The Unpardonable Sin Feb 12
Mark 3:28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”— 30 because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Jesus makes an extraordinary statement here when he says, “all sins will be forgiven…” This is an assurance that many people do not accept at face value.
When we ask forgiveness of people, we sometimes will find we are not forgiven. This statement reassures us that God forgives ALL sins.
There is a divine conjunction, however. “But” lets us know there is an exception to what God will forgive.
“…but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.” Matthew 12:31-32 and Luke 12:10 also state the unpardonable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Only Mark gives us an example of what blasphemy against the Spirit might look like. In verse 30, Mark explains “because they (the scribes) said, ‘He (Jesus) has an unclean spirit.’” Therefore, they were ascribing the work of the Spirit to Satan. Mark says this is blasphemy against the Spirit.
Verse 30 leads us to believe that only this particular sin is unforgiven. ALL other sins are forgiven if we understand this correctly.
This is where we must tread carefully, because we are told multiple times in the Gospels of another sin that is unforgiven.
Pray for understanding on this. Be open to understanding these words in Mark so that there is no conflict when we read other verses in Mark or in other Gospels that may conflict.
A different understanding of what is unforgiven may come to us in our study, an understanding that eliminates contradiction in this statement from Jesus
Family Feb 13
Mark 3:31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.”
33 But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”
We saw in Mark 3:21 (Feb 10) that Jesus’ brothers have heard what Jesus is doing and have come to, shall we say, rescue Him. They believe Jesus has lost it, speaking against the religious authorities and causing a stir among the people. This is crazy, in their minds, and they would prevent Jesus from further embarrassment of Himself and His family.
Mary, Jesus’ mother, is with them. She loves her son like a mother and will be where He is should He need a mother’s support. The brothers’ agenda and hers are different.
In this passage, they have arrived after the crowd has filled and surrounded the building. The brothers are on the outside. This is both literal and figurative. The brothers are among those who do not know or do not comprehend their brother. They do not attempt to enter, to understand Him, but send someone to tell Jesus they are outside.
Jesus seeks first (and always) the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33). This kingdom is populated by those who do the will of God. This is not to be misconstrued as works oriented, that a person obeying the commands is automatically in fellowship with Christ as a brother or sister. We are to understand that relationship through the Spirit creates a spiritual family, and we will know them by their fruit.
Faith is the root and stem, obedience is the flower, and the fruit of the Spirit flows forth abundantly.
Family, friends, and others who lay claim to a person often place roadblocks or detours on our journey to the Oneness with God that rings the peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7). This peace is as foreign to the physical world as the miracles that Jesus has performed.
Jesus’ inner peace allows Him to respond with love to those who attack Him, and also to those who think they are doing what is best for Him.
The Generous Sower Feb 14
Mark 4:1 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:
3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Jesus is teaching, but He is using a parable as the medium for His message. Verses 10-12 tell us why He is using parables in His teaching. And verses 13 – 20 tell us the meaning of the types of soil upon which the seed fall.
Let us look first at this very generous sower and the seed.
The sower is God, at least in the sense that God is the Creator of all and the source of all. The seed is the word of God.
Jesus is also the Word, showing us God made flesh (John 1:1-3). And here in the parable we see that Jesus is the sower of the seed. He came to do the work of the Father, and to rightly represent Him. And when Jesus leaves, He does not desert His followers but sends the Holy Spirit to guide them in sowing the word.
We see the three-in-one unity of the trinity in God. They are at one time separate entities, but they are one as the sower. The Word is present in all of them, and they are all present in the Word.
The sower is generous in dispersing his seed. He does not determine in advance the nature of the soil. He will not allow any land to not be productive if it is capable of bearing fruit. And He will not prejudge.
Jesus sows generously, spreading the word to all who have ears to hear and a heart to receive. He invites all into the kingdom of God, now. He does not hold back, for He loves abundantly and will share the Good News with all.
Why Parables? Feb 15
Mark 4:10 But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that
‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’” (based on Isaiah 6:9-10)
Jesus has performed miracles of healing and spoken truths that could not be contradicted, such as the exceptions of necessity and mercy for keeping of the Sabbath. He has spoken plainly, made clear statements concerning fasting and forgiveness.
In John 3, Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews (Pharisees) has heard and seen enough to proclaim, “’Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him’” (John 6:2).
Nicodemus is an exception among the leaders of Israel, but he also finds it difficult to understand what Jesus is saying even when it is spoken clearly. What Jesus says to Nicodemus could have been said to the great majority of people in authority: “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” (John 6:12)
God had spoken to the people of Israel before Isaiah became a prophet, but they would not understand. They saw but did not perceive, and heard but did not understand, and they did not return (“repent” in the New Testament translation of John the Baptist’s call) to God. God tells Isaiah only a remnant of a remnant of Israel will be saved.
The masses of people follow Jesus for His healing miracles, and some perceive the possibility of a military messiah. People in power view Him as crazy or a threat if they acknowledge Him at all. Few understand the call to a personal relationship with their Creator.
Jesus will speak in parables, simple stories demonstrating His religious teaching, which has been too hard for the people to comprehend. He now patiently explains to the disciples the nature of the kingdom of God.
The Parable Explained Feb 16
Mark 4:13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
Jesus finds He must give His disciples a pattern for interpreting parables. And Mark allows us to learn from this example, as well.
We might consider Jesus’ remark in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” In other words, if you do not seek it first, you are not really seeking it and will not find it.
“The kingdom of God is at hand” means that the kingdom is right beside us. All we have to do is to enter. But to enter, we must leave behind all that does not belong in the kingdom. We must make a conscious decision to be nothing but the fertile ground that is the land of the kingdom.
The parable of the sower shows how the word of God, given freely to all, perishes when it falls on anything other than a spiritual soil.
Seed that falls by the wayside is not on the path of the listener, and he will not understand.
Seed that falls on stony ground looks good on the surface to the woman, but she does not perceive its truth and lets it slip away.
Seed that falls among thorns are heard, but earthly things – cares, riches, desires - choke out the sound until it is no longer comprehended.
Seed that falls on good soil finds a place to grow in the heart of the spiritual person. Here the seed can become productive and show many more the way to the kingdom of God. The kingdom of heaven, of God, is at hand.
Light not to Be Hidden Feb 17
Mark 4:21 Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The sower sows the word was yesterday’s verse 14. We read that anyone who sows the word is a sower of the word. When we share the message that we have received, each of us becomes a sower of the word. What an opportunity!
Jesus launches into a new parable to express this thought, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?”
The seed of the previous parable is the light of this one. As everyone understood about where to plant seed so that it would grow, so everyone understood the purpose of a candle or a wick in oil was to give light.
Jesus has made flat statements of truth, but those who heard did not understand. Now He teaches in parables.
He relates events in normal daily life to the kingdom of heaven. As the hearers of His words discover their meaning in spiritual terms, they learn the truth that Jesus already has stated plainly. But the lesson now has more meaning.
The difference is that the exercise of learning these principles from daily life examples has given them more context, a deeper understanding. The effort expended in translating daily life to spiritual life has helped the hearer to own understanding of the concepts that Jesus speaks and models.
Once the message is understood, the light received, the discovery of truth is too much to be quietly contained within. The desire is to share the discovery, to plant the seed of this discovery in others, and to shine the light on the seed that it may grow.
We can give a child the truth about addition, that 25 + 25 = 50. But it is better to give an understanding of how to arrive at the answer of 50 rather than to memorize all possibilities.
Rather than memorizing a law for every possible situation, Jesus is teaching people how to understand relationship with God and the nature of His kingdom. Being in relationship with God allows us to understand the things that are good. There is no need to prohibit all that is bad.
Take Heed Feb 18
Mark 4:24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
Listen! Listen to the words that Jesus is telling you, disciples. The effort you put into understanding these words will be rewarded.
The reward? More will be given you to understand.
Devote your attention to hearing His words. Let the seed that He is casting land on fertile soil.
Whether to listen, to put aside the lessons of the world and to hear new lessons, spiritual lessons, is a conscious decision.
We must let go of the old wineskin. What Jesus will pour into those who listen will not fit in the confines of the old way of thinking. His words are too large, the meaning too different from the old understanding, for the old mind to hold.
As the hearer stretches the mind to accommodate a new way of thinking, further possibilities for change and growth will open. There is more to the world than what is felt with the hand, seen with the eye, and heard with the ear. The first acceptance of this as a fact opens up a whole realm of possibilities. This realm Mark calls the kingdom of God.
The hearer of the Word is given a new world with new vistas and new understanding. Life becomes more abundant as the spirits of darkness vanish in the light.
Those unable or unwilling to hear, to comprehend the truth of the Word, will hear only babble. The truth does not fit into their old wineskin, already thin and stretched. They reject the Word to preserve their limited old understanding.
With the heart opening to understand the first light of dawn, the concept of light becomes more appealing. Shadows recede as the light rises higher.
As the light is received, it begins to be reflected, also. Something so precious cannot be held within.
And yet it burns those not used to light. It is an offense to eyes used to darkness, to ears hearing only the old language of an old world.
Next day
Mark 3:28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”— 30 because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Jesus makes an extraordinary statement here when he says, “all sins will be forgiven…” This is an assurance that many people do not accept at face value.
When we ask forgiveness of people, we sometimes will find we are not forgiven. This statement reassures us that God forgives ALL sins.
There is a divine conjunction, however. “But” lets us know there is an exception to what God will forgive.
“…but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.” Matthew 12:31-32 and Luke 12:10 also state the unpardonable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Only Mark gives us an example of what blasphemy against the Spirit might look like. In verse 30, Mark explains “because they (the scribes) said, ‘He (Jesus) has an unclean spirit.’” Therefore, they were ascribing the work of the Spirit to Satan. Mark says this is blasphemy against the Spirit.
Verse 30 leads us to believe that only this particular sin is unforgiven. ALL other sins are forgiven if we understand this correctly.
This is where we must tread carefully, because we are told multiple times in the Gospels of another sin that is unforgiven.
Pray for understanding on this. Be open to understanding these words in Mark so that there is no conflict when we read other verses in Mark or in other Gospels that may conflict.
A different understanding of what is unforgiven may come to us in our study, an understanding that eliminates contradiction in this statement from Jesus
Family Feb 13
Mark 3:31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.”
33 But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”
We saw in Mark 3:21 (Feb 10) that Jesus’ brothers have heard what Jesus is doing and have come to, shall we say, rescue Him. They believe Jesus has lost it, speaking against the religious authorities and causing a stir among the people. This is crazy, in their minds, and they would prevent Jesus from further embarrassment of Himself and His family.
Mary, Jesus’ mother, is with them. She loves her son like a mother and will be where He is should He need a mother’s support. The brothers’ agenda and hers are different.
In this passage, they have arrived after the crowd has filled and surrounded the building. The brothers are on the outside. This is both literal and figurative. The brothers are among those who do not know or do not comprehend their brother. They do not attempt to enter, to understand Him, but send someone to tell Jesus they are outside.
Jesus seeks first (and always) the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33). This kingdom is populated by those who do the will of God. This is not to be misconstrued as works oriented, that a person obeying the commands is automatically in fellowship with Christ as a brother or sister. We are to understand that relationship through the Spirit creates a spiritual family, and we will know them by their fruit.
Faith is the root and stem, obedience is the flower, and the fruit of the Spirit flows forth abundantly.
Family, friends, and others who lay claim to a person often place roadblocks or detours on our journey to the Oneness with God that rings the peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7). This peace is as foreign to the physical world as the miracles that Jesus has performed.
Jesus’ inner peace allows Him to respond with love to those who attack Him, and also to those who think they are doing what is best for Him.
The Generous Sower Feb 14
Mark 4:1 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:
3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Jesus is teaching, but He is using a parable as the medium for His message. Verses 10-12 tell us why He is using parables in His teaching. And verses 13 – 20 tell us the meaning of the types of soil upon which the seed fall.
Let us look first at this very generous sower and the seed.
The sower is God, at least in the sense that God is the Creator of all and the source of all. The seed is the word of God.
Jesus is also the Word, showing us God made flesh (John 1:1-3). And here in the parable we see that Jesus is the sower of the seed. He came to do the work of the Father, and to rightly represent Him. And when Jesus leaves, He does not desert His followers but sends the Holy Spirit to guide them in sowing the word.
We see the three-in-one unity of the trinity in God. They are at one time separate entities, but they are one as the sower. The Word is present in all of them, and they are all present in the Word.
The sower is generous in dispersing his seed. He does not determine in advance the nature of the soil. He will not allow any land to not be productive if it is capable of bearing fruit. And He will not prejudge.
Jesus sows generously, spreading the word to all who have ears to hear and a heart to receive. He invites all into the kingdom of God, now. He does not hold back, for He loves abundantly and will share the Good News with all.
Why Parables? Feb 15
Mark 4:10 But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that
‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’” (based on Isaiah 6:9-10)
Jesus has performed miracles of healing and spoken truths that could not be contradicted, such as the exceptions of necessity and mercy for keeping of the Sabbath. He has spoken plainly, made clear statements concerning fasting and forgiveness.
In John 3, Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews (Pharisees) has heard and seen enough to proclaim, “’Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him’” (John 6:2).
Nicodemus is an exception among the leaders of Israel, but he also finds it difficult to understand what Jesus is saying even when it is spoken clearly. What Jesus says to Nicodemus could have been said to the great majority of people in authority: “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” (John 6:12)
God had spoken to the people of Israel before Isaiah became a prophet, but they would not understand. They saw but did not perceive, and heard but did not understand, and they did not return (“repent” in the New Testament translation of John the Baptist’s call) to God. God tells Isaiah only a remnant of a remnant of Israel will be saved.
The masses of people follow Jesus for His healing miracles, and some perceive the possibility of a military messiah. People in power view Him as crazy or a threat if they acknowledge Him at all. Few understand the call to a personal relationship with their Creator.
Jesus will speak in parables, simple stories demonstrating His religious teaching, which has been too hard for the people to comprehend. He now patiently explains to the disciples the nature of the kingdom of God.
The Parable Explained Feb 16
Mark 4:13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
Jesus finds He must give His disciples a pattern for interpreting parables. And Mark allows us to learn from this example, as well.
We might consider Jesus’ remark in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” In other words, if you do not seek it first, you are not really seeking it and will not find it.
“The kingdom of God is at hand” means that the kingdom is right beside us. All we have to do is to enter. But to enter, we must leave behind all that does not belong in the kingdom. We must make a conscious decision to be nothing but the fertile ground that is the land of the kingdom.
The parable of the sower shows how the word of God, given freely to all, perishes when it falls on anything other than a spiritual soil.
Seed that falls by the wayside is not on the path of the listener, and he will not understand.
Seed that falls on stony ground looks good on the surface to the woman, but she does not perceive its truth and lets it slip away.
Seed that falls among thorns are heard, but earthly things – cares, riches, desires - choke out the sound until it is no longer comprehended.
Seed that falls on good soil finds a place to grow in the heart of the spiritual person. Here the seed can become productive and show many more the way to the kingdom of God. The kingdom of heaven, of God, is at hand.
Light not to Be Hidden Feb 17
Mark 4:21 Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The sower sows the word was yesterday’s verse 14. We read that anyone who sows the word is a sower of the word. When we share the message that we have received, each of us becomes a sower of the word. What an opportunity!
Jesus launches into a new parable to express this thought, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?”
The seed of the previous parable is the light of this one. As everyone understood about where to plant seed so that it would grow, so everyone understood the purpose of a candle or a wick in oil was to give light.
Jesus has made flat statements of truth, but those who heard did not understand. Now He teaches in parables.
He relates events in normal daily life to the kingdom of heaven. As the hearers of His words discover their meaning in spiritual terms, they learn the truth that Jesus already has stated plainly. But the lesson now has more meaning.
The difference is that the exercise of learning these principles from daily life examples has given them more context, a deeper understanding. The effort expended in translating daily life to spiritual life has helped the hearer to own understanding of the concepts that Jesus speaks and models.
Once the message is understood, the light received, the discovery of truth is too much to be quietly contained within. The desire is to share the discovery, to plant the seed of this discovery in others, and to shine the light on the seed that it may grow.
We can give a child the truth about addition, that 25 + 25 = 50. But it is better to give an understanding of how to arrive at the answer of 50 rather than to memorize all possibilities.
Rather than memorizing a law for every possible situation, Jesus is teaching people how to understand relationship with God and the nature of His kingdom. Being in relationship with God allows us to understand the things that are good. There is no need to prohibit all that is bad.
Take Heed Feb 18
Mark 4:24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
Listen! Listen to the words that Jesus is telling you, disciples. The effort you put into understanding these words will be rewarded.
The reward? More will be given you to understand.
Devote your attention to hearing His words. Let the seed that He is casting land on fertile soil.
Whether to listen, to put aside the lessons of the world and to hear new lessons, spiritual lessons, is a conscious decision.
We must let go of the old wineskin. What Jesus will pour into those who listen will not fit in the confines of the old way of thinking. His words are too large, the meaning too different from the old understanding, for the old mind to hold.
As the hearer stretches the mind to accommodate a new way of thinking, further possibilities for change and growth will open. There is more to the world than what is felt with the hand, seen with the eye, and heard with the ear. The first acceptance of this as a fact opens up a whole realm of possibilities. This realm Mark calls the kingdom of God.
The hearer of the Word is given a new world with new vistas and new understanding. Life becomes more abundant as the spirits of darkness vanish in the light.
Those unable or unwilling to hear, to comprehend the truth of the Word, will hear only babble. The truth does not fit into their old wineskin, already thin and stretched. They reject the Word to preserve their limited old understanding.
With the heart opening to understand the first light of dawn, the concept of light becomes more appealing. Shadows recede as the light rises higher.
As the light is received, it begins to be reflected, also. Something so precious cannot be held within.
And yet it burns those not used to light. It is an offense to eyes used to darkness, to ears hearing only the old language of an old world.
Next day
