COMMENT:

Malachi 3:1 "Behold, I am going to send My messenger to clear the way before Me. And the LORD, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple. The messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, is coming, " says the LORD of hosts.

3 "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the LORD. Make His paths straight.'"

COMMENT: A crew used to go ahead of the king to insure the road was passable.

Isaiah 40:3 "A voice calls out, 'Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness. Make a straight path in the desert for our God.'."

4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance and forgiveness of sins.

COMMENT: And this is still the message for today. The message Jesus brought was built on John's message.

5 Everyone in Judea went out to hear him, even people from Jerusalem. They confessed their sins and he baptized them in the Jordan River.

COMMENT: People were attracted to his preaching. He called for something definite, something that had not been preached in their lifetime.

6 John wore clothing made of camel's hair and a leather belt. His diet was locusts and wild honey.

COMMENT: John the Baptist dressed and ate simply. Did he eat grasshoppers? John The Baptist survived on the edible fruit of the locust tree year-round! John the Baptist was a great deal like Elijah. Both preached reformation and dressed in course clothing.

7 He preached, saying, "After me One is coming who is mightier that I, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

COMMENT: His message was more than how to repent. It was about Jesus.

8 "I baptize you with water, but He will baptize with the Holy Spirit."

COMMENT: Perhaps this should be our message. We believe that Jesus is coming soon and He will pour out the Holy Spirit in a special way in the last day before He comes to take us home. The purpose of this outpouring is to convict people of their sin and their need of repentance.

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

COMMENT: Jesus was baptized for our sake and not His own. He was without sin.

10 As soon as He came up out of the water, He saw the heavens open and the Spirit descend on Him like a dove.

COMMENT: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were all present and are all involved in our salvation.

11 A voice from heaven said, "You are my beloved Son. I am well pleased with You."

COMMENT: This was the voice of the Father and was for the benefit of Jesus and those who would benefit from this Divine conformation of Jesus' identity.

Isaiah 42:1 "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold, My chosen One in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him. He will bring justice to the nations."

12 Immediately the Spirit sent Him into the wilderness.

COMMENT: Jesus was led into the wilderness to be away from everyone so that He could contemplate His mission and prepare for the conflict ahead by gaining an even closer connection to His Father.

13 And He was there for forty days tempted by Satan. It was a wild place and the angels ministered to Him.

COMMENT: Satan knew that he must approach Jesus at His weakest moments.

Jesus Begins His Ministry
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee, and preached the gospel of the kingdom of God.

COMMENT: John the Baptist faced a severe temptation to believing that Jesus, whom he had preach of as the Messiah, was actually the Messiah.

15 Jesus was saying, "The time is fulfilled. God's kingdom is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel."

COMMENT: Jesus message seemed to be the same message John the Baptist's had preached. Is it not the message for today? Isn't God's kingdom at hand? Shouldn't we repent and believe in Jesus today?

16 As He walked by the Sea of Galilee He saw Simon and Andrew, two brothers, casting a net in the sea, for they were fishermen.

COMMENT: Jesus chose those best suited to the work He had for them. He did not choose those with the most education or status.

17 Jesus said to them, "Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men."

COMMENT: What is it about fishing that compares to soul winning? You cast a net with expectation and without being sure of a catch.

18 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

COMMENT: As far as we can tell, they did not hesitate. They must have seen something compelling about Jesus. Maybe they had heard John's witness.

19 A little farther on He saw James, and his brother John, sons of Zebedee. They were in their boat mending nets.

COMMENT: James, John and Peter would become his closest disciples and be given important work after Jesus returned to heaven.

20 He called them, and they left their father in the boat with the hired men, and followed Jesus.

COMMENT: They did not leave their father without recourse. It is doubtless that Zebedee � approved there departure.

21 They went to Capernaum and on the Sabbath and Jesus taught in the synagogue. 22 He taught with authority and this amazed everyone. It was different from the way the scribes taught. 23 There was a man in the synagogue who had an unclean spirit and was crying out. 24 He was saying, "Jesus of Nazareth, what have we to do with you. Are you here to destroy us? I know You are the Holy One of God!"

COMMENT: Regardless of how the Pharisees felt about Jesus, the evil spirits recognized Him for who He was. He had led the armies of heaven when Satan and his angels were cast out. Were the evil spirits unclear as to what Jesus had come to accomplish? Why did the evil spirit ask if Jesus had come to destroy them unless they did not yet understand His mission and that this was the first of two advents? Certainly He had come to destroy them. But that was not going to happen for quite some time. At this time He had come to break their power. Notice, the evil spirit spoke in the local language. The evil spirits want to be heard.

25 Jesus rebuked the spirit telling him, "Be quiet, and come out of the man!"

COMMENT: Notice that a rebuke from Jesus was to dethrone the evil spirit from the man's heart.

26 The spirit threw the man into convulsions. Then crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.

COMMENT: The evil spirit did not come out willingly. To have no one to possess was a sort of hell for an evil spirit. Imagine the end of time when Jesus casts all the evil spirits along with Satan into the fires of hell. They will not go willingly. For some reason Jesus did not make the spirit leave as quietly as He might have. Maybe Jesus wanted everyone to see the seriousness of inviting evil into one's life.

27 Everyone was amazed, questioning among themselves, "Is this a new teaching? He has such authority? Even the unclean spirits obey Him."

COMMENT: God's commands and obedience go together. No one can hope to please God without carefully obeying His commands and doing what He requires. It is also a much better way to live.

Deuteronomy 28:1 "If you diligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to obey His commandments which I command you today, He will set you on high above the nations of the earth."

1 Samuel 15:22 Samuel said, "Does the LORD have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying His voice? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed His word than the fat of rams."

Jeremiah 7:23 "I commanded them to obey My voice, and I would be their God. Then they would be My people. I told them it would be well with them if they walked in the ways which I commanded."

28 As a result, the news about Him spread all over the region of Galilee.

29 After coming out of the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew, James and John. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever. They told Jesus about her. 31 Taking her hand, Jesus raised her up. Her fever left her, and she waited on them.

COMMENT: When God delivers us from Satan, we are to serve in whatever situation we are able.

32 That evening when the sun had set people began bringing their sick and those possessed by demons. 33 The whole city gathered at the door. 34 Jesus healed many that were sick and cast out many demons. He would not allow the demons to speak because they knew who He was.

COMMENT: Jesus did not want to be observed as some sort of freak show. He still wants to deliver us, but is often hindered by our attitudes and unholy claims to His favor.

35 Early the next morning, while it was still dark, Jesus left the house and went away to a secluded place to pray. 36 Simon and the others searched for Him. 37 When they found Him they said, "Everyone is looking for You." 38 He said, "Let's go to some other towns around here. I came to preach to them as well."

COMMENT: Jesus could not be deterred by success. No doubt He had been given special revelation during His prayer time concerning the next step of His ministry. He did not need to see the entirety of His work in order to perform it. Like you and I should do, He depended on His Father to know what to do next. He could be satisfied to know only the next step if that was how His Father wanted it. You and I should be willing to live day by day, even moment by moment, as He did.

39 So He went to synagogues throughout Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

40 There was a leper who came on his knees begging Jesus, saying, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched the man and said, "I am willing. Be clean." 42 The leprosy left him immediately and he was clean. 43 Jesus then sternly warned him and sent him away. 44 He told the man to say nothing to anyone. He was to go straight to the priest with the prescribed offering for his cleansing, just as Moses had directed.

COMMENT: Jesus wanted him to follow the law of Moses, And He wanted his ministry to be about repentance of the heart and not sensationalism.

45 Instead, the man went out loudly proclaiming what Jesus had done for him. The result was that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city. So He stayed out in unpopulated areas. And the people came to Him from everywhere.

COMMENT: Jesus had compassion on the man even though the man did not follow His � directions. Jesus is compassionate with us, even though we do not faithfully � follow His requests of us. But like that man healed of leprosy, we hinder Jesus � work by not following His commands.

Mark 2 - RWB Paraphrase (28 V)
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1 Jesus came back to Capernaum a few days later, and people learned that He was at home. 2 So many gathered to hear Him speak so that it was impossible for any more to get into the room.

COMMENT: It was, as we say, a packed house!

3 Four men were bringing a paralytic to Jesus.

COMMENT: This was a man who was unable to move or feel all or some part of his body.

4 They could not get to Jesus because of the crowd, so they went up on the roof, removed the tiles and let the man down to Jesus on his pallet.

COMMENT: Here was an example of those who will not be stopped by any ordinary difficulties.

5 When Jesus saw their faith He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

COMMENT: Jesus forgave the man's sins because that was what was weighing on his mind. Whose faith is referred to here? It says that Jesus saw their faith. � Who were they? They were those who had brought him to Jesus.

6 Some scribes who were sitting there condemned Him in their hearts.

COMMENT: They did not say it out loud, even to each other, although had you been there, � you probably could have seen it in their eyes and possibly in their glances at � one another.

7 They were thinking to themselves, why does this man speak this blasphemy? No one but God can forgive sins. 8 Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to them, "Why are you finding fault with Me?" 9 "Which is easier. To say to him, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say 'Get up. Take your pallet and walk?' Anyone can claim to forgive sin, but healing a person is proof in deed that Someone truly great is present."

COMMENT: Anyone can claim to forgive sins, but only God can heal.

10 "So that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins," He then said to the paralytic, 11 "I say to you, get up. Pick up your pallet and go home." 12 The man immediately got up, picked up his pallet and went out as everyone watched. They were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."

COMMENT: There are moments in the lives of some people that never should have happened, moments that should have happened and did not, and moments from which we needed rescuing. All these moments have been and still are deeply imbedded in our beings until they are selectively addressed and transformed. They must be relieved, rectified, and new memories must be etched into our cells and souls. The Gestalt Center for Psychotherapy .

13 Jesus went out by the sea shore. As the people came to Him, He taught them. 14 Later as Jesus passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth. He said to him, "Follow me." And Levi got up and followed him.

COMMENT: Levi was not a fisherman. Neither was he a respected member of the Jewish society. Even common people did not like tax collectors.

15 Later He was reclining at the table in Levi's house. Many tax collectors and sinners had been invited to dine with Jesus and His disciples. There were many of them, and they were following Him. 16 The scribes and the Pharisees saw Jesus eating with the sinners and tax collectors, and said to His disciples, "Why does He eat and drink with tax collecters and sinners?" 17 Hearing of this Jesus said to them, "Healthy people do not need a physician. I came to help the sick."

18 John's disciples and those of the Pharisees used to fast. Some of them came to Jesus and asked, "Why don't your disciples fast?" 19 Jesus answered, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot fast while He is with them, can they?" 20 "The day will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them. Then it will be time for them to fast." 21 "No one sews a patch of new cloth on an old garment. This results in the patch pulling away from the old cloth. Result will be an even worse tear."

COMMENT: This is a new teaching and the listeners are thinking the way they have always thought.

22 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For new wine makes old wineskins burst. Then the wine is lost and the skins are ruined. New wine must be put in new wineskins."

COMMENT: New ways pull the fabric of the church apart unless each member is regularly renewed in Christ Jesus.

23 As Jesus passed through the grain fields on the Sabbath, His disciples picked some of the heads of grain. 24 Seeing this the Pharisees said to Him, "Why do Your disciples do what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"

COMMENT: The law they were referring to was a man made law.

25 Jesus replied, "Do you remember what David did when he and his companions were hungry?" 26 "He went into the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the consecrated bread. Only the priests were to eat this bread. David gave some of it to those with him."

COMMENT: Jesus is reminding them that what David did was unlawful.

27 Then Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

COMMENT: This comment by Jesus deserves careful thought. We should never condemn anyone because of a man made law. God has given to us His law for our happiness. And condemning others should not be the basis for our happiness. Although the Sabbath was created for man's happiness, it is interesting to note that Jesus placed more value on man than on even the Sabbath.

28 "And the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

COMMENT: Jesus, God's beloved Son, must be the Lord of each of our lives.

Mark 3 - RWB Paraphrase (35 V)
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1 Jesus went into a synagogue where there was a man with a withered hand. 2 Jesus was being watched to see if He would heal the man on the Sabbath so that they could accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath.

COMMENT: Is there ever a reason to come to church for any reason other than worship?

3 Jesus called the man forward. 4 Then He said to those looking for a reason to accuse Him, "Is it lawful to good or harm on the Sabbath? Is it better to save life or destroy it?" No one said anything.

COMMENT: It is a question that is sometimes lost on us. Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath? Is there any good thing that should not be done on the Sabbath? Story about building sides on a truck in Rwanda on the Sabbath.

5 After looking at them with anger, because He was grieved by their hard hearts, He then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and his hand was restored.

COMMENT: Another time Jesus expressed anger at people was toward the money changers in the temple.

6 The Pharisees immediately went out to conspire with the Herodians to find a way to destroy Him.

COMMENT: The Herodians represented Herod and Rome, and were, therefore, at odds with the Pharisees. The Herodians viewed submission to Rome as political expediency while the Pharisees wanted Rome completely out of the picture. And yet, both groups were united in their hatred of Jesus. Someone has said, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Thus they agreed that Jesus must be destroyed.

7 Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples and a great multitude from Galilee and Judea followed Him. 8 Many came from Jerusalem, Idumea and beyond the Jordan. Others came from the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon. All came because of what they had heard He was doing.

COMMENT: Idumea is the Greek name for Edom and was in the southern part of Judah. Tyre and Sidon are the northern region along the Mediterranean Sea. This shows the extent of Jesus influence at this time. The day would come when people from Ethiopia and Greece would come looking for Jesus to learn about Him.

John 12:20-21 There were some Greeks coming to worship at the feast. [21] They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee and said to him, "We want to see Jesus."

Acts 8:27 So he got up and went, and found an Ethiopian eunuch who was a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship.

9 He asked His disciples to make a boat ready for Him because the crowd was pressing around Him. 10 All who were afflicted were pressing close, hoping to touch Him, because He had healed so many.

COMMENT: What would it be like for you and I to press close to Jesus even today? How would you do that? With what result?

11 Whenever the unclean spirits were in His presence, they caused the person they possessed to fall down before Him and shout, "You are the Son of God!"

COMMENT: Even the demons could not keep from testifying that their original heavenly commander was walking the paths of Palestine.

12 So He always strictly charged them not to make Him known.

COMMENT: Jesus did not want these outbursts to continue.

13 He went up into the mountain and took those He wanted to be with Him.

COMMENT: Except for Judas, Jesus chose who would closely follow Him and be His evangelists. Why did Jesus permit Judas to be part of the group? Judas had great potential and if he would nave surrendered to the Spirit of God, he could have worked mightily for God and been saved himself.

14 While there He appointed twelve to be with Him. He intended to send them out to preach, 15 and have power to heal and cast out devils. 16 On the mountain He appointed the twelve: Simon, whom He called Peter, 17 James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James. He named them Boanerges, or Sons of Thunder. 18 He also appointed Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thadaeus, Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who would eventually betrayed Him.

20 He came home and a crowd gathered to such an extent that He did not have time to eat. 21 His friends learned of this and came to take Him under their care, for they thought He wasn't thinking clearly.

COMMENT: We need to consider that sometimes He did not feel the need to eat when He was revealing truth to someone.

John 4:31-34 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus to eat. [32] But He said to them, "I have already had food which you do not know about." [33] They wondered together, "Did someone bring Him something to eat?" [34] Jesus then told them, "Doing the work My Father sent Me to do satisfies like food."

22 The scribes from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebub and He casts out demons by the prince of devils."

COMMENT: They are grasping at straws, willing to say anything to cast doubt on Jesus.

23 Jesus said to them, "How can Satan cast out Satan?" He then began to speak in parables.

24 "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." 25 "If a house is divided against itself, it will fall." 26 "If Satan rises up against himself, he is finished!" 27 "No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his property unless he first restrains the strong man. Then his property may be plundered."

COMMENT: So Jesus is saying here that He binds the evil spirits in order to cast them out. He does not call on Satan to do this for Him.

28 "I tell you the truth, every sin may be forgiven the sons of men, including blasphemies," 29 "except the blasphemies against the Holy Spirit. This will not be forgiven, for it is an eternal sin."

COMMENT: There is more than one way to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. 1) Give someone else credit for what the Holy Spirit does. 2) Continuing to resist the Holy Spirit's prompting - in other words, continuing to take the control of your destiny until the Holy Spirits is edged out.

30 He said this because they were saying that He had an unclean spirit.

COMMENT: Imagine accusing the Creator of the universe of being possessed by Satan. Is there a greater blasphemy?

31 His mother and His brothers arrived and were calling for Him. 32 Those sitting around Him said to Him, "Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You." 33 Jesus answered them, saying, "Who are My mother and My brothers?" 34 Then looking around Him, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers!"

COMMENT: His family had no special hold on Him. He came to save everyone.

35 "For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My mother."

COMMENT: Jesus offers you the same relationship He had with the people around Him that day. None of His earthly family members were to be thought of as more privileged than you, as long as you do the will of God.

Mark 4 - RWB Paraphrase (41 V)
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1 Jesus began to teach again by the sea. The crowd was very large so He decided to get into a boat and teach the people while He sat in the boat. 2 He used parables to teach them many things.

COMMENT: Parables teach long after the telling because they are more easily remembered a list of what to do and what not to do.

3 "Listen," He said."A sower went out to sow." 4 "As he planted the seed, some fell on the path and birds ate it." 5 "Other seed fell on rocky ground where there wasn't much soil. It grew quickly but its roots did not go deep." 6 "These plants had hardly any roots and were scorched when the sun got hot." 7 "Some seed fell among the thorns and these were soon choked out by them and yielded nothing." 8 "But the seed that fell on good soil grew and increased, yielding a crop of thirty, sixty and a hundredfold." 9 "He who has ears, let him hear what I have said."

COMMENT: Jesus is saying, if you are listening, try to understand. It seems that even when people did not understand a parable, they were intrigued by it and the leson might be perceived at a later time as they remembered the illustration.

10 When the crowd had left, and He was alone with the twelve and His close followers, they asked Him about the parable. 11 Jesus said to them, "It has been given to you to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside hear only the parables."

COMMENT: This was not a slight. Its just that deeper ideas need more of a foundation. Learning what God has to say to us is usually a building process of one idea upon another. We get in trouble where we make assumptions that are not rooted in revealed truth according to God's word. Learning of God requires patience and recognition of what God has said in His word.

Isaiah 28:10 "For precept must be upon precept, and line upon line. Here a little, and there a little."

12 This way they see without perceiving, and hear but do not understand, lest they be converted and their sins forgiven.

COMMENT: When people resist truth, they are destined for failure unless they recognize their error and willingly accept what God reveals to them.

Isaiah 6:9 He said, "Go, and tell this people to keep on listening, even though they will not perceive, and to keep on looking even though they will not understand."

Jeremiah 5:21 "now hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, and ears but do not hear."

Ezekiel 12:2 "Son of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear."

13 He then said, "If you do not understand this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?"

COMMENT: Evidently this was a foundation truth.

14 "The sower sows the word of God."

COMMENT: The sower tells about Jesus who is the Word made flesh.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God and the Word was God.

John 1:14 The Word was made flesh and lived among us. We saw the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 "The ones that fall on the path are those who hear the word but Satan immediately comes and takes it away."

COMMENT: Some people hear about Jesus and couldn't care less. They are not interested.

16 "The seed that falls on rocky soil represents those who hear the word and receive it with joy." 17 "But because they do not have strong roots, they fall away after a short time."

COMMENT: For reasons known only to themselves and God, they like what they hear but do not have enough interest to stand by this good news. They quickly accept what they hear, and just a quickly move on to other interests.

18 "The seed that falls among thorns represent those who hear the word," 19 "but the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches and the lust of other things, choke out the word, so that it becomes unfruitful."

COMMENT: The world has its worries, doesn't it? The desire for money and the things it can buy can take over the mind and crowd out everything else.

20 "But those represented by the good soil, accept the word of God, and bear thirty, sixty and a hundredfold."

COMMENT: The soil was often prepared by oxen, slow moving and what they pulled was nothing like the farm equipment of today. What portion of the field do you suppose was well prepared soil? Although this parable is not about proportions of those who accept the gospel, it gives me encouragement to think that the last part of the parable is about a good harvest.

21 He said to them, "Is a lamp placed under a basket, or in an out of the way place? No, it is placed on a lampstand." 22 Nothing is hidden that will not be revealed. Everything kept secret will come to light.

COMMENT: We sometimes fool ourselves into thinking we are not what we are. When God looks at us there are no secrets.

1 Corinthians 13:12 For the present we see in a poor mirror, but then we shall see face to face. For now I know only part, but then I shall know even as I am known.

23 "Those with ears need to be listening."

24 He continued by saying, "Take care what you listen to. You will be measured by your own measure. As you listen, you will be given more to hear."

COMMENT: How many times in a day do you think about the fact that your reaction to those around you is a factor in how the Lord looks at you and whether you are letting Him prepare you for His kingdom.

25 "For whoever has understanding, more shall be given him. He that does not have understanding, even what he has will be taken from him."

COMMENT: The kingdom of heaven in your heart is much about where you place your energies and how you use your God given resources.

26 He spoke another parable, saying, "The kingdom of God is like a man who puts seed into the ground." 27 "He goes to bed and gets up each day. The seed sprouts, but he doesn't know how this happens." 28 "The soil produced the crop. First the blade and then the head and finally the fully matured grain." 29 "When the crop is ready he harvests it."

COMMENT: Who has not stood by the growing plants in his yard, or garden, and not marveled to see the growth. It is the same with those we see come to a knowledge of the truth. If we are honest, we cannot explain their spiritual growth. Yes, just as we provide the right conditions for the soil to produce, so there are things we can do to help a person grow in their relationship with God. But God causes the growth and He must have the credit.

Isaiah 61:11 "For as the earth brings forth sprouts, and a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, so the LORD GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up for a witness to all nations."

30 He then said, "How shall we picture the kingdom of God? What parable will represent it?" 31 "It is like a tiny mustard seed, which, is smaller than all other seeds planted in the garden." 32 "But it grows larger than all the other herbs in the garden. It grows large enough for birds to nest in its shade."

33 With many such parables He spoke to them, so that they understood what they were ready to understand. 34 And He always used parables except when he explained these things privately to His disciples.

35 Later that day as the evening came on, He said, "Let's go over to the other side of the sea." 36 Leaving the crowd they took Him in the boat. Other boats followed them.

COMMENT: It had been a long hard day with no time for rest.

37 A gale came up so that fierce waves broke over the sides of their boat.

COMMENT: Do you know what it feels like to be in a boat and have it filling with water. It becomes so unstable that you are afraid it will not remain upright. Add to that the dark night and wind and the waves. And where was Jesus?

38 Jesus was in the back, sleeping on a pillow. They woke Him up, saying, "Master, don't You care that we are perishing?" 39 Jesus got up and rebuked the wind, saying to the sea, "Peace, be still." And the wind ceased and the sea became calm.

COMMENT: The Creator of everything spoke and it was so.

Psalms 89:9 You rule the raging sea. When the waves rise up, You still them.

Psalms 107:29 He stilled the storm and hushed the waves.

Jeremiah 5:22 "Do you not fear Me?" Declares the lord."do you not tremble in My presence? Do you not see how the sea obeys My decree? Though the waves toss and roar, they cannot go beyond their limit."

40 Then He asked them, "Why were you afraid? How is it that you still lack faith?"

COMMENT: Hadn't His disciples had other opportunities to see that they were chosen by Him and He did not intend that they should loose their lives? Their faith in who He was failed them. And how many times do we forget the ways that God has rescued us from what seems like certain disaster? And Jesus says to you and to me, "Where is your faith?" As long as we live within His will, we may be certain He has our best interest in mind as He leads us along.

41 This made them afraid and they said to each other, "Who is this that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"

COMMENT: When we think of this story we wonder at their lack of faith. But then we remember that God can rescue us from any disaster but we have to learn this over and over. God loves to answer our prayers. Like Peter on another occasion, we cry out, "Lord, save me." Part of our problem is that we do not always consider the Lord when we make a decision. We think about ourselves instead of Jesus Christ. O Lord, help us remain focused on Jesus! And we too, may marvel that nothing is outside His control.

Mark 5 - RWB Paraphrase (43 V)
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1 They came to the other side of the sea into the region of Gadarenes. 2 As Jesus got out of the boat He was met by a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit. 3 This man lived among the tombs and no one could restrain him, even with chains. 4 He had often been bound with chains and had been able to tear them apart. No one had been able to subdue him.

COMMENT: The Satan's version of Samson.

5 He screamed day and night among the tombs and in the mountains, cutting himself with stones.

COMMENT: The Devil makes wonderful promises, and then gives torment to the body and soul.

6 Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up to Him and bowed down before Him. 7 He shouted in a loud voice, "Son of the Most High, why are You here? I implore You by God, do not torment me!"

COMMENT: This spirit did not expect Jesus to show up in this Gentile territory.

8 All the while Jesus had been saying to the unclean spirit, "Come out of the man."

COMMENT: Jesus was already in the process of freeing this man.

9 Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" The spirit answered, "My name is legion, for we are many."

COMMENT: It is the goal of Satan to weigh us down with as many vices as possible. Then because we are under the influence of so many evil habits, we find it seemingly impossible to break free. Jesus is the only One who can work this miracle in us.

10 He earnestly begged Jesus not to send him out of the country. 11 There was a large herd of swine nearby on the mountain. 12 The demons implored Him to send them into the swine.

COMMENT: Satan hoped to get something out of what was turning into a bad situation for his demons. And the town's people would in all likelihood reject Jesus because of the loss of the pigs.

13 Jesus gave His permission and the unclean spirits then entered the swine. The entire herd of about two thousand pigs rushed down the steep bank and drowned in the sea.

COMMENT: Conservatively speaking, in today's prices, a 100 lb pig at $2/lb was worth $200. Two thousand 100 lb pigs would be worth $400,000.

14 The herdsmen fled to the city to report what had happened. And the people of the city came out to see for themselves. 15 They saw Jesus and the man who had been demon possessed. He was now clothed and in his right mind sitting with Jesus. Seeing this they were frightened. 16 Those who had witnessed it described everything that had happened.

COMMENT:

Psalms 34:4-6 I sought the LORD, and He answered me, delivering me from all my fears. [5] They looked to Him and were radiant, for their shame had been removed. [6] The poor man cried and the LORD heard him and saved him from all his troubles.

17 They began to beg Jesus to leave their region.

COMMENT: But at what cost to them! They didn't care about the man who was now well. All they cared about their economic loss. And what else might Jesus have done for them? Like many of us, they were afraid of what they did not understand.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to be allowed to go with Him. 19 Jesus did not let him enter the boat, but instead said to him, "Go home and tell everyone what great things the LORD had done for you."

COMMENT: There were times when Jesus healed people and then told them to say nothing to anyone. But this time Jesus told the man to tell of the Lord's compassion for him. As the people witnessed the change in the man, it would open their minds to receive Jesus.

20 So the man went away and began proclaiming in Decapolis the great things Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.

COMMENT: Unlike the Pharisees, these people were willing to listen.

21 When Jesus had crossed to the other side in the boat, a large crowd gathered around Him. So He stayed by the sea shore. 22 There was a synagogue official named Jairus, who came to Him and fell at His feet. 23 He implored Jesus earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is about to die. Please come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be well again."

COMMENT: He must have been wanting to find Jesus, but Jesus had been on the other side of the sea.

24 So Jesus left with the man and a large crowd followed after, pressing in from every side.

25 There was a woman following along in the crowd who had had an issue of blood for the previous twelve years.

COMMENT: This made her unfit to be where she was. According to Moses, her condition was unclean. She was no doubt getting weak from loosing so much blood. She was, no doubt, desperate for healing.

26 She had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent everything she had, without getting any better. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him and touched His cloak.

COMMENT: Why did her hope revive when she heard of Jesus? Someone must have told her about Him. Even though in her condition she was to stay away from crowds, she broke Moses' law. She felt that Jesus was her only hope.

Leviticus 15:25 "If a woman has a discharge of blood beyond her normal menstrual cycle, she is unclean."

28 She had decided that if she could just touch His garment, she would be made well. 29 When she touched it, the blood flow stopped immediately. She felt that she had been healed. 30 Perceiving that power had gone out of Him, Jesus turned around and said, "Who touched My clothing?"

COMMENT: Did Jesus consciously say, "Woman, be healed." God was at work through His Son even when Jesus was focusing on something else.

31 His disciples said, "The crowd has been pressing around You."Why would you say, 'Who touched Me?'. 32 As He looked around, He saw the woman who had touched Him. 33 But she was afraid and trembled as she realized what had happened to her. She fell at His feet and told Him what she had done. 34 Jesus then said, "Daughter, your faith has made you whole. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction."

35 While He was speaking with the woman, news arrived from the synagogue official's house. The little girl had died. They said, "Why bother the Teacher anymore?"

COMMENT: How often our hope it closely tied to what we understand.

36 Jesus overheard the conversation and said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid. Only believe."

COMMENT: To believe in something or Someone we do not understand, requires faith. Faith comes from God and our willingness to trust what we cannot see. At a later date, Jesus said to Thomas, blessed are they that have not seen, and yet believe.

John 20:29 Jesus said to him, "Do you believe because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who believe without seeing."

37 He allowed no one to go with Him except Peter, James and his brother John. 38 Coming to the synagogue official's house, they heard a great commotion. People were loudly weeping and wailing.

COMMENT: Though it was the custom to make a great show of grief, it was not conducive to seeing God work. Not just in our worship, but in all facets of life we are to live in the knowledge that everything good comes from God and we are to be properly reverent of Him at all times.

39 Entering into the house, Jesus said, "The child has not died. She is asleep."

COMMENT: Jesus was teaching that death as we know it is a sleep - being conscious of nothing once we stop breathing. Real death is what Satan will experience when God puts him and his followers out of existence. When we stop breathing in this life, God does not forget who we are. Whether we are raised up at Jesus second coming, or after the thousand years to face the final judgment of everlasting shame, will depend on whether we have become intimately acquainted with Jesus and placed our trust in Him for our salvation. In either case, God has not forgotten who we are.

40 Those who had come to mourn laughed with scorn when He said this. Jesus then insisted that they all leave the house. He took only the child's parents and His own companions into the room where the child lay.

COMMENT: What can be compared to the laughing derision of an ignorant person who is sure of they know?

41 Taking the child's hand, He said to her, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" 42 Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. Those watching were astonished. 43 Jesus said to them, "Give her something to eat." He then gave strict orders to tell no one about this.

COMMENT: We always used to say, "If someone is hungry after being sick, they must be better."

Mark 6 - RWB Paraphrase (56 V)
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1 Jesus left that place and went to His home town with His disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came He began to teach in the synagogue. Everyone listened with astonishment. They said, "Where did this man get His understanding? Where did such wisdom come from? How does He do these miracles?"

COMMENT: There is no scoffer like those who think that they know you well and sit in pious judgment of everything you do.

3 "Isn't He the carpenter, Mary's son and the brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon? Aren't His sisters here with us? His presence offended them." 4 Jesus said to them, "A prophet has honor except in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own household." 5 And He could do no miracle there except to lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He marveled at their unbelief. So instead spending more time with them, He taught instead in the surrounding villages.

COMMENT: His own village could have been so blessed but would not believe in Him. Yet He gave them an opportunity to see and believe.

7 Calling together the twelve, He sent them out by twos, giving them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He said, "Take nothing for your journey except a staff. Take no bag, no bread, or money." 9 "Wear sandals and do not take an extra tunic."

COMMENT: They were to be reminded every hour of every day that just as God gave them power to do miracles, so He would supply their daily needs.

10 He said, "Wherever you entered a house, stay there until you leave that town."

COMMENT: So this was not a weekend journey. They would stay awhile wherever they went.

11 "Any place that does not receive you and listen to what you have say, as you leave that place, shake the dust from your feet as a witness against them."

12 They went out preaching repentance, 13 casting out demons and anointing the sick with oil and healing them. 14 King Herod heard of this, for Jesus had become well known. Some people were saying that John the Baptist had risen from the dead and was performing these mighty works. 15 Still others were saying that Elijah had come. And yet others said He was a prophet like one of the prophets of old. 16 When Herod heard these things, he thought to himself, "I beheaded John and he has risen!"

COMMENT: Herod knew enough to be uneasy but he was still unwilling to repent.

17 For he had arrested John and placed him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife whom he had married. 18 John had told him it was not lawful for him to have his brother's wife. 19 So Herodias had a grudge against John and wanted him to be put to death but could not do this herself. 20 Herod was afraid of John. He knew that he was a righteous man. So he would not kill him. And He liked to listen to John, though what John said perplexed him.

COMMENT: Herod believed just enough to be frightened but not to repent.

21 Herod gave a banquet on his birthday for his lords, his military commanders and leading men of Galilee. 22 The Herodias' daughter came in and danced for them. She so pleased Herod and his guests, that he told her she could have whatever she wanted. 23 He swore that she could ask for up to half of his kingdom.

COMMENT: Why would Herod need to express his pleasure in this way? This was not to be taken literally, but was meant to show that she could ask for a lot.

24 Going to her mother she said, "What shall I ask for?" Her mother said, "Ask for the head of John the Baptist."

COMMENT: This probably wasn't what the girl wanted. It was what her mother wanted.

25 Hurrying to the king she said, "I want the head of John the Baptist on a platter." 26 Although the king was very sorry for the oath he had made, because of his dinner guests, he granted her request.

COMMENT: Here is another example of a person putting the concern for his companions ahead of his own consciences. Whenever I place myself on Satan's ground, he will find a way to cause me to work against God.

27 And he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to behead John the Baptist. 28 When it had been brought to Herod, he gave it to the girl who then gave it to her mother.

COMMENT: It would seem that this young woman would be repulsed by the part she played in this grisly scene. How many times this sort of thing must have been required of those who would rise to power, or marry someone of power. This is sometimes true today, too.

29 When John's disciples heard about this, they came and took John's body away and laid it in a tomb.

30 The apostles gathered together with Jesus to report to Him everything that had happened since He had sent them out. 31 Jesus said, "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest." For there were so many people coming and going, and they didn't even have time to eat.

32 They went away in a boat to a secluded place by themselves. 33 However, the people saw them go and ran ahead on foot from the surrounding cities and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus went ashore, He saw the large crowd and felt compassion for them. They were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things.

35 When it was quite late His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a desolate place and it is late." 36 "Send the people away into the surrounding communities so they can buy something to eat." 37 But Jesus answered them, "You feed them." They said, "Shall we spend two hundred days wages to buy enough bread?"

COMMENT: What seemed impossible to the disciples was immediately addressed by Jesus. When God asks us to do something we think impossible, we should move ahead while looking for the enabling.

38 Jesus said, "Go see how many loaves you have." They reported that they had five loaves and two fish.

COMMENT: Only John mentions a little boy providing the bread and fish.

John 6:8-9 Andrew, another disciple, the brother of Peter, said, [9] "There is a lad with five barley loaves and two fish. But what help is that?"

39 Jesus commanded that everyone sit down by groups on the green grass. 40 They sat in groups of fifties and hundreds.

COMMENT: No teeming throng jostling for food. God ordains order.

41 He took the five loaves and two fish and looking up into heaven, blessed it and began breaking it into pieces. He kept giving the food to the disciples who then set it before the people.

COMMENT: Jesus provided manna and even quail in the wilderness and He now provides bread and fish, staple food for the people of that region.

42 And everyone ate and was satisfied. 43 Afterwards they gathered what was left over, filling twelve baskets with bread and fish.

COMMENT: The number twelve seems to be very important to God. In most cases twelve represents perfection and authority.
Twelve tribes of Israel
Twelve apostles
Twelve gates to the holy city
And the city has twelve foundations.
The number twelve is considered a perfect number.
The number 12 appears 187 times in the Bible.
Jesus was 12 years old when he questioned the scholars in the temple.
Jesus said His Father would give Him 12 legions of angels if He asked for them.
The tree of life in the new earth will produce 12 types of fruit.
The number 144,000 servants of God is the sum of 12 x 12,000, which come from each of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Many more associations with the number 12 are found in the Bible.

44 Five thousand men had eaten that day.

COMMENT: The people were so impressed with this Man Jesus, who could feed an army wherever they were, using only a small amount of food. The disciples may have fueled that type thinking, believing that Jesus too modest to call for His own coronation. No doubt they wanted to help things along.

45 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to Bethsaida on the other side while He stayed behind to dismiss the crowd. 46 Then He went up into the mountain to pray.

COMMENT: And the disciples tarried on the shore, unwilling to give up their plan to see Jesus crowned king. Finally with no one around and Jesus having gone up on the mountain to pray, they put out toward Bethsaida. Had they gone when Jesus told them to go, they would have not experienced the storm. This time Jesus was not in the boat with them.

47 That evening the boat was in the middle of the sea while Jesus was alone on land. 48 He saw them straining at the oars against the wind. Sometime after three o'clock in the morning He came to them walking on the water. It appeared to the disciples that He was going to go past them.

COMMENT: Jesus did not immediately rescue them from the predicament they had placed themselves in. He waited until the darkest hour of the night. The disciples were exhausted, not just from straining at the oars, but also from fear for their lives and the knowledge that they had done wrong by trying to accomplish something Jesus had not sanctioned.

49 Seeing Him walking on the water, they cried out in fear, for they though it was a spirit. 50 He immediately spoke to them, saying, "Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid."

COMMENT: Only Matthew mentions Peter asking to walk to Jesus on the water.

51 Then He got into the boat with them and the wind stopped. They were utterly astonished.

COMMENT: Was this experience needed to restore the disciples somewhat shaken confidence that Jesus was really the Messiah, sent of God, even if He was not willing to be crowned king? They may have thought, "It must not be the right time for the kingdom to be restored."

52 They still had not understood the miracle of the loaves because their hearts were hard.

COMMENT: Why were their hearts hardened? They wanted to crown Jesus king and they wanted to be in government. Jesus had said, "No! """

53 When they had crossed over to Gennesaret, they went ashore. 54 The people immediately recognized Jesus, 55 and ran about the whole region to bring their sick back to be healed. 56 Wherever Jesus entered a village, or city, even where He walked in the countryside, they would lay the sick where He would walk and begged that they might touch the fringes of His cloak. As many as touched it were healed.

COMMENT: What a glorious sight that must have been. Imagine the crowd following in His wake. People must have been jumping up and down, and shouting praises to God. This had to frustrate any of the Pharisees who always kept a close watch on Jesus activities.

Mark 7 - RWB Paraphrase (37 V)
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1 When Jesus came to Jerusalem some scribes and Pharisees gathered around Jesus. 2 They had noticed some of His disciples eating without first washing their hands. 3 The Pharisees followed the tradition of the elders by never eating without washing their hands. 4 When they would come from the market, they never ate without first cleansing themselves. This was one of the many things they did, like the washing of cups, pitchers and copper pots.

5 They asked Jesus, "Why don't Your disciples follow the traditions of the elders. They eat without first washing their hands." 6 Jesus answered them, saying, "Isaiah was correct when he prophesied of you hypocrites, saying, 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.'."

COMMENT:

Isaiah 29:13 "Then the LORD will say, 'This people draw near to Me with their words, honoring Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their reverence consists of rote tradition.'"

7 "They worship in vain because they teach as doctrine what men have commanded." 8 "And you neglect the commandment of God while holding to the tradition of men." 9 "You are experts at setting aside God's commands in order to keep your traditions." 10 "For Moses said, 'Honor your father and mother,' and 'He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.'"

COMMENT:

Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and mother so that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives to you."

Exodus 21:17 "He who curses his father or mother shall surely be put to death."

11 "You also say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever I might have helped you with is Corban, or promised to God."'."

COMMENT: Corban was a man made law that allowed a person to dedicate something of value to God or the temple, and thereby making it unavailable to help his parents if they were in need.

12 "In this way you sanction his not providing for his parents." 13 "You use your traditions to invalidate the word of God. You do many other things like this."

14 Calling the crowd to Him, He said, "Pay attention to what I am about to say, that you may understand." 15 "There is nothing outside a man which will defile him when it goes into him. Instead, it is those things that proceed from him that defile him."

COMMENT: Jesus is speaking of spiritual defilement.

16 "If you have ears, you should be hearing what I just said."

17 After this he left the crowd and entered a house. His disciples question Him about the parable. 18 He said, "Are you also so lacking in understanding? Don't you see that a person is not defiled by eating with unwashed hands." 19 "What enters his body does not go into his heart, but into his stomach and is then eliminated." 20 "That which proceeds out of a man's mouth is what defiles him." 21 "For out a man's heart comes evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries," 22 "coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness." 23 "All these evil things proceed from within a man and defile him."

COMMENT: So the heart is the seat of sinfulness. The heart here refers to a man's conscious, the seat of his choice between doing right and doing wrong.

The Syrophoenician Woman
24 Jesus left that place for the region of Tyre. He didn't want anyone to know which house He had entered. But He could not escaped notice. 25 A woman of the region had a daughter with an unclean spirit and she had heard that Jesus was there. She came and fell at His feet. 26 She was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician. She begged Jesus to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 Jesus said to her, "Let the children eat first. It is not good to take their food and give it to the dogs." 28 She answered Him, "But even the dogs under the table eat the crumbs dropped by the children."

COMMENT: What a great come back. This woman showed an amazingly humble attitude. She did not recoil at Jesus' reply. She was not put off by His supposed indifference to the plight of her daughter. She believed He could solve her problem and like Jacob, she would not leave without a blessing. And her answer shows that she could think under duress. Any time we make a lot of sense, it is the Holy Spirit at work in us.

29 Then He said to her, "Because of your answer, go. The demon has gone out of your daughter." 30 When the woman got home she found her child lying in bed, and the demon had departed.

Jesus Heals A Deaf And Mute Man
31 Jesus left the region of Tyre and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee to the region of Decapolis. 32 A deaf man was brought to Him who also talked with difficulty. They implored Him to lay His hands on the man. 33 Taking the man aside, Jesus put his fingers in the man's ears. Then He put some of His saliva on the man's tongue.

COMMENT: Can you see God using a little of His saliva to touch up some part of Adam?

34 Looking up to heaven He sighed and said, "Be opened." 35 The mans ears were opened and he could speak plainly. 36 Then Jesus told him to tell no one. But the more Jesus asked this of those He healed, the more widely they proclaimed what He had done. 37 Those watching were utterly astonished, saying, "He does all things well. He even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

Mark 8 - RWB Paraphrase (38 V)
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1 On another occasion there was a large crowd with nothing to eat. Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, 2 "I feel compassion for these people because they have been here three days and have had nothing to eat."

COMMENT: Notice the people listened to Jesus for three days before He fed them physical food. Sometime spiritual food is that satisfying. Wouldn't you enjoy listening to someone that spell binding.

3 "If I send them away to their homes when they are this hungry, they may faint on the way. Some have come a long way." 4 His disciples said, "Where can this crowd find enough bread in this desolate place?" 5 Jesus said, "How many loaves do you have?" They answered, "Seven." 6 Directing the people to sit down on the ground, He took the seven loaves, gave thanks and broke the bread. He began giving the pieces to His disciples to serve to the people. 7 There were also a few small fish. Having blessed these, he ordered them to be served as well. 8 Everyone ate and was satisfied. After picking up the leftovers they had seven full baskets of broken pieces.

COMMENT: Elisha had a similar miracle.

2 Kings 4:42-44 A man came from Baalshalisha bringing the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh grain in a sack. Elisha said, "Give them to the people to eat." [43] Elisha's attendant said, "What good will this do for a hundred men?" But Elisha said, "Give them to the people that they may eat, for the LORD says, 'They shall eat and have some left over.'" [44] So it was set before them and they ate and some was left over, as the LORD had said.

9 There were about four thousand that ate that day. After they had eaten He sent them on their way.

COMMENT: Is Jesus going to let us go hungry? We may have to wait three days. But if we spend our time focusing on Jesus, you may be sure He will not let us go hungry.

10 Then Jesus and His disciples got into the boat and went to the district of Dalmanutha. 11 Pharisees came and began to argue with Him. They wanted a sign from heaven as a test of who He was.

COMMENT: There would never be enough signs to satisfy them. What might they be looking for that He had not already done? God always gives us enough evidence to believe.

12 Sighing deeply He said, "Why does this generation ask for a sign? The truth is, no sign will be given."

COMMENT: Or we might paraphrase, no additional sign. So many signs had been given to anyone willing to believe.

13 Leaving them, He went to the other side of the lake. 14 They had only one loaf of bread with them and it would not be enough. 15 Jesus was saying to them, "Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod." 16 They decided among themselves that Jesus was speaking of the bread they had forgotten to purchase. 17 Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them, "Why are you talking about not having enough bread? Are your hearts so hardened that you cannot understand?" 18 "Do you have eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear? Don't you remember?"

COMMENT:

Psalms 115:5 They have mouths but cannot speak. They have eyes but cannot see.

19 "When I broke the five loaves and fed five thousand, how many baskets were left over?" They said, "Twelve." 20 And He continued, "When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets were left over?" They answered, "Seven." 21 Then He asked them, "Do you not yet understand?"

22 They came to Bethsaida and the people brought a blind man to Jesus begging Him to touch him. 23 Taking the blind man by the hand, Jesus brought him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes Jesus laid His hands on the man. Then He asked him, "Do you see anything?" 24 The man looked about and said, "I see men who look like trees walking." 25 Again Jesus laid His hands on the man's eyes. Then he could see clearly. 26 Jesus sent him straight home and told him not to enter the village.

27 Jesus went with His disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. As they traveled, He asked them, "Who do people say that I am?" 28 They said, "John the Baptist. Others say Elijah and some say that You are one of the prophets." 29 Jesus then asked, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ."

COMMENT: To refer to Jesus as "The Christ, " was to say that He was the Messiah, God's anointed.

30 Jesus then warned them not to tell anyone what Peter has said.

COMMENT: Jesus would do nothing to hurry His Father's plan.

31 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things. He must be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the scribes. And He must be killed but after three days He would rise again. 32 He was being so clear, that Peter took Him aside to take Him to task.

COMMENT: The death of the Christ was not something the disciples were willing to consider. It made no sense to them.

33 Jesus turned and looked at His disciples. He then rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me Satan. For you are seeing through man's eyes when you should be seeing as God sees."

COMMENT: So Jesus was addressing Satan while rebuking the disciples for not accepting what He had just said must take place.

34 Speaking to the crowd, as well as His disciples, He said, "Anyone wanting to follow Me must deny himself, pick up his cross and follow in My footsteps."

COMMENT: Jesus clearly foretold not only the path He must walk, but the one they must be willing to walk as well.

35 "For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's, will save it." 36 "What profit is it for a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?" 37 "For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"

COMMENT: In other words, what in this life is more important than securing eternal life?

38 "Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, will result in the Son of Man being ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

COMMENT: The result of understanding this will be a clearer appreciation for how little this life matters when compared to what comes after. Death is not to be feared as long as we are following God's plan.

Mark 9 - RWB Paraphrase (50 V)
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1 Jesus said to them, "Some of you will see the kingdom of God come with power before you taste death." 2 Six days later He took Peter, James and John, up on a high mountain where He was transfigured while they watched. 3 His garments became whiter than anything they had ever seen. 4 Elijah and Moses were there and talked with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, "Master, we should build three tabernacles, one for You, and one each for Moses and Elijah."

COMMENT: Was Peter placing Jesus on the same level as Moses and Elijah, as just another great prophet? Peter was like some of us. He had lots of ideas and he promoted them before he had taken time to think.

6 He didn't really know what he was saying. The disciples were very afraid. 7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!" 8 Then it was quiet and as they looked around, they saw no one but Jesus.

9 As they came down the mountain Jesus told them to tell no one what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They couldn't understand what He meant when He spoke of rising from the dead. 11 So they asked Him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

COMMENT: They may have been wondering how Jesus could be the Messiah if Elijah had not yet come.

12 Jesus said, "Elijah does come to restore all things. Why is it written that the Son of Man will suffer many things and be treated with contempt?"

COMMENT: So Jesus doesn't just answer their stated question. He also addresses the one they did not ask.

13 "Yes, Elijah has already come and they did with him as they wished, fulfilling what is written."

COMMENT: So Jesus assures them that everything is happening according to what scripture predicted concerning Elijah and the Messiah. But He also points out that the Messiah must suffer. This is something they cannot reconcile with what they have always believed about the Messiah. And they certainly did not understand Daniel's prophecy about the Messiah being cut off.

Daniel 9:26 "After the sixty two week period the Messiah will be cut off. The people of the prince to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come like an overwhelming flood. War and desolation have been determined." .

14 When they had come back to the other disciples, they found a large crowd, and some scribes arguing with the disciples.

COMMENT: As so often happened, after a really high experience, Jesus was faced with a discouraging circumstance.

15 Seeing Jesus, the crowd was amazed as they ran to meet Him. 16 He asked them, "What are you discussing?" 17 One in the crowd said, "Teacher, we brought You my son possessed by a demon that has made him mute." 18 "Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. Your disciples were unable to cast out the evil spirit." 19 Jesus said, "O unbelieving generation, how long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me."

COMMENT: Who was Jesus referring to as unbelieving? The parent of this boy? The boy? His disciples?

20 They brought the boy and when he saw Jesus the spirit threw him into a convulsion so that he fell to the ground and began to roll around and foam at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the father, "How long has he been this way?" The man answered, "From childhood." 22 "He has been thrown into the fire many times, and sometimes into the water. The spirit is trying to destroy him. If You can help us take pity on us."

COMMENT: The boy must have been disfigured from being burned in the fire.

23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible." 24 Immediately the boy's father cried out, "I believe. Help my unbelief."

COMMENT: We too, can say we believe in Jesus, while recognizing that our belief is very shallow, almost nonexistent. Jesus will help our unbelief if we ask Him.

25 Seeing that the crowd was rapidly getting bigger, Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, telling it to come out of the boy and not to enter him again.

COMMENT: The spirits had to obey Jesus, then and now.

26 It came out of him after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions. The boy was so quiet some thought he was dead. 27 But Jesus took him by the hand raised him up.

COMMENT: Whatever the devil has done with us, Jesus can restore us to the uttermost.

28 Later, in the house, His disciples asked Him why they could not cast the spirit out of the boy? 29 He said, "This kind cannot come out except by prayer and fasting."

30 From there they began to pass through Galilee. He didn't want anyone to know about this. 31 He spent the time telling His disciples that the Son of Man must be delivered up to be killed and that He would then rise on the third day. 32 They did not understand what He was saying and were afraid to ask Him what He meant.

33 When they came to Capernaum and were by themselves in a house, He asked them what they had been discussing on the way? 34 But the disciples kept silent for they had been discussing which of them was the greatest.

COMMENT: Does Jesus need to ask us what we have been thinking, or do we need to admit what we have been doing or thinking?

35 Sitting down He called the twelve and said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, then he must be last of all and a servant to everyone." 36 Taking a child on His knee, He said to them, 37 "whoever receives a child like this in My name receives Me. And whoever receives Me actually receives Him who sent Me." 38 John said, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out devils in Your name. We tried to stop him because he was not one of Your followers." 39 Jesus replied, "Do not try to prevent him from doing this, for no one doing anything in My name will afterwards speak evil of Me." 40 "He who is not against us is for us."

COMMENT: Or as the ancient proverb says, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

41 "For whoever gives you a cup of water because you are Mine will not lose his reward."

COMMENT: The one who supports what Jesus asks you to do is participating in your obedience.

42 "And whoever causes one of these little ones to stumble would be better off with a millstone tied around his neck and to be cast into the sea."

43 "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. Better to have only one hand crippled in this life than to enter hell with two hands." 44 "In that place the worm will not die or the fire be quenched."

COMMENT: This does not mean that hell lasts forever. It does mean that nothing will stop you from being completely destroyed in hell. No one survives hell. It is not a place to make you better than you were. That is what this life is for.

Isaiah 66:24 "And they will go out and look upon the dead who rebelled against Me. Their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind?"

45 "If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. Better to be lame in this life than to enter hell with two feet." 46 "In that place the worm will not die or the fire be quenched." 47 "If your eye causes you to stumble pluck it out. Better to live life with only one eye than to be cast into hell with two eyes." 48 "There the worm will not die or the fire be quenched." 49 "Everyone will be salted with fire."

COMMENT: It is in this life that everyone is to be perfected as they learn to depend on the grace of God to change them. It is a process that never reaches completion, for God always has more to do for us.

50 "Salt is good unless it loses its saltiness. Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with each other."

COMMENT: In other words, do not seek to be greater than one another. Be at peace with the idea that you do not need to be the greatest. The ultimate goal is to be at peace with one another in our families, in our community, in the world, and certainly in our church.

Mark 10 - RWB Paraphrase (52 V)
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1 Jesus went from that place to the region of Judea beyond the Jordon. Crowds came to Him, and as usual, He began to teach them. 2 Some Pharisees came to test Him with a question. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" 3 Jesus answered, "What did Moses say?" 4 They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."

COMMENT:

Deuteronomy 24:1 "When a man marries a wife and she does not find favor with him, and he writes a certificate of divorce and sends her away,"

5 Jesus said to them, "Moses wrote this because of your hard of hearts." 6 "But from creation God made them male and female."

COMMENT:

Genesis 5:1-2 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. [2] He created them male and female. He blessed them and named them Man when He created them.

7 "This is why a man is to leave his father and mother." 8 "And the two are to become one flesh. They are no longer two, but one."

COMMENT:

Genesis 2:24 This is the reason a man leaves his father and mother, to be joined to his wife, so that they become one flesh.

9 "What God has joined together no man should separate."

COMMENT: So marriage is something that God has a part in.

10 Later, when He was in the house with the disciples, they questioned Him about what He had said. 11 And He explained, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her." 12 "And if she divorces her husband marries another man, she is committing adultery."

COMMENT: Therefore, divorce is prohibited by the seventh commandment, unless the other party does it first. In either case, divorce seriously affects everyone in the family. Children are very damaged as the permanence of their parents relationship is violated. Repentance and forgiveness seems to be one of the best ways to overcome that damage.

Exodus 20:14 "You shall not commit adultery."

13 Some people were bringing children to Jesus so that He might touch them, but the disciples rebuked those bringing them. 14 When Jesus saw this it displeased Him. He said, "Let the children come to Me. Do not stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

COMMENT: Who has not looked into the trusting eyes of a child and appreciated such innocence.

15 "The truth is, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter in."

COMMENT: So even a child can understand accept God's plan for salvation. A child's trust is so complete.

16 Taking the children in His arms, He laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

17 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran after Him and kneeling down, said, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

COMMENT: Are we ever guilty of lavishing complimentary titles on people of position?

18 Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one but God is good."