Mark 10:2-12 A Reflection on Divorce

Mark 10:5   “It was because your hearts were hard.”

Jesus understood some of the prescriptions in Deuteronomy as God’s accommodation of the “hardness of heart” (v. 5) of his people. The laws on divorce fit into this category. God’s accommodation through divorce was intended to help people work through broken relationships in a just way. God still helps us--weak that we are--to work through broken relationships. Divorce, done according to the standard of justice is meant to help families caught in sin and failure.

 Jesus affirmed the Old Testament law. He made the point that he did not come to change the law but to fulfill it. (Matt. 5:17) From the Sermon on the Mount we know that Jesus fulfilled the law by raising the standards not lowering them. Too often laws have been interpreted so that people have found ways to avoid the spirit and intention of the law. (Mark 7:11) Some people in the first century used the laws on divorce as a way to exert power over women. Jesus stood against this abuse.

Marriage was meant to be permanent. (v. 9) Divorce is God’s accommodation to our brokenness and is a grace, but divorce was never meant to be normative and never meant to be a tool of abuse.

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Books. For those interested in church history and theology, Justin Holcomb has written a small book that is quite accessible and helpful. It is entitled Know the Creeds and Councils. He begins his book by explaining terms. Creeds describe the basic beliefs of Christian faith; confessions distinguish denominational differences; catechisms are outlines of belief used for teaching purposes; councils are large church meetings meant to resolve differences between believers. In this book Holcomb has reviewed the major creeds and councils of the church. He has reviewed several confessions including two from the 1970’s. It is a helpful book, especially for pastors, but also for anyone who wants to understand theology and church history better.

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Main Street Baptist Church in Luray, Virginia has called me to serve as their intentional interim pastor. I begin this good work on October 1. Prayers are much appreciated!

Mark 9:38-50 Be at Peace with Each Other

Mark 9:40    "whoever is not against us is for us."

The disciples wanted to stop someone who was working miracles in the name of Jesus because the miracle worker was not part of the circle of disciples traveling with Jesus. They explained their position. “ . . . we told him to stop because he was not one of us.” (v. 38) How much trouble we stir up because of this sentiment, “ . . .he was not one of us.”

Jesus instructed his disciples to relent. He did not want them to stop the miracle worker. The man was doing something good. He was doing it in the name of Jesus even though he was not part of their group. Jesus explained that he is not against us; he is for us. Jesus went on to say that anyone who ministered to the disciples in the name of Jesus, even if they were not part of the group, would be rewarded.

In this context we come to some of the most severe words in the New Testament. Jesus said, “If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.” (v. 42) When Jesus said, “these little ones,” was he talking about the miracle worker who was outside the group or the person who gives ministry even  though that person is not in the group? They are believers of a sort, immature perhaps, or having only a partial understanding. Still, they are believers. To cause them to stumble in their belief is a grave offense.

Again the context helps us understand the next words of Jesus which are shocking indeed. Isn’t it better, Jesus argued, to lose a hand or a foot or an eye than to lose one’s whole body in hell? Isn’t it better that these little ones have a mutilated faith than no faith at all? If the choice is some faith, even a poor faith, or no faith then the better choice is a truncated but authentic belief.

The passage concludes with Jesus saying to the disciples, “ . . . be at peace with each other.” (v. 50) All of us will be salted or tested with fire. (v. 49) None of us will be deemed perfect. What is most important is to keep the faith, even if that faith is weak. Once lost, faith is not recovered. Once salt loses its saltiness how can one make it salty again. So, be kind and gracious and generous with those who are not part of the group. Affirm what they are doing that is good. Some is much better than none.

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Grandchildren.  Mr. Happy turns four years old today. Those who understand child development have told me that year four is often a time of disequilibrium for a child. Mr. Happy is facing some challenges. His big sister is away from home all day, now, because she has started first grade. Of course, he has a baby brother at home all the time, but his little brother is not yet much of a play mate. As Mr. Happy observed, "babies are floppy." What's more, at the end of his first day of preschool his father asked him how things went. He said, "Bad." He pointed to a class mate and said, "That boy hit me." Later Mr. Happy's mother sat him down to talk about the incident. She asked him, "Did you tell the teacher that the little boy hit you?" Mr. Happy said, "No." "Well," she asked, "did you talk with the little boy about why he hit you?" "No," said Mr. Happy, "I just hit him back." The search begins for equilibrium. Mr. Happy will find it.

Mark 9:30:37 A Reflection on Choosing Not to Know

Mark 9:32   “. . .afraid to ask . . .”

Sometimes I don’t want to know the answer to a question. I would rather operate out my ignorance. I maintain my ignorance thinking that if I know the truth I will be required to do something that I don’t want to do. 

With similar motivation I have sometimes gone forward on the principle “it is easier to get forgiveness than permission.” My ignorance gives me a cover for doing what I want even if I suspect I should not do it. It would be hard for me to disobey my conscience directly, but if I am not sure what is required or expected then I am tempted, and frankly I give into the temptation on occasion, to go forward with my wants or to avoid my fears. I act in a way that says it is better not to know what is required. 

In Mark 9:32 we read about the mind set of the disciples, “. . .  they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.” Jesus had just told them about the cross that he was soon to face and the resurrection that would follow. They did not know what he meant by these words, and they did not ask for clarification. 

Underneath their ignorance there was a layer of resistance. They did not ask Jesus what he meant because they did not want to know the answer. They were afraid. At least, I know that in my own heart such resistance exists. Danger and loss--even when a promise of resurrection accompanies it--gives me pause. I’m not sure I want to know more or hear more.

In 1742 Thomas Gray published "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College.” He concluded his final stanza with the words, “ignorance is bliss, ‘tis folly to be wise.” Although I am tempted to remain ignorant in fear of what knowledge will require, I have learned that discipleship calls me to face the truth. What’s more, silence and subsequent ignorance are acts of self-deception. Even if we close our ears to words about the cross we will inevitably face suffering and loss. 

If we embrace the cross of Christ we receive the good news that God is able to transform suffering into redemption. We hear the promise that God’s power is stronger than death. To be lost in ignorance will not save us from what will come, but to listen to Jesus and his teachings, to pray to him and to embrace him as Lord is to know the truth, and the truth will set us free. (John 8:32)

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Grandchildren. This week I went to the funeral of a man whose life of sixty-two years was well lived. It was an emotional time and brought back a memory from Sweetie Pie’s attendance at the funeral of my mother two years ago. Sweetie Pie was four years old. She came with her father from Boston just for the day. In her overnight bag she had packed a party hat because she thought that a funeral was a kind of party. Jesus told us that a little child can often lead us into truth (Mark 9:36-37). Indeed, gratitude for my mother is greater now than my grief, and I am praying for all of us who grieve at our friend’s passing this week. May God help us to see with the eyes of a child. A funeral is a kind of party. As the preacher said at the service this week, when we die we are leaving the land of the dying to go the land of the living. We give thanks and rejoice when a life is lived well; we rejoice in the promise of eternal life in Christ. We know that in heaven there is a party to welcome our friend and soon all of us will come to the party as well. Pack your hat.

Mark 8:27-38 "A Warning to Would Be Preachers"

Mark 8:30   “Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.”

Jesus and his disciples had a dramatic moment on their way to Caesarea Philippi as recorded in Mark 8. When Jesus asked them, “Who do you say that I am,” Peter was bold enough to reply, “You are the Messiah.” 

For Peter and the disciples all the hopes of Israel had come true in Jesus. The nation longed for liberation from the Roman occupation. The religious reformers in Israel longed for a spiritual renewal that would lead to a cleansing of the Temple leadership. The Messiah, the Christ, God’s Anointed was the one who would bring these longings to reality. How surprised the disciples must have been when Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him (verse 30).

The question arises, why did Jesus warn Peter and the others not to mention this revelation? Scholars have debated this issue for more than a century. Why would Jesus want to make a secret of his identity as the Christ?

Jesus explained to the disciples that the Messiah would suffer and die on a cross. He called them to take up a cross as well and to follow him. When Peter initially heard this definition of Messiah he challenged Jesus. To that challenge from Peter Jesus replied with the shocking words, “Get behind me, Satan!” (verse 33)

The disciples believed that Jesus was the Messiah, but they had a faulty understanding of what being the Messiah meant. “A little learning is a dangerous thing.” (Alexander Pope, 1709) With knowledge that Jesus was the Messiah the disciples had the potential to publish this news and to make Jesus an even greater celebrity than he had already become. What’s more, their skewed understanding could have spread the wrong message about Jesus throughout the land. Their “little learning” was dangerous, indeed, to the cause of Christ.

This question of the Messianic secret brought to my mind the oath that my sons and daughter-in-law have taken as physicians. They have promised that in treating patients they will always make it their aim to do no harm. Perhaps, it would be good for preachers and teachers and all followers of Jesus to make this same commitment: do no harm. If we talk glibly about the spiritual life we do more harm than good. If we leave the cross and self-sacrifice out of the Gospel we may actually be doing the work of Satan more than the work of God.

Alexander Pope warned that it is better not to drink from the fountain of knowledge unless we are willing to drink deeply. James warned, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) The best way to guard against the dangers of inadequate knowledge is to study the Scriptures and to make every effort to support our teaching with the Bible’s guidance. When we teach general ideas such as “be loving,” or “live and let live,” without reference to the cross, to sacrifice, to holiness, to the hope of resurrection or without building our message on the Scripture we may find ourselves suffering the rebuke of Jesus. It would be better to keep our “little knowledge” secret than to spread misinformation, even false teaching. If one hears the call to teach and feels compelled to give witness to the truth, then it is important for that one to stay close to the Bible. In that way we can embrace the commitment to do no harm.