Category: Mark

  • Love is the Answer

    (Mark 12:28-34) One of the most penetrating answers given to Jesus was given by a scribe. Too often we generalise about people and don’t take account of the fact that not everyone is the same. I am often critical of churches because some of them teach a form of doctrine that does not promote the…

  • Marriage in Heaven

    (Mark 12:18-27) After the Pharisees and Herodians tried to entangle Jesus and failed, the Sadducees came to try and confuse him. The only trouble with their line of argument was that first they did not even believe in what they were questioning Jesus about, and second they didn’t know what they were talking about as…

  • Render to Caesar the Things that are Caesar’s

    (Mark 12:13-17) The Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to try and entrap him. The chief priests were looking for a reason to arrest Jesus and hoped that he could be trapped by teaching something opposing the laws of the land. First they tried to get under Jesus’ guard with flattery saying they knew…

  • Parable of the Tenants

    (Mark 12:1-12) This parable was told by Jesus in relation to the chief priests in relation to how they had failed. They were given a responsibility by the Lord and they failed in their responsibility. What is worse they abused their position to try and gain power and position instead of offering service that was…

  • You Can’t Sit on the Fence

    (Mark 11:22-33) This is a classic lesson that Jesus taught the chief priests and scribes and which provides a warning to all of us. The Lord hates fence sitters. Here is a perfect example of the way he dealt with them. The chief priests and scribes came to Jesus asking by what authority was he…

  • Have Faith in God

    (Mark 11:20-26) The lesson of the fig tree was covered a few posts ago. We see an additional lesson here when the disciples note that the fig tree is withered and they point it out to Jesus. The disciple were amazed that the fig tree had withered after Jesus spoke to it. But Jesus’ response…

  • Driving Out the Merchants and Money Changers from the Temple

    (Mark 11:15-19) Jesus came to the temple in Jerusalem and saw the merchants and money changers carrying on their business. He made the point saying, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” (Verse 17) And with…

  • The Barren Fig Tree

    (Mark 11:11-14) The teaching about the barren fig tree is an interesting one. Each time I look at it I find things that are more and more interesting in it. The first time I read this section of scripture I thought the Lord was being harsh and vindictive. He basically cursed the fig tree so…

  • Hosanna in the Highest

    (Mark 11:1-10) From the mouths of babes the Lord brought perfect praise. This is what Jesus said in another version of this section of scripture. As he rode on the colt of an ass (which was to fulfil prophecy) the people laid down leafy branches and and their garments when he rode to Jerusalem. Jesus…

  • Seek the Lord and Never, Ever Give Up

    (Mark 10:46-52) Bartimaeus was a man blind from birth. He eked out his existence through begging on the streets. The outlook for his life was poor. He was rejected by people, as we will see, and had little to look forward to. But he had one thing that shone out, faith. His faith was great…

  • Making a Request of God

    (Mark 10:35-45) James and John were two brothers and disciples of the Lord. They came to him asking if Jesus would grant them to sit at his right and his left hand in his kingdom. (Verse 37) There was a lesson for them and the rest of the disciples to learn and Jesus used this…

  • Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

    (Mark 10:32-34) Jesus was well aware of his purpose on this earth. He came to be the perfect sacrifice so that man could be reconciled to God. He came to die so that we would have the chance to live. He spoke about this on several occasions with his disciples. His aim by doing this…