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Gospel of Mark

Insults, Laughter and Tears at the Foot of the Cross: Mark 15:21-32

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21 A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.

25 It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.

27 They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. [28] [a] 29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Mark 15:21-32

Horsham: 8th January 2026

People came to watch Jesus die.  Lots of people. Some stood and watched.  Some threw insults. Some laughed. Some wept. Some just passed by.

Golgotha is a dreadful place. This is not the first set of executions to take place here. The earth is discoloured with the blood and gore of many crucifixions. The stench is overwhelming. The stench of death. The kind of place where the birds don’t sing. To this place they come.

The Jokers
There are those who deliberately passed this way. They have gone out of their way to pass through a place they would normally take pains to avoid. They know who is being crucified. They have come to shout insults. Their insults are for the one whose cross carries the name ‘Jesus of Nazareth. King of the Jews.’ 

‘So, You who are going to destroy the Temple and re-build it in three days, come down off the cross and save yourself!’ There is laughter. They are here to throw insults at Jesus.

They are the jokers, who laughed at the foot of the cross of Christ.

The Chief Priests and Teachers
If you are looking for a Chief Priest or a teacher of the Law, Golgotha is not the place you would normally go. This is a place of filth. This place is unclean. Yet these men have come to make sure that the deed is seen through to the end. They are furious about the sign. They are the leaders of the Jews. This is not their King. 

They send word to demand that Pilate removes these words from the cross. An hour earlier, Pilate had wanted to release this Jesus, but they had insisted he be crucified. Against his instincts he allowed it to happen. He is in no mood to accept their petitions now. ‘What I have written, I have written.’

They hear the laughter of the jokers. They are inspired to join in with their own humour. ‘He saved others but he cannot save himself!’ More laughter. ‘He trusts God. Let God save Him!’ Hilarious. ‘Come down from the cross that we may see and believe.’ That’s not going to happen. That is not God’s plan.

They bring their own insults and throw them at Jesus. They are here to make sure that sentence is passed.

They are the Chief Priests and Teachers of the Law who believed that they experienced some kind of justice at the foot of the cross of Christ.

Thieves and Robbers
Two men accused of crimes. Maybe they were co-conspirators with Barabbas. They are in agony. They too have been beaten and paraded through the streets. They too are nailed to their own crosses. Dislocated shoulders. They are struggling for every breath. They are frightened – terrified. Tough, brutal men, reduced to this. In their desperation, they too heaped insults on Jesus (Matthew 27:44). But there was that moment when for one of them, the insults stopped. ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ I wonder whether he heard the response of Jesus ‘today, you will be with me in paradise.’ (Luke 23:43).

They are there to die. (He is numbered amongst the transgressors),

These are the thieves and robbers who suffered and died alongside the cross of Christ.

The Centurion
There was a centurion. Standing back. Watching. He’s seen it all before. He knows very little of these three condemned men, and cares less. His role is to make sure that the sentence is passed. To see that these men die on the cross. He is watching everyone as they come and go. Watching the reaction to that sign. Watching and listening. Listening as people threw their insults, laughed and wept as Jesus was dying on the cross.

He is there to ensure that Roman justice is delivered.

He is the Centurion, who watched, listened and waited at foot of the cross of Christ.

The Soldiers
Each prisoner had been guarded by a team of four soldiers on the road to Golgotha. For now, their job is done.  They are entitled to the condemned man’s clothes. Jesus has a good undergarment. Soldiers are soldiers. They see an opportunity to have some fun. Out come their gambling stones and they cast lots for the garment. They care nothing for the dying man. 

They are oblivious of the fact that their little game was predicted hundreds of years earlier. Oblivious to the role they have just played in history (Matthew 27:35; John 19:23-24, Psalm 22:18).

These are the soldiers of Rome who drew lots at the foot of the cross of Christ.  

The Disciples
The disciples had sworn to stand with Jesus whatever happened.  Last night, less than 12 hours earlier, they ran for cover as Jesus was arrested. Where were they now? 

At least one of them was there, possibly more. There had been that extraordinary moment when Jesus asks John to look after his mother. In obedience to Christ, John takes Mary into his household. (John 19:27). Were there others, hiding in plain sight, mixing with the crowd? 

These are the Disciples, who tried to make themselves invisible at the foot of the cross of Christ.

The Women
This was no place for women, yet they always came when it was their man on the cross. Mary, mother of Jesus, helpless, in utter despair, watching her son die. Mary Magdalene was there. And another Mary, the wife of Clopas (John 19:25). There were probably others too, to stand with the mother of Jesus and to comfort each other (Matthew 27:55-56).

They are overwhelmed with grief and helplessness. Forced to listen to the ultimate insults being thrown at Jesus.

These are the women who loved Jesus and wept at the foot of the cross of Christ.

End Piece

Of course, there were others, hundreds – even thousands – in Jerusalem who knew that something horrific was taking place at Golgotha and deliberately stayed away. They didn’t want to take the risk of being anywhere nearby. After all, they were in Jerusalem to worship God. Better, they thought, to ignore it. Carry on as if nothing was happening.

Challenge yourself. Something ghastly and completely unjustified is going on. You don’t need to look far in this world to find an example. 

Where do you stand in the crowd? 

Insults. Laughter. Tears. Maybe it’s best to simply look the other way.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex

Gospel of Mark

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time: Mark 10:32-34

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Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time

32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”

Mark 10:32-34

Horsham: 12th February 2025

A few steps behind: Jesus is walking along the road from Galilee towards Jerusalem. As a Rabbi, we’d expect to see the disciples close on his heels, listening for his every word, relishing the light covering of dust from his sandals as they walk in his footsteps.

This scene invokes a very different image. In every sense, the disciples are not in a good place. They are in a state of ‘astonished bewilderment’ (Wm Barclay, Loc 5074). I sense that they are a few steps behind their Rabbi. Further back, beyond the disciples, there’s another anxious group of people following Jesus.

Look at the calm resolution of Jesus, stepping out with determination towards Jerusalem. It’s all the more noticeable in contrast to the palpable tension of everyone else.

I’ve told you twice: It is in Mark 8 that Peter first declares that he believes Jesus to be the Messiah. Immediately afterwards, Jesus teaches the disciples that he would be killed and rise again (Mark 8:31-33 ). The text says that ‘He spoke plainly to them about this.’ (Mark 8:32). Whatever he said, they didn’t understand. You may remember that Peter was so shocked by Jesus talking about his own death that he took him aside and told him not to say such things. Peter was rebuked by Jesus.

In Mark 9:30-32, Jesus predicts his death a second time. This time he tells them that he will be ‘delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him and on the third day he will rise.‘ (Mark 9:31) Once more, the disciples didn’t understand and, perhaps because of his earlier reaction to Peter, they were not going to be asking questions.

The Third Warning: Jesus takes the disciples to one side. Once more – this is the third time – he tells them that he will be killed. This time there is more detail. He mentions Jerusalem. He says that the Chief Priest is involved. He says that he will be handed over to the Gentiles. They ‘will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him.’ 

‘Calmly and deliberately he tells the disciples of his coming passion at Jerusalem. One after another He describes all the leading circumstances which will attend to His death. Nothing is reserved. Nothing is kept back.’ (Ryle p156)

They sense that Jesus is resolved to accept his own death. This is not what they want to hear. It makes no sense to them.

The challenge for the disciples is this. They believe that Jesus is the Messiah. They believe that they know what the Messiah should be like. They know what he should achieve. They have been raised to anticipate this conquering hero of Israel who will restore the nation to glory. They thought that they were watching history being made. They were excited to be part of it. His violent death in Jerusalem was not on their agenda. He is supposed to be victorious – to rid Israel of the Roman invaders, not to be put to death by them.

We must try to understand the bewilderment and fear of his followers, for this was a difficult experience for them and not at all what they had planned or expected. Each new announcement of his death only added to their perplexity.’ (Wiersbe: p125)

End Piece: We shouldn’t blame the disciples for being scared. In their place, we would have been scared too. We can’t blame them for misunderstanding what to expect of the Messiah. I can imagine the whispered conversations. You can almost feel their anxiety. If Jesus’ death is approaching, what does that mean for them? Are they supposed to die alongside him? What would that achieve? Is this the end? No wonder they are bewildered. This isn’t what they signed up for. No wonder they are hanging back. No wonder they are a few steps behind Jesus.

We’re not so different. We have our own view of who Jesus is, and there are times when he doesn’t meet our expectations. We get distracted by our own life ambitions and plans. We anticipate great things. We forget that we are supposed to be following, not leading. We fall out of step, feeling anxious and bewildered. We fall back. Just like those disciples, we find ourselves feeling uneasy. We find ourselves a few steps behind where Jesus wants us to be.

Following Jesus is about moving forwards. It’s about letting Him lead. It’s about trust. It’s about confidence in Him. It’s about keeping close. He wants you to be there at his heels, ready to listen, and ready to serve. He wants you to be so close that you can feel the dust from his sandals landing on you. Straining to hear his voice. Following closely in his footsteps.

That’s what it means to follow Jesus. Don’t get left behind.

Try to keep up.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Divorce: Mark 10: 1-12

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 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. 2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 “What did Moses command you?” he replied. 4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” 5 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. 6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’[a] 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[b] 8 and the two will become one flesh.’[c] So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

10 When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

Mark 10:1-12

Horsham: 19th January 2024
Divorce

This is a tough area to write or teach about. Relationship breakdowns are desperately complex and damaging to everyone involved. Whether it involves you, a family member or a good friend, you will have your own experience – I certainly have mine!

We’ve come to the point in Mark’s Gospel where Jesus is asked about divorce. This incident is also related in Matthew 19:1-11 and Luke 16:18. The issue of divorce is, and has always, presented a challenge to theologians and teachers. It is a challenge today, as it was a challenge in Christ’s day. Don’t be too surprised, then, that this is one of my longer posts!

Divorce

Many Christian’s are condemnatory of divorce, and in researching this post, I have read articles which propose that Christian people should never get divorced. I think that’s naïve, and puts an unacceptable burden on people who suffer in bad relationships. I don’t think anyone should take the issue of divorce lightly, and like most people I wish it didn’t have to come to that, but people are people and to continue in a broken marriage is not a good thing for anybody.

I’m going to show you why I believe Scripture does allow for divorce where necessary. It may sound as if Jesus is opposed to divorce, but as always, it’s critical to look at the context of his teaching and comments.

Back at the beginning..

Genesis 2:24 makes clear that God intended marriage to be a lifelong commitment. It describes a man and his wife coming together as a single person. Back at the beginning, there’s no mention of divorce. It simply didn’t exist. However, by the time of Moses relationship breakdown and separation were a thing. Men were seemingly unable to live as God intended (the Bible says that they were ‘hard-hearted’). NT Wright points out, ‘the problem was not with the ideal, nor with the law, but with the people.’ (p131) To establish some kind of order, in Deuteronomy 24, Moses sets out the rules for when it was acceptable and how it was to work. Through Moses, God allowed divorce, but only where the woman was ‘displeasing to her husband.’ (Deut 24:1)

Of course, the phrase ‘displeasing her husband’ was open to interpretation, and between the days of Moses and the birth of Christ, plenty of that went on! There was a point in Jewish history when it became commonly accepted for Jewish men to divorce their wives from other tribes so that they could take a wife from a Jewish family (See Ezra 10:1-4).

I believe that it is in that context, Malachi, last of the Old Testament prophets, writes that God says to a sinful nation ‘I hate divorce.’ (Malachi 2:16).

You may have already sensed that men had the upper hand here. A woman in biblical times had no rights, and was generally forced to accept divorce if her husband proposed it. The circumstances in which a woman could divorce were very few and tightly controlled.

New Testament Times

In New Testament times, society and culture remained deeply patriarchal and women continued to enjoy very few rights. The debate over divorce was a very live issue in Jesus’ time. It was political and divisive. The tetrarch, Herod Antipas, who was keen to be seen as the official ‘King of Israel’, divorced his first wife (Phasa’el) in order to marry a woman called Herodias. However, in order for that marriage to proceed, Herodias in turn had to divorce her husband, Philp, who happened to be the brother in law of her new husband Herod. All this sounds rather like the plot of a modern soap opera.

The fact that Herodias, a woman, had divorced her husband would have been appalling in itself, but this carefully arranged remarriage was very contentious. It was his outspoken opposition to this union which led to the imprisonment and later the death of John the Baptist.

It is no accident, then, that this question was put to Jesus as he was passing through the region of Perea which was part of the Herod’s territory where he had considerable support. So we see that in context the Pharisees asked a loaded question.

The Bible says that the Pharisees were ‘testing’ Jesus (v2). Here’s the ‘test’. If Jesus takes the view of John the Baptist and opposes the marriage of Herod and Herodias, the Jews will have the opportunity to have him arrested and potentially killed for treason against Herod. If he doesn’t, he is in favour of divorce in circumstances which goes far beyond the accepted norms of Judaism, and he will be condemned by the Jewish hierarchy.

1st Century views of Divorce

It’s helpful to point out that when it came to divorce, there were broadly two camps in the contemporary culture. The first was a ‘conservative’ view, which we associate with Rabbi Shammai. He held that the ‘displeasing her husband’ mentioned in Deuteronomy 24:1 allowed for divorce only if the woman was guilty of sexual sin. In short, if a woman was an adulteress, there were grounds for divorce (and under Jewish Law, adultery was punishable by death). Of course history is full of instances where women, married or otherwise, have been maliciously deemed to be promiscuous, either because they were no longer finding favour with their husband or even when they were in truth the victim of abuse or even rape.

The second group, associated with Rabbi Hallel, favoured what we might call a rather more ‘liberal’ interpretation. If your wife displeases you in any way, you can go straight to divorce. You might not like her cooking. You may dislike her accent. You may simply be fed up with her. Under Hallel’s principle, go ahead and divorce her.

An encounter with the Pharisees

So, as we’ve seen, this encounter with the Pharisees was a test. Jesus was being tested on a subject in which there were strongly held and diverse views, especially in the political context of Herod and Herodias. They encourage Jesus to step into a political minefield.

Jesus rebuffs the test. ‘What did Moses command you about divorce?’ This isn’t a tricky question for the Pharisees. They know exactly what Moses, and they summarised the teaching of Deuteronomy 24:1. Jesus doesn’t deny that Moses allows for divorce.

Jesus turns the conversation back to Genesis 2, and the creation story which pre-dates Moses teaching. God’s plan at the beginning was that a man and his wife become one flesh – they are no longer two but one. Let no man, says Jesus, separate them. Rather than dealing with the hot political issue of the day, Jesus, Son of God, is declaring God’s intention for marriage. He falls back on God’s intention when he created the institution of marriage.

In Mark’s Gospel, that is where the conversation with the Pharisees ended. Christ’s message to them was simply that God intended marriage to last a lifetime.

An explanation for the disciples…

So, as has happened a number of times, after the argument in the street, we move back inside the house where they are staying, and the disciples ask Jesus for more explanation. Once again, it’s important to try to understand Christ’s comments in context .

Jesus didn’t say that Moses was wrong to permit divorce. Deuteronomy is after all part of the Pentateuch – the Word of God. He didn’t say that men and women must never get divorced. I think he was saying that it would be better if they didn’t need to. I believe that he reiterated God’s plan for all of us that a man and a woman would leave their parents, join together as man and wife and become one flesh. For life.

The disciples are as keen as anyone to hear what Jesus has to say about the marriage between Herod and Herodias. ‘Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.’ In the context of Herod and Herodias, that’s pretty clear. Once more, Jesus has simply put God’s position as recorded in Genesis.

The End Piece

Christians who point at this Scripture and declare that divorce is unacceptable for Christian people are taking no account of the context in which Jesus was asked the question. In Deuteronomy 24:1, Moses permits a man to divorce his wife ‘if she displeases him’.  Jesus didn’t dismiss that, but he pointed right back to God’s original intention in creating the idea of marriage.

Whilst we see the world very differently, our contemporary culture actually takes a remarkably similar view to that given by Moses. As with every other generation, we try to find our own interpretation of  ‘displeasing her husband’. I’m thankful that our culture allows woman equal rights before the law. In our culture, which is very different from that of Moses, a woman is as entitled to look for divorce as a man, so we need to add  the concept of a man ‘displeasing his wife’.

As in 1st Century Israel, there are those in our current society who place the bar of displeasing one’s partner as being ‘sexual sin’ only. But of course you and I know of people who have suffered, often along with their children, in appalling marriages where ‘sexual sin’ is at most only part of the issue.

On the other hand, there are those who regard it as being acceptable to give up on a marriage simply because they are not getting along, or for some reason the marriage has become inconvenient.

For me, the theory is simple. Ultimately, God’s ideal is preferable. In strong, loving marriages, divorce would not be necessary.

Sadly, the practical application is less straightforward. When marriage doesn’t work out, as was the case in Christ’s day, each case has to be taken on its merits. I’d like to think that we view each case with far greater compassion than was the case in the first Century. At least we aim to listen to the voices of everyone involved.

God’s way is preferable, and those of us who enjoy good marriages are truly, truly blessed.  I wish that divorce wasn’t necessary. The fact is that it always was, and it aways will be.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Whoever is Not Against Us: Mark 9:37-40

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Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us

38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

Mark 9:38-40

7th December 2024: Horsham

The man described here by the disciples is clearly ministering successfully ‘in the name of Jesus.’ He appears to be a follower of Jesus. The problem for the disciples, it seems, is that he is not part of their team. Presumably they see themselves as the only true followers of Jesus. Our way, they seem to think, is the right way, and so this man is wrong and must be stopped.

I have always had an interest in ecumenism (we might loosely define that word as meaning encouraging people of differing Christian denominations to develop relationship and explore ways to work together). Over the years, I have come to appreciate that, whilst we can always find things on which we will not agree, there is often much on which we would. Some of our points of disagreement are quite trivial. Others less so. We should carefully and prayerfully weigh our common ground and our differences. We should guard against allowing our differences become bricks to build a wall of division between us.

There’s no doubt that the disciples had an extraordinarily special relationship with Jesus, but it is clear from the New Testament that there were more than just the twelve following Christ. In these verses, the disciples seem to regard those beyond their immediate group as outsiders to be regarded with suspicion. ‘To this intolerant spirit we owe some of the blackest pages of Church history. Christians have repeatedly persecuted Christians for no better reason than that which is here given by John.’ (Ryle p141) The disciples are constrained by the inverted mindset of humanity which say ‘He who is not with us is against us.’ Jesus has a different default position: ‘He who is not against us is for us.’ This is a position which is challenged repeatedly in the early Church and throughout Church history. It is a lesson which is as important today as it was then.

There may be legitimate reasons to distance ourselves from others, however the assumption that we have all the answers is wrong. We can never fully grasp God’s mind (Isaiah 55:8-9). Our beliefs should always be rooted in Scripture, and we should weigh our own thinking, as well as that of others, carefully. We should be very careful about taking the position that we know how to follow Jesus better than everyone else. The next step can easily become ‘you who disagree with us on one or two points are in the wrong.’ This is a dangerous and slippery path which has too often led to religious infighting, division, persecution and abuse over generations.

There are many people who do not worship the way we do, who do not share the same confession of faith that we have, who interpret biblical passages very differently, yet they are ministering in the Name of Jesus. We have to appreciate and embrace authentic ministry wherever we find it. We also have to distance ourselves from heresy whenever we find it. Simply put, we need discernment.

RC Sproul, p 208

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

A helpful summary of why we have different denominations in the UK (External link to www.christianity.org.uk)

Gospel of Mark

Jesus Predicts His Death 2: Mark 9: 30-32

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Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

Mark 9:30-32

Horsham: 28th November 2024

In Mark Chapter 8, Jesus and the disciples were in northern Israel, close to the city of Caesarea Philippi. In verse 28 we read about a conversation in which Peter recognised Jesus as the Messiah. This was a turning point in Christ’s relationship with his disciples. At that moment, we might argue that his teaching style changes. Gone are the careful, coded lessons of the parables. Jesus knows that his death is coming soon and he is determined to prepare his disciples for what follows.

Jesus told the disciples directly not to tell anyone else that he was the Messiah. Then, for the first time, he spoke to them about his coming death. On that occasion the Peter argued with Jesus. To the disciples, the idea of the Messiah being put to death in this way was absurd. Peter drew a strong rebuke from Jesus.

By the time we reach todays passage, the disciples have continued their journey, walking south, back to the Galilee area where Jesus had spent much of his time and performed many of his miracles. Once more, he teaches them about his coming death. His return to this affirms the importance of this lesson. It is, perhaps, the most important thing they have to learn. Jesus knows what lies in store for the disciples after his death, and he needs to prepare them. Once more, he is really direct.

‘He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” ‘ (v31)

Once more, they don’t get it. The Messiah? Killed? Resurrected? To the disciples, none of this makes sense. They can’t get their heads around it. This time, no-one’s going to argue with the teacher.

  • Perhaps they are remembering Christ’s response to Peter when they were in Caesarea Philippi.
  • Perhaps they are still struggling with the idea that Jesus isn’t measuring up to their expectation of the Messiah.
  • Perhaps to them, the idea of resurrection didn’t make sense.
  • Perhaps they are embarrassed that they just don’t understand.

Whatever they thought, no-one was going to ask questions.

They say nothing.

‘They did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.’ (v32)

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

James and John. Boanerges: Mark 3:17

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James and John. Boanerges.
Jesus Appoints the Twelve

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve[a] that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Mark 3:13-18

15th October 2024: Horsham

James and John were fishermen. When Jesus called them to follow him, they were working on a boat which was owned by their father Zebedee (Mark 1:19-20). Their mother was Salome, who was close to Jesus’ mother, Mary.

We don’t know how many people had answered the call to follow Jesus in those earliest days, but there came this moment when he decided to appoint a group of twelve to be his closest followers. We call them the Disciples. In that group were James and his brother John. In Mark’s Gospel they are referred to by a nickname, apparently used by Jesus. They are ‘the Boanerges’.

It’s a strange name. It doesn’t work well in Aramaic (the language which Jesus would have talked), or in Greek (the language in which the Gospels were written). It’s meaning is unclear, but it’s usually translated into English as ‘Sons of Thunder’. That’s quite a name.

Jesus rebuked James and John because they wanted to call down fire from heaven on a village which wouldn’t give Jesus food and lodging (Luke 9:54). These were strong characters, and were probably leading the conversation about ‘who is the greatest’ (Mark 9:34-35). These are the guys who upset the other disciples when they told Jesus that they wanted to sit at his right and left hand in Heaven (Mark 10: 35-45).   They sound like strong characters. Men who will make their feelings known. They sound like Sons of Thunder.

Yet these guys weren’t always making a noise. Along with Simon Peter, they seem to have been Jesus closest friends. They were physically closest to some of the greatest miracles, even when most of the disciples were excluded (eg Mark 5:37). They were there at the Transfiguration (Luke 9). They were with him as he prayed in Gethsemane just before his arrest (Mark 14:32-42).

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, James was probably the first of the twelve to face a martyrs death (Acts 12:2). John lived to reach old age, and probably died in Ephesus, although we can’t be sure how he died.

End Piece

I’ve done lots of reading about it but I still don’t know for certain what Boanerges actually means. I do sense that James and John were extraordinary men. From the time they set aside their nets on the shore of Galilee to follow Jesus,  they were determined and faithful. When others turned back, James and John remained steadfast to the end. Jesus saw their potential as leaders and His teaching took root in their hearts.  When the time came, after his death on the cross,  they stood firm. Drenched in the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, they were empowered and remained faithful to the end. In life and in death, James and John were foundational pillars in the establishment of the early Church.

James and John. The Boanerges.

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.