The Original Dirty Dozen

The Final Roster

In the world of sports, there’s always a lot of drama when it comes to the roster. It doesn’t matter if it’s little league or the Major Leagues. Mighty mites or the NFL.

Who makes the team? Who gets picked? Who gets cut? Then there’s the depth chart. Who plays which position? Who starts? Who’s coming off the bench?

Everybody wants to know. Players. Fans. Parents. Sportswriters. Bloggers. You can be sure the Twitterverse will go nuts no matter who makes it.

Jesus’ Expansion Team

Well, Mark takes us back to the day Jesus sets His roster. He’s already invited two pairs of brothers to leave their careers as commercial fishermen (Mk 1:16-20). Then there was rather controversial decision to pick a tax collecting traitor (Mk 2:13-14).

But Christ continues building His expansion team after that first five. He fills out His club with seven more picks bringing it to a total of twelve.

Let’s just say there are a LOT of people second guessing the quality of His picks. Most of them seem to be…shall we say…a bit of reach. More on that in a moment.

Inside the War Room

In his description of the first ever Disciple Draft, Mark gets a sneak peek into the war room to see what Jesus has in mind for His team. The Lord apparently plans to bring them in and then send them out. Gather and then scatter. Come and then go.

We pick up the action just after a wild scene on the lakeside in Galilee. Christ has just performed more miracles than you could ever count by helping folks who are sick, disabled, diseased, and demon-possessed (Mk 3:7-12).

That’s when Mark writes, “Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones He wanted to go with Him. And they came to Him” (v13). Luke tell us that our Savior spent the night in prayer on the mountain consulting with His Dad before announcing His team (Lk 6:12).

The Caller and the Callees

The public portion of the draft begins. Not with the commissioner coming to the podium but Christ personally inviting and announcing each disciple. He “called out” to them.

Mark uses a verb here (Gr. προσκαλεομαι/proskaleomai) which means to summon, call to oneself, appoint, or select for a special assignment. Special assignment? Yeah, changing the world would certainly fit that description!

This Greek word describes urgently inviting someone to accept responsibilities for a specific task. It implies a new relationship between the Caller and the callees. It’s a brand new ballgame for Jesus’ first five followers as well as the next seven.

One more important point about προσκαλεομαι/proskaleomai. It points to the One doing the choosing, NOT the ones chosen.

No Five-Star Recruits

These dozen disciples didn’t do anything to earn their selection. No five-star recruits on this list. They didn’t do anything to improve their draft stock ahead of time. They didn’t play their way onto the roster during training camp.

Jesus said just as much to them right before He died. “You didn’t choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name” (Jn 15:16).

Filthy Rags and First Round Picks

Just like the original disciples, there’s absolutely nothing you and I can do impress Jesus. He’s not sitting back looking at my spiritual scouting report thinking, “Boy, that dude can ball. I’ve gotta do whatever I can to get Him on my team.”

Not gonna happen. Ever. Not for me. Not for you. Not even for LeBron. Why? A prophet named Isaiah says the best we can do for God is “nothing but filthy rags” (Is 64:6). Face facts. We’re not dazzling the Lord.

The Ones He Wants

Despite their total lack of a resume, these are exactly the guys Jesus looks forward to putting on His team. These are “the ones He wanted” (v13). The word “wanted” here is θελω/thelo. It paints a picture of desiring, determining, even taking pleasure in something or someone.

Jesus wants these specific guys. He’s not reluctantly picking leftovers or the best of the rest. He takes pleasure in drafting them. He enjoys hanging out with them and looks forward to what the next three years will bring.

He Called, They Came

“And they came to Him” (v13). The sovereign Son of God personally picks them. But these men responded to His invitation out of their own choice. He called. They came.

Same with us. He invites and will have the responsibility to respond. We still have to say “yes”…otherwise we miss out on the blessing of what He has for us. Here’s a little tip for you. He’ll still accomplish whatever He wants whether we’re part of His team or not.

The Active Roster

At this point, Jesus announces the number of folks on His active roster, gives them a name, and tells them what they will eventually do.

“Then He appointed twelve of them and called them His apostles. They were to accompany Him, and He would send them out to preach giving them authority to cast out demons” (v14-15).

Their Number Is Their Name

Jesus is the one calling the shots as He creates His team. He picks exactly one dozen dudes. Why twelve? It probably has something to do with the twelve tribes of Israel. The number shows up all throughout the Bible and usually deals with God’s power and authority.

Their number will become their name. They’ll be the first in a long line of number names. Think James Bond as 007, 7-11 stores, or Eleven on “Stranger Things.”

They are the Twelve (Mk 3:16; 4:10; 6:7; 9:35; 10:32; 11:11; 14:10-20, 43). It became so much their brand that people call them the Twelve when they are down a man (1Cor 15:5). Meet the original Dirty Dozen.

Disciples or Apostles? What’s the Diff?

For the first and only time in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus “called them His apostles” (v14). Why is this such a big deal? Apostles, disciples. Potato, po-TAH-to, right? Aren’t these just different words for the same thing? Wrong.

When it comes to the Twelve, they are disciples first and apostles later. Let’s break down the difference. A disciple follows a teacher closely to train and learn. It describes a student or trainee.

They accompany a mentor. The direction of a disciple is toward the teacher. They are coming in. That’s what Jesus is doing here. Calling these men to His side.

A Matter of Direction

Meanwhile, “apostles” (Gr. αποστολος/apostolos) are ones sent on a mission with total authority of the one doing the sending. It’s a commissioned representative or special messenger. When you meet an apostle, it’s the same as having the one he’s repping right there.

An apostle is headed in the opposite direction of a disciple. They’re going out. Once an apostle learns what to do, they leave their leader to live a life on mission.

So think of it this way. A disciple comes in to train and learn. An apostle goes out to tell and do. Before Jesus can send them out, He must call them in. Before He can send us out, He must call us in.

Full Authority

Apostle isn’t just a religious title in the Greco-Roman world. Power players would handpick apostles to do work in their name. Kinda like giving someone power of attorney. With an apostle, you could be in two places at the same time!

How legally binding is an apostle’s authority? Well, there’s a story about a businessman naming an apostle to run his home while he was on an extended road trip. When the guy’s wife and his apostle got into a disagreement, the apostle divorces the wife on his boss’ behalf.

In other words, Jesus is selecting these twelve men to represent Him with every bit of His authority since He’s eventually heading home to heaven. He’ll send them out in His name.

Coaching Them up

But before they’re apostles, they’re disciples. Christ is gonna coach them up over the next three-and-a-half years. Train them. Teach them. He’ll transform this bunch of misfits into missionaries.

We mentioned before that Jesus’ selections of these guys had a lot of people scratching their heads. Back in day, the Sanhedrin is group of men who pride themselves in recognizing religious talent. Kinda like a First Century Mel Kiper and Todd McShay.

Illiterate Idiots

When these self-appointed experts take a close look at Peter and John, “they could see they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures” (Acts 4:13). The translators at the NLT are being kind. It literally says they are “illiterate idiots” in the original language.

What made them so effective? How did these uneducated knuckleheads do such amazing things? The Jewish leaders “recognized them as men who had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

Spending time with our Savior is a game changer. It was then. It is now. He’s still calling us closer. Inviting us to hang out with Him. How does that happen now that He’s on His heavenly throne? Through prayer. In His Word. Following His instructions.

Just like the Twelve, Jesus calls us in so that He can send us out.

Get in the Game

After the Son of God gets them ready, “He would send them out” (v14). Get this. “Send” is actually the root word of “apostle.” Αποστελλω/apostello means sending out someone after being equipped or assigning with authority and a purpose.

Once they’re coached up and trained up, it’s will be time for His team to get in the game. This isn’t about looking pretty on the sidelines or warming the bench. God draws us in so that He can put us in. He calls us in so that He can send us out.

A Dirty Uniform

It’s okay to get your uniform dirty. As a matter of fact, Jesus says that’s a good thing! the Lord isn’t asking us to do anything He wouldn’t do Himself. He left the luxury of the heavenly palace and swan dive into the dumpster of our sin in order to save us.

It’s what’s behind His words to His team right after His resurrection. “As the Father has sent (αποστελλω/apostello) Me, so I am sending you” (Jn 20:21). Our Savior puts us into the game of life just as His Dad did for Him.

Christ will eventually turn these disciples into apostles with a very special assignment. “To preach, giving them authority to cast out demons” (v14-15). Think of it this way. Spreading the Good News is their mission. Exorcising evil spirits are their credentials.

Sending Demons Packing

First Jesus will complete His own assignment. He’ll live the perfect life that we’ve failed to live. He’ll die the death for our sin and rebellion that we should have died. He’ll rise to glorious new life we don’t deserve.

Once that’s done, He’ll unleash His posse in the power of His Holy Spirit. They’ll travel the world telling people about Jesus. They’ll make sure everyone they meet hears the message of the Messiah who’s thrown open the kingdom of God to anyone who places their trust in who He is and what He’s done.

To prove their message, Christ gives them authority over demons. If and when folks have their doubts about the Gospel, the apostles will have the God-given ability to send evil spirits packing as well as the ability to perform other miracles.

A Trio of Quartets

Before we meet the Twelve, let’s compare this roster with how the other writers of the NT list them (Mt 10:2-4; Lk 6:14-16; Acts 1:13). You can break each mention of them down into three different groups of four disciples. Smaller teams within the bigger squad.

Just like we can break down our church body into smaller and smaller groups. Start with the large congregation then to small groups or Sunday school classes and eventually units of two to four close friends.

While their names are moved around a bit, these quartets are always listed in the same order. The first name in each subgroup is always the same. These would be leaders of of each foursome.

And with the First Pick in the Draft, Jesus Selects…

This demonstrates how God establishes different levels of leadership. Jesus is ultimately in charge but He’s also developing these men as future leaders for when He’s gone.

Okay, it’s time for Christ to announce His original team. I’m pretty sure there were no pyrotechnics, laser lights, or music for this one. On the other hand, that would be kinda cool, don’t you think?

Mark begins listing the Lord’s roster. “These are the twelve He chose: Simon (whom He named Peter)” (v16). At the top of every disciple/apostle list is the same name. Simon Peter. He’ll take the lead of team once Jesus returns to His Father.

Simon Peter

Simon’s new God-given handle is Peter (Gr. Πετρος/Petros) which describes a rock or stone. Jesus prophetically nicknames him Rocky, not for what he is now, but what he WILL be!

You may be familiar with Pete’s story. Christ slaps him with this new alias on the day they first met (Jn 1:42). Later in their relationship, we read why. Jesus promises to construct His church on the foundation of Rocky’s trust in Him (Mt 16:18).

But before that happens, we know Jesus is selecting a horribly flawed hothead as the one who will eventually take over leadership of the team. How flawed? Christ calls him “Satan” at least once (Mt 16:23; Mk 8:33)!

And if that’s not bad enough, this so-called Rocky will one day deny his Lord not once but three times at the worst possible moment (Mt 26:69-75; Mk 14:66-72; Lk 22:55-62; Jn 18:16-18, 25-27).

After His resurrection, Jesus personally reinstates Peter during a walk along the beach (Jn 21:15-19). It’s a powerful reminder of Christ’s power to restore us no matter how big a hole we dig ourselves.

This is a good place to remember that Mark’s bio of Jesus is actually Peter’s memoir of the Messiah. The very early church fathers unanimously credit John Mark and Rocky with collaborating and writing down this story of these amazing three-and-a-half years.

Jesus calls Simon in so He can send him out.

The Sons of Thunder

Next on this first foursome are Zeb’s two boys. “James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them ‘Sons of Thunder’)” (v17). Jesus drafted these two commercial fishermen right off their dad’s boat (Mk 1:19-20).

Time and time again, God is always coming up with new names for people. He rebrands Abram as Abraham (Gen 17:5) and his wife Sarai as Sarah (Gen 17:15). Jacob becomes Israel (Gen 32:28). As we already saw, Simon is known as Peter. And Saul the assassin transforms into Paul the apostle.

But let’s be honest. Has God ever given a cooler nickname that the “Sons of Thunder” (v17)? This come from a hybrid Greek/Aramaic word (Gr. Βοανηργες/Boanerges) which means sons of tumult. The Bedlam Brothers. The Turmoil Twins. I would be lying if I said the Sons of Thunder doesn’t sound like wrestling tag team.

Where did Jesus come up with this new label? These two have some rather…shall we say…intense and fiery personalities. John loses his ever-loving mind when he sees somebody else doing God’s work who’s not part of the Messiah’s team (Mk 9:38; Lk 9:49).

Another time, the Sons of Thunder plead with Jesus to nuke a couple of Samaritan villages when they don’t give the disciples the key to the city (Lk 9:54). Fortunately for those villagers, Christ tells the boys to calm down and they simply went to another town who welcomes them.

Zebedee’s boys certainly make their mark in Scripture. The older brother James has dubious honor of being the first apostle killed for his faith in Jesus. King Herod chops off his head as part of a royal crackdown on the church (Acts 12:1-2).

Conversely, his kid brother is the only apostle not murdered for following Christ. John is probably the youngest of the posse. He becomes known as Jesus’ best earthly buddy. When the Twelve hung out with the Lord the night before He dies, John isn’t just sitting right next to Christ but leaning against Him (Jn 13:25).

That explains why in his own bio of our Savior, John won’t mention his own name but describes himself as “the disciple Jesus loved” (Jn 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20). God uses John to write a huge chunk of the New Testament (The Gospel of John, 1st, 2nd, 3rd John, and Revelation).

Jesus calls the Sons of Thunder in so He can send them out.

Andrew

Rounding out the Lord’s first four is Andrew, Pete’s little brother. He’s yet another commercial fisherman Jesus turns into a fisher of men. He’s with Christ and the other three when they ask for our Savior’s take on the end times (Mk 13:3).

While he doesn’t quite get the ink that Peter, James, and John do, that doesn’t stop Andy from repeatedly bringing people to meet Jesus. His own brother Peter (Jn 1:40-41). A little boy with Lunchable (Jn 6:8-9). A group of Greeks during Passion Week (Jn 12:22).

Not a bad image. Known for introducing people to Jesus. Isn’t that all we’re really supposed to do? We can’t “save” anybody. That’s God’s job. It’s up to us to make the introduction and let Him take it from there. Andy gets that.

Jesus calls Andrew in so He can send him out.

Philip

We come to our second quartet of apostles, “Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas” (v18). Again, the NT authors always list Phil first, making him the leader of this particular foursome.

Phil’s name is Greek and means someone who loves horses. He’s from the same Galilean hometown of Bethsaida as Pete and Andy (Jn 1:43-44). When he realizes Jesus is the long promised Messiah, Phil brings his buddy Nathanael to meet Jesus (Jn 1:45).

Later we see the Lord having a little fun with Philip when He asks His disciple how in the world they’re going to come up with lunch for more than 5,000 people out in the country (Phil 6:5-7). When some Greek folks want to meet Christ during those last crazy days in Jerusalem, Phil is their go-to guy (Jn 12:21-22).

Jesus calls Philip in so He can send him out.

Bartholomew

Next up is Bartholomew. His name literally name literally means the “son of Tolmai.” This is the same guy John always calls him Nathanael. Like our author John Mark, he’s probably known by two names.

Bart is also from Galilee, specifically the village of Cana (Jn 21:2). Cana sound familiar? It should. That’s the location of the huge wedding reception that Jesus saved when it unexpectedly ran out of wine (Jn 2:1-11).

His introduction to Jesus is one for the books (Jn 1:45-51). When his friend Philip tells him about the Messiah who’s come from heaven to earth via Nazareth, Bart has serious doubts. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (Jn 1:46).

Christ immediately recognizes Nathanael as a pulls-no-punches, calls-it-like-he-sees-it, and “a genuine son of Israel” (Jn 1:47). Bart’s more than a bit shocked that Jesus knows him so well with out ever meeting him before.

Our Savior doesn’t just see his heart, He saw the disciple also known as Nathanael when he was sitting in the shade long before they met. That cinches it for the kid from Cana. “Rabbi, You are the Son of God—the King of Israel!” (Jn 1:49).

Jesus goes on to tell him that he ain’t seen nothing yet! Before Bart and the rest of the boys are finished following Him, “You will all see heaven open and the angels of God going and down on the Son of Man, the One who is the stairway between heaven and earth” (Jn 1:51). Take that, Led Zeppelin.

Jesus calls Bartholomew in so He can send him out.

Matthew

Next we see Matthew. Mark introduced him by the name of Levi earlier in his Gospel (Mk 2:13-17). You got it. Another supernatural name change. Jesus plucked him out his tax collector’s booth to be part His team to change the world.

From the most hated people in the country to loved by God. Not a bad turnaround. The Holy Spirit will inspire Matt to write one of the most important documents in history, the Gospel that bears his name.

Once again, nobody is beyond the unlimited reach of grace. Jesus can use anybody. Seeing a trend here? Just want to make sure you’re still with me.

Jesus calls Matthew in so He can send him out.

Thomas

Christ’s next selection is Thomas. His name literally means the Twin. In his account of Christ, John goes out of the way to connect the dots for us on that very fact (Jn 11:16; 20:24; 21:2). As a matter of fact, everything we know about Tommy boy is over in John’s story of Jesus.

Tom’s the one who asks our Lord the question that elicits one of the most radical statements Jesus ever makes about Himself. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. If you had really known Me, you would know know who My Father is. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him!” (Jn 14:6-7).

Sadly Tom gets a bad rap for not being their for Jesus’ first spectacular appearance after His resurrection (Jn 20:24-28). Can you really blame him for wanting to see and touch the risen Lord for himself after all they’ve been through over the past few days?

When Jesus makes a surprise second appearance this time with His entire team in the room, Tom simply shouts, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28). He has no doubt that the resurrected Rabbi from Nazareth is God in the flesh.

Jesus calls Thomas in so He can send him out.

James, Son of Alphaeus

We now arrive at the final four. “James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddeus, Simon (the zealot), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed Him)” (v18-19). Honestly, we don’t know much about these guys EXCEPT for…well…you know who.

James is the second Jimmy on the list one of a long list of dudes by the same name in the NT. Mark tells us his dad is Alphaeus. That means there’s a decent chance he’s Matthew’s brother (Mk 2:14) but we don’t know for us.

Interestingly, the other three times we see him mentioned in the Bible when it’s not a roster of the Twelve, the writers mention his mom (Mt 27:56; Mk 15:40; 16:1). She’s clearly a follower of Jesus and a friend of Mary Magdalene.

The bummer for this particular Jim is that he wears the particularly unfortunate name of James the Less throughout history. But the truth is anytime you’ve got the Son of God in your life, less is always more.

Jesus calls James in so He can send him out.

Thaddaeus

Meet Thaddaeus. There’s nobody in the Bible who has more aliases than this guy. The King Jimmy Bible adds the nugget “Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus” (Mt 10:3 KJV). But wait, there’s more.

Dr. Luke calls him “Judas, son of James” (Lk 6:16; Acts 1:13). John goes a step further by calling him “Judas (not Judas Iscariot)” (Jn 14:22). Considering all that went down, you gotta figure he appreciated being called anything BUT Judas. I’m pretty sure I would be good with any of the other three names.

Jesus calls Thaddaeus in so He can send him out.

Simon the Zealot

Disciple number eleven is Simon the zealot. Yup, that’s right. A second Simon. The title “zealot” doesn’t so much describe his passion but his politics. In First Century Israel, Zealots or  Cananaeans are members of a Jewish nationalist sect finding for independence from Rome.

Picture a member of the Tea Party. The presence of both Simon and Matthew would have been interesting and awkward. One is a super patriot. The other is a super sellout. But Jesus has this way of knocking down walls that separate us when He calls into His kingdom.

Jesus calls Simon the Zealot in so He can send him out.

Judas Iscariot

Which brings us to you-know-who. “Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed Him)” (v19). Talk about a name that will go down in infamy. This guy is right up there, or better yet, DOWN there with John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, and Charles Manson.

Did you realize that Iscariot isn’t so much his last name? It’s actually his hometown. In the same way that Mary Magdalene is really Mary from Magdala, Judas is from the southern Judean village of Kerioth. That makes him the only disciple Jesus chose who is NOT from Galilee.

It sure seems clear that Christ knew exactly what Judas was going to do from the jump. If not, He certainly knew it in the hours just before it all went down (Jn 13:21-27). SPOILER ALERT!! All four Gospel writers go out of their way say Judas will betray Jesus when they first mention him (Mt 10:4; Mk 3:19; Lk 6:16; Jn 6:71).

Do we really need to go into detail about his crime against Christ? He gives the Lord’s enemies the desperately needed intel to arrest Him in the dark of night away from the Passover crowds. How? With a kiss. For how much? Thirty pieces of silver.

Saul of Tarsus

After Judas’ betrayal and suicide, the other, the other eleven replace Judas with Matthias (Acts 1:26). Interestingly, the resurrected Jesus has somebody else in mind. He selects Saul of Tarsus for that open slot on the roster (Acts 9:1-16).

Think about this for a moment. Judas Iscariot’s sub is a REAL killer, not just a snitch who sells Christ out for silver coins. The man from Tarsus admits that he “violently persecuted God’s church” (Gal 1:13). He goes on describe himself as the worst sinner of all time (1Tim 1:15)!

Despite it all, Jesus transforms the assassin Saul into the Apostle Paul. Once again, nobody, and I mean NOBODY, is too far gone for God to save and use. Not Saul. Not you. Not me.

Jesus calls Saul in so He can send him out.

Two Thousand Years Later

There you have it. Jesus’ picks in His expansion draft. The original Dirty Dozen. But He didn’t stop there. While Christ may no longer be coaching up capital “A” Apostles, He’s certainly still brings followers close for a special assignment.

That’s where we come in. As disciples, we get close to our Savior. We spend time with Him. Bask in His presence. Learn His message of grace. But we don’t stay there. That doesn’t happen until the other side of eternity.

Until then, He has an assignment for us. Shine His light and spread His salt wherever we go. Christ commands us to be disciple-making disciples (Mt 28:18-20).

Jesus calls us in so that He can send us out.

©2017

Jay Jennings

The Means or the End?

The Gift or the Giver

All cards on the table. Sometimes I just want Jesus for what He can do for me. Can you blame me? He can do a LOT!

I admit it. Too often I want the healing more than the Healer. I want the teaching more than the Teacher. I want the saving more than the Savior. I want the gift more than the Giver.

The Hero of the Story

Here’s the deal. Jesus doesn’t just provide the means to the end. He is THE End! Hmm, maybe that’s why He tells John, “I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Rev 22:13).

In other words, Jesus is THE POINT! He’s the Reason. He’s the Hero of THE entire story.

A Near Riot Near the Lake

That sure seems to be one of the big ideas behind Mark’s report of Christ’s crazy day at the lake (Mk 3:7-12). A desperate mob hunts Him down when they get wind of His many miracles.

There’s a near riot of people suffering with all sorts of longterm health issues. If that’s not wild enough, several different demons try to blow His cover before it was time.

These folks don’t appear to have any desire for what we like to call a “personal relationship with Jesus.” They just want what He can do for them. Nothing more. Nothing less. They want the means without the end.

Wanna Get Away?

Mark picks up the story along the shores of the large freshwater lake known as the Sea of Galilee. “Jesus went out to the lake with His disciples, a large crowd followed Him” (v7).

If you’ve been following along in John Mark’s bio of Jesus, you may remember what just went down. After being showed up by Jesus for the fifth straight time, local religious leaders got together to plot His murder (Mk 3:6).

It’s kinda like one of those Southwest Airlines commercials. “Wanna get away?” That’s exactly what the Son of God and His guys did. Just like so many of us like to do, they went to the lake to get out of the spotlight and get some rest.

A Healthy Gathering

But as you’ve already noticed, that didn’t last long. A big crowd is just over their shoulder. So much for a quiet day at the lake.

Just how big is this crowd and who’s in it? The original language gives us a few hints. First of all, we see that it’s “large” (πολυς/polus). This word describes a relatively large quantity or measure of something.

It can mean much, many, numerous, great, plentiful, loud, deep, or even long. “Large” points to the upper range of anything, big but not the biggest. Let’s just say this is a healthy gathering chasing Jesus down the beach.

Local Celebrity No Longer

And where are they from? “They came from all over, Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon” (v8). Well that escalated quickly. No longer is the Rabbi/Carpenter a local celebrity. His appeal has spread throughout the entire region.

Christ is clearly a hot ticket among the Hebrews. You see that by all the folks from various regions of Israel, such as Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.

He’s also getting traction among people living in lands of both Jews and Gentiles, like Idumea and the eastern side of the Jordan River.

The Twin Cities

For the first time we see a boatload of non-Jews coming to Jesus. Tyre and Sidon are the Minneapolis and St. Paul of Phoenicia. These Twin Cities are in what we know today as Lebanon.

They’re appearance in Galilee is a shocker since First Century Phoenicians aren’t worshipers of Yahweh.

It’s Jesusmania!

As if we didn’t already know, Mark gives us the reason for big crowd along the lake. “The news about His miracles spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see Him” (v8). The amazing stories of Jesus’ healings and exorcisms are in all the papers. He’s trending on Twitter.

This thing is getting big and it’s getting big FAST! He’s no longer just a local sensation in Capernaum. Forget Beatlemania. It’s got nothing on the craze over the Christ. Yup, you got it. This is Jesusmania!

Taking No Chances

Our Savior won’t get caught by surprise. He preps with His posse in case things get out of control. “Jesus instructed His disciples to have a boat ready so that the crowd would not crush Him” (v9).

He instructs His boys to have a boat nearby. You never know when an excited audience might take the ugly turn into deadly riot. Jesus may be God but, remember, He’s in human form. No reason to take unnecessary chances.

Miracle Medicine

It’s obvious from the get-go that this was not just a good idea but a lifesaver. “He had healed many people that day, so all the sick people eagerly pushed forward to touch Him” (v10). Word of Jesus’ ability to provide miraculous medical treatment is spreading like wildfire.

Think of how people go to Mexico or Europe when they read on the internet that some doctor has a unlocked the cure for cancer. They don’t care about the physician’s credentials. They simply want to get well and will do anything or go anywhere for healing. In 30 AD, that just happens to be Galilee.

An Act of Desperation

The excitement level of the big crowd explodes. Suddenly the sick “eagerly pushed forward” toward the Great Physician. Mark uses a Greek word here that describes their desperation. Επιπιπτω/epipipto describes falling or descending upon someone.

This is a compound word that means “land (Gr. -πιπτω/-pipto) on (Gr. επι-/epi-).” Picture somebody throwing themselves on another suddenly. It’s when you shift your weight so that somebody else is supporting you completely. It’s an act not just of excitement but desperation.

In a good way, this is an embrace. Like when John leans his head against Jesus at dinner (Jn 13:25). Or how about the time a dad is so excited to see his runaway son return from the pig sty (Lk 15:20).

By Any Means Necessary

In negative sense, it’s an attack. Like today at the lake. Suddenly there’s lots of pushing and shoving. This is about getting near the front by any means necessary. The irony is they came for healing and now are in danger of getting hurt.

They don’t want Jesus. They don’t want to talk to Him. They just want to get their hands on Him. They don’t care about who He is. They only want what He can do for them.

Got the T-Shirt

The words are hard to type because it’s so personal. Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. Given the t-shirt to Goodwill. I’ve done over and over and over. Sad to say, you can pretty much bet the ranch that I’ll do it again.

It usually happens when life goes off the rails somehow. Big trouble at work. A “heated discussion” at home. A breakdown on the interstate. A dicy diagnosis from my doctor. Jesus is near the top of my 9-1-1 calls. My divine phone-a-friend anytime I’m in a pickle.

It goes a little something like this. Money problems. Run to Jesus. Marriage problems. Run to Jesus. Job problems. Run to Jesus. Health problems. Run to Jesus. I think you get the idea.

His Greatest Gift is Himself

Dr. Luke paints the picture of two sisters who have different views of Jesus. Martha sees the Lord as the One to give her what she wants. In this case, it’s help from her sister. Meanwhile Mary simply wants her Savior.

Christ personally corrects Martha by saying her sister has figured it out. “There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:42).

Mary realizes He’s not just the means to the end, He is THE END! He’s the Point. He’s the Reason. As Max Lucado likes to say, “God’s present is His presence. His greatest gift is Himself.”

Top of the To-Do List

God says so all throughout His Word to us. Check out these lyrics from the Psalms. “Whom have I in heaven but You? I desire You more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever” (Ps 73:25-26).

In His most famous sermon, Jesus told us to put one thing and one thing only at the top of our to-do list each day. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything that you need” (Mt 6:33).

God Loved, God Gave

I need to make it my mission to seek Him, look for Him, pursue Him. Jesus compares our search for the goodness of God to the ultimate treasure hunt. He tells the story of one guy who cashed in all his chips in order to his hands on nothing but God (Mt 13:44-46).

Specifically, that Gift is none other than the Son of God Himself. Jesus tells a dude named Nick one night that He’s THE Gift. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).

If you’ve grown up in or around church, you’ve heard that verse so many times that it loses its power. Pump your brakes and look at this amazing truth one more time. God loved. God gave. Jesus is the Gift.

More of Himself

God Himself gives Himself as the greatest blessing. Even the guy who wrote most of the New Testament is lost for words when it comes to the idea. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable Gift!” (2Cor 9:15).

So just like those desperate folks in Galilee, I need to remember that Jesus isn’t the means to the end. He is THE End. As Vaneetha Rendall Risner puts it, “The best gift God can give you is not health or prosperity or happiness in this world, but more of Himself.”

Coming out of the Woodwork

But there are more than just people with serious health problems there along the lake with the Lord. Mark tells us there’s a significant number of folks under demonic control there too. All through the Gospels, demons come out of the woodwork whenever Jesus is around.

“And whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of Him, the spirits would throw them to the ground in front of Him shrieking, ‘You are the Son of God!’” (v11).

It’s a Throwdown Showdown

What a wild scene! The crowd crushes closer to get the hands on the Christ. Now demonically possessed people are raising a ruckus by flinging their victims at the feet of Jesus.

In John Mark’s play-by-play, he writes that these evils spirits “throw” (Gr. προσπιπτω/prospipto)” their hosts down. He uses a verb with same root word (Gr. προσπιπτω/prospipto) as when the sick people “eagerly pushed forward” to get to Jesus.

In this form, it means to fall forward in front of or even prostrate oneself in submission before another. These agents of Satan totally freak out when God is in town. Call it a throwdown showdown.

Unholy Screams

I’ll bet their unholy screams would send shivers down your spine. I love how the NLT translates the original language here as “shrieking” (Gr. κραζω/krazo). It not only means to cry out or shout with great intensity and volume but implies an unpleasant nature of the sound. Think fingernails on a chalkboard turned up to eleven.

Shrieking demons have a bad habit of revealing His supernatural identity (Mk 1:23, 26; Mk 5:7). Interestingly, the Lord tells them to stuff a sock in it. “But Jesus sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who He was” (v12).

Seeing Him for Who He Is

Unlike the many people who saw Him as the means to the end, the evil spirits see Jesus for who He really is. The Son of God. Since they’re spirits, they see the spiritual world. They know full well He’s the means to their end!

So why did Jesus want them to shut up? Wasn’t He trying to get the word out? Theologians and Bible scholars have cussed and discussed this question for the past 2,000 years.

Staying on Schedule

I’m certainly not smart enough to figure it out but I think my old prof Doug Bookman is on to something. He says Christ only had three-and-a-half years to accomplish His mission before His crucifixion. In order to stay on schedule, He had to manipulate the political and religious powers.

In other words, Jesus is doing just what He tells the Twelve to do before sending them on assignment. “Be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves” (Mt 10:16). Don’t be naive. Know there are enemies. Understand the big picture.

A Grip on the News Cycle

In this case, it’s keeping viselike grip on the news cycle and release of information regarding His mission. Christ couldn’t let the power brokers know His true identity too soon or it would be all over.

The word would get out fast enough when the time is right. In the meantime, who He is and what He’s doing is under a news embargo. Jesus certainly is not going to let the Prince of Lies put his evil spin on the Good News.

You may wonder if the Lord still has His embargo in place. Absolutely not! He makes it clear that we’re to tell everybody we meet about Him (Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15; Lk 24:47-48; Acts 1:8)! Make Jesus famous everywhere you go! There are no restrictions on that!!

His Eternal Benefits Package

The best way to give Him glory is by finding our ultimate pleasure in Him. There’s not doubt our Savior does amazing and miraculous things. But that’s just part of His amazing eternal benefits package.

In Him alone, there’s contentment. In Him alone, there’s fulfillment. John Piper famously says, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” In other words, Jesus isn’t the means. He’s THE End.

©2017

Jay Jennings

Limp Limbs and Hard Hearts

Pick One

What’s worse? A limp, lifeless limb or a rock hard heart?

Oh, I’m not asking because one is that much better than the other. Neither is exactly an all-expense paid trip to Sandals.

But which is the best of the worst? If someone forced you to pick, what would it be? A physical deformity or petrified ticker?

That’s the question on the table at a worship service one weekend in Capernaum (Mk 3:1-6). But before get there, let’s back up a bit in Mark’s bio of Jesus.

Setting the Scene

The time is the First Century. The place, Israel. Specifically, Capernaum, a little backwater fishing village on the north shore of Lake Galilee.

There’s a hot new Rabbi from just up the road in Nazareth named Jesus who’s all the buzz. His own cousin believes this relative is the One God has promised to send for centuries (Mk 1:2-3, 8). The Carpenter’s Son is packing them in wherever He goes (Mk 1:28, 32, 37, 45).

The Worst of the Worst

Jesus has started assembling a team. Let’s just say that His choices are, um, curious. Four crusty commercial fishermen (Mk 1:16-20) and a rat fink Roman tax collector (Mk 2:13-14).

And have you seen who else He’s hanging out with? These people are the worst of the worst! Nothing but losers, rejects, and outcasts (Mk 2:15-17).

Who Does He Think He Is?!?

Meanwhile, religious leaders are about to blow a gasket over Jesus. He doesn’t seem to give a flying flip about their complicated rules about obeying God.

He heals and forgives sin without their permission (Mk 2:6-12)! His crew has the unmitigated gall to break their bylaws by grabbing a snack on the Sabbath (Mk 2:23-28)! Who does He think He is…GOD?!?

The Gathering

We pick up the action as villagers gather for a time of worship. “Jesus went into the synagogue again” (v1). The word “synagogue” (Gr. συναγωγυ/sunagoge) is a compound Greek term that literally means a “bringing (Gr. -αγωγυ/-agoge) together (Gr. συν-/sun-).”

Just like “church” doesn’t mean the building but the people, it’s the same with synagogue. It’s the gathering or uniting of people. But the synagogue is WAY more than a group of people that gets together once a week. It’s the center of life in the village.

And it’s not exactly like you have another choice when it comes to worshiping God. Capernaum Community Church may not be a megachurch but it IS the only game in town. You don’t exactly do a lot of “synagogue shopping” in 30 AD.

A Second Sabbath at the Synagogue

This is the second time we see our Savior gathering with God’s people on the Sabbath. If you’ve been following the story in Mark’s story of Jesus, this is the same synagogue He attends back in the opening chapter (Mk 1:21-26).

People are still talking about what happened that day. As if His amazing message wasn’t enough, He performed a quickie exorcism right before everyone’s eye.

Catching Jesus’ Eye

At some point after He arrives the second time, somebody catches His eye. He “noticed a man with a deformed hand” (v1). Mark doesn’t mention his name. Neither do Matthew or Luke in their versions of the same story (Mt 12:9-14; Lk 6:6-11).

It makes you wonder if that’s how everybody in town knew him. The man with the deformed hand. Kinda like the crazy cat lady on the corner or the homeless guy at the exit ramp.

Too many times we slap a label on somebody instead of asking them for their name or if we can help. Labels not nearly as messy as getting to know someone.

An Atrophied Hand

Whatever the case, the dude clearly has a disability. According to Mark, his hand is “deformed” (v1). The author uses a word (Gr. ζηραινω/xeraino) which describes something that’s dried up, shriveled, or deprived of fluid.

More than one Bible expert says the grammar here tips us off that this isn’t a birth defect but the result of an injury or disease. If that’s the case, it’s’ easy to picture the man’s hand atrophied after lack of use.

It should come as no surprise that Dr. Luke makes a note in the chart that it’s the patient’s right hand (Lk 6:6).

The Real Cause

We never find out how it happened. Is it an injury? Was he attacked? Did he suffer a stroke? Is it a case of MS?

The big answer is that sin is the cause. Yup, that’s right. Sin. Our first parents first let the monster out of the cage into God’s perfect creation (Gen 3:1-9).

A Broken World…and We Broke It!

Whether we’re the victim of our own rebellion or someone else’s, we can trace it all back to sin. We live in a broken world.

Don’t believe me? Just click on your favorite 24-hour cable channel. Subway terrorist attacks. Nuclear threats. Mass killings. We live in a broken world, alright. And we’re the ones who broke it!

Here We Go Again

Meanwhile, back in the synagogue, we soon see that everyone there is NOT a fan of the Nazarene. “Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched Him closely. If He healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse Him of working on the Sabbath” (v2).

Here we go again. The religious police look to bust Jesus and His boys one more time. This is the fifth time in Mark’s Gospel they’ve tried taking down the Son of God. Gotta give the Pharisees credit for one thing. They are a persistent bunch.

Oh-for-Four

They hated it when Jesus not only forgives but heals the disabled dude (Mk 2:1-12). They lose their minds when He parties with sinners (Mk 2:13-17).

They freak out when He feasts instead of fasts (Mk 2:18-22). They accuse His crew of working on God’s day off when they’re simply hitting a drive-thru (Mk 2:23-27).

For those scoring at home, they’re oh-for-four. Hmm, I wonder how this will turn out?

Our God-Given Day off

Notice a few interesting points Mark makes in this verse. First of all, it’s Sabbath Saturday, the God-given day off for rest and worship (Gen 2:2-3; Ex 20:8-11).

The Pharisees tried to help out the Almighty by closing what they see as loopholes in the holy law. They meticulously defined limits on what you could and could not do. How far you could walk. How hard you could work.

Setting the Trap

As a result, they “watched Him closely” (v2). Mark uses a Greek verb here (Gr. παρατηρεω/paratereo) meaning to observe with total focus and tunnel vision.

When used in a negative sense (as Mark clearly does here), it means to lie in wait or lurk. They’re setting a trap and just waiting to ambush their prey. Go ahead, Jesus. Perform a miracle. We dare you!

Locked and Loaded

What exactly are His enemies hoping to see? “If He healed the man’s hand…” (v2). Did you catch that? If. They clearly believe Jesus COULD heal. It was only a matter if He WOULD heal.

And if Jesus has the nerve to restore this guy’s atrophied hand, they’ll be all over Him like white on rice. The Pharisees are locked and loaded, just waiting “to accuse Him of working on the Sabbath” (v2).

The Devil You Say!

When we peek behind the word “accuse” (Gr. κατηγορεω/kategoreo), we see a legal term meaning to bring formal charges against someone. Again, they’re actually HOPING Jesus breaks their rules.

It just so happens to be the very same word the Apostle John hears over the heavenly loudspeaker describing Satan as “the accuser (Gr. κατηγορεω/kategoreo) of our brothers and sisters” (Rev 12:10).

Let’s just say anytime someone in the Bible compares you to the devil, you might want pump your brakes and take a long look in the mirror.

Enforcing God’s Rules

These Jewish leaders think it’s their job to enforce God’s rules. There’s just one little problem. His laws about working on the Sabbath have absolutely nothing to do with helping people and everything to do with glorifying God (Gen 2:1-3; Ex 20:8-11; 23:12; 34:21; 35:3; Lev 23:3; Dt 5:12-15).

As a matter of fact, Jesus has already dropped the mic on these knuckleheads about this once before (Mk 2:27-28). God created the Sabbath to serve us, not the other way around. He should know since His Heavenly Dad put Him in charge of the Sabbath.

A Sabbath Showdown

Clearly Christ is more than ready for another showdown with the Pharisees over what should go down on the Sabbath. He knows EXACTLY why they’re here and what they hope to do.

In his take on the same event, Dr. Luke points out, “Jesus knew their thoughts” (Lk 6:8). You do realize we can never pull a fast one on the Son of God, don’t you?

Can Everybody See?

The Lord invites the physically challenged guy to step forward in the synagogue. “Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, ‘Come and stand in front of everyone’” (v3).

He wants everybody to see what’s about to go down. He doesn’t want anybody…including the Pharisees…ESPECIALLY the Pharisees…to miss one bit of what’s about to happen. Move on in, folks. Can everybody see?

Out from the Shadows

Put yourself in the man’s sandals for just a moment. Your shriveled hand is an embarrassment and shame. It limits everything you do. Jesus has to call you front and center because you’re hiding in the corner where no one could see you.

When God gets involved in our healing, there’s no longer any reason to be ashamed of our brokenness. Don’t hide. Let everyone see what Christ can do. Why? He specializes in turning our awful into awesome.

A Question for the Know-It-Alls

Just as He calls up the man with deformed hand, Christ calls out the religious know-it-alls. Before He does any healing, Jesus has a little question for them. “Then He turned to His critics and asked, ‘Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?’” (v4).

Hey boys, since you’re such hot shots when it comes to God’s law, here’s a question for you. If you’re going to do something on the Sabbath, what would it be? Helping or hurting? Good or evil? And in doing so, our Savior flips the script.

Sins of Omission

Jesus not only turns the table on the Pharisees, He also makes a much bigger point. NOT doing what we know we should do is the same as doing what you shouldn’t do. In other words, not doing good IS doing evil. The sin of omission is the same as a sin of commission.

Stephen Short puts it this way in the International Bible Commentary. Jesus claims that refusing to heal the man would technically be a ‘work’ just as much as to curing him, and an evil one at that.

Fixing a Flat

Let me give you an example. Let’s say you’re on your way to church one Sunday morning. While you’re driving, you see a single mom broken down on the side of the road, struggling to change a flat tire.

Do you (a) put the hammer down and head to church because you shouldn’t be working on the Sabbath, or (b) pull over and help because it’s the loving thing to do? Hint: God won’t mind if you’re late to church.

Just in case the light bulb hasn’t come on yet, Jesus’ kid brother James puts it this way. “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it” (James 4:17). See any loopholes about the Sabbath anywhere in there? Didn’t think so.

Crickets

Jesus’ question to His enemies shuts them up and shuts them down. “But they wouldn’t answer Him” (v4). Crickets. Silence. Dead air. He’s exposed them in front of everybody on their home court. Awkward.

But this isn’t simply about winning an argument. The Son of God is furious over their total lack of compassion. “He looked at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts” (v5).

There’s more than one medical problem in the room. There’s obviously the poor guy with the atrophied hand. But our Savior also sees their hard-boiled hearts…and He doesn’t exactly need an EKG to do so.

Scar Tissue

It should come as no surprise that Jesus diagnoses the Pharisee’s heart problem using medical lingo in the original language. “Hard” (Gr. πωρωσις/porosis) describes a callous, scar tissue, or any thick growth of tissue which results in insensitivity.

Robertson’s Word Pictures says the root word is actually a kind of marble. While marble may be great for countertops in your new kitchen, it’s the wrong thing when it comes to your heart.

Feeling Deeply about the Lack of Feeling

Jesus is both angry and brokenhearted at what He sees. On one hand, there’s the band with the shriveled hand. On the other, there’s the uncaring Pharisees and their rock hard hearts.

The Lord feels deeply about their total lack of feeling. His heart breaks anytime we show our lack of one. What a powerful reminder that He ALWAYS cares more than I do. Every. Single. Time.

Shattering God’s Heart

Our hard hearts shatter God’s own heart. Anytime scar tissue builds up and dulls our emotions, bad things happen. Let’s review.

Pharaoh had a rock for a heart and refused to release God’s people (Ex 4:21; 7:3, 14, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:12, 34-35; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 6). Solomon instructs his kids, “Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always, but whoever hardens his heart falls into calamity” (Prov 28:13 ESV).

Not once but twice, the writer of Hebrews quotes the Psalms and tells us to not make the same mistake God’s people did in the desert. “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Ps 78:32; Heb 3:8 15).

A Hard Time with Hard Hearts

When the Pharisees point out that Moses signed off on quickie divorce, Jesus says the Big Mo only handed down the command “as a concession to your hard hearts” (Mt 19:8; Mk 10:4). Even Jesus’ own crew continually had a hard time with hard hearts (Mk 6:52; 8:17).

A hard heart is spiritually fatal. God’s chosen people miss the Messiah because of the hardening of their hearts (Rom 11:25). Non-Jews are alienated from a relationship with God because they have “hardened their hearts against Him” (Eph 4:18).

Heart Guard

That explains why the wisest dude who ever lived made heart health his top priority. “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Prov 4:23).

While a limp limb is nothing to sneeze at, heart hardness has eternal implications. Even for religious pros. ESPECIALLY for religious pros! That’s why Jesus had His harshest words for those who should have known better.

Healing the Hand

Back inside the synagogue, Christ turns His attention to the disabled man. “‘Hold out your hand.’ So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!” (v5). Jesus wasn’t going to let this bunch of bullies stand in His way of bringing healing.

Imagine the scene. You have to think there are cheers and applause. Oohs and ahhs. Something tells me you couldn’t wipe the smile off the man’s face who finally has the use of his right hand again.

Putting a Contract out on Christ

But there’s one group of folks who don’t share in the celebration. “At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus” (v6). Well THAT escalated quickly!

How stony are their hate-filled hearts? Hard enough to murder. While I’m certainly no expert on the Pharisees complicated rulebook, I’m pretty sure plotting a murder does NOT qualify as a good work on the Sabbath!

A Common Enemy

How badly do they want Jesus dead? So bad that they team up with their hated rivals. These supporters of Herod are a secular political party who are blindly devoted to their allegiance to King Herod Antipas and the Roman Empire.

The Herodians have placed patriotism above everything else. Including God. Especially God. Imagine deeply religious people aligning themselves with hardcore patriots against a common enemy. Sound familiar?

God’s Heart Transplant

But did you realize that God can heal a hard heart just like he can an atrophied hand?

God can not only heal atrophied limbs but hard hearts as well. That’s at the heart of the promise Yahweh makes through a prophet named Ezekiel. The divine cure is a supernatural heart transplant.

A New Heart and a New Spirit

“I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey My decrees and regulations. They they will truly be My people, and I will be their God” (Ezek 11:19-20).

And not just a new heart. A new Spirit. The Holy Spirit. In other words, God Himself comes to live in each one of us.

“I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new Spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put My Spirit in you so that you will follow My decrees and be careful to obey My regulations” (Ezek 36:26-27).

A limp limb. A hard heart. I wouldn’t want to choose either one. But we have a Savior who can cure either one, even on the Sabbath.

©2017

Jay Jennings