Disguised May 7
Mark 6:49 And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.
The disciples have seen the miracle of the bread. They did not have to work for the bread or to pay money for it. They had only to look at their resources and the challenge ahead, and then to be patient and watch.
Jesus performs a miracle as He walks on the sea to come beside them. They could have returned to Him ashore to await the storm’s end. But they have sought to use their own resources in a futile battle. Jesus comes to them.
To see a man walking on the surface of the sea, is terrifying. To have such power over the laws of nature is awesome, in the original sense of the word as inspiring reverence and fear.
Jesus reassures the disciples of His identity.
Then He performs another miracle. He tells Peter that he, Peter, a mortal man, can do the same (Matt. 14). And Peter does walk on water…until he begins to look around him…begins to doubt…begins to sink. Peter followed Christ until he began to think about it, and then he began to fall from Jesus’ presence into his own presence.
Jesus saves those in the boat from their misplaced confidence in themselves and from a futile battle against reality.
Fear Not May 8
Mark 6:50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
When we are troubled by events around us, the call to “be of good cheer” does not seem easy to do. The other translation, “Take courage,” may help.
Courage is what allows us to face adversity confident in His character, and therefore in our own character. Knowing that His character is true may be sufficient.
When that knowledge alone is not strong enough and we succumb to fear, we have gained insight into ourselves. We find our courage is lacking, but from what well are we then to draw that courage?
Jesus’ next words provide the answer: “I am here.” We may think of that as “I AM,” a reassurance that He is ever present. No one else can say, “I am,” with anything beyond the meaning of existing at that moment. He is telling us that the eternal I AM is with us, although in the storm this may not be our perception.
Whether He intervenes in our event is less important than that He is with us to the end, whenever and however that is. When we allow this fact to calm the storm within our hearts, we are better able both to accept the reality of the storm and to see our way through it.
We remember that Jesus did not calm every storm. Some must be endured.
Fear Is a Choice May 9
Mark 6:50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
Jesus’ command, “Do not be afraid” (or “Fear not,” as often translated) implies that fear is a choice.
Think about that for a moment….We choose fear, choose to be afraid.
We fear a car aimed at us, and we respond as we should – flight is appropriate!
But we also fear things which only might happen or fear what other people might think. We fear things such as a work personnel or family conflict from which we cannot escape. We can only freeze in fear rather than to fight or take flight. We get stuck in this state of alarm, anxiety.
That I AM is with us does not necessarily save us from the acts of nature or of other people, or from the results of our own actions. With Him beside us, we are not alone, as Jesus was not alone in the Garden of Gethsemane.
2 Tim. 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power (hand) and of love (heart) and of a sound mind (mind)." We practice the use of His gifts in the service of Him and others. This is what we are called to do, to be, and to think.
We follow His example and are a witness of Him to others.
Hardened Hearts May 10
Mark 6:51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.
The disciples had not understood about the loaves, and now they do not understand the miracle here. Jesus’ actions are truths cloaked in mystery.
This is a harsh statement concerning the disciples’ reaction in the storm. In relating the story to Mark, Peter accepted the judgment of hardened hearts in himself and the other disciples.
Decades after the death of Jesus, after the short years of ministry with his Master and the ensuing decades preaching the Gospel, Peter has the proper perspective on his younger self.
Still new as a follower of Jesus, Peter and the other eleven are seeing the great works that Jesus is doing among the people. Some of these deeds are simple acts of kindness, some are the non-works of patience, and some are miracles, inexplicable mysteries.
Mark’s presentation of the story of Jesus is meant to overwhelm us with the immense number of great works that Jesus performs in a relatively short period of time. He wants us to be as overwhelmed as the disciples and, like the disciples, to come to see that the works are an incidental kindness.
Jesus has not come forward to impress us with His miracle working, with His great abilities. He has come to deliver a divine message.
Miraculous works are supporting acts of mercy, evidence that He is the Son of God.
University of Unlearning May 11
Mark 6:52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.
One miracle is not enough. Even continually showing miracles may not be enough. This is Mark’s statement in verse 52, that in spite of all the disciples have seen before this moment, their hearts are not open to the Spirit of God. As with Israelites (and the rest of us) through the centuries, their hearts have been hardened, enveloped in an impenetrable casing of self to keep God out.
The most recent miracle has been that 5,000 men have been fed in the wilderness. The disciples had confessed the impossibility of such an event before it happened. Then they had seen the miracle.
It is as though they are awakened like a baby duck to a brand new world each day, no recollection of the past and having to relearn each lesson.
And how many times have each of us been forced to relearn the same lessons? Perhaps we focus too much on the issue and doggedly repeat our past attempt to resolve it.
What they and we must do is to unlearn the lessons taught by our culture. We are not the victims of our culture. We have been given the hearts and minds to rise above our environment, but we are adrift.
We require a Teacher of a spiritual heritage, Someone to guide us through the University of Unlearning into the universal knowledge present from the foundation of existence.
Touching the Hem May 12
Mark 6:53 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, 55 ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. 56 Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.
As word of Jesus’ presence passes through the region, the people run to Him with their need of healing, of restoration.
Once the throng has surrounded Him, meeting the needs of all by touching them becomes difficult. They plead that they may just touch Him, even the hem of His garment, that they might be made whole.
The word translated here as hem is probably better translated as tassel. At Mt. Sinai, The Lord commanded the Israelites to “put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners” of their garments “...that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them,” (Numbers 15:38-40)
As clothing styles changed over time, the rounded bottom of a robe became standard wear. Observant Jews donned a prayer shawl, a rectangle with four corners, each with a tassel to fulfill the command to Moses.
Touching the tassels from which His spiritual energy flows proves sufficient for healing. Doubters may call this an overblown placebo effect, but for those who are made whole, the experience is genuinely spiritual and transformative.
We can argue with someone’s belief, but not with their experience.
Finding Fault May 13
Mark 7:1 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. 2 Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.
Some Pharisees and scribes come from the authoritative center of the religion of Israel, urban Jerusalem. They see an uneducated man moving among the people and teaching a strange doctrine to the crowd.
They are emissaries of religion, not of God. They spread darkness, not light.
Perfectionists have a difficult time in an imperfect world. Indeed, since the world is imperfect, how do people establish a concept of perfection?
Perfection can be described only by One who is perfect. Having created the world, the Creator is the standard for defining perfection.
Perfection is an inner work, a cleanliness of thought and intention, which are then put into action. If the thought or intent is not correct, the act cannot be good or perfect, either.
A rose is perfect at every stage of its development. The first green shoot, the growing stem, the first leaves, the bud, the rose, and finally the drooping flower losing its petals…each is perfect for its stage of life.
The criticism of the Pharisees is on externals, appearances. Their solution is an emphasis on external cleansing. This emphasis on defilement coming from outside the person misses the point.
Next page
Mark 6:49 And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.
The disciples have seen the miracle of the bread. They did not have to work for the bread or to pay money for it. They had only to look at their resources and the challenge ahead, and then to be patient and watch.
Jesus performs a miracle as He walks on the sea to come beside them. They could have returned to Him ashore to await the storm’s end. But they have sought to use their own resources in a futile battle. Jesus comes to them.
To see a man walking on the surface of the sea, is terrifying. To have such power over the laws of nature is awesome, in the original sense of the word as inspiring reverence and fear.
Jesus reassures the disciples of His identity.
Then He performs another miracle. He tells Peter that he, Peter, a mortal man, can do the same (Matt. 14). And Peter does walk on water…until he begins to look around him…begins to doubt…begins to sink. Peter followed Christ until he began to think about it, and then he began to fall from Jesus’ presence into his own presence.
Jesus saves those in the boat from their misplaced confidence in themselves and from a futile battle against reality.
Fear Not May 8
Mark 6:50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
When we are troubled by events around us, the call to “be of good cheer” does not seem easy to do. The other translation, “Take courage,” may help.
Courage is what allows us to face adversity confident in His character, and therefore in our own character. Knowing that His character is true may be sufficient.
When that knowledge alone is not strong enough and we succumb to fear, we have gained insight into ourselves. We find our courage is lacking, but from what well are we then to draw that courage?
Jesus’ next words provide the answer: “I am here.” We may think of that as “I AM,” a reassurance that He is ever present. No one else can say, “I am,” with anything beyond the meaning of existing at that moment. He is telling us that the eternal I AM is with us, although in the storm this may not be our perception.
Whether He intervenes in our event is less important than that He is with us to the end, whenever and however that is. When we allow this fact to calm the storm within our hearts, we are better able both to accept the reality of the storm and to see our way through it.
We remember that Jesus did not calm every storm. Some must be endured.
Fear Is a Choice May 9
Mark 6:50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
Jesus’ command, “Do not be afraid” (or “Fear not,” as often translated) implies that fear is a choice.
Think about that for a moment….We choose fear, choose to be afraid.
We fear a car aimed at us, and we respond as we should – flight is appropriate!
But we also fear things which only might happen or fear what other people might think. We fear things such as a work personnel or family conflict from which we cannot escape. We can only freeze in fear rather than to fight or take flight. We get stuck in this state of alarm, anxiety.
That I AM is with us does not necessarily save us from the acts of nature or of other people, or from the results of our own actions. With Him beside us, we are not alone, as Jesus was not alone in the Garden of Gethsemane.
2 Tim. 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power (hand) and of love (heart) and of a sound mind (mind)." We practice the use of His gifts in the service of Him and others. This is what we are called to do, to be, and to think.
We follow His example and are a witness of Him to others.
Hardened Hearts May 10
Mark 6:51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.
The disciples had not understood about the loaves, and now they do not understand the miracle here. Jesus’ actions are truths cloaked in mystery.
This is a harsh statement concerning the disciples’ reaction in the storm. In relating the story to Mark, Peter accepted the judgment of hardened hearts in himself and the other disciples.
Decades after the death of Jesus, after the short years of ministry with his Master and the ensuing decades preaching the Gospel, Peter has the proper perspective on his younger self.
Still new as a follower of Jesus, Peter and the other eleven are seeing the great works that Jesus is doing among the people. Some of these deeds are simple acts of kindness, some are the non-works of patience, and some are miracles, inexplicable mysteries.
Mark’s presentation of the story of Jesus is meant to overwhelm us with the immense number of great works that Jesus performs in a relatively short period of time. He wants us to be as overwhelmed as the disciples and, like the disciples, to come to see that the works are an incidental kindness.
Jesus has not come forward to impress us with His miracle working, with His great abilities. He has come to deliver a divine message.
Miraculous works are supporting acts of mercy, evidence that He is the Son of God.
University of Unlearning May 11
Mark 6:52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.
One miracle is not enough. Even continually showing miracles may not be enough. This is Mark’s statement in verse 52, that in spite of all the disciples have seen before this moment, their hearts are not open to the Spirit of God. As with Israelites (and the rest of us) through the centuries, their hearts have been hardened, enveloped in an impenetrable casing of self to keep God out.
The most recent miracle has been that 5,000 men have been fed in the wilderness. The disciples had confessed the impossibility of such an event before it happened. Then they had seen the miracle.
It is as though they are awakened like a baby duck to a brand new world each day, no recollection of the past and having to relearn each lesson.
And how many times have each of us been forced to relearn the same lessons? Perhaps we focus too much on the issue and doggedly repeat our past attempt to resolve it.
What they and we must do is to unlearn the lessons taught by our culture. We are not the victims of our culture. We have been given the hearts and minds to rise above our environment, but we are adrift.
We require a Teacher of a spiritual heritage, Someone to guide us through the University of Unlearning into the universal knowledge present from the foundation of existence.
Touching the Hem May 12
Mark 6:53 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, 55 ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. 56 Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.
As word of Jesus’ presence passes through the region, the people run to Him with their need of healing, of restoration.
Once the throng has surrounded Him, meeting the needs of all by touching them becomes difficult. They plead that they may just touch Him, even the hem of His garment, that they might be made whole.
The word translated here as hem is probably better translated as tassel. At Mt. Sinai, The Lord commanded the Israelites to “put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners” of their garments “...that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them,” (Numbers 15:38-40)
As clothing styles changed over time, the rounded bottom of a robe became standard wear. Observant Jews donned a prayer shawl, a rectangle with four corners, each with a tassel to fulfill the command to Moses.
Touching the tassels from which His spiritual energy flows proves sufficient for healing. Doubters may call this an overblown placebo effect, but for those who are made whole, the experience is genuinely spiritual and transformative.
We can argue with someone’s belief, but not with their experience.
Finding Fault May 13
Mark 7:1 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. 2 Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.
Some Pharisees and scribes come from the authoritative center of the religion of Israel, urban Jerusalem. They see an uneducated man moving among the people and teaching a strange doctrine to the crowd.
They are emissaries of religion, not of God. They spread darkness, not light.
Perfectionists have a difficult time in an imperfect world. Indeed, since the world is imperfect, how do people establish a concept of perfection?
Perfection can be described only by One who is perfect. Having created the world, the Creator is the standard for defining perfection.
Perfection is an inner work, a cleanliness of thought and intention, which are then put into action. If the thought or intent is not correct, the act cannot be good or perfect, either.
A rose is perfect at every stage of its development. The first green shoot, the growing stem, the first leaves, the bud, the rose, and finally the drooping flower losing its petals…each is perfect for its stage of life.
The criticism of the Pharisees is on externals, appearances. Their solution is an emphasis on external cleansing. This emphasis on defilement coming from outside the person misses the point.
Next page
