Comments for August 8

2:5  David was well aware that individuals like Joab had behaved in ways that deserved death. However David was compromised because of his sin with Bathsheba even thought that sin was forgiven. Hence he charges Solomon to do what the Law of Moses required.

2:36 Shimei had taunted David as he fled from Jerusalem with the words, “Come out, come out” (2 Sam. 16:7). If Shimei was truly repentant he would be prepared not to ‘come out’ from Jerusalem.

2:38    Shimei approved of Solomon’s decision. Solomon could have had Shimei killed. As time passed it seems that Abishai assumed that Solomon would not keep his word and so left his house to recover his servant.

2:5-6 David’s ability to judge had been compromised by his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah. However justice had to be done so Solomon was charged with that. How often do we think of the potential consequences of our actions?

2:4 Serving the king and serving God are not passive activities. Action is required. The biblical was of describing this sort of service is walking. That is going on a journey. Look especially in the New Testament letters to see how walking is a key element of the disciple’s life.

2:5  Ever since David’s sin with Bathsheba Joab had been a potential, and at times a real, problem for David. But now David charges Solomon with the responsibility of executing God’s judgment on Joab. Notice this, amongst other details, is the charge given to Solomon even though David, here, does not say that Solomon was to be king. It must have been evident by now with, finally, the end of the uprising of Adonijah.

v.7 - The peace that God is promising here is not in Babylon, but in prayer. Obvious lesson for us in the Babylon in which we live. Rom.13:1,5, 2Pet.2:13-17.

v.14 - Amidst the doom of captivity the prophet speaks of a time of restoration and returns to the theme even after the desolation of Jerusalem [Lamentations 2:14] The contemporary prophet to Jeremiah also looks to that time of restoration. [Zephaniah 2:7] The promise that they would be brought again draws on the words of Israel to Joseph. [Genesis 48:21] and echoes the words of the contemporary prophet [Zephaniah 3:20]

v.5,6 - The divine message was clear - This was a long term punishment. They were to settle down and they were to continue to increase and multiply. It was no good hoping for release. There was none coming in the near future. We live today in an age where we look constantly for immediate gratification and expect only short term chastening. Here we see that our entire lifetime is 'short term' to God, and we start to appreciate the vast scale of eternity. This helps all to stay in perspective. Let us listen for and respond to the divine plan that God has for each of us and shoulder that burden, whatever it be, in faith and with joy and hope.

29:10 The 'good word' of the return from Babylon is picked up by Zechariah (1:13) to show them how Jeremiah's prophecy had been fulfilled.

PRAY FOR KINGS
There is one instruction to pray that is often sadly neglected among Christians. Paul mentions it in 1 Timothy 2, where he says, "I urge then that prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may lead peaceful; and quiet lives in all Godliness and holiness." (1 Tim 2 v 1 - 2) For my part, my most common prayers are for myself and my needs, for my family, my Sunday School, my Church, and my friends, but praying for kings and all those in authority often slips my mind. Very seldom do I pray for the government, the prime minister, local government or anyone else in authority.
Jeremiah gave the same message to the Jews who had been taken to Babylon. He said, "Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." So let us resolve to improve the quality and time of our prayers by praying for the people that God has set over us. Prayer, after all, is the most powerful force we have in our grasp to make a Godly influence on our world. So let us use it in all its power as we pray for kings and all those in authority.

:18 'removed … earth Deut 28:25
'among … them' Deut 28:37

29:9 Continuing the warning about false prophets Jeremiah quotes again from Deuteronomy 18. This time he quotes Deut 18:20.

V.26 "mad" SHAGA (7691) "to rave through insanity". Inspired prophets were often so called by the ungodly.(2Kin 9:11, Acts 26:24) Jeremiah is in this a type of Christ, against whom the same charge was brought.(John 10:20)

Vs.5,6 When Yahweh commanded Judah to go into exile to Babylon, they were not to be put in jail on bread and water rations.  On the contrary, they were to prosper. 

V.7 The people were to pray for the peace of Babylon, just as we are to pray for the peace of the places in which we live (1Tim 2:1,2). 

During the seventy years' sojourn, the generations which grew up in prosperity in Babylon had no direct association with Jerusalem. 

And so, what motivated these new generations to go to a Jerusalem they had never seen?  The answer must be through the constant teaching and vision handed down by their parents and grand-parents (please read Psa 137).  

Likewise, how do we motivate our children to want to leave the Babylon, in which we live, to go to the New Jerusalem (Heb 13:14; Rev 3:12; 21:2)?  The answer, again, is through constant teaching and vision (Prov 22:6; 29:18). 

SEEK GOD
 
In his letter to the exiles in Babylon, Jeremiah predicted a time to come when people would turn back to God.  When God had prospered his people in Babylon, he said, "'Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and then I will listen to you.  You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you,' declares the LORD." (Jer 29:12-14)
 
Until now, Israel had only sought the LORD in a half hearted way.  It was as if they didn't really believe God would answer.  But the time was to come when they would seek God - not just in a token gesture, but with all their heart.  At that time God would be found by them.
 
How do we seek God with all our heart?  There is a clue in the words of Jesus when he said, "But seek first his (God's) kingdom and his righteousness." (Matt 6:33)  In other words, seeking God must be our first priority.  If we seek him with all our hearts there will be no distractions from the task.  All our hope will be in God.  We will not have other plans to fall back on because we rely totally on our God.  We will not be disappointed.  When we seek him with all our heart he will be found by us and will provide us with the blessings we need.  Let's make God the top priority in our lives today.

It's interesting to note that the message of the 70 years' captivity was taken to Babylon (Jer 29:1-4,10). This obviously enabled Daniel to know, and to make his prayer at the end of the 70 years (Dan 9:2); see also Jer 25:11-14.

29:1  Maybe those who had been taken to Babylon had thought that at least they would not have to listen to Jeremiah any more – but then a letter arrived from Jerusalem written by Jeremiah!

29:11  How did Jeremiah know ‘the thoughts of God’? The answer is clear. Jeremiah listened to Him speaking to him. Whilst we are not prophets we still can ‘listen’ to God speaking by reading His word.

29:5-7 Patient endurance is what is called for in the truth, not spurts of weakness, following spurts of strength

29:4-7 The words of the prophet to the people who would go into captivity might have been seen as treason by the Jews in Jerusalem. However the advice was the advice that any sojourner should follow in the land of their sojourning. It is the advice that we are given by Paul – Rom 13:1-6

29:32 God does not tolerate usurpers. As soon as Shemaiah uttered his word his fate was sealed. Of course those who heard him and Jeremiah’s response would still have to decide for themselves who they would serve. The evidence was presented but the decision had to be made – and so often we, even when presented with the evidence, make the wrong choices!

PRAY FOR YOUR CITY

When the Jews were taken from their land into captivity in Babylon, Jeremiah wrote a letter to them, telling them to settle down in the place they had been taken to because they would be there a long time. In his instructions he told them to build houses, get married and have children. Then he added this: "Also seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." (Jer 29:7)

In the same way that the Jews were living in cities and waiting to return to the Holy Land, so we are living in cities or towns while we wait for the return of our Lord. We are here until he comes. Like them, we also need to pray for the peace and prosperity of the cities in which we live. This is something that has been lacking from my prayers, yet if we do not pray for our city, who will? If we do not pray for our city, will we have the peace and prosperity we need to be allowed to worship as we should? If we do not pray, will we have the freedom to preach the word? And if we preach and do not pray, will the hearts of the people respond to God's love?

Let's take the instruction as one for ourselves and pray for the peace and prosperity of the city in which we live.

v 14 First Principles>Kingdom of God>Was overturned>History of fulfilment
7. The restoration happened 70 years later under Zerubbabel Jer 29:14, Jer 30:3. The city and the temple was rebuilt. Ezra and Nehemiah record the history and Zechariah and Haggai encouraged the builders.
Go to Deut 28:49 to see more details of the history of Israel and its overturning.

V.2 Queen (KJV) should be correctly rendered queen mother (ESV). Her name was Nehushta which means copper (2Kin 24:8). Nehushta is the same name as the brazen (copper) serpent in the wilderness (2Kin 18:4).

There were four waves of deportation to Babylon.

First: This was the deportation of the princes of Israel in 606 BC. Among those taken was Daniel (Dan 1:1-4).

Second: The departure of Jeconiah, and the others, took place in 597 BC (v.2).  Among the captives was Ezekiel (Eze 1:1,2).

Third: 832 principal men of Judah were taken in 588 BC (Jer 52:29).

Fourth: The final deportation saw 4600 family members leave in 581 BC (Jer 52:30).

An estimated 60,000 - 70,000 men women, and children were deported in total.  This was less than half the total population of Judah.

Vs.5,6 Judah was to prosper in Babylon.  Some attained considerable wealth during the seventy years’ sojourn. 

But, there was a second and third generation of captives born in Babylon.  That was their home - they knew nowhere else.  And so, it must have been difficult for some to uproot themselves from a comfortable existence to go to a place that was unknown to them.  It needed faith.

Only constant reminders of the reason for the captivity, and of the goal to return, would keep the desire fresh in the minds of everyone.  Prophets like Ezekiel and Daniel helped in this process. Nevertheless, there were some who were too comfortable in Babylon, and did not want to go back.

The same is true of us and our children.  We need constant reminders that we are just sojourners.  Like Abraham, we are looking for a better city (Heb 11:8-10). If we do not have a burning desire for the Kingdom, it means that we are too satisfied with staying in Babylon (Matt 6:21).  If that is the case, then we certainly shall not be in the Kingdom.

The signs of the times indicate that these present earthly conditions are about to radically change.  In fact, they are already doing so. 

Jesus will return soon.  Are we ready? Now it is time to put our house in order (Luke 6:47-49).

The familiar context of Daniel

If we are not familiar with the Prophecy of Jeremiah, it helps to slot it into the context of a more familiar story, Daniel. In v1-2 we have his captivity. In v1,3,4,15 etc. Babylon is mentioned. In v4-23 is the letter Daniel read in Dan 9:2. Particularly v10 is the 70 year period he understood from that prophecy. Then v12-14 is his prayer which God listened to in Dan 9:3-23. The practice of burning men in the fiery furnace, similar to that prepared for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is mentioned in v22.

Daniel and his friends had received this letter from Jeremiah and taken it to heart. They sought the peace of their city of captivity all their lives, even when Babylon changed hands through several different empires. We should seek the peace of the cities we live in, wherever we are, praying to God for it (v7 comp. Titus 3:1-2).

29:24 The ‘Nehelamite’ is a ‘dreamer’ – see margin. The word is only used in Jer 29:24,31,32 The person being spoken of in this way is ‘Shemaiah’ of verse:24

29:5 An earlier prophet – Isa 65:21 – had spoken of a time when Israel would be blessed with long life in their own kingdom. But now Jeremiah appropriates those words for a period of captivity due to Israel’s rebelliousness.

29:10  The “good word” speaks of the return from the Babylonian captivity as shown in Zech 1:13 as mentioned in a previous comment. However because Zech 1:13 also quotes Isa 40:2 “comfortable words” we can see that both this area of Jeremiah and Isaiah 40 can be read together as speaking of the same event.

29:12  The assurance that He will hear their prayers is a reversal of what Jeremiah had been told – Jer 7:16, Jer 14:11 – But God is not inconsistent. He is merciful and as soon as Israel repents He will hear.

v10  Judah were told in advance that their stay in Babylon would last for seventy years.  We have been informed that our temporary stay on this present earth will also be seventy years (Psa 90:10). Like Judah, we should keep our sights fixed on The New Jerusalem.

29:1  These elders who were in Babylon were contemporary with the prophet Ezekiel and so would have listened to his words of reproof. Words coming from Jerusalem to Babylon would further reinforce the words of Ezekiel 

29:10   That the captivity would last 70 years was a “bitter sweet” message.  It would doubtless mean that many who were taken captive would die in Babylon. But on the other hand some who went into captivity and many of those born in Babylon would return to the land of promise.

29:2    This captivity is the one spoken of in 2Kin 24:12

OUTLINE OF JEREMIAH

PART TWO -- THE PROPHECIES TO JUDAH (JEREMIAH 2:1 to 45:5)

II. The Conflicts of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:1 to 29:32)

   D. Conflict with Shemaiah (Jeremiah 29:1-32):

      1. Jer 29:1-3 - background of when this was written - 

         a. VS 1-2 it takes place after 597 BC when King Jehoiachin, the likely queen mother "Nehushta (<5179> which means "copper" [see 2Kin 24:8] and is essentially the same as the "brasen<5178>"which means "copper" serpent [see 2Kin 18:4])" who is seemingly connected to the serpent/sin, and the best of the people had been taken to Babylon (2Kin 24:10-17;Eze 1:1-2 see Michael Parry's 2009 comments).

         b. VS 1-3 shortly after King Zedekiah ascended to the throne he sent to Babylon two nobles (V3 "Elasah<501>", "Gemariah<1587>") and Jeremiah entrusted them with a letter/exhortation inspired by God.

      2. Jer 29:4-9 - advising those in captivity to be obedient and patient -

         a. VS 4-7 - obey the rulers of the land where you sojourn unless obeying them conflicts with God's commands (Rom 13:1-6;Dan 4:17;Dan 2:21;Mark 12:13-17;Dan 3:8-28).

         b. V8 "diviners...deceive...dreams...dreamed" compare with "Nehelamite<5161>" (Jer 29:24,31,32).

         c. V9 - warned about false prophets.

      3. Jer 29:10-14 - regarding those already in captivity -

         a. Jer 29:1-4,10;Jer 25:11-14;Dan 9:2 - after the 70 year captivity the promise of a return to their homeland, Daniel praying at the end of the 70 years.

         b. V11 - future hope.

         c. VS 12-14 - call and seek God and He will be found.

II. The Conflicts of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:1 to 29:32)

   D. Conflict with Shemaiah (Jeremiah 29:1-32):

      4. Jer 29:15-19 - regarding those about to go into captivity -

         a. V15 - the false prophets in Babylon predicted a quick return to the homeland.

         b. VS 16-19 - vile figs pointed directly to king Zedekiah, the last occupant of the throne of David in Jerusalem and those with him still in Jerusalem (Jer 24:8-10); the good figs were already taken into captivity for their own good (Jer 24:1-7).

      5. Jer 29:20-23 - false prophets Ahab and Zedekiah -

         a. VS 21,23 - Ahab, the son of Kolaiah, and Zedekiah, the son of Maaseiah would be slain by Nebuchadnezzar.

         b. VS 21-23 (KJV) - Kolaiah,"curse(Heb. "Kelalah"<7045>)", and "roasted(Heb. "Kalah"<7033>)" were three similar sounding words suggesting a play on them; the son of Kolaiah was to be called a curse and the king of Babylon roasted him in the fire; but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego could not be roasted in the fire as they would not serve the king of Babylon's gods (Dan 3:1-28).

         c. V23 - God knows and was a witness to the villainies of the false prophets just as Christ was a witness to the churches in Revelation (Rev 2:2,4,6,9,14-16,19-21;Rev 3:15).

      6. Jer 29:24-32 - false prophet "Shemaiah<8098>" (as Hananiah had died for "rebellion" so would Sheniaiah, nor would he live to see his lies proven to be falsehoods) -

         a. VS 24-26,29 - "Zephaniah<6846>" the priest (not the minor prophet Zeph 1:1) was not corrupted by Shemiah.

         b. VS 24-28 - Shemiah wanted Jeremiah thrown into prison and restrained with fetters and he falsely predicted an early return to Jerusalem.

         c. V25 - "Maaseiah<4641>" (not the father of Zedekiah) was a priest and the father of Zephaniah also a priest.

         d. VS 29-32 - Jeremiah warns the people not to trust in Shemaiah's lies as he and his posterity would not live to see the good God would do for His people.

29:2      The “queen” is Nehushta – the grand mother of Jehoiachin – 2Kin 24:8

29:3    It seems that Jeremiah’s letter was taken to Babylon because Zedekiah sent Elasah to Babylon.  As, by now, Zedekiah was subject to the Babylonians it would seem reasonable to presume that Elasah had been sent on some official business and Jeremiah took the opportunity to send a letter via an ambassador who would not be hindered on his journey to Babylon.

29:2 this is the second wave of captives. Notice that those taken would be of use in the kingdom of Babylon.

29:5-7 we can understand why the Babylonians would be happy with Jeremiah  and eventually seek to take care of him.  He was teaching the people to be subject to Babylon rather than resist the captivity. Of course he spoke these words because God told him to write them, not because he was thinking of his own security.

29:2 the specific mention of the queen” is consistent with what Jeremiah spoke earlier – Jer 22:26

29:4 One might imagine that those who had been taken captive were quite dispirited, possibly even thinking that their God had forsaken them. So God moved Jeremiah to write to them. The focus of the letter being that whilst they would be in captivity for 70 years the captivity would come to an end and Jerusalem would once more be rebuilt.

Such is the situation today. The world is spoilt and wasted. Jerusalem is not God’s dwelling place. It might seem also that the time is long. But just as Jeremiah spoke of hope to the captives there is hope for us for the angels promised that Jesus would return – Acts 1:11 and he will sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem

29:4-28  This is a record of the letter that Jeremiah sent to the captives I Babylon.  Nationalistic men and women would have seen the instruction that Jeremiah gave to the captives that they were to make Babylon their home as treason. However Jeremiah is saying “accept your lot as Yahweh is in control”. It is important to recognise when God’s will does not match our own. In that situation His will must become ours also.

29:4  There were already captive in Babylon. This fact should have caused those remaining in Jerusalem to appreciate that Yahweh kept His word. However, against all the evidence, Jeremiah’s    warning about a future captivity was disregarded!

We might say that we would never respond in a similar way. However we have seen the evidence that God is at work in the world with the return of Jews to the land promised to their fathers in fulfilment of bible prophecy but still we may behave as if we are not really expecting Jesus to return to re-establish God’s kingdom.

v.5 - There are clearly times when anger is not sin, but is caused by grief at the waywardness of humankind. This grief is shared by God. Gen.6:6, Judges 10:13-16, Psa.95.8-10.

v. 1 - In Mark the phrase 'the synagogue' occurs on the following occasions Mark 1:21 29 3:1 5:22 36 38 6:2 From Mark 1:21 it is clear that the synagogue first referred to is in Capernaum. It seem likely, therefore, that all the times that 'The synagogue' is mentioned in Mark it is speaking about events in Capernaum even though. Mark 1:39 informs us that he preached in a number of synagogues in Galilee.

Mark seems to be careful to record a number of occasions when the Pharisees came to entangle Jesus. Here is a list 2:16, 24 3:6 7:1 10:2 12:13

So we see that the Pharisees were involved in a long term offensive against Jesus. On reviewing their 'comrades' in these offensives we will see that they were none too particular as to who they worked with as they were willing to work with those whose political and religious views they disagreed with.

Whilst in 1:32 the people waited until the end of the Sabbath to come and be healed Jesus on this occasion heals the man with the withered hand during the Sabbath day. Jesus is forcing the pace - confronting the leaders with their prejudiced errors.

How perverse is it, to do what the Pharisees did in v1-6, denying a man of healing for their own ends? Yet Jesus' anger was not because of this, but because of the lack of compassion in their hearts. His anger was due to the frustration of not being allowed to save these sinners who so desperately needed saving (Matt 23v37). How refreshing it must have been for him to encounter a Gentile multitude who allowed him to heal them un-hindered! (v7-10).

3:21 Whilst the AV has 'friends' the Greek more exactly is 'kinsmen' - it was his family who were embarrassed by Jesus' behaviour. They were by now all living in Capernaum John 2:12

V.31 This verse destroys the theory of a triune godhead. Elsewhere, too, we are definitely told that Jesus had brothers, together with him members of one family.Matt 12:46,47,   Mark 6:3,  Luke 8:19-20,  Acts 1:14, Acts 1:14

V.21 Jesus' family called his sanity into question.  Obviously they did not understand his mission. 

Vs.31,32 From outside the crush of the crowd Jesus' family tried to corral him. 

Vs.33-35 Jesus was told that his family was outside. Then, He explained that his real family was one of the spirit and not of the flesh. 

Important to note that his mother Mary is also included in those who questioned Jesus' sanity and tried to restrain Him.  Odd for one who is claimed, by some, to be the Queen of Heaven?

Mark 3:17 - Jesus gave James and his brother John the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder. It wasn't necessarily a complement. The name probably reflected their harsh demeanour (Luke 9:54). But John went through such a growth process that he became known as the apostle of love.

3:21 This first occasion when his 'friends' - Greek 'kinsmen' said that Jesus was 'beside himself' is a fulfilment of Psa 69:8

3:6 Pharisees and Herodians together! What a combination! Pharisees were the strictest sect - Acts 26:5- The name ‘Pharisee’ means ‘separate’ and here they were in collusion with Herodians - supporters of the Roman occupation!

3:6     What an indictment. Jesus had healed a man and they wanted to destroy Jesus. This behaviour was borne out of jealousy. Do we ever behave in ways which manifest jealousy rather than compassion?

3:6 The mention of the Pharisees and their behaviour is a repeated comment here in Mark. See Mark 2:16,24 and here.

V.6 The Herodians was a Jewish group who supported the Herodian rulers.  They were dutiful towards the Roman overlords. The Herodians shared these two aspects, of loyalty to the Herods and to Rome, with the Sadducees  

V.8 Idumea is the western part of Edom. The Idumeans were compelled to become Jews in 126 BC. The Herods were Idumeans.

Vs.14,15 The apostles were given powers of the Holy Spirit before the events of the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).

V.22 Beelzebub (Baal Zvuv) literally means Master or Lord of the flies (i.e. dung god). 

The fly (probably scarab) was worshipped as a god by the Egyptians.  Yahweh sent a plague of flies to declare Himself as the one true God, by refuting the idolatrous gods of Egypt (Exo 8:24; Prov 26:5).

The scribes blasphemed God (their God) by, in effect, attributing His power to the idolatry of Egypt. I wonder what they thought about during Passover.

The rejection of the Lord's works brought a stern warning of judgement from the Lord (Matt 11:23).

3:14 This event, the lord choosing 12 that ‘should be with him’ is the detail which prompts Peter – Acts 1:21 – to specify the criteria required of the one who would replace Judas.

Notice that Jesus' family travelled all the way from their home, probably Nazareth, to seize Jesus (v21). The scribes travelled all the way from Jerusalem to slander him (v22). But those whom Jesus wanted to be with him, he himself called (v13-14). Is there a lesson there for us?

3:14   There is nothing special about the word translated ‘ordained’ – it simply means ‘made’

Mark 3:4-5

“… And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts…”

At the synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus was deeply distressed at the Pharisees because in their hypocrisy they refused to answer his question. Jesus often showed great emotion and anger (Matt 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; John 2:13-22). There are several other occasions recorded in the Gospels in which Jesus got angry, but his anger was completely justified because at its root was concern for God’s holiness and righteousness. Though he experienced the emotion of anger, he did not sin in his anger.

In Eph 4:26, the apostle Paul tells us, “Be ye angry and sin not” and then takes it a step further when he continues to say, “let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” Notice that the command is not to avoid anger, suppress anger, or ignore anger, which is humanly impossible, but to deal with it properly and in a timely manner, which is humanly possible. Likewise, in James 1:19-20 we read, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” “Wrath” is the same word as “anger,” # <3709>, orge, and means, “anger, indignation.”

To experience the emotion of anger is not a sin. How we react to anger determines sin. Never let anger get the better of you. Anger can be bad if it is out of control and leads to actions inconsistent with the Word. Anger can be good if it creates energy and motivation to change a situation, or relationship that is bad.

When we feel a flash of anger flaring up inside of us that may lead to sin, let us stop, delay, and move away.

3:31  The use of the word “without” sets the scene for the way in which Jesus speaks in Mark 4:11 where he speaks of those who are “without”. 

3:9-11  Jesus took the precaution of creating an escape route from the people if it became necessary. Later they would have made him king – John 6:15 so maybe even so early in Jesus’ ministry there was a groundswell of desire to elevate him to rulership.

3:22     Jesus is in Galilee when the scribes came from Jerusalem. That is quite a journey. Whilst we are still very early in the ministry of Jesus the Jewish leaders saw him as a potential problem wand wanted to learn, first hand, what he was saying and doing.

3:23    We read that Jesus told “parables” to refute the argument of the religious leaders with regard to the way he cast out devils. Then we are given two parables before a clear explanation. So in three ways Jesus refuted their argument.

3:5    In being told that Jesus “looked round” we are seeing a phrase unique to Mark’s gospel account. It is found in  3:5,34, 5:32, 10:23, 11:11 and once of the disciples  9:8. This is the first use.

3:7  Jesus’ separating himself was not a total separation. Rather he separated himself from his critics. Others followed him and he was happy to have their company. How often do we choose to dissociate ourselves from bad company and encourage the company of those who love the gospel?

3:30 the use of the words “unclean spirit” reminds us that Zech 13:2 prophesied the coming of one who would rid the land of the unclean spirit.

3:6 Maybe “destroy him” here meant that they wanted to discredit Jesus in the eyes of those that followed him. However that way of thinking changed to a desire to kill him. So incensed were they that Jesus did not follow their conventions.

3:7 The leaders sought to kill Jesus so he left them – followed by a great crowd. Clearly Jesus was not seeking to hide from his detractors. Rather he was distancing himself from them so he could concentrate of the work he had come to do. How often do we get bogged down with what, in reality, is trivia when there are more important things to do?

3:4  Here we see a case where two separate laws seem to be at variance. Sabbath working was prohibited, but doing good was encouraged. Which law takes precedence? Actually it is a matter of principle. God is always generous and did good. So should those who wish to be like Him. Goodness in the critics was replaced with a hard heart - :5.

3:11  Isn’t ironic! The “unclean spirits” could recognise Jesus as could a Roman centurion – 15:39 – but the Jewish leaders couldn’t.

FORGIVENESS ... OR NOT?

Have you ever noticed the first part of the saying of Jesus when he talks about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? I have often overlooked it because my attention is taken by the "never has forgiveness" section. But have a listen again and take particular note of the first part, which is probably the most important part for you and I to hear.

Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” (Mark 3:28-29).

Did you see it? All sins will be forgiven the children of man, and there is only one that won't be forgiven. This means that no matter what we have done, no matter how bad we think we have been, no matter how many people we have hurt, or how rebellious we have been toward God in the past, except for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, forgiveness is there waiting for us when we turn from our sins and ask for it. That's not to say we should continue in our sin, but that there is forgiveness if we sin. Our past sins cannot hold us back from the grace of God when we are forgiven.

What a blessing we miss when we skip the beginning of what Jesus said and focus only on the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.