Day 292. Mark 1-3
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
Mark begins, skipping the entirety of the miracle birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The gospel is attributed to Mark the Evangelist. Mark was not one of the 12 disciples. He was possibly the cousin of Barnabas. Mark founded the Church of Alexandria. It's claimed it was written in 66-70, during Nero's persecution of the roman Christians. Some people believe that Mark was a retelling of Matthew, but currently people are believing that Mark may have been the first gospel written.
First off in Mark, is a story of John the Baptist. John preached about baptism for the repentance for the remission of sins. John was the guy (one of the guys) who was preparing the way for Jesus.
8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
(this same stuff was covered in Matthew 3)
Jesus went to go see him. He got baptized.
11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matthew 3:17 This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
You'd think that one of the only times ever that there's a direct quote from God in heaven, that someone would be able to get the exact words right. But then, there are multiple versions of the Gettysburg Address, so ... what do you expect from something written at least 30 years after the event happened!
12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Mark doesn't talk about the temptations.
Joh is arrested, Jesus goes along the sea of Galilee, and picks up some disciples: Simon, Andrew, James, and John.
Then they go to Capernaum, and into the synagogue.
22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
Jesus was able to give the reason for things, as opposed to just saying "well... it says here".
Then Jesus put on his funny hat, and starting casting out demons left and right.
23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
So, Jesus cast out the demon. This made Jesus popular.
Then Jesus healed Simon's wife's mother (mother in law) of a fever.
Then he filmed the exorcist 2 and 3, and cast out lots more devils. He also healed a leper.
Mark 2
This has the story of the house is so full, that they took off a roof and lowered in someone with palsy.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
So Jesus, being Jesus, healed the palsy. But he did it by saying, "Son, thy sins be forgiven thee". Which pissed off the scribes.
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
...
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
...
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
They said "well, jeez, I never saw it that way before"
Then he adds Levi.
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
Jesus then said something like "only sinners need salvation".
22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.
Was their wine carbonated? Were they drinking champagne? Perhaps Jesus was speaking of BEER!!!
23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
Which is sort of amazing because corn was a new world crop. But, people were pissed because Jesus and his guys were doing stuff on Sabbath. So Jesus tells the story of David eating the shewbread. And he's like "I'm more important than David anyway!"
Mark 3.
1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.
2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
Of course Jesus healed him. So the pharisees went and bitched to someone.
So, Jesus gets tired of the crowd and gets on a boat. Then goes up a mountain. All the time healing and casting out demons.
Then he ordains the 12 (one for each tribe).
1. Simon Peter (verse 16)
2. James Boanerges
3. John Boanerges (verse 17)
4. Andrew (all verse 18)
5. Philip
6. Bartholomew
7. Matthew
8. Thomas
9. James Alphaeus
10. Thaddaeus
11. Simon the Canaanite (negro)
12 Judas Iscariot (verse 19)
Then the scribes claim Jesus is possessed. Jesus is like "naw, not me"
23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
Exactly why that went there, I'm not sure. It doesn't seem to follow the narrative of why He could cast out devils.
29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.
30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
Oh, well just keep reading stupid. Jesus said that it's ok to say he was doing bad, but to say that he was possessed by an unclean spirit (the Holy Ghost) and that it was unclean... well, that's a bad thing.
Then Jesus mom and brothers show up, and Jesus is like ... really, I don't care.
33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?
The he says "you are all my mother and my brothers!"
35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
So, what have we learned today?
1. When God talks, it's ok to paraphrase it. No one really needs to know the exact wording of what God said. It's the spirit of the message, not the exact words itself.
2. Jesus cast out a lot of demons. Which is sort of odd because spirit possession never really took place in the old Testament. It seems to be a new thing that only happened right at Year Zero, which was a horrible album.
3. Jesus did stuff on Sabbath, because, why wait till Sunday, when you can eat and heal people on Saturday.
YIC
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