Friday, May 7, 2010
Say Hi!
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OIA 11.1-11
Observations
• Who: Jesus, two disciples, those who question about the colt, many who spread their cloaks and branches, those who went before and after, the twelve.
• When: the last week of Jesus life, his final visit to Jerusalem.
• Where: Bethphage, Bethany, Jerusalem, the Temple
• What: Instructions and narrative about commandeering the colt; Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem; Jesus visits the temple and ‘looked around at everything’; Jesus returned to Bethany.
• Connections: ears to hear; Bartimaeus, like the Syrophoenician woman, knows who Jesus is and receives healing from Jesus by his expression of faith; faith, and lack of faith have been a theme for several chapters, most recently with the father of the possessed boy, and including the disciples, Jairus, the woman, the demoniac…; Jesus is ‘on the way’ to Jerusalem.
• Contrasts: Jesus has three times foretold his coming visit to Jerusalem, and now he arrives; the crowd refers to David, as did Bartimaeus.
• Responses to Jesus: the two are obedient to Jesus’ instructions; the questioners align with Jesus’ prediction; some (the two?) place their garments on the colt.
Interpretation
• This story, or perhaps Bartimaeus, begins a new section of Mark’s gospel, chapters 11-13. Morna Hooker describes this as the failure of Israel and its leaders to receive their Messiah. There does seem to be a mutual judgment taking place in this section. On one hand Israel’s religious leadership (with the again unexpected leader in 12.28-34) finally rejects Jesus. Jesus on the other hand seems to pronounce judgment on contemporary religious leadership and practice. He likens them to the fruitless tree and the evil tenants, associates their behavior with robbing God (probably of the worship of the nations rather than some kind of financial judgment), underscores their misunderstanding of scripture itself in the resurrection, and sees through their urban-sophisticate plots to lead him afoul of Rome. At the end of chapter 12, following the true worship of the destitute widow (again the least, last, lost!), Jesus leaves the temple for the final time. And then in 13 we see Jesus’ final discourse to the disciples about what the new kingdom’s birth will be like, with them as the angels/apostles sent out to gather God’s elect from all the nations.
• Lord, kyrios (strong’s 2962) is worth a look; used 18x in Mark (Lord of the Sabbath, tell what the Lord has done; of the Syrophoenician woman; here, and a lot in chapter 12 in reference to God); it certainly denotes authority; in LXX it is used 9000 times, usually in reference to God in place of YHWH; used to refer to Nero w/ connotations of divinity (Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels).
• Jesus displays authority in this section by commandeering the donkey, by foretelling the events around claiming the donkey, and by receiving the crowd’s acclaim and praise.
• It is unclear whether the crowds are specifically praising Jesus, or if this is instead part of the larger ascent into Jerusalem for Passover. Some commentators suggest the later and find that Jesus’ entry may have gone largely unnoticed by the crowds in the more general national celebration.
• The point of this story seems to be Jesus’ reconnoitering the temple: he rode into town in the guise of The King, went directly to the temple, took a good look at everything, and then withdrew back to Bethany. This reconnaissance set the stage for his visit the next day to begin his judgment against those who are robbing God of worship.
• Also worth noting is the crowd’s references to David’s kingdom, a connection back to Bartimaeus who seems to have served a prophetic role for the crowds! Yes, David’s kingdom is coming! But not in the way they think, and only a few days later this crowd that so longs for God’s justice for Israel and the humbling of Rome are braying in front of Rome’s representative demanding the death of their King!
Application
• Are we just as guilty as the crowd of rejecting Jesus’ way of the cross in favor of nationalistic pride and preeminence? Have we, like the crowd, mistaken Jesus’ kingdom for our own vision of temporal power and pride? I’ve heard both President Bush and Obama refer to the USA as the best hope of the world for peace/prosperity; have we aligned ourselves with the modern Imperial Eagle, as did the crowds who praise the Lord one day, and the next want him disappeared? What is in our hearts when we shout Hosanna! His kingdom? Or our own?
• Who: Jesus, two disciples, those who question about the colt, many who spread their cloaks and branches, those who went before and after, the twelve.
• When: the last week of Jesus life, his final visit to Jerusalem.
• Where: Bethphage, Bethany, Jerusalem, the Temple
• What: Instructions and narrative about commandeering the colt; Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem; Jesus visits the temple and ‘looked around at everything’; Jesus returned to Bethany.
• Connections: ears to hear; Bartimaeus, like the Syrophoenician woman, knows who Jesus is and receives healing from Jesus by his expression of faith; faith, and lack of faith have been a theme for several chapters, most recently with the father of the possessed boy, and including the disciples, Jairus, the woman, the demoniac…; Jesus is ‘on the way’ to Jerusalem.
• Contrasts: Jesus has three times foretold his coming visit to Jerusalem, and now he arrives; the crowd refers to David, as did Bartimaeus.
• Responses to Jesus: the two are obedient to Jesus’ instructions; the questioners align with Jesus’ prediction; some (the two?) place their garments on the colt.
Interpretation
• This story, or perhaps Bartimaeus, begins a new section of Mark’s gospel, chapters 11-13. Morna Hooker describes this as the failure of Israel and its leaders to receive their Messiah. There does seem to be a mutual judgment taking place in this section. On one hand Israel’s religious leadership (with the again unexpected leader in 12.28-34) finally rejects Jesus. Jesus on the other hand seems to pronounce judgment on contemporary religious leadership and practice. He likens them to the fruitless tree and the evil tenants, associates their behavior with robbing God (probably of the worship of the nations rather than some kind of financial judgment), underscores their misunderstanding of scripture itself in the resurrection, and sees through their urban-sophisticate plots to lead him afoul of Rome. At the end of chapter 12, following the true worship of the destitute widow (again the least, last, lost!), Jesus leaves the temple for the final time. And then in 13 we see Jesus’ final discourse to the disciples about what the new kingdom’s birth will be like, with them as the angels/apostles sent out to gather God’s elect from all the nations.
• Lord, kyrios (strong’s 2962) is worth a look; used 18x in Mark (Lord of the Sabbath, tell what the Lord has done; of the Syrophoenician woman; here, and a lot in chapter 12 in reference to God); it certainly denotes authority; in LXX it is used 9000 times, usually in reference to God in place of YHWH; used to refer to Nero w/ connotations of divinity (Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels).
• Jesus displays authority in this section by commandeering the donkey, by foretelling the events around claiming the donkey, and by receiving the crowd’s acclaim and praise.
• It is unclear whether the crowds are specifically praising Jesus, or if this is instead part of the larger ascent into Jerusalem for Passover. Some commentators suggest the later and find that Jesus’ entry may have gone largely unnoticed by the crowds in the more general national celebration.
• The point of this story seems to be Jesus’ reconnoitering the temple: he rode into town in the guise of The King, went directly to the temple, took a good look at everything, and then withdrew back to Bethany. This reconnaissance set the stage for his visit the next day to begin his judgment against those who are robbing God of worship.
• Also worth noting is the crowd’s references to David’s kingdom, a connection back to Bartimaeus who seems to have served a prophetic role for the crowds! Yes, David’s kingdom is coming! But not in the way they think, and only a few days later this crowd that so longs for God’s justice for Israel and the humbling of Rome are braying in front of Rome’s representative demanding the death of their King!
Application
• Are we just as guilty as the crowd of rejecting Jesus’ way of the cross in favor of nationalistic pride and preeminence? Have we, like the crowd, mistaken Jesus’ kingdom for our own vision of temporal power and pride? I’ve heard both President Bush and Obama refer to the USA as the best hope of the world for peace/prosperity; have we aligned ourselves with the modern Imperial Eagle, as did the crowds who praise the Lord one day, and the next want him disappeared? What is in our hearts when we shout Hosanna! His kingdom? Or our own?
11.1-11
Introduction
• Spend some time reflecting on Lou’s sermon last Sunday. What most impacted you from that presentation of Jesus as servant of all, and of Jesus’ interaction with Bartimaeus, and of Bartimaeus’ response to Jesus?
The Text: Mark 11.1-11 Page 26.11-27.1
• Read the text aloud to each other.
Discussion Questions:
• What are all the things we can learn about Jesus from this narrative about the colt? Why does Jesus here refer to himself as ‘the Lord’? Does this connect in some way with Bartimaeus calling Jesus the son of David?
• Some commentators suggest that the crowd was part of the larger annual Passover celebration and not necessarily responding directly to Jesus. What is your understanding of this story? Does the text speak clearly to this question?
• Why do you think Jesus goes directly to the temple and looks around at everything and then leaves to spend the night in Bethany?
• Put yourself in the place of the Twelve who have been listening to Jesus’ predictions about what will happen during Jesus’ visit to Jerusalem? What is going through their minds as Jesus commandeers the colt, rides into town, reconnoiters the temple, and then leaves?
Application reflections
• What is it about Jesus that causes us to stand up and shout his praise?
• Have you ever had an experience like that of the two disciples sent to bring back the colt? That is an experience where you heard clear directions from the Lord that seemed unusual, but then worked our just as he had said?
• How might we participate in the Acts 1.8 ministry fair as a demonstration of following Jesus on the way into Jerusalem?
Pray
• Spend some time reflecting on Lou’s sermon last Sunday. What most impacted you from that presentation of Jesus as servant of all, and of Jesus’ interaction with Bartimaeus, and of Bartimaeus’ response to Jesus?
The Text: Mark 11.1-11 Page 26.11-27.1
• Read the text aloud to each other.
Discussion Questions:
• What are all the things we can learn about Jesus from this narrative about the colt? Why does Jesus here refer to himself as ‘the Lord’? Does this connect in some way with Bartimaeus calling Jesus the son of David?
• Some commentators suggest that the crowd was part of the larger annual Passover celebration and not necessarily responding directly to Jesus. What is your understanding of this story? Does the text speak clearly to this question?
• Why do you think Jesus goes directly to the temple and looks around at everything and then leaves to spend the night in Bethany?
• Put yourself in the place of the Twelve who have been listening to Jesus’ predictions about what will happen during Jesus’ visit to Jerusalem? What is going through their minds as Jesus commandeers the colt, rides into town, reconnoiters the temple, and then leaves?
Application reflections
• What is it about Jesus that causes us to stand up and shout his praise?
• Have you ever had an experience like that of the two disciples sent to bring back the colt? That is an experience where you heard clear directions from the Lord that seemed unusual, but then worked our just as he had said?
• How might we participate in the Acts 1.8 ministry fair as a demonstration of following Jesus on the way into Jerusalem?
Pray
Monday, May 3, 2010
The Healing of Blind Bart
Evangelical Free Church of Chico
May 2nd, 2010:
Mark 10:46-52
The Healing of Blind Bart
Pastor Lou Diaz
Listen
May 2nd, 2010:
Mark 10:46-52
The Healing of Blind Bart
Pastor Lou Diaz
Listen
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