June 17, 2025
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in 1 Samuel and Mark? Here’s today’s reading:
Mark 1 (NIV)
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”…..Continue Reading
Isaiah’s prophecy comes to pass through john the Baptist so many, many years later. John urged people to repent and get right before God. He also made it clear that he was working until the true key of salvation arrived. Jesus, baptized by John and then begins His ministry of healing and casting out demons. He collects apostles along the way. Amazing that they dropped everything to follow Him. It must have been so obvious that Jesus was no ordinary man!
So Mark jumps right into it, starting the work of God in Jesus where it began, in the call and work of John. This repentance that John preached was intended to prepare hearts for the faith that Jesus would call people to in Himself. And if there is anything that characterizes the gospel of Mark is the rapid fire nature of Jesus’ works and miracles. In every story Mark is encouraging his readers to say, look at what else Jesus can do that shows that He is the Son of God. It is said that Mark is the gospel to the Romans, and they were people of action. There is nothing that shocks or overwhelms Jesus and He is able to handle anything. But in the midst of it, Jesus rises early to pray. There is probably no better emphasis on the power and necessity of prayer than the example that Jesus sets to pray. Imagine what that was like. Jesus fellowshipping with His Father and yet also recognizing His human need for Him, asking Him to assist Him in His work and for Him to be faithful to it. Simply amazing. We evidently don’t pray enough….
Jesus liked to go out in the early morning to pray. He knew that it was important to connect with his Father before venturing out to do the work that he was sent to do. He was and still is the great physician. He is willing to make us clean and to restore us. People were aware of this and they sought him wherever he was. Jesus loved them, healed them and taught them about the ways of God. And he continues to do so to this day.
Mark 1
Mark 1
Thought the last post was 6/13. Yikes. Got a lot of catching up to do.
Mark 1
Mark is like an outline of Jesus’ life. It is interesting how different, quick and direct it is compared to the other gospels.
”Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”“
Mark 1:14-15 NKJV
Who is Mark? For those who don`t know who he was. When reading and studying a book, it is always important to know who the author was. All scripture is inspired by God and written by man. That is why there is a theme throughout scriptures. It is God`s written word to us that we may know Him. The Old Testament and the ten commandments reveal our sin to us while the New Testament gives us the answer in Christ. Only He could pay for our sins. But right now, we are discussing Mark. He is also known as John-Mark or Marcus. Mark was his Roman surname while John was his Hebrew name. He is one of the writers of the four gospels of Christ. Not that there were four gospels but four books about Jesus life and ministry. It was written to the Gentiles for that was his main ministry. For this book to be included the Cannon of scripture it had to pass certain tests. Mark would have been an eyewitness of Jesus and His miracles to name two. In Acts 12:12 we gather more information about him. This is the first time that he is mentioned by name in scripture. Here is a statement by a source. All the Men in the Bible. [Mark`s mother was a godly mother, well to do widow in Jerusalem and her house was a favorite meeting place for the saints. Acts 12:12; Col. 4:10. Her brother, Barnabas, Mark`s uncle, was a wealthy Levite from the Island of Cyprus. Acts 13:1-5. In Barnabas, Mark had a staunch and gifted friend and counselor. Acts 11:24.] This is a well known church meeting in scripture. Remember that Herod had killed James the Apostle and had captured Peter. The Angel of THE Lord freed Peter and Peter knocked on the gate of the house where the believers were praying for Peter and they couldn`t believe it. Anyways getting back to Mark. Mark as we know wrote the book of Mark and he never mentions himself by name but there is a mention of a young man there when Jesus was arrested. It is only mentioned in Mark. I believe this was Mark. It seems important to him to mention but most wouldn`t had thought it was important. Mark 14:51. Mark served with Peter for 12 years and was considered a son to Peter. 1 Peter 5:13. Perhaps Peter led him to Christ. He later went with Paul and Barnabas on a mission trip. But at some point left them and their work and went back to Jerusalem. It apparently wasn`t on good terms for latter when Barnabas wanted Mark to join them again; Paul wasn`t happy about it at all. In fact Paul was totally against Mark joining them. Paul thought that Mark would fail them again. Barnabas wanted to give Mark a second chance. The disagreement was so bad that Paul and Barnabas going separate ways. Paul chose S
Paul chose Silas and Barnabas chose Mark. But thank the Lord that it didn`t end there. Later however not sure how long. John- Mark was finally in good standing with Paul. Paul says so and wants John -Mark to join him. Col. 4:10,11, Philemon 24, and 2 Tim. 4:11. The way that Barnabas never gave up on his nephew is like how God never gives up on us even when we fail. God bless.
I was thinking about something else this morning. It says in passing that Peter’s mother in law was healed from a fever. Doesn’t that mean that Peter, the first Pope, was married?
yes it does…but certainly Peter was not the first pope either…
True.
I am little behind as far as comments, but I will try to catch up. As we see in the reading that the coming of John the Baptist was a fulfilment of prophesy by Isaiah. He was to prepare the way for the Messiah which we know is Jesus Christ. Mark in his book covers a lot of ground in a short period. Sometimes going into detail and sometimes very brief statements about something. Also, in some cases adding something that others didn`t include. Such as the young man that witnessed Jesus arrest. John baptized with water to make people realize that they have sin and must repent before God because of it. But this water baptism could not save anyone. It only made them aware of their sins. Only what Jesus did on the cross could save anyone. A person must put their complete trust in Christ and what He did on the cross to truly be saved. No good works could ever save anyone not even water baptism.
I always find it interesting how Jesus chose His 12 disciples. Most were simple fishermen like the four mentioned in this chapter. Two sets of brothers. Peter and Andrew and James and John. This was not the first time that they encountered Jesus and we also know that Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist first. Also, that Andrew told Peter that they have found the Christ. Jesus heals the sick and casts out demons. He tells the demon not to say who He is for they know that He is the Son of God. Jesus didn`t want the word of Him to happen too fast for He needed the time to preach His message. Also the time of His death wasn`t yet. Had to be in God`s own timing. An interesting side note is that Jesus healed Peter`s mother in law. This means that Peter was married. We don`t know if the others were married but at least during the early years it appears that they weren`t. The Bible only mentions Peter as being married. God bless.
Just like a king or emperor in those days. There was someone to announce their arrival. So who did God chose. Someone dressed in camel eating honey and locust. Not men all clean on the outside but full of dead man’s bones. But a man so passionate announcing the Son of God. Whose sandals he’s not worthy to touch.
Mark 1