Ben Zornes

Living and Dying to Show the Preciousness of Christ

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The Inescapable Story of Jesus 14b | Awaking from the Dream

The Inescapable Story of Jesus 14b | Awaking from the Dream

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Introduction

Dreams are strange things. But they are not, as the materialists would insist, just the chemical and electrical boings and bongs of the grey matter. You’ve certainly had pleasant dreams that you don’t want to awake from. On the other hand, you’ve probably had the unpleasant experience of a night terror that you greatly desire to wake up from, but can’t seem to. Then there are dreams that in retrospect gave you a glimpse into the future. Long lay the world in slumber. Jesus came to wake man up.

The Text 

And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him. And they laid their hands on him, and took him. And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.  […]
Mark 14:43-72

Summary of the Text

All the pieces were set by God’s redemptive providence. Immediately after Jesus’ declaration that the betrayer was at hand, Judas indeed appears with an armed mob. In order to mark Jesus, Judas had told them that he would kiss the one they were to seize, and straightway Judas greets Jesus with, “Rabbi, Rabbi” and then the betraying kiss (vv43-45). Then a flurry of action. The mob seizes Jesus (v46). A disciple draws a sword and cuts off a servant’s ear (v47). Jesus rebukes the mob for their cowardly midnight arrest (vv48-49). The flock scatters (v50). A young man tries to follow the mob, but when they try to apprehend him he slips out of his linen garment and flees naked out of the garden (vv51-52). Remember, this young man is likely Mark who was also the rich young ruler. He went away from Jesus unwilling, for the time being, to take up a cross and follow Jesus because of his great possessions (10:21-22); but now his possessions are stripped away from him anyway. He should have straightway followed Christ.

Now the most shameful trial of all history is held. The assembly of chief priests gather at the High Priest’s home. Peter follows from afar, and joins the servants at the fire (vv53-54). At the trial, the chief priests face a pesky issue: insufficient and contradictory witness (vv55-59). So the High Priest tries to get Jesus to answer direct questions, and at first gets no reply. Then he asks Jesus, “Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” This is the question. To which the Word made flesh responds with the answer: “I am.” And then Jesus adds more fuel to the fire by applying Daniel’s divine title “Son of Man” to Himself, informing that judicial body that He would soon come to judge them (vv60-62). The High Priest, in folly, rends his garments (Cf. Lev. 21:10), ignores the need for 2-3 witnesses, and calls for the verdict of whether Jesus blasphemed; the assembly’s verdict condemned Jesus as guilty (vv63-64). Then, as was foretold, Christ’s cruel sufferings began (v65).

Mark then takes us back over to the scene of Peter by the fire. Jesus has just been denied by the chief priests, will Peter hold steadfast in temptation? Will anyone stand with Jesus? Mark’s retelling is highly dramatic. A young maiden confronts Peter, and he falters; then, just as Jesus had foretold, a warning crow of a rooster sounds (vv66-68). The maid persists, and this time accuses Peter in front of a small crowd of being one of Jesus’ disciples. He again denies it. For the third time, the whole crowd joins in, pressuring Peter to admit that he was with Jesus, his Galilean accent gave  it away (vv69-70). With curses, Peter denied even knowing of Jesus (v71). And then a second rooster crow echoes through the courtyard, and it comes to Peter that he’d done as Jesus said he would do, and which he claimed he would never do; then grief and shame engulfs Peter (v72).

The Son of Jonah

We need to go back to an earlier scene. In Mark 8 when Jesus had asked who the disciples thought he was, it was Peter who discerned and testified on behalf of the twelve that Jesus was the Christ. Jesus told them to keep His identity secret, and explained that sufferings, rejection by Israel’s elders, death and resurrection awaited Him. Peter rebuked Jesus for thinking that as the Christ this was His destiny. Yet Jesus insisted it was so. He summoned them to follow Him, and that to follow Him meant following Him to the cross. 

Now, Peter, the son of Jonah, stands at a courtyard fire timid before a maiden who asks him whether he was a follower of Jesus. Mark puts Peter close to Jesus in order to paint a vibrant contrast. Peter was a good and godly Israelite. He discerned that in Jesus was the messianic fulfillment of God’s ancient promises of restoration for Israel. Yet, even the best of Israel falters and falls away at the last. Peter falls not only to fear, but to outright denial; and outright denial after a warning. Mark brings us to see a splendid but sobering scene: Jesus stands alone.

The Son of Man

Framing Jesus’ trial with the denial of Peter brings glorious relief to the scene which Mark has arranged. Jesus of Nazareth stands alone before Israel’s elders; he’s accused by confused witnesses who can’t seem to get their testimony to line up. They know Jesus has somehow threatened the temple. He’d compared Himself to David, and asserted authority to preside over the holy things (Mk. 2:25-26). He had made a ruckus in the temple just a few days earlier, and stated that the temple was being misused (Mk. 11:15-17). In His battle of wits with the elders He had claimed to be the chief cornerstone that they were rejecting (Mk. 12:10-11). Perhaps Judas had related Jesus’ prediction about not one temple stone being left on another (Mk. 13:1-2).

The elders knew they were dealing with potent and cosmic claims. But because of their envy and unbelief, they couldn’t put Jesus’ actions and claims together. It was a nightmare to them, because they were asleep. Jesus alone was awake. Joseph had been hauled before Pharaoh and his courtiers to explain the dreams which afflicted him. Daniel had been summoned before Nebuchadnezzar to not only interpret the dream, but to dream it first and then interpret it. The uncertain and shadowy dreams of all the prophets and oracles were now about to be spelled out with divine certainty.

Caiaphas asks Jesus directly: Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? The question is the dream, Jesus’ answer is the interpretation. Who would the Messiah be? Jewish tradition envisioned the Messiah as a kingly figure; a davidic heir. Israel was God’s Son (Ex. 4:22-23, Hos. 11:1); Israel’s King could also be reckoned as the son of God since he was the head of the nation (2 Sam. 7:14).

How does Jesus interpret this dream? He insists that He is indeed the Christ. Then He takes it further. He is also the Son of Man. Jesus has thought on the OT Scriptures; praying through them faithfully. He had communed with the Father. He’d heard the Father’s voice. He knew that the Messiah was indeed the Son of God, but He also understood that reality should be coupled with another glory. Daniel’s visions revealed that the davidic heir would also bear the title Son of Man (Dan 7:13). This title takes us all the way back to Eden. A son of Adam. Adam was made king of the world, but by his sin ruination and the devil’s dominion began.

But if David’s son, the Messiah, God’s beloved Son had indeed come, this would be a new creation. A new Adam had come. The whole world was to be remade and recreated. The kingdom of Satan was ended. The Kingdom of Heaven was indeed come. Therefore the old world of dreams, shadows, and the nightmare of demonic rule over the nations was over and done. Man was summoned to awake.

One commentator put it wonderfully: “The destiny of man is to actualize the divine image, and to rule over all things on earth with divine authority. It is his destiny also to suffer and to die, and only so to enter into his glory. Two things are peculiar to the teaching of Christ: that he insisted on the sufferings of the Son of Man; and that he took the title Son of Man upon himself.”

Jesus Alone

As Mark has retold the story of Jesus one of the more shocking features is that Israel was brimful with demons. This nation that was to be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, was instead overrun with unclean spirits. All of history came down to this one Man. Mark has brought us to the point where we see that Jesus alone can overthrow Satan because Jesus alone is God’s Son, Adam’s son, David’s son. Scripture brings us to see all the most righteous saints falter and fail. Israel has been reduced to a singular Man of Righteousness. Here is the meaning of all the dreams: Jesus alone, Jesus ever, Jesus always.

CHARGE & BENEDICTION 

The basic message of the Gospel is that salvation is found in Christ alone. So ask yourself, have I been guilty of a Jesus + something understanding of the Gospel? The story of Mark, and the story of all Scripture, brings us to the moment we saw in our text: Jesus standing alone to bring about man’s salvation. Never let anything draw you away from that central fact.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
Jude 1:24-25

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The Inescapable Story of Jesus 14a | Anointed for Burial

The Inescapable Story of Jesus 14a | Anointed for Burial

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Introduction

In various surveys of people’s fears, public speaking is regularly atop the list. We are frightened of standing before other people. This fear is close to the bone. At our core, we often care far more than we should about how people view us, and we fear losing the esteem of others. But to follow Jesus is to be reviled by the world. As Jesus approaches the cross, Mark challenges us to consider the question: Do you know what it means to follow Jesus?

The Text 

After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people. And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her…
Mark 14:1ff

Summary of the Text

Jesus has pronounced judgement on Jerusalem, and Mark now brings us into the valley of the shadow of death. The Passover was in two days, and the Jewish rulers wanted to get their dirty business taken care of before then, but without arousing the ire of the adoring crowds (vv1-2). Jesus must be killed. The only question for them was how. 

While the rulers are plotting Jesus’ death, He is feasting with a restored leper in Bethany (v3). During the meal, a woman enters and anoints Jesus’ head with an entire vessel of precious spikenard ointment (v3). The woman’s lavish display incites a bit of fremdschämen in some of the diners, their objection is that this costly gift could have been better used to fund the local soup kitchen (vv4-5). Jesus rebukes the murmuring with two stark statements. First, He reproaches, “You can help the poor anytime you want to.” Secondly, He describes the woman’s actions as a burial anointing, and her act is worthy of timeless retelling (vv6-9). All this is too much for Judas, and he goes off to betray Jesus (vv10-11).

Meanwhile, Jesus gives instructions for the festal preparations. Two disciples are sent to make things ready, and everything is as Jesus instructed—like when He sent for the colt (vv12-16). That evening Jesus and the twelve gather for the feast, and at the meal Jesus declares that one of them would betray Him; one by one they sorrowfully ask, “Is it I?” Jesus doesn’t answer directly, but conveys that it is one of the twelve, close enough to dip the bread in the olive oil with Jesus. The Lord is not dismayed by this, for He knows that sufferings await the Son of Man; but He pronounces a fearful doom upon the betrayer (vv17-21).

Now Jesus takes the Passover feast, and retells the Exodus story in a shocking way. Just as He had done with the feeding of the two multitudes in the wilderness He takes, blesses, breaks, and gives bread to His disciples. But this time He tells them that this bread and wine is not merely a memorial of Israel’s past deliverance, nor is it a hopeful token of future deliverance, but that deliverance will be seen in the very imminent breaking of His body and and the shedding of His blood (vv22-24). Furthermore, Jesus makes a vow to forego wine until He drinks it in His inaugurated Kingdom (v25). The supper ends with a song (Ps. 118, Mk. 11:9)), and then off once again to Mt. Olives (v26).

On the way, Jesus foretells two things: the scattering of the disciples according to Zechariah’s prophecy (Zech. 13:7), and His rising again. Peter objects to all this, and insists that he at least wouldn’t fall away. This leads to a third prediction from Jesus: Peter’s threefold denial (vv27-31). Coming to the quiet of Gethsemane, Jesus goes off with the three for prayer; the coming battle weighs heavy upon Him, and He calls the three to watch (vv32-34, Cf. 13:37). The Lord prays unto Abba, asking that the cup might pass from Him; yet in perfect humility Jesus acquiesces to the Father’s will. Three times Jesus goes off to pray only to return to find the three asleep. The salvation of the entire world rests on Jesus’ alone (vv35-41). When Jesus returns the third time it is clear that He is ready, and that the hour had struck: the betrayer was at hand (vv41-42).

A New Passover

Holiday imagery hangs over this feast: a killed lamb, bread made in haste, a Red Sea crossing, a deadly tyrant defeated. Mark paints a familiar scene. The head of the home retelling the Exodus story. But as Jesus retells the Exodus story, He gives it an unexpected twist. Twelve disciples, like the twelve tribes, are informed that Jesus, the Son of Man, is going before them into the very sorrows of death. He tells them that to truly understand the old Passover story they need to see it in light of His coming act of death.

God was going to bring deliverance for His people once more. Jesus, the Son of Man, would go forth before the tribes of Israel to lead them out of Satan’s kingdom, and into the glory of God’s Kingdom. But Jesus once more insists that the way into the Kingdom comes through Him alone. Furthermore, that pathway was leading to His death. Are you sure you want to follow Him?

How to Honor Jesus

Mark has now given us two examples of women who truly honored the Lord. The widow who gave everything in giving her only pennies; also the woman in this text who anointed Jesus with rare and costly ointment. The crowd responds with a back of the napkin estimate about the ointment costing nearly a year’s wage.

Many Christians are content to follow Christ in a socially acceptable manner. Their obedience to God stays in between the lines of cultural expectations. They may proudly declare their identity as a Christian. But, honoring Jesus, as these two women have shown, doesn’t confine itself to what is reputable. It doesn’t obey only insofar as to be unlikely to meet with ridicule. Honoring the Lord raises the eyebrows of those who only covet worldly praise and prestige. Honoring the Lord isn’t found in mere lip-service, like we see in Peter’s boasting. 

You maybe appreciate the Christian community in Moscow. You can nod along to sermons, give your kids a Christian education, go to psalm sings, baptized your babies, and even offer up public prayers. But have you adopted and preserved certain worldly attitudes, practices, and worldviews?  Do you have one foot in a vibrant Christian community and another in the ungodly worldliness of our age? If you pass along this lip-service following of Christ to your kids, if you do not mortify it, if your obedience to Christ only goes so far, then in another generation the Moscow mood will turn into the sort of soggy and spineless Christianity that describes all too much of modern evangelicalism.

This woman discerned, however imperfectly, enough to see the worth of Jesus and what He’d come to do. Jesus interprets her act as a burial preparation. What on earth could this mean? The disciples could understand Him being anointed as a king or priest or prophet and taking up the throne, or offering up the atoning sacrifices, or defying wicked kings. But anointed for burial? They could not yet see that Jesus had come to die, and in so doing be rewarded the throne of heaven and earth. In so doing, the final sacrifice for sin would be offered. In so doing, the most wicked tyrant, Satan, would be cast down.

In Galilee

Jesus tells the disciples they are gonna chicken out. They are going to shame themselves. One of them was going to betray the Lord. Another would deny Him three times. They thought of themselves as sturdy stones upon which Jesus could build His new kingdom. He tells them that they too are going to be scattered like He had foretold would happen to the temple’s stones. Here is great sin. But Jesus gives a greater promise.

Despite all their coming sin of fearfully forsaking Him, He promises that after His death He would go before them and they were to meet Him. They weren’t to meet Him in some astral plane. He wasn’t casting His body aside as if it was garbage. The Resurrection was not Jesus’ desertion of this earth He had made. No…He tells the disciples, and us, that he would rise again, and they were to meet Him again in Galilee. To follow Jesus is to follow Him into death. Your death. But be of good courage, He died for you; the simple Gospel message is that by faith in Christ, you died in Him. So then, to follow Jesus into His death, is also to follow Him into the Resurrection.

CHARGE & BENEDICTION 

Ask yourself if you’ve slowly hedged and nuanced the extent of your obedience to Christ? To follow Christ means to die to yourself, but oftentimes we redefine this and neuter this to be a bit more palatable to us. But to follow Christ really does summon you to die. Is Christ worthy of all honor and glory and praise? If so…live like it.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessings of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon, and remain with you always. Amen.

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The Inescapable Story of Jesus 13 | Let Him that Readeth Understand

The Inescapable Story of Jesus 13 | Let Him that Readeth Understand

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Introduction

Have you ever woken up and been so groggy you have a hard time discerning where you are, how you got there, why one side of your face is paralyzed? When God brought judgement in the OT it is often described as a confusion (Dan. 9:7, Jer 3:25), and even a sort of divinely sent slumber (Ps. 76:5-6, Is. 29:10, Jer. 51:39, 57). As Jesus nears the climax of His earthly mission, He pronounces an ominous judgement upon the Temple. Thus, Jesus disciples are summoned to stay alert, lest the flood of judgement sweep them away.

The Text 

And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you […]
Mark 13:1ff

Summary of the Text

This is the lengthiest teaching section in Mark’s Gospel. It also happens to be one of the most debated teachings of Jesus. We have our work cut out for us. But the work before us is like using a power washer to remove the paint that someone applied to the lovely old red brick house. What’s underneath speaks plain as day, it is all the fanciful varnishes that make us scratch our heads.

Having just seen the widow make her offering of a few cents, Jesus departs the temple, having seen enough to make His judgement against Israel, and her Temple. Now the judgement will be pronounced. The disciples’ remark on the grandeur of Herod’s temple (v1), and this opens the door for Christ to give His verdict on unbelieving Israel. The great stones of the temple would be torn apart entirely (v2). They ascend Mt. Olives and Jesus is prompted by his first four disciples (Cf. Mk. 1:16-19) to elaborate on the timing and the signs of this coming desolation (vv3-4).

Jesus begins with a warning to be wary of joining in with the revolutionary fanaticism of false christs (vv5-6). The Pax Romana would soon begin to crack; the disciples should view this as if it is the early contractions of a woman nearing childbirth (vv7-8). This turmoil will give rise to personal suffering for the disciples (v9), but before the labor and delivery of the Kingdom the Gospel would be heralded among all nations (v10). The disciples must rest in the knowledge that the Holy Ghost will speak through them, even in the most dire of persecutions and betrayals (vv11-13). Jesus summons them to endurance, and promises them salvation (v13). This all hints at what lies ahead for Jesus Himself.

Jesus then gives them specific directions, drawing from Daniel’s visions. When they see the abomination that causes desolation (Mark inserts a wink wink nudge nudge), they must get out of Judea like a sprinter from the blocks (vv14-18). A cataclysm unlike any other before it is about to land on Jerusalem (Cf. Ez. 5:9, Joel 2:2, Jer. 30:7), but the Lord––in His mercy on His elect––would make it a swift and certain judgement (vv19-20). Jesus then reiterates that His disciples must not be drawn into the various rebel factions and militias seeking to halt what was coming for Jerusalem (vv21-23).

As the last and greatest of the prophets, Jesus pronounces that God is about to turn the lights off on Jerusalem for good (vv24-25). He assumes to himself the title of Son of Man, and declares that He will, in that office, come in clouds of judgement (v26, Mt. 24:30). His messengers would go forth to gather up the elect from every corner of creation; no longer would the gathering of the elect be restricted to the land of Israel (Jer. 29:14), but the elect would be gathered from all nations into the church (v27). He has likened this events to a woman in childbirth, and now he likens it to watching a fig tree going from spring to summer. If His disciples are watchful, they won’t miss the signs (vv28-29). From an interpretive standpoint verse 30 is the lynchpin, as Jesus informs His disciples that all these things would take place in “this generation”. But then, as I read it, Jesus shifts from the imminent destruction of Jerusalem, to the true last things. While the “present frame and fabric” of the world would pass away, Christ’s Word would stand fast forever (v31). That final day is known only to the Father, not even to the Son (v32). It being the case that these last things are not known to any of them, the disciples are instructed, once more to watchfulness and prayer (v33). Like a porter given watch of a household while the master is on a journey, Christ’s disciples are not to sleep but are to keep the watch (vv34-37). A simple task they will shortly fail (14:41).

Timestamps

The confusion that has arisen around this particular passage is largely due to the tendency to read our own times back into the text, rather than letting Jesus’ Word speak for itself. Jesus is explicitly asked about the timing of when Jerusalem would be destroyed, and in the context of that question He describes––with precise but prophetic language––that destruction. Jesus gives us more timestamps than we have time for. But it is quite profitable to take notice of a few of them.

Remember the question before Jesus. When would His prophecy that the stones of this temple would be left in rubble, like levitical law required for an unclean house? His answer comes towards the end: this generation would witness all that He describes. Regarding the temple stones, Jesus was unmistakably referring to the destruction of AD70. The temple had storehouses of silver and gold; the fire which consumed Jerusalem was so intense that the precious metals melted down into the cracks of the temple foundation. The Roman soldiers, in their greed, literally fulfilled Christ’s prophecy by making sure that not one stone was left upon another as they pried apart all the stones in order to get the silver and gold.

Another signpost for us is His exhortation to discern that when abominable Roman armies come to desolate Jerusalem, the disciples were to flee into the Judaean mountains. Until then, they should pray that these events don’t take place in winter time (meaning not a global event, though the implications would be global; rather this would be localized to Judea). Jesus calls them to endure the specific trial of flogging in the synagogues, another timestamp clarifying that this is all referring to the looming clouds of the Son of Man’s judgement upon unbelieving Israel.

When Judgement comes

We are notoriously bad at reading and reacting to the judgements of the Lord. But we must grow up. We must be mature. We must be men. The cataclysm of AD70 was indeed an event unlike any other moment up to that point. God had covenanted with Israel which He had not done with any other nation (Deu. 4:32-40). This judgement on Israel, it would stand to reason, is unlike any other judgement before, and would stand as the preeminent judgement for all time. That is until the final judgement, which Jesus refers to in verses 31-33. So then, Israel’s cataclysm stands forth as a particular warning for all times, and especially when considering the final judgement (Rom. 11:17-24). The disaster that befell Jerusalem may very well befall other outposts of unbelief as the Kingdom of Christ spreads through all the world. The call of Christ’s followers then and now is not to sit down and chart out the end of the world. They are called to alert readiness, prayer, and endurance. Our own modern upheavals should cause us to sit up straight, and stand ready to advance the Kingdom of Christ.

Assured & Alert

The crux is this. In times of judgement, God calls us to two things. Rest in Him and remain watchful. The apostles were told the horrors that would soon surround them. He tells them their homeland would be devastated; their whole world would change. He tells them they will be hauled into kangaroo courts. Then, He tells them not to wind themselves into knots about what to say. Rather, they are assured that their words will be the Holy Ghost’s words. This demands that you walk by faith, looking to the City whose builder and architect is God, even as He pulls down godless empires around you.

But secondly, Jesus calls them and us to watchfulness. Not a watchfulness of looking over your shoulder hoping the boss doesn’t notice that you’re not busy. The call to watch is a call to exercise the authority He’s assigned to you. Jesus gave these signs to His disciples so they could be faithful watchmen. Watchmen of the new house which Christ was erecting in Himself, the church.

This command to watch has three applications: personally, nationally, and globally. The day of your death is coming, and you are called to stay vigilant in faith and to not fall away into sin or apostasy. Nations in rebellion to the Lord are cruising towards judgement; stay watchful that you do not join in with the follies and sins of your nation. Lastly, the whole world is hastening towards the final judgement. And the call is to watch with expectant joy for the full consummation of Christ’s kingdom, and our everlasting rest in the new heavens and earth.

CHARGE & BENEDICTION 

This passage is effectively the last teaching of Jesus before His death. There are a few more sections of teaching, but for all intents and purposes we should take this as the end of Jesus’ preaching series. Notice how Mark brings all of Jesus’ teachings to an end: Watch! This is your call, here are the teaching of Jesus, now take up your post with vigilance to not only hear His words, but to do them until the last day.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

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Make Your Enemies Flee

Make Your Enemies Flee

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Introduction 

It may be an uncomfortable truth, but you have enemies. Don’t pretend otherwise. You are amongst the ranks of the church militant. Congrats.

Your Enemies

  • Sin – Internal
  • World – External
  • Devil – Supernatural

Like Moses

During the wilderness wanderings Moses led Israel in a daily liturgy: Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. And when [the ark] rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel (Num 10:35-36).

Your battle with sin must be met with firm faith in the covenant promises found in the blood sprinkled on the mercy seat. Does your private life reflect your public baptism? If you would leave your sin it will not be because you find it inconvenient or you get bored of it. Sin is overcome when you behold a greater glory in Christ.

You do not have a high enough view of God. Is there sin in your life that you continually struggle with? Then fix your eyes on Christ. 

Like Jehoshaphat   

Steadfast worship of the living God. Do you sing with all your might?

Now the enemies in the world are daunting as well. How are they scattered? Jehoshaphat gives us a wonderful example. You commit yourself to sincere worship of the living God. 

Imagine the people of God gathering each Lord’s Day to worship the Lord with eagerness, to hear God’s word with zealous faith, and to confess their sins diligently. Our worship is formal, but that doesn’t mean it should be frumpy. Use your outdoor voice.

You stand, right now, before the presence of the only Living God. This God made everything visible and invisible. He wrote the code that is your DNA, and because He is the only truly original author He wrote a different code for every other creature upon earth. And you doubt that true worship of this God will have no effect?

Like Christ   

The Lord scattered His enemies through humility, sacrifice, and death. If you want your enemies to flee before you, you must follow in Christ’s footsteps. You must humble yourself. You must die to your pride and prestige. You must die to your fear of man. You must die to your desire to be well-liked by everyone. You must give up all your false opinions, all your lies, all your idols. You have to die. And the only way for you to die is to die in Christ. 

Those who are in Christ share in His crushing the serpent’s head. So you must place your faith, entirely, and without qualification in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. 

And if you do so, you will find that all your shame and guilt is driven away. Every temptation that you are confronted with must not be faced by your own power, but you will be given the power of the Spirit of Jesus to overcome your sin, and repent of your sin when you do sin.

You’ll also find that your life becomes the sort of life which causes unbelievers to ask about the hope you have, and cling to you asking you to show them the way to God. And you must be certain that although there will be profoundly wicked tyrants who will not swerve from their designs against the saints, the Lord has promised that the worst they can do is kill you. And if you have rested in Christ, you too will cry out with the martyred saints before the throne of God, “How long oh Lord?” Jesus the Savior will one day return as the Judge and will make all things right.

That same Jesus, who died and rose again, summons you to rest in Him. And then you can face all foes with that wonderful confidence described in the 57th Psalm.

The Inescapable Story of Jesus 12b | Close to the King

The Inescapable Story of Jesus 12b | Close to the King

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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.
Mark 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. The husbandmen earlier in the chapter were busy taking care of the Lord’s vineyard, but all their busy work became a greater damnation when they did not return to the Lord His lawful due, instead maiming His messengers and killing His beloved Son.

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). This can only happen if you are made new. And to be made new you must die in Christ and so be raised with Christ.

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. In our own time we see how our political and charitable actions do little to aid the poor. We do not care for widows, we care about using the idea of widows to pass godless laws and keep our 501c3 organizations operating. Poverty is big business.

But 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). Christ indicts Israel for turning the House of the Lord from a place of fruitful prayer and refuge for widows into a den of thieves that deceive widows. The widow lavishes her offering on the house of the Lord in true sacrifice, 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, great or small, 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 (Ps. 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. Total sacrifice.

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 Kingdom is not found in the codes and laws of man. It is not found in textbooks. It is not found in this or that diet. The Kingdom is not found in heartless external conformity. 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. We love God, for He loved us first.

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The Inescapable Story of Jesus 11 | The Cursed Fig Tree

The Inescapable Story of Jesus 11 | The Cursed Fig Tree

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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. There have been plenty of hints. Jesus driving out unclean spirits like David drove out the Philistines. Jesus exercised authority over the Sabbath (Mk. 2:23-28), by alluding to the fact that David had done something similar. Now, Jesus, this son of David, is heading to Jerusalem to bring His whole ministry to its prophesied climax: His death as a ransom for sinners, and His resurrection as man’s restoration.

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. But His coronation will look unlike any other Israel, or this world had ever seen. He would be crowned by God the Father Himself, and seated at the Father’s right hand.

Bold Prayer

The heart of this chapter really beats with 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. Their words were like chaff. His words were seeds that were producing a harvest (Parable of the Sower and the Feeding of the 5000 & 4000). 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 temple, like the demoniac with a legion of demons, had become possessed. So, Jesus wields both His divine and Davidic prerogative to determine that the glory of Yahweh would no longer reside in the temple apparatus. Rather, it would reside 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.

CHARGE & BENEDICTION 

I want to encourage you, in these dark days, to not neglect being a praying people. Our prayers should be as big as our God. Be specific in your prayers. Be bold in your prayers. Be holy in your prayers. And expect God to answer, according to His will.

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21

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The Inescapable Story of Jesus 10b | Christ’s Battle Charge

The Inescapable Story of Jesus 10b | Christ’s Battle Charge

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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 Gentile 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 SetA. 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 SetA. 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 SetA. The woman with 12 yrs. internal bleeding (Mark 5:25-34) B. Raising Jairus’ 12 yo daughter (Mark 5:21-24, 35-43)
4th SetA. The deaf/mute man (Mark 7:31-37) B. The blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26)
5th SetA. 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 carry 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 (a dangerous thing to call out, especially so close to Jerusalem). 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 and self-denial.

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. Envy blinds us. Rage against our brother blinds us. Our love of earthly wealth blinds us. If you are free, if He has made you see, will you follow Him and serve those you are called to lead like Jesus did? Can you see yet?

CHARGE & BENEDICTION

We live in troubled times. We live in a moment where our nation is blind with numerous sins. This clear word of the Gospel, accompanied by the working of the Spirit, is the only way for our eyes to be opened. Christ is the ransom for many. And so, the charge is this, die in Christ by faith, and imitate His death in the various areas of responsibility.

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. Amen.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

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Ben Zornes