It's Day 6 and we're in Mark 6.
We have lots of excuses for why we don't read the Bible: "I'm too busy," "I don't know where to start," "I tried it once and got confused," "I just never got around to it." I hope "60IN60" helps you to be able to overcome those excuses and experience a rewarding time in the Word.
Where God Spoke To Me:
- Verse 34 - That's what so many congregations need: a shepherd to care for them and love them. They are sheep without a shepherd.
Help:
- Verses 2-3 - Before He began His ministry, apparently He was not someone who people looked at thought, "He's going to do amazing miracles some day." He blended in well.
If you want to read the chapter online, here's a link.
If you have a question or comment, email me at butcher@ymail.com.
Your Questions and Comments:
- Mark 5. "I’ve always wondered about this passage for a couple of reasons. 1. Why would Jesus cast the demons into the pigs- that was someone’s livelihood. 2. Did the demons drown with the pigs? Is that why he didn’t simply cast them out? Why would Jesus respond to their request?" - Good questions on a difficult passage. I don't feel like I have full answers that satisfy me on several details in this story, but I'll offer what I've got. First, why cast the demons into the pigs that were someone's livelihood? It does seem an odd thing to do. The one thought I have (and this doesn't fully satisfy me) is this. The pigs drown and those tending the pigs go to tell the town what happened. They all come out and see a miracle: a man they all knew to be demon possessed now in his right mind. What would be the right response to that? To praise God, to find out who had the power to perform that miracle, and then follow Him. But they didn't. They begged Jesus to go away. Part of the reason was fear of something they didn't understand and part of the reason was (this is the answer to your question) that they valued material prosperity more than spiritual breakthrough. The loss of the pigs does create a moment when these people emphatically choose the material over the spiritual. Second, did the demons drown with the pigs? No, they did not. They are spiritual beings. Before being sent into the pigs, they begged Jesus not to "send them out of the area" (v. 10). It's a little clearer in Luke's version of this story the larger thing the demons were afraid of. There the demons beg Jesus not to send them "into the abyss" (Luke 8:31). (This agrees with Mark because it's also out of the area but tells us more specifically where it would be.) This speaks to the demons being cast into hell, from which they would not be able to return. This tells us that the demons were aware of the power Jesus possessed over them. They are begging Him not to cast them into hell in this moment. Third, why would Jesus respond to their request? Why did Jesus grant their request? It is a bit of mystery to me. The closest I can get echoes an earlier point. Perhaps He allowed it because He wanted to create the moment when the true priorities of all these people would be revealed: material prosperity over spiritual victory. If that's the reason, He was using the demons to cause the result He wanted.
- A comment from one of our 60IN60 participants. Mark 5. "In regard to the little girl whom Christ raised from the dead: 'and they laughed at him.' Christ immediately puts the scoffers out of the room and proceeds to raise the dead. I'm sure the ones who scoffed, proceeded to marvel. So much for the opinion of man."
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