT WILL BE YOURS = See notes on 1 John
5:14-15.
Mar 11:25
WHEN YOU STAND PRAYING = See notes on 1 John 5:14-15.
Mar 11:26
Note: Although it might be thought that this sentence
was accidentally omitted because of homoeoteleuton, its absence from the
earliest manuscripts of all text-types makes it highly probable that the words
appearing in the KJV were inserted by copyists imitating Matthew 6:15.
Mar 11:27
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 12:1
IN PARABLES = The Greek word "parabolay"
(Strongs #G3850) literally means "to throw along side." In other
words a parable is story told to illustrate a truth which is "thrown along
side." The story itself is not
necessarily factual, for it only serves to illustrate a truth. Consider these important elements of Jesus'
parables as brought out in Zodhiates' "The Complete Word Study Dictionary
of the New Testament":
"Specifically,
a parable (is) a short story under which something else is figured or in which
the fictitious is used to represent and illustrate the real. This common Oriental method of teaching was
much used by Christ in the first three Gospels, but not elsewhere in the New
Testament. ... Parables may be considered illustrations of truths already set
forth rather than as a means of conveying (new) truths (page 1097).
"No
major doctrine can be derived from the details pertaining to the description of
the physical circumstances in attributing parallel realities to the
spiritual. In the teaching, the physical
invariably falls short of adequate representation of the spiritual (page
1100)."
Thus
as we read Jesus' parables, we must not to suppose that Jesus had no capacity
to use His imagination to develop an allegory which would fit His purpose by
illustrating a truth He wanted to impress upon His listeners. Just as "Pilgrim's Progress" is an
allegory and even though the details are not necessarily factual, we read the
story to grasp a number of spiritual truths.
When
it comes to parables we must not conclude that simply because Jesus told a
story it must be absolutely true to fact, for parables are often
allegories. This is not to imply in any
way that Jesus did not tell the truth, but rather to point out that Jesus often
used imaginary symbols and allegories in His teaching. Examples of these imaginary symbols are found
in the Parable of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11 ff) and the parable of the Vine
(John 15:5 ff). Jesus was never actually
a literal shepherd, neither was He literally a grapevine, however the lesson
these parables taught is absolutely true.
Mar 12:13
SOME OF THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 12:25
NEITHER MARY ... LIKE THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN = The
context of Christ's answer involves the Sadducees trying to trick Him into
admitting there is no resurrection of the dead (verses 19-23). Jesus refuted their belief by stating their
error was "because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of
God" (verse 24). Thus the emphasis
is on the resurrection rather than which kinds of marriages will exist after
the resurrection. Jesus was specific in
stating there would be no Levirate marriages "at the resurrection,"
He did not state there would be no marriage at all in the life that occurs
after the resurrection (also see Matthew 22:30 and Luke 20:35). At times Jesus was asked trick questions and
answered His tormentors with a dose of their own medicine (see Matthew
21:23-27; Mark 11:28-33; and Luke 20:2-8).
Mar 12:27
GOD OF THE ... LIVING = In view of the potential
reality of the resurrection at Christ's second coming, God is the God of the
living. See verse 26 and Romans 4:17.
Mar 12:28
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 12:29
THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE = This is quoted from
Deuteronomy 6:4. See note on Mark 12:32
for a larger treatment of the "oneness" of God.
This
is a text that Jehovah's Witnesses use to challenge the doctrine of the
Trinity. They focus on the statement
that God is one. But they fail to
understand that the New Testament reveals God's oneness as a composite
oneness. Let the JW know that you agree
with him that God is one God. Tell the
JW you do not believe in three Gods.
Then ask a few questions to stimulate the JWs thinking: (1) Can the one
True God listen to different people praying at the same time? (2) Can God speak to more than one person at
the same time, if He chooses to do so?
(3) Can He do things in more than one place at the same time? (4) Suppose God decided to personally visit
the earth -- would He have to leave heaven in order to do so? Or could He visit the earth, while still
remaining in heaven to run the universe?
(The JW will not want to answer).
Go on to say, "I'm not asking you to agree God DID do such a
thing. But do you THINK He COULD do
that, if he wanted to?" (These
questions will help the JW open his mind to the possibility that God's oneness
might be composite.) Then look up and
read these passages with the JW: Genesis 18:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Colossians
2:9 and Revelation 1:7-8.
Mar 12:30
LOVE THE LORD = Contrary to Sabbatarian teaching, the
command to love God is the “most important” commandment. Throughout Scripture the result/fruit of
loving God is "obedience;" "walking in His ways;"
"keeping His commands, decrees, and laws," (see Deuteronomy 6:5, 6;
11:1, 13, 22; 19:9; 30:16, 20; Joshua 22:5; 23:11; Psalms 31:23; 97:10; 116:1;
Romans 8:4, 5; 1 John 5:3; et cetera).
Love for God results in obedience, but obedience without love is
worthless legalism. However,
Sabbatarians err again by teaching that all people in all times must
demonstrate their love for God by “keeping” the Sabbath of the
fourth commandment. In this, Seventh-day
Adventists and other Sabbatarians omit the fact that the Ten Commandments are
the Old Covenant (Deuteronomy 4:13; Exodus 34:28); were only given to the
Israelites (Deuteronomy 4:8, 13; Deuteronomy 5:2-4; Nehemiah 9:13-14); and
designed to become obsolete at the cross when Jesus established the New
Covenant (Hebrews 8:8-9, 13; Luke 22:20; 2 Corinthians 3:6-11; Hebrews 9:15; et
cetera). The fact is: a Christian show
his love for God by obeying what God has required of him, and not what God does
not require of him. Trying to revive the
Sabbath of the Old Covenant which was only given of the Israelites and only
required of them until the cross, is gross
disobedience (see Hebrews 8:8-9, 13; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9:15; Romans
7:6; et cetera).
Mar 12:31
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR = The second-most important command
(after loving God) is to love your neighbor.
All of God’s requirements are summarized in these two
commands. Contrary to Seventh-day
Adventist and Sabbatarian teaching, the fourth commandment is not the most
important, nor is it the center of God’s law – it is not even
mentioned here by Christ. Christians
must remember that Jesus was speaking here as an Israelite living under the Old
Covenant and required to obey all its rules and regulations. The New Covenant was not established until
the cross (Luke 22:20). But even under
the New Covenant – after the Ten Commandments had become obsolete (see 2
Corinthians 3:6-11; Romans 7:6) love “fulfills” the law (Romans
13:8-10 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
Mar 12:32
GOD IS ONE = This man was referring to the Jewish
"shema" which is taken from Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; Isaiah 45:6, 14;
Isaiah 46:9 and repeated every day.
Anti-Trinitarians believe this text argues strongly against the Biblical
teaching of one God in three Persons.
This heresy develops from the incorrect thinking that the word
"one" always means a simple "oneness" -- i.e. if you have
"one" you cannot have "two." This argument is incorrect from two
perspectives. (1) This text is speaking
about one "God" -- which the Bible teaches and all Orthodox
Christians believe. No Christian is a
polytheist. (2) Scripture itself teaches
a "composite" oneness when speaking in a "collective"
sense. For example:
Genesis
2:24 speaks of husband and wife being "one flesh" (this "one
flesh" is composed of two people, thus the word "one" refers to
a composite oneness).
Genesis
11:6 speaks of the entire post-flood population of the world as "one
people" (a composite oneness made up of thousands of individuals).
1
Corinthians 12:13-14 speaks of "one" body made up of many
"parts" (Christ's church is a composite oneness made up of billions
of individuals).
John
17:22 speaks about the disciples being "one" even as Jesus and His
Heavenly Father are "one" (again, Scripture is speaking about a
"collective" or "composite" one, as opposed to a simple,
singular "oneness."
Thus
the unity of the Godhead (Trinity) is not simple, but compound (collective and
composite) and clearly taught throughout Scripture.
THERE IS NO OTHER BUT HIM = This is a very clear
statement that polytheism is a heretical belief, for there is only one
God. The teachings of Scripture,
orthodox Christianity and Trinitarians are fully in harmony with the fact that
there is only one God. All other
"gods" are not "gods" (Deuteronomy 32:17; 2 Kings 19:18;
Isaiah 37:19; Jeremiah 2:10; Jeremiah 16:20; Galatians 4:8).
Jehovah's
Witnesses contradict Scripture by teaching that there are two gods: the God
Jehovah, (who is "God" spelled with a capital "G") and
"a god" named Jesus Christ (who is "god" spelled with a
lower case "g"). Thus,
Jehovah's Witnesses set up a straw man to argue against Christians by claiming
the Trinity is composed of three Gods (something which Christians absolutely do
not believe), when Jehovah's Witnesses themselves believe in two gods. The fact is, Jehovah's Witnesses are
polytheists, while Christians are monotheists.
Of the two, only Christianity is in harmony with Scripture.
Mar 12:35
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 12:36
THE HOLY SPIRIT = Contrary to the Jehovah Witnesses'
belief that the Holy Spirit is just an "active force" like
electricity, "the idea of 'spirit' excludes not only the idea of material
substance, but also that of inanimate substance. It implies that God (or in this case, the
Holy Spirit) is alive." -- Lectures in Systematic Theology, by Henry C.
Thiessen, Eerdmans, p. 76.
Mar 12:38
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 12:43
HAS PUT MORE ... THAN ALL THE OTHERS = The value of the
gift is not according to the amount, but according to what one has (see 2
Corinthians 8:12).
Mar 13:1
Mar 13:3
PETER, ... ANDREW = Peter and Andrew shared a home
together (Mark 1:29).
JAMES, JOHN = James and John were brothers (Mark 4:21).
Mar 13:11
THE HOLY SPIRIT = Contrary to the Jehovah Witnesses'
belief that the Holy Spirit is just an "active force" like
electricity, "the idea of 'spirit' excludes not only the idea of material
substance, but also that of inanimate substance. It implies that God (or in this case, the
Holy Spirit) is alive." -- Lectures in Systematic Theology, by Henry C.
Thiessen, Eerdmans, p. 76.
Mar 13:19
FROM THE BEGINNING, WHEN GOD CREATED THE WORLD =
Notice, Jesus teaches here that God was before the beginning, because in
"the beginning" God "created the world." Thus the world (and the universe -- Ephesians
3:9; Colossians 1:16) came into existence just as Genesis 1:1-2:1 tells us: ex
nihilo ("out of nothing") through God's powerful command.
Mar 13:22
ELECT = The "elect" are not necessarily saved
people according to 2 Timothy 2:10. This
refers to the period of time immediately preceding the destruction of the
Jewish nation in 70 A.D. (see notes Matthew 24:24).
Mar 13:27
THE FOUR WINDS = Scripture refers in symbolic language
to the four winds of heaven (Jeremiah 49:36; Daniel 7:2; Daniel 8:8; Daniel
11:4; Zechariah 2:6); the four winds of earth (Revelation 7:1); and also simply
"the four winds" (Ezekiel 37:9; Matthew 24:31 [context indicates the
four winds of heaven]; Mark 13:27 [context indicates both heaven and earth]).
ENDS OF THE EARTH = The "elect" are not just
Jews living in Israel, but are gathered from the four quarters of the earth.
Mar 13:35
EVENING … MIDNIGHT … ROOSTER CROWS …
OR AT DAWN = This is a list of the four Jewish watches of the night.
“Opse
(Strongs #G3796), was the close of the day when evening began; mesonuktion
(Strongs #G3317), midnight; alektorophonia (Strongs #G219), the third
watch from midnight to 3 a.m., literally meaning ‘cock crowing’;
and proi (Strongs #G4404), early in the morning which would be from 3 to
6 a.m. There were four equal watches in
a day.” – The Complete Bible Dictionary, Zodhiates, AMG Publishers
Mar 14:1
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 14:8
TO PREPARE FOR MY BURIAL = This prophecy was fulfilled
when Jesus was buried just a few days later (see John 19:40-42).
Mar 14:12
PASSOVER = This was Nisan 14 which began at sunset on
Thursday, April 6, A.D. 30. In those
days, just as today, there was a disagreement as to whether to eat the Passover
on the 14th of Nissan or the 15th of Nissan.
This came about because of the custom of the Pharisees counting a day
from sunset to sunset, and the Sadducees counting a day from sunrise to
sunrise. Thus, in 30 AD, some of the
Jews ate the Passover after sunset on Thursday (April 6) evening, Nissan 14,
others ate it after sunset on Friday (April 7) evening, Nissan 15. Jesus ate the Passover on Thursday (April 6)
evening the 14th of Nissan which was "just before" the official
Passover feast (see John 13:1). Perhaps
this was because He obviously could not eat it on Friday (April 7) evening
(Nissan 15) after His crucifixion.
Thus
Jesus was crucified on Friday afternoon around the same time that the official
Passover lamb was slain at the altar of the Temple in Jerusalem. The parallel between Jesus and the lamb
cannot be missed (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Mar 14:14
WHERE IS MY GUEST ROOM = At Passover time, it was a
Jewish custom that any spare rooms be made available to pilgrims so they would
have a place to eat the Passover lamb.
Thus the request of these disciples was not unusual, but rather very
common for the time.
Mar 14:15
UPPER ROOM = This room upstairs was furnished with
couches and cushions -- the disciples were to provide the food. Also see Luke 22:12.
Mar 14:17
MAR 14:17
WHEN EVENING CAME = Thursday evening, April 6, A.D.
30. This was Nisan 14 which began at
sunset on Thursday, April 6, A.D. 30. In
those days, just as today, there was a disagreement as to whether to eat the
Passover on the 14th of Nissan or the 15th of Nissan. This came about because of the custom of the
Pharisees counting a day from sunset to sunset, and the Sadducees counting a day
from sunrise to sunrise. Thus, in 30 AD,
some of the Jews ate the Passover after sunset on Thursday (April 6) evening,
Nissan 14, others ate it after sunset on Friday (April 7) evening, Nissan 15. Jesus ate the Passover on Thursday (April 6)
evening the 14th of Nissan which was "just before" the official
Passover feast (see John 13:1). Perhaps
this was because He obviously could not eat it on Friday (April 7) evening
(Nissan 15) after His crucifixion.
Mar 14:22
BREAD = Breaking and distributing bread was a regular
part of the Passover celebration of Judaism.
Unleavened bread represented "the bread of affliction, because you
left Egypt in haste" (Deuteronomy 16:3, 4). The Passover celebration itself was a
memorial of the Jew's departure from Egypt.
However, in the Lord's Supper, the bread represents Christ's body. Thus the symbolism is far different from that
of the Passover. The Lord's Supper of
Christianity is a memorial of the Lord's death (1 Corinthians 11:26), and thus
has nothing to do with the Passover Supper of Judaism. The Greek term "artos" (Strongs
#G740) means "bread, a loaf of bread." It is the normal word for
leavened/risen bread and is used when speaking of the leavened showbread
("Bread of the Presence") in the Holy Place of the temple (see
Matthew 12:4; Hebrews 9:2; and the LXX Greek version of Leviticus 24:7-9). Thus, in the Old Testament, leavened bread
routinely represented the divine presence of our sinless God. In fact, Jesus was born in Bethlehem (which
means "house of bread") and said "I am the bread of life"
(John 6:35, 48). At the Lord's supper
Christ avoided using the Greek word for "unleavened bread"
("azumos," [Strongs #G106), therefore it may be reasoned that any
bread, including risen bread, is permissible at the Lord's Supper for both
leavened and unleavened bread are used in Scripture to represent the presence
of deity. Never is there a statement in
the Bible requiring unleavened bread at the Lord's Supper.
"After the (Passover) meal a half
'matzah' (unleavened bread) that had been hidden away was brought out and
eaten. This will have been the bread of
Matthew 26:26." -- The International Bible Commentary, edited by F. F.
Bruce, page 1148.
THIS IS MY BODY = When Jesus said these words He caused
a tremendous controversy in Christianity.
The central point around which this controversy revolves concerns the
meaning of the word "is."
Through the doctrine of Transubstantiation, Roman Catholics believe the
bread of the Lord's Supper literally becomes the physical body of Christ. However, when Jesus said "I am the bread
of life" (John 6:35, 48) He was not saying He was made of bread. Since Jesus' body was physically present at
the Lord's Supper, we must believe that Jesus used the word "is" to
mean "represents, symbolizes, or signifies."
"Earlier
Jesus would have said, as He showed the unleavened bread, 'This is the bread of
affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt'; His disciples must have
understood 'this is my body' in the same (symbolic) way." -- The
International Bible Commentary, edited by F. F. Bruce, page 1148.
Mar 14:25
FRUIT OF THE VINE = Christ never used the word
"wine" or its Greek equivalent ("oinos" [Strongs #G3631])
during the Lord's Supper. Instead, He
always referred to it as the "fruit of the vine" (Matthew 26:29; Luke
22:18). Paul referred to it as the
"cup" (1 Corinthians 11:26).
Mar 14:26
WENT OUT TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES = Thursday evening,
April 6, A.D. 30.
Mar 14:32
WENT TO A PLACE CALLED GETHSEMANE = Thursday evening,
(by Roman and Sadducee reckoning this was Nisan 13, by Jewish reckoning it was
Nisan 14 which began at sunset on Thursday), April 6, A.D. 30.
Mar 14:33
JAMES AND JOHN = James and John were brothers (Mark
5:37). They worked as fishermen with
their father Zebedee (Mark 4:21). Jesus
called them "the Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17).
Mar 14:34
SOUL ... POINT OF DEATH = According to Jesus' words
here a "soul" (Greek "psuche") can die. Also see Matthew 26:38.
Mar 14:43
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 14:44
THE ONE I KISS IS THE MAN = There is a theory that
James the son of Alphaeus was a cousin of Jesus and bore a striking resemblance
to Him. Therefore to prevent Christ's possible
escape during the confusion, Judas arranged to kiss Him and thus mark Him as
the one to arrest. By kissing Jesus, Judas was able to come close enough to
make certain he had the right
Mar 14:46
ARRESTED HIM = By Roman and Sadducee time this was
Thursday evening, Nisan 13, April 6, A.D. 30.
According to Jewish reckoning this was actually Nissan 14 which had
begun Thursday evening at sunset.
Mar 14:53
HIGH PRIEST = Caiaphas (Matthew 26:3, 57).
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 14:57
FALSE TESTIMONY = This is the fulfillment of the
Messianic prophecy found in Psalm 35:11.
Mar 14:58
IN THREE DAYS = See note on Matthew 12:40.
Mar 14:72
ROOSTER CROWED = Early Friday morning, April 7, A.D.
30.
Mar 15:1
VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING = Friday morning, Nisan 14,
April 7, A.D. 30.
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
REACHED A DECISION = See note on John 10:33.
HANDED HIM OVER TO PILATE = The Sanhedrin wanted Jesus'
execution to be perceived as the official execution of a criminal (see note on
John 10:33).
Mar 15:5
BUT JESUS STILL MADE NO REPLY = This was in fulfillment
of the Messianic prophecy found in Isaiah 53:7.
Mar 15:6
THE FEAST = The Passover Feast.
Mar 15:15
TO BE CRUCIFIED = Friday, April 7, A.D. 30.
Mar 15:19
STRUCK HIM ON THE HEAD WITH A STAFF = This is the
fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy found in Mark 15:19.
Mar 15:23
WINE MIXED WITH MYRRH = The Greek "smurnizo"
[Strongs #G4669] refers to a bitter narcotic which was mixed in with the wine
along with other herbs. This bitter
narcotic was intended to deaden the pain of crucifixion. Also see note on
Matthew 27:34, Matthew 27:48.
HE DID NOT TAKE IT = The Greek words are "ouk
lambano" (Strongs #G3756 + 2983) meaning He "did not receive it, did
not take it, did not drink it, did not eat it." However, while Jesus refused to drink wine
mixed with "myrrh" (or "gall" according to Matthew 27:34)
He did drink the wine which was offered to Him (see Matthew 27:48 and John
19:29-30). The same Greek word,
"lambano" (without the negative "ouk") is found in John
19:30. Thus, grammatically, one cannot
argue that here "lambano" means "drink" but that in John
19:30 it does not mean "drink"!
Thus the Seventh-day Adventist teaching that Jesus did not drink wine is
clearly demonstrated to contradict Scripture.
Mar 15:24
CRUCIFIED HIM = Friday, Nisan 14, April 8, A.D. 30.
Mar 15:25
THIRD HOUR = Nine o'clock (Jewish time) on Friday,
Nisan 14, April 7, A.D. 30.
Mar 15:26
THE KING OF THE JEWS = Variations of this appear in the
Gospels as follows:
Matthew
27:37 - This is Jesus, the King of the Jews (Aramaic version)
Mark
15:26 - The King of the Jews (Latin version)
Luke
23:38 - This is the King of the Jews (shortened Aramaic version)
John
19:19 - Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews (Greek version)
All four Gospels precisely repeat the phrase: "the
King of the Jews," however because they vary on the rest of the wording, some
have believed these variations to be examples of "contradictions" in
the Bible. This assumption is simply
wrong.
John
19:20 indicates that Pilate had the inscription written in three different
languages: Aramaic, Latin and Greek, thus we would expect to see variations as
the phrase was translated from one language to another. In addition, because these three languages
were spoken by specific groups of people residing in various geographical areas
it is very likely that these variations were intentionally introduced to meet
the needs of each language group.
For
example, we would expect that Pilate himself wrote out the shortest version in
Latin as it appears in Mark 15:26. This
would be the official court version written in the official language of the
Roman empire. Then, because the majority
of Jews spoke Aramaic, and because Jesus was one of their own, the Aramaic
version would include the name "Jesus" as it appears in Matthew
27:37. Finally the inscription was
translated into Greek as it appears in John 19:19. Greek was widely spoken across the
Mediterranean as a universal language.
The Greek inscription would provide additional information regarding
Jesus to inform the millions of pilgrims visiting Jerusalem during
Passover. Thus there is no
"contradiction" regarding the evangelists' record regarding variations of the inscription placed on the
cross.
Mar 15:27
TWO ROBBERS WITH HIM = This fulfilled the Messianic
prophecy in Isaiah 53:12.
Mar 15:28
NOTE = This verse is absent in the NIV.
"The
earliest and best witnesses of the Alexandrian and the western types of text
lack verse 28. It is understandable that
copyists could have added the sentence in the margin from Luke 22:37, whence it
came into the text itself; there is no reason why, if the sentence were present
originally, it should have been deleted.
It is also significant that Mark very seldom expressly quotes the Old
Testament." -- A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, Bruce M.
Metzger, p. 119
Mar 15:29
IN THREE DAYS = See note on Matthew 12:40. The first day was Friday, Nissan 14, April 7,
30 A.D. The second day was Saturday,
Nisan 15, April 8, 30 A.D. The third day
was Sunday, Nisan 16, April 9, 30 A.D.
Mar 15:31
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
Mar 15:33
SIXTH HOUR ... UNTIL THE NINTH HOUR = Noon until three
p.m. (Jewish time) on Friday, Nisan 14, April 7, A.D. 30. This fulfilled the Messianic prophecy found
in Amos 8:9.
Mar 15:34
NINTH HOUR =
Mar 15:36
WINE VINEGAR ... OFFERED IT TO JESUS = John 19:29-30
indicates Jesus accepted and drank this cheap wine.
Mar 15:40
JAMES THE YOUNGER = Also known as James son of Alphaeus
(Acts
Mar 15:42
PREPARATION DAY = Friday, Nisan 14,
THE SABBATH = Saturday, Nisan 15,
Mar 15:45
HE GAVE = The Greek "doreomai" (Strongs
#G1433) means "a free gift, an undeserved gift." This unusual word is only found here and in 2
Peter 1:3.
Mar 16:1
THE SABBATH = Saturday, Nisan 15,
WHEN THE SABBATH WAS OVER = The Sabbath would be over
after sundown Saturday evening (according to Jewish time). They would be free to buy spices Saturday
evening. Thus, with spices in hand, the
women came to the tomb "very early on the first day of the week (Sunday),
just after sunrise" (Mark 16:2).
Mar 16:2
VERY EARLY = The Greek "proi" (Strongs
#G4404) means "early in the morning, the early morning watch which ushers
in the dawn." This is the opposite
of the Greek word "opse" (Strongs #G3796) which means "late in
the day, evening." When Luke wrote
Acts 28:23 telling us that Paul preached "from morning ("proi")
until evening ("hespera" [Strongs #G2073]) he used this same word
("proi") to indicate "morning/dawn/when the sun rises." See notes on Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Mark
16:9; Luke 24:1; Luke 24:22; John 20:1.
JUST AFTER
ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK = Sunday, Nisan 16,
"Mia
tone sabbatone: the first day of the week Matthew 28:1b; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1;
John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2." - A Greek-English Lexicon
of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Bauer, Arndt &
Gingrich, p. 746.
Mar 16:6
HE HAS RISEN! = Christ's resurrection fulfilled the
Messianic prophecy found in Psalm 16:10.
The
entire person is indicated here by the word "he" rather than just
"his body has risen." Christ's
resurrection occurred just prior to the women's visit. The guards were unaware Jesus had risen until
the angel arrived, just as the disciples had no warning when Jesus entered
among them in the upper room (Luke 24:36-39).
The
bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ has serious implications for those who
believe in "soul sleep" and "annihilationism":
"Another
annihilationist argument is often brought forth at this point: 'Since Christ's
punishment was not eternal but had an end, then the punishment of sinners will
not be eternal, but have an end as well.'
First, the annihilationists forget that they have a problem here: ... if
Christ's punishment was only temporary and He was restored to life, then they
would have to conclude on the basis of the way they were arguing that the
punishment of sinners will only be temporary and will end as they are restored
to life. Obviously, Christ experienced
neither eternal torment nor eternal nonexistence, because He was
resurrected. Second, both problems are
solved by the implications of Christ's divine nature, which is eternal, and the
infinite value of Christ's sacrifice. Thus the author to the Hebrews argues from the
deity of Christ (Hebrews 1:1-13) and the sufficiency of His once-for-all
suffering (Hebrews
Mar 16:7
YOU WILL SEE HIM = This prophecy was fulfilled that
very Sunday evening (
JUST AS HE TOLD YOU = After supper on Thursday evening
(April 6, 30 A.D.) while on their way to the Mount of Olives, Jesus promised to
meet His disciples in Galilee after His resurrection: Mark 14:28.
Mar 16:9
NOTE ON VERSES 9-20 = "Four endings of the Gospel
according to Mark are current in the manuscripts:
"1.
The last twelve verses of the commonly received text of Mark are absent from
the two oldest Greek manuscripts, from the Old Latin codex Bobiensie, the
Sinaitic Syriac manuscript, about one hundred Armenian manuscripts, and the two
oldest Georgian manuscripts (written A.D. 897 and A.D. 913). Clement of
"2.
Several witnesses, including four uncial Greek manuscripts of the seventh,
eighth, and ninth centuries, as well as Old Latin k, the margin of the Harclean
Syriac, several Sahidie and Bohairic manuscripts, and not a few Ethiopic
manuscripts, continue after verse 8 as follows (with trifling variations): 'But
they reported briefly to Peter and those with him all that they had been
told. And after this Jesus himself sent
out by means of them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation
of eternal salvation.' All of these
witnesses ... also continue with verses 9-20.
"3.
The traditional ending of Mark, so familiar through the AV and other
translations of the Textus Receptus, to present in the vast number of witnesses
... The earliest patristic witnesses to
part or all of the long ending are Irenaeus and the Diatessaron. It is not certain whether Justin Martyr was
acquainted with the passage.
"4.
In the fourth century the traditional ending also circulated, according to
testimony preserved by Jerome, in an expanded form, preserved today in one
Greek manuscript. ...
"How
should the evidence of each of these endings be evaluated? It is obvious that the expanded form of the
long ending (#4) has no claim to be original. ... The whole expansion has about
it an unmistakable apocryphal flavor. It
probably is the work of a second or third century scribe who wished to soften
the severe condemnation of the Eleven in 16:14.
"The
longer ending (#3), though current in a variety of witnesses, some of them
ancient, must also be judged by internal evidence to be secondary. The vocabulary and style of verses 9-20 are
non-Markan. The connection between verse
8 and 9-20 is so awkward that it is difficult to believe that the evangelist
intended the section to be a continuation of the Gospel. ... in short, all
these features indicate that the section was added by someone who knew a form
of Mark that ended abruptly with verse 8 and who wished to supply a more
appropriate conclusion. In view of the
inconsistencies between verses 1-8 and 9-20, it is unlikely that the long
ending was composed ad hoc to fill up an obvious gap; it is more likely that
the section was excerpted from another document, dating perhaps from the first
half of the second century.
"The
internal evidence for the shorter ending (#2) is decidedly against its being
genuine. Besides containing a high
percentage of non-Markan words, it rhetorical tone differs totally from the
simple style of Mark's Gospel." -- A Textual Commentary on the Greek New
Testament, by Bruce M. Metzger, pages 122-126.
Thus
it is highly likely that whatever Mark actually wrote after verse 8 has been
lost. It is not likely that he ended his
Gospel so abruptly, but we have no evidence as to what he actually wrote. However, notice the longer ending (verses
9-20) dates back to around A.D. 100-200, and is likely an accurate reflection
of what Christians in the New Testament era believed regarding the resurrection
of Christ.
JESUS ROSE EARLY = By using the Greek word
"proi" (Strongs #G4404), Mark tells us Jesus rose "early in the
morning, during the early morning watch which ushers in the dawn, at
sunrise." This is the opposite of
the Greek word "opse" which means "late in the day, evening,"
thus it cannot mean Jesus rose Saturday evening after sundown. When Luke wrote Acts 28:23 telling us that
Paul preached "from morning ("proi") until evening
("hespera") he used this same word to indicate
"morning/dawn/when the sun rises."
There is simply no way to deny the grammar: Jesus rose at dawn as the
sun was rising on Sunday morning, just a few moments before the women arrived
at the tomb. See notes on Matthew 28:1;
Mark 16:2; Mark 16:9; Luke 24:1; Luke 24:22; John 20:1.
ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK = Sunday, Nisan 16,
"Protay
sabbatou: on the first day of the week (Sunday) Mark 16:9. Kata mian sabbatou: every Sunday 1
Corinthians 16:2. Proi mias sabbatou:
early on Sunday morning Mark 16:2. -- A Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Bauer, Arndt & Gingrich, p.
746.
Mar 16:16
CONDEMNED = The Greek "katakrino" (Strongs
#G2632) means "to judge against, proclaim guilty, condemn."
Mar 16:17
SIGNS WILL ACCOMPANY = This is not a command for true
believers to prove they can drive out demons, speak in new tongues, pick up
snakes, drink deadly poison, and heal the sick.
Instead, it is a promise that whenever a true believer comes in contact
with demons, the believer will be victorious.
Whenever the Gospel is presented to people who speak a different
language from the believer, God will enable them to understand what is presented
(see Acts 2:6). Whenever a true believer
inadvertently picks up a poisonous snake (as Paul did [Acts 28:3-5]) or drinks
poison, he will not perish. Sick people
will be healed as Peter and Philip demonstrated (Acts
DRIVE OUT DEMONS = "We have mistakenly formulated
our methods for dealing with demonic powers from the Gospels instead of the
Epistles. This is easy to do, since the
only specific examples of demonic expulsion are found in Matthew, Mark, Luke,
John, and Acts. But the Gospels are the
historical record of events which occurred prior to the cross. All authority had not yet been given 'in
heaven and on earth' (Matthew 28:18).
Satan had not yet been defeated at the cross, disarmed, and exposed
(Colossians
NEW TONGUES = Notice the word "tongues" is
plural, thus it refers to multiple languages.
It does not mean an unintelligible "babble" as claimed by some
charismatics. . The
Mar 16:18
PICK UP SNAKES = An example of this occurred in the
early New Testament Church when Paul was miraculously saved from certain death
after being bitten by a snake (Acts 28:4-6).
This is not a command to pick up snakes in order to "prove"
our spirituality, rather it is a "sign" of God's protection over
believers who are doing His work. Not
only the founder of a snake-handling cult in
WHEN THEY DRINK DEADLY POISON = Again, this is not a
command to drink poison to demonstrate our faith. Instead, the promise is that if a believing
Christian is doing the Lord's work, he or she need not fear being poisoned, for
"it will not hurt them at all."
However there is no Biblical record of any Christian drinking poison and
surviving.
PLACE THEIR HANDS ON SICK PEOPLE = See James
Mar 16:19
HE WAS TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN = This fulfilled the
Messianic prophecy found in Psalm 68:18.
Also see Ephesians 4:8 and the notes on Acts 1:3.
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