Mark

These notes accompany and supplement my podcast on the same passage. This parable is normally seen as a discussion of God’s relationship with the nation of Israel. Doubtless in the original context, with Jesus talking to Jews about how they had rejected prophets, and now were rejecting him, this was the meaning. Having noticed that,…

These notes are intended to accompany my podcast A Question of Authority. Interpretations of this passage tend to focus on the conflict and how Jesus got out of it. He did, indeed, avoid a difficult situation in a very creative way. But there is an additional realm of discussion. Jesus suggested an entirely different way…

These notes accompany the Bible Pacesetter Podcast Having Godly Faith. 20And as they were going by in the early morning they saw the fig tree, withered from the root. 21And Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi look! The fig tree you cursed is withered!” Unlike the story in Matthew, the withered fig tree is…

The following working translation and notes accompany my podcast Cleansing the Temple. 15Then they went into Jerusalem, and after they entered the temple he began to throw out those who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and up-ended those of the dove sellers. The problem…

Translation and Notes 12The next day, as he was coming from Bethany, he was hungry. 13And when he saw a fig tree from far away that had leaves he thought he might find something on it, but when he got there he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. Mar…

These notes are provided to support and expand on my podcast Triumphantly Toward Death. Translation and Notes At a time when Jesus appears most like what the crowd expects he is actually heading into that portion of his ministry in which he will disappoint those same crowds the most. One of the key contrasts of…

These notes accompany my podcast titled A Time to Seek Healing. Translation and Notes 32Now they were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them, and the disciples were amazed. But those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve aside again, he began to tell them again about…

These notes supplement my podcast titled Last and First. The included translation is a working translation. Check out passages in your favorite Bible version. 23Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have possessions to enter into the kingdom of God.” I’m sure that the disciples were…

These notes accompany my podast Children and Divine Priorities. Translation and Notes 13And they brought him children so that he might touch them. But the disciples rebuked them. Notice again that the disciples are not on the same agenda as Jesus is. They haven’t gotten kingdom principles. To Jesus children are important both in themselves—they…