by Brad Blocksom | Nov 20, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 11:12-25 Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears the Temple Courts The next day, on their way to Jerusalem, Jesus is hungry (v. 12). Fortunately, He sees a fig tree, but then, upon closer examination He finds that it bears no fruit (v. 13). Then somewhat strangely,...
by Brad Blocksom | Nov 12, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 11: 1-11 Jesus enters Jerusalem as Messianic King Well, we’ve finally made it. Our scene opens with Jesus approaching Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives (v.1). He sends two of His disciples ahead into Bethphage with some interesting instructions: Grab a colt...
by Brad Blocksom | Nov 1, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 10:46-52 Jesus heals an outcast named Bartimaeus Jericho is the last stop on Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. A blind man, begging along the pilgrimage route to the Passover festival, might have been left unnamed in this narrative, but perhaps Bartimaeus (v....
by Michael Sterns | Oct 31, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament
James 3:9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. The ability to speak is an amazing thing....
by Brad Blocksom | Oct 25, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 10:35-45 The Sons of Zebedee shoot for the moon The context here couldn’t be more telling. Jesus has just told the disciples (for the third time) of His upcoming suffering and death. So when James and John come up to Him immediately after this (at least in...
by Brad Blocksom | Oct 18, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 10:32-34 Jesus tells His disciples of His impending death a third time …Congratulations Peter. Indeed, you all have left everything to follow Me (v. 28)! And here’s what lies ahead: They were on their way to Jerusalem (v. 32). Jesus leads the way. At...
by Michael Sterns | Oct 14, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament
Luke 12:1-3 (NRSV) Meanwhile, when the crowd gathered by the thousands, so that they trampled on one another, he began to speak first to his disciples, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered,...
by Brad Blocksom | Oct 11, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 10:17-31 A Rich Man Seeks Jesus’ Counsel We transition abruptly from Jesus’ blessing of the children to His “setting out on his journey” from there. And then something happened! Let’s face it, there’s not much story to be told...
by Brad Blocksom | Oct 4, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 10:13-16 Jesus blesses the children whom His disciples tried to run off Young children were brought to Jesus, perhaps by their parents, that He might bless them. But the disciples rebuked them (v.13). Lane sees a parallel here with their lack of perception when...
by Brad Blocksom | Sep 20, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 10:1-12 Jesus Teaching on Divorce (and Remarriage) Jesus leaves Capernaum and heads south into Judea, and, as usual draws a crowd. And “as was his custom, he taught them” (v. 1). Mark gives us no insight into what Jesus may have been teaching the...
by Brad Blocksom | Aug 30, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 9:42-50 Temptations to Sin and the Demands of the Kingdom [NOTE: from our last entry in this series, that William Lane included v. 42 with the previous section beginning at v. 38. I have chosen to include it also here, treating it as at the beginning of the...
by Brad Blocksom | Aug 23, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 9:38-41 (42) The disciples get rebuked for rebuking John’s remark seems to come out of nowhere. And IMHO, its not entirely clear if this is tied to the previous discussion about ‘Who is the greatest?’ or if this is an entirely separate...
by Brad Blocksom | Aug 9, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 9:30-37 Jesus foretells His death again, and answers the question “Who is the greatest?” Jesus and the disciples head back through Galilee, apparently en route to Jerusalem. Jesus is taking some time away from public ministry to teach (didasko) His...
by Brad Blocksom | Aug 2, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 9:14-29 Jesus Heals a Desperate Family Jesus and His three closest disciples return from the (literally) mountaintop experience of the Transfiguration, to reunite with the rest of the disciples. Apparently they walk into an ongoing dispute with the scribes. The...
by Robby McAlpine | Jul 25, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament
Mark 9:2-13 tells us the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus. It’s a fascinating passage, full of surprises, mistaken assumptions, prophetic triumph, and ominous foreshadowing. The previous chapter is chock-full with the feeding of the four thousand, the...
by Brad Blocksom | Jul 9, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 8:27-9:1 Jesus is revealed as Messiah and its not a pretty picture Jesus and the disciples head north some 25 miles from Bethsaida to Cesaerea Philippi. We are about to find the answer to the key question in Mark’s gospel: Who is Jesus (Mark 4:41)? On the...
by Michael Sterns | Jul 8, 2016 | Biblical Studies
Luke 6:12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. I’m not a night person. I quickly discovered this when I went to college. I was told to try my best and meet people and befriend them. My dorm in college...
by Brad Blocksom | Jul 2, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 8:22-26 Jesus Opens the Eyes of a Blind Man at Bethsaida They land on the Northern shore of the Galilee at Bethsaida (v. 22). Similar to the previous healing of the deaf man, Jesus takes the blind man away from the crowds (out of the village), again perhaps to...
by Brad Blocksom | Jun 21, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 8:11-21 The Pharisees Demand a Sign. The 12 Continue to Just Not Get it The Pharisees appear out of nowhere, but we are fairly safe to assume that this incident occurs back over on the Western side of the Galilean sea. They are seeking a sign to legitimize...
by Brad Blocksom | Jun 14, 2016 | Biblical Studies, New Testament, Scripture
Mark 8:1-10 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them...
