Christ Church

Close to the King (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #12b) (CCD)

Joshua Edgren on

INTRODUCTION

Trends come and go. This diet is the secret. This exercise routine of Mongolian herdsman will resolve all your health issues. This legislation will solve all societal ills. The list of such fixes is long. Man wants a law which, if rigorously obeyed, will solve every evil and will give coherence to everything. But Jesus gives us the sum and substance of true righteousness, and the coherence point for the universe.

THE TEXT

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. – Mar 12:28-44

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

The contention of the previous section produced fruit in an unexpected place. One scribe is left impressed by Jesus’ answers and so puts his own question to Jesus regarding what the most important commandment is (v28). Jesus draws from Deuteronomy for His answer, and asserts that the Shema is the greatest commandment (vv29-30), and then goes on to add a quote from Leviticus 19:18 as the next greatest (v31). No other commandment surpasses these two, in this order: love God fully, love your neighbor. The scribe is clearly in agreement with Jesus, and comments that obedience to these two commandments is more than all burnt sacrifices (vv32-33). Jesus sees true wisdom in this scribe, and assures him that he is not far from the kingdom of God (v34a); Mark then underscores for us that this is Jesus’ last Q&A session with the Scribes (v34b).

Jesus proceeds to teach publicly about the Christ for the first time. He asks about a scribal teaching that the Christ will be the son of David (v35). He gives His own exegetical case for this, and not so subtly accepts the earlier adulation of the crowds that He was indeed the lawful heir to David’s throne and the Divine Christ of God. To do this Jesus quotes Psalm 110. In that Psalm, David foresees God’s fulfillment of His promise to never leave his throne empty. Yahweh promises one of David’s offspring the throne as well as the eventual subjugation of all His enemies. Jesus points out that David calls this eventual descendent “my Lord.” Jesus then leaves the crowd with a question to wrestle with: if David calls the Messiah “Lord,” is He merely David’s Son or is He more? All of this left the commoners enthralled (vv36-37).

The hammer of Christ’s teaching falls once more. He gives a warning to the crowds: “Beware of lawyers (v38).” The reason to beware is that they love appearances of holiness and importance; but they are actually devourers of widows, even if they make impressive prayers. Jesus says that great damnation awaits men of this sort (vv38-40).

Fittingly, just at that moment a widow appears. As Jesus observes the worshippers putting money in the offering box, He sees a widow put in two mites. The Lord draws His disciples’ attention to this. He says that most certainly she gave more than anyone else because while others perhaps gave greater sums, it didn’t require sacrifice; meanwhile her gift meant sacrifice (vv41-44).

LOVE & SACRIFICE

Pay close attention to all that has taken place since Jesus arrived in Jerusalem. The crowds welcomed Him as the embodiment of David’s Kingdom. He went on to rearrange the temple furniture. Israel’s rulers bring three challenges to His authority, His purpose, and His doctrine. He escapes their snares. But He is not dodging the cross. Jesus is headed straight towards it. His sacrifice is His mission.

The Scribe’s question about the greatest commandment reveals everything. What is the whole point of this Temple? What did all the sacrifices mean? What was the substance of Israel’s laws? Did God really want rivers of blood? Did He really want cakes and incense? Jesus is bringing the Kingdom of God to earth, and this demands wholehearted loyalty to the King. The sacrifices of God, as David said, are a broken and contrite heart.

If you would dwell in God’s kingdom you must humble yourself before God’s Anointed. Jesus has said that His purpose is to lay down His life for sinners, and He invites any who would follow Him to imitate His humility and sacrifice. True love means sacrifice. It means giving one’s self for the good of the other. The greatest command is to give yourself entirely to God (Cf. Rom 12:1).

NOT MORALIZING

Often we want to take the easy lesson that is on the surface, and use Scripture merely to moralize. The two coins of the widow make an easy lesson on generosity. While that component is certainly present, it isn’t the primary point. It would be like thinking the main point of The Chronicles of Narnia was about not eating too much Turkish Delight.

Jesus warns about those who devour widow’s houses, meanwhile an impoverished widow appears and gives all she had. Again, our attention being drawn to this offering isn’t mere moralizing on generosity. Rather, Jesus has seen all He needed to see. The next chapter He pronounces judgment on this House that has become full of brigands; brigands who gladly line their pockets with the meager offerings of widows. Israel’s God was a defender of widows and orphans, and He expected His people to do likewise (Deu. 10:18; Ps. 68:5; Is. 1:17). All the distressed, and indebted, and discontented made their way to David’s hideout in the cave of Adullam (1 Sam. 22:2). The widow lavishes her offering on the house of the Lord, but soon the house will be torn down. This foreshadows what will soon happen to Jesus himself; another woman will lavish her perfume upon Him before His body is destroyed. Jesus is the true house of the Lord, and forlorn sinners all find refuge and welcome in Him.

UNDER HIS FOOTSTOOL

At the time of Christ, the hope of Israel was that God would raise up a messianic figure who would rid Israel of the Romans. God had done so in ages past. Egyptians. Canaanites. Philistines. Assyrians. Babylonians. The citation which Jesus brings up is full of such longing; longing to see evil subdued and driven out. God had promised David that his descendant would eradicate Israel’s enemies. “The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries (Psa 110:5-6).”

But Jesus leaves the Scribes and crowds with a bit of a puzzle, that if solved rightly, leaves no question. Jesus here asserts, publicly, that He is the promised Christ. But it goes further, He also insinuates that He is more than a mere descendant of David, He is the Lord God of David.

This claim actually ties in with the story of the widow’s offering which follows closely behind. The widow’s sacrifice was total. Jesus has said that following Him meant following Him to the cross. So, follow this closely, Jesus lays claim to being not only David’s Son, but being the Lord of David. So, how would Yahweh destroy Israel’s enemies? By giving Himself.

NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM

Judgement looms for those who reject the Messiah. But even in this judgment, the King of mercy shines bright. The Scribe discerns that to love God entirely and then to love one’s neighbor surpasses all the bloody sacrifices which were offered in that very temple in which this exchange took place.

The word of Jesus to this Scribe is a great comfort. If you come near the great King David’s greater Son, with all your love, you are near the kingdom of God. This is because the King has first come close to us, and given us Himself.

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The Lord’s Vineyard (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #12) (CCD)

Joshua Edgren on

INTRODUCTION

Jesus did not come to leave things status quo. Those who want Jesus to be merely a good teacher or a nice example of love and kindness really just want a Jesus they can whistle up. He came to be our prophet, priest, and king and nothing less.

THE TEXT

And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.[…] Mark 12:1-27

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Right on the heels of Jesus leaving the scribes tied up in knots, He launches into a parable whose meaning is as obvious as a Yankee in Tokyo. A man planted a vineyard (Cf. Ps. 80:8, Is. 5:1-4, Jer. 2:21), furnished it with all the latest tools; once it was well established he entrusted it to caretakers and departed to a far country (v1). In time, the owner sent a servant to receive his lawful portion, but the caretakers manhandled him and sent him back empty-handed (vv2-3); so the owner sent another messenger which they killed, and still more which were likewise cruelly persecuted (vv4-5, Cf. 2 Chr. 24:21, Jer. 37:16). The owner then sent his beloved son, thinking that certainly he would be honored; yet the caretakers conspire to kill this heir and take his inheritance (vv6-8). Jesus rhetorically asks what the lord of the vineyard would do in such a situation, with the plain answer being that he will come to take righteous vengeance on the caretakers (v9). To make sure His point is abundantly clear, Jesus cites Psalm 118: the builders of the Lord’s temple rejected the very stone which would bring the utmost glory to the house of the Lord (vv10-11). If the fuse hadn’t been lit already, now it was. The chief priests intended to arrest Jesus, but once more the crowds prevented this injustice to be done (for now); but the Pharisees knew that Jesus was talking about them so they shuffled off to whisper their dark designs in backrooms (v12).

Not long after this, they send a contingent (including some Herodians) to confront Jesus with what they think will be a stumper (v13). With a sickly layer of flattery they ask Jesus about His tax policy (vv14-15a). He discerned their ill-intent and asks for a coin (v15b). He turns the question back to them, asking whose image was stamped on the coin. Since Caesar’s image is on the coin, Caesar has a claim on the coin; but whatever bears God’s image should be rendered unto God (vv16-17). A marvelous reply indeed.

They have another attack ready, this time from the Sadducees. They pose a nonsensical question to him regarding the marital state in the resurrection of a woman who was successively married and widowed by seven brothers (vv18-23, Cf. Deu 25:5–10). Jesus doesn’t bite. Instead, He rebukes their ignorance of Scripture and their low view of the power of God (v24). Earthly marriage is a lesser glory than what shall be revealed in the Resurrection (v25). But Jesus pursues a vein of gold which to extract from all this. When the Lord first called Moses in the bush the doctrine of the resurrection was part and parcel of that revelation. Jesus proves this by making a grammatical point. God revealed Himself this way: “I am the God of Abraham, etc.”. Not was. I Am. Therefore, God is the God of the living. So then, the Sadducees, and their co-conspirators by association, are in grievous error (vv26-27). This will be their last open opposition to Jesus. From here on out their opposition will be crafty and serpentine, aimed at Jesus’ death (Mk. 14:1-2).

LIKE WAVES ON THE ROCK

Like waves upon the rock the Pharisees, Scribes, Herodians, and Sadducees all mount their attacks upon this Son of David. In true Davidic fashion He silences their deceitful tongues (Ps. 31:18). First, they challenged His authority. Second, they challenge His purpose. Third, they challenge His doctrine.

The parable of the vineyard is a continuance of the exchange in Mark 11 regarding Jesus’ authority. This parable is Jesus cornering the tiger. His question at the end of the parable left the air thick with tension. The rulers of Israel are clearly the wicked caretakers. They, and their fathers, had persecuted and killed the prophets. The people would have responded with variations of “the lord will bring judgment and vengeance.” In the next chapter, Jesus will prophetically declare in detail the apocalyptic horror of this judgement. The cursing of the fig tree and driving out the moneychangers from the temple, and now this statement, it is clear Jesus is driving all things toward His cross.

The Lord has been patient with Israel. Prophet after prophet warned and rebuked God’s people with patience. Their messages weren’t vague. Yet still they were cruelly persecuted. Now the Lord’s only-begotten Son has been sent to receive that which was His lawful tithe. The vinedressers will kill the Son, and “cast him out of the vineyard.”

These Jewish rulers will kill the Son. Jesus quotes Psalm 118 to this effect. The builders of the Temple determined to reject the Stone which was plainly fit for being the cornerstone, to give reference and shape to the whole structure; but God is going to do something marvelous. Jesus plainly calls out the murderous envy in the hearts of the rulers, assuring them that He can plainly see the play they are running, even daring them to run it. They are going to crucify Him in just a few days. But even though He sees the play they are running, He warns them that their plans to kill Him will result in Him being the exalted cornerstone. They reject His authority, but He will soon receive all authority. The long-suffering of the Lord is great, but He will not always bear with the wicked.

MORE THAN A TAX QUESTION

The second challenge regards Christ’s purpose. They hoped to embroil Jesus in a tangle with the Roman IRS. Taxation was certainly a financial burden. But more onerous was that Roman taxation revealed that Israel wasn’t free. She was under bondage once more. Jesus’ answer to their question is staggering in its shrewdness. On one hand His answer cannot be misconstrued. He plainly tells them to pay the tax. However, Jesus points out what the coins bore upon them: a graven image along with statements of Caesar’s claim to being the High Priest and Son of God. Jesus’ answer “[…] is contemptuous, without opening Jesus to the charge of sedition.”

Jesus had come to be not only Israel’s lawful King, the heir to David’s throne. He came to rule the entire world. All the Caesars and Czars, all the Presidents and Princes, will be made to acknowledge His universal rule, for the God who made man in His image had come to remake man in the image of Christ. This is Christ’s purpose. Yes it was sedition. Sedition to Satan’s empire. His battles with unclean spirits made this plain.

Resurrection Glory

The rejected stone would be raised up as the “head corner”. We know to look for it, but all of Mark’s Gospel is readying us for the Resurrection. The Sadducees denied the resurrection as a fanciful innovation of later Jewish writings, and claimed this doctrine couldn’t be found in the Torah. But Jesus–once more (Cf. Mk. 10)–goes back to Torah.

Resurrection is the scandalous doctrine of Scripture. When we think of what happens after death we have a hard time grasping what is “over there.” But Jesus teaches us here that the Resurrection is not business as usual just more wispy and floaty. Rather, God revealed to Moses that He intended to be the omnipresent tense God of Abraham. Marriage in the resurrection will not be necessary. Not because we won’t have bodies, but because these bodies will have flowered into their fuller glory. Hunger will be surpassed by Eternal Satisfaction. Sex will be superseded by divine communion. Weariness will be washed away by an Everlasting Sabbath rest.

THE POWER OF GOD

As then, Jesus calls you to know the Scriptures and the power of God. By faith in Christ you are made a partaker of that Resurrection (Eph. 1:19). The Sanhedrin challenged Jesus’ authority, so He challenged them by a floodlight parable to reflect on God’s great long-suffering and to take heed lest His judgement fall upon them. They challenged His purpose, and He responded by coyly revealing that He was come to overthrow the whole system of envy, pride, and vainglory found at the heart of taxation and tyranny. They challenged his doctrine, and He pointed them to the power of God. God made the world from nothing, and now––through Jesus the Christ––God was about to remake the world. The power of God was about to undeniably sprout up right in the middle of history.

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The Cursed Fig Tree (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #11) (CCD)

Grace Sensing on

INTRODUCTION

Being asked a question you can’t answer is embarrassing. Embarrassment can produce two emotional outcomes: humility or vindictiveness. This portion of Mark’s Gospel exposes the envy, fear, and wickedness of the scribes and Pharisees, and their response is not repentance but to plot an assassination.

THE TEXT

And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. […]

Mark 11:1ff

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Blind Bartimaeus was like a royal herald declaring that the Son of David was on his way (Mk. 10:47-48). As Jesus draws near to Jerusalem, He sends two disciples to procure a previously unridden colt, a fitting royal symbol for such an occasion. (vv1-6). Having obtained the colt, they place garments upon it; Jesus mounts the colt and the royal procession begins, as the crowd place their cloaks and branches before Jesus, and sing out from Psalm 118:26, welcoming Jesus as the return of the Davidic Kingdom (vv7-10). Jesus inspects Jerusalem and the temple, but since evening had fallen He withdraws to Bethany (v11).

As they return to Jerusalem the next day, Jesus, being hungry, inspects a fig tree for fruit. Finding nothing He curses the tree, and Mark notes that the disciples heard the curse (vv12-14). Jesus then enters the temple and begins driving out the moneychangers and forbids the continuance of the commerce which had filled the courts which ought to have been used for prayer (vv15-17). This strikes a chord of fear within the scribal ranks, and the conspiracy to kill Jesus begins (v18). Having accomplished a good day’s work, Jesus returns to Bethany (v19); on reentering Jerusalem the next day, the disciples notice the fig tree has shriveled up entirely (v20), Peter takes the lead on pointing this out to Jesus (v21). Jesus response to this is to summon His disciples to faith in God (v22). This faith is manifested most clearly by bold prayer (vv23-24). Prayer pairs with unforgiveness like orange juice and toothpaste. So, alongside this call to bold prayer Jesus admonishes His disciples to forgive lest God not forgive them (vv25-26).

Then reentering the temple the temperature rises. The scribes confront Jesus as to who gave him authority to do “these things” (vv27-28). Ever a strategic debater, Jesus returns their challenge with a no-win question for the Pharisees: Was John’s baptism from heaven or of men (vv29-30)? The Pharisees huddle amongst themselves and Mark lets us in on their musings. If they say John’s ministry was heavenly, Jesus scores a point. If they say it was merely human they would lose any credibility with the crowds who reckoned John as a prophet (vv31-32). So, they come back with a lame-sauce answer, “We dunno.” And so Jesus refuses to play their game by answering their challenge to His authority (v33).

THE RETURN OF THE KING

Early in Jesus’ ministry He held the truth of His Messiahship close the vest. Steadily, those who have had their ears and eyes opened can hear the living Word and see glorious splendor that Jesus is the Son of God come to drive out evil. Jesus is heading to Jerusalem to bring His whole ministry to its prophesied climax: His death as a ransom for sinners, and His resurrection as the restoration of mankind.

The scene of His entrance to Jerusalem has a handful of images worth dwelling on. First, we go back to Jacob’s prophetic blessing of his son Judah. More familiar to us is his statement that the scepter would not depart out of Judah (Gen. 49:10-11); less familiar is the second image of the blessing: a colt tied to a vine. Second, when David bequeathed the throne to Solomon, he sent two “servants” (Zadok & Nathan) to bring Solomon in upon a mule (1 Ki. 1:33-35). Third, during the time of Maccabees, when Judas Maccabees had succeeded in driving out the Syrian king and had rebuilt the temple the Jews rejoiced by waving branches and songs and hymns (2 Mac. 10:1-9); this began the Hasmonean Dynasty. There are certainly more images/allusions which we could consider (Cf. Zec. 9:9), but these three suffice to show that Jesus is openly proclaiming the King has returned to claim His throne.

BOLD PRAYER

This chapter teaches us the potency of prayer. The people cry out “Hosanna.” This is a cry for salvation, deliverance, and prosperity drawn from Psalm 118. The Lord inspects the temple (a house for prayer) and finds it prayer-less. He inspects a fig tree the next day and finds it fruitless, and then pronounces a curse upon it which we later find has miraculously taken place. In between the withering of the fig tree Jesus drives out the uncleanness from the house of prayer.

Jesus wraps up both the cursing of the fig tree and pronouncement of judgement on the temple together. And then He calls His disciples to have faith. The sort of faith that prays bold prayers. Jesus tells His disciples that if they command (in prayer) this mountain to be cast into the sea, it would be done. Jesus tells them, and us, something that seems too big to be believed: prayers of true faith are heard and answered with the marvelous power of God. Whatsoever prayers. While we need to pray bold prayers, our prayers must dwell within the wide borders of God’s will. The mountain in view is the whole Temple Mountain. Jesus summons His disciples to pray for a decisive overthrow of the entire wicked and unbelieving order of things which had taken root in the midst of Israel. Like Babylon before her, the Mountain of Jerusalem was soon to be uprooted and cast into the torrent of God’s judgement (Cf. Jer. 51:25, 42). Jesus will soon teach more about this looming Judgement on Jerusalem (Mk. 13).

Alongside our prayers for the overthrow of our enemies, Jesus instructs us that we also must stand ready to forgive. This is a profound lesson in our own time, and in our own relationships. Pray for the wicked to be overthrown. Stand ready to forgive as God forgave you. Jesus calls you to pray for big things; things like Christ being confessed and obeyed in the halls of DC, Wall St., and City Hall. So, how much more will Christ hear our prayers for daily bread, deliverance from evil, grace for temptation, the conversion of unbelieving friends and family? You can’t pray for such things while harboring unforgiveness. Christ came to reconcile us to God, so that our prayers would be heard and received. And He came so that we might also be reconciled to each other. So, pray that DC gets the full measure of the judgement which its vile schemes deserve. But be prepared to welcome to the Lord’s table any repentant sinner that comes.

JESUS BREAKS THE SPELL

The house of prayer had become full of brigands. They had hijacked the things of God and were misusing them. The temple institution was firing on all cylinders, but the power and the glory were absent. This is what infuriated the scribes. God’s power and glory were found instead in this teacher from Galilee. What got the scribes so fearful that the conspired to kill Jesus? It was the fact of the astonishment of the crowds at Jesus’ doctrine. The Word of Jesus was breaking the spell which had lulled Israel into apathy, indifference, and idolatry. The Jews had become zealous for the system, but were not zealous for the glory of the Lord.

This is why they question Jesus’ authority. Who gave you permission to do such righteous deeds? Where is your license to glorify God? Jesus doesn’t answer their question directly, but He leaves no mistake. The King has come. If the temple complex had become a den of brigands and blackguards, the King had all authority to drive them out. The glory would no longer reside in the temple apparatus, but in the person of Jesus alone. This all leaves us with a plain course of action. Do not dwell in fear of the brigands and their paper thin authority. Instead, come to the King  along with all your requests to Him? For the power & glory dwells in Him.

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Christ’s Battle-charge (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #10b) (CCD)

Grace Sensing on

INTRODUCTION

How do you respond to tense conflicts? Crack a joke? Climb in a hole? Explode with vindictive anger? Escape? One option we are loathe to try is to follow Jesus up to Calvary. True leadership is Wallace-like, being the first to charge into enemy lines.

THE TEXT

And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again. […]

Mark 10:32ff

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Mark is quite picturesque here: Jesus ahead, the disciples fearfully following behind (v32). So, for the third time, Jesus teaches His disciples about the sufferings which await Him in Jerusalem. Instead of avoiding the cruelty which is ahead, Jesus makes it plain that this suffering is His very mission. His suffering and death at the hands of the Jewish scribes and the Gentiles rulers will usher in the resurrection life which all of His miracles and messages have been revealing (vv33-34). James and John ask Jesus for the privilege of sitting to His right and left when He obtains His glory (vv35-37). Jesus responds with two OT allusions: the image of being made to drink up the cup of God’s wrath (Cf. Is. 51:22, Jer. 25:15), and the image of being drowned in a flood of God’s wrath (Ps. 42:7, 69:2, 124:5). Jesus is going up to Jerusalem in order to stand before God on behalf of mankind and drink the cup of God’s wrath. Can Zebedee’s sons drink this cup? Can they swim in that ocean? They say they can. The Lord reveals that they will indeed face similar sufferings as He will, for to follow Jesus is to take up His cross; but their request to sit to his right and left is appointed for others (vv38-40, Cf. 15:27).

Their request for preeminence becomes know to the other ten and the static electricity of envy begins sparking amongst them (v41). Jesus reminds them of something He has taught before: greatness comes through humility, service, and selfless death. His purpose as the Son of Man is to minister unto others, not for others to minister unto Him, and this will be seen most clearly in His death as the ransom for many (vv42-45). Right on cue, Mark relates a healing story.

On His way up to Jerusalem, Jesus performs His final healing at Jericho. Bartimaeus is the only healing in Mark’s Gospel where the sufferer is named. As the great crowd flows by the blind beggar hears that the commotion is due to the presence of Jesus of Nazareth he shouts aloud, “Son of David, have mercy” (vv46-47); a dangerous thing to cry out so close to Jerusalem. This blind man sees the everlasting heir of David’s throne, thus the crowd try to silence Bartimaeus; but he shouts all the louder (v48). He gets Jesus’ attention and calls for Bartimaeus to be brought to Him. The crowd relays this message to the blind beggar and he casts aside his garment, rises up, and comes to Jesus (vv49-50). Jesus asks what Bartimaeus desires, and he asks for sight. Jesus responds, “Go where you want, your faith has healed you.” And immediately his sight was restored. Where does this once blind man choose to go? He follows Jesus in the way up to Jerusalem (vv51-52).

JESUS’ MISSION

What exactly did Jesus come to do? What is His mission? In 10:45 Jesus makes His mission abundantly plain: “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (diakoneō), and to give his life a ransom for many.” Throughout the last few chapters Jesus has been making His mission more and more clear.

What does He mean that He is the ransom for many? The OT law gives us a clear picture. Someone guilty of manslaughter (Ex. 21:30) brought a death sentence upon himself, unless he could produce a required sum of money. Another reference to this can be found in the laws detailing what is required to set a captured slave or indentured servant free (Lev. 25:51). Effectively, every one of us has fallen short of the glory of God, we all have a death sentence over us, we all have been made captive to sin.

So then, this is the service which Jesus came to render for you. You were a captive of sin, and Jesus offered Himself as the ransom payment so that as many as trust in Him might go free. The Father receives this payment and reckons you free of the debt of your sin. You are free. You can go where you please. If you are liberated, where will you go? You will follow your Liberator.

WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE

Mark’s Gospel is marvelous here. Where Jesus makes His Gospel abundantly plain, Mark punctuates it with a climactic healing story. But if we take a step back and observe the ordering of Mark’s healings we see the big picture. Man is being made whole in both body and soul through this service/ministry of Jesus.

1st Set A. Peter’s fevered mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31)

B. Healing many at evening (Mark 1:32-34)

C. Cleansing a Leper (Mark 1:40-45)
2nd Set A. The paralytic (Mark 2:1-12)

B. The man with a withered hand (Mark 3:1-6)

C. Healing many by the Sea (Mark 3:7-12)
3rd Set A. The woman with 12 yrs. internal bleeding (Mark 5:25-34)

B. Raising Jairus’ 12 yo daughter (Mark 5:21-24, 35-43)
4th Set A. The deaf/mute man (Mark 7:31-37)

B. The blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26)
5th Set A. The boy with a deaf & dumb spirit (Mark 9:14-29)

B. Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52)

 

Mark has arranged these healings strategically. Imagine putting a match to the corner of a piece of paper. At first it spreads slowly. Then it rapidly engulfs the entire paper. The entire body is being restored by Jesus. His salvation was not a disembodied salvation. He came to make mankind whole, and to restore us to true service of the Living God. This final healing completes the cycle. Jesus has healed outward uncleanness, feet, hands, multitudes, internal uncleanness, death, ears, mouths, and eyes. Is there anything left? What affliction is there that is not encompassed by these? Like the stone statues which Aslan makes live, Jesus has breathed upon dead, lifeless, deaf, dumb, paralyzed, unclean, blind, mute, maimed mankind and now they are restored.

Our therapeutic age insists that you carries your traumas and sufferings with you. Your victimhood is a fossilized part of you. But the Son of David came in order to take mangled humanity out of the jaws of evil, and restore wandering lambs.

THE RICH MAN & THE BEGGAR

Contrast the Rich Young Man with the blind beggar. He was unwilling to relinquish his wealth to follow Jesus, but Bartimaeus casts aside his cloak. When given his sight, and thus freedom to go where he pleased, he follows the Son of David into danger. The Rich Young Man is unnamed, but the blind beggar is named. And Mark seems to indulge in some Greek & Aramaic wordplay here with Bartimaeus’ name. “Bar” is the aramaic prefix which means “son of”. So, a literal rendering of the text would be: “the son of Timaeus, Son-of-Timaeus the blind”. In Greek, Timaeus means “highly prized;” but the Hebrew root for “unclean” is tame (טָמֵא). Putting this together, Mark wants to underscore the contrast between what is highly prized and what is unclean along with his first/last last/first Kingdom (10:31).

This “son of uncleanness” shouts out for mercy from Royal David’s lawful heir. Isaiah had foretold that the Gentiles (the unclean) would cry out praise and cling to Yahweh’s Messiah for mercy and that this Messiah would make the blind to see (Cf. Is. 35, 42-43:7). This blind son of uncleanness begins the chorus that carries over into Christ’s triumphal entry in the next chapter. When David’s Son, the Christ, opens your eyes, it isn’t so you can return to your begging, or to your ratty cloak. He opens your blind eyes so that you follow Him to the cross.

RANSOM FOR MANY

Jesus is the ransom for many. High and low, rich and poor, adult and child, Jew and Gentile, the first and the last. Jesus is about to march into Jerusalem as her King, yet He is a King who serves. He is a King who serves by laying down His life in order to ransom many. There was an un-payable price upon your head. You deserved death, and so does your rival. But Jesus paid it all. If you are free, will you to follow Him and serve those you are called to lead like Jesus did. Can you see yet?

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Moses’ Promised Prophet (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #10a) (CCD)

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INTRODUCTION

The truth makes soft hearts. Lies make hard hearts. We too often cushion and nuance the truth. Whereas Jesus confronts us with hard words of truth, which if we will receive them like children, will make hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.

THE TEXT

And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. […]

Mark 10:1ff

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

The potent teaching ministry of Jesus continues, this time closer to Jerusalem, in the area John the Baptist ministered (v1). The Pharisees come with another challenge, intended to put Jesus in Herod’s crosshairs: Is divorce lawful? Jesus asks them to explain what Moses taught, and they reply with a not so accurate summary of Moses’ teaching (vv2-4). Jesus then explains that divorce is only permissible as a provision due to the Fall, and then also appeals to Moses (Gen. 1:27, 2:24) by drawing the Pharisees’ attention to the creational glory of male & female. Jesus teaches that this male and female in the image of God infers weighty duties of leaving & cleaving in a covenantal one-flesh union (vv5-8). It is God Himself who joins a man and woman in marriage, severing this union is an assault on God’s handiwork (v9). Later on in private, the disciples have some follow up questions, and Jesus explains that divorce without lawful cause is a violation of the Seventh Commandment. (vv10-12; Mk. 6:17)

Mark weaves together some threads from the previous chapter here. Jesus had instructed the disciples to receive children, and in so doing receive Him and the Father (Mk. 9:37). However, when an opportunity comes for them to put Jesus’ teaching into action, they fumble. As the crowds bring children to Jesus for blessing, the disciples play middle linebacker. This greatly annoys Jesus and He gives an even more clear statement: not only children not be forbidden from the Kingdom of God, but also if you desire to receive the kingdom, you must receive it like a child. Meaning, children can receive this Kingdom. Jesus then gathers the children into His arms, puts his hands upon them, and blesses them (vv13-16).

Mark moves on to the next episode, and if tradition is correct, this section is where Mark himself makes an appearance, commonly known as the rich young ruler. Jesus is going forth “in the way”, and the young man comes running up with a request for the way to inherit eternal life. Jesus pries into why this young man calls Jesus good, as God alone is good; He then lays before him the 7th, 6th, 8th, 9th, and 5th commandment (vv17-19). The man claims that from his youth he’s dutifully observed these laws (v20). Jesus looks upon him with love and then calls him to a hard thing: give up everything, give it to the poor, take up the cross and follow Jesus (v21, Cf. Mk. 8:34). Jesus exposed and then touched the nerve: the young man’s covetous/idolatrous heart couldn’t imagine doing without wealth (v22).

The Lord takes this opportunity to teach the disciples about the deceitfulness of riches. Those with great wealth face a certain set of temptations which keep them from entering God’s Kingdom (v23). This stuns the disciples. Jesus doesn’t soften the blow but adds even more force to His words. Calling them Children (for the first time), He teaches them that rich men will have a harder time entering the Kingdom than a camel going through a needle’s eye (vv24-25). Their astonishment deepens and they ask, “Who then can be saved?” Which brings us to the heart of the Gospel of grace: what’s impossible for man is not impossible for God (vv26-27). Something in all this clicks for Peter, and he reminds Jesus that they’ve left everything in order to follow Jesus.  Jesus says, “Amen” to Peter. Then elaborates on how this life of surrender and sacrificial service is gain and not loss both in this life and the life to come (vv28-30). This is the right side up Kingdom (v31).

MORE ABOUT MOSES

We really can’t fully understand Jesus’ teaching in this section without understanding what Moses first taught. Moses made an appearance at the Transfiguration, standing as witness that Jesus was the Prophet he had foretold would come, and whom Israel must heed (Deu. 18:17-19). Jesus now responds to the trap which the teachers of Israel by demanding they exposit Moses up on the blackboard. They say Moses permitted divorce. But they overlook Moses’ reasoning for this permission: sexual uncleanness in the world due to sin. Moses also taught, in his creation narrative, that God’s good purpose was to unite male and female into a new entity. This entity, of course, was capable of recreating itself in the bearing and raising of children. In Deuteronomy, fathers are to teach their children that the Lord is One Lord (Deu. 6:1-9). They must not offer their children to Moloch’s fires (Deu. 18:10). God would circumcise not only their hearts, but the heart of their seed (children) (Deu. 30:6).

This whole passage is Jesus as the Greater Moses. Divorce is a sorrowful rending of God’s good purpose in marriage. Jesus says that divorce is a “thing” because hearts are hard. And a hard heart won’t think twice about sacrificing children in the fire of Gehenna in order to appease the idols. Broadly speaking, marriages crumble due to three sorts of idolatry: unlawful sexual gratification, self-absorbed vanity, and hoarded wealth. Mark sandwiches Jesus’ teaching about divorce between these two teachings on receiving children. Our culture has cut the brakes on divorce, and it shouldn’t surprise us that it also resents children. This resentment ranges from general disdain to the horrific: abortion and genital mutilation.

Jesus insists that children are to be received. Childlike trust is the model for how we ought to trust our Heavenly Father’s promise of salvation through Jesus Christ. They must not be sacrificed in Gehenna. Jesus calls us to bring them to Him for His blessing. And while these covenant children receive this blessing, they must beware, as they grow, to learn the lesson of the rich young ruler.

WEALTH AND ETERNAL LIFE

And what is that lesson? Moses also warned Israel that when they came into Canaan and dwelt in houses they didn’t build, eating of the vines they didn’t plant, they needed to “beware lest thou forget the LORD […] and go after other gods (Deu. 6:12-15).” As I’ve shown before, Jesus came to overthrow Israel’s idolatry. The young man is one instance of how firm a grip idolatry had in Israel. He believed that there was an age to come, one where the faithful would dwell eternally upon this earth, with Yahweh ruling in their midst personally. The question of 1st century Israel was how to ensure you secured your seat in that kingdom reality. The assumption was that deuteronomic wealth, every man under his fig tree (Mic. 4:4), was evidence that God’s favor was upon you.

But the young man’s great wealth wasn’t proof of living under deuteronomic blessing. Instead, Jesus’s hard words revealed the blessings were taken for granted. The man’s heart had gone after other gods, for he couldn’t part with his wealth; and wouldn’t take up a cross to follow Christ in His path of sacrifice, humility, and generosity. His love of wealth made him blind to the treasure to be found not only in the life to come, but even in this life. Following Christ is its own reward, for in Him is the fullness of joy.

GIVE IT ALL UP

So then, Christ has come to make that which is impossible possible. Is it possible for a rich man to be freed from the love money? An angsty husband from his selfishness? A bitter wife from her coldness? A marriage full of thistles to become a green pastures? A child to grow up in the arms of Jesus without falling away? The hard heart says all this is impossible. But since Jesus brought the Kingdom of God into the middle of history, He says it can be done (Cf. Ez. 36:25-32).

What do you have a death grip upon? Your dreams? Your pride? Your sin? Your insistence that try as you might you can’t overcome your idolatry? Jesus says come to Him. Come as a child. Remember the Spirit of Elijah turns the hearts of fathers to their children. This impossible thing is possible because God the Father beams with glad joy upon His righteous Son. If you would find God’s pleasure upon you, come, take up the cross, and follow Jesus.

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