Snapshots of Jesus in Mark #9

Mark 9:33-37

GREATNESS

Photography can be deceptive. Have you ever see a picture where an item is hidden within a photo? It may be a lizard within the rocks. You can easily miss it without close examination. You have to search out the item. This is what Jesus is doing in this Scripture. The real intent is not immediately seen in the setting.

In this snapshot provided by Mark, the context is how little the disciples understood the essence of greatness. Their perspective was internal, even selfish. They saw themselves as valuable, even essential in the service of God. They had been discussing all day who was the greatest (9:33-34). The human heart always seeks out gain and selfish gratification—even in believers. I call this the reservoir mentality. It wants to hold the blessings and honors of God for oneself. The reservoir wants to dam up the living water of Christ to show off how much it can hold. It shows people the amazing amount it can hold. These types of believers fail to see the purpose of their existence.

It is this attitude that Jesus deals with here. As Jesus often does in his dealing with the disciples, he simply asks a question—“what were you discussing on the way?” (v. 33). Simple but direct. With this type of question you immediately know that you were doing the wrong thing. You have no good answer. You just keep silent.  Guilt and shame drape over you like a blanket. What we fail to understand is that greatest is a comparative term. It prides itself in rank. This is clearly seen in their disputing. Their false assumption, and one we can get caught up in, is that obtaining rank now among others assures us rank in God’s kingdom.  

He answers with a paradox: “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (v. 35). Williamson observes: “Jesus does not despise the desire to be first, but his definition of greatness stands the world’s ordering of priorities on its head and radically challenges a fundamental assumption about achievement.”[1]

Jesus illustrates this by taking a child in his arms, and declaring: “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me” (v. 37). Here Jesus is hiding greatest in the photograph of a child. The child represents Tthe most needy of society. In the world of Jesus, children were considered as people of dependence, having no power, and as needy. True greatest is reaching down (grace in action) and receiving them. The word receiving means to have concern, care, and kindness toward them. It also involves an element of protection and provision. The basis for the action is in my name. Greatest involves not selfishness, but selflessness. Greatness in the eyes of Jesus is ministry. It is sharing the blessings of grace. It is not being a reservoir of the grace granted to us, but a channel of the grace to others. The action of being a channel of grace in reality shows Christ the giver of grace. Are you a reservoir or a channel? The difference determines greatest in the eyes of our Lord.   

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[1]  Lamar Williamson, Jr., MARK, [John Knox Press, Atlanta, 1983], 170.

Snapshots of Jesus in Mark #4

JESUS THE HEALER

Mark 1:29-31

Photography began the social media revolution. It was the first major social media in history. In fact the computerized social media has its roots planted deep into the ground of photography. Photography started by centering upon people and events. Our early photographs are mainly people (portraits) or events (political, social, or military). Many of the most remembered pictures are done in a series (Civil war battles; pictures of the Great dust bowl; the depression). Mark has an interesting series of snapshots on the miracle healings by Jesus. He gives us a series of eight healing miracles (1:29-31, 40-45; 2:1-12; 3:1-6; 5:25-34; 7:31-37; 8:22-26; 10:46-52). This does not include other types of miracles portrayed in the gospel.

The first snapshot of Jesus as healer is a family affair. Is this not appropriate? It is the home that should see the healing power of Jesus. After being in synagogue on the Sabbath, he enters the house of Simon (Peter) and Andrew, with James and John. Mark 1:29-31 gives us a snapshot of the event.

The background is that which touches us all. It is a picture of every home at one time or another, when sickness strikes a loved one. It is a common event that hits us all. None are exempt from the suffering, stress, and strain of illness in the family. It strikes at our very heart, emotions, and physical well-being. It brings us to the reality of our helplessness not only for the one sick, but the family as well.  I am struck by threefold action in this snapshot:

1. The Disciple’s action. It was immediate. The word is used twice in the text. Jesus immediately left the synagogue and entered the house (1:29). As soon as Jesus and the disciples entered the house, Simon and Andrew bring the situation before the Lord. There was no hesitation, no words of welcome, no small talk. “Immediately they spoke to Jesus about her” (1:30). The text in the Greek describes her condition more seriously than the English translation. It reads literally—“lying prostrate, burning with fever.”[1] Luke calls it the great fever (4:38). It is a present active participle built on the word fire and indicates a fever that is holding her in its grip.  Feel the sense of the urgent. Feel the sense of need. Feel the sense of desperation. This moves them to look to the person of hope—Jesus. The sense of dependence was placed in Jesus. They make their request known to Him. It is the natural place for the disciples to turn. And turn they did! “Therein there lies the very essence of the Christian life,” observes William Barclay. [2]
2. Jesus’ action. Notice first of all, it is a silent action. Not a word is spoken by Jesus. He simply moves into action. Is this not the case in most of our lives? Jesus simply moves and works his ways silently and mysteriously in our midst. He makes no great pronouncement, but just acts in reply to our request. He silently moves with compassion, grace, and sufficiency. This has been called the private miracle. It is away from the crowds; done in the privacy of the home. The miracle is done simply by the touch of the Master’s hand. Upon taking her by the hand, the “the fever left her.” Is the touch of the Master’s hand in your home and your life?
3. The mother-in-law’s action. She is raised to serve. It reads as if it is the most natural thing in the world—“she waited on them” (1:31). These simple words manifest many things. It demonstrates the completeness of her healing. No weakness or lingering effects as a normal ordinary recovery would display. It demonstrates the healing action by the serving action of the one healed. It is an action of appreciation and thanksgiving. It demonstrates newness of purpose: serving the one that healed her. It pictures the reality of the saying: “saved to serve.”  How about us? We who have been saved from the feverishness of sin—are we serving the one who touched us?  

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[1]  D. Edmond Hiebert, THE GOSPEL OF MARK, [Bob Jones University Press, Greenville, SC, 1994],

[2]  William Barclay, DBS: MARK, [Westminster Press, Philedelphia, 1973], 38. 

Snapshots of Jesus from Mark’s Gospel #3

JESUS THE TEACHER

Mark 1:21-22

The job of a photographer is to capture the essence, tone, and feel of the moment, place, or person. A good photograph is more than capturing the simple likeness of the subject. A good photograph is one that allows the viewer to not only see the object, but feel the essence of the object. A good photograph makes us not only see, but to feel the emotions of the subject. It centers our attention on the subject. A good portrait gives us the likeness of the person, but goes much deeper and captures the character of the person. Mark does this in the simple portrait of Jesus as teacher. Mark records “They went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach. There were amazed as His teaching for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

The Setting. The setting of a photograph can make it extraordinary, or simply make it ordinary. The setting makes this picture of Jesus. The setting tells us immediately that it is a place of instruction. The people gathered to pray and learn of God. Unlike our churches today, the service in the synagogue consisted of three things—reading the Word, prayer, and teaching the Word.[1] It was a special place for a special purpose. It has the feel and element of worshipfulness. It has this special feel that is completely different than his teaching at other locations (e.g. Sermon on the Mount). The setting makes the feel and tone of the picture that Mark wants to convey to the reader.

The Action. Jesus “began to teach.” Notice that the action is stated simply and without detail. We do not know what Jesus taught on that day. We only know that he taught. This was a key feature of the ministry of Christ (Mark 2:13, 4:1-2; 6:2, 6, 34; 8:31; 10:1; 11:17; 12:35; 14:49). The synagogue was not only a place of worship, but edification as well. Christ edified with his teaching.

The Results. This is the focus of the photograph. The setting and the action leads us to the emphasis of the event. This is where the emotion of the picture centers. Without this element of the snapshot; it is ordinary, without life and feeling. This gives it the touch of the extraordinary. This is indicated by two features:

• Amazement. “They were astonished at his doctrine” (Mark 1:22, KJV). If a photographer would have been at this event, I am sure he would make a point to capture the expression on the faces in attendance that day. This indicates the impact of Jesus’ teaching. The word astonished (amazed) indicates that it “struck the people like a blow, knocking them out of their normal state of mind.”[2] Whatever Jesus taught, it amazed them, for it was the voice of God.
• Authority. This authority came not because of what was said so much as who said it. This is the first of other early snapshots in Mark (1:22, 27; 2:10; 11:28, 29, 3:3). His authority was paramount in these instances, and most of the time it slips into the background, but always present. For emphasis, the special authority displayed by Jesus is contrasted with the ordinary authority of the scribes. Jesus’ words to that audience were anything but ordinary. As we see beyond this snapshot, authoritative words lead to the display of authority (e.g. healing).

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[1] William Barclay, DBS: THE GOSPEL OF MARK, [Westminster Press, Philadelphia, 1975], 30.

[2] D. Edmond Hiebert, THE GOSPEL OF MARK, [Bob Jones University Press, Greenville SC, 1994], 49.

Snapshots of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel (#2)

THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS

Mark 1:12-13

Another snapshot of Jesus is found in Mark 1:12-13. It is that of the temptation in the wilderness. Unlike the snapshot of His baptism which was a close up, this one is taken with a wide-angle lens. It is more like a landscape.  Every landscape can be photographed from a number of angles. Capturing the subject in its best light can be a balancing act. It does not center upon any one detail, but exposes details in harmony of the overall setting.

The setting is clear; it is the wilderness of Judea. The wilderness is the subject matter of the snapshot, as seen by the double reference (1:12-13). The wilderness of Judea is a high desert, mountainous terrain, with canyons, little or no water, and is an uninhabitable area. It reminds one of the Death Valley in California. It is a place of desolation. It extends from the beach of the Dead Sea to the edge of the central hill country. It was to this place that the Spirit drove Jesus  after His baptism. The details of where this place cannot be seen. Tradition says it was west of Jericho which is commonly call Mons Quarantania (meaning 40 days), but that is not commonly held and there have been other suggestions. The exact place is unknown. The Jews thought of the wilderness in terms of danger, gloom, and the abode of demons (cf. Matt. 12:43, Luke 8:29, 11:24). In this setting we see three things about this wilderness and Jesus:

IT IS A PLACE OF STRESS. This is clearly pictured by Mark, for Jesus was “tempted by Satan.” The Spirit did not lead Jesus into temptation, but into the wilderness. God does not tempt anyone (James 1:13). This snapshot does not give us the details of the temptation, but only the fact of the temptation. Jesus was there being tempted for “forty days,” and while many take this to be  symbolic, there is no reason to think it was not actually the time. The words, “tempted by Satan” is a present participle indicating that Jesus was repeatedly subjected to temptation. He was under intense pressure and pressure causes intense stress. This shows the intensity of the stress by indicating repeated temptations.

IT IS A PLACE OF DANGER. Mark notes that “He was with the wild beasts.” Only Mark reveals this fact. The place of danger causes fear. In the wilderness you have snakes, coyotes, mountain lions, scorpions, and wild hogs. “The sound of those animals piercing the darkness of the night is enough to stop the heart, chill the brain and turn the muscles into jelly.”[1]  This is the temptation to become fearful in the face of the environment. It is designed to paralyze us where we are, to let our circumstances overtake us, rather than us overtaking our circumstances.

IT IS A PLACE OF RELIEF. The wilderness can be a peaceful place in spite of the stress and danger. Mark reminds us that “the angels were ministering to Him.” Jesus was not alone. The word ministering is an imperfect tense, indicating action over a period of time. It was not just a short relief effort. It was an intense effect of sustenance and encouragement. Although their ministry here is unique, it reminds us that God is ready to give us relief in the wilderness of this world and its hostile environment.

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[1] Jerry Vines, EXPLORING THE GOSPELS: MARK, [Loizeaux Brothers, Neptune NJ, 1990], 17.