Parables 101
Mark 4:10-12 Parables are one of the most popular aspects of Jesus' teaching. Even today, people would use the terminology of "Good Samaritan" even if they had no concept of Jesus teaching or the context in which this parable is told. Even as Christians, we know parables well, the prodigal son, the friend at midnight, the wise or foolish builder. However, most of the time, when we know things well, we remember them wrong. This happens all the time with songs
Virgin Birth
The virgin birth was widely received by the church from the beginning, since the rise of higher Criticism, which sought to place modernity higher than the Scriptures. This greatly affected the American church in the late 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. Although Higher Criticism started in the 17th century, at the turn of the 18th century, the rise in popular thought began to emerge. Higher Criticism seeks to place-specific scientific methods above the Scriptures. These methods
House Divided
Last week we saw the relationship between the crowds and the disciples and Jesus. Both groups follow Jesus in different ways. Today we look at a passage about two other groups and how they explain Jesus' actions. Today we see how Jesus' family treats him, and the Scribes understand how he has the authority to cast out demons. The scene is set at Jesus' house in Capernaum. The crowd has gathered again, so much that Jesus and his disciples are
Made Man
Jesus came down from heaven, as a man. The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, of one substance and equal to the Father, when the fulness of time came took on flesh, taking on all the essential properties of man, yet without sin. The two whole and distinct natures, the Godhead and Manhood were inseparably joined together yet without composition, confusion or conversion. Which person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator
The many and the few
Mark 3:7-19 The previous verse spoke of the plot to have Jesus destroyed. For Mark, the movement of a place is often the movement of the narrative. Jesus has shown his authority in his teaching and his healing. The conflict has arisen in the Pharisees, and now Mark shows us some other groups and how they respond to Jesus. Just as the pharisee's respond to Jesus differently than his disciples, the crowd also follows Christ and has different reactions. As Mark
Came down from heaven
One of the most beautiful lines in a hymn that I can get lost in is the hymn, ‘The Church’s One Foundation,’ by Samuel Stone (1839-1900). The line is, “From heaven, he came and sought her.” The Westminster Divines call this Christ’s humiliation. Christ, the Son of God, coming down to our level. He became a man, the creator of all things, stepped into creation. We often think of Christ’s death and resurrection, possibly his ascension, maybe his birth. But
Lord of the Sabbath
Mark 2:23- 3:6 Six-hundred and thirteen, this is the number of laws that are found in the Old Testament. Three-hundred and sixty-five of them speak of what you are not to do, and two-hundred fourth eight is what you are to do. A good Jew would want to be able to obey all of these laws. They would ensure that they would uphold the law in all aspects of their life. However, they became servants of the Law not the giver
For us and our salvation
The next portion of the creed looks at the Son as he comes to earth as the mediator between God and man. The introductory statement, "For us men and for our salvation," teaches us the important decision we have mentioned before (The only Son of God), the ontological and economic Trinity. Last week, we looked at God's divine activity or the doctrine of inseparable operations. Each person of the Trinity is the creator. The term "economic Trinity" focuses on what
Fasting and Furious
Mark 2:18-22 The conflict is rising between the religious leaders and Jesus. We have noted several times this rising tension, which continues to grow throughout Mark's Gospel. The tension will finally be felt at the end of Mark when Jesus is crucified on a cross. However, we notice even in the early chapters they sought to destroy him (Mark 3:6). Mark chapter two shows this tension builds, with the question of who can forgive sins? (Mark 2:7) or Why does he
Through him all things were made
As we have been looking at the second person of the Trinity in the Nicene creed, we have noted that the only Son of God is eternally begotten, not made, of the Father. He is the same essence as the Father. God from God, Light from Light, very God from very God. One of the critical aspects of this is that the Son is NOT a created being but is the creator. This error is the beginning of many heretical
