God Spot

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God Spot
This Christian Resource Blog has been created by a group of friends from around the world. Our purpose is to provide links to useful resources, some commentary on topical or doctrinal issues, a place where anyone can come with questions and a means whereby we can share our faith. And above all, to grow and encourage each other. As Christians, we believe we bear God's image in this world, and seek to glorify God's name in this endeavour. Any Christian who wants to join with us is very welcome!

Thursday, January 29, 2004

Paul Barker's last talk on Mark

Went with Dave & Gary last night to Holy Trinity to hear Paul Barker talking on the last 4 ch's of Mark's gospel. Excellent teaching! Sadly, Gary hasn't gotten around to summarising here the middle two talks, so there's a great slab of teaching from Mark that I've missed. Oh well, will have to find time to borrow and listen to the tapes! Anyway, last night was good.

As Paul B said in his first talk (see post of 8th Jan), one of the questions that Mark poses for us is just who exactly is this visitor on the world scene? A question we must all answer personally. And that Mark's gospel is book-ended by two great answers to this question, the first by God himself in ch.1 "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased" and then the Roman Centurion's pronouncement in ch.15 "Surely this man was the Son of God!" This latter being a truly amazing statement when you think about it, made by a Roman gentile, not someone who knew all the OT scriptures prophesying of the coming Messiah. And yet a man who presumably had witnessed many crucifixions. Surely attesting to the fact that from that moment on, God was revealing himself to gentiles and Jews alike.

Here's some other points from Paul's talk (Gary, Dave; add any bits you remember or particularly enjoyed):
- Ch.13 is centred around the temple in Jerusalem, now that Jesus has come to Jerusalem rather provocatively mounted as a king on a donkey. Each night, he walks the couple of km's over the Mount of Olives to Mary and Martha's house in Bethany, where he spends the night. The temple, the most important building, and centre of worship and power for many who derived their status from its importance, is the focus of much that happens in these last few days. Paul commented that the temple was even more significant to that society than the MCG is to Melbourne life (that's pretty important!), or the Sydney Opera House to Sydney for instance.
- It was the huge stones of this revamped (by Herod the Great) temple (which had already been built by Solomon and then rebuilt) which led to the disciples' double-barrelled question about the end-times (when, and what will be the signs?)
- Paul suggested that the "abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be (let the reader understand)" comment by Jesus almost certainly referred to the desecration of the temple by the Romans in about 70 AD (Jesus said "when YOU see" implying those listening, many of whom would have still been around at that time; whereas in the following section clearly referring to the end of this age, Jesus says "then THEY will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory".
- And Paul gave his view in regard to the current fad of wondering whether we're in the "end times" or not - eg. is the Iraq war, or the regathering of Israel in '48 the significant sign that the end times have arrived? - Paul suggested that really the end-times began with the crucixion of Christ (ie. these last 2000 years are in reality the end-times, or days of grace - days after the world has already been judged but the dreadful climax of that judgement has been deferred to give us opportunity).
- In answering the disciples, Jesus gives a number of warnings (against deception, of false teachers, of persecution - which we know little of in our countries just now, but this may quickly change - and to be alert, to watch).
- A useful illustration of how we should take Jesus' warnings to watch was how Paul when teaching in bible college would like to say to his students "sometime this year, you will have an exam" but to give no further clues as to whether the exam will be tomorrow or at end of the year, or anytime in-between. As he said, it would radically change study habits!
- Ch.14; The passover had to be eaten within the city, so Jesus and his disciples had to find an available room.
- Re timing, probably Jesus and disciples ate the passover a day early, or maybe the gospel writers didn't exactly clarify the times, but it is certain that Jesus was crucified on the Friday of passover, symbolising Jesus as our Passover Lamb. Bringing freedom to those enslaved.
- In Mk14:21, Jesus gives a dreadful indictment of Judas Iscariot "the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." Clearly Judas did not find forgiveness for his despicable sin, even though his evil actions brought about God's purpose. And we need to see that all through, Jesus was actually in control, he gave his life (it wasn't taken from him)!
- In v.24, Jesus said "this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many", the word many suggesting gentiles as well as Jews - but not for all (ie. not for those who don't accept God's gift).
- In v.35, Jesus prayed that if possible, all the coming events would not happen; but it wasn't possible, clearly there was no other way!
- In hastily arranged "courts", Jesus was tried twice - once by the religious law and (eventually) convicted of blasphemy which, to the Jews, deserved death but being under Roman rule they couldn't pass the death sentence, so they then needed to charge him with treason before the Romans (which was punishable by death, whereas the Romans weren't too concerned about a bit of blasphemy).
- Jesus died in the place of Barabbas - the latter deserved to be hanging on that cross, but Jesus (who didn't deserve to be there) took his place, and Barabbas went free (the gospel from Barabbas' perspective!).
- We see the cosmic scale of this event in the darkness for those three hours between the sixth and ninth hours. Throughout, we note that Jesus is always in control, giving his life in his time - in his answers to the high priest (14:62), and when he breathed his last breath on the cross (15:37). Man took nothing from him; Jesus gave.
- And the great curtain that veiled the holy of holies, upon which man couldn't look or approach, was torn from top to bottom. Afterwards, there was a question of what did the Jews do about this torn curtain? As Paul said, we don't know, but presumably they repaired it by somehow stitching it by standing on a ladder working behind their backs so as not to look! (poor guys, they missed the great significance of the new freedom to relate personally to holy God, in just the same direct way that Jesus lived in communion with the Father in heaven).

We finished with a hymn that said it all "I stand amazed in the presence" (chorus "how marvellous, how wonderful").

When Jesus called out on the cross the first verse of Ps22 "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?", he and many onlookers who knew the scriptures would have known the end of that psalm was words of hope and victory; at v.22 the theme of the psalm changes from crucifixion to resurrection, and Jesus' words spoken in anguish were nevertheless anticipating the victory and vindication of the Son by the Father in the resurrection.

# posted by geoff @ 4:57 pm

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