#1344 Mark 12 Grape Expectations

 

And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. 2 When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. 6 He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this Scripture:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone;

11 this was the Lord's doing,

and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12 And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” 17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.

The Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection

18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”

24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

The Great Commandment

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Whose Son Is the Christ?

35 And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at my right hand,

until I put your enemies under your feet.”’

37 David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.

Beware of the Scribes

38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

The Widow's Offering

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Mark 12 ESV

Mark 12

A man planted a vineyard - This was God taking from all of humanity, Israel, and giving them a land as promised to Abraham. Israel was His tenants.

…17I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies. 18And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” 19Abraham went back to his servants, and they got up and set out together for Beersheba. And Abraham settled in Beersheba.… Genesis 22: 17-19

Get from them some of the fruit - This was their purpose, to be a light and a blessing to the nations, to bring forth fruits fitting with repentance, to evangelize the world. They were to be a people holy and set apart. We have been talking about fruit prior to this, and Jesus expounds more on the theme. It is much like the fruitlessness of the fig tree. The vineyard is a theme familiar to them from the prophecies of Isaiah as well.

More on the vineyard from Matthew

I will sing for the one I love

a song about his vineyard:

My loved one had a vineyard

on a fertile hillside.

2 He dug it up and cleared it of stones

and planted it with the choicest vines.

He built a watchtower in it

and cut out a winepress as well.

Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,

but it yielded only bad fruit.

3 “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,

judge between me and my vineyard.

4 What more could have been done for my vineyard

than I have done for it?

When I looked for good grapes,

why did it yield only bad?

5 Now I will tell you

what I am going to do to my vineyard:

I will take away its hedge,

and it will be destroyed;

I will break down its wall,

and it will be trampled.

6 I will make it a wasteland,

neither pruned nor cultivated,

and briers and thorns will grow there.

I will command the clouds

not to rain on it.”

7 The vineyard of the Lord Almighty

is the nation of Israel,

and the people of Judah

are the vines he delighted in.

And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed;

for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. Isaiah 5: 1-7

They perceived that He told the parable against them - He is the Cornerstone and they are rejecting Him. Their reaction is to kill Him just like in the parable. 

But truly teach the way of God - Beware of flatterers. This is empty praise, the sort of bait in a trap that would work on them.

Why put Me to the test? - They hadn't come to learn; they weren't truth seekers. He sees through them, but answers them with a wisdom like they would never know. He tells them to pay their taxes which some would want out of, yet all his accusers would have hypocritically accused Him of stealing from Rome if He had said otherwise. It's not only wise but true; He is merely saying what He actually believes. 

Who say there is no resurrection - They don't believe in it but think they are saying something clever. 

You know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God - They only knew the writings and bad doctrine of their scribes. 

I am the God of Abraham... - This is written in the present tense, long after these men had departed from this life. God is the God of the living, and these men carry on in eternity. Jesus upholds the resurrection and life after death. He tells them, "You are quite wrong." What they were teaching people about God and the afterlife was in error.

More on this from Matthew 

One of the scribes came up - There was one truth seeker in the bunch, a scribe that realized Jesus answered them well, and he has a legitimate question.

You are right Teacher - Jesus said that God is One, that to love Him is the first and greatest commandment, and to love others is the second, which together makes up the whole of the law. 

You are not far from the Kingdom of God - Wow! 

The Lord said to my Lord - Of the Messiah David says, the LORD Yahweh (God) says to my Lord Adonai (God), come sit at My right hand. This bends the mind of Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Muslims and other aberrant cult groups even to this day. 

David himself calls Him Lord so how is He his Son - From eternity He is the eternally begotten, the Word, and He is also the Seed promised of the woman. This is why Matthew and Luke give both lineages of Jesus, one of His earthly father and the other of His mother. Both lineages are from the line of David, the tribe of Judah, and Mary's is important because His was a virgin birth. 

More from Matthew

Still More

Beware of the Scribes - They dress nice, pretend at what Jesus considers a faux holiness, but are inwardly corrupt, and they devour widows' houses. This is a huge point of contention for Him and watch how it carries through even to the next chapter.

Out of her poverty has put in everything she had - This was so backward, that they could look on this and accept it makes them just like the prosperity teachers, fleecers of the flock. Following this look what He speaks of at the beginning of the next chapter. He has evaluated the temple, destroyed their ridiculous take on theology, brought them back to the actual word of God time and again, but they are so hard of heart they don't even see the need of this member of their flock, the widow. She, like and orphan, is useless to them, an inconvenience because she is in need and they are all want. She can starve in their minds because they are obviously holy, I mean that's what they keep telling each other. The widow is like Job was to his friends, certainly she is guilty of some wrong ant they are worthy of much honor because they have much. 

1As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look at the magnificent stones and buildings!” 2“Do you see all these great buildings?” Jesus replied. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” Mark 13: 1-2

…26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. 27Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1: 26-27

#1343 Mark 11 An Authority On Fruit

 

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” 4 And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. 8 And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

11 And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “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.” 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. 19 And when evening came they went out of the city.

The Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

27 And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, 28 and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.” 31 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32 But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. 33 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” Mark 11 ESV

Mark 11

The Rabbis of Jesus’ day had several different theories regarding how the Messiah would come to Jerusalem. Based on Daniel 7:13, some thought the Messiah would come as a majestic conqueror. Based on Zechariah 9:9, some thought that the Messiah would come in a lowly and humble way, riding on a colt.

ii. In the days of Jesus, some Rabbis reconciled these by saying that the Messiah would come humbly to an unworthy Israel but mightily to a worthy Israel. Since Israel considered itself worthy, they only looked for a triumphant, conquering Messiah. - E Word

On which no one has ever sat - Jesus is coming as a peace offering this time, the only Way of reconciling the lost relationship between God and man. He is sitting on an unbroke colt though, and any of Mark's early readers would realize that this is not normal either. Only God could sit on a green animal, and walk through noisy crowds with people shouting.

9Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.… Zechariah 9: 9-10

Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David - They were praising God for bringing the Messiah, acknowledging that Jesus was the Son of David, and Jesus was willingly receiving this title now. In Luke we find that the Pharisees flipped out about this and asked that Jesus rebuke His disciples, but note His reply, He is either a liar or the Messiah.

…39But some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!” 40“I tell you,” He answered, “if they remain silent, the very stones will cry out.” 41As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it… Luke 19: 39-41

And when He had looked around at everything - This is His Father's house and so His, and He is looking around the gentile court which He will disrupt because they have turned it to a den of thieves.

Paul Apple on looking around - “looking around” - Looking comprehensively – not missing anything - Looking with insight – a penetrating look – seeing into the hearts and motives - Looking with sadness. Where was the crowd? What had happened to all that excitement and expectation?? What were the disciples thinking? Certainly they had expected more than this to occur after such a grand entrance. Look at how Jesus approaches the vast majority of people today – - at religious holidays like Christmas and Easter – great anticipation; then largely apathy followed by certain judgment - in the revelation of His Word -- - in the testimony of His people -- Don’t ignore Jesus and cause Him to depart Look at how Jesus will approach the world from the Mt. Olives in the Last Days – that will truly be the Triumphal Entry. Simple celebration isn’t discipleship. Enthusiasm isn’t faith. Have you responded to Jesus as your King and Sovereign? When have you seen excitement surrounding Jesus but without genuine submission and worship?

Excitement Over Jesus That Stops Short Of Worshiping Him As King Over All Quickly Fades Away

-- Paul Apple

May no one ever eat fruit from you again - Through Him all things were made, and so all things are brought subject to Him.  He need only say the words. 

My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations - This was the city set high on a hill, and the temple told the story of redemption, but they had turned it into something of outward majesty but inward decay. It was a corrupt place of unjust balances, of mafia type religious leaders, those who prey on the sheep they were supposed to guard. He says nations, it was a place that was supposed to preach not just to the eyes but convict the souls also of everyone who saw this great place. Israel was to conduct themselves as God's ambassadors to a lost world. 

…7I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father. 8Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession. 9You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery.”… Psalm 2: 7-9

…7My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make music. 8Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. 9I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing Your praises among the peoples.… Psalm 57: 7-9

…10Therefore be wise, O kings; be admonished, O judges of the earth. 11Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.… Psalm 2: 10-12

Have faith in God - Look at this within the context of what occurred as well. Jesus examined the temple, the place that was supposed to honor God. God's spirit had left the temple in the time of Ezekiel, right before the Babylonian captivity, when the leaders were worshiping God falsely and worshiping other gods. They removed those idols but replaced them with greed, with things much like the indulgences of the Roman Catholics. It was a place of prayer turned into a place of commerce, and crooked dealings at that. Now God is back, the second person of the Trinity, Jesus, and they want to kill Him. Jesus looked at the place and found it still unrepentant, the people there, and this is a place that is to reflect His glory, yet He is holy and it is wicked. Next we see He curses the fig tree for not having fruit, and then He goes back and clears the temple. This same temple will be destroyed in 70 AD. These leaders did not reflect the glory of God, did not lead men to repentance, did not honor His word by staying faithful in it's teaching and practice. Where is the fruit? Instead they had become a mountain blocking the door to salvation, a spring of poisoned water spilling over with bad, damning doctrines. In every age pray for this sort of fog to be removed, stand up for righteousness, love the truth even if it means exiting this life sooner than you thought, for that is only the door to eternity. Pray for the mountain to be removed in your own life, the things that block the light of God's eternal glory, and may your light shine for all to see the fruit of the Spirit of God within you. We are the temple.

Steven Lawson on this faith Jesus is calling for in His disciples... the imperative of faith – divine command; not a suggestion

the object of faith; not have faith in faith = positive thinking movement

the exclusivity of faith – this is all that Jesus required of them – for salvation; sanctification; not faith plus anything else; sola fide

the responsibility of faith – each and every person is responsible before God to exercise their own will; parents cannot believe for their children

The urgency of faith – right now; not when you can get around to it or feel like doing it - Precept Austin

…7But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. 9And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.… Matthew 3: 7-9

…12For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 13 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter. … Matthew 23: 12-13

We do not know - They played the game, like reeds blowing in the wind, if I say this then these will be mad, if I say this than I concede that John was truly a prophet, and John pointed to Jesus. What do we do? Um, tell the truth, say what you really think, do you fear the crowd more than God? This is why you can't see Him standing in front of you, why it takes a blind man to cry out, "Son of David, have mercy on me." 

#1342 Mark 10 A Camel's Chance

 

And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them.

2 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” 5 And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11 And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Let the Children Come to Me

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.

The Rich Young Man

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!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”

The Request of James and John

35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. Mark 10 ESV

Mark 10

As was His custom, He taught them - We are not born with the information Jesus has, and so it will not be found inside ourselves. He also took the time in His teaching to correct the teachings of the Scribes and Pharisees as we will see.

Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife - Commentators point out that the area Jesus is in was ruled by Herod, who had divorced his own wife to take his brother's wife. John the Baptist taught against this form of divorce and for that was put in jail. Herod's wife so hated her sin being pointed out that she had the Baptist killed. In every age there are things that God calls sin that the culture says is not, and in every age there are false teachers who are more than willing to accommodate itching ears. They are not asking Jesus this question because they want to know the answer and live according to the Word of God, but rather to put Jesus at odds with those who disagree with His answer. The majority of people preferred the teachings of the Sadducees and liberal Pharisees who allowed men to put away their wives for as little as burning the toast at breakfast, or because they found someone they were more attracted to. 

What did Moses command you - Jesus doesn't take them back to their custom, not what their Scribes say, but what does God's word say, for that was given to Moses.

Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce - This was not a command to divorce, but an allowance to the reality of divorce. The Pharisees leave out the part of the man doing this (Deut. 24:1) because he has found some indecency in her. This was short of adultery because that was a stoning offence in Moses' time, but now they were under Roman rule so death sentences would be under the authority of Rome. 

More on this conversation from Matthew 19

MacArthur adds that the Pharisees "camped on the word “indecency” (in Dt 24:1) and, as noted earlier in this chapter, expanded it to mean virtually anything they desired. There is, however, no command or explicit permission given to divorce anywhere in this passage; it merely describes a situation in which a man gets married, decides he does not like his wife, divorces her, and she marries someone else. The sole command is in Dt 24:4: In such cases “her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife.” Far from commanding or even permitting divorce, this injunction merely forbids a man to remarry a woman that he has divorced who has then been married to someone else. The passage recognizes and regulates the reality of divorce without condoning or condemning it. The Hebrew word translated “indecency” literally means “nakedness,” not in a physical sense but in the sense of something shameful. The same word is used in Deuteronomy 23:14 to describe things in the camp of Israel that the holy God must not see. The term does not refer to adultery, the only biblical grounds for divorce, but to sinful behavior short of adultery. It describes things that violate normal social responsibility and behavior in a civilized culture and hence are disrespectful of others. The word certainly cannot be extrapolated to mean anything that a man disliked about his wife, as the Pharisees were doing. (MNTC-Mark) - J Mac

Because of your hardness of heart - Divorce protected the unloved from the unforgiving, but also in the case of adultery it protects the hurt from the unrepentant. If someone is confronted about their cheating but will not stop then the innocent man or woman should go to the elders, and if the cheater is still unwilling to repent then the innocent is free to leave and file a certificate of divorce. Jesus makes an appeal to original intent, in that this was in no way God's design, but a result of man stepping away from God's institution of marriage, a result of his fallen nature. He also makes clear that when a man leaves a woman to marry another woman that this is adultery, the divorce certificate and the new marriage ceremony do not remove or cover the sin. 

…27and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.… Ephesians 5: 27-29

…38So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better. 39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord. 40In my judgment, however, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.… 1 Corinthians 7: 38-40

…15Has not the LORD made them one, having a portion of the Spirit? And why one? Because He seeks godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. 16“For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,” says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith. 17You have wearied the LORD with your words; yet you ask, “How have we wearied Him?” By saying, “All who do evil are good in the sight of the LORD, and in them He delights,” or, “Where is the God of justice?”… Malachi 2: 15-17

Like a child - A child has a parent, and the child is to learn from and do as the parent directs. We must become like this as followers of Christ. 

Ray Pritchard - Jesus is the little child’s best friend. His blessing has brought its benediction wherever his name has been heard. Christianity has always been the religion that safeguarded the rights of children. Wherever the gospel goes . . . it honors families . . . it ennobles motherhood . . . it protects and preserves the place of children. Where Christ is known and trusted and followed, and where his example is the model, there infancy is sacred and children are safe. - Precept Austin

Why do you call Me good - There is only One Who is good, and that is God, because all mankind has fallen short of this, has smashed the image of God in humanity by going the way of sin. Jesus gives a subtler glimpse of Who He is, but who here in this crowd would dare say that out loud?

All these I have kept from my youth - The man had kept the outward appearances of the law, but Jesus looks straight into His heart. It says, "Jesus looking at him, loved him", so the young ruler was not without sincerity, Jesus was not without compassion, but remember the man said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" He came of his own self righteousness and then asked for another work. It is like the Roman Catholic system of Rosaries, Hail Mary's and pilgrimages, what must I do? He is a man of great means so he can afford to do a lot, and Jesus looks at what he really trusts, what he really puts the most stock in, maybe even unbeknownst to him before this challenge. He tells him to sell all he has and give it to the poor. Jesus ask him for everything, but Jesus doesn't need it so he tells him to give it to the poor. This is his call to discipleship, to the reality that you don't even own your life, and that riches are fleeting, it is the call of obedience, Jesus as Lord. He went away sorrowful, he trusted in his riches more than in Christ. His money and possessions were his master. It wasn't a call to philanthropy to enter the kingdom, but a willingness to leave everything temporal for all that is eternal. The man held his spec of dust and watched eternity slip away.

Camel to go through the eye of a needle - Macarthur points out that this came from a Persian colloquialism that used an elephant. A camel was the largest animal common to the area of Israel so it was adapted this way. Others have tried to dilute the saying down, but they are probably Arminian and wanting to downplay that Jesus is saying it is impossible. You can't buy your way in and salvation is of the Lord, faith is a gift from God as well.  

MacArthur -Some, unwilling to face the stark reality that the saying implies, have attempted to soften it. Noting the similarity between the Greek words kamelos (camel) and kamilos (a large rope or cable), some suggest that a copyist erred by substituting the former for the latter. It is unlikely, however, that all three Synoptic Gospels would have been changed in the same way. Nor would a scribe make the statement harder rather than easier. He might change the wording from “camel” to “cord,” but not from “cord” to “camel.” But even a rope could no more go through the eye of a needle than a camel could. Others imagine that the reference is to a small gate [in] Jerusalem’s wall that camels could only enter with great difficulty. But there is no evidence that such a gate ever existed. Nor would any person with common sense have attempted to force a camel through such a small gate even if one had existed; they would simply have brought their camel into the city through a larger gate. The obvious point of that picturesque expression of hyperbole is not that salvation is difficult, but rather that it is humanly impossible for everyone by any means, including the wealthy (MNTC- Luke) - Precept Austin

Son of man will be delivered - Jesus is letting them know for the third time that He must die.

James and John - In other gospel accounts their approach is through their mother. Mark goes directly to the requests of the Sons of Thunder. They think they are ready to drink Christ's cup, and they will know some of it through persecution and James by martyrdom, but it is Christ's death that they must believe in, His blood that goes to their account. He is the acceptable sacrifice.

Bartimaeus - Bar means "son of". 

Son of David - He refers to Christ in Messianic terms. He is blind but already sees more than the religious rulers do. 

#1341 Mark 9 The Massive so Quietly Stated

 

And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

The Transfiguration

2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

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.”

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

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.”

Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection

30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Who Is the Greatest?

33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us

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.

Temptations to Sin

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 ESV

Mark 9

…37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”  Mark 8: 37-38

…4On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half the mountain moving to the north and half to the south. 5You will flee by My mountain valley, for it will extend to Azal. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him. 6On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost.… Zechariah 14: 4-6

Truly I say to you there are some standing here who will not taste death until they have seen the Kingdom of God - I am going to try to maintain the same pace of a whole chapter throughout Mark, but there is a lot to unpack here so I will include links to where these topics have been discussed in Matthew. This follows Jesus telling the disciples about the call to self denial, Peter being rebuked for contesting Jesus about the cross. Everyone here is desirous of the kingdom, ruling, the eradication of Rome, peace, prosperity, but look at the end of Mark 8 above, this is a future coming "in His Father's glory with the Holy angels." Right now He is in the prophecies of His rejection, and He is heading towards His cross and our atonement. 

Henry Morris - The fact that Matthew, Mark and Luke all record this remarkable promise immediately before the experience of Peter, James and John on the mount of transfiguration indicates that they understood the experience to be the fulfillment of the promise. In effect, the three disciples were translated in a vision (Mt 17:9) to the glory of the future kingdom (see notes on Mt 17:3,5,8). - Precept Austin

And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James and John - This was His inner circle, the leaders, and given the context this is His fulfillment of His previous statement to them, "some standing here", not all of the twelve, but these three, and they will be given a vision of glory much like Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Paul and later John again for the writing of Revelation. There is still much confusion in their minds, their eschatology and desire for the kingdom is something they have harmonized to fit with the very near, at hand. As we heard from Peter previously, they are not desirous of Christ's death and as we will see in Judas they are not pro suffering for themselves either. This is the sort of vision necessary to strengthen their ministries and their call to an unpopular gospel with a horrific end. Peter will be hung upside down according to early church tradition, James will also be martyred and John will be sent to prison. 

More on this from Matthew 17

Transfigured before them - This is a taste of Jesus' eternal glory, that which we are being conformed to, and that which we look forward to, the restored human nature. We see things from the outside and address much the same way, but true transformation is from the inside out. 

Transfigured (3339)(metamorphoo from metá = change of condition + morphoo = inward condition that which produces an outward expression which proceeds from and is representative of inward character and nature) has the basic meaning of changing into another form and is the term from which we get metamorphosis, as with a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. Metamorphoo describes the process by which that on the inside shows forth to the outside such that that everyone can see.The believer's inner redeemed (divine - 2Pe 1:4+) nature is to continually be manifest outwardly in our daily thoughts, words and deeds. 4x in NT - Matt. 17:2; Mk. 9:2; Rom. 12:2; 2 Co. 3:18 Romans 12:2+ and 2 Corinthians 3:18+ refer to the transformation in the lives of believers brought about by salvation and progressive sanctification (from glory to glory becoming more like our Savior!). As Utley points out "In a sense this refers to the restoration of the divine image in mankind, lost in the Fall of Gen. 3. Jesus enables us to become truly human, truly Christlike." (cf 2 Peter 1:4+)

…51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.… 1 Corinthians 15: 51-53

For he did not know what to say for they were terrified - Seeing a resurrected Moses and Elijah would affect their theology, with certainty it would denounce the leaven of the Sadducees, but it will also raise questions. It is often thought that Mark is the pen for Peter's gospel, and you could imagine this conversationally, "why did you say you wanted to build them tabernacles, Peter? Mark, I was terrified, but you know me, I always say something." 

This is My beloved Son, listen to Him - They don't want to talk about what's coming up, don't want to hear about His death or their coming suffering. Just like Jesus' baptism in the Jordan, the Father testifies to His love of the Son, and here He cuts off Peter's babbling. Peter, as we have seen and will see saw this as a sign of the earthly Kingdom, and he was ready to set up camp, sharpen his swords and chase out Rome. God tells him to shut up, and he is once again left in bewilderment, all of them, Peter is just the most vocal. 

Why do the scribes say first Elijah must come - He tells that Elijah did come, and this was John, the forerunner of Christ. If they would have believed him and repented then the kingdom would come in it's fulness, but they rejected him and the Messiah Whom he served, just as the Scriptures foretold. Now three of them have seen Elijah and Moses, which will come, either in the spirit of Elijah or literally as the two witnesses in Revelation 11. John the Beloved, one of these, is the writer of Revelation, and the ministry then is back to the original people who rejected Christ, the woman in Revelation who is carried off on the wings of an eagle, Israel. Then their hearts will be turned towards Him. 

25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob. 27And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”… Romans 11: 25-27

10Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son. 11On that day the wailing in Jerusalem will be as great as the wailing of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.… Zechariah 12: 10-11

Verse 28 This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer - It wasn't a matter of holding your tongue right, of technique, like Salvation it is the power of the Lord, and prayer is a way for us to seek God's will. It is a means of grace so often neglected, the one I lack the most, but it is powerful in conjunction with the word. They may have and probably did start to think too highly of their own ability, start to misunderstand the meaning of faith, yet this is a great lesson, and listen to the words of the boys father before.

"I believe, help my unbelief."

More on this boy from Matthew's gospel

Verse 32 They did not understand the saying and were afraid to ask Him - It is clear language, Jesus is going to die and rise again. The elders and the priest will prepare the sacrifice as always, but this is the culmination, the One that satisfies God.

…4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. 6In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.… Hebrews 10: 4-6

If anyone would be first he must be last of all and servant of all - Jesus' ideas of leadership were other worldly, everyone saw the one being served as the greater, but here God has stooped so low, not only to wash men's feet, but to cleanse them from that which He Himself is without. God hates sin and men are sinners, yet He died for me, yet he continues to advocate for me, and has made possible a way for me to be right with Him, without sin. I should have no issue with being a slave to such love and righteousness. It should be easy for me to forgive others.

Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ - The Lord loves those who love His children, and He will not forget what is done as unto Him.

THOUGHT - What is your ministry? You have one! It may not be to preach, teach, etc, but you have been given a gift (1Cor 12:7, 11+) and with it a ministry (service) "for the common good." As Peter says "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (1Pe 4:10-11+) Don't waste your once in a lifetime opportunity to fulfill your ministry, for if you do (enabled by the Spirit, Word and prayer), you will receive a FULL REWARD. And Jesus declared this reward ("your fruit) would "remain" (or abide) forever. So redeem the time now while you still have the time to redeem! - Precept Austin

Little ones who believe in Me to sin - Christians, these are the little ones, and many come using the name of Christ, yet lead people astray. He has given a very clear sign to spot many of them, they come to be served whereas His shepherds serve, they lay down their lives. American Christianity, western Christianity in general has enjoyed periods of much religious freedom, and so many birds have settled in the mustard tree, waiting to scoop up the seed, many wolves have snuck into the flock ready to eat the sheep. A true shepherd will point out false doctrine and correct it even at the risk of being called unloving. He will love those who don't love him, and will be committed to the truth even if to his death. We do the world no good by hiding our light, that is done from fear or because we are really not part of the true church. Either way it is self serving, and it is no love that won't warn others to flee from the wrath that is to come. 

Have salt in yourselves - While we are here we are the preservative for a dying world, we are the salt that keeps back the totality of  decay. 

John MacArthur explains that "Jesus’ command,Have salt in yourselves, is a call to radical obedience; to a holy life preserved by righteousness. He then gave the disciple a direct practical application, commanding them to “be at peace with one another”—a fitting challenge to those proud, self-serving, hypercompetitive men who were constantly bickering over which of them was the greatest (cf. 9:34; Matt. 18:1-4; 20:20-24; Luke 22:24). When believers engage in radically loving, pure, sacrificial, obedient discipleship, they will be radical witnesses. Christians are the only true “salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13+). There are no other spiritual influences for modeling the truth other than the lives of true disciples of Jesus Christ, who are known by the radical nature of their discipleship. (See Mark 9-16 MacArthur New Testament Commentary) (Bolding added)