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?