Category: Reflections

Mark spends a good deal of time describing Jesus healing people. He introduces you to two in Mark 5:21–43. Through their interaction with Jesus, Mark shows you something about the Savior.

Come in faith. Trust Jesus to meet your deepest needs. Appreciate the trust Jairus had that Jesus could heal his daughter. Mark paints a picture of a father who dearly loves his daughter. Notice the diminutive Jairus uses as he asks Jesus to come, heal her. He believes that if Jesus lays his hands on her, he will heal her, verse 23. Mark has let you know of increasing opposition — to the point of seeking the death of Jesus, on the part of the leaders of Israel. He is a ruler of the synagogue, a man who is careful to keep himself ceremonially clean to carry out his responsibilities there. Yet this man is willing to come and seek the help of Jesus. The body language of Jairus said far more in his culture than we might realize. As a synagogue ruler, he was a man of some (at least local) importance. He might be expected to send representatives to Jesus, but he comes himself, and throws himself at Jesus’ feet — a gesture of deep humiliation. Mark has just described “Legion” in a similar posture at the beginning of the chapter. Mark is telling you that Jesus is one whom you can trust, one before whom you can and should bow. He is ultimately trustworthy. Jairus makes his request, and the curious crowd presses around to see Jesus perform another miracle in front of them.

“The new life in Christ, just like all natural life, must be nourished and strengthened. This is possible only in communion with Christ in the Holy Spirit and through the word of Scripture. Enlightened by the Spirit, believers gain a new knowledge of faith. The gospel is the food of faith and must be known to be nourishment. Salvation that is not known and enjoyed is no salvation. God saves by causing himself to be known and enjoyed in Christ.

Biblically speaking, faith is trust-filled surrender to God and his word of promise. In the New Testament, this trust involves acceptance of the apostolic witness concerning Christ and personal trust in Christ as Savior and risen, exalted Lord.”

Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 4, p. 96

Continue reading “Only Believe!”

To the raging sea, Jesus said, “Quiet, be still!” and the storm stopped. Now, in Mark 5:1–20, the same powerful Lord calms the raging of a man possessed by numerous demons. Mark’s account pushes you to ask how much Jesus has done for you.

Trust the Lord who overcomes the powers of darkness. Satan enslaves and destroys. The previous section tells of Jesus entering a boat to cross to the other side of the lake. This eastern side of the lake was Gentile country (as the presence of a large herd of pigs indicates). The fearful question of the disciples (Mark 4:41) is about to receive an answer. Mark’s account of this is longer than either of those in Matthew 8 and Luke 8. Mark and Luke focus on the more prominent deliverance, though we learn from Matthew that Jesus healed two men here. Biblical accounts of demon possession cluster during the earthly ministry of Jesus. Satan, the great imitator, seems to be parodying the incarnation. And this is not an isolated event. It is part of the great conflict between the descendant of the woman and the descendant of the serpent — now coming to a climax. Satan has enslaved this man. He lives in an unclean place–the rock tombs of the dead. Because of his possession by evil spirits he was unrestrainable, dangerous, and self-destructive. The purpose that Satan had in enslaving this man, made in God’s image, was destructive — as the end of the pigs indicates. Though most people are not demon possessed like this man, the enslaving power of the evil one is illustrated dramatically in his condition. The man is both drawn to Jesus and repulsed by him. It appears that responses come first from the man, then from those who inhabit him. He runs and kneels in front of the Savior–and then when Jesus commands the evil spirits to leave, shouts at him. The cry recognizes who Jesus is: the Son of the Most High God. But if the recognition and use of the name was an attempt at control, it fails utterly.

“In the sinful life of the individual but much more in that of families, generations, peoples, and humanity as a whole throughout the ages, there is a deliberate methodical opposition to God and all that is his. And the leadership of this opposition is in the hands of him who is called in Scripture ‘the prince of this world,’ and the ‘god of this age.’… When Christ appeared on earth, this ‘prince’ concentrated his power against him, not only by assaulting him personally and persecuting him relentlessly, but also by surrounding him on all sides with demonic forces in order to thus break down and resist this work…. Satan mimics everything; God reveals himself in theophany (incarnation), prophecy, and miracle; the demonic caricature of these three, accordingly, is obsession, manic, and magic.”

Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 3, pages 189–190

Christ displays the power and presence of the kingdom as he frees the man. The response to the question of Jesus, “What is your name?” brings the answer, “Legion.” Rather than a proper name, it indicates the multitude of evil spirits in him. Don’t press the theoretic number of a Roman legion at full strength (6,000), but appreciate the emphasis, on number, and perhaps also on organized opposition. This is not a backwater skirmish, but Satan’s hosts arrayed against the Lord of Glory. Although the demons converse (negotiate?) with Jesus, there is no question about the fact that when commanded by Jesus they must leave the man. And it is only with the permission of Jesus that they enter the herd of pigs. The destruction of the herd of 2,000 pigs disturbs some (Bertrand Russell pointed to this passage as the reason he was not a Christian). But Jesus is exposing the terrible power and destructive purpose of the evil spirits by sending them into the pigs. It also displays the power of the Lord. The destruction of the herd also makes clear to the man that the powers that had enslaved him are gone for good. He is not about to be repossessed by them. He has been delivered. One commentator points out the irony of grief and distress over the destruction of the pigs being shown by people who enjoy a piece of bacon with their morning eggs! If you are more important to the Father than many sparrows, the deliverance of one man is also worth more than even a sizeable herd of pigs. As you look at this incident in the series described in Mark 4:35–5:43, you see the power of Jesus revealed in one more area.

“[T]he continuation of the the Evil One’s enmity and power must not for a moment shake the faith in the coming of he kingdom and of the Messiah. It only indicates as special modality of the coming of the kingdom. A remarkable confirmation and elucidation of what has been said is found in the story of the cure of those possessed at Gadara (Matt. 8:28ff; Mark 5:11ff; Luke 8:26ff). Here, too, above all, Jesus’ power over the devil becomes manifest.”

Herman Ridderbos, The Coming of the Kingdom, p. 111

Tell what great things the Lord has done. Do you want Jesus to go away? Mark has described a scene of tremendous, almost chaotic, activity. The demoniac screaming at Jesus, the stern words of command by the Lord, the response of the demons, and then the catastrophic end of the pigs, followed by the pig herders rushing off to explain to owners that it wasn’t their fault that the herd had drowned. As the people rush to the scene, they find two calm people: Jesus, and the man who had been freed from demons sitting quietly, clothed, and in his right mind. The man who perhaps had been the subject of local legend and scary stories has been healed. This might have been reason for rejoicing. If the possession had not been life-long, some of those there may have found a friend or even a relative back. But instead, they ask Jesus to leave their area. The presence of Jesus was too costly. The loss of 2,000 pigs was more than they were willing to bear–and who knows what might happen next. They didn’t understand that the salvation of this man cost far more than a herd of pigs — it would ultimately cost the death of the Son of the Most High God. But they valued their pigs more than the man, and more even, than the Savior of the man. One wonders also if they may not have been unwilling to face the cost of change which trusting in Jesus might bring about. Enslavement to the evil one, bondage to sin, even when it is far short of the kind of demon possession experienced by Legion, is addicting. By nature we don’t want to change our sinful ways. What might be preventing you from wanting Jesus to be close to you? By nature we cling to them and ask Jesus to just go away.

“They too were scattered, and here is a shepherd to collect them or rather, it is God who stretches out his arms, through his Son, to embrace and carry to heaven those who were overwhelmed by the darkness of death. They choose rather to be deprived of the salvation which is offered to them, than to endure any longer the presence of Christ.”

John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Gospels, at Mark 5

Do you want to go with Jesus? Ironically, Jesus grants the desire of those who failed to believe in him, and leaves, while he refuses the request of the healed, restored man, who trusts him! The man wishes to accompany Jesus (he asks “to be with” Jesus, the expression Jesus used when calling the 12, Mark, 3:14), but Jesus has something better in mind. Jesus sends the man to go and tell what the Lord had done for him. In contrast to the instructions for silence when Jesus had healed within Galilee, here in Gentile territory, he instructs the man to tell the good news. The popular mis-expectations of Jesus’ messianic work would not be a problem in this pagan area. The man goes, and begins to proclaim what Jesus had done. Mark picks the same verb that had described the ministry of both John and Jesus (Mark 1:4, 14) to indicate what the man was doing. All of those whom Jesus redeems have, in some manner, a heralding calling. The title “Lord” in the instructions of Jesus likely refer to God, the Lord (see Luke 8:39). But the man makes the correct connection, and tells all that Jesus had done for him. Mark’s readers, especially with the note on which the Gospel opens, can appreciate and approve the conclusion that the man reaches. This man became an early missionary to the Gentiles–and not without fruit, for when Jesus visits the area again, a deaf-mute is brought to him for healing, Mark 7:31ff. The man formerly called Legion asked to go with Jesus. Jesus denied that request, for he had something better for him to do. Your call to trust the Savior who delivers from sin may involve being moved out of your comfort zone. It may call you to an obedience that is different from what you expect. But the call to trust and obey is far, far better than a clinging to self that has no room for the Savior.

This miracle of Jesus, like the parables he told, places before you a choice. In this case it is: Do you want to go with Jesus, or do you want Jesus to go away?

How well do you know Jesus? Is he the gentle, sad-eyed, probably soft-spoken figure that is often pictured? Look at the picture Mark 4:33–41 draws (though Mark doesn’t give you the details for a painting).

Jesus reveals himself as the Lord of the universe. Jesus spoke and calmed the storm. At the conclusion of a day of teaching beside (and even on) the Sea of Galilee, Jesus set off across the lake in a boat with his disciples. They took him in “just as he was,” perhaps pointing to his busy schedule and fatigue after a day of teaching (he promptly falls asleep on a cushion in the stern). He is truly human. However, it may also hint at the glimpse the disciples will receive of him just as he really is. That detail, along with the note, unique to Mark, that they were accompanied by other boats, indicate an account of an eye witness. A sudden storm came up. The Sea of Galilee is -695′ elevation, and with the surrounding hills and cliffs, is given to sudden squalls. The disciples were frightened. The measure of their fear can be read in the terse, even rude, note on which they woke him: “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” The fishing boats on the lake were relatively shallow and low amidships (fine for fishing, but not particularly good for severe weather). Keep in mind that at least four of the disciples were fishermen experienced in these very waters. Getting up, Jesus rebuked the wind and to the waves said, “Quiet, be still.” Much as a mother calms an angry child, the wind and waves turn into a great calm.

There are cosmic overtones to Jesus calming the storm. There is more going on than just the immediate deliverance from swamping and drowning. The God of Israel is the Lord of nature and the sovereign ruler of history. He controls the sea, the area seen in the ancient world and the domain of chaos: Psalm 33:7; 65:7; 77:16. He rebukes the wind, Psalm 107:25–30; 147:18. This contrasts with our mechanistic view of the 21st century. God spoke, and brought order in creation. He spoke again, and delivered his people from Egypt. In stilling the storm Jesus reveals his divine power. This incident begins a section in which Mark shows Jesus triumphing over forces which oppose God and his kingdom, Mark 4:35–5:43. The rebuke of the wind parallels his rebuke of demonic spirits: Mark 1:25; 3:12; and 9:25. The stilling of the waves parallels Mark 1:25. The word of God displays God’s saving power.

“The God of Israel is the Lord of history and nature. His sovereignty was demonstrated in the stilling of the roaring sea and the silencing of the howling wind. He is the personal, living God who intervenes in the experience of men with a revelation of his power and his will. He is the God who acts, not some pale abstraction.”

William L. Lane, The Gospel According to Mark, p. 176

Jesus calls you to trust him. Christ rebukes unbelief. Jesus rebukes the disciples (who were closer to him than the multitudes, and to whom he had been explaining the parables) for their fear and lack of faith. While they may not have been totally faith-less, their trust was weak, pitifully weak. “Don’t you care?” was a cruel question — for that is why he was in the boat with them, that was why he had entered the world, that was why he was on his way to the cross. And they failed to remember that he, the sovereign Lord, had spoken of going to the other side of the lake. Christ had identified himself as the Son of Man. He had worked miracles. He had explained the kingdom to his disciples. They should have trusted him in this situation.

“How safe it is for believers in the world! Jesus wanted atone for sin and thereby He conquered satan and death. He has become Lord over all things in heaven and on earth and He has received power over all the hostile powers, power by which to restrain them. All things are in His gracious hands. Is there anything, then, that can harm the believer? Yet, it is far from true that we always think of Him as possessing that power.

S. G. De Graaf, Promise and Deliverance, Vol. 3, p. 217

Jesus calls you to trust him as Lord of all. Jesus’ action in calming the storm does not produce calm in the hearts of his disciples–instead they fear with a great fear. They ask, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” They have glimpsed Jesus as he really is. They understand something of his power and glory.

“Moreover, the fear which followed the rebuke is by no means obvious a mere continuation of their fright. It was a fear called forth by a stupendous miracle and therefore is not so much terror as awe in the presence of the divine action. The questioning as to who he might be likewise is not h inquiry which proceeds from total ignorance but from dawning apprehension of the transcendence of Jesus’ person.”

Ned B. Stonehouse, The Witness of Matthew and Mark to Christ, pages 70–71

This is the Lord whose Spirit inspired Mark as he wrote his Gospel. The question of the disciples, with which the paragraph closes, invites you to answer it. The information Mark has given you as he introduced his Gospel provides what you need. This is not just a raw display of power, but it tells you who Jesus is. What was true of YHWH in the Old Testament is true of Jesus Christ. He controls all things at all times. He is the Savior in the midst of danger. He does care if his followers perish — that is why the Lord of Glory is incarnate. He requires your trust, your obedience, your submission. His glory may create great fear — but he ultimately casts out fear.

How do you answer the question the disciples asked? You and I are not in that little boat, but Mark’s account was written for you as much as for his original audience. You hear the disciples ask, “Who is he?” Answer, “He is my Savior, my Lord, my God.”

Jesus spoke in parables frequently enough that the Gospel writer, in Mark 4:34, describes Jesus as speaking only in parables. Although the parables do conceal from those outside the kingdom and add to condemnation, they also tell you something about the kingdom of God — and about the King.

God grows his kingdom. Recognize that you cannot make the seed grow. The Parable of the Sower emphasizes the importance of the hearts that hear the Word. The Parable of the Growing Seed makes the balancing point that you cannot make the seed grow. We know that is true in gardening and farming. You can try all the right things, and sometimes things grow the way you want, sometimes they don’t. The church sometimes falls into thinking that if it follows the right program, does the right things, it will grow. (I remember seeing a church with a huge banner on its roof, “Holy Spirit Revival, Aug. 10–15.”) We may make a similar mistake in thinking about our own growth in the kingdom–if we follow the right mechanics, we will grow in grace. You are called to strive for holiness, to stir up yourself and others to good works, to love God and your neighbor, etc. What we do is important. But the basis of the growth of the kingdom and of our growth in the kingdom is never our own efforts. The Savior who taught in parables would pour out his Spirit upon the church.

Continue reading “The Lamp, Seeds, and the Kingdom”

Simple everyday things—a farmer sowing seed in his field—those were the things Jesus used in his parables. They are simple stories at first glance, but sometimes they conceal as much as they reveal.

The parable conceals truth! Jesus tells what seems to be a simple, straightforward story. A farmer goes out to plant. He apparently broadcasts the seed. Some seed perishes, eaten by birds on the beaten path, sprouting in a thin layer of soil over rock, or choked out by weeds. But some seed flourishes on good ground. What is a parable? It is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning, but also a lot more. It hardens in unbelief, as we will see in a moment. It can conceal truth from unbelievers. A parable can be profoundly simple, communicating far more than simple statements. A parable usually is a story that requires some kind of response from the hearer.

“What are parables and why did Jesus use them? We sometimes say that are ‘earthly stories with a heavenly meaning,’ but that is only partially true. For the parables are more than pleasant stories or Christian versions of Aesop’s fables. They reflect the principles of the kingdom of God, and consequently serve as mirrors of our own lives. They force us to ask the question, ‘Where do I stand in relation to the kingdom of God?’ They show us our own hearts in the light of God’s word…. In effect the parables were the word of God in seed form, planted in men’s lives through Jesus’ preaching. Those seeds could lodge in men’s hearts and bear fruit.”

(Sinclair Ferguson, Let’s Study Mark, p. 52

It may surprise us, but, the parable hardens unbelief. The disciples seem to be puzzled by the parable and ask Jesus about it, verse 10. The secret, or mystery, of the kingdom is given to the disciples and those like them who are part of the kingdom. But it is concealed from those who are outside. Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9–10. Isaiah sees the majesty of the Lord’s holiness and responds to the Lord’s question with a willingness to go and speak. But his message from this majestic, holy God, will, to a large degree, fall on deaf ears. In fact, he is called to a preaching ministry that hardens many of the people of Israel (including the movers and shakers) in unbelief. Similarly the message of Jesus both conceals the truth of the kingdom from and adds to the condemnation of those who reject the presence of the King. And leading the rejection is the religious establishment. The parable of the sower adds to the condemnation of unbelieving Israel–and to all who reject the kingdom that comes, not with trumpet flourish and conquering armies, but by the King being rejected by men, suffering, dying on the cross, and rising again.

“The mystery of the parable does not lie in its obscurity or complexity, but in its very simplicity…. Jesus certainly does not want to draw our attention exclusively to the hidden manifestations of the kingdom threatened and handicapped by all kinds of powers; he also points out its miraculous operations and fruits. The latter may be hidden even from the disciples, but they are sure to come — in overwhelming abundance!”

Herman Ridderbos, The Coming of the Kingdom, pages 130, 132

Jesus explains, the mystery of the kingdom has been given to you. Jesus explains so that you understand the parable. The mystery or secrets of the kingdom have been given to you, the people of God. It is not that there are no questions left, but you do understand who Christ is and what he came to do. Parables tend to have a central, basic point, with details there because of the structure of the story. Beware of allegorizing or reading in. This parable has more significant details than many of them. Jesus explains the parable. What the farmer sows is the word. (That is precisely what Jesus is doing as he tells this parable.) It falls on hearts which have varying degrees of receptivity. This parable and its explanation are key, verse 13. Jesus is giving you what you need to understand other parables as well.

As you hear, respond to the challenge of the parable. The kingdom is present as the word is sown. It is not only the seed that meets various ends, there are also varied responses to the word proclaimed by the Savior and by the church he established. The kingdom is established, not by might or power, but by the mysterious ways God has ordained. God continues to build his kingdom by the word preached and confirmed by the word visible in the sacraments. The kingdom is both present and future. It is truly present as the word is sown, but it looks forward to the harvest, verses 20, 26–29. And it continues to be both present and future in your life. Keep the confidence of the harvest in view. It is not that 3/4 of the seed perishes. Rather, the focus is on the multiplication involved in the abundant harvest. Don’t get lost in speculating about how the word is received by others. Rather, focus on what that word is doing in your life. Ask yourself what impact the word ought to have. Rid yourself of the rocks and weeds which hinder the growth of the kingdom in your life.

Hear, really hear, the parable of the sower!