Category Archives: Commentary
Spilt Nard & Zealous Faith Embrace Gospel Suffering
The account of the anonymous woman who broke an alabaster flask and poured nard onto Jesus’ head (Mark 14) is difficult to relate directly to post-resurrection discipleship. I’ve never seen alabaster, and wouldn’t know nard if it hit me in … Continue reading
Filed under Commentary
Fig Leaves & Fur Coats
When Adam & Eve partake of the forbidden fruit, it is of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Scripture says that when their eyes were opened, they saw their nakedness, and made fig leaves for themselves to … Continue reading
Filed under Commentary
The Great Tribulation that was? Paradigm change in Mark 13
In Mark 13 — Jesus’ Olivet Discourse — we are told about ‘great tribulation,’ persecution, wars and earthquakes and famines, the ‘abomination of desolation,’ and the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great glory. We are told of … Continue reading
Filed under Commentary
Your Money or Your Life: Is Jesus a Street Thug?
A street thug approaches a couple in an alleyway and demands “your money or your life!” The man pushes the woman forward, and the thug says “what are you doing?” The man replies, “Oh, I thought you said ‘your money … Continue reading
Filed under Commentary, discipleship
Spiritual Blinders and the Love of God
Jesus says that the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:28-31). The list of things needed to love God is not a catalogue of body … Continue reading
Filed under Commentary
The Greatest Commandments
In a memorable — and likely much memorized — episode in the ministry of Jesus, a scribe whose fellows had been laying theological and political traps for Jesus, approached him sincerely. Keeping with the tradition of asking rabbis to summarize … Continue reading
Filed under Commentary
Death, Taxes & Honey-do Lists
We’ve all heard the quip about death and taxes. One of life’s most pervasive, ubiquitous influences is responsible for one, sometimes both of those: government. Some might say another of life’s most pervasive, ubiquitous influences — marriage — could also … Continue reading
Filed under Commentary, Culture
Not lording it over the Gentiles doesn’t mean that the Gentiles lord it
We have a love/hate relationship with authority. When that miscreant who cut me off in traffic is pulled over by a trooper a few miles down the road, I’m loving authority. When I’m late for a meeting, and the same … Continue reading
Filed under Commentary, Culture
What do YOU want? Realigning our Position
Perhaps one of the best-known verses in Scripture is “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). What may not be so well-known … Continue reading
Filed under Commentary
Dying for Ingrates: Jesus at his last supper
In Mark 14:12-31, Jesus is viewed by the larger group of disciples as the father-figure who arranges the Passover celebration for his family. In commemorating Israel’s escape from Egypt, in which the lamb was slain, its body eaten and its … Continue reading →
Leave a Comment
Filed under Commentary
Tagged as grace, Lord's Supper, Mark 14, sacrifice, sin