Category Archives: Gospel of Mark

Gospel of Mark

Who touched my clothes?: Mark 5:24-34

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In the midst of a crushing crowd, pressing against him from all sides, Jesus asks ‘ Who touched my clothes?’

24 So Jesus went with (Jairus). A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Mark 5:21-34 (NIV)

Horsham 8th July 2024

As part of our study of Scripture, I like to encourage people to imagine that they were there, walking the walk with the disciples, looking and listening to their world – sharing their experiences. I’d love you to engage in that way with this story. One mistake we can easily make when we read Scripture is to imagine that Jesus lived in a sort of holy, silent, peaceful bubble. Here’s a story which emphasises that wasn’t the case.

Everyone wanted to catch Jesus’ eye or see what was going on. This would not have been a silent crowd. Along with the disciples, the crowd included a man called Jairus, and a woman who had been suffering bleeding for twelve years.

On the fore-shore, Jairus, leader of the local synagogue, in desperation and humility threw himself to the floor at Jesus’ feet. He tells Jesus that he is desperate for his help. In the midst of the bustle and confusion of the crowd Jairus tells Jesus that his 12 year old daughter is dying. He begs Jesus to come and lay hands on her to restore her to health. Jesus agrees to go with him and they set off towards Jairus’ house, with this crowd in tow. (see more about this meeting here)

So, this modestly large crowd follows Jesus, Jairus and the disciples into the town. Two things quickly happen. In the dusty, narrow streets, the crowd becomes compact and very noisy as people clamour around Jesus. Secondly, the crowd grows in size as people become curious, attracted by the noise and excitement. In my mind,  I see the disciples, acting like ‘minders’, close to Jesus, struggling to make space for him to progress through the increasingly dense crowd.

In a previous post I suggested that Jesus, the celebrity healer and preacher living in Capernaum, and Jairus, the synagogue leader in the same town, were almost certainly well acquainted. In the same way, I wonder whether they both already knew or recognised the woman who is about to take centre stage.

We don’t know her name We don’t know where she was from. We know nothing about her, except part of her medical history. We do know that for 12 years this woman had suffered some kind of chronic haemorhaging. Just think about the horror of her position. She was constantly losing blood. That renders her and her home unclean. She cannot visit the synagogue or play any normal part in the community. She is a virtual outcast. Her condition is enough to make everyone keep their distance and to make her life fall apart. But it’s not just the blood. Untreated, and with poor diet, her condition would have caused the crushing symptoms of chronic anemia.  Utter exhaustion. Constant weakness.  She would have been pale. This lady was visibly sick. Very sick.

Do you sense the courage of this lady. In spite of her poor health, she is so determined, so convinced that Jesus can help, she sets aside all the inhibitions which society has placed on her and somehow forced herself to the front of the crowd. She gets close enough to reach out and touch the edge of Jesus cloak (see Matthew 9:20). Jesus stops in his tracks.

‘Who touched my clothes?’, says Jesus. Not surprisingly, the disciples, currently focused on their role as security guards, want to say ‘In the middle of this pandemonium, when we’re all getting pushed and bumped in all directions are you seriously asking who touched your clothes?‘

In this moment I want you to notice the anxiety of Jairus, desperate that Jesus reaches his daughter without delay? I want you to notice the fear which is gripping this woman who realises that Jesus’ accusatory question is directed at her?

Now as with Jairus a few minutes earlier, we see this lady, throwing herself at the feet of Jesus, in humility and despair. In the midst of the bustle and noisy confusion of this busy street, she quietly tells Jesus why, after 12 years of suffering, she was so desperate to touch his cloak.

Pause and look at this scene, this moment of direct personal contact in the midst of a noisy crowd. Do you sense the compassion of Jesus? Do you see him moved by the faith of this ordinary and long suffering woman? ‘Daughter,’ says Jesus. (That’s a word Jesus doesn’t often use.)  ‘Your faith has healed you.‘

It occurs to me that Jesus could have simply let the moment pass. He knew that the power had left hm. He almost certainly already knew who had received that power. He could have simply allowed the woman to go on her way to rebuild her life. Yet something incredibly important happens in this moment. Her words, and her actions, testify to others that she knew that Jesus could help her. She did all that she could to connect with Jesus. Kneeling before Jesus, she told everyone, including Jairus and the disciples, including you and me, what Jesus had done for her.

His words show that he knows her suffering and is ready to help. He recognises her humility, her despair, and her faith. Doctors – all of them men – had taken everything she had and given her nothing.  Jesus takes nothing from her and gives her everything.

A few verses ago, Jesus turned to his disciples, those who knew him most and had witnessed his power in so many ways, and said ‘Where is your faith?’ Now, he turns to this afflicted, frightened, and incredibly brave lady woman  and says ‘Daughter. Your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Jairus (Part 1): Mark 5:21-24

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Jairus. A familiar face in the crowd?

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.

Mark 5:21-24

Shiptonthorpe, 30th June 2024

Jesus relationship with leaders of the Jewish community is always interesting. We rather assume that by default the leaders would have been antagonistic to Jesus. Clearly there were times when this was the case, and ultimately, the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem were responsible for the circumstances leading to his death. However, do you remember Jesus had something that feels rather like a clandestine meeting with Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin(i) in Jerusalem? You can read about it in John 3. The indications are that some leaders, some of the time, were interested in speaking to Jesus.  We saw in Mark 2 that some of the local Pharisees were close witnesses to Jesus teaching and healing activities. They were watching. They were sceptical. But they were not always openly hostile.

Jairus was leader of the synagogue in Capernaum, one of the most high profile leaders in the town which Jesus had, for the time being, made his home. In my mind I see the crowd parting as this senior member of the local community steps forwards to meet Jesus.

By our standards, Capernaum is a small town (about 1500 people). To me it is unthinkable that these two men had not met before. Jairus must have been very familiar with the healing and teaching ministry of this young rabbi, going on in his own town. We know that Jesus visited and was sometimes allowed to speak in synagogues. In public at least, it may be that Jairus would keep Jesus at a distance. It may be unlikely that he would publicly support Jesus’ ministry, but Jairus surely knew who Jesus was. This scene shows that he believes in the power of Jesus’ healing ministry. It is likely that when Jairus mentions his daughter, Jesus will know exactly who they are talking about. He will have have seen and perhaps even met the girl. Did these two men greet each other as strangers, or as friends?

Yesterday, in conversation, a friend of mine told me that he was agnostic. He is not sure whether or not he believes in God. However, he told me, if he was on a plane which was at risk of crashing, he would be the first to pray. He would try anything. Something similar is happening here. Jairus probably does not approve of Jesus, but in a desperate situation – his beloved daughter is dying.

Jairus’ daughter is sick. Very sick. Any animosity or differences which might have existed between the two were set aside. In a desperate and powerful gesture, Jairus, the synagogue leader, throws himself to the floor at Jesus’ feet. At this moment, Jairus would do anything, try anything. Anything at all. Even publicly throw himself at the feet of the celebrity preacher. Even publicly declare his confidence that Jesus, by laying his hands on his daughter, could rescue her from the jaws of death and restore her to health.

We will never know the truth of the relationship between Jesus and Jairus, but we do well to notice that confronted by desperation, Jesus does not turn anyone away. There seems to be no hesitation. Jesus goes with him. And where Jesus goes, the crowd follows.

You can read the second part of the story of Jairus’ daughter here.

(i) The Sanhedrin was the Council of Jewish Leaders in Jerusalem, responsible for interpreting and applying the Law

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

How Big was that Crowd?: Mark 5:21

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This morning, I found myself wondering about crowd sizes. When Jesus got out of that boat, how big was that crowd?

Horsham, 27th June 2024

‘When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.’

Mark 5:21

On this occasion, Jesus is returning from an eventful overnight trip across the lake. The trip started at the end of what had been a busy day, teaching and healing a crowd of people. At first, this looks like Jesus taking an opportunity to escape the crowds to get some rest and downtime. We know that he was very tired, and doubtless his disciples were too. In fact, he was fulfilling a divine appointment with a man on the far side of the Lake who believed himself possessed by a legion of spirits. After this encounter, the exhausted group came back across the Lake, heading for Capernaum. The disciples must have been looking forward to getting home and some well deserved rest. Might it not be discouraging to see a noisy and excited crowd on the shore waiting for their return.

In these days of social media and mass communication, in a culture where people can travel long distances relatively easily, politicians and event organisers are notoriously good at exaggerating the size of the crowd. For them, the high numbers in a crowd indicate success and status.

At this point, Mark says the crowd is large(i).  This crowd is unlikely to number thousands of people. Some would have travelled a great distance to be there, but at a time when the entire population of Capernaum was probably about 1500 people, we might imagine this crowd to number at the most tens or hundreds, rather than thousands. Some are curious and interested in following Jesus and to hear his teaching. Some are intrigued by his unusual teachings. Some have heard of this young celebrity rabbi who has the power to heal. They come looking for healing, for themselves and for their friends and relatives. For many of them, the need is great and urgent, which means they will press towards Jesus. A group of even 100 such people would make a noisy and boisterous group, all trying to grab his attention. All, that is, except the few who are watching every move, hiding in the crowd, ready to pass information to the Roman or Temple authorities.

If our assumption about the number of people is right, it occurs to me as I imagine the scene that contact with this crowd is entirely avoidable. Jesus, and his by now surely exhausted group of disciples, could have quietly returned to a different part of the shore out of sight of people. Several of the disciples are, after all, local fishermen with an intimate knowledge of the coast. But he didn’t. Jesus knew that the people were there, and he went straight to them. He recognised their wide raging needs and expectations and he chose to meet them. When Jesus sees a crowd of people, he sees people in need, and his heart is moved by compassion (Mark 6:34). For Jesus and his disciples, this is not a time to rest. There are people here who Jesus needs to meet. Avoiding them is not an option. There is work to be done. Here is a lesson for the disciples, and as followers of Jesus, for us.

In this crowd there is a tall, well dressed man. He has a strong presence, and many of the crowd know who he is. People make way for him, giving him access to the front of the crowd as the boat approaches the shore. This is the leader of the Synagogue. He is such a well known and respected man in the town that we know his name, Jairus. Close by there is a poor woman who is very unwell, suffering from an issue of blood, rendering her unclean, unemployable and outcast to the Jewish community. It’s probable that these two would know each other and would have every reason to avoid being in the same place. Yet this morning, they have something in common. They both have a divine appointment with Jesus.

‘When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.’ (NIV)

Matthew 9:36

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

(i) The Greek word polys is generally translated as much or many, in this case implying a crowd of many people.

Gospel of Mark

My name is Legion, for we are many: Mark 5:1-20

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‘My name is Legion – for we are many!’

5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. 18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Mark 5:1-20

Horsham. 9th June 2024
‘My name is Legion, for we are many’

This story deals with a very dramatic incident of demonic possession. Such a concept was ‘quite familiar to people in Palestine in the days of Jesus but quite alien to us.’ (Barclay, Loc 2543).

Most of us are not used to thinking of our world as being populated by demons. Some people feel more comfortable approaching this story as an encounter with a man who is suffering from some kind of psychological disorder. That’s fine. You can find your own place in that conversation, but  to understand what happened, we need to accept that to the people of Jesus’ day, demons were both real and ever present. 

It was widely assumed that demons were most likely to be found in dark, deserted places, so here, probably in the early hours of the morning, is a man emerging from the tombs. The place of the dead would be an obvious place for demons. Here is a strong man, dressed in rags, and given to bouts of violence. Local people would avoid him. They would doubtless have been fearful of his immense strength and also of the risk of contamination by the powers of evil.

If he were ill, I have been asked, rather than under demonic control, why would Jesus treat him as if he was possessed. A contemporary approach to mental health would rightly abhor an intervention based on that assumption. The answer is, I think, surprisingly simple. I believe that Jesus wants us to meet people at their point of greatest need, and here He is doing just that. The man utterly believes that he is possessed by not one, but huge number of demons. That, then, is the point at which Jesus meets him, and that is the condition from which Jesus delivers him.

If we prefer to take the alternative view, that this is a case of chronic psychological disorder rather than deliverance from demons, we are witnessing an extraordinary and supernatural healing which affirms the power of Christ to respond to psychological as well as physical needs.

Christ’s first direction that the demon should leave the man was, it seems, resisted. The spirits not only remains within the man, but they beg Christ not to torture them. This affirms that the demons are in fear of Christ (James 2:19). In many cultures, there is a belief that knowing the name of a person or a demon gives one a degree of control over them. ‘What is your name?’ says Jesus. Unable to resist such a question from the One who is the Son of God, the man, or the spirits within him, reply ‘My name is Legion, for we are many.’ For me, there is something extraordinary and powerful in this name, reflecting the desperation and hopelessness of the man.

 

The Roman army was divided into fighting units. A legion comprised 6000 troops. They were a strong unit and an extremely powerful fighting force, and they were capable of great violence. Like this poor man, who believes himself to be possessed by a small army of demons, they were best avoided.

We might read think that the departure of these spirits is contingent on Christ permitting them to move to a nearby herd of pigs. However It is Jesus, not the spirits, who are in control. He has a plan for this man and for the demons. The dispatch of the demons into a herd of pigs enable the man to see that they have departed from him, and so he, and others around him, can know that he is free. In order to be healed and restored, he needed to know that he had been delivered.

The tenure of the spirits within the pigs is fleeting because they immediately fling themselves into the waters and are killed. The suffering man can be convinced that his torturers are gone, and so his mental health is restored. He is healed.

The panic of the herdsmen, and fear of the local people are understandable. The transformation of their neighbour, dressed and in his own mind, is undeniable. For them, the destruction of a herd of pigs is terrifying.  They can only understand these things in terms of the supernatural. No wonder they want this small band of men who have arrived from the far side of the Lake to leave.

Not for the first time, having witnessed his power, someone wants to physically remain with Jesus. The message to this man, as to all of us who encounter Christ, is to return to our people and tell them what he has done for them.

’20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.’

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

 

Gospel of Mark

After the Storm: Mark 5:1-2

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After the Storm

5 1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.

Mark 5:1-2

Horsham, 30th May 2024

Part of my process as I move through Mark’s Gospel is to imagine I was there, watching and listening as events unfold. Sometimes I see things that I have never noticed before. I’ve spent quite a lot of time thinking about the calming of the storm over the past few days. I’ve been thinking about the chronology of the trip, following the disciples as they travel across the lake. Something which grabbed my attention. Those precious missing moments, after the storm.

You know the story. Jesus and his disciples decide to cross the Lake, so they get into a boat somewhere near Capernaum. They set off during the evening (Mark 4:35), presumably in good weather, and set out to travel the 20km to the far side of the Lake. It’s been a busy day, and Jesus falls asleep in the back of the boat. Part way into the journey, they are overwhelmed by a serious storm, and are in danger of drowning. The disciples awaken Jesus, who rebukes the storm. In an instant, the wind drops and the violent sea becomes calm. You can read the full story here.

The journey from Capernaum to Gerasenes is about 20km / 14miles. On a good day, with the wind blowing in the right direction, the boat would travel under sail power at around 4 knots (6-7kmh / 4-5 mph), so the journey should take 3-4 hours.  If there was no wind at all, the disciples would have needed to row, which would have taken much longer. If the wind was blowing from the wrong direction, the journey would have been slow, with the need to tack regularly to make progress. There’s a great post about the climate of the Sea of Galilee here.

We have no idea which way the wind was blowing, but we do know that part way through, the boat was hit by a very serious storm. That would have slowed them down considerably.

In my mind, I see the boat travelling quietly before the storm, the waves lapping gently against the wooden boards. Lulled by the gentle progress of the vessel, Jesus is asleep. The disciples in his boat would be chatting in whispers so as to not awaken Jesus. Then, out of nowhere, the sudden and incredibly powerful storm. The sail is taken down. The wind is roaring. The waves quickly build until they are crashing over the side of the boat. The well of the boat is filling with water. Everything, including the disciples, is soaked. There is fear. There is screaming. Jesus – ‘Wake Up!’ – ‘Master, don’t you care that we’re drowning!’

In an instant, Jesus calms the storm. After the raging wind and crashing waves, the silence, broken only by the waves, once more lapping gently against the wooden boards, must have been extraordinary.  The chastened disciples, filled with terror at what they have witnessed. Exchanging silent glances. Tired arms keep rowing, steering, adjusting sails. Cold, wet clothes. Exhaustion. The gentle splashing of the water.

Jesus, sitting – perhaps sleeping again – in the back of the boat. How long? How many hours of this extraordinary silence?

They left Capernaum in the evening. Now it is morning.

And then they arrive on the other side. A beach in the area called Gerasenes. And here is a man who is suffering from what appears to be serious mental illness.

And so the story continues.

After the storm.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Calming the Storm: Mark 4:35-41

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Calming the Storm

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 4:35-41

Horsham, 28th May 2024

There is so much I want to say about this story.

It appears in very similar form in both Matthew (Matthew 8:23-27) and Luke (Luke 8:22-25).

We have already seen several dramatic miracles performed by Christ, all of them directed at individuals. A man has been cleansed of a spirit. A paralytic, a leper and many others have been rescued from sickness. Here we have an extraordinary account which demonstrates Christ’s power over the very forces of nature.

I want you to see the journey across the lake as symbolic of our own journey through life. We have times of calm, and we have times of unexpected and sometimes dramatic challenge. For followers of Jesus, he is present in both. In Matthew’s version, he emphasises that it is Jesus who gets into the boat first (Matthew 8:23). In our journey through life, Jesus goes before us.

In this post, I want to focus on  the three rebukes.  The Disciples, one of them at least, rebukes Jesus for being asleep during the height of the storm. Jesus rebukes the storm, which immediately becomes calm. Jesus then rebukes the disciples for their lack of faith.

I’ve been in a storm at sea, although always on a boat many times bigger than the disciples were using. It can be a very scary place. No wonder these guys, even the experienced fishermen, were frightened. The waves are crashing over the boat. The boat is filling with water. They’re losing the battle to survive. Yet somehow in the middle of this, Jesus is asleep in the back of the boat. I can hear the panic in the voice… ‘Teacher! Don’t you care if we’re going to drown…’   This is the rebuke that says, ‘don’t you care that we’re sinking! Get up and start bailing out!’.  The first rebuke.

Jesus gets up. His response comes to us in English sounding pretty gentle. ‘Peace! Be Still!’. Yet the phrase used is the same as when Jesus rebuked the demon in Mark 1:25.  It’s a strong rebuke. In a word, it means ‘STOP!’. The wind drops. That’s a miracle. An even greater miracle is the calming of the sea. When the wind stops blowing, it can take hours for the energy in the waves to dissipate.  Not here. One word from Jesus and in an instant, the wind stops and it’s completely calm. The second rebuke.

The Disciples are somewhere between absolute relief and sheer terror. Jesus turns to them. “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The third rebuke.

Let’s touch base again with our own journey through life. Scripture says Jesus goes before us. He is always with us. During the calm times, we can easily forget he’s there. We get out of practice of relying on Jesus. We get out of practice of telling him about our lives. As if he’s asleep in the back of the boat.

That becomes an issue when we hit the challenge. Our default is to try to deal with the problem ourselves. Only when we run out of options, when our boat is overwhelmed and sinking, do we remember he’s there.  Then we shout.  ‘Don’t you care that I’ve got this exam…’ ‘Don’t you care that I’m broke and I’ve got this bill to pay..’ ‘Don’t you care that someone I love is sick..’ ‘Jesus! Don’t you care?’ The First Rebuke.

Of course, we’re great at telling him what he needs to do. We’ve been dealing with the problem – we know what we need him to do.  We’re sinking – bail us out! But this is the Christ who is capable of doing much more than we would have thought or believed (Ephesians 3:20). This is the Christ of supreme power. This is the God who sees the big picture and delivers what we really need. This is the God who helps us to confront the challenge in His strength, although his solution is not always what we expect. This is the God who rebukes the wind and calms the raging storm. The second rebuke.

This the Jesus who looks  our own suggested solutions and sees far beyond them. He looks at the constraints of our perspective and smiles. Learn to trust me! Practice depending on me! Think bigger! ‘Where is your faith!’ I, the Son of God, am here with you. “Why are you afraid?” The third rebuke.

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

There really is so much I want to say about this story.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Parables: Timeless Stories Mark 4:33-34

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33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Mark 4:33-34 NIV

Horsham, 6th May 2024

These verses make clear that parables were really important to Jesus. We need to remember that the people he was speaking to had huge expectations of what God’s Kingdom and the coming Messiah would be like. They expected the Messiah to be a strong King of the old style, a true military leader who would restore Israel and evict the Roman occupiers. We begin to understand that when Jesus started his description of God’s kingdom as a tiny mustard seed, many people would miss the point he was making. He was trying to lead them through a transition to understand the truth of the Kingdom of God, one step at a time.

The parables are simple stories with a purpose and a meaning. I want to focus in this post on the timeless nature of them.

I’m really fascinated by the conversations which are going on right now about  a roman artefact, being called a dodecahedron. The word means ‘twelve sided object’, and very few of them have been found. It’s a fascinating and complex object, cast in bronze. The interesting thing is that we have no idea at all what it was called by the Romans, or what it was used for.

The reality is that the Roman world, and first century Palestine in particular, was rich in objects which would mean little to us today. In the same way that my grandson has no idea and little interest in what an 8 track stereo system was (very prestigious let me tell you in the late 1970’s), a story about a dodecahedron (or whatever it was called by the Romans) would have meant nothing to me today. It would have failed the test of time.

Mark offers a small selection of parables. Matthew and Luke offer several more. It’s almost certain that Jesus would have spoken dozens, hundreds even a thousand more which have not been preserved for us. The Apostle John affirms that not everything Jesus said or did was written down (John 21:25).

How incredible, then, that in those parables to which we have access, the images Jesus used make sense. For all of our technological advances, we understand the image of building your house on a rock, rather than the sand. We have a pretty good idea what an oil lamp looks like. We can get our head around the idea of a tiny mustard seed growing into a large tree.

We can still miss the point of Jesus’ parables. My point is that in spite of all the changes in culture, technology and human understanding, 2000 years later, the stories he told are still accessible. The parables of Jesus still make sense. Timeless.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Parable of the Mustard Seed: Mark 4:30-32

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The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” 

Horsham, 24th April 2024

Christ is again using a parable to tell us something of what the Kingdom of God is like. There’s no question that a mustard seed is pretty small, although it’s by no means the smallest seed in the world. However the phrase ‘mustard seed’ was used amongst Jewish people of the first century to refer to something really, really tiny (i). The mustard seed was a recognisable symbol, not just because everyone knew that the seed was small, but they also knew that the mustard seed has the potential to grow into a large bush (or a small tree).

There is something here to remind us of the small and insignificant. We see the ‘small and insignificant’ everywhere in Scripture, even in the life of Christ. From the vulnerability of a new born baby, to the man on the cross between two thieves. I have always sensed the vulnerability of the disciples after Christ’s death, and at the moment of his ascension (Acts 1).

Yet there is something in this image of exponential growth from small beginnings into a bush which provides nourishment and safe haven for those who find shelter there.  It reminds me of the exponential growth which we see in the early Church as God builds that part of his Kingdom on earth. There is a lesson here that in the things of God we are to celebrate and nurture the small beginnings. They are a sign of potentially good things to come. (Zechariah 4:10)

‘it would be difficult to find an emblem which more faithfully represents the history of the visible church of Christ than this mustard seed.’ (ii)

It is an image rich in Old Testament symbolism. God’s kingdom is described by Ezekiel and Daniel as a growing tree within whose shade the nations will find refuge.

We bring these images together and see a growing Kingdom where all are welcome, regardless of the artificial boundaries which are so often imposed by human hearts.

‘The Church is the family of God; and that Church which began in Palestine, small as a mustard seed, has room in it for every nation in the world. There are no barriers in the Church of God. The barriers are of our own making, and God in Christ has torn them down.’ (iii)

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

(i) Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospel, p 86
(ii) ibid
(iii) Wm Barclay, New Daily Study Bible; The Gospel of Mark, Kindle edition, Loc 2440

Gospel of Mark

The Growing Seed: Mark 4:26-29

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The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

Mark 4: 26-29 (NIV)

Horsham: 23rd April 2024

This short parable is unusual in that it is unique to Mark’s Gospel.  We can easily pass over the opening phrase that ‘this is what the kingdom of God is like.’ (v26).  It is a parable which describes something about the establishment of God’s kingdom. It is typical of Jesus’ teaching to draw an illustration drawn from nature. As ever the image is both accessible and timeless.

I spent some time this afternoon sowing seeds. Tomatoes, beans, peas and sweetcorn. The sweetcorn seeds were small dried kernels of corn. They look completely lifeless. Having planted the seeds, I can look after them – watering them and keeping them warm, but in reality there is nothing I can do to make them grow. It is a wonder of nature that the tiny shriveled kernels of corn will grow into plants.

If all goes well, in the spring the seeds will produce a stalk, and later in the summer, those stalks will produce cobs of corn. By early autumn, I will come along and harvest the sweetcorn.

So the image is simple and straightforward, but what is the parallel with the kingdom of God which Jesus wanted the people to see here?

We’ve noticed before that the ministry of Jesus was not what people would have expected of the Messiah. Rather than confronting the Roman army of occupation and re-establishing Jewish rule, Jesus was quietly talking to people, standing up to the Jewish institutions, mixing with the needy and healing the sick. I wonder whether you can see that there is a sense in which as he deals with the community, his family, his followers and his disciples, Jesus is sowing seeds in human hearts. These are seeds which will, over time, grow and flourish as people become ready to follow and serve him, passing on the seeds of his light, love and grace to others.  No-one would ‘see’ the seeds germinate, but they would, in time, be left in no doubt that growth had taken pace.

‘People wouldn’t be able to see how God’s promised plant would grow from this seed, but grow it would and the harvest would come.’(i)

We discover in Acts 2 that God is able to create rapid dynamic growth in His Church, but that is not always the case and certainly does not reflect the ongoing experience of the early Church. In reality, his kingdom grows slowly, sometimes imperceptibly. The seeds of His kingdom are sown into human hearts and it is by His grace and in His timing that the seed will grow.

As followers of Jesus we are also privileged to scatter seeds. We do this by our teaching but more importantly by sharing and demonstrating His love. We may sometimes be disappointed not to see the fruit or even the germination of those seeds. But just now and then, we may see growth in others (often from seeds which we ourselves did not sow) which will reassure us that seeds do actually grow, and God is indeed building his kingdom here on earth, as it is in heaven.

(i) NT Wright, Mark for Everyone, p.46

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Consider Carefully What You Hear: Mark 4:24-25

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24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

Horsham: 17th March 2024

The context of these verses is straightforward. Jesus has just told his disciples, not for the first time, to listen and respond.

23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”  (Mark 4:23)

In context, ‘consider carefully what you hear,’ (v24) means ‘pay careful attention to what I am saying.’ Jesus is telling his disciples, including you and me, to listen carefully to his voice and reflect on what we have heard. We hear his voice in Scripture. Read his words slowly and carefully. Pay careful attention. Read. Listen Reflect.

I recently heard a young man talking about his experience as a zoo keeper. During his first week, he joined the team with responsibility for looking after the gorillas. His greatest challenge came when he was introduced to the gorillas. The first response of these powerful animals was to want nothing to do with him. They largely ignored him but occasionally, and unpredictably, displayed aggression. He described their behaviour as being rather like that of a petulant toddler, but of course some of these toddlers weigh 400 – 500 pounds, and are blessed with 10 times the strength of the average fit and healthy human.

After many months of persistence, including some difficult encounters, the young zoo keeper realised that he was slowly developing a close and rewarding relationship with the animals. He learned, he said, an important life lesson. The more effort which he put in his relationship with his new animal friends, the more he gained.

It seems to me that the same principle applies to our relationship with God. The more you put in, the deeper your relationship will become.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK