"And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him."
Matthew places less emphasis on his country than with Mark. After delineating the visit to Gadarenes Matthew goes on with the the healing so much so the multitudes "marveled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men".(Matt.9:8). The unclean spirits all had a country to call their own whereas Jesus refers Capernaum in Galilee as his own country. Jesus had declared,"The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."(Matt.8:20). So what significance the place names hold? These names associated with him sets the humanity of Jesus in focus. But twists and turns of it owe to the scriptures than by the will of man. He was born in Nazareth thereby fulfilling what was spoken of him by the prophets.(Matt.2:23) His Galilean ministry revolved about Capernaum so much so in terms of his deity Nazareth was interchangeable for Capernaum since he dwelt among them as the word become flesh.
The earth and the fulness belongs to God which is the point from which St Mark's Gospel surveys. So the country that the unclean spirit referred to was the observation of a servant. "And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever."( John 8:35). The Preacher declared the truth beforehand. "One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever."(Ec.1:4). Thus Luz shall be known as Bethel. Jerusalem was earlier known as the city of Jebus. Since God has left all judgment to his Son these place names has the same characteristic: now you see now you don't. Sodom, Egypt Jerusalem are interchangeable.(Re.11:8)
The Spirit organized the life of the Son so what Mark informs us gives the narrative of Matthew an heightened reality.
"Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." (v.19)
Jesus cast out the unclean spirits from the man, who now in his sober mind wanted to follow Jesus. He was not the only one who wanted do it. "Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now?"( John 13:37). Jesus showed him the way to follow him and immediately what Jesus wanted of him was a life of witnessing.. After a life of harrowing what he needed most was rest to his soul. "Take my yoke and learn of me', the hardest part is for the Son to take care.(Matt.11:28-29) Jesus, ever true image of his Father, shows mercy.
In contrast we have the owners of the swineherds cowering before Jesus. They heard the testimony of the finger of God' and the man ever normal and they could not be but be afraid."And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid."(v.15) The loss of other man's riches did not heal them. The unclean spirit still worked with them and they would rather see the back of Jesus than risk loss of other means of revenue.
In v.13 we have the number of swines ("they were about two thousand") and were choked in the sea, which is a tag placed by the Spirit. Compare with this verse," And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them." It is cue that God had prepared the four angels for the end times. multiples of 2000 refer to the Alpha and Omega expressed in terms of day of salvation and regeneration- signifying endtimes- white throne judgment.
John saw them as well as heard the number. To be sure those who rejected Jesus for loss of their wealth shall have them as witnesses. If in the court of law hush money could be cited as proof shall these citizens of Gederanes escape rejecting the prince of life for some swine?
Mark in his gospel presents the Son in control so the earth obeyed the Will of his Father, By presenting the doctrine in the form of parables where the earth admits no other shortcuts but must follow just as faith of man would require steps in obedience."As if a man should cast seed into the ground;/And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how./For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear."(4:26-29). Between sowing and harvest nothing else would hinder the reapers. So the earth admits no other sovereign authority than of his Father. So when he stilled the storm and calmed the sea so "And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" Faith held both world's together. (4:39-41)
5:8 When Jesus cast out he did on the authority of the Spirit of his Father, " Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit." In healing the man it was manifest that the unclean spirit did not belong to the kingdom but was an usurper.
Why? For the simple reason that the spirit took over the man so his soul of man did not reveal the truth.. It lay under the shadow of the devil. Recently a pig's kidney replaced the damaged kidney of a man. The soul of man is still under the grace of his Father so his faith shall serve his Will. His creation still declares His glory because the man is created in 'our image and in our likeness.'
"And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country." (v.10)
Mark sets Jesus crossing" the other side of the sea into the country of the Gadarenes."The sea mentioned here is the lake of Galilee on the south. Lucan gospel explains the location so we may conclude that Jesus with his disciples arrived there from Galilee. ("which is over against Galilee".-8:26) Gadara is not directly named in the scripture but was a walled city where the Gentiles lived mostly and was a part of the Decapolis. The point of location we need note to our intent and purpose is this: geographically Gadarenes is situated on the east of the Jordan river. Crossing of the Jordan river in spiritual terms signifies death.
Jesus cast out the many demons from the man. They all had a request:"And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
"For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit."/And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many./And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country."(vv.8-10)
Unclean spirits require a body which is impossible for Satan to create. He is the father of lies and not of life. For this reason he used a serpent to beguile Eve and being cast out they had unanimously chose the herd of swine.
"All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds."(1 Co.15:38-40). Here we have a country separate from the land of Galilee. In the Parable of Lazarus and the rich man, the latter had a place while Galilee signified the blessed state of the beggar. The other man's riches come in all forms and weights. Sheep, cattle and swines are part contributing to the wealth, and the rich man who wished Lazarus to visit him had chosen his own country. His cry came too late. ( Luke 16:24)
Traditions are practices, customs, or rituals that are passed down from generation to generation.
Truth refers to unbiassed reality, the correct representation of facts, it surpasses personal opinions or feelings.
Easter Sunday is a holiday celebrated by millions of people around the world who honor the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is also the day that many children excitedly wait for the Easter Bunny to arrive and deliver their treats of baskets filled with chocolate, eggs, and stuffed rabbits.
Easter is a holiday that is now chosen to correspond with the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox unless the full moon falls on a Sunday then it would be the next Sunday. Passover is now not considered in selecting the day. The Jewish feast that was the same day Jesus resurrected that most overlook is the Feast of First Fruits even though Jesus is the First Fruits of them that slept.
There are many myths about Easter, but all come from pagan sun worship and their festivals correspond with the sun's equinoxes. The ascension of Christ and Pentecost has been changed to 40 days from Easter and 50 days from Easter not from the first day after the Sabbath after Passover day.
Easter was originally called Resurrection Morning which was the Feast of First Fruits, the first day after the sabbath day after Passover during the Feast of unleavened bread, this is the first day in counting the days of the seven sabbaths of the Feasts of Weeks, that has been replaced with traditions of Good Friday, two days in the grave, sunrise services, Ezekiel 8:15-16, bunnies, colored eggs, baskets, pretty hats and dresses.
Does the Bible tell us what day Jesus was crucified? Yes, Jesus is our Passover and for Him to fulfill the Feasts it would have to be exactly as the first Passover. The lambs were taken up on the 10th and killed on the evening before the sunset on the 14th of Nisan, Exodus 12:1-6.
The question is all the more striking since Jesus does not include his father. Jesus never had doubt as to where he came from or was going to. St Luke informs us, "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"( Luke 2:49). His Father was in heaven and he knew his deity was still entwined in his Father's bosom. So the words that he spoke as he heard while in heaven and what he put in his mouth. So the conclusion? Man can only be part of their relationship by acknowledging that he has to fulfill the will of the Father which art in heaven while in flesh and blood. No other shortcuts.
"For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."
God breathed in the nostrils of man so everyone of us is represented in Adam. The spirit of God breathed into us must be for entering into the rest of God. The kingdom of God rules over all so His sovereignty is what makes His creation bask in his power and glory.(Ps.103:19). We shall understand the power of the Spirit in controlling movements. Murmuring of starling is fascinating to watch. As they sway en masse and form clouds no one can be identified in the multitude. One may be any where and yet nowhere. They flit and float without any mishap. How do they do it? There is a skill the spirit of God has given them, the wherewithal so they prosper.
The same power of God and glory and the fall of man shows where he differs from the birds of the air. Instead of being sustained by the grace from the throne of God he speaks of culture as Jews would wave 'the traditions of their fathers' that brought condemnation from Jesus. Without acknowledging God as the Father and doing his will perfectly no nations shall survive.
Jesus was ever dutiful Son who would while hanging on the cross entrusted the care of his mother to John, "When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!/Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home."( John 19:26-27). By literal approach how false teachers consistently strip passages of their pith and serve the husks instead. This is one example. Covenant between God and Man entrusts man with His creation and does he care?
God had prepared a worm as he a great fish to instruct Prophet Jonah. At the end of the book He tells Jonah,"And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?"( Jonah 4:11) Family of man is incomplete without this same care for His creation. The Four beasts in heaven is a memorial.
Pilgrims in 1630 settled in the Americas to make a New Canaan. However it was like sewing old garment to the new in the manner the divine Will was shortchanged. Salt crystal is made up of chlorine and sodium which by themselves have their distinctive characteristics. Sodium is metal, and corrosive while chlorine is a gas and poisonous. How billions of these atoms are precisely arranged by force keeping the formation gives the table salt its savor. In the manner culture wars have dogged the country tells making a family or nation without fulfilling the will of the Father is a non-starter. "And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles."(2:22)
In this passage the Spirit is setting two sets of families each representing the world of the Spirit and of the body. In the former world familial relationship is pendent to the covenant between God and Man, The latter is symbolic of heaven but in keeping with the body formed of the dust, it is the union of dust to dust and ashes to ashes. "For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven."(12:25; Matt.22:30). Resurrection of the dead is restoration of the covenant to its former glory where Power and glory of God renders the Man his throne so "and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."(Re.21:3)
Thus the saying of Jesus refers to the world of the Spirit,"But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren./And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."(Matt.23:8-9)
In marriage man and woman leave their parents and they shall be one flesh, "And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?"( Luke 16:12; Ge.2:23)
This was provisioned for in the covenant. In Ge.1:28-29 we are shown what our Father in heaven had entrusted them with His creation. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." This was entrusted with man in his Son. It is to this God willed and the covenant exists, and as a proof sent his only begotten Son to the world in fulness of time.
As the key verse states there is no gender difference. Only those who do the will of God.
" No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house."
Of whose house are we? " But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." (He.3:6).One whose hope is firm to the end and works are done in faith cannot be a weak vessel. He is instead an overcomer" Jesus Christ has overcome the world and abiding in him all things are possible because he has promised and we know all promiseds of God are yea in his Son. If we have the Son we have the Father as well.
The verse speaks of anyone who serves God and mammon; like Samson there comes a point in his life that he gets taken like the dumb beast for the slaughter-house. "And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him."(Ju.16:20)
Parable of Jesus tells how the unclean spirit spoils his house.
"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none./ Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished./Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation." (Matt.12:43-45)
When Jesus sent his disciples he authorized them to cast out demons. "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."(Matt.10:1) Jesus was among them as a sign; so are believers whose lives identify with it. "And these signs shall follow them,"(16:17). 'In my name'
"But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation./ Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit."
Jesus was in a synagogue when he cast out the man with the unclean spirit. He called Jesus," Let us alone; what have we to do with thee". He was using the spirit of man so uses the plural form and tells "I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God."(1:24-25). St Paul warned us that no one with indwelling Spirit shall say Jesus is accursed. ("Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost."-1 Co.12:3). The unclean spirit in the man having taken over his life would not curse Jesus but only want him to leave him in peace. He showed faith in his speech, did he not, testifying,' I know thee who thou art, the Holy one of God'. This is what faith without works mean. In our times some of the so-called believers deny the deity of Jesus while not leaving it altogether, ought to warn not to have any trek with them. They are besides themselves to hold on to their belief. Their heresies and holding on to them, does not remain on a single point but becomes entangled with great many other errors. If one says, resurrection of the body is a lie, he is likely to cover it by the glory of this world. It is what the devil offered Jesus before he would preach the gospel. Christian nationalism, white evangelicalism are similarly are telltale signs of believers who simply appropriate Jesus, and their faith is the truncated tail of a lizard without the body of Christ."And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him."(1:25)
While we groan in this vile body we have a building of God eternal in heavens. So do we live both worlds as one or not? "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." In thy light we see the light.
Jesus formally chose the twelve "And they went into an house." Here we a curious passage,"And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread./And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself."(vv.20-21).
Fame of the new prophet we read earlier in the Gospel of Mark was no different than of John the Baptist. "And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee."(1:28) Jesus having seen the masses who were as sheep without a shepherd.(Matt.9:36) began to preach of the gospel while his cousin before him aroused much speculation and curiosity. "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan." to hear his message.(Matt.3:5) " And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?"( John 1:19). His testimony was received and they saw him as well. "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." Here we have an unvarnished look at fame or celebrity status. The ear hears so much as eye sees so often yet Jesus was an unknown quantity to his friends. "He is possessed!" summed up their report. The Spirit gives us the instance of his mother, "But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart."( Luke 2:19).
Hearing without faith is a dumb thing to do and it is how Jesus became so many things to so many. She heard with her ear of faith and digested over it. What many have witnessed or heard are good seed sown into the heard but it poves to be no man's land."When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side."(Matt.13:19). Is it strange to hear that some believers do not believe in trinity?
Luke and Matthew also give the context and the quote, "And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath."( Luke 6:5;12:8) The everlasting covenant is between two equals so the eternal word is the Law backed by the kingdom of the Father. In case of faith we have the basis of these two worlds (He.11:3) which we shall leave aside for the moment. What are the equal entities here? They are Power on the part of God Wisdom on the part of Man. St Paul separates Man as the Lord of heaven, from man who is the earthy. "The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven."(1 Co.15:47-48)
When Jesus was born of woman his deity was never in jeopardy since he is the Word become flesh and sent with the divine Mandate. ( John 3:16)
When Jesus spoke "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work" it is this Word was God it refers.( John 1:1; 5:17-23)
Speaking of the context Mark 2:24 we have the Pharisees questioning "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him."
Next point of Sabbath is that the day Seven. God has decree the day which touches his Alpha Omega aspect. " I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee./Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."(Ps.2:7-8) There is no sanctity for observing Sabbath without the Son element incorporated in our lives. This heresy has arisen because the Christians interpret the word of God literally and assume it is the seventh day of a week. It is an error. It is thus approaching the Bible with out the aid of the Spirit. John's epistle speaks of those who have the Son has also the Father.
"No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse./ And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles."
The saying of Jesus is mentioned in both versions of Matthew and Luke.
We shall examine it from the specific, in the resistance of the Jews to him. They judged him from their holier-than-thou attitude as the people of the Law. What had the Law of Moses become? It was a treatise collated from the everlasting covenant, which before the advent of the Son in the fulness of time was given to the nation of Israel as the path to righteousness. Garment as in the Parable of the Wedding Guest refers to righteousness. So when Jesus spoke the parable it was in condemnation of what had come up as tradition. It was as unexpected as tares from the Parable. "An enmy hath done this'. From the manner the scribes and the Pharisees held on to the traditions of their fathers which only allowed them to fill up to the measure of their fathers. In his woe to ye tirade he faulted them,"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith, these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."(Matt.23:23). Their hypocritical observation of paying tithes and worship rather to be seen of men than any real change in their old selves was new. This mix and match of old with new did not sit well.
In Luke we have " But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved./No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better."(5:38-39)
New wine in new bottles refer to the new creation.
1:22-24 "And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,/ Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us?"
How come the Gospels are replete with the aspect of Trinity and yet man stumble over it? Devil has set him to coin outlandish concepts of 'accelerationalism' as though an historical imperative to bring down his own house. God is in charge and ungodly men cannot know the unclean spirit that spins his head to think of his home a charnel house. This is how the unclean spirit tore down the man in the synagogue of Capernaum.
Similarly when Jesus would heal the man with palsy, his detractors cried 'blasphemy'. Do we not see it in our own times, After kicking the dog what does man say, He howls, hasten his end,'hang him',
Jesus worked so he would say,"Mu Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
vv.10-12
"But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)/I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house./And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all.
Mark 2:1-12 "We never saw it on this fashion" (1 of 2)
"And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion."
Authority of Jesus evidently came from the doctrine of his Father; and the word become flesh could say,"I am the truth". Unlike the scribes whose authority, as Jesus faulted them, reeked of hypocrisy (1:22) he walked the straight and narrow line. John testifies,"For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken./I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."( John 12:49-50) Where did he learn from? He was in the bosom of his Father so what he said and did was defining the Father inside out.( John 1:18)
While healing the man with palsy, his response we read,"immediately" he arose. He proved "I and my Father are one" and Mark's delineation spares no pains to tell this relation. "He that has the Father has the Son as well. He that has the Son has the Father also' when Jesus made it possible 'inso much that they were all amazed." They glorified God.( 1 John 2:23)
In the previous chapter he was in a synagogue in Capernaum, the unclean spirit 'cried out,"I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God." In the world of the Spirit even unclean spirits know the Holy One of God" but they do not want to follow him. In what was the scribes and the Pharisees who did not live by what they preached? Their uncleanness arose from hypocrisy a spiritual malady. Mark here takes us again to Capernaum. In the domestic setting what does the scribes say," Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?"(2:7) He was indeed of God to see through them. The tag 'immediately' in v.8 "And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit", is an indication that his deity worked even when he emptied himself.
His authority came from his deity. "I and my Father are one" As his Son the voice from heaven claimed his humanity so "Trinity" was not merely a doctrine but validated the everlasting covenant. " And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased./And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness." (vv.11-12) The Spirit the third office in Trinity led him as the Lucan Gospel says. He was among men but his deity was never in jeopardy. So His power and glory is his as he makes clear in his prayer, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."( John 17:5)
As the Word become flesh his presence among them was a sign. "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."( John 14:10)
He works so all the healing we have in vv.21-45 we shall fill the dots all the way to the throne of God. Thus the healing validated the blessings mentioned in Ge.1:28. "God blessed them" and it was through his Son.
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. Here is another, "And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak."
"And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
So why would a true believer not want to believe in the Trinity? We know God the Father, our creator. We know Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, God Himself becoming incarnate as man so He could shed His divine blood for the salvation of mankind. We know the Holy Spirit, the fire that came to the Church so she can be wholly sanctified so the Bride can make Herself ready for the Marriage to Her precious Groom, the Lamb of God. A Bride without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, including the sin nature we are born with. All of it gone because Jesus isn't going to marry a grimy bride.
God is God so if He is all three in one, then He is. It is very plainly seen in the scripture for any child of God who rightly divides the word of God, which, I don't believe means arguing about His sovereignty. God Bless :)
The Apocrypha wad translated by the Commission that translated the Textus Receptus (of which virtually all is the KJV).
The Apocrypha did not get removed until the KJV was updated -- in 1882. So if it wasn't "God inspired," how did it manage to remain between the Testaments for 270+ years?
Before you try to answer that, bear in mind thise who put it there also translated the Testaments, as well. So clearly they knew about it.
"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;/As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee."(vv.1-2)
Mark presents Jesus as the Son of God. He does not say he was the Word become flesh but in his obedience to the Word, he is shown as born of God. His faith makes him human as John or anyone of us. "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."( John 1:12-13) Above the quote is from Malachi (3:1) which has not become entangled with that of the quote from next verse. About this we shall take up at the end of the note on v.3
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." (v.3)
This cites Prophet Isaiah who did not say it in a vacuum but inspired of God who commanded so the knowledge of his glory in terms of man gave expression to the word of God which itself manifests the other worldly quality of faith."The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."(2 Co.4:6;Is.40:3) St Paul asks, "But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." It is thus truth written in our inward parts make sense of it.(Ro.10:18)
quote from Isaiah is set in place by the preceding verse. "Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins." This refers to the remnant of Israel at the eleventh hour as it were, delivered from fire. Compare the quote from Malachi. "behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts."(Mal.3:1) Mark's quote therefore fits with the Advent of Jesus Christ as more closer in time. The voice of the Lord reaches the ends of the world as risen Christ promises. (Matt.28:20) '
Isn't believing in the Trinity just simply believing in God? The Trinity is God so how can you be saved and not believe in the Trinity. You can't separate the Trinity and God, they are one and the same thing. Which part of the Trinity do you not believe in and can still be saved? The Father, the Son or the Holy Ghost? It's amazing to me that the idea that you can be saved and not believe that the Trinity/God are the same thing. ????
1:1 The first line encapsulates the generation of Jesus Christ which delineates the Alpha and Omega mode of the holiness of God. As provided for man his blessings surely are let in his Son. So he is the son of Abraham whom God blessed. (Ge.12:3). He is also the son of David whom God blessed by equal measure,"and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever."(2 Sa.7:12). These blessings did not begin with Abraham but from the everlasting covenant. It is set down as the driver so both Gentiles and Israel are to be allowed in the Fellowship of God with Man.(Ge.1:28) This universality of the Word become flesh we see in the arrival of the Magi and his attitude towards the Gentile centurion. (8:10) He was looking for faith in the world before whom he appeared as the Apostle.
The Sermon on the Mount presents him state the holiness of His Father as perfect. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."(5:48) He shall prove with his life that it was doable. Blessings presented in this discourse carry for those who refused it. In Ch.23 his discourse 'Woe to ye' was condemnation to the nation that shortchanged Mercies of his Father for the traditions of their fathers. "Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers./Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"(23:30-31) The parables are a literary devise that the Spirit uses with telling effect to separate the chaff from the good seed. "And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them."(21:45)
Fulfillment of the Scriptures is a notable feature of the Gospel so Alpha and Omega aspects of the kingdom of heaven keep the Son of man in the crosshairs from beginning till the end. Jesus began his ministry where the quote from isaiah served as a cue. "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."(4:14-17)
"And this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day."
Hypocrisy of the chief priests and elders is vile in that they profess faith, without backing it with their whole heart. "Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men." (Is.29:13) They covenanted with Judas for a sum to destroy an innocent man. But they would not take what he returned. Knowing money as blood money they use it yet to buy silence from soldiers. Their respect for money was learned from the precepts of men. If this nation was a bundle of prejudices and shallow opinions what they really believed in? Their heart was like "a cage of every unclean and hateful bird" with least attention span to commune with God in truth and quietness, As soon as Moses turned his back they were urging Aaron "Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him."(Ex,32:1) . When the ten spies brought back an evil report, they were so overwrought, "And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?/And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt."(Nu.14:3-4)
'Until this day' refers to the Son so what is written of him must be fulfilled as well as the kingdom appointed for him fill both heaven and the earth. " For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;/ And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."(Col.1:19-20)
"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth"
The Spirit in organizing the Alpha and Omega aspects of the Son brings out the word of God as true which is validated in his Son. The world made flesh and the word revealed by the humanity works equally well with all those who believe in him. An example we have in the Gospel of St Mark. In the last chapter the risen Christ gives the signs that shall follow the believers. It is valid only, 'in my name' for example "They shall take up serpents." ( Mark 16:18), the Spirit adds "And it shall not hurt them."
The Spirit gives us an example in the case of St Paul on the isle of Malta.
"And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand./And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live./And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm./Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god." (Ac.28:3-6)
From lack of understanding with regards to the Holy Spirit and the purpose of the scripture there are some children of Belial in our times who handle serpents as a test of their spiritual prowess. Is God to be tempted by serpent handling?
v.1 End of sabbath and beginning of the Lord's Day.
Jesus' claim, "The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath" is shown to be true. (12:8) The Lord of the heavenly and he returns to the rest as was before. With regards to the Alpha and Omega provisions the scripture was fulfilled in him. "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (He.4:11).He is the forerunner and our faith must be stedfast to enter into His rest.
v.2 "And, behold, there was a great earthquake" Angel descent from heaven has its consequential effect. Jesus gave up his Spirit while on the cross and the result was evident:the vail of the temple was torn from top to bottom.. A worldly man given to the ways of the world believe only his rational mind and the error of it we find in the conspiracy theories. The Spirit expressly gives evidence to the pre-eminence of the Son in the earthquake. No different than the darkness at noon at the hour of crucifixion. St Paul says, "And by him all things consist," and yet how man shall believe our report? "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"
vv.2-3 "And came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it./ His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow" The Angel of the Lord or His presence refers to the same: the Word revealed. "But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee"(26:32) More or less what Jesus had mentioned earlier. This is how the Spirit of Christ worked with holy men of old,- and the angel and man constitute a single measurement by truth.(Re.21:17) Thy word is truth, It is now demonstrated before the woman who were present that morning.
vv.8-9 They obeyed the angel and went back to tell the disciples, "behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him."
"When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple."
Joseph interring Jesus in his tomb earmarked for his own reminds us of Isaiah who foretold his burial. "And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death."(Is.53:9). There were two other malefactors on the cross. So the first part of the verse refers to them as well as to the rich man who let his own tomb at his disposal. So much so for the carcass and after spirit has left it is an empty shell. The rich and the poor meet in death fulfilling the natural law. Piety of Joseph stands in stark contrast with those chief priests and the Pharisees who also required to get a hearing from the Governor.
The Spirit gives us the spiritual depth of the rock pointing out to the Alpha aspect of the Son. He was the cornerstone while for his enemies, the rock of offense. Wisdom principle determined the house with seven pillars (Pr.9:1) "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old./ I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was."(Pr.8:22-23) Everlasting covenant is between God the Father and the Son which requires no other covenant. Wisdom and Power define God. Their covenant when simply put means the Power and glory that we refer every time we say the Lord's Prayer, refers to God the glory of the Son, ("Who being the brightness of his glory"-He.1:3,)
"And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory." In the case of Moses who wanted to see it God replied, "And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by."(Ex.33:18-23). The Spirit was pointing to this rock from where he would be lifter by His power. So Isaiah warns us, "look unto the rock whence ye are hewn,"(Is.51:1) Did not God see Joseph before the worlds began?
"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour."
Three hours as the Spirit records it intends the darkness as a sign independent of natural cause of a solar eclipse. The number Three decidedly favors the spiritual darkness enveloping in their rejection of the Son; by the same token we have another sign, of graves letting out their contents as though in protest; The torn veil of the temple is a symbolic act as the word of God fulfilling as in the case of the hour of darkness that had now taken over the land. Jesus was correct in the timing. "I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me./But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." (26:55-56) The word of God zeroed in, that the Word become flesh could not have missed. (To digress a little, obedience of Jesus Christ was perfected in letting the word of his Father work with him.)
The voice came from heaven and in the Gospel of John Jesus explains it clearly. "Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes."( John 12:30). It was while he was alive. By the same token the death of the Son could not have passed on without some visible signs of it. There are so many strange signs and bizarre light and sound show in the sky. What does the man on the street say,"UFO sighting." His reasonable mind wants to hitch his mind to anything however silly it may be. But he rejects any suggestion that rejecting the word concerning shall have serious consequences. The mind of the centurion who witnessed the events, was much more of noble cast. " they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."(v.54) Consider the chief priests and the Pharisees who would hush up his resurrection, what was their mind like? (vv.62-66) Do you think the modern churches shall disband their churches or abjure their heresies in the face of truth revealed?
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"And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him."
Matthew places less emphasis on his country than with Mark. After delineating the visit to Gadarenes Matthew goes on with the the healing so much so the multitudes "marveled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men".(Matt.9:8). The unclean spirits all had a country to call their own whereas Jesus refers Capernaum in Galilee as his own country. Jesus had declared,"The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."(Matt.8:20). So what significance the place names hold? These names associated with him sets the humanity of Jesus in focus. But twists and turns of it owe to the scriptures than by the will of man. He was born in Nazareth thereby fulfilling what was spoken of him by the prophets.(Matt.2:23) His Galilean ministry revolved about Capernaum so much so in terms of his deity Nazareth was interchangeable for Capernaum since he dwelt among them as the word become flesh.
The earth and the fulness belongs to God which is the point from which St Mark's Gospel surveys. So the country that the unclean spirit referred to was the observation of a servant. "And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever."( John 8:35). The Preacher declared the truth beforehand. "One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever."(Ec.1:4). Thus Luz shall be known as Bethel. Jerusalem was earlier known as the city of Jebus. Since God has left all judgment to his Son these place names has the same characteristic: now you see now you don't. Sodom, Egypt Jerusalem are interchangeable.(Re.11:8)
The Spirit organized the life of the Son so what Mark informs us gives the narrative of Matthew an heightened reality.
"Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." (v.19)
Jesus cast out the unclean spirits from the man, who now in his sober mind wanted to follow Jesus. He was not the only one who wanted do it. "Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now?"( John 13:37). Jesus showed him the way to follow him and immediately what Jesus wanted of him was a life of witnessing.. After a life of harrowing what he needed most was rest to his soul. "Take my yoke and learn of me', the hardest part is for the Son to take care.(Matt.11:28-29) Jesus, ever true image of his Father, shows mercy.
In contrast we have the owners of the swineherds cowering before Jesus. They heard the testimony of the finger of God' and the man ever normal and they could not be but be afraid."And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid."(v.15) The loss of other man's riches did not heal them. The unclean spirit still worked with them and they would rather see the back of Jesus than risk loss of other means of revenue.
In v.13 we have the number of swines ("they were about two thousand") and were choked in the sea, which is a tag placed by the Spirit. Compare with this verse," And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them." It is cue that God had prepared the four angels for the end times. multiples of 2000 refer to the Alpha and Omega expressed in terms of day of salvation and regeneration- signifying endtimes- white throne judgment.
John saw them as well as heard the number. To be sure those who rejected Jesus for loss of their wealth shall have them as witnesses. If in the court of law hush money could be cited as proof shall these citizens of Gederanes escape rejecting the prince of life for some swine?
Mark in his gospel presents the Son in control so the earth obeyed the Will of his Father, By presenting the doctrine in the form of parables where the earth admits no other shortcuts but must follow just as faith of man would require steps in obedience."As if a man should cast seed into the ground;/And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how./For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear."(4:26-29). Between sowing and harvest nothing else would hinder the reapers. So the earth admits no other sovereign authority than of his Father. So when he stilled the storm and calmed the sea so "And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" Faith held both world's together. (4:39-41)
5:8 When Jesus cast out he did on the authority of the Spirit of his Father, " Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit." In healing the man it was manifest that the unclean spirit did not belong to the kingdom but was an usurper.
Why? For the simple reason that the spirit took over the man so his soul of man did not reveal the truth.. It lay under the shadow of the devil. Recently a pig's kidney replaced the damaged kidney of a man. The soul of man is still under the grace of his Father so his faith shall serve his Will. His creation still declares His glory because the man is created in 'our image and in our likeness.'
"And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country." (v.10)
Mark sets Jesus crossing" the other side of the sea into the country of the Gadarenes."The sea mentioned here is the lake of Galilee on the south. Lucan gospel explains the location so we may conclude that Jesus with his disciples arrived there from Galilee. ("which is over against Galilee".-8:26) Gadara is not directly named in the scripture but was a walled city where the Gentiles lived mostly and was a part of the Decapolis. The point of location we need note to our intent and purpose is this: geographically Gadarenes is situated on the east of the Jordan river. Crossing of the Jordan river in spiritual terms signifies death.
Jesus cast out the many demons from the man. They all had a request:"And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
"For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit."/And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many./And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country."(vv.8-10)
Unclean spirits require a body which is impossible for Satan to create. He is the father of lies and not of life. For this reason he used a serpent to beguile Eve and being cast out they had unanimously chose the herd of swine.
"All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds."(1 Co.15:38-40). Here we have a country separate from the land of Galilee. In the Parable of Lazarus and the rich man, the latter had a place while Galilee signified the blessed state of the beggar. The other man's riches come in all forms and weights. Sheep, cattle and swines are part contributing to the wealth, and the rich man who wished Lazarus to visit him had chosen his own country. His cry came too late. ( Luke 16:24)
Part 1
Traditions are practices, customs, or rituals that are passed down from generation to generation.
Truth refers to unbiassed reality, the correct representation of facts, it surpasses personal opinions or feelings.
Easter Sunday is a holiday celebrated by millions of people around the world who honor the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is also the day that many children excitedly wait for the Easter Bunny to arrive and deliver their treats of baskets filled with chocolate, eggs, and stuffed rabbits.
Easter is a holiday that is now chosen to correspond with the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox unless the full moon falls on a Sunday then it would be the next Sunday. Passover is now not considered in selecting the day. The Jewish feast that was the same day Jesus resurrected that most overlook is the Feast of First Fruits even though Jesus is the First Fruits of them that slept.
There are many myths about Easter, but all come from pagan sun worship and their festivals correspond with the sun's equinoxes. The ascension of Christ and Pentecost has been changed to 40 days from Easter and 50 days from Easter not from the first day after the Sabbath after Passover day.
Easter was originally called Resurrection Morning which was the Feast of First Fruits, the first day after the sabbath day after Passover during the Feast of unleavened bread, this is the first day in counting the days of the seven sabbaths of the Feasts of Weeks, that has been replaced with traditions of Good Friday, two days in the grave, sunrise services, Ezekiel 8:15-16, bunnies, colored eggs, baskets, pretty hats and dresses.
Does the Bible tell us what day Jesus was crucified? Yes, Jesus is our Passover and for Him to fulfill the Feasts it would have to be exactly as the first Passover. The lambs were taken up on the 10th and killed on the evening before the sunset on the 14th of Nisan, Exodus 12:1-6.
See part 2.
"Who is my mother, or my brethren?"
The question is all the more striking since Jesus does not include his father. Jesus never had doubt as to where he came from or was going to. St Luke informs us, "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"( Luke 2:49). His Father was in heaven and he knew his deity was still entwined in his Father's bosom. So the words that he spoke as he heard while in heaven and what he put in his mouth. So the conclusion? Man can only be part of their relationship by acknowledging that he has to fulfill the will of the Father which art in heaven while in flesh and blood. No other shortcuts.
"For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."
God breathed in the nostrils of man so everyone of us is represented in Adam. The spirit of God breathed into us must be for entering into the rest of God. The kingdom of God rules over all so His sovereignty is what makes His creation bask in his power and glory.(Ps.103:19). We shall understand the power of the Spirit in controlling movements. Murmuring of starling is fascinating to watch. As they sway en masse and form clouds no one can be identified in the multitude. One may be any where and yet nowhere. They flit and float without any mishap. How do they do it? There is a skill the spirit of God has given them, the wherewithal so they prosper.
The same power of God and glory and the fall of man shows where he differs from the birds of the air. Instead of being sustained by the grace from the throne of God he speaks of culture as Jews would wave 'the traditions of their fathers' that brought condemnation from Jesus. Without acknowledging God as the Father and doing his will perfectly no nations shall survive.
Jesus was ever dutiful Son who would while hanging on the cross entrusted the care of his mother to John, "When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!/Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home."( John 19:26-27). By literal approach how false teachers consistently strip passages of their pith and serve the husks instead. This is one example. Covenant between God and Man entrusts man with His creation and does he care?
God had prepared a worm as he a great fish to instruct Prophet Jonah. At the end of the book He tells Jonah,"And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?"( Jonah 4:11) Family of man is incomplete without this same care for His creation. The Four beasts in heaven is a memorial.
Pilgrims in 1630 settled in the Americas to make a New Canaan. However it was like sewing old garment to the new in the manner the divine Will was shortchanged. Salt crystal is made up of chlorine and sodium which by themselves have their distinctive characteristics. Sodium is metal, and corrosive while chlorine is a gas and poisonous. How billions of these atoms are precisely arranged by force keeping the formation gives the table salt its savor. In the manner culture wars have dogged the country tells making a family or nation without fulfilling the will of the Father is a non-starter. "And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles."(2:22)
"Who is my mother, or my brethren?"
In this passage the Spirit is setting two sets of families each representing the world of the Spirit and of the body. In the former world familial relationship is pendent to the covenant between God and Man, The latter is symbolic of heaven but in keeping with the body formed of the dust, it is the union of dust to dust and ashes to ashes. "For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven."(12:25; Matt.22:30). Resurrection of the dead is restoration of the covenant to its former glory where Power and glory of God renders the Man his throne so "and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."(Re.21:3)
Thus the saying of Jesus refers to the world of the Spirit,"But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren./And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."(Matt.23:8-9)
In marriage man and woman leave their parents and they shall be one flesh, "And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?"( Luke 16:12; Ge.2:23)
This was provisioned for in the covenant. In Ge.1:28-29 we are shown what our Father in heaven had entrusted them with His creation. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." This was entrusted with man in his Son. It is to this God willed and the covenant exists, and as a proof sent his only begotten Son to the world in fulness of time.
As the key verse states there is no gender difference. Only those who do the will of God.
" No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house."
Of whose house are we? " But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." (He.3:6).One whose hope is firm to the end and works are done in faith cannot be a weak vessel. He is instead an overcomer" Jesus Christ has overcome the world and abiding in him all things are possible because he has promised and we know all promiseds of God are yea in his Son. If we have the Son we have the Father as well.
The verse speaks of anyone who serves God and mammon; like Samson there comes a point in his life that he gets taken like the dumb beast for the slaughter-house. "And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him."(Ju.16:20)
Parable of Jesus tells how the unclean spirit spoils his house.
"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none./ Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished./Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation." (Matt.12:43-45)
When Jesus sent his disciples he authorized them to cast out demons. "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."(Matt.10:1) Jesus was among them as a sign; so are believers whose lives identify with it. "And these signs shall follow them,"(16:17). 'In my name'
"But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation./ Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit."
Jesus was in a synagogue when he cast out the man with the unclean spirit. He called Jesus," Let us alone; what have we to do with thee". He was using the spirit of man so uses the plural form and tells "I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God."(1:24-25). St Paul warned us that no one with indwelling Spirit shall say Jesus is accursed. ("Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost."-1 Co.12:3). The unclean spirit in the man having taken over his life would not curse Jesus but only want him to leave him in peace. He showed faith in his speech, did he not, testifying,' I know thee who thou art, the Holy one of God'. This is what faith without works mean. In our times some of the so-called believers deny the deity of Jesus while not leaving it altogether, ought to warn not to have any trek with them. They are besides themselves to hold on to their belief. Their heresies and holding on to them, does not remain on a single point but becomes entangled with great many other errors. If one says, resurrection of the body is a lie, he is likely to cover it by the glory of this world. It is what the devil offered Jesus before he would preach the gospel. Christian nationalism, white evangelicalism are similarly are telltale signs of believers who simply appropriate Jesus, and their faith is the truncated tail of a lizard without the body of Christ."And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him."(1:25)
While we groan in this vile body we have a building of God eternal in heavens. So do we live both worlds as one or not? "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." In thy light we see the light.
Jesus formally chose the twelve "And they went into an house." Here we a curious passage,"And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread./And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself."(vv.20-21).
Fame of the new prophet we read earlier in the Gospel of Mark was no different than of John the Baptist. "And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee."(1:28) Jesus having seen the masses who were as sheep without a shepherd.(Matt.9:36) began to preach of the gospel while his cousin before him aroused much speculation and curiosity. "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan." to hear his message.(Matt.3:5) " And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?"( John 1:19). His testimony was received and they saw him as well. "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." Here we have an unvarnished look at fame or celebrity status. The ear hears so much as eye sees so often yet Jesus was an unknown quantity to his friends. "He is possessed!" summed up their report. The Spirit gives us the instance of his mother, "But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart."( Luke 2:19).
Hearing without faith is a dumb thing to do and it is how Jesus became so many things to so many. She heard with her ear of faith and digested over it. What many have witnessed or heard are good seed sown into the heard but it poves to be no man's land."When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side."(Matt.13:19). Is it strange to hear that some believers do not believe in trinity?
Luke and Matthew also give the context and the quote, "And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath."( Luke 6:5;12:8) The everlasting covenant is between two equals so the eternal word is the Law backed by the kingdom of the Father. In case of faith we have the basis of these two worlds (He.11:3) which we shall leave aside for the moment. What are the equal entities here? They are Power on the part of God Wisdom on the part of Man. St Paul separates Man as the Lord of heaven, from man who is the earthy. "The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven."(1 Co.15:47-48)
When Jesus was born of woman his deity was never in jeopardy since he is the Word become flesh and sent with the divine Mandate. ( John 3:16)
When Jesus spoke "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work" it is this Word was God it refers.( John 1:1; 5:17-23)
Speaking of the context Mark 2:24 we have the Pharisees questioning "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him."
Next point of Sabbath is that the day Seven. God has decree the day which touches his Alpha Omega aspect. " I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee./Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."(Ps.2:7-8) There is no sanctity for observing Sabbath without the Son element incorporated in our lives. This heresy has arisen because the Christians interpret the word of God literally and assume it is the seventh day of a week. It is an error. It is thus approaching the Bible with out the aid of the Spirit. John's epistle speaks of those who have the Son has also the Father.
"No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse./ And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles."
The saying of Jesus is mentioned in both versions of Matthew and Luke.
We shall examine it from the specific, in the resistance of the Jews to him. They judged him from their holier-than-thou attitude as the people of the Law. What had the Law of Moses become? It was a treatise collated from the everlasting covenant, which before the advent of the Son in the fulness of time was given to the nation of Israel as the path to righteousness. Garment as in the Parable of the Wedding Guest refers to righteousness. So when Jesus spoke the parable it was in condemnation of what had come up as tradition. It was as unexpected as tares from the Parable. "An enmy hath done this'. From the manner the scribes and the Pharisees held on to the traditions of their fathers which only allowed them to fill up to the measure of their fathers. In his woe to ye tirade he faulted them,"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith, these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."(Matt.23:23). Their hypocritical observation of paying tithes and worship rather to be seen of men than any real change in their old selves was new. This mix and match of old with new did not sit well.
In Luke we have " But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved./No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better."(5:38-39)
New wine in new bottles refer to the new creation.
1:22-24 "And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,/ Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us?"
How come the Gospels are replete with the aspect of Trinity and yet man stumble over it? Devil has set him to coin outlandish concepts of 'accelerationalism' as though an historical imperative to bring down his own house. God is in charge and ungodly men cannot know the unclean spirit that spins his head to think of his home a charnel house. This is how the unclean spirit tore down the man in the synagogue of Capernaum.
Similarly when Jesus would heal the man with palsy, his detractors cried 'blasphemy'. Do we not see it in our own times, After kicking the dog what does man say, He howls, hasten his end,'hang him',
Jesus worked so he would say,"Mu Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
vv.10-12
"But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)/I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house./And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all.
"And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion."
Authority of Jesus evidently came from the doctrine of his Father; and the word become flesh could say,"I am the truth". Unlike the scribes whose authority, as Jesus faulted them, reeked of hypocrisy (1:22) he walked the straight and narrow line. John testifies,"For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken./I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."( John 12:49-50) Where did he learn from? He was in the bosom of his Father so what he said and did was defining the Father inside out.( John 1:18)
While healing the man with palsy, his response we read,"immediately" he arose. He proved "I and my Father are one" and Mark's delineation spares no pains to tell this relation. "He that has the Father has the Son as well. He that has the Son has the Father also' when Jesus made it possible 'inso much that they were all amazed." They glorified God.( 1 John 2:23)
In the previous chapter he was in a synagogue in Capernaum, the unclean spirit 'cried out,"I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God." In the world of the Spirit even unclean spirits know the Holy One of God" but they do not want to follow him. In what was the scribes and the Pharisees who did not live by what they preached? Their uncleanness arose from hypocrisy a spiritual malady. Mark here takes us again to Capernaum. In the domestic setting what does the scribes say," Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?"(2:7) He was indeed of God to see through them. The tag 'immediately' in v.8 "And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit", is an indication that his deity worked even when he emptied himself.
His authority came from his deity. "I and my Father are one" As his Son the voice from heaven claimed his humanity so "Trinity" was not merely a doctrine but validated the everlasting covenant. " And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased./And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness." (vv.11-12) The Spirit the third office in Trinity led him as the Lucan Gospel says. He was among men but his deity was never in jeopardy. So His power and glory is his as he makes clear in his prayer, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."( John 17:5)
As the Word become flesh his presence among them was a sign. "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."( John 14:10)
He works so all the healing we have in vv.21-45 we shall fill the dots all the way to the throne of God. Thus the healing validated the blessings mentioned in Ge.1:28. "God blessed them" and it was through his Son.
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. Here is another, "And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak."
"And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
How is your health and the health of your daughter in law? Are the repairs in your house over? Everything OK?
God is God so if He is all three in one, then He is. It is very plainly seen in the scripture for any child of God who rightly divides the word of God, which, I don't believe means arguing about His sovereignty. God Bless :)
The Apocrypha did not get removed until the KJV was updated -- in 1882. So if it wasn't "God inspired," how did it manage to remain between the Testaments for 270+ years?
Before you try to answer that, bear in mind thise who put it there also translated the Testaments, as well. So clearly they knew about it.
"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;/As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee."(vv.1-2)
Mark presents Jesus as the Son of God. He does not say he was the Word become flesh but in his obedience to the Word, he is shown as born of God. His faith makes him human as John or anyone of us. "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."( John 1:12-13) Above the quote is from Malachi (3:1) which has not become entangled with that of the quote from next verse. About this we shall take up at the end of the note on v.3
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." (v.3)
This cites Prophet Isaiah who did not say it in a vacuum but inspired of God who commanded so the knowledge of his glory in terms of man gave expression to the word of God which itself manifests the other worldly quality of faith."The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."(2 Co.4:6;Is.40:3) St Paul asks, "But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." It is thus truth written in our inward parts make sense of it.(Ro.10:18)
quote from Isaiah is set in place by the preceding verse. "Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins." This refers to the remnant of Israel at the eleventh hour as it were, delivered from fire. Compare the quote from Malachi. "behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts."(Mal.3:1) Mark's quote therefore fits with the Advent of Jesus Christ as more closer in time. The voice of the Lord reaches the ends of the world as risen Christ promises. (Matt.28:20) '
1:1 The first line encapsulates the generation of Jesus Christ which delineates the Alpha and Omega mode of the holiness of God. As provided for man his blessings surely are let in his Son. So he is the son of Abraham whom God blessed. (Ge.12:3). He is also the son of David whom God blessed by equal measure,"and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever."(2 Sa.7:12). These blessings did not begin with Abraham but from the everlasting covenant. It is set down as the driver so both Gentiles and Israel are to be allowed in the Fellowship of God with Man.(Ge.1:28) This universality of the Word become flesh we see in the arrival of the Magi and his attitude towards the Gentile centurion. (8:10) He was looking for faith in the world before whom he appeared as the Apostle.
The Sermon on the Mount presents him state the holiness of His Father as perfect. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."(5:48) He shall prove with his life that it was doable. Blessings presented in this discourse carry for those who refused it. In Ch.23 his discourse 'Woe to ye' was condemnation to the nation that shortchanged Mercies of his Father for the traditions of their fathers. "Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers./Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"(23:30-31) The parables are a literary devise that the Spirit uses with telling effect to separate the chaff from the good seed. "And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them."(21:45)
Fulfillment of the Scriptures is a notable feature of the Gospel so Alpha and Omega aspects of the kingdom of heaven keep the Son of man in the crosshairs from beginning till the end. Jesus began his ministry where the quote from isaiah served as a cue. "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."(4:14-17)
"And this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day."
Hypocrisy of the chief priests and elders is vile in that they profess faith, without backing it with their whole heart. "Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men." (Is.29:13) They covenanted with Judas for a sum to destroy an innocent man. But they would not take what he returned. Knowing money as blood money they use it yet to buy silence from soldiers. Their respect for money was learned from the precepts of men. If this nation was a bundle of prejudices and shallow opinions what they really believed in? Their heart was like "a cage of every unclean and hateful bird" with least attention span to commune with God in truth and quietness, As soon as Moses turned his back they were urging Aaron "Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him."(Ex,32:1) . When the ten spies brought back an evil report, they were so overwrought, "And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?/And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt."(Nu.14:3-4)
'Until this day' refers to the Son so what is written of him must be fulfilled as well as the kingdom appointed for him fill both heaven and the earth. " For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;/ And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."(Col.1:19-20)
"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth"
The Spirit in organizing the Alpha and Omega aspects of the Son brings out the word of God as true which is validated in his Son. The world made flesh and the word revealed by the humanity works equally well with all those who believe in him. An example we have in the Gospel of St Mark. In the last chapter the risen Christ gives the signs that shall follow the believers. It is valid only, 'in my name' for example "They shall take up serpents." ( Mark 16:18), the Spirit adds "And it shall not hurt them."
The Spirit gives us an example in the case of St Paul on the isle of Malta.
"And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand./And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live./And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm./Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god." (Ac.28:3-6)
From lack of understanding with regards to the Holy Spirit and the purpose of the scripture there are some children of Belial in our times who handle serpents as a test of their spiritual prowess. Is God to be tempted by serpent handling?
v.1 End of sabbath and beginning of the Lord's Day.
Jesus' claim, "The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath" is shown to be true. (12:8) The Lord of the heavenly and he returns to the rest as was before. With regards to the Alpha and Omega provisions the scripture was fulfilled in him. "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (He.4:11).He is the forerunner and our faith must be stedfast to enter into His rest.
v.2 "And, behold, there was a great earthquake" Angel descent from heaven has its consequential effect. Jesus gave up his Spirit while on the cross and the result was evident:the vail of the temple was torn from top to bottom.. A worldly man given to the ways of the world believe only his rational mind and the error of it we find in the conspiracy theories. The Spirit expressly gives evidence to the pre-eminence of the Son in the earthquake. No different than the darkness at noon at the hour of crucifixion. St Paul says, "And by him all things consist," and yet how man shall believe our report? "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"
vv.2-3 "And came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it./ His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow" The Angel of the Lord or His presence refers to the same: the Word revealed. "But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee"(26:32) More or less what Jesus had mentioned earlier. This is how the Spirit of Christ worked with holy men of old,- and the angel and man constitute a single measurement by truth.(Re.21:17) Thy word is truth, It is now demonstrated before the woman who were present that morning.
vv.8-9 They obeyed the angel and went back to tell the disciples, "behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him."
"When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple."
Joseph interring Jesus in his tomb earmarked for his own reminds us of Isaiah who foretold his burial. "And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death."(Is.53:9). There were two other malefactors on the cross. So the first part of the verse refers to them as well as to the rich man who let his own tomb at his disposal. So much so for the carcass and after spirit has left it is an empty shell. The rich and the poor meet in death fulfilling the natural law. Piety of Joseph stands in stark contrast with those chief priests and the Pharisees who also required to get a hearing from the Governor.
The Spirit gives us the spiritual depth of the rock pointing out to the Alpha aspect of the Son. He was the cornerstone while for his enemies, the rock of offense. Wisdom principle determined the house with seven pillars (Pr.9:1) "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old./ I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was."(Pr.8:22-23) Everlasting covenant is between God the Father and the Son which requires no other covenant. Wisdom and Power define God. Their covenant when simply put means the Power and glory that we refer every time we say the Lord's Prayer, refers to God the glory of the Son, ("Who being the brightness of his glory"-He.1:3,)
"And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory." In the case of Moses who wanted to see it God replied, "And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by."(Ex.33:18-23). The Spirit was pointing to this rock from where he would be lifter by His power. So Isaiah warns us, "look unto the rock whence ye are hewn,"(Is.51:1) Did not God see Joseph before the worlds began?
"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour."
Three hours as the Spirit records it intends the darkness as a sign independent of natural cause of a solar eclipse. The number Three decidedly favors the spiritual darkness enveloping in their rejection of the Son; by the same token we have another sign, of graves letting out their contents as though in protest; The torn veil of the temple is a symbolic act as the word of God fulfilling as in the case of the hour of darkness that had now taken over the land. Jesus was correct in the timing. "I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me./But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." (26:55-56) The word of God zeroed in, that the Word become flesh could not have missed. (To digress a little, obedience of Jesus Christ was perfected in letting the word of his Father work with him.)
The voice came from heaven and in the Gospel of John Jesus explains it clearly. "Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes."( John 12:30). It was while he was alive. By the same token the death of the Son could not have passed on without some visible signs of it. There are so many strange signs and bizarre light and sound show in the sky. What does the man on the street say,"UFO sighting." His reasonable mind wants to hitch his mind to anything however silly it may be. But he rejects any suggestion that rejecting the word concerning shall have serious consequences. The mind of the centurion who witnessed the events, was much more of noble cast. " they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."(v.54) Consider the chief priests and the Pharisees who would hush up his resurrection, what was their mind like? (vv.62-66) Do you think the modern churches shall disband their churches or abjure their heresies in the face of truth revealed?