Messiah

Another Costly Lesson About Leastness

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17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 

23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” – Mark 10:17-23 ESV

What happens next perfectly juxtaposes what Jesus has been trying to teach His disciples. He has addressed their pride and the unhealthy competitive spirit that caused them to argue over who among them was spiritually superior. Peter, James, and John likely bragged about their adventure with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, leaving the other disciples envious of the special treatment Jesus gave them. Each of the 12 disciples tried to earn his way into Jesus’ good graces, hoping to secure a prominent position in His coming Kingdom. John revealed their disdain for anyone outside their circle who might encroach on their territory and rob them of glory. When he and his fellow disciples found someone casting out demons in Jesus’ name, they rebuked him, demanding that he stop. But Jesus surprised John by commending the stranger for his actions, saying, “the one who is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40 ESV).

To convict the disciples of their unhealthy obsession with greatness, Jesus repeatedly used children to illustrate the attitude He sought in His followers. When the disciples tried to send away the parents who brought their children to be blessed by Jesus, He declared, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it” (Mark 10:14-15 NLT).

The disciples viewed these children as a distraction. From their perspective, children were non-contributors who required too much attention and could offer no help with the work that needed to be done. They had no rights, no money, no skills, and no way of helping Jesus usher in His Kingdom. So, why waste time with them?

At this point, a young man approached Jesus and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17 ESV). Matthew adds that the man’s request was focused on what “good deed” he must do to inherit eternal life. From the conversation that followed, it seems clear that the man believed he had already done enough. He was young and rich, and from a common Jewish perspective, his wealth signaled that God had already blessed him. He was also religious: when Jesus listed six of the Ten Commandments and told him to keep them, he proudly announced, “All these I have kept from my youth” (Mark 10:20 ESV).

This man sought confirmation, not a list of things to do. As a faithful Jew, he believed he was a child of Abraham and, therefore, a rightful heir to eternal life. As Abraham’s descendant, he was guaranteed a place in God’s eternal Kingdom. Now, he was asking Jesus to place His Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval on his life.

The man’s question was carefully worded. He uses the word klēronomeō, which means “to obtain by inheritance.” This reveals that he believed eternal life was already rightfully his, but he wanted to know how he could receive it now. He did not want to wait. His attitude is similar to that of the young man in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son. In that story, Jesus described another young man from a wealthy family who was destined to inherit his father’s vast riches. But unwilling to wait for his father to die, he demanded that he be given his inheritance immediately.

“I want my share of your estate now before you die.” So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. – Luke 15:12 NLT

The father graciously complied. But blessed by his father’s generosity and the sudden influx of wealth, the young man wasted his inheritance on a life of excess and immorality. He got what he wanted but misused and abused it.

Similarly, the rich young man who knelt before Jesus demanded what was rightfully his: his guaranteed inheritance of eternal life. This man had it all, but he wanted more. He coveted the one thing missing from his portfolio: Eternal life.

Because of his wealth, social standing, and success in religious rule-keeping, this young man believed God had blessed him. He saw himself as a good man who deserved everything due to him. If Jesus could help him get eternal life, he would have it all. But Jesus emphasized that “No one is good except God alone” (Luke 18:19 ESV). As David wrote in his Psalm, “They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:3 ESV).

While this man could brag about keeping six of the Ten Commandments, Jesus knew the truth about his heart. Notably, Jesus listed only the five commandments that deal with horizontal relationships between individuals.

“Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.” – Mark 10: 19 ESV

These five commandments remind us of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In that message, Jesus stated, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17-19 ESV).

Jesus went on to explain what it looked like to “relax” one of God’s laws. He put hatred on the same par as murder (Matthew 5:22). He compared lust to adultery.

“…everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” – Matthew 5:28 ESV

Lust, like adultery, is taking what does not belong to you; it is a form of stealing. And Jesus said, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell” (Matthew 5:29 ESV).

Throughout His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus painted a radically different picture of what it means to keep God’s law. It wasn’t just about rule-keeping; it was about a change of the heart. Those who hoped to inherit God’s kingdom would have to live sacrificially and selflessly. Their adherence to God’s laws had to show up in their relationships with others. That’s why Jesus said, “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you” (Matthew 5:42 ESV).

Which brings us back to the rich young man. Jesus turned to him and said, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Mark 10:21 ESV). This proved to be the deal-breaker. This one “good deed” was more than the man could handle because he was unwilling to part with his wealth. All his law-keeping had cost him nothing. But now Jesus demanded one thing that would cost him everything.

Think about what this man was giving up. He was turning his back on the assurance of eternal life to keep living the “good life.” Mark sadly reports that the man “went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:22 ESV).

He was possessed by his possessions. He was held captive by worldly things. His love of material goods and temporal pleasures proved too great. Years later, the apostle John would likely recall this sad scene when he wrote the following words:

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. – 1 John 2:15-17 NLT

This man had been young and full of life. He was wealthy and blessed with every earthly pleasure imaginable. He was a ruler who wielded tremendous power and responsibility. In other words, He was great. He was all that the disciples hoped to become. When they looked at the rich young ruler, they saw the image of what they aspired to be. As the disciples stood in stunned silence watching the young man walk away, Jesus further shattered their misconception of greatness, saying, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23 ESV).

This was not an indictment of wealth or financial security; Jesus was simply warning that temporal treasures and earthly pleasures can become distractions. The love of money can replace our love for God. Financial independence can foster self-reliance rather than a trust in God. And those who believe their wealth is a sign of God’s blessing can easily miss the reality of their spiritual poverty.

Each of these encounters that Jesus had was intentionally designed to redefine the disciples’ view on greatness. From their perspective, this rich young man was the epitome of greatness; he was to be envied and emulated. Yet Jesus told them to model their lives after little children, who had no rights or privileges but displayed innocent faith and trust.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Lessons on Leadership and Leastness

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13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. – Mark 10:13-16 ESV

Sometimes it seems as if Jesus’ 12 disciples are a few bricks short of a full load, and this occasion is one of them. After reading this passage, it’s difficult not to draw one of two conclusions: Either the disciples are stubborn or simply stupid; they just don’t seem to get it. No matter how many times Jesus addresses an issue with them, they fail to grasp His meaning. Even all His after-class, one-on-twelve tutoring sessions don’t seem to help.

Before we look at the scene in today’s passage, let’s revisit a few earlier, closely related exchanges between Jesus and His disciples. First, while they were back in Galilee, Jesus overheard the disciples arguing over who was the greatest. This debate came fast on the heels of Jesus’ announcement that He would soon be delivered into the hands of men and be killed (Mark 9:31). So, immediately after hearing Jesus announce that He was going to lay down His life, they got into a heated argument over which of them was the greatest. This led Jesus to give them an object lesson.

And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” – Mark 9:36-37 ESV

Jesus used this small, seemingly insignificant child to drive home an important point. With the prideful disciples gathered around Him, Jesus stood among them, holding this unnamed child in His arms. He placed the least significant in the place of greatest prominence. The child had done nothing to earn the special favor Jesus extended to Him. He was not powerful, impressive, gifted, or even capable of repaying Jesus for His kindness. We’re not even told his name. But the child trusted and was willing to place his full confidence in Jesus.

Yet, immediately after witnessing this living object lesson, John brought up what he believed was a more pressing matter. He reported that an unnamed individual had been casting out demons in Jesus’ name. This unidentified competitor concerned the disciples so much that they repeatedly tried to issue him cease-and-desist orders, but their efforts failed. John told Jesus, hoping He would shut down this rogue exorcist. But instead, Jesus rebuked His own disciples.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” – Mark 9:42 ESV

The Greek word Mark uses is mikros, meaning “small” or “least.” Jesus seems to be referring to this unknown exorcist as one of His children. Although he wasn’t one of the 12 disciples, this man was casting out demons in the name of Jesus. He was performing the same good deed that Jesus had commissioned His disciples to do. That’s why Jesus told John, “Don’t stop him!…No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:39 NLT). This man was on their side. Yet Jesus calls him one of the “least.” He was so insignificant that the disciples didn’t even know his name. However, he was important to Jesus. 

This brings us back to the scene taking place in chapter 10. Jesus and His disciples are back in the region of Perea, just east of Judea on the other side of the Jordan River. Mark opens this chapter by noting that Jesus’ arrival in the region drew the usual large crowds. While many hoped to see Jesus perform a miracle, others came out of curiosity because Jesus was a 1st-century celebrity. But Mark indicates that some “were bringing children to him that he might touch them” (Mark 10:13 ESV). Evidently, parents brought their young children to Jesus so He might bless them. But Mark states that “the disciples rebuked them” (Mark 9:13 ESV). These men took it upon themselves to restrict access to Jesus. They wrongly assumed they had the authority to decide who was worthy to enter Jesus’ presence.

This whole scene makes even more sense when you consider Luke’s account. He provides essential details that make the disciples’ actions even more egregious. He records a parable Jesus told “to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt” (Luke 18:9 ESV). In this parable, “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector” (Luke 18:10 ESV). The Pharisee stood before God and, in a blatant display of self-promotion, bragged about his superior righteousness, evidenced by his unparalleled fasting and tithing. But the other man stood before God, eyes lowered, and declared his abject sinfulness and desperate need for mercy. And then Jesus said, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14 ESV).

Superiority and inferiority. Pride and humility. Greatness and weakness. This parable prefaces the arrival of the parents with their children and explains why Jesus became so indignant with His disciples and demanded, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14 ESV). Their parents brought the children to Jesus. Too young to come on their own, they were at the mercy of others, showing complete dependence and trust. They showed no self-righteousness or moral superiority, yet the disciples deemed them unworthy to enter Jesus’ presence. Had these men so quickly forgotten the young boy Jesus had held in His arms? Had the words Jesus spoken to them simply gone in one ear and out the other?

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” – Mark 9:37 ESV

Yet here was Jesus having to rebuke them again for their arrogant display of moral superiority. They didn’t get it. They were still harboring their own false conceptions about status in the Kingdom. In their eyes, children were non-contributors because they had nothing to offer. They were takers, not givers. But Jesus had a different perspective. To the disciples’ surprise, Jesus “took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them” (Mark 10:16 NLT).

The disciples had been right; these “little ones” had nothing to offer Jesus, but Jesus had something to give them: His divine blessing. They came before Jesus as helpless and hopeless children, most likely carried in the arms of their parents. Some were probably too young to walk or talk. But each one, regardless of age, intellect, family background, or prospects for success, received the same undeserved gift from Jesus’ hand. The Son of God touched and blessed each one.

The Kingdom of God will not be comprised of the successful, gifted, morally exceptional, intellectually superior, or socially acceptable. In fact, Paul reminds every Christ-follower that their adoption into the family of God had nothing to do with them. They brought nothing to the table and did nothing to deserve the grace and mercy God showed them.

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NLT

Jesus had repeatedly shown His disciples that He had come to minister to the weak, helpless, and hopeless. He went out of His way to heal the sick and minister to the outcasts and socially unacceptable. He exposed the hypocrisy of the self-righteous religious leaders of Israel. He willingly associated with tax collectors and prostitutes. Yet His disciples still struggled with thoughts of their own superiority and hoped to earn a place of honor and distinction in His coming Kingdom.

But the lessons would continue until the end. Even in the upper room on the night Jesus was betrayed, He gave them another illustration of humility and service by washing their feet. Ultimately, Jesus performed the greatest act of humility by offering His life as a ransom for many. The greatest of all would become the least of all so that the foolish, the powerless, the despised, and the unimportant might become children of God.

The disciples continued to wrestle with how their concept of leadership differed from Jesus’. His emphasis on “the least of these” didn’t make sense to them. Not only that, it was unattractive and uninspiring. They were interested in prominence and power. In fact, Matthew records that 10 of the disciples became indignant when they overheard the mother of James and John ask Jesus, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left” (Matthew 20’21 NLT).

Rather than rebuke the well-meaning mother, Jesus addressed James and John.

“You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” – Matthew 20:22 NLT

Unaware of the meaning behind Jesus’ question, the two men responded, “Oh yes…we are able!” (Matthew 20:22 NLT). They had no idea that He was talking about His arrest, trials, and crucifixion. Had they known about the two thieves who would be crucified on either side of Jesus, they would never have had their mother pose the question.

Sensing the other disciples’ jealousy, Jesus gave them another lesson on servant leadership.

“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:25-28 NLT

The disciples had a lot to learn, and time was running out. But Jesus would patiently continue to teach and model the life of “the least of these.” Every day, He would sacrifice and serve, loving the lowly, feeding the hungry, healing the hurting, and calling the hopeless to place their trust in Him. This wasn’t what the disciples had signed up for, but it was why they were called. And, one day, it would all make sense.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Harsh Words for Hard Hearts

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42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” – Mark 9:42-50 ESV

John chose to ignore the young boy Jesus held in His arms and instead tried to change the subject. He wanted to divert attention from Jesus’ object lesson on leadership and raise the issue of an unexpected, uninvited competitor casting out demons without Jesus’ permission or authority. This entire conversation began with an argument among the disciples about who was the greatest, and Jesus had picked up the little boy to use him as an object lesson for His ego-driven disciples.

“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 18:3-4 ESV

After John’s attempted diversion, Jesus refocuses their attention on the boy. He expected His followers to reflect the humility of a helpless and powerless child. Their lives were to be marked by innocence and trustworthiness, and they were to show a child-like faith, a willingness to be led and cared for by others. But at the same time, the disciples were to understand their role as caretakers. They would be given the sobering responsibility of caring for God’s sheep, so Jesus gives them a stern warning.

“But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck.” – Mark 9:42 NLT

The disciples failed to understand that their role as leaders came with serious responsibilities. They coveted the authority and notoriety that came with prominence but were oblivious to the risk involved. Little did they know their quest for power could devastate those under their care. Years later, the apostle Paul would warn the believers in Philippi: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3 ESV).

Paul gives an even starker warning to the believers in Rome and Galatia.

…but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. – Romans 2:8 ESV

Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. – Galatians 5:26 ESV

Jesus must have shocked His disciples when he warned that it would be preferable to die an agonizing death than to lead the innocent astray. God would hold His shepherds accountable for caring for and feeding His sheep. Driven by envy and jealousy, the disciples were upset that some unknown individual was stealing their thunder by casting out demons in Jesus’ name. But Jesus viewed this man as an ally. What faith it must have taken for this man to perform miracles in Jesus’ name? Jesus had not chosen or trained him. He had received no commission from Jesus. But he faithfully followed the example of Jesus and set free all those who were being held captive by the power of Satan.

But the disciples tried to prevent this man from doing the very thing Jesus had commissioned them to do. And Jesus warns them that their jealousy-induced actions could have easily led this man into sin. He could have taken their words as a rebuke from Jesus Himself and stopped following Him. Rather than offering him encouragement, guidance, and support, the disciples chose to throw him under the bus.

To ensure His disciples grasp the seriousness of what He is trying to tell them, Jesus provided them with some shocking illustrations involving self-mutilation. He wanted to get their attention and help them recognize the danger and deadly consequences of indwelling sin. Their jealousy could have caused this man to stumble. Their greed for greatness could easily divide them and hamper their future mission. Personal sin is infectious and harms others. So Jesus gave them three graphic illustrations designed to encourage self-purging of sin.

“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands.  If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell…” – Mark 9:43-47 NLT

Jesus chose three body parts that were essential to living a normal life: the hand, foot, and eye. Losing any one of them could greatly diminish the capacity to perform everyday functions. The loss of a hand, foot, or eye would render someone lame, partially blind, and reduced to the lowly role of a beggar. Just consider the miracles Jesus performed. He healed the man with the withered hand. He restored the ability to walk to a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years. He gave sight to a man who was born blind.

Yet, Jesus was telling His disciples that it would be better to lose a body part if doing so would prevent further sin. Jesus’ hyperbolic language was meant to shock His disciples and drive home the devastating nature of sin. Of course, it is not one’s hands, feet, or eyes that cause him to sin. It is his heart. Jesus had already taught the disciples that lesson.

“It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” – Mark 7:20-23 NLT

But Jesus used these extreme illustrations of physical dismemberment to make sure His disciples got the point. They were not to tolerate sin in their lives and were expected to take whatever measures necessary to eradicate its influence because it was deadly. Three times, Jesus refers to the ultimate destination of those who let sin control their lives.

the unquenchable fires of hell… – vs 44 (NLT)

thrown into hell… – vs 46 (NLT)

thrown into hell… – vs 47 (NLT)

Then Jesus provided a graphic depiction of this final abode of the wicked.

where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out… – vs 48 (NLT)

The Greek word translated as “hell” is gehenna, a transliteration of the Hebrew word hinnom. The Valley of Hinnom was just south of Jerusalem, and it had a sordid reputation. Jeremiah records that the apostate people of Israel used this valley as a sacred location where they worshiped their false gods.

They have also built places of worship in a place called Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that they can sacrifice their sons and daughters by fire. – Jeremiah 7:31 NLT

In Jesus’ day, the valley had been relegated to a landfill where the city’s refuse was dumped. People said the fires never stopped burning in gehenna; the stench was horrific, and the maggots were ever-present. It became the visual representation of hell, the place of eternal punishment. The average Jew avoided gehenna at all costs. Jesus wanted His disciples to know that hell was real and far more repulsive than a landfill. However, a life of sin would render someone fit for the fires of hell.

Jesus was not teaching that His disciples could lose their salvation; He was warning them to consider the seriousness of sin. There was no place for sin in the heart of a Christ-follower, because sin leads to death and Jesus had come to set them free from sin and death. As His disciples, John and the others were to develop a growing distaste for sin. Much later, long after Jesus died and resurrected, John wrote to Christians, warning them against allowing sin to influence their lives.

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. – 1 John 2:16 NLT

Notice the role the hands, the feet, and the eyes play in our pursuit of pleasure, achievement, and possessions. It begins with our eyes. With them, we lust and covet. We see what we desire and begin to long for it. That’s where our feet come in. We pursue these things, chasing after them in a sad attempt to fulfill our heart’s desire. Then we use our hands to take hold of them and make them our own. In doing so, we replace the Father’s will with the heart’s desires, making worldliness our goal rather than godliness.

The last few sentences of Jesus’ teaching are difficult to understand. He moves from discussing amputation and disfigurement to discussing saltiness.

“For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” – Mark 9:49-50 ESV

It seems Jesus shifted from talking about the unquenchable fires of hell to a different kind of fire present in this life. Rather than a fire of everlasting punishment for sin, it is a fire of purification. He compares it to salt, a natural preservative used in that day. Jesus describes a purging, purifying fire meant to expose and remove the dross of sin from our lives. Sin is meant to be cut out and eliminated. The Christ-follower should expect and appreciate this process. Jesus even encouraged His disciples to “have salt in yourselves.”

They were to welcome the preserving and purifying work of God in their lives. Peter later refers to the “fiery trials” every believer will encounter during their time on this earth.

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. – 1 Peter 4:12-13 NLT

The disciples were being baptized with fire by Jesus. He rebuked them for their lack of faith, their obsession with greatness, and their unjustified jealousy over anyone stealing their glory. These men were being tested by fire so God could expose and remove the impurities in their lives. It was not enjoyable, but it was necessary. They were being prepared for the future, when Jesus would commission them to “go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 29:19 NLT). Godly leadership requires godly men who see things from God’s point of view. The disciples were not yet ready, but they would be when the time came. Jesus would see to it.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Life of the Lowly Leader

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38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.” – Mark 9:38-41 ESV

Jesus has just addressed the disciples’ desire for power and prominence, yet they seem to have missed the point. Their internal squabble over who was the greatest among them led Jesus to declare, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35 ESV). In His Kingdom, greatness was not measured by the significance of one’s role but by the humility of the heart. Jesus, as the Son of God, was the second member of the Trinity, yet “though he was in the form of God, [He] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:6-7 ESV). As Jesus later told His disciples, “even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 28:20 ESV).

But as Jesus wrapped up his object lesson on leadership in the Kingdom, the disciples again failed to grasp the vital lesson He was trying to teach them. This time, John spoke up, not the ever-impulsive, quick-tongued Peter. The topic John raised at that moment reveals that he and his companions had failed to understand what Jesus was telling them.

“Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” – Mark 9:38 NLT

John’s words carry an air of exclusivity and arrogance. He was irritated that someone outside their circle was performing miracles in Jesus’ name. In fact, this imposter was casting out demons. From John’s point of view, this was unacceptable because Jesus had given that kind of power and authority only to His 12 disciples (Mark 3:15).

It’s important to remember that all this talk about greatness in the Kingdom began immediately after the disciples failed to cast a demon out of a young boy. The boy’s father came seeking Jesus’ help, but when he found Jesus wasn’t there, he turned to the B-Team.

“Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” – Mark 9:17-18 NLT

The disciples had failed. Despite the power and authority Jesus gave them, they couldn’t cast out the demon. But that small setback didn’t stop them from arguing over who was greatest among them.

John shared their concern with Jesus about competition from outside; whoever this individual was, he was operating without a license. From John’s perspective, this exorcist was infringing on their trademark rights. He had no business performing signs meant to be the disciples’ purview alone.

Mark does not name the individual casting out demons on an “unofficial” basis. By leaving out the man’s identity, Mark almost places him in the same category as the young child whom Jesus held in His arms. The unknown man was one of the least. By casting out demons in Jesus’ name, he was doing the will of the Father, not for personal gain or glory. Jesus gently rebuked John and the others for their prideful attempt to stop the man from casting out demons.

“Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.” – Mark 9:39-40 NLT

In a sense, Jesus was telling the disciples that they were all on the same team. This man was doing good, and he was doing it in Jesus’ name. He was not in it for fame or personal gain. By casting out demons, he demonstrated the power inherent in the name of Jesus. His efforts displayed the superiority of the Son of God.

This entire scene reminds us of another encounter recorded in the book of Acts. Philip traveled to the city of Samaria to preach the good news about Jesus. While there, he also performed many signs and wonders.

Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city. – Acts 8:7-8 NLT

But in the city, a well-known and revered magician saw Philip’s actions as unwanted competition.

A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic. – Acts 8:9-11 NLT

Simon began to follow Philip, watching his every move, likely to learn and steal the secrets of his power. But in time, “Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed” (Acts 8:13 NLT).

As Simon watched Philip and the other apostles, he wanted the power they displayed.  He wanted in on the action.

When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. “Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!” – Acts 8:18-19 NLT

But Philip, aware of Simon’s motivation, rebuked him.

“May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought! You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God. Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.” – Acts 8:20-23 NLT

Simon, once called “the Great One – the Power of God,” was anxious to regain some of his lost prestige, and he was willing to pay for it. He was jealous of the apostles’ power and sought to restore the position of prominence he had once enjoyed.

This does not seem to be the case with the man who was casting out demons. He remained anonymous and unknown throughout Mark’s account, and Jesus presents his actions positively, not negatively. It was the 12 disciples who displayed jealousy and an unhealthy dose of envy.

They saw this man as competition, but Jesus insisted that he was on their side. He was doing what they had failed to do, and he did it for Jesus’ glory. Jesus points out that this man’s actions showed kindness.

“If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.” – Mark 9:41 NLT

Jesus compares casting out a demon to sharing a cup of water. One act was spectacular and supernatural, while the other was simple and seemingly unimportant, but both were acts of service. When done in humility and with a servant’s heart, any action brings glory to God and a reward to the servant. But when pride and a desire for prominence motivate what we do, we show the heart of Simon the magician.

Jesus sternly warns all who would do great works in Jesus’ name for self-glorification.

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” – Matthew 7:21-23 NLT

The disciples struggled with a need for recognition and the desire to be great. They were obsessed with significance and resented anyone who might rob them of potential glory. But Jesus wanted them to understand that their true calling was to mirror His attitude and actions. As servants, they would be called to sacrifice their lives for the Kingdom. Later, Jesus told the disciples a parable to illustrate the life of service and sacrifice that marks the life of a Christ-follower.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” – Matthew 25:34-40 NLT

Slowly but steadily, the disciples learned the invaluable lesson of true greatness. As Paul described to the believers in Philippi, true greatness is best seen in Jesus’ life, and we are to follow His example.

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. –Philippians 2:3-5 NLT

The disciples had mistakenly identified leadership with power, prominence, significance, and greatness. They had spent their entire lives in anonymity and obscurity, and, if Jesus truly was the Messiah, they hoped to benefit from their relationship with Him. But Jesus showed them that true greatness is marked by humility, obedience, service, and a desire to do God’s will.

Jesus discussed this in His Sermon on the Mount, warning His listeners not to confuse notoriety and the praise of men with God’s blessing.

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 6:1 NLT

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.” – Matthew 6:5 NLT

“And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.” – Matthew 6:16 NLT

He summarized His remarks by encouraging them to pursue anonymity and humility, rather than notoriety, adding, “Your Father, who sees everything, will reward you” (Matthew 6:18 NLT). 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

How Long?

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14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” – Mark 9:14-29 ESV

The next day (Luke 9:37), when Jesus, Peter, James, and John rejoined the other disciples, they found chaos and confusion as a large crowd encircled the other nine disciples, who were in a heated argument with the scribes. But as soon as Jesus arrived, He became the focus of attention, drawing the crowd like moths to a flame.

Like a father coming home to find his children in an unexpected predicament, Jesus tried to discern the cause of the trouble. It didn’t take Him long to discover the conflict involved His disciples. The rest of the crowd were like rubberneckers at an accident, drawn by the spectacle and curious to see what would happen next. When Jesus asked what was causing the argument, a man in the crowd spoke up.

“Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.” – Mark 9:17-18 NLT

This father came expecting to find Jesus, but instead he encountered the nine disciples Jesus had left behind. In his gospel account, Matthew describes the man kneeling at Jesus’ feet, showing his high regard for Jesus and his belief that Jesus could help him. He brought his son to Jesus for healing, but when he discovered Jesus was gone, he turned to the disciples for help. However, they weren’t up to the task.

“I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” – Mark 9:18 NLT

Disappointed that he couldn’t find Jesus, the anxious father turned to the disciples for help. The text makes it clear that these men made a valiant effort to cast the demon from the man’s son, but without success. Their failure is so significant because Jesus had given all the disciples authority to cast out demons (Mark 3:15). When Jesus sent them out in pairs to preach, teach, and heal, they had successfully demonstrated that authority. Mark reports that “they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them” (Mark 6:13 ESV).

Yet, on this occasion, their efforts fell short. The argument that ensued must have begun when the disciples started making excuses for their failed attempts to exorcise the demon. Perhaps they began to question whether this man or his son had broken a particular Mosaic law, and whether that violation had caused the boy’s condition. They were clearly frustrated by their inability to exercise authority over the demon and were trying to figure out what was standing in their way. When all the dust settled, they even asked Jesus, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” (Mark 9:28 NLT).

The scribes may have been dragged into the argument to explain the Mosaic Law and give their opinions on the boy’s condition and the demon’s persistent power over him. The whole scene had quickly devolved into a shouting match, with each side pointing fingers at the other. All the while, the boy remained demon-possessed.

Then Jesus, the one who calmed the wind and waves, entered this storm of confusion and chaos and proved He alone could bring peace and calm. Jesus, disappointed by the sordid scene before Him, voiced His frustration.

“O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” – Mark 9:19 ESV

To fully appreciate Jesus’ words, one must recall the transfiguration that Jesus had just experienced on the mountaintop. For a brief moment, Jesus was transformed into His future, glorified state. Two of the great patriarchs of the Hebrew people, Moses and Elijah, joined Him, and they discussed His coming “exodus,” or departure, from this life. It was a much-needed reminder that His days on this earth were coming to a close and that He would soon return to His Father’s side. But when He descended from the mountain, Jesus encountered a scene of faithlessness and spiritual apostasy.

This recalls a similar scene from hundreds of years earlier. Moses, the great deliverer of the Hebrew people, had just spent 40 days and nights atop Mount Sinai, where he had enjoyed intimate communion with God and received the Ten Commandments. But when He descended from the mountain, he found the people of Israel worshiping a false god. He returned to chaos and confusion, brought on by the faithlessness of God’s people.

After descending from the mountain of transfiguration, Jesus witnessed a similar scene. Faith was in short supply, and the enemy was having his way among God’s people. The disciples’ inability to cast out the demon had left the boy still possessed and persecuted. More importantly, their lack of faith left the people in doubt and uncertainty.

But Jesus stepped into the darkness of the moment and focused His full attention on the boy’s condition. The father provided Jesus with a blow-by-blow description of his son’s condition, explaining in detail how relentlessly the demon had tormented his child. You can sense his growing desperation as he begs Jesus for help.

“But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” – Mark 9:22 ESV

At this point, he is unsure if Jesus can do anything about his son’s condition; he is losing hope. But Jesus gently rebukes the man’s timid, half-hearted faith by repeating the father’s doubtful statement, “If you can!” One can almost sense Jesus’ exasperation at the faithlessness around Him. As always, His primary concern was the 12 men He had chosen as His disciples. This whole situation resulted from their lack of faith. So when Jesus said, “All things are possible for one who believes” (MRK 9:23 ESV), He was addressing the boy’s father, but also His disciples. Jesus was saying that it wasn’t a matter of whether He could heal the boy, but whether He would. This was less an indictment of the man’s faith than an exposure of his misunderstanding of who Jesus was.

The father, anxious to see his son healed, cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24 ESV). He desperately wanted to believe that Jesus could heal his son, but he had seen the disciples try and fail. He remained hopeful but apprehensive and asked Jesus to remove all doubt by casting the demon out of his son. And Jesus did just as the man wished. Addressing the demon directly, Jesus commanded, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again” (Mark 9:25 ESV).

Convulsing the boy one last time, the demon obeyed and left him in a catatonic state that made it appear as if he were dead. But Jesus raised the boy, restoring him to full health.

Jesus turned this entire scene into a primer on faith. But His focus was not on the father; He was exposing His disciples’ faithlessness. Matthew records that after Jesus exorcised the demon, the disciples asked why they had failed. His response must have left them stunned and confused.

“Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:20 ESV

Jesus had told the father, “All things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23 ESV). Jesus emphasized His own faith, not the father’s. Jesus fully believed He had the power and authority to cast out the demon, and He proved it by doing so. He knew who He was and what He could accomplish with the power God had given Him. But the disciples were another matter; their belief had proven insufficient. But the problem wasn’t the amount of their faith; it was their inability to understand the true source of their power. According to Jesus, even the smallest faith, combined with God’s power, could “move mountains.” Faith is not a resource we possess or produce; it is confidence in God’s power.

Their ability to cast out demons did not reside in themselves; it was not a power they possessed, but it was meted out to them by God. That is why Jesus told them that “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29 ESV). They had failed to understand that their earlier experience of casting out demons had been authorized by Jesus and made possible by God’s power, not their own. But they mistakenly assumed they personally possessed that power; that it was permanently resident within them.

In trying to cast out the demon, they had put their faith in themselves. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, the disciples ended up worshiping a false god: themselves. They thought they possessed power, but discovered they were powerless. So, Jesus reminded them that even the smallest faith in God’s power could produce the greatest miracles. Jesus believed He had authority over the demon because He had God’s power and authority at His disposal. His life proved that “All things are possible for one who believes.”

The transfiguration was a mountaintop experience for Jesus. He had communed with His Heavenly Father and two of the great patriarchs of the Hebrew faith. But when it was over, He received a stark reminder of the spiritual darkness He had come to dispel. That is why He said, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you?” (Mark 9:19 NLT). During His brief stay on the mountain, He, Elijah, and Moses had discussed His coming death and departure. His mind was focused on His God-ordained mission to sacrifice His life on behalf of sinful men. He knew His death was imminent and imperative because “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22 ESV). As long as He remained on earth, He knew the people would continue to struggle with doubt, fear, and faithlessness. Even His disciples would continue to wrestle with His identity and misunderstand His mission because they lacked the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus knew His disciples were operating at a deficit because they were operating in the flesh. Their faithlessness was a byproduct of their own impotence. That is why Jesus later told them, “I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven” (Luke 24:49 NLT). After His resurrection and before His ascension, Jesus promised them,  “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…” (Acts 1:8 NLT).

The Holy Spirit was the missing element. Without Him, the disciples would remain powerless and faithless. But when He came, they would be radically transformed and equipped for service.

“…when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” – John 14:29 NLT

“And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.” – Luke 12:11-12 NLT

In the meantime, Jesus continued to teach and model what dependence on the Spirit looked like. He carried out his entire ministry in the power of the Spirit. From the moment He came up out of the waters of the Jordan, Jesus was “led by the Spirit” (Matthew 4:1 ESV). Having set aside His divine privileges, Jesus relied on the Holy Spirit’s power throughout His earthly ministry. He modeled the Spirit-filled life that every believer would experience after His death and resurrection. The disciples would have to wait to experience that kind of life-transforming power, but it wouldn’t be long, as Jesus would soon make clear.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

All According to Plan

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9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. 11 And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 12 And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.” – Mark 9:9-13 ESV

Being a disciple of Jesus must have been an emotional roller coaster. For three years, these 12 relatively uneducated men were exposed to mind-blowing, never-before-seen miracles and received a daily dose of profound, difficult-to-understand teaching that left even the scribes and Pharisees dumbfounded. Their time with Jesus was an adventure but also a head-spinning whirlwind of cryptic sayings and confounding experiences.

As Peter, James, and John made their way down the mountain, their minds must have been reeling from what they had just witnessed. Just minutes earlier, they watched Jesus transform right before their eyes. Suddenly, without warning or explanation, Jesus began to emanate a brilliant light. Mark described it this way: “his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them” (Mark 9:3 NLT). These three men had seen Jesus do many inexplicable and unprecedented things over the last three years, but nothing quite like this. Seeing Jesus walk on the water in the midst of a storm made a distinct impression. In fact, they had initially thought He was some kind of ghostly apparition. So what must have been going through their minds as they saw Jesus transfigured?

When the long-departed prophets Moses and Elijah suddenly appeared, the disciples seemed to begin putting two and two together. They knew that something spectacular was happening. As they took in the scene unfolding before them, they must have wondered if this was it — was Jesus getting ready to usher in His Kingdom? Had Moses, the great deliverer, come to help Jesus in His quest to free the people of Israel from their captivity under the Romans? Was Elijah’s appearance proof that the time had come? Was this the fulfillment of the long-awaited prophecy?

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” – Malachi 4:5-6 ESV

But the miracle on the mountain ended as quickly as it began. Suddenly, Elijah and Moses were gone, and Jesus stood before them just as He had been before. The glory was gone, but the moment’s impact lingered with the disciples. Peter, James, and John must have been bursting at the seams, eager to tell the other nine disciples what they had witnessed, but Jesus threw cold water on their plans, commanding them to keep it all to themselves until the proper time.

…he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. – Mark 9:9 NLT

Now stop and think about that statement for a moment. The disciples had just witnessed Jesus speaking to Moses and Elijah, and their minds must have been filled with thoughts of the coming Kingdom. Their hopes and dreams of Jesus being the long-awaited Messiah were about to come true. Yet He brings up the same topic He had raised before the transfiguration.

Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. – Mark 8:31 NLT

Peter found this news unacceptable and told Jesus so. But his verbal dismissal of Jesus’ words earned him a stern rebuke. Now Peter, James, and John were hearing Jesus bring up the same incomprehensible and objectionable subject again, and Mark makes it clear that they had no idea what Jesus was talking about.

…they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. – Mark 9:10 ESV

The disciples didn’t lack a concept of the resurrection; as Jews, they believed in a future resurrection of the dead. They were familiar with the writings of Isaiah and Daniel.

Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.
    You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!
For your dew is a dew of light,
    and the earth will give birth to the dead. – Isaiah 26:19 ESV

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. – Daniel 12:2-3 ESV

John would later record another occasion when Jesus told Martha that her dead brother Lazarus would “rise again” (John 11:23 ESV). She responded, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day” (John 11:24 ESV). She believed in a future resurrection at the end of the age, and so did the disciples. But they struggled to understand how any of this related to Jesus establishing His Kingdom.

Confused by Jesus’ words, the disciples ignored them and focused on the scene they had witnessed on the mountaintop. They had seen Elijah with their own eyes, and this most likely had led them to believe that the prophecy of Malachi was being fulfilled. So, searching for clarification, they asked Jesus, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?” (Mark 9:11 NLT).

Their question had a purpose. They had just seen Elijah, so they were asking Jesus to confirm that His messiahship was about to begin. One thing was meant to follow the other. Elijah had appeared; now it was time for Jesus to do His part. The disciples must have been thinking of another familiar Messianic passage from Malachi.

“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

“But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. Then once more the Lord will accept the offerings brought to him by the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as he did in the past.” – Malachi 3:1-4 NLT

Malachi’s imagery seems to corroborate what the disciples saw on the mountaintop: the blazing Messiah, reigning from His temple, and restoring Israel to its former glory.

The disciples seem to have linked their sighting of Elijah to the timing of the Messiah’s appearance. They had just seen Elijah, so it must be time for Jesus to drop the charade and reveal Himself for who He really was: The Messiah of Israel. It was time for Him to get down to the serious business of ruling and reigning from David’s throne. They no longer needed miracles or difficult-to-understand messages.

Jesus assured them that their interpretation of Malachi was correct. “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready” (Mark 9:12 NLT). But the scribes and the disciples had left out an important part of the prophecy: Elijah would come first, but the Messiah would also have to endure great suffering. The people of Israel had conveniently ignored the many Old Testament passages that alluded to the Messiah’s death. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, King David wrote about how men would treat the Messiah.

But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
“He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” – Psalm 22:6-8 ESV

Matthew records this prophecy’s fulfillment.

So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” – Matthew 27:41-43 ESV

The prophet Isaiah predicted the tremendous suffering and agony the Messiah would endure at the hands of sinful men.

See, my servant will prosper;
    he will be highly exalted.
But many were amazed when they saw him.
    His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human,
    and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man. – Isaiah 52:13-14 NLT

He was despised and rejected—
    a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
    He was despised, and we did not care. – Isaiah 53:3 NLT

But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed. – Isaiah 53:5 NLT

He was oppressed and treated harshly,
    yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. – Isaiah 53:7 NLT

Jesus wanted His disciples to know that the same Scriptures that predict Elijah’s coming also predict the suffering of the Son of Man. So, He asked them, “Why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be treated with utter contempt?” (Mark 9:12 NLT). He wasn’t expecting an answer; He was making a point. God has a divine order; He has a plan, and every detail of that plan must unfold in order, including the Savior’s suffering. Then Jesus dropped the real news that must have exploded like a bombshell on the unsuspecting disciples.

“But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they chose to abuse him, just as the Scriptures predicted.” – Mark 9:13 NLT

Jesus wasn’t referring to the Elijah they saw on the mountaintop; He meant John the Baptist. The angel who visited Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, confirmed this in his message.

Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” – Luke 1:13-17 NLT

When Jesus and His disciples descended the mountain, John the Baptist was already dead, a victim of King Herod’s wrath. Jesus let the disciples know that John’s death would precede His own.

“…they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” – Matthew 17:12 ESV

The disciples’ experience on the mountaintop left them eagerly anticipating the long-awaited Kingdom. But something else had to happen first; the Son of Man must suffer and die. The cross had to precede the crown. Ridicule and rejection must come before resurrection and reigning. Jesus would have to endure the pain and ignominy of crucifixion before He could experience the joy of glorification. It was all part of God’s plan, and while it made no sense to the disciples, the apostle Paul later explained the method behind God’s seeming madness.

Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
   he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:6-8 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Eyes to See, Ears to Hear

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22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. – Mark 8:22-30 ESV

In this passage, Mark combines two incidents from Jesus’ life to convey an important truth. In the first, Jesus performs the second miracle that Mark records in his gospel. Chapter 7 records Jesus healing the deaf man who also suffered from a speech impediment. And there will be some similarities between these two miraculous healings.

Jesus and His disciples had traveled from the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee to the town of Bethsaida, located not far from the sea’s northernmost tip. This was not the first time Jesus had been to Bethsaida. In fact, Matthew reports that Jesus delivered a stinging indictment against the city for its inhabitants’ stubborn refusal to repent.

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse.” – Matthew 11:20-21 NLT

This rather harsh statement from Jesus provides insight into the miracle Jesus performed. When Jesus arrived in Bethsaida, a group of people brought a blind friend in need of healing. Mark says that these compassionate friends “begged him to touch the man and heal him” (Mark 8:22 NLT). What Jesus did next was both interesting and insightful.

To fully appreciate Jesus’ actions, one must consider everything that had happened up to this moment. Earlier that same day, Jesus transformed seven loaves of bread and a few fish into a meal that fed thousands. He had followed up that miracle with a warning to His disciples about the “leaven of the Pharisees.” After seeing His miracle of the loaves and fish, the religious leaders demanded a “sign from heaven” to prove His claim to be the Messiah. These prideful, arrogant men were blind to all that Jesus had done, refusing to accept His miracles as proof of identity. So Jesus warned His disciples not to let the Pharisees’ teaching influence them. The unrepentant hearts of these self-righteous men caused them to reject Jesus and encourage others to do the same. Like yeast spreading through a batch of dough, their unbelief was beginning to permeate and influence the people of Israel. But the disciples failed to understand the meaning behind Jesus’ warning, thinking instead that He was upset that they had failed to bring enough bread. So, Jesus addressed their inability to comprehend His words.

“Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? ‘You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’ Don’t you remember anything at all?” – Mark 8:17-18 NLT

Notice the last thing Jesus said to His disciples before they left for Bethsaida: “Do you not yet understand?” (Mark 8:21 ESV). All of this sets up what happens next and reveals God’s sovereign hand behind everything Jesus did. It was no coincidence that a blind man was brought to Jesus. His lack of sight symbolized the disciples’ lack of understanding. The way Jesus chose to heal the man was intentional and purposeful. First, He isolated the man from his well-meaning friends by leading him outside the village. Once they were alone, Jesus spit on the man’s eyes and touched him. But why? Couldn’t Jesus have simply commanded the man to see? Did this healing require spit and human contact? The text also seems to show that Jesus’ first attempt to restore the man’s sight failed.

…spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”

The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” – Mark 8:23-24 NLT

Jesus’ methodology seems odd, and its outcome appears less than successful. But everything Jesus did was intentional. Unable to see what Jesus was doing, the blind man could hear Jesus spit and feel it on his eyes. He could sense Jesus’s hands gently touching his eyes. Yet, when he opened his eyes, his sight was only partially restored. He could see, but not clearly; everything was fuzzy and indistinct. He describes men as looking like trees walking about.

This man had gone from complete blindness to partial sight. His condition, though much improved, was not what he had hoped for. Blurred sight was far better than no sight at all, but it was still not ideal.

Earlier, Jesus had healed a deaf man by restoring his hearing. This time, He restored the sight of a blind man. Both hearing and seeing are metaphors for the human capacity to understand. That is why Jesus had said to His disciples: “You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?” (Mark 8:18 NLT).

They had seen Him heal the deaf man and heard His warnings about the Pharisees. Yet, they still did not fully understand, just as the blind man did not fully see. But Jesus did not intend to leave the man with imperfect sight.

Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. – Mark 8:25 NLT

Jesus finished what He began. He didn’t leave the man with slightly improved sight; He completely restored his vision so he could see everything clearly. This two-part healing provides an important lesson. It reminds us that Jesus came to restore far more than physical sight or hearing. He came to open the eyes of the spiritually blind so that they might see the glory of His presence. He came to open the ears of the spiritually deaf so they might hear the good news. But what they see and hear must include the full scope of God’s redemptive message.

The disciples thought they understood who Jesus was. They saw Him as their long-awaited Messiah. They had high hopes that He would set up His Kingdom on earth and reward them with places of honor and prominence in His administration. But when they heard Jesus speak, they became increasingly confused by what He said. When He began to talk of His pending death in Jerusalem, they struggled to comprehend and accept His words.

The apostle Paul reminds us that God’s plan is far greater than we can understand. Much of what we experience in this life appears out of step with our understanding of God’s will. We are like men with partially restored sight, viewing everything through distorted lenses that give an imperfect image of reality.

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. – 1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT

The disciples didn’t fully comprehend who Jesus was and what He had come to do. But Jesus was gradually opening their eyes to the truth of His ministry and mission. In time, they would see clearly. But as Paul reminds us, we will not fully understand God’s ways until His plan of redemption is complete.

After telling the newly sighted man to avoid returning to the village, Jesus and His disciples went north to Caesarea Philippi. On the way, Jesus struck up a conversation with His disciples and asked, “Who do people say that I am?” (Mark 8:27 ESV). He wanted the disciples to wrestle with the various rumors concerning His identity. In a sense, Jesus asked them to reveal who people thought He was. When they saw Him perform miracles, what did they conclude? When they heard Him speak, who did they think they were listening to? The disciples revealed that the people had all kinds of opinions.

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.” – Mark 8:28 NLT

The people were like the man with partially restored sight. They could see, but not clearly. Their view of Jesus was incomplete and inconclusive. Notice that no one mentions Jesus being the Messiah. When the people looked at Jesus, it was like they were viewing Him through distorted lenses; He appeared indistinct and blurry.

This prompted Jesus to turn to His disciples and ask them the same question: “But who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29 ESV). Since deciding to follow Jesus, these men had spent their every waking minute with Him. They had witnessed all of His miracles and heard every one of His messages. They enjoyed intimate access to Jesus and the privilege of hearing Him explain some of His more cryptic parables. So, who did they understand Him to be? And the ever-impulsive Peter was the first to respond, “You are the Christ” (Mark 8:29 ESV).

In his gospel account, Mathew records that Peter added the further description: “the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16 ESV). Speaking on behalf of all the disciples, Peter acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. His words revealed a level of understanding and insight that the rest of the people did not share. But Matthew lets us know that Peter did not come to this conclusion on his own.

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 16:17 ESV

God had revealed this insight to Peter. In that moment, his partially blinded eyes opened, and he saw the truth of who Jesus was. Peter’s statement was like an epiphany. Even as the words came out of his mouth, Peter must have wondered whether he truly believed them. He would later reveal that his understanding of who Jesus was and what He had come to do was still cloudy and indistinct. He would continue to wrestle with the weight of his words and the expectations of his heart. But the time would come when he and his fellow disciples would see everything clearly and distinctly.

It is one thing to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah; it is another to believe it. It will become increasingly vital that the disciples understand the Messiah’s God-given role. Their expectations must take a back seat to God’s will. They envisioned the Messiah as a conquering king who would reestablish the kingdom of Israel. Their hopes were based on a flawed and incomplete understanding of the Messiah’s role. But Jesus did not come to rule and reign; He came to suffer and die. Even at His trial before Pilate, He said, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36 NLT).

Jesus was the Messiah, and He was also David’s son and heir to his throne. But before He could wear the crown, He had to bear the cross. Which is why He told Pilate, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true” (John 18:37 NLT). And Pilate, blind to the reality of Jesus’ identity, calmly replied, “What is the truth?” (John 18:38 NLT). 

The answer to that question is simple, yet difficult to understand. The spiritually blind can’t perceive it, and the spiritually deaf can’t hear it. But Jesus clearly articulated it:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” – John 14:6-7 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Here We Go Again

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1 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” 4 And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” 5 And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6 And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9 And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10 And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha – Mark 8:1-10 ESV

There is the School of Hard Knocks, and then there is the lesser-known but equally popular School of Repetitive Lessons. The first provides unsolicited educational opportunities through difficult, often unexpected life experiences. These painful, often self-inflicted life lessons are a vital part of the human growth process. Friedrich Nietzsche said, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

But many of us have spent more time in the second educational venue without even realizing it. Like the main character in the movie Groundhog Day, we wake up each morning with the eerie sensation that we’ve been here before. But we can’t quite put our finger on it. Everything feels a bit repetitive, almost as if someone has rewound the video of our life and hit replay. Like a child who must repeat second grade, we find ourselves reliving and relearning certain life experiences because we failed to grasp their significance the first time around. I affectionately call it God’s School for Remedial Slow Learners.

Today’s passage feels eerily familiar. As you read it, it’s hard to ignore the impression that we’ve been here before, because we have. In a sense, Mark lets us watch as the 12 disciples re-enter the School of Repetitive Learning, where they get a second chance to learn what they missed the first time.

Chapter 6 contains Mark’s account of the feeding of the 5,000. On that occasion, Jesus fed a large crowd, probably more than 10,000 people, with nothing more than five loaves of bread and two fish. He miraculously multiplied those meager resources so everyone in the crowd could eat as much as they wanted. When the people walked away full and satisfied, the disciples filled 12 baskets with the uneaten bread and fish. Those 12 baskets were a visual answer to Andrew’s question: “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” (John 6:9 ESV).

Andrew deemed the five loaves and two fish insufficient to meet their needs. But in doing so, he failed to understand Jesus’ sufficiency. Even after Jesus proved His power to provide, the disciples failed to learn the lesson. Mark records, “they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:52 ESV).

So here we are again, watching the disciples reenter Jesus’ School of Repetitive Learning, and Mark makes sure we don’t miss the repetitive nature of this scene.

…again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat… – Mark 8:1 ESV

It was déjà vu all over again, but the disciples didn’t recognize they had been here before. So, Jesus sets up the scene for them.

“I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a long distance.” – Mark 8:2-3 NLT

Jesus lobs them a softball, but they swing and miss. He graciously gives them a chance to prove they learned the lesson from the previous experience, yet one of them ignorantly responds, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?” (Mark 8:4 NLT).

The quiz had one simple question, and sadly, they revealed they had no idea what the answer was. They show no sign that they recognize anything familiar about this scene. So, once again, Jesus asks them to assess what resources they have.

“How many loaves do you have?” – Mark 8:5 ESV

All they can muster is a scant seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. By this time, you would expect at least one of the disciples to recall the earlier episode and make the connection. Surely Peter and Andrew could remember what Jesus had done with the five loaves and two fish. Wasn’t John smart enough to recognize what was happening and express confidence in Jesus’ ability to meet the moment’s need? Evidently not.

So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd. – Mark 8:6 NLT

Jesus performed yet another miracle and let His hard-hearted disciples participate; they became the means of distribution. The bread, broken and blessed by Jesus, passed from His hands through theirs. They took what Jesus provided and made it available to those in need. These slow-to-learn, quick-to-doubt men were given a glimpse of the future role they would play as Jesus’ ambassadors. The day was coming when His body would be broken for sinful men and women; the Bread of Life would offer Himself so the spiritually hungry might be satisfied. When that day came, the disciples would be tasked with distributing the Bread of Life to all who would receive it.

“…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 ESV

Little did they know that these lessons were intended to prepare them for something far more significant and life-changing. They remained oblivious to the lesson that Jesus was trying to teach them. It would not be the last time Jesus used the metaphor of broken bread to convey the reality of His life’s mission. On the night Jesus celebrated His last Passover meal with His disciples, He revisited these two earlier experiences and connected the dots for them.

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” – Luke 22:19 ESV

It had never been about loaves and fishes, satisfying temporal needs, or filling empty stomachs. Jesus had come to offer His life as a sacrifice for the sins of fallen mankind. And one day, these very same men would find themselves distributing the good news of Jesus’ sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection to the spiritually hungry. Jesus would offer His life to be broken, and they would have the joy and privilege of sharing the news of His gift with all who would accept it.

Jesus declared Himself the bread sent from heaven by God the Father.

“For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” – John 6:33 ESV

And He offered Himself as the means by which the hungry and thirsty might find satisfaction.

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger…” – John 6:35 ESV

So, as the disciples distributed the broken bread, they probably had the nagging sense that they had been here before. It all felt eerily familiar. The people ate, were satisfied, and, as before, the disciples picked up seven baskets of leftovers. But they remained just as oblivious, having failed to learn the lesson Jesus was trying to teach them. But He would lovingly and patiently repeat the message because He knew the day was coming when the light would go on, and all the lessons would make sense. These men, who found themselves in God’s remedial school for slow learners, would become His primary means of distributing the Bread of Life to a spiritually famished world.

For the second time, Jesus fed a hungry crowd with a few loaves of bread. But that was just a picture of the day when His body would be broken so that a host of hungry sinners could find spiritual sustenance and new life.

“Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.” – John 12:23-24 NLT

The apostle John records that the day after Jesus fed the 5,000, the people showed up again hoping to get another free meal, but Jesus responded, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you” (John 6:26-27 NLT). And people confirm Jesus’ suspicion when they respond, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat’” (John 6:30-31 NLT).

They were still looking for a handout, but Jesus warned them that they were missing the point. He replied, “My Father did…offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32-33 NLT). This message was intended for His disciples. He wanted them to understand His true identity and mission. 

“I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” – John 6:49-41 NLT

The crowd and His disciples found His message confusing. His talk of eating His body and drinking His blood was hard to understand. But again, Jesus was trying to help His disciples grasp the real purpose of His incarnation.

“I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” – John 6:57-58 NLT

Jesus had not come to fill stomachs and provide temporary relief from sickness; He was on a mission of redemption and restoration that would bring eternal life to those enslaved to sin and condemned to death. Yet, the disciples struggled to understand what Jesus was trying to tell them. His actions and words left them confused and conflicted. But rather than giving up on them, Jesus lovingly, patiently, and methodically revealed His identity through His miracles and messages. And, one day, they would graduate from the School of Repetitive Lessons and hear Jesus give His commencement address.

“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Great and Merciful Shepherd

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24 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. 25 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” – Mark 7:24-37 ESV

After His lengthy, heated debate with the religious leaders over ritual cleansing and defilement, Jesus took His disciples on an unexpected journey outside Israel’s borders. The Jewish Messiah, who had come “to his own, and his own people did not receive him” (John 1:11),  took His message to the Gentiles. In a sense, Jesus was leaving behind the legalistic, self-righteous law-keepers and choosing to align Himself with the unclean and lawless pagans living in the land of Phoenicia.

The scribes and Pharisees were appalled that Jesus and His disciples did not follow the traditional rite of hand-cleansing before eating bread. What would they think when they heard that Jesus had defiled Himself by traveling outside Galilee and associating with non-Jews?

But that seemed to be the point of Jesus’ excursion outside the land of Israel. God had promised Abraham, “in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 22:18 ESV). Not long after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the apostle Paul took the gospel message to the people of Galatia, where many of them turned to Christ. Later, in a letter he wrote to the churches he helped to start, he echoed the words of Jesus.

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” – Galatians 3:7-8 ESV

Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. – Galatians 3:16 ESV

In traveling to the Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon, Jesus demonstrated the truth of the Father’s promise to Abraham. Abraham’s “offspring” was about to “bless” the nations.

Mark indicates that, upon arrival, Jesus “entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden” (Mark 7:24 ESV). This statement carries great weight. According to Jewish law, by entering the house of a Gentile, Jesus defiled Himself and rendered Himself ceremonially unclean.

“The strict Jew would not enter a Gentile’s house, nor sit on the same couch, nor eat or drink out of the same vessel. The very dust of a heathen city was defiling.” – Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

A second-century text called The Book of Jubilees contains the following warning against any association with Gentiles.

“And you also, my son, Jacob, remember my words, and keep the commandments of Abraham, your father. Separate yourself from the Gentiles, and do not eat with them, and do not perform deeds like theirs. And do not become associates of theirs. Because their deeds are defiled, and all their ways are contaminated, and despicable, and abominable.” – Jubilees 22:16

So, Mark’s reference to Jesus entering a Gentile home was meant to shock his readers. Yet rumors about Jesus and His miraculous powers had reached Phoenicia. Mark records, “immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet” (Mark 7:25 ESV). Matthew calls her “a Canaanite woman” (Matthew 15:22 ESV). The term “Canaanite” was an all-inclusive term for any and all Gentiles who lived in the land originally known as Canaan. This woman was a Gentile, and yet she was willing to seek out the Jewish Messiah in the hopes that He could help her with a pressing problem. Mark wanted his readers to grasp how shocking this encounter was.

Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. – Mark 7:26 ESV

The woman was not a Jew, so she was considered unclean and unholy. To make matters worse, her daughter was possessed by a demon. Everything about this scenario is meant to stress her defilement and to place Jesus in a potentially compromising position. But in his account, Matthew adds an interesting and important detail. In begging Jesus to help her daughter, the woman reveals an uncharacteristic understanding of who Jesus really was.

“Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” – Matthew 15:22 ESV

By calling him “Son of David,” she acknowledged her belief that he was the Jew’s long-awaited Messiah, the promised descendant of King David. This wasn’t necessarily an expression of saving faith, but a confession that she believed Jesus was a man of great power and significance. And because she had heard of His many miracles, she begged this powerful man to show her mercy by helping her daughter.

Only Matthew indicates the disciples’ reaction, revealing that these good Jews were appalled at the woman’s unmitigated gall and begged Jesus to get rid of her.

“Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” – Matthew 15:23 ESV

Everything about this trip must have had them shaking their heads in wonder. Why would Jesus drag them on a 30-mile journey to a place like Tyre. It’s likely none of these men had ever ventured outside Israel’s borders, so they might have seen this trip as an adventure. But when Jesus began to interact with the local inhabitants, they must have been surprised and confused. What Jesus says to the woman echoed the disciples’ sentiments.

“Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” – Mark 7:27 ESV

The Jews considered dogs to be unclean. Rarely kept as pets, they were typically used for security, and the streets of most Israelite towns and villages were filled with strays that scavenged for food and could threaten public safety. So, when Jesus referred to this woman as a “dog,” He was expressing the common Jewish perception concerning Gentiles.

According to Matthew, Jesus told the woman, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24 ESV). He made it clear to her that His original mission was to His own people. But she was not willing to give up so easily; her need was great, and Jesus was her only hope.

Unphased by Jesus’ comments, she responded, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs” (Mark 7:28 ESV). She didn’t debate His assessment of her social standing or take offense at His seeming slight. Instead, she acknowledged her unworthiness and humbly begged for a “crumb” of His goodness and mercy. She knew she was undeserving of His mercy, and was willing to take anything He gave her. And to the disciples’ amazement, Jesus gladly obliged her request.

“For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” – Mark 7:29 ESV

Matthew reveals that the statement itself did not produce her daughter’s miraculous healing; it was the faith that motivated it. Jesus told her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly” (Matthew 15:28 ESV). Her belief in Jesus’ power and authority was rewarded.

And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone. – Mark 7:30 ESV

When she arrived home, she found her daughter whole and in her right mind. But Jesus and His disciples left Tire, headed north to the city of Sidon, then back through Galilee to Decapolis on the southeastern side of the Sea of Galilee. This long, arduous trip would have taken anywhere from a few weeks to a month. When they arrived in this predominantly Gentile region, Jesus once again found Himself confronted with a request for healing.

…they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. – Mark 7:32 ESV

Mark doesn’t say whether this man was a Jew or a Gentile, but like the Canaanite woman, he had a pressing problem that required Jesus’ power. Mark’s description of the man’s condition is critical to understanding this miracle’s meaning. The man suffered from a “speech impediment,” and Mark used a rare Greek word, mogilalos, to describe it. The only other time this word appears is in the Greek Septuagint rendering of Isaiah 35:4-6.

Say to those who have an anxious heart,
    “Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
    will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
    He will come and save you.”

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue ofthe mute [mogilalos] sing for joy. – Isaiah 35:4-6

This Messianic passage prophesies the Messiah’s coming and portrays the amazing miracles He would perform upon His arrival. Here, Jesus is given yet another opportunity to reveal His true identity through another supernatural display of His power.

The way this miracle was enacted is truly unique. Jesus “put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue” (Mark 7:33 NLT). None of this was necessary. Mark had just described Jesus healing the Canaanite woman’s daughter from a distance with nothing more than a spoken word. But in this case, Jesus touched the man and, in doing so, became ceremonially defiled. This man’s condition rendered him unclean because the Jews believed that disease and disabilities were the result of sin. Yet, Jesus touched the man’s ears and tongue, then declared, “Be opened” (Mark 7:35 ESV). And immediately, the man’s hearing and speech were fully restored, leaving the onlookers “astonished beyond measure” (Mark 7:37 ESV). Stunned by what they had just witnessed, they responded, “Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak” (Mark 7:37 NLT).

Jesus warned them not to tell anyone what they had seen, but they couldn’t help themselves; the news of this miracle spread throughout the region. These two miracles, the healing of the girl in Tyre and the healing of the man in Decapolis, sparked interest in and a hunger for the Messiah among the Gentiles. This matters because, after His resurrection, Jesus commissioned His disciples to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV). When they arrived in places like Phoenicia and Decapolis, they found an audience ready to hear the good news of Jesus, the Messiah. Jesus had primed the pump and prepared the Gentiles’ hearts to receive the message of salvation His disciples would bring. 

The offspring of Abraham had come to bless the nations of the earth. As the seed of David and the Son of God, Jesus was on a mission to restore the lost sheep of the flock of Abraham, but, as He later declared, “I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd” (John 10:16 NLT). As the Son of God, Jesus came “to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10 NLT), including people from every tribe, nation, and tongue. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

“Take Heart, It Is I”

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45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. – Mark 6:45-52 ESV

Three of the four gospels include this story, and all three indicate that it happened immediately after the miracle of the bread and the fish. Context is essential to understanding what happens and offers much-needed insight into Mark’s rather condemning conclusion: “they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.” (Mark 6:52 NLT).

Mark’s harsh-sounding critique seems to paint the disciples in an unflattering light, but in context, it gives the reader a fair and honest assessment of their ongoing spiritual transformation. They were works in progress. Their comprehension of Jesus’ true identity was in a constant state of flux, and complicated by their own personal agendas and expectations. Their concepts of the Messiah were shaped by their Hebrew roots and strongly influenced by the religious indoctrination they received as young boys at the local synagogue in their hometowns. Their experiences with Jesus were informative and instructive, but also confusing and at odds with their preconceived notions of the coming Messiah.

Jesus didn’t operate according to their expectations. His miracles, though powerfully impressive, didn’t seem to usher in the Kingdom the disciples had long anticipated. His words, while spoken with authority and filled with interesting stories and fascinating parables, didn’t always make sense. He spoke cryptically and about subjects that seemed out of keeping with someone who had come to be King of Israel.

So, this particular story must be viewed within the immediate context of the surrounding events. Mark indicates that as soon as the disciples finished gathering the 12 baskets of leftover loaves and fish, Jesus instructed them to take a boat to the village of Bethsaida. Jesus then dismissed the crowd and went to a secluded spot for some time alone with God the Father. Mark provides no details concerning this divine conversation between Father and Son, but it is safe to assume that it mirrored the other prayers of Jesus recorded in the gospels. These moments of isolation and intimate communion with His Heavenly Father were important to Jesus. During these occasions, Jesus shared His heart and received instructions. Perhaps He prayed for the disciples, sharing His frustration that they could not grasp the meaning of His messages and miracles. Jesus knew God had given these men to Him, but He also knew they struggled to understand who He truly was and the real purpose behind His incarnation.

After Jesus finished His time in prayer, He made His way back to the shoreline, where He saw the disciples “making headway painfully, for the wind was against them” (Mark 6:48 ESV). John indicates that “they had rowed about three or four miles” (John 6:29 ESV). 

Don’t minimize the circumstances surrounding this scene. It was around 3:00 a.m.; the sky was pitch black, the wind howled furiously, and white-capped waves pounded against the sides of the small fishing boat. The disciples, four of whom were professional fishermen, struggled to keep the boat afloat as it headed to their final destination. And Jesus witnessed all of this from the safety of the shoreline.

But then He did something extraordinary and unexpected. He stepped out into the sea and began to walk on the water, and Mark adds a very important detail to his narrative.

Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them… – Mark 6:48 NLT

Jesus walked toward the disciples but was fully intending to walk right past them and on to Bethsaida. He wanted them to see Him and take hope and confidence in Him. If He could walk on the waves in the midst of the storm, they had no reason to fear. Just the sight of Jesus walking calmly and confidently on the tops of the waves should have instilled peace in the disciples’ hearts. Instead, they reacted with fear.

…but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. They were all terrified when they saw him. – Mark 6:49-50 NLT

They hadn’t been looking for Jesus, so when He suddenly appeared, they didn’t recognize Him because they weren’t expecting Him to show up in that inhospitable context. It’s interesting that the disciples showed no fear until Jesus appeared unexpectedly. There’s no indication that the disciples feared the storm. They were simply struggling against the wind and waves, trying to make their way to Bethsaida as Jesus had instructed. But their demeanor quickly shifted from focused determination to abject fear when they spotted this strange figure walking toward them amid the storm’s darkness and violence.

Sensing their terror, Jesus quickly identified Himself to the frightened men.

“Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” – Mark 6:50 ESV

They had not recognized Him because they had not expected Him. In fact, no one in the boat had called out to Him. In the midst of their difficulty, they had forgotten all about Jesus. They were so consumed with the task at hand that they forgot the very one who had sent them on this storm-tossed, ill-fated excursion. Seeing Jesus calmly walking on the water amid the storm should have been enough to remind them of His power and authority. They had just seen Him feed thousands of men, women, and children with nothing more than five small loaves and two fish. They had returned from a recent missionary journey, having cast out demons and performed other healing miracles. But in the wee hours of the morning, amid a storm-tossed sea, no one thought of miracles or the Messiah. They just wanted to survive.

In a characteristic act of mercy and grace, Jesus changed His plans and joined the disciples in their struggle. Rather than walk by, He entered the boat with them, and as soon as His foot touched the deck, “the wind ceased” (Mark 6:51 ESV). His presence brought peace, and the disciples “were utterly astounded” (Mark 6:51 ESV). Mark uses the Greek word existēmi, which literally means they were beside themselves. One has to ask why this particular miracle had such an impact on them. Had they not seen Jesus do other incredible, mind-blowing miracles? What was it about this one that left them “beside themselves” in wonder?

Mark provides the answer:  “for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:51 ESV). They had not connected the dots. The bow of the boat likely held the 12 baskets of leftovers they had gathered. But they still could not understand the significance of the miracle Jesus had performed. By transforming five loaves and two fish into enough food to feed an army, Jesus had clearly demonstrated His divine power and authority over the creation. He had done the impossible. Yet, the disciples did not understand. They fully grasped the reality of the miracle because they had seen it happen, but they were blind to the message it was intended to send: Jesus was God.

Mark notes that their hearts were calloused and hardened. In their fallen human state, they couldn’t discern the message behind Jesus’ miracles. They failed to connect the dots and see the picture being revealed right before their eyes. But step by step, miracle by miracle, Jesus continued to disclose Himself to these men. He patiently and persistently displayed His power and authority so that, eventually, their beliefs about Him would align with God’s will, not their own.

They believed Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah, but He was demonstrating His identity as the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. Jesus wasn’t just a man whom God had anointed as David’s seed and the rightful heir to his throne; He was God in human flesh and possessed all the power, rights, and privileges of deity. The apostle Paul explained Jesus’ divine identity in powerful terms.

Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
   he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross. – Philippians 2:6-8 NLT

The disciples didn’t understand. Even when they had previously witnessed Jesus calm the storm, they were forced to ask, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41 ESV). His power was evident but inexplicable. This Rabbi from Nazareth could control the winds and the waves, but the disciples couldn’t grasp His true identity. Jesus was God, but because of their hardened hearts, the disciples failed to recognize Him. Yet, they would have been familiar with Psalm 46.

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

“Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. – Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.