Category: Mark

Mark 16:9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 

The version of the Bible I am reading contains the following note before today’s section of verses: [The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20.] I find this note incredibly interesting. Why were verses 9-20 included in later versions but not in the original? Who first added these verses? What was their objective in doing so?

Mark 16:10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 

I’m not sure I find the content of the verses surprising at all. Those who thought Jesus was the Messiah had a very specific idea of how He would save them and from what He would save them. They are mourning the loss of that ideal. Many of them also fully grasp that He was God incarnate because of the anomalous happenings at His death. They were mourning the loss of a Savior they didn’t even know that they needed. I don’t think it’s too surprising that folks didn’t believe yet that He had risen.

Mark 16:11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

Precious Savior, Thank You for who You are and who You are to me. Thank You for having a plan that was bigger, greater, than anything we could hope or imagine. Thank You for going ahead of us as you promised, even as we are struggling with doubt and grief. Help us to cling to Your promises. Always. Amen.

Mark 16:12-13 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

Have a blessed day.

Mark 16:5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

Jesus knew before His death all the ways his disciples would fail Him. He knew of the betrayal. He knew of the denial. He knew of the lack of vigilance while he was praying. None of that was a surprise to Him. And yet…

Mark 16:6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 

Jesus could have belittled and berated the disciples in the message He left for them, but that is not who He is. Jesus chose to encourage and remind. He reminded them that He was going ahead of them to Galilee, that His death was not the end of the ministry, that it was “just as He told you.”

Mark 16:7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”

Precious Savior, Thank You for Your mercy and grace. Thank You for knowing the many ways we will fail You yet loving us anyway, going ahead of us, meeting us on the other side. Help us to give ourselves and each other grace upon grace. Amen.

Mark 16:8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning:  

It seems almost counterintuitive that Jesus would give a “strong warning” to the now-healed-leper not to tell anyone about his healing. Telling others about Jesus and His presence in my life is a huge part of who I am.

Mark 1:44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

Maybe the leper felt that way, too, or maybe he was just so relieved to be finally healed that he couldn’t contain himself. But as the news spread, it became harder for Jesus to do anything but heal, and while that was a crucial part of His ministry, it was not his sole purpose. The leper’s elation and gratitude ended up hindering Jesus’s mission.

Mark 1:45a Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places…. 

Precious Savior, Thank You that proclaiming Your goodness in my life is something I can do without restraint. Help me to share my story in a way that gives others hope and not in any kind of way that hinders Your work. Amen.

Mark 1:45b …Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

There is a footnote after the word indignant in verse 41 which says that many manuscripts say that Jesus was filled with compassion instead of Jesus was indignant. The translation choice baffles me because compassion and indignation are vastly different emotions. Commentary supports compassion instead of indignation, but it still begs the question why such a popular translation (NIV) uses it.

Mark 1:40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

NIV is my favorite translation, probably because it is the one I’m most familiar with, but on verse 41, I am totally siding with every other translation I can find–which uses compassion or filled with pity instead of indignant–because the Jesus that I’ve come to know over the years, is filled with compassion, not indignation.

Mark 1:41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”

Precious Savior, Thank You for the intellectual ability to parse out meaning from Your word. Thank You for the knowledge of You, who You are and who You are to me, to understand that Yours is a heart of compassion and not indignation. Help me to be an agent of compassion to Your people. Amen.

Mark 1:42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

Jesus was fully human and fully divine. Honestly, there are a lot of things that I truly don’t understand about that dichotomy, but, based on what I’m seeing here, one thing Jesus fully understands from His human side is the demands of being needed.

Mark 1:32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.

Every time He heals someone, two more needing healing are waiting. People are desperate for healing, and Jesus–precious, holy Jesus–keeps healing. He doesn’t stomp His foot and tell them they are missing the point. He doesn’t tell them that He can heal them spiritually, which is so much more important than physical healing. He. Keeps. Healing. Even with the whole town gathered at the door.

Mark 1:33 The whole town gathered at the door,

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that to keep on keeping on, even when the need feels so great, is important. Help me, even when I feel worn too thin to keep going, to keep my eyes on You, keep my heart rooted in You, to lay my burdens at Your feet, to rest in You. Amen.

Mark 1:34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” 

Jesus driving out the impure spirit got folks talking. They were amazed. News about Him spread quickly over the whole region. But what does Jesus do? Does He bask in the glory of His notoriety? Does He get on a soapbox to discuss issues?

Mark 1:28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

No. He keeps moving. He does the next right thing. He goes with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law is in bed with a fever, and they immediately tell Him about her.

Mark 1:29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for showing not only the big, grandiose moments, but also the more prosaic moments of Your life. Thank You for showing how to do the next right thing. Help me to keep going, to keep shining Your light, and keep looking for Your people who need hope and encouragement so that I can remind them about Your love. Amen.

Mark 1:30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 

I have so many questions about today’s verses. Why was an impure-spirit-possessed man in the synagogue? Did they know he was possessed by an impure spirit? Could others tell just by looking at him? Had others interacted with the man prior to Jesus’s arrival?

Mark 1:24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

Regardless of all these questions that I can’t answer, Jesus was able to use the situation for the good of the man (he drove out the spirit) and for His own glory (He showed that even impure spirits recognize and obey Him).

Mark 1:25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!”

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that there is no way for me to have answers to all the questions of this life, but, even if I don’t know the answers, I can be sure that You are in control, that You are working all things to our good and Your glory. Thank You. Amen.

Mark 1:26 The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 

Here is another instance of Jesus calling and disciples answering without hesitation, without delay. In this case, the disciples left their own father in the boat and followed Jesus. At first, that seems almost callous, but it’s not. They knew, they KNEW, that God would take care of their father.

Mark 1:20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

God knew us, loved us before we were born. He formed us in our mothers’ wombs.  He loves us fiercely, deeply, completely. That applies to our loved ones, too. In fact, because God is love, He loves our loved ones more than we are even capable of loving. Period. Knowing how much I love my family, that seems impossible, and yet, I know, I KNOW, it’s true.

Mark 1:21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for this reminder that we are to put You first in our lives. Thank You that You love those we love (and all Your children) more than we are even capable of loving. Thank You for Your promise to never leave us nor forsake us. No matter what. Help us to live lives that are pleasing to You. Amen.

Mark 1:22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 

Have a blessed day.