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Jesus Calls and Appoints the Twelve (Mark 3:13-19)

He went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve [whom he also named apostles] that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons: 16 [he appointed the twelve:] Simon, whom he named Peter; 17 James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, 19 and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. Jesus goes up the mountain and then acts with purpose. In Mark, a mountain often signals a solemn, decisive moment—an act that discloses Jesus’ authority and sets the direction of his mission. Here it frames the appointment of the Twelve as foundational, echoing Israel’s defining moments on the mountain, but now with the disciples drawn close to Jesus. He summons “ those whom he wanted ,” and they come. Mark’s first emphasis is that this ...

Jesus Heals Many, and Unclean Spirits Are Silenced (Mark 3:7-12)

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people [followed] from Galilee and from Judea. 8 Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. 9 He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. 10 He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. 11 And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” 12 He warned them sternly not to make him known. Jesus has just faced open hostility, and Mark now shows the public response to His works. Jesus withdraws “ toward the sea ” with His disciples. Mark presents this as a deliberate move from the synagogue setting to the shoreline, where the crowd can gather and where His disciples can manage what is happening. The scale is striking. People come not ...

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath, and the Plot to Kill Him Begins (Mark 3:1-6)

Again he entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. 2 They watched him closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. 3 He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent. 5 Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death. Mark places this scene in the synagogue, where worship and the listening to God’s word should form the heart. Into that setting comes a man “ who had a withered hand ” (v. 1). Mark gives no details about how it happened or how long he has lived with it. The point is not curiosity about the condition. The point is what ...

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath, Which Was Made for Man (Mark 2:23-28)

As he was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. 24 At this the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” 25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? 26 How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?” 27 Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. 28 That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” Mark places this scene on the Sabbath as Jesus and his disciples walk through a grainfield. The disciples “ began to make a path while picking the heads of grain ” (v. 23). The action itself was not theft. Israel’s law allowed a traveler to pluck grain by hand to satisfy immediate hunger (cf. Deut. 23:25). The objection is about timing and i...

Why Jesus’ Disciples Do Not Fast (Mark 2:18-22)

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to him and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. 22 Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.” Jesus’ disciples are questioned because John’s disciples fast, and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, so people expect Jesus’ disciples to do the same. In that setting, fasting often expressed repentance,...

Come and See: The First Steps of Following Jesus (John 1:35-42)

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” 37 The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. 40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). 42 Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter). John the Baptist is standing with two of his disciples when Jesus walks by. John does not try to hold them to himse...

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats with Sinners (Mark 2:13-17)

Once again he went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. 14 As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 15 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. 16 Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 Jesus heard this and said to them [that], “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Mark shows Jesus doing two things back to back. He teaches the crowd by the sea, and then he calls one man out of that crowd into discipleship. Levi is “ sitting at the customs post ” when Jesus passes by. He is not searching for Jesus or offering a speech. Jesus speaks first: “ Follow me .” Levi’s respons...

Faith That Leads to Forgiveness and Healing (Mark 2:1-12)

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. 2 Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, 7 “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” 8 Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has auth...

Jesus Cleanses a Leper and Sends Him to the Priest (Mark 1:40-45)

A leper came to him [and kneeling down] begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” 42 The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. 43 Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. 44 Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” 45 The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere. In Galilee, a man comes to Jesus carrying a skin condition that made him “unclean” under the Law. In practice, this meant exclusion. A leper was kept away from ordinary life and from worship, not because he was morally worse than others, but because his conditio...

Jesus Heals at Home, Then Goes Out to Preach and Heal (Mark 1:29-39)

On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. 31 He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. 32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. 33 The whole town was gathered at the door. 34 He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. 35 Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and those who were with him pursued him 37 and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” 39 So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee. Jesus has just taught with ...

Jesus Commands Unclean Spirits: Authority in Word and Deed (Mark 1:21-28)

Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. 23 In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; 24 he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 25 Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” 26 The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. 27 All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 28 His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee. In Capernaum on the sabbath, Jesus goes straight into the synagogue and teaches. Mark does not tell us the content of that teaching. Instead, he tells us its effect: the people are astonished because Jesus teaches “ as one having authority and not as the scribes ”...

The Kingdom Is at Hand: Jesus Calls the First Disciples (Mark 1:14-20)

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: 15 “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” 16 As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 18 Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. 19 He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. 20 Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him. Mark opens Jesus’ public ministry with a simple but somber setting: “ After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee ” (v. 14). The good news begins in a world where God’s messengers can be opposed, rejected, and even killed. Mark does not treat that as a surprise. He treats it as the realistic backd...

God Shows No Partiality (Acts 10:34-38)

Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. 35 Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him. 36 You know the word [that] he sent to the Israelites as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, 37 what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Peter speaks these words in the house of Cornelius, a Gentile, after God has already been moving both men toward the same meeting. What Peter now states plainly is what God has been teaching him step by step: God does not “ show partiality .” God does not favor one nation over another, as if some people deserve His attention more than others. This does not mean God is indifferent to how people live. It means no nation is outside His concern. So ...

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