“You are My beloved Son, in You I am well pleased.”
Greetings! I’m in a new study. My Precept Bible study class is learning, in some depth, the book of Mark. May I just Praise God for the men and women who followed and believed in the gospel message during Christ’s visitation and after His death and resurrection. Mark was not an Apostle but he followed Peter. He was Peter’s scribe so he wrote things down that Peter witnessed… firsthand. He also wanted to write a totally accurate (truthful) account of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
What does the truth of Christ look like? Well it’s an amazing story and journey. I’m brought to tears as I dwell on what this coming Easter week looks like in the life of GOD come to us. I will begin by quoting John, as Mark does not begin with birth of Jesus;
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
John 1:1-5 NASB
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14 NASB1995
https://www.bible.com/100/jhn.1.14.nasb1995
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…
Mark tells us of John. As one crying in the wilderness. He quotes Isaiah and Malachi. Those beginning lines are from prophesy and are fulfilled by John the Baptist and the One (Jesus) Who comes after John. This is important as the gospel message is that Jesus was prophesied as the Messiah, Who would take the sins of the world upon Himself! He would lay down His life on a cross and die and be buried, according to scripture. This Jesus would rise from the dead on the third day and appear to many, (500 at one time) according to scripture. John fulfills scripture by beginning with Jesus’s baptism.
“As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: ” BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY; THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘ MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.'””
Mark 1:2-3 NASB1995
John baptizes Jesus in the river Jordan. In that amazing moment God opens the heavens and sends His Spirit, like that of dove, to land on His Beloved Son. God’s own voice proclaims this. Mark writes of this event so there is no question Who Jesus is. Also, in this amazing moment we get the trinity of God.
“Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.””
Mark 1:10-11 NASB1995
In Mark we find other events where Jesus’s Deity is alluded to and stated. Jesus heals the sick and casts out demons. Demons know Him! Jesus rebukes them and tells them to be quiet. Still they shout He is ‘the Son of God!’ and accuse Jesus of seeking to destroy them. Jesus also gets to hear the hearts of men. Some of those men are Scribes and Pharisees.
“And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, ” Son, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?””
Mark 2:5-7 NASB1995
Jesus knows the hearts of men and women
What is remarkable is Scribes and Pharisees were the leaders of the religious sects during Jesus’s time on earth. These men would have known scripture and what was said about the Messiah. They could have seen for themselves that Jesus fulfilled, and was continuing to fulfill, scripture. Many prophets had written about Him. These religious leaders had no excuse. Jesus points out to them, many times, there is a season and time for their strict observances and now was the time of the kingdom of God. It is the time of Jesus Christ’s visitation. Will you miss the kingdom? I’m on this ride and I’m not getting off. I will also tell you how it all ends… God wins! Hallelujah, amen.
“Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” -He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.””
Mark 2:8-11 NASB1995
Four men, who believe Jesus can heal their friend, lower him into the room
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