Writing Loopholes in God's Law

 Getting Back Big Bucks

Imagine it’s April 15th. That’s Tax Day here in the dear ol’ U.S. of A. But in this little scenario you’re feeling pretty good about yourself and the return you’re filing this year.

Why so cocky? Because of several large loopholes, you’re not just avoiding writing Uncle Sam a huge check, He’s sending you back some big bucks.

There’s just one little problem. You won’t find any of these loopholes anywhere in the tax code. It seems you wrote them yourself. You’re sure the IRS won’t have a problem with your creativity. And I’m sure they won’t mind sizing you up for one of those snappy orange jumpsuits either.

A Come-to-Jesus Meeting

What does that have to do with Mark’s story of Christ? So very glad you asked. It seems some religious power brokers had a literal come-to-Jesus meeting. The result? Our Savior shuts them up after they try to shut Him down (Mk 7:1-13).

When the curtain rises on chapter 7 of the second Gospel, we see Jewish officials rolling into Galilee from headquarters in Jerusalem. They’ve clearly got big problems with the Lord and His closest followers.

Flipping the Script

It seems the Twelve’s not obeying the rules found in the infamous Hebrew handbook. Earlier religious leaders wrote this manual and have handed it down for years. Break the rules at your own peril.

Let’s just say their little chat with the radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth doesn’t go as planned. He totally flips the script on these know-it-alls and calls them out on their own disobedience. It seems they’ve written their own loopholes into God’s Law and that’s not gonna fly.

Mark picks up the story as “some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus” (v1). The home office of the Hebrews sends a team of their best to check out Jesus. It makes sense since His popularity has spiked.

Not the First Time

It’s not the first time they’ve investigated the radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth. There was the time they crashed Levi’s house party and freak out when when they see Jesus hanging out with the scum of society (Mk 2:15-17).

Later they blow a gasket when, in their not-so-humble opinion, Christ and His crew spend too much time fasting and not enough time feasting (Mk 3:18-22). Another time, their jaws hit the floor when they catch the Lord and the boys hitting a drive-thru on Saturday, breaking all sorts of Sabbath rules (Mk 3:23-28).

Forcing Jesus to Follow Your Rules

Ever hear about the time these religious nitpickers try to trap Jesus into breaking their man-made rules about church (Mk 3:1-6)? He becomes such a problem for them that they eventually figure He must be an agent of Satan (Mk 3:20-30).

There’s a really important lesson here for all of us. Don’t make the mistake of forcing Jesus to follow your rules. It won’t end well. We need to remember that it works the other way around. He graciously provides us with commands that unlock supernatural joy and abundant life that only God provides

Ceremony, Not Sanitation

So when they see our Savior stirring up trouble again in Galilee, the Pharisees and scribes reach into their bag of tricks and pull out an oldie but a goodie, a little something called ritual washing. “They noticed that some of His disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating” (v2).

Maybe the first thing that came to mind when you read this passage is when your mom made sure you washed your hands before supper. Just so we’re clear, personal hygiene isn’t the issue. These rules are NOT about sanitation and ALL about ceremony.

A Convoluted Ceremony

Since Mark writes for mostly a non-Jewish audience of Roman readers, he has to explain the finer points of Hebrew religious tradition when it comes to the complicated sequence of ceremonial hand washing (v3-4). It’s way more convoluted that those signs we see in restaurant restrooms telling employees to use soap and warm water.

It goes a little something like this. The ceremony begins with pointing your fingers up while someone else pours water over your hands. Here’s where the NLT gets the picture of “cupped hands” (v3). If the water drips off at your wrist, you can proceed to the next step. If not, start over.

Make a Fist

Step two is turning your hands over and pointing your fingers down. Someone then pours more water over them a second time. And you thought the “lather, rinse, repeat” instructions on your bottle of shampoo was a little much.

Think you grab a towel and dry off at this point? Not so fast, my friend. Now you make a fist with one hand and begin rubbing the other hand to dry it off. And you do that all the way up to the elbow.

Then each hand was to be rubbed with the fist of the other hand. As you can imagine, this takes a while. And the crazy thing is that you’re expected to do this even if you don’t have any water by dry scrubbing and rubbing your hands to get ceremonially clean.

Turning on the Blue Lights

When the religious police don’t see Jesus and His followers following their rules, they turn on the blue lights. “Why don’t Your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony” (v5).

Did you catch that? “YOUR disciples….OUR age-old tradition” (emphasis added). Gulp. Do you realize just Whom you’re talking to? They’re going to learn in Galilean minute that trying bully the Son of God is a very bad idea.

Tradition with a Capital T

“Tradition” is an important word here in this passage. It’s the Greek noun παραδοσις/paradosis, which literally describes a handing down or handing over or something delivered. Here it means the passing down of something important from one generation to the next.

Back in first century Israel, tradition isn’t simply history or how things have usually been done for a while. This is Tradition with a capital T. We’re talking about all sorts of formal rules and regs collected and passed down.

Religious Hall Monitors

The bad part is that this so-called tradition actually took the place of God’s Word as the highest authority in Judaism. In Jesus’ day, it simply existed in oral form since the days of the Babylonian captivity. A couple of hundred years later, Jewish leaders wrote it down into what we know today as the Mishna.

In the process, the scribes and Pharisees end up adding hundreds of their own rules and regs to God’s commands. They believe their role was to be the religious hall monitors and make sure everybody toes the line.

Every. Single. Person.

Part of that tradition is ceremonial washing. Back on Mount Sinai, God gave Moses commands requiring that priests wash their hands before eating holy offerings (Ex 30:17-21; 40:12-15). Over the years, leaders expand those stipulations to cover anyone and everyone worshiping the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Not just priests. Every. Single. Person.

For those of you who grew up Catholic, you’re probably familiar with this idea of tradition. According to Catholic teaching, there are three legs on the doctrinal stool: the Bible, papal decree, and tradition. In other words, tradition carries the same weight as God’s Word. You’re going to see that Jesus says the exact opposite.

Posers

But there’s something else going on here too. Commentators believe these knuckleheads from Jerusalem have arrived with a simple plan: Convict this Troublemaker of breaking Moses’ law. They plan to use tradition to take Christ down.

It’s at this point that Jesus leads these Old Testament experts on a rather interesting Bible study. He begins by calling them out for, well, being posers. “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you” (v6).

Wearing a Mask

Hypocrite is one of those words that even folks who’ve never been in a church throw around. It comes from a Greek word (Gr. ‘υποκριτης/hupokrites) that describes an actor or someone simply pretending to be somebody else.

It’s a compound word that literally means to interpret from underneath. Back in the Greco-Roman world, actors in the theater wore big masks in order to portray different characters. Kinda like they wear heavy makeup and prosthetics in movies and plays 

today.

The Oscar Goes to…

That’s how hypocrite came to mean an imposter pretending to be something they’re not. They’re a fake and a phony. They present themselves as one thing when in fact they’re really something else.

Jesus isn’t complimenting them on their acting ability. He’s not nominating them for an Oscar. Just the opposite. Our Savior sees right through them. He gets up in their grill and calls them counterfeits.

Take off the Mask

They’re not the only ones. We ALL need to take off our masks. You. Me. Us. Them. It’s time to stop the act. Get real. Be who you are. Don’t worry about what others think of you. Be you. The real you. You do know God can see the real you, right?

That’s why it’s important to find a group of folks who accept you just as you are but love you too much to let you stay that way. In other words, we all need friends who love us unconditionally, without our masks, just like Jesus does.

When Your Worship Is a Farce

Back in Mark’s Gospel, the Lord goes on to tell these religious leaders that God has mentioned them in the Bible. Most times that might be pretty sweet…except this time. This time He’s using them as the bad example. Gulp.

Christ quotes from a conversation His Father had with the prophet Isaiah (Is 29:13). “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God” (v6-7).

Religion or Relationship?

This is originally part of God’s warning to His people to turn their worship around. Despite the holy heads up, they didn’t listen. About 100 years after Isaiah sounds the alarm, God allows Babylon to bulldoze the nation of Judah and haul the people off as slaves. Can’t say they weren’t warned.

Now Jesus accuses the Pharisees and scribes of doing just the same. They’re all about rules but NOT a relationship. That’s the big difference between placing your faith in Christ and religion. Religion is all about what we have to do to reach God. Faith in Jesus is all about what He has already done.

The Ultimate Rule Follower

In other words, religious rule-following to reach God is like trying to high jump to Jupiter. Yeah, good luck with that. Our Savior does for us what we could never do for ourselves. He brings God to us here on earth in human form so that we can have a relationship with Him.

Jesus follows all the rules because we can’t. He dies the death for our disobedience we should have died. He rises to the new life we don’t deserve. We place our trust in what He’s done and His loving leadership for our lives.

A Big Steaming Pile

One of the greatest Pharisees of all time learned this lesson the hard way before placing his faith in the resurrected Jesus. The apostle formerly known as Saul worked his tail off to build up such an impressive religious resume that God had to accept him.

Despite piling up a LinkedIn profile that might make the Pope jealous, Paul realized it was all a big steaming pile compared to knowing Jesus (Phil 3:4-11). He says there’s nothing more awesome than a relationship with the risen Son of God.

A Biblical Buffet

These religious know-it-alls don’t know that yet. Instead Christ cuts to the chase. “For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition” (v8). They’re rewriting the rules to suit their own agenda. They trim out this pesky little section over here. They add little something something over there.

Come on, admit it. You and I do the same. We carefully pick and choose what parts of God’s Word we want to obey. Kinda like some sort of biblical buffet. I take some of this. Ooo, I LOVE that! We pass right on by the stuff we don’t like they’re Brussel sprouts.

A Tradition of Insurrection

We need to realize this is a not-so-subtle form of revolt against the King of Kings. It’s saying that His commands aren’t good enough. We’ve got a better idea when it comes to running the universe.

So we weasel our way onto His throne and rewrite His rules. Bad idea. Trading our man-made ways for His perfect and holy law is an age old tradition. A tradition of insurrection and rebellion. And in case you didn’t know, we’re ALL rebels against God’s kingdom before Jesus came to our rescue (Rom 5:10).

If You Can Dodge a Wrench

Jesus gives the Pharisees and scribes a sweet backhanded compliment. “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition” (v9). Boys, when it comes to avoiding the Father’s commands, you’ve got serious game! To paraphrase the great Patches O’Hoolihan, “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a command.”

The Lord then gives them a specific example of their nimble disobedience (v10). He reminds them that God thinks honoring our parents is such a good idea that He put it in His Top Ten (Ex 20:12). Our Heavenly Dad goes so far as to say that talking smack about them is a capital crime (Ex 21:17). Apparently He skips right past time out.

A Hebrew Pre-Nup

But these religious legal experts evade these commands by writing their own loophole. Jesus says, “But you say it is right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given you’” (v11).

This is something called “corban.” Think of it as a sort of Hebrew pre-nup. It’s a promise that ties up your fortune to support future work at the temple. Kinda like announcing that you’re leaving all of your inheritance to the church.

Shirking Their Responsibility

Giving a huge chunk of cash to further God’s kingdom might sound like a great idea. I mean, who wouldn’t like their name on that cool new Sunday school building? Maybe you could even get a plaque on your own special pew like some sort of religious PSL.

But the problem is that it’s really an excuse they use to shirk their responsibility to help their own families. By promising their portfolios to the temple, they believe their money was now untouchable for any other use…that includes helping mom and dad!

Caring for Aging Parents

Jesus pulls no punches with them. “In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents” (v12). Remember, there are no 

nursing homes, retirement communities, social security, or longterm care insurance in the First Century. It’s up to adult children to care for their aging parents.

So in order to get out of honoring their parents with financing support, the Pharisees and scribes have cooked up their own loophole in God’s law. Geez, Mom and Dad, I’d love to help you. I really would. There’s just one hitch. I promised it to God. Stinks to be you.

Not an Isolated Incident

Christ calls them on their con. “And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others” (v13). Somehow these religious leaders think they can cook up their own commands that make divine decrees null and void.

This isn’t some isolated incident either. These religious leaders have been working overtime to come up with all sorts of crazy 

laws to repeal God’s precepts. Just how god are His commands? King David wrote a song about them and it goes a little something like this.

“The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living” (Ps 19:7-8). There’s more. Do I need to go on? I didn’t think so.

God Doesn’t Need an Editor

When it comes to God’s commands, He doesn’t need an editor. He’s not looking for a rewrite. So let's all put down the red pen.

The only thing He asks of us is our willing obedience. Don’t buy the lie that His law is a cosmic buzzkill. It’s the key that unlocks the flood of divine joy and abundant life.

God's Guardrails

Whether it’s you and me or the scribes and Pharisees, we’re making a big mistake when we rewrite God’s divine decrees. First of all, we might think we’re being clever and creating a loophole. Not so much.

Second, we’re missing out on the path to true joy through willing obedience. Our loving Dad in heaven wants nothing but His best for us. In many ways these commands are God’s guardrails to protect us from ourselves.

Third, if you think the feds are rough on tax cheats, that’s nothing compared to those who monkey with the law of God. It makes an IRS audit will look like a vacation at Sandals.

The Ultimate Fringe Benefit

Great Benefits Package

Some employers are legendary for ridiculously great fringe benefits. Oh, you may get great health insurance where you work. But check out just a few of the bennies one North Carolina software company dishes out.

How about free onsite healthcare? There’s a free gym and health club on the company campus. Who wouldn’t love deeply discounted, onsite childcare?

So what’s the catch? These must all be part of the bait to get you to stay at work and never leave. Nope. They cap your hours at 37.5 per week.

A Jesus Juke?

While most of us would kill to work at a place like that, there’s Somebody who’s benefit package blows them all away. I know, I know. Here comes what Jon Acuff likes to call the Jesus Juke. But hang with me.

An ancient author named John Mark writes about the time a truckload of sick folks come to Christ for healing (Mk 6:53-56). If you think the healthcare system in 21st Century America is jacked up, it’s nothing compared to the desperation people faced in First Century Palestine. Everything is out-of-pocket…at a time when you had NO pockets!

The Rush Is on

So when the miracle-working Healer from Nazareth hits town, the rush is on. They don’t know how He can. They don’t know why He can. And most of all, they don’t know who He is. But one thing they do know is that Jesus can and will make them whole.

The preferred method of healing isn’t an appointment for an office visit or dropping by a nearby doc-in-the-box. You just need to get close enough to Christ so you can grab His clothes. Specifically, the fringe of robe. Word is that one touch of His jacket does the trick.

Like I said, it’s the ultimate fringe benefit.

When and Where?

Before we get to the details, let’s back up a moment. Let’s zoom out and see where we are in the life of Jesus and what leads up to this crazy scene where the crowd tries to get its hands on His wardrobe.

The time is approximately 30 AD. The place is Galilee, a beautiful place in the backwater of northern Israel.

Grabbing All the Headlines

Recently, this radical Rabbi/Carpenter has started grabbing all the headlines. He teaches like nobody has every heard before. He punches evil spirits in their demonic throats. He feeds thousands with just a couple of fish sandwiches (Mk 6:33-44).

There are even rumors that He water skis without a boat and shuts down big storms with simply the sound of His voice (Mk 4:35-41; 6:45-52). With all those stories swirling, you can understand why He’s the hottest ticket around.

Jesus Has His Doubters

Despite His booming popularity, Jesus isn’t without His doubters. Religious power brokers are so upset that He’s encroaching on their turf that they think He’s probably working for the devil (Mk 3:22).

Folks in His hometown aren’t buying what He’s selling (Mk 6:1-5). Even His own family thinks He’s cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs (Mk 3:21, 31-32).

The Hebrew Hero

Joe and Mary’s oldest Son does have a dozen dudes He’s picked to follow Him (Mk 3:13-19). The problem is they’re not exactly what you would call first round draft picks (Mk 1:16-20; 2:13-16).

The bottom line is that nobody can really figure out who He is. Well, nobody except His bizarro cousin Baptizin’ John. He’s absolutely convinced Jesus is the Messiah (Mk 1:7-11). That’s the name for the Hebrew Hero who’s coming from heaven to fix everything humans have jacked up through their sin and rebellion.

A Galilean Garden Spot

We pick up the action as a boat pulls into shore of the Sea of Galilee. “After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret” (v53). It’s Jesus and His team arriving at a spot on the northwest shore of the big lake between His headquarters in Capernaum and the town of Magdala.

While you may picture most of the Middle East as nothing but deserts, dunes, and an occasional camel or two, Galilee is much different. It’s lush and green. This spot is so incredibly beautiful that people in ancient times call it paradise.

And the geography of Gennesaret makes it particularly so. It’s a fertile sliver of land about three miles long and one mile wide. Gennesaret comes from a Hebrew word meaning “garden of riches.”

The Weather Started Getting Rough

If you’ve been following Mark’s story of Jesus, you may be scratching your head wondering how they got here. This wasn’t their original destination. Not even close. Their trip began as a short trip to Bethsaida on the northeastern coast of the lake (Mk 6:45).

A late night windstorm has clearly blown them WAY off course. The weather started getting rough. The tiny ship was tossed. A couple of thousand years before Gilligan’s Island, Jesus and the Twelve end up in Gennesaret, on the other side of the lake.

Safe Harbor

We then see some very specific detail about their arrival. “They brought the boat to shore and climbed out” (v53-54). The original language uses a verb here (Gr. προσορμιζομαι/prosormizomai) which describes mooring a boat to a dock or post.

That suggests they’ve found a harbor or marina. Archaeologists have found many of these around the big lake throughout the years. It certainly makes sense considering the commercial fishing done there back in the First Century.

This little tidbit also backs up the idea that the source of Mark’s info is none other than the Apostle Peter. The earliest followers of Jesus believed that to be the case. Who better than a former fisherman to provide these finer points.

Rock Star Status

No sooner than they begin to disembark when things get crazy. “The people recognized Jesus at once” (v54). This confirms the idea that the Rabbi/Carpenter has reached rock star status in the region.

How did they know it was Him? Once again, a dip into the Greek text helps us out. The word the NLT translates as “recognized” is επιγινωσκω/epiginosko. It means to know someone or something thoroughly most likely through personal experience.

Personal Experience

In other words, many of these same people have probably attended one of His teachings or were eyewitnesses to one of His many miracles. They have firsthand experience. They’ve been there when He’s done that.

It’s not the first time His fame made it hard for the Lord to keep it on the down low. Just yesterday, a big crowd realized who He was and started chasing Him down the beach while He’s in a boat (Mk 6:33). Before it was all over, He serves an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet to a crowd that could fill a basketball arena (Mk 6:34-44).

Trending on Twitter

So the word is out. He’s the Hot New Thing. Trending on Twitter. Our Savior is reaching the peak of His popularity in Galilee. This kind of reaction is becoming the norm wherever Jesus goes.

One reason for this is that Jesus heals the sick everywhere He goes. Same here in G-Vegas. “And they ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever He was” (v55). Who knows when He’ll be back? You don’t want to miss your chance to help the people you love.

The Source of Spiritual Healing

The notes in the Life Application Bible point out that the people recognize Him as a miraculous healer, but not much more. They come to Christ for physical healing but don’t realize they He’s the source of a deeper spiritual healing?

Jesus certainly has the ability to do so much more than relieve my pain and extend my life on earth. But I miss the point if I only see Him as the source of healing my body without healing my soul. Only knowing who He really is leads to the deepest and everlasting healing that I really need.

The people may know who He is but they still didn’t know WHO He is. They know Jesus by name. They know Him by what He does and what He says. They know the facts. They know He is from God but they didn’t know He IS God.

Chaos on the Beach

The result is total chaos on the beach near Gennesaret. Mark uses a verb (Gr. περιτρεχω/peritrecho) that describes rushing around or scurrying about. It’s compound word meaning to go everywhere (Gr. περι-/peri-) and use every bit of your strength to do so (Gr. -τρεχω/-trecho).

People aren’t casually strolling…they’re on the dead run! They run to bring people to Jesus who couldn’t get to Him on their own. Maybe they’ve heard the story about the four guys who cut a hole in the roof to get their disabled buddy healed by Jesus (Mk 2:1-12).

The Local Hang out

It didn’t matter where. When they heard where our Savior is, they do everything possible to get those with all sorts of medical issues in the same place. It didn’t matter where. “Wherever He went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick to the marketplaces” (v56).

The Greek word for “marketplaces” is αγορα/agora. It’s where we get our word “agoraphobia,” or the fear of crowds. The term literally means the gathering place. Sure, it’s where people come to buy and sell. But it’s also the the local hang out. The spot where to see and be seen. In this case, they’re hoping to see Jesus.

Making the Introduction

There’s a great lesson we can all learn from Mark’s description. Am I willing to do anything within my power to bring folks who need spiritual healing close to Christ? I realize I’m not the one who has the power to save them. But I do have the power to make the introduction.

What can I do help my friends and family who don’t know Jesus somewhere near Him? Well, the stock answer is invite them to church. That’s NEVER a bad idea. But that’s not our only play.

Open the Door

Make sure they know the story of what our Savior has done in your life. Not just how you came to place your trust in Him. But how He’s provided you with the peace to face whatever life throws at you. Tell them about the strength He’s given when you’re tank was on E. The guidance He’s granted when you didn’t know what to do.

Be their friend. Hang in there. Do for them what nobody else is willing to do. As the old saying goes, “Preach the Gospel constantly, use words when necessary.” You can be sure that at some point, words WILL be necessary. They’ll want to know why you do what you do. When they open the door, you and Jesus walk right in.

Grabbing His Robe

Meanwhile back in the marketplace, people plead with Christ to help the ones they love. “They begged Him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of His robe” (v56). If you’ve been reading along in Mark, this may sound familiar. If you’re thinking it’s the story of the bleeding woman on the beach near Capernaum (Mk 5:27-30), you’re a winner.

The Bible has several stories where God heals using all sorts of unconventional methods. There’s the time at the temple when Pete’s shadow is the remedy (Acts 5:15-16). When Paul’s in Ephesus, people take the rags he’s used and aprons he’s worn to heal diseases and chase away evil spirits (Acts 19:11-12).

Fancy Fringes

But what’s so special about the edge of Jesus’ robe? Flip back to the OT and check out the time God gives Moses fashion advice for His chosen people (Num 15:37-40). Yahweh tells him to have folks sew blue cords of thread on the corners of their clothes.

Why? These fancy fringes will remind them to follow His commands and trust God’s goodness. Whenever they see the blue hems, it would hopefully help people to pump the brakes before committing spiritual adultery with false gods.

Jesus Wore It Better

If you know the story, these tassels were no hassle when it came to Israelite disobedience. Despite His unrelenting love for them, His people were a total train wreck of rebellion. 

Even worse, self-righteous religious leaders in Jesus’ day love to show off by making the trim of their robes extra long (Mt 23:5). It’s much more than some fancy schmancy Hebrew fashion statement. Their fringe benefits are all about themselves. Jesus’ fringe benefits are about others. If you’re wondering, the Lord wore it better.

Christ is the Ultimate Israel

You see when our Savior arrives, He turns Israelite rebellion upside down. He does for them what they could never do. He’s the Israel they failed to be. Don’t believe me? Here are a handful of verses to make the point.

First of all, God tells Moses that “Israel is My firstborn Son” (Ex 4:22). See what He did there? Yahweh goes further when talking to Hosea. “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and I call My Son out of Egypt” (Hos 11:1). Eight hundred years later, Matthew connects those same dots to Christ Himself (Mt 2:13-15).

Doing What We Fail to Do

The Lord not only does for Israel what they fail to do, He does the very same for us. He’s totally obedient to His Heavenly Dad’s commands. That’s why He says in His most famous sermon that a major part of His mission isn’t to scrap God’s rules but fulfill them like never before (Mt 5:17).

Here’s the deal. Jesus lives the perfect life we fail to live. He dies the death for our disobedience we should die. He rises to the glorious new life we don’t deserve. We place our trust in what He’s done for us.

Placing our trust in Christ means we trust in what He’s done for us. It also means we double down on His leadership for our lives. We do what He says. We realize that willing obedience unlocks the abundant life He provides (Jn 10:10). It’s all part of His eternal benefit package.

A Lucky Religious Rabbit’s Foot?

One of the most amazing things to me in this story is what happens when the sick and disabled get their hands on Jesus’ 

clothes. “And as many as touched it were made well” (v56).

But wait just a hem-grabbing minute! Aren’t these folks turning the Redeemer’s robe into little more than a lucky religious rabbit’s foot or four leaf clover? Sure. But remember, healing doesn’t depend on our misguided superstition. The remember is really the Great Physician.

It’s Gotta Be the Shoes!

It reminds me of a Nike commercial back in the ‘80s for some of the first Air Jordans. A character named Mars Blackmon is sure that the source of Michael Jordan are his sneakers. Mars drops one of the great taglines in Madison Avenue history. “It’s gotta be the shoes!”

If you’re a fan of MJ, you know it’s NOT the shoes. He’s the GOAT because of a ridiculous combo of skill and competitive drive. Mars is wrong. Michael could win six rings wearing a pair of worn out Chucks.

The Robe Grabbers of Galilee

It’s the same with my faith in Jesus. What I believe about who He is and what He’s done has changed a LOT since He saved me back in a previous millennium. Guess what. He STILL saved me! I simply trusted in His goodness.

Same with the robe grabbers of Galilee. They may not have their belief in Jesus all buttoned up. They may not check all the right theological boxes. But He doesn’t need them to. Our Savior saves. It’s what He does.

It’s NOT the Clothes but His Compassion

The patients in the marketplace may think it’s gotta be Jesus’ robe, but they would be wrong. It’s not about His clothes and all about His compassion. The Lord comes and meets us where we are. He heals us in the depths of our desperation.

It’s the ultimate fringe benefit.

©2018

Jay Jennings

When God Shows up and Shows off

Mythical Moments

There are those mythical moments in sports when a great athlete does something no one’s ever seen before. They don’t just show up but show off.

Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points in a single NBA game. Twenty-one-year-old Tiger Woods wins the Masters…TWELVE STROKES! Bob Beamon breaks the world record in the long jump…BY TWO FEET! 

You Remember Where You Were

Maybe you were lucky enough to be there in the stands. Maybe you happened to watch it on TV. Maybe you’ve only seen highlights on the internets. One thing for sure, there was never any further doubt about the greatness these athletes after what they had done.

Chances are we’ll never forget those times when the great ones didn’t just show up but really showed off.

Near the Top of the List

There’s one particular moment Jesus did something so spectacular, it was burned into the brains of His followers forever. There’s no doubt that His miracles are way too many to list. But there’s one occasion that stands near the top.

Mark’s bio of Christ tells the amazing story (Mk 6:45-52). It’s after 3am. The boys are in a boat fighting a losing battle against wicked headwind on the Sea of Galilee. The next thing they see is the Savior walking on the waves past them.

Going the Extra Mile

When they couldn’t get where they were going, Jesus has gone the extra mile and come to them. He meets them in the middle of their struggle. Not only that, the Lord wants them to get a good, long look. He wants to reveal exactly who He is.

The Son of God shows up in order to show off.

After Dinner

We pick up the action after dinner. And not just any dinner. Jesus has just used His crew to feed almost 20,000 people using only a couple of fish sandwiches (Mk 6:33-44). As they gather the leftovers, the sun is going down and it’s time to leave.

Christ wastes no time. “Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that His disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while He sent the people home” (v45).

All about Action

If you’re a fan of Mark’s writing, you know he’s all about action. There are times in his story of Jesus when he drops the accelerator and you simply hang on for the ride. So buckle up one more time.

One way he does that is through his use of the Greek word ευθυς/euthus, which the NLT translates here “immediately.” Mark uses some form of this term 40-plus times. Like I said. It’s one of his go-to terms.

When Jesus Insists

You’ll also see that the Lord isn’t taking no for answer when telling His team to leave. “Jesus insisted” (v45) that the boys take the boat and leave. The word the NLT translates as “insisted” (Gr. αναγκαζω/anagkazo) means to demand, dictate, force, or compel.

Paul uses the same verb when describing how he would torture Jesus’ followers in order to force them into recanting and throwing their Savior under the bus (Acts 26:11). Yeah, Saul of Tarsus was a seriously bad dude before Jesus blindsided him outside of Damascus.

How radically was Paul’s transformation? He would eventually get in the Apostle Peter’s grill when the former fisherman for racial prejudice against non-Jews. “Why are you now trying to make (Gr. αναγκαζω/anagkazo) these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?” (Gal 2:14).

No Other Choice

Apparently His disciples want to stick around. Maybe to bask in the glow of their role in the stunning all-you-can-eat seafood buffet. Maybe because it’s getting late. But Jesus gives them no other choice.

There are times when the Lord insists you and I do what He says. And why not? He knows what’s best for us. He’s not some sort of cosmic killjoy who’s keeping us away from the fun. Our willing obedience to His commands actually unlock the “rich and satisfying life” He provides (Jn 10:10).

Back in the Boat

They get back in the same boat that brought them there in the first place (Mk 6:32). What kind of watercraft are we talking about? A recent archaeological discovery is a huge help.

Back in 1986, a couple of modern day Israeli fishermen found what some call the “Jesus Boat” on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. Right around where Jesus lived. Radiocarbon dating puts it between 50 BC and 50 AD. Right around when Jesus lived.

This boat is about 27 feet long and seven feet wide. The boat could carry about 15 people. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m NOT saying this is THE boat our Savior used. But there’s a good chance it was one a lot like it. As a matter of fact, we’ll see soon that Jesus didn’t really need a Jesus Boat.

House of Fish

Christ sends His crew to Bethsaida while He thanks the big crowd for coming. The disciples shove off for the short trip to Pete, Andy, and Phil’s hometown (Jn 1:44). It should come as no shock that these three commercial anglers are from a town who’s name literally means “House of Fish.”

When the Chaos Turns into Crickets

Once everybody’s gone, the Son of God has one more thing to do. “After telling everyone good-bye, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray” (v46). The Twelve have sailed away. Five thousand men and their families have gone home.

The chaos of the crowd has suddenly turned to crickets. Jesus is all alone. And that’s a good thing. A VERY good thing. After an incredibly busy day, the Son of God heads for the hills to get alone with His Dad.

Jesus’ Prayer Life

Prayer is a regular part of the rhythm of Christ’s earthly life (Lk 5:16). We see Him praying at His own baptism (Lk 3:21). He spends the night in prayer before drafting the Twelve (Lk 6:12-16).

Later the Lord teaches His team how to pray (Mt 6:5-15; Lk 11:1-13). He takes His inner circle with Him for intercession (Lk 9:28). Whenever the disciples can’t find Him, they know to look for Him hanging out with His Heavenly Father (Mk 1:35-37).

Deep and Passionate Prayer

He takes He spends a HUGE chunk of His last night before His death talking in prayer. He pleads with Dad on behalf of His disciples after dinner in the upper room (Jn 17:1-26).

Where does Jesus spend His final few hours before His betrayal and arrest? In such deep and passionate prayer with God the Father. Prayer so heated and intense that He actually bleeds from His sweat glands (Lk 22:44).

Christ wrestles with what’s ahead. He begs His Dad to find some other way. Eventually He willingly submits to His Father’s will to suffer and die so that we would never have to (Mt 26:36-44; Mk 14:32-39; Lk 22:39-46).

Jesus Prays for You and Me

Get this. Did you know the Bible talks about how Jesus prayed for you and me (Jn 17:20)? And even now that He’s back home in heaven, He’s still praying for you and me (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25)!

Allow me to play the role of Captain Obvious. If the one and only Son of God needed to pray, shouldn’t we? Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m as convicted when I type those words as anyone.

Alone at Nightfall

Mark updates us on everyone’s location after nightfall. “Late that night, the disciples were in the boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land” (v47). One of the boys on the boat tells us they’re three or four miles from the shore (Jn 6:19).

That’s when Christ noticed the disciples’ desperation. “He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the waves” (v48). Wait a cotton pickin' minute. He saw them? It’s the middle of the night. They’re three miles apart. It’s not like they had lights on their boat.

Looking for a Phone Booth?

For the longest time, I had this image of Jesus as some sort of Superman disguised as Clark Kent seeing His team in trouble. He takes off His glasses, runs to the nearest phone booth to save the day.

There’s just one little problem. That’s NOT how this went down. While we don’t exactly understand how our Savior detects His disciples in trouble, there’s a good chance it’s connected directly to prayer. These intimate times with the Father help us to have supernatural eyes.

Under Pressure

The camera zooms in on the small ship on the big lake. The Twelve are “in serious trouble” (v48). The author picks a Greek verb here (Gr. βασανιζω/basanizo) which means to be harassed or afflicted.

It actually comes from a root word describing a stone used to test the purity of metals. It’s the idea of applying pressure to see what something or someone is made of. Our struggles in the storm continually test our faith in Jesus.

Sudden Storms

Because of its geography, extreme weather on the Sea of Galilee can escalate quickly. This large freshwater lake sits 696 feet below sea level and is surrounded by mountains. As a result, violent downdrafts and windstorms pop up out of nowhere.

The disciples face a nasty nighttime squall just like they did once before (Mk 4:37-41). Only this time Christ isn’t in the boat with them. Not yet anyway. “About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them walking on the water. He intended to go past them” (v48).

That’s when Jesus shows up and shows off.

Fighting a Losing Battle

Maybe you’re wondering why I would say something that sounds so out of character for Christ. Hang in there. Let me explain. I think you’ll see that our Lord did what He did in order to show exactly just who He is to a group of knuckleheads who just don’t get it.

Sometime between 3-6am, what the Romans liked to call the “fourth watch of the night” (v48 NIV), here comes Jesus. Remember, after praying with His Heavenly Dad, He saw they were fighting a losing battle with the weather.

Water Skiing without a Boat

The Savior does for them what He still does for us. He sees their need and heads their way. Just like King David sings, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed” (Ps 34:18). Never forget that God with Us means God is ALWAYS with us (Mt 1:23)!

Jesus isn’t just water skiing without a boat simply because He can. He wants the disciples to connect the dots between who He is and Almighty God. He doesn’t just come to their rescue. Even better. He comes to reveal His true divine identity.

Marching on the Waves

When Mark writes about how the Lord “came walking (Gr. περιπατεω/peripateo) toward them on the water” (v48), he uses the VERY SAME WORD we read in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible known as the Septuagint. Job announces that God alone “marches (Gr. περιπατεω/peripateo) on the waves of the sea” (Job 9:8).

But Jesus doesn’t simply come to their rescue and make a beeline for their boat. Don’t miss what Mark says. “He intended to go past them” (v48). It’s easy to read this and picture waving to the terrified Twelve from the passing lane. But that’s NOT what He’s doing.

When God Passes by

Once again, Christ connects His late night water walk with the God of Moses. Once again, the author of the second Gospel uses the VERY SAME WORD found in an important story in the Greek OT.

In Exodus, Moses begs Almighty God to give him just a little glimpse of His divine glory. Yahweh tells him, “As My glorious presence passes by (Gr. παρερχομαι/parerchomai), I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by (Gr. παρερχομαι/parerchomai)” (Ex 33:22).

A Clear View

Jesus comes to them walking on the waves like the God of the OT. He intends to pass by them like the God of the OT. He’s NOT ignoring them. Not in the least. Instead He passes by them in order to give them a clear view of exactly what He’s doing so they can see who He really is.

Seeing a Ghost

There’s just one little problem. The disciples are too freaked out to realize what He’s doing. As a matter of fact, things in the boat go from bad to worse. “But when they saw Him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking He was a ghost. They were all terrified when they saw Him” (v49-50).

Instead of God in the flesh, the guys think they’re seeing a ghost! Mark uses the word (Gr. φαντασμα/phantasma) where we get “phantom.” It means an apparition or something that doesn’t seem real.

What is THAT?!?!?

Grab a seat in the boat with the boys for just a second. Better hang on. It’s dark. The wicked wind is whipping. Water stings your face. Waves wash into the boat. Suddenly somewhere off to the side you see something.

You squint against the storm and rub your eyes. Please tell me you see it too! It’s NOT just you. Every single one of you sees it!! Every single one of you freaks out!!

Screaming Like Schoolgirls

Despite many of these men making their living on the lake as fishermen, they’re screaming like little girls. When we see that they “cried out in terror” (v49), the original language selects a rarely used word here (Gr. ανακραζω/anakrazo).

It carries the idea of screaming so loudly that it hurts your ears. These men are acting less like disciples Jesus will use to change the world and more like teenage girls at a One Direction concert.

What They See on the Sea

Just in case you’re not buying the level of panic among the Twelve, Mark doubles down. “They were terrified when they saw Him” (v50). This particular Greek verb we translate as “terrified” (Gr. ταρασσω/tarasso) means to agitate by swirling, stir up, shake up, cause an uproar, or throw into confusion.

The storm causes terrible turbulence in the boat and Jesus’ appearance causes even worse turbulence in their hearts. They’re absolutely shaken by what they see on the sea!!

The Real Hero of the Story

So here’s one of those moments that prove to me that what we read in the Gospels in true. If this is some story the apostles manufactured or heavily edited, I certainly wouldn’t include the parts that make me look like I’m shaking in my sandals.

But that’s EXACTLY what we see in this scene. Remember, the earliest followers of Jesus believed Mark’s story is actually Peter’s eyewitness account of Christ. Pete and the rest of the guys come off more like bumbling cowards than courageous men of God.

That’s because Jesus is the Hero of the story. Not the Twelve. He’s also the Hero of your story. And my story. So we can all relax and let Him handle it.

Cheer up! I Am!

The Lord doesn’t make fun of them. He doesn’t see this as the perfect opportunity to scare them even more. He hopes to calm them down by telling them who He is. EXACTLY who He is.

“But Jesus spoke to them at once. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ He said. ‘Take courage! I am here!’” (v50). Once again, the Greek pulls helps us understand what’s going on. We can literally translate Jesus’ greeting to the guys, “Cheer up! I am!! Don’t be afraid!!!”

Is That a Typo?

You might be thinking there’s a typo in what you just read. It’s easy to think I left something out when Jesus says, “I am.” But I didn’t. And He didn’t either!

“I am,” or as it reads in the original language εγο ειμι/ego eimi. Once again, Jesus connects Himself with God in the story of Moses. The kids might say it’s Straight Outta Exodus. Flip back to the scene at burning bush on the backside of beyond.

I Am Who I Am

When God drafts the Big Mo to free His people from slavery, the 80-year-old shepherd says people will want to know who sent him. The Almighty responds by telling him His name. “I Am Who I Am” (Ex 3:14).

It’s the Hebrew name we often see translated as Yahweh or Jehovah. This very simple name has all sorts of beautiful implications. Chew on these for a few moments…

I Will Be Who I Will Be.

I Always Am.

I am the Self-Existent One.

I Am the Uncaused Cause.

I Am God of the Present Tense.

Bad Grammar and Great Theology

This is far from the only time Jesus self-identifies as Yahweh. Twelve different times in John’s Gospel, He goes out of His way to say He is I Am (Jn 6:20, 35, 48, 51; 8:12, 24, 28, 58; 9:5; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1; 18:5).

My personal favorite is when Christ’s critics call Him a liar for claiming that even the great Abraham couldn’t wait for His coming. “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!” (Jn 8:58). People are so offended they pick up rocks to stone Him…and it’s NOT because of bad grammar!

Making the Same Claim

Jesus makes that very same claim to the disciples who believe they’re about to sink like rocks to the bottom of the lake. He connects it directly to the command to not being afraid. Christ shows up in order to show off. There’s no reason to fear when Almighty God is here!

He gives the same orders to Joshua (Dt 31:6; Josh 1:5-9). He calls His chosen people to not fear while under the boot of the enemy) (Is 41:13; 43:1-2). It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re up against.

Don’t fear when God is here. And He’s ALWAYS here!

Don’t Fear when God Is Here

So it should come as no shock the Son of God loves to say the very same thing. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).

Don’t fear when God is here. And He’s ALWAYS here!

A Storm IN the Boat

When Jesus hops aboard the storm dies down. “Then He climbed into the boat and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed” (v51). Mark carefully chooses a verb here (Gr. εξιστημι/ezistemi) meaning to amaze beyond comprehension to the point of being freaked out and fearful.

Jesus stills the storm on the lake and it stirs up another one onboard the boat. The disciples are in a state of shock and awe. Despite all they’ve seen Jesus do, they still don’t know who He really is.

Missing the Boat on the Miraculous

Just to make sure we don’t miss his point, Mark makes that clear for us. “For they still didn’t understand the significance of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in” (v52).

In other words, because the boys completely missed the boat on the miracle back on the beach (Mk 6:35-44) and now miss the miracle while they’re in the boat! He has supernatural power over both the loaves and the lake.

SPOILER ALERT! It’s going to happen again. Once again, Christ will cater lunch for thousands (Mk 8:1-9). Once again, the will disciples miss the point while leaving by boat (Mk 8:14-21).

Rocks in Our Chest

Rock hard hearts are a huge problem. The Pharisees had such crusty hearts that they actually try to ambush and murder Jesus (Mk 3:1-6). But here we read how it can happen to the closest followers of Christ.

The disciples may have rocks in their chest at the moment, but God has a way of treating the toughest cardiac cases with a supernatural transplant (Ezek 36:26-27). And post-op, we need to do everything we can to keep it soft and tender (Prov 4:23).

Don’t Miss the Miracle

If not, there’s a good chance we’ll miss the miracle. We can let our hearts grow hard when we think He can’t really help us. Sure, Jesus may do miracles in the lives of others but He would never do anything big for me. Wrong.

Don’t be so hard hearted and hard headed. Because when He shows and shows off, we don’t want to miss the miracle.

©2018

Jay Jennings