Today’s Bible reading from Mark 11 includes Jesus cleansing the Temple (Mark 11:15-17). To understand what’s going on, it helps to get an idea of the general layout of the Temple in the First Century, which was divided into several parts. The High Priest was the only man allowed into the Most Holy Place (Holy…
Today’s Bible reading from Mark 8 includes the story of Jesus’ feeding 4000 people (Mark 8:1-10). You would think that the disciples would have figured it out already! Just two chapters earlier (Mark 6:30-44), we were given the story of Jesus’ feeding 5000 men (plus women and children?) with five loaves of bread and two…
As I read today’s Bible reading in Mark 7, one word stood out in glaring clarity: tradition. And instantly, I heard Tevye singing the song from Fiddler on the Roof. I can almost hear the First Century Jewish Leaders arguing with Jesus about their traditions. They express their frustration that Jesus’ disciples aren’t upholding the…
In today’s Bible reading (Mark 5), we read about a man who lived in the Gadera cemetery. He was possessed by a legion (3000-6000!) of demons. No one could contain him. He would often break out of shackles. He desperately wanted to be free! Jesus did just that by sending all those demons into a…
In today’s Bible reading, we came across Jesus’ parable of the sower and the seeds (Mark 4:3-9). It’s a familiar story for those of us who grew up going to church. We’ve heard it at least a million times, right? According to the parable, as the sower scattered the seed, some of the seed fell…
In Mark 3:5 (part of today’s Bible reading) we’re told that Jesus was grieved by the hardness of the hearts of the Pharisees. You would think that men who had spent their entire lives studying the Bible and teaching the Bible could grow so hardhearted. But unfortunately, it still happens all the time. It’s so…
