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http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%206:1-52&version=NIV
The first three stories center around the (as always) different responses to ministry and Mark describes them as issues of faith. They included resonses to Jesus himself, the disciples, and looking back, John the Baptizer.
It wraps up with two more miracles that Mark binds together by the theme of bread.
Your thoughts...and how might you apply part of this passage.
I noticed for the first time ,this reading (6:20) that Herod was afraid of John and convicted by his message ,yet he liked to listen to him . I don't know what to make of that . It may be that some that we might witness to may be more receptive to the message , including the need to repent , than I had originally anticipated .( that's good news ! )
ReplyDelete(6:48)Also , I am concerned that the disciples hearts were hardened leading them to not understand the bread miracle . I don't
"understand" the bread miracle. I wouldn't like to think of myself as one with a hard heart . It's the same fear I had a couple days ago about not understanding the parables .
I sure wouldn't like to think of myself as one who did not have ears or one who was ever hearing but not understanding . I feel in my heart( on an emotive level ) that I have been given the secret to the Kingdom and should be understanding parables and miracles but still fear a hardened heart .
Jesus is the bread, bread is their sustenance, He is their sustenance. Perhaps they don't understand that annalogy, but it's confusing to me that they can witness miracles right before their eyes and still not understand. What does that say about us today? Are there things in front of our eyes that we fail to see?
ReplyDeleteI sometimes feel that I leave my Bible with more questions than answers. That makes me excited for the day when I will understand, but it also makes me wonder if I am one of the people with a hardened heart.
I'll post some interpretive comments later...but I think everyone who ministers (serves Jesus' mission in any capacity) needs to read/hear these particular passages every once in a while.
ReplyDeleteThe hardened heart is a great discussion point. Like many issues, my thought is that if we are still asking the question of ourselves, then at least there is the possibility that our heart is not hard. Once we stop this self-examination, it is too easy to slip towards the dark side.
ReplyDeleteTwo parts of the first few verses are gnawing at me: end of V4: "And they took offense at him." and V5-6 "He could not do any miracles there ... and he was amazed at their lack of faith."
The people in his hometown actually took offense at His presence and I assume His miracles? And in 5-6, He COULD NOT do any miracles, again I assume, because of their lack of faith. This relates to my comments a few days back, when the man was lowered through the roof. When Jesus saw the faith of his friends, the paralytic was healed. But then it seemed like more of a choice. Here in V5 it says He *could not* do any miracles. Could not?
The religious leaders took offense at Jesus because they had decided he’s not the kind of person who should have the kind of wisdom or authority they knew he did!
ReplyDelete6:4-6 may extend to preachers, ministers of all kinds, who, like parents, seem to preach their guts out to those they love, but familiarity but find they are often dismissed...Jesus felt that too.
I find v. 5 “could not” hard to take, but like it or not, and this is true in the church and at home, Jesus' authority and power has something to do with a community's faith or lack of it.
Finally Jesus began to send the 12 out (in pairs) – authority is derived…given, not inherent in us – nor in others, though we act as if it is, or should be in others.
It is a sad reality that there are people and places where a preacher of God's good news is not welcomed or listened to...so Jesus says, "move on!" in v. 11. Ouch!
John died because he said what needed to be said to Herod…held the family accountable. This doesn’t suggest anyone has the right to go around and arbitrarily point out others’ sins, but rather reminds us to serve as God has called us to serve – for John, this specifically meant preaching ‘repent’ which many did, and many did not…especially those with something big to lose.
Not sure I can unpack this, but I read this and thought: John died because of the things Jesus died to cleanse from each us…
From v. 30 we hear what the disciples did – meanwhile, because of the traffic they went to a quiet place, but such a crowd gathered they had to feed them!
A big lesson about ministry for the disciples (and us) at the feeding of the 5000: Always get going with what you've got! More churches have split and faded and lost passion because they bailed on what they had to go get something somewhere else. 'nough said.
I find it interesting that the solution to sheep without a shepherd (v. 34) is teaching – authoritative teaching, which Jesus offered and continues to offer through his spirit led church.
Ends with a weird saying about bread: [Doc] – here’s what we can say about this - the miracle of the loaves should have meant something to them that would have led them to trust even in the storm!
I've seen the " prophet without honor " syndrome in action . It's an unfortunate phenomenon . We often make a big deal of an out of towner and are oblivious to a hometown gem .
ReplyDeleteThanks Matt for this ; "Always get going with what you've got " ( or be in danger of losing passion / momentum ).I hope I always remember that .