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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.