Mark
1 – 2
Verse 1:13 shows the differences between the Gospels:
and there in the
desert He stayed for 40 days. He was tested by Satan himself and surrounded by
wild animals; but through these trials, heavenly messengers cared for
Him and ministered to Him.
Mark is more a “Reader’s Digest” version of
the Gospel of Jesus. He first chapter says nothing of the virgin birth or his
early days, it starts with John the Baptist. The 40 days in the desert has no
mention of the three temptations or fasting. This book is just simple and to
the point. You will notice it’s more for a “spiritually educated” audience,
since a new believer should work with Matthew or Luke as their first Gospel.
Notice the “first” miracle in Mark is not
changing water into wine, but casting demons and healings. So did Mark figure
the water to wine thing was a parlor trick?
Verse 1:37 gives people an idea of the life
Jesus lived:
They finally tracked
Him down.
People:
Everybody wants to know where You are!
How would you feel if you could not even
slip away to pray in the early morning? If you had someone who was ill and you
know a man had God given ability to heal, you would do what it took to get them
to this man. So even early morning before dawn he is tracked down and bothered.
Just because Jesus is God in flesh doesn’t mean his flesh does not need sleep,
He has to live the same rules of food and rest that everyone else does or the
flesh will die before His work is complete. So he could not rest and that
frustrated Him.
Verse 2:22 got me thinking (and many now
cringe;):
And nobody puts
new, unfermented wine into old wineskins because if he does, the wine
will burst the skins; they would lose both the wineskins and the wine. No, the
only appropriate thing is to put new wine into new wineskins.
I have read and listened to this Parable
many times over my life and now wonder the wording. The context is Jesus is
being questioned by the scribes about his not adhering to Hebraic customs. He
is talking about the new things he is teaching and in context it could be
implied that the new teaching will not work on old beliefs. So His teachings
could be for the new covenant which differs wildly from the old one.
Could Jesus be saying the old covenant and
the new covenant do not mesh at all and those who live under the OC are fine
and should not mesh the NC doctrine, if they do it will cause problems. Or are
we all to become NC wineskins? Out with the old altogether?
��_�F