Tag: Jesus

Red Letter Year: 1/24

 

Mark 6:14-29

14 Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles.” 15 Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.”

16 When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.”

17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her. 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, 20 for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.

21 Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22 Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.” 23 He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!”

24 She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?”

Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!”

25 So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, “I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!”

26 Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, 28 brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb.

Comments

What to say about this strange story? It really interrupts the narrative flow, but not any more than the trip to Nazareth did. Between these two stories, Mark 6 is not starting off as an encouraging chapter (it will get dramatically better tomorrow and Friday). It is interesting that Jesus was doing so many miraculous things that Herod concludes he must be someone from beyond (this story foreshadows both the crucifixion and resurrection).

From a practical standpoint, what stands out to me is verse 20: “Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.” Herod had (unjustly) imprisoned John to please Herodias, but he also liked listening to John, as though John were Herod’s caged pet, brought out to preach, to entertain, when it suited Herod, when Herod wanted to feel disturbed, then left in his cell, out of earshot the rest of the time.

Some Christians treat Jesus this way, trotting him out when it suits them, when they want to feel something (even disturbed) but then shut away, removed from the everyday realities of life the rest of the time. There are also people who enjoy arguing about faith, having back-and-forth theological arguments confrontations dialogues. But neither of these forms of entertainment effects any change in the participant. Life with Jesus is not about vain discussions or only momentary emotional releases. Life with Jesus is full of action. Prayer, healing, miracles, life transformations. Life with Jesus is about real stuff. What Herod had was not real, nothing John said had any effect on him at all. Don’t let your life with Jesus be such that it has no effect on you at all. And don’t waste words with people who just want to argue. Neither ends well.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Red Letter Year: 1/23

Mark 6:1-13

6 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. 2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” 3 Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

4 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people. 7 And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits. 8 He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler’s bag, no money. 9 He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes.

10 “Wherever you go,” he said, “stay in the same house until you leave town. 

Jesus teaching in the synagogue and being rejected.

 But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”

12 So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. 13 And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil.

Comments

I want to be careful here because a lot of bad teaching has gone out regarding the relationship between faith and healing. This passage clearly indicates that such a relationship exists, but we have to read it carefully to get the relationship right. Faith is so important for healing that it even limited what Jesus was able to do (yes, I said that exactly how I wanted to there) in this instance. But it was not the faith or lack thereof of the people who were in need, it was the lack of faith of all the people who were saying, no, he’s just a carpenter. (Aside: you’re not alone, you see, when people tell you the same sort of thing, you can’t do what God has gifted you to do because you’re just a _______. Don’t ever, ever listen to that nonsense.) After they leave the he’s-just-a-carpenter crowd, the healings recommence as before and now even the disciples are casting out demons. This leads me to two points:

  1. Don’t ever let someone tell you God won’t/hasn’t/can’t heal you because you don’t believe. Don’t let them tell you that your lack of healing proves your lack of faith. That is not true. Jesus raises people from the dead. Not much faith happening in a dead person, is there?
  2. Don’t expect to see much in the way of healings or deliverance if you are hanging out with people who don’t believe such stuff happens. Faith does matter. Their collective lack of faith does inhibit what God is able to do in the confines of that community (yes, I meant what I said again). I’m not a big fan of church shopping, but I highly recommend you find a community of faith that believes, seeks, and practices letting the power of God flow for healing, for deliverance, for the sort of life change that Jesus has been bringing since way back when. He still heals. Believe it.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.