Tag Archives: Jesu

Mark 3

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Mark 3: Healing on the Sabbath

                A man comes near Jesus with a deformed hand, and the scribes stand by waiting to see if Jesus will heal the man on the Sabbath. Jesus perceives their hearts and simply asks them: “…Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days. Or to do evil? To save a life, or to kill?” (Mark 3:4) Jesus heals the man and makes his hand whole. Immediately the scribes come together to charge Jesus!

Jesus travels throughout Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, Jordan, Tyre and Sidon all while being followed by a group of people. When Jesus spoke he usually spoke from a boat or had a small boat nearby, for fear that people would essentially “tackle Him”. Everyone who wanted to be healed of Him would come near and want to touch Him. Unclean spirits would cause those possessed to fall to the ground and weep for seeing the Son of God.

Jesus travels up a mountain with the twelve Apostles so that He could ordain them as Apostles (Those called by Jesus and given His priesthood Authority and Power) and not just as Disciples (those who follow Jesus). He ordains all of them with the ability to preach, and the power to heal sicknesses and cast out devils. After He finishes ordaining them, they all go to have a feast. While there, some scribes come and accuse Jesus of casting out devils by the power of Beelzebub (the devil). So Jesus says; “…How can Satan cast out Satan?” (Mark 3:23) Jesus goes on to explain that if a house or nation is divided it cannot stand, therefore if Satan is against himself, he also cannot stand. Jesus goes on even further to explain that those who deny the Holy Ghost are in danger of eternal damnation. Therefore, don’t deny the Holy Ghost!

One thing we learn here is that Jesus says “…whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.” (Mark 3:35) Some will use this verse to explain that Jesus never had any direct brothers or sisters, that he was essentially an only child. Is this true? He is the Only Begotten of the Father, but Jesus was born of Mary, so did Mary have any more children? Because if she did, then they would at least be blood related half-brothers to Jesus. In Mark 6:3, we read: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And are no his sisters here with us? …” (Mark 6:3) Therefore we learn that Jesus had siblings!

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Matthew 24

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Matthew 24:

Second Coming: Jesus talks to His Apostles 

Jesus is outside with the Apostles and His disciples as they gave Jesus a tour of the temple, but Jesus walks away and tells them that not one stone of the temple will be left on top of another, instead all of them will be thrown down. The disciples are curious and ask Him how this could be. They ask him about the signs of the end of the world, and Jesus tells them:

“…Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation…. there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes… All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:4-8)

Jesus knew exactly how the end would play out, and what Jesus said has an eerie similarity to all the events currently going on in the world today. Who would have known that over 2000 years later these words would sound true? Jesus continues by telling the Apostles and disciples with Him, that the world will come for them “…and shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all nations for my names sake.” (Matthew 24:9) Jesus is referring to the Great Apostasy that would occur, where the Apostles would be killed and the Priesthood keys and authority would be lost from the world… no wonder the age after Christ is known as the “Dark Ages”, the Authority from God was lost, and many would come and deceive to “fill” that void.

Jesus explains to them that the Last Days would come and many false prophets, and Christ’s would arise; “…if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:23-24)

                Jesus explains that even the smartest, and most elect individuals will be deceived by Satan. After all the tribulations on the earth are over; “…the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” (Matthew 24:29) Essentially we will be without light and comets will come to destroy the earth, but right before the world seems to be doomed, the Son of man, Jesus Christ, will come from the east and he will come with a great sound of trumpets with His angels.

We can speculate as to when this will happen, but Jesus tells His apostles; “… that day and hour knoweth no man… but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36) Jesus tells His followers that in that last day two will be in the field working and one shall be taken up. Jesus explains that if someone knew the hour that there house were to be broken in to, they would wait and catch the man. Likewise if we knew the hour Jesus would come, we too could be ready. But we don’t know that hour… so we need to be ready at any time!

Matthew 20

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Matthew 20:

Parable of the Laborers 

                  Jesus addresses his disciples and gives them the Parable of the Laborers:

The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man that hired laborers, who he agreed to pay 1 penny per day. Three hours after the original laborers had started the work, he found more idle workers in the market place and agreed to pay them 1 penny per day for their labor. Into the 6th hour he finds more laborers and gives them the offer for 1 penny per day for their labor. Then finally in the 11th hour he finds more laborers and offers them the same deal, 1 penny per day for their labor.

At the end of the day the man tells the steward to call the laborers and give them their pay for their labors of that day, from last to the first. Each laborer received 1 penny for their laborers, which caused the laborers who had worked longer to murmur against the man of the house. The man of the house explains to one of the murmuring laborers; “…Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?” (Matthew 20:13)

Even though the workers were murmuring the man of the house had made a deal with them and was being fair according to the deal that he made with each individual laborer.  The man of the vineyard asks the laborer who was murmuring; “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen” (Matthew 20:15-16)

                  Jesus then addresses the group gathered and foretells about his crucifixion and resurrection. “…the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

Matthew 17

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Matthew 17:

Transfigurations – Restoration

Jesus leads Peter, James and John upon a high mountain, and is transfigured before them: his face shines, his clothes become as white as the light. Moses and Elias [Elijah] appear, and talk to Jesus. Peter, out of the blue, suggests they make three tabernacles; one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elias. A voice then comes from heaven and declares; “…This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him.” (Matthew 17:5) Upon hearing this, the Apostles fall to the ground and were afraid. After lifting up their heads they see only Jesus and He tells them not to reveal their vision until after the Resurrection.

The Apostles then ask Jesus why the scribes said that Elias [Eliajah] must come first. Jesus confirms this and states that “…Elias [Elijah] truly shall first come, and restore all things.” (Matthew 17:11), however they were confused that Elijah had already come, but Jesus was referring to John the Baptist. Because Elijah would come a lot later to RESTORE the gospel in the last days. “…the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things…” (Acts 3:19-21) Jesus then runs into a man who pleads for Him to come and heal his son, because he had previously brought the child to His Apostles and they could not heal him. So Jesus takes the child and casts the devils out of him. The Apostles then ask Jesus “…Why could not we cast him out?” (Matthew 17:19) Jesus tells them; “…Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (Matthew 17:20)

Jesus again prophesies of his death and Resurrection. Jesus explains that He is not liable to pay the temple tax, because kings demand taxes of strangers, not of their sons. Jesus pays the tax anyway, by miraculous provision of a coin that Peter finds in a fish’s mouth. (see Matthew 17:27)