Daily Bread for Oct 19, Mar 4-5

Today’s readings are Mar 4-5.

The parables in Mar 4 are like those we heard in Mat 13, albeit with a bit more detail. One facet of these kingdom parables that is often overlooked is that their primary emphasis is on how God’s kingdom will grow.  Focusing on the seeds, the sowers or the fruit/plants, etc. may miss the point. They are examples of the size into which the kingdom will develop. It will start very small but grow huge. Note, each of the parables begins with “The kingdom of God is…” It proceeds to mention a humble beginning, then goes on to describe a growing ministry.

Parables are not always easy to understand. They require meditation, time and the help of the Spirit to mine the more profound truths they teach. 

As an example, when Jesus quotes Isaiah in Mar 4:11-12 as a way of explaining the parables and why He teaches in this manner, even His explanation is difficult to discern. It takes a step backward and a look at the big picture to fully comprehend the importance of His quote. In Isaiah, we see that the people to whom the prophet is being sent have stubbornly hardened their hearts (Isa 6:9) and refuse to listen. They are looking elsewhere for meaning and purpose and have turned away from God. Many of the people who hear the teaching of Jesus are doing the same, despite the signs and wonders. Regardless of the power of His teaching, they refuse to come to Him.

Therein lies to key to understanding His teaching -- you must humbly go to Him, just as the disciples are doing. Without Him, there is an incomplete and unsatisfactory revelation, insufficient for salvation and understanding. If Jesus had been more explicit, saying, “I am the Son of God and salvation is through me alone,” their rejection of Him would have been even more agitated. Only those who profess faith in Him will be able to appropriate the truth of what He says. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Rom 10:17). Jesus is the incarnate word. Faith comes by hearing Him. Only His presence and the power of the Holy Spirit makes this possible. Mar 4:11-12 is telling us that there is no understanding, no salvation apart from Jesus Christ.

Then we hear the story of the storm (Mar 4:35-41) which also appears in Luk 8:22-26. Jesus is in the boat with the twelve. He has promised them that, although there are not many of them, the kingdom of God will begin with them. This echoes the parable of the sower and how the kingdom and the gospel can have small beginnings. God will eventually make their efforts to witness cover the world.

This may well be why, when they awaken Jesus, screaming they are about to perish, He says, "Have you still no faith?" Their faith was not yet firm, not yet mature. They did not yet have a full understanding of who He was. Not only did He tell them they were going to the other side, but that they also are the beginning of the gospel ministry God will use to change the world. He was not about to let them die on the Sea of Galilee!

Jesus heals the man with the legion of demons (Mar 5:1-20). In this version of the event, we hear a point to ponder that may challenge how some view "seekers." The man who has been delivered begs to be allowed to follow Jesus. Jesus sends him home instead. Whether Jesus knew if the man was insincere, we are not told. All we know is that, in this case, we see someone seeking to follow the Lord before being called, as each of the disciples was, and is sent away. The biblical pattern tells us the calling always comes first, not the seeking. In any event, the man is used by God to spread the gospel.