Tithing - An Intriguing Aspect of Giving - Genesis 14:1-24 - Pete's Bible Commentary

Could I think of a more controversial topic to discuss? Tithing. Firstly, the question is, why is tithing so controversial for so many people? For some, I sense that to tithe (or to give the first 10% of your income to God) comes to the heart of the Christian life; that is, will we put God first in our lives? When the rubber hits the road, we can talk about reading the Bible, lifting up prayers and helping those in need, and these are great expressions of the Christian life, though giving of our financial resources challenges what we do with what we have been given. What will I do with that $1000 for the fortnight? Will I let go of $100 of it, and tithe it to the local church?

Now, we are going to explore some biblical texts related to tithing. This post does not seek to be a complete intellectual expose of everything tithing, but rather I would like to offer an intriguing aspect of giving.

Before I look at this intriguing aspect of giving, lets consider Moses and his trip up Mount Sinai. On this mountaintop God (YHWH) released a blue print to him that would become the codes for living for the Israelite people. What was offered to Moses, for the Israelite community was the 'Law'. The word law conjures up primarily negative images in our contemporary minds, but back then, many of the laws offered were related to health and wellbeing, and were offered to the people of Israel thousands of years before they had the luxuries of 'surfing the Internet' to find a solution to their leprosy!

Within these laws, God taught his people to tithe. He asked for people to tithe, and he desired people to tithe to him. A tithe was the giving of the first ten per cent of their produce that they received off the land. Actually at times, God required people to ‘tithe’ or sacrifice a tenth of their livestock, not just their grain. That’s a lot of steak sandwiches right there!


What does the Old Testament texts say about tithing?

Leviticus 27:30 - 30 "'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.


Deuteronomy 12:5-7 - 5 But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; 6 there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and donations, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 7 There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you.

So giving of a tithe and above that, offerings, was a celebration of the fact that God had blessed you. What a concept! Giving a tithe to the priesthood, was not a legalistic thing (atleast that was not what God was wanting), but rather so that people would firstly, put God number one, and secondly use this giving as an opportunity to be thankful for all the blessings God has given.

BUT this is NOT what has been intriguing me. I mean, I know about tithing, and giving ten percent. I know that it is a way to celebrate and put God first in our lives. I know that. I also believe that tithing is a concept/law that passes on to the New Testament believer. Though I am not going to enter into that debate. I think it is somewhat irrelevant, because generous giving in the New Testament seems to be above and beyond 10% anyway! The picture of the NT Scriptures is that tithing was seemingly the bare minimum for a mature follower in Christ. I mean, I have never sold a house and laid the money at anyone's feet before! (Acts 4:34-35).  

BUT this is NOT what has been intriguing me about tithing.

Stop and have a read of the following story in Genesis 14:11-20:
Genesis 14:11-20 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. 13 One who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. 17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Did you read the passage? Let me unpack it for you. Abram (soon to be named Abraham), finds out his nephew Lot had been captured, along with his possessions. Abram rallied a few hundred of his trained men to attack the kings who had captured Lot, and obtained back Lot's rightful possessions. What happens next intrigues me. Melchizedek, who was a priest of 'God Most High' blesses Abram, and mentions that God was the one who blessed him in battle that day. It was the Creator of heaven and earth who delivered the enemies into Abram's hands. What was Abram's response? "Thanks Melchizedek, we should do coffee some time..." No, his response was that he gave the priest a tenth of everything. Imagine how much livestock this would have been? There would have been enough sheep to make New Zealand proud. What an amazing response by Abram. Melchizedek, the priest, makes Abram aware of the fact that God had blessed him in battle, and Abram's response was to give back to God.

What intrigues me the most about this tithe is this... Abram tithed before it became law. We know that Moses had not gone up the Mountain yet. Moses had not passed on the law to the people of Israel. In fact, Moses wasn't even born yet! Abram did not have the law in front of him that read, 'You shall give a tenth of your livestock to God'. This is the point - When Abram became aware that God was blessing him, he gave back to him to show his appreciation. This was Abram's automatic response; one of generosity. God blessed me, therefore I will bless God.

This is the point of tithing. It is not a law, per se. It is not a religious duty. It is an act of thankfulness. It is an act of giving that expresses gratitude to God, for being created, for the blessing in life, for having anything of value in the first place! Let us learn from the intriguing story of Abram, when he realised God had blessed him, so he gave God a tenth of his possessions.

I can learn something about generosity from this story in Genesis 14:1-24.
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This glance at Genesis 14:1-24, Leviticus 27:30 and Deuteronomy 12:5-7 on tithing/giving, is part of a growing collection from Pete's Bible Commentary.
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Luke 15:11-32 - The Parable of the Lost Son - Pete's Bible Commentary

Luke 15:11-32 (The Parable of the Lost Son) - 11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. ' 22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. 25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' 28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' 31 "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"

The Parable of the Lost Son is such a well known parable spoken of by Jesus. That being said, is there something we can glean from this story that will inspire us?

Larry Osbourne writes the following notes on Luke 15:11-32, taken from his book Sticky Church. He says:

• Setting the Context for the Parable of the Lost Son: Religious leaders were upset that Jesus welcomed rather than excluded people of questionable character.
• God would rather restore than punish.
• How do you love and respond to a rebel?
• When they insist on leaving, Let Them LEAVE!
• When things get tough, let them hit rock bottom.
• 'If we soften the blows, we'll lengthen the rebellion.'
• When the prodigals comes back run to greet them!
• After they're back, don't punish the obedient.

(Sticky Church, Larry Osbourne, page 169).

The Geneva Bible Translation Notes says about the Parable of the Lost Son, 'Men by their voluntary falling from God, having robbed themselves of the benefits which they received from him, cast themselves headlong into infinite calamities: but God of his singular goodness, offering himself freely to those whom he called to repentance, through the greatness of their misery with which they were humbled, not only gently receives them, but also enriches them with far greater gifts and blesses them with the greatest bliss.'


The Parable of the Prodigal Son in Both Christianity and Buddhism

There is a parable similar to that of the Lost Son, recorded amongst Buddhism, though it contains some interesting differences. You can find an interesting article here. Ernest Valea writes, 'The Buddhist parable has a different message [to that of Luke's Parable of the Lost Son]. One cannot simply reach Buddhahood at once. The process is very long and demands a progressive accumulation of wisdom. Escaping from ignorance and suffering, attaining nirvana and becoming a bodhisattva is attained gradually by a day-by-day effort in training the mind and overcoming karma. Grace, in Buddhism, cannot be shown directly, but only as the disciple deserves it, which in fact is no grace at all.'The son who returns says something interesting in verse 19. He says, 'I am no longer worthy to be called your son'. The word 'worthy' is the Greek word ἄξιος (axios) and denotes one who is deserving of a due reward. Think of this for a minute from the perspective of the father. You have a child that you cherish, and love with all your heart. Since when does a loving father ever call a child to be worthy, as somehow having to earn our relationship with him? Most fathers I can think of, love their children to bits. They long for their children to do what is right, but the children are not called to earn their relationship with them!

Much of Western culture unknowingly follows this Buddhist mantra. When you consider the rebellion of a family member, who say, have stolen considerable amounts of money from the family, have rebelled against the 'rules' of the household, we quite often call them to gradually earn back their respect in the family. The grace we show is limited. We say things like, 'He's going to have to make up for that!' or jokingly, 'She'll be doing the dishes the rest of his life!' We quite often make the person work to earn back our trust, and our love for them seems to be rooted in whether or not they behave themselves in the future.

Now for a moment, let's contrast this with the Parable of the Prodigal Son as recorded by Luke (15:11-32). The Father runs towards his son, wraps his arms around him and kisses him! What an example of unconditional love and irresistible grace! This is the Father's love for his children. God is quick to forgive. As Osbourne says, 'God would rather restore than punish'. While God looks favourably upon a repentant heart, and he requires a repentant heart, he does not then call the son to 'earn' back his relationship with the Father. What God requires of the prodigal son is to turn away from the sin and follow him. This kind of change of life, is not about earning back the respect or love of God, but rather about the son's love for God being naturally expressed in a life that pleases God.

Lord - Bring back the prodigals!
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The Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32), is part of Pete's Bible Commentary.

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Mark 1:35-39 - Jesus prays in a Solitary Place - Pete's Bible Commentary

Mark 1:35-39 (NIV) - Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Jesus was committed to being one with the Father. Well theologically speaking, he IS one with the Father, but during his time on earth, as the Incarnated Son of God, he needed to pray just like any Christian would today. Early in the morning, before the sun is even up, Jesus is off to pray. When you consider the busyness of ministry that Mark highlights in the previous verses (calling his disciples, healing the sick, casting out demons), you sense the importance of this time of prayer.

As we read Mark 1:35-39, while only a short paragraph, we note that Jesus has been praying for some time; hence the slight indignation that the disciples are expressing. 'Where have you been!?' How I wish, I would regularly be caught up in prayer to the point where people would say, 'Where's Pete gone? Is he off praying again?' I could only ask God for a greater sense of passion for prayer and seeking after the purposes of God.

Jesus responds to the disciples and encourages them to follow him to some nearby villages to continue to preach, because, 'that is why I have come' (Mark 1: 38). I find this verse captivating, and it bears some response here. Firstly, I want to look at the word, 'solitude'. Jesus went to a solitary place before he went and preached the gospel. What is solitude? This word 'solitude' or 'desolate place' (ερημον - eremon) is a place that is free from human activity, like a wilderness. Some secular dictionaries say it is a lonely place, but this would sure be theologically incorrect in this passage, because a time of prayer (which I guess is assumed from the passage) is not a time of loneliness as such, but a time of intimate connection with God. 

Some people live their lives with a strong comtemplative spirituality, which is admirable, and they have a great commitment to prayer, solitude, listening, etc. We all good learn something from this tradition. This being said though, the Jesus recorded in Mark's Gospel is one who intends to reach out to his community and spread the good news. I have met a small handful of people who embrace contemplative spirituality so strongly, that it lacks any kind of pragmatic expression of kingdom ministry. Let me put it like this - Jesus did not go up the mountain and stay there. He spent quality time with the Father and then he did up the shoe laces, so to speak, and got on with preaching the good news to 'nearby villages'.

Mark 1:35-39 are an important few verses. Mark shows his readers, that Jesus relied on the Father. While he does not unpack the benefits of the time of solitude, we can only assume, that through this time of prayer, Jesus was encouraged, felt empowered and was now more equipped and ready to fulfil his mission in the world.

Will you find a place of solitude and spend some quality time with Jesus?

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Mark 1:35-39 - Jesus prays in a Solitary Place - is part of Pete's Bible Commentary and is written by Pete Brookshaw.

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Psalm 73 - God is the strength of my Heart - Pete's Bible Commentary

Psalm 73 - Pete's Bible Commentary

Psalm 73:1 A psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

Psalm 73:2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.

Psalm 73:3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Psalm 73:4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.

Psalm 73:5 They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.

Psalm 73:6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.

Psalm 73:7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits.

Psalm 73:8 They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.

Psalm 73:9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.

Psalm 73:10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.

Psalm 73:11 They say, "How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?"

Psalm 73:12 This is what the wicked are like-- always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

Psalm 73:13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence.

Psalm 73:14 All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.

Psalm 73:15 If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children.

Psalm 73:16 When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply

Psalm 73:17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

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Psalm 73 captures me as it gets to verse 17. Before we unpack that a little, it is interesting to note that this Psalm is the first of the Asaph collection of Psalms (Psalms 73-83). Asaph is a musician, whom King David had appointed for work within the Sanctuary, including two other men, Heman (that's right, He-man!) and Ethan. When the temple of Solomon was completed, bringing the ark and altar together, these three musicians were reunited to serve in the Sanctuary.Wilcock writes, 'The God of the Asaph Collection is repeatedly a God who judges, as he did in Egypt; who speaks, as he did at Sinai; and who over the years constantly shepherds his people' (2001: 6).

Lets look at the first half of Psalm 73. We see Asaph saying his foot nearly slipped; he nearly found himself living the 'wicked' kind of life that the people in his culture were living. Interestingly, Psalm 73:12 says these people were living 'care-free' lives. Immediately my mind considers the people of our culture today, that like healthy, strong, care-free lives, with no need for a God who cares for them and no need for any kind of salvation.

I am captured then by verses 16 and 17, that when I tried to understand all this wickedness, I was troubled. I couldn't understand why people were living this way, and I couldn't understand the reason for their disobedient ways. It was not until I entered the Sanctuary (v. 17), that it became clear to me. What became clear to me, was that I understood their final destiny. All of sudden, after being in the Sanctuary, I had revelation as the result of wickedness and disobedience. We see this today, that people who enter the Sanctuary or rather people who gather together in the presence of God, have greater clarity and understanding of the effects of sin on people's lives. Personally, when I connect deeply with Jesus in a time of worship/prayer, I am at times confounded by my own need of redemption or I am given a clearer picture of the heartache God has for those who are far from him.
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Psalm 73:18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.

Psalm 73:19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!

Psalm 73:20 They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

Psalm 73:21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,

Psalm 73:22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.

Psalm 73:23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.

Psalm 73:24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

Psalm 73:28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

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What promises Asaph gives his readers! That even though at times our foot slips, and our flesh and heart fail (v. 26), God is still our strength and God is always with us. What a promise! Even though at times we envy the care-free life of the people around us, who live according to their own humanistic moral standards, we desire after God more. We long to always have God at the forefront of our minds. We long to say, 'God, be my portion and my strength!'

Finally, I'm captured by the last verse of Psalm 73 (v. 28). Even after Asaph considers the sinfulness of the people around him, and then concludes that he will always be with God and desire after God, he says, 'I will tell of all your deeds'.

God help us not to envy the people around us, who live these seemingly joyful and abundant lives, with not a care in the world. God help us to not let our foot slip into that consumeristic, hedonistic kind of life. We enter the Sanctuary many times, and you speak to us and remind us that you love us, and that you are with us. By your Holy Spirit will you also reveal to us the importance of living a holy and pure life before you. Break our heart for the oppressive destiny that so many people have for their lives. Help us and equip us to tell of your deeds, all the days of our lives.

We believe Christ came many years after these words in Psalm 73, and we will tell of the salvation, goodness, forgiveness and hope that he can bring into the lives of people in our community. 

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This is another reflection on the Word of God written by Pete Brookshaw and is part of Pete's Bible Commentary.   

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Mark 1:29-34 - Jesus Heals Simon Peter's Mother-in-Law - Pete's Bible Commentary

Mark 1:29-34 (Jesus heals Simon Peter's mother-in-law) - 29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.



32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

As they left the synagogue, Jesus, the disciples and the people headed to the house of Simon and Andrew, where Simon Peter's mother-in-law was suffering from a fever. The previous verse of Mark, spoke of the authority of Jesus, and we see in this passage, Mark saying that Jesus 'took her hand and helped her up'. She was healed. Once again, the Messiah, the Son of God, has acted, early on in his ministry, with power and authority to bring restoration and healing. We are reminded of his power and of his authority by Mark.

Do you believe in the authority of Jesus today? That is, does the power and authority that Jesus had to heal the sick and cast out demons still relevant today? I believe it is. I believe that the nature and character of Jesus, and the authority that he exhibits, is no less relevant today nor less powerful. Mark was recording the ministry of Jesus in the first century, and my interpretation of the text, through twenty-first century eyes, is that Jesus has authority to heal the sick today. From this passage, there would be no hesistation for me, to pray for those who have a fever, and who are worn down by illness, and to pray for their healing, in and through Jesus Christ.

If you believe Jesus has authority to heal the sick today, why don't you think of someone right now, who is unwell, and pray the prayer below:

A prayer for the sick: Lord, today, for those who are unwell, sick, oppressed, hurting and broken, I pray for healing in the name of Jesus Christ. By the power and authority demonstrated through the ministry of Christ, let there be healing today! Amen!
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Mark 1:29-34 - Jesus Heals Simon Peter's Mother-in-Law. This is part of Pete's Bible Commentary, written by Pete Brookshaw. Share

Mark 1:21-28 - The authority of Jesus - Jesus drives out an Evil Spirit - Pete's Bible Commentary

Mark 1:21-28 (Jesus drives out an evil spirit with authority). - ²¹ They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. ²² The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. ²³ Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, ²⁴ “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

   ²⁵ “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” ²⁶ The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

 ²⁷ The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” ²⁸ News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. 

Could you imagine listening to a teaching segment from Jesus? You get the picture here, that it was inspiring, moving and powerful. Mark doesn't highlight to us in this passage, what he spoke about, but rather the manner in which he spoke. He spoke with authority (Gk: exousia), and so captured the ears of those in attendance at the synagogue. He didn't speak like the teachers of the law. I wonder what that was like? Maybe dry, lifeless, and hard to follow with the continual offloading of words from the Torah to the listeners. There was something different about Jesus and his message, and people were amazed by it. 

What is interesting, is that no only were the words of Jesus amazing and powerful, but the ministry of Jesus was also worth noting. Maybe they go hand in hand: powerful teaching -> powerful ministry. A man was possessed by an impure spirit/unclean spirit (Gk: pneumati akatharto), and by the authority of Jesus, the unclean spirit came out of the man. So in this passage from Mark 1:21-28 Jesus had authority to speak powerfully, and he had authourity to cast out evil spirits.

The New Bible Dictionary defines authority (Gk: exousia) as, 'rightful, actual and unimpeded power to act, or to possess, control, use or dispose of, something or somebody (1982 :108).

Mark shows the authority of Jesus is various passages in his gospel. We see him mention the authority of Jesus in the following passages:

• Mark 1:22 -'He taught as one who had authourity'
• Mark 1:27 - 'What is this? A new teaching - and with authority!'
• Mark 2:10 - 'But I want you to know that the son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.'
• Mark 3:15 - '...and to have authority, to drive out demons.'
• Mark 6:7 - '...he gave them [the disciples] authority...'
• Mark 11:28-33 - A passage all about what authority Jesus had to do ministry

What can we glean from this for us today? As a preacher, it is easy for me to look at this and say, 'I want to preach with the kind of authority Christ preached with'. Maybe that is relevant for you, but maybe you aren't a preacher. We all have opportunities at time to speak about our faith, or the Bible, or why we believe in the existence of God, and in these circumstances, WE need the authority (the exousia) from God to speak with clarity and boldness, those words that are right for the moment we are in. Not only that, but if we find ourselves close to Christ, and empowered by his Holy Spirit, we might find ourselves in ministry of casting out unclean spirits (exorcisms, if you like). We need not be afraid of such times, because we lean on the authority that Jesus has, and the authority that Mark is so clearly wanting to express to his readers. 

Bibliography:
Douglas, J. D. et al. (1982). New Bible Dictionary. 2nd Edition. England: Inter-Varsity Press.

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Mark 1:21-28 - the authority of Jesus, is part of Pete's Bible Commentary, written by Pete Brookshaw.

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Mark 1:14-20 - I will make you Fishers of Men - Pete's Bible Commentary

Mark 1:14-20 - 14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus has been baptized by John, and he has spent over a month being tested in the desert. Now he is off proclaiming the good news of God. Though, we should ask, what is this good news? The good news  is from the Greek adjective, euangelizo, which occurs 54 times in the NT. The noun is the word euangelion (occurring 76 times), which we translate as gospel. Jesus came proclaiming the gospel (euangelion), a message that intended to be good news (euangelizo). The essence of the good news he came to proclaim was that through him people could find salvation. Now, lets not get lost in an intellectual pursuit that will drive us insane, but rather think of how great this good news is. God provides a way for us to live in close relationship with our Creator. We can live holy and dedicated lives to honour Christ. He is the good news. He is the euangelizo. Awesome!

In these verses, Mark challenges his readers to, 'Repent and believe the good news.' (v. 15). Repent, as in, turn away from what you were previously engaged in, and then believe, that is, embrace and trust in the good news. This is the message that Mark highlights. The first words that Jesus speaks in ministry, according to Mark, is this repent and believe message. Mark is truly an early evangelist who got straight to the point of the reason for the incarnation of Christ; he came to usher in the Kingdom of God, so repent and believe! What a powerful and confronting message!

In Mark 1:16-20, we read of Jesus' ability to recruit followers to his cause. Within a few lines of text, Mark has described Andrew, Simon, James and John choosing to follow him. Think of this for a moment. Andrew, Simon, James and John are seasoned fishermen. They no doubt love fishing, and they make their livelihood through it. Jesus comes along and they 'left their nets' and followed. Would you give up your way of living? Your livelihood? What if Jesus came along and said, 'Leave what you are doing, and come and follow me...'? Wow!

Luke 5:1-11 expands on the story from Mark 1:16-20, and we see from this account that the fishermen went out on to the boat with Jesus and Jesus divinely brought in a large catch of fish. They were astounded by this, and chose to follow him. Jesus says to Simon (Luke 5:10), 'Don't be afraid, from now on you will fish for people'. Mark's account says, that he spoke to Simon and Andrew, and said, 'Come follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people.'

Lastly we should ask in this passage, of what Jesus meant by 'fishing for people'. Jesus was the master of metaphorical, visual language, and we are left curious about the exact meaning of what he had just said. He was calling these new four disciples into his mission - his mission to reconcile the world to himself. Some scholars believe Jesus' comments about being fishers of mean, related to Jeremiah 16:16, where Jeremiah says, '"But now I will send for many fisherman," declares the Lord...' We are nonetheless, called today, for those who have repented and believed the good news, to join in the mission of Christ, in all of what that means for us today. 
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Mark 1:14-20 - 'I will make you fishers of men' is part of Pete's Bible Commentary, written by Pete Brookshaw. Share

Mark 1:9-13 - The temptation and baptism of Jesus - Pete's Bible Commentary

Mark 1:9-13 - 9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." 12At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, 13and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Something must be said of the amazing experience this would have been for John. John was the cousin of Jesus, and was well aware that he was the promised Messiah that the Old Testament Scriptures promised. You know what runs through John's mind? "You should be the one baptising me!" John, nonetheless is afforded the privelege of baptising Jesus in the Jordan river. Picture, the crowd looking in, and John nervously lowering Jesus into the river. The presence of God is around about the situation; a great picture of the trinity.

This is a wonderful, insightful picture of the Trinity [Father, Son, Holy Spirit] in the Scriptures, in Mark 1:10, as we see Jesus arising from the water, as the Spirit descends on him and God in heaven making a declaration. The Trinity has always been. When we consider Genesis chapter one (First chapter in the Bible), we see "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." The word for God here is Elohim (אלהים) which is used in its plural form - hmm... suspicious - this might be a sign already of the Trinity in Scripture!

The picture of the Holy Spirit in this passage is one of a dove, and in our minds a dove conjures up words like peace, humility and gentleness. Interestingly, this peaceful, humble and gentle spirit then says, 'Right, up you get, and go into the desert and be tested!' As we consider the character of the Holy Spirit from these verses, we have a two-fold expression of both peace and activism. The Spirit rests on Jesus, and then the prompt is to now go out into the desert and tackle self-control, obedience and perseverance.

In our lives, we need the peace of the Holy Spirit to rest on us. We need the Spirit to descend on us in such a way, that we are prompted to go to the places the Spirit leads us, or be open to be prompted, like, 'Right, get a move on - it's time to go to Botswana'. God asked of it to Abraham. Remember? God said, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you...' (Gen 12:1). Well, God may not ask us to move countries and be a missionary in a foreign land, but he may ask us to go into a metaphorical desert and be tempted. Are you ready for that?

Mark is the first-century king of simplicity. Jesus goes into the desert (v. 12), and he's there forty days, and he is tempted, and angels attend to him. Now lets move on to another story, says Mark. Well maybe it's better than Matthew stating the obvious, 'After fasting forty days and forty nights [in the desert], he was hungry' (Mt 4:2). Thanks Matthew for that ever insightful comment on the Saviour of the world. I guess it does highlight his humanity - sorry to all the docetists out there!

Angels attended Jesus. What does this mean? Did the angels massage Jesus? Or bless his with a soft pillow? Or did the angels somehow bless him with encouragement, of the mind, body and soul? All my mind says is, wouldn't it be great if angels attended to us, and lifted us up when we were down, or if they encouraged someone to say an uplifting word to us when we needed it. Our day-to-day lives would be better off, if the angels that attended to Jesus would gracefully attend to us, and help us live lives worthy of being called a Christian.
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Mark 1:9-13 - The temptation and baptism of Jesus is part of Pete's Bible Commentary, written by Pete Brookshaw. Share

Mark 1:1-8 - John the Baptist Prepares the Way for Jesus - Pete's Bible Commentary

Mark 1:1-8

1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" 3 "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'" 4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Mark is down to earth. If he lived today, he would probably fit in well amongst the everyday people of our society. He writes a gospel, that shows his earthiness. He gets straight to the point; no messing about. Jesus is the Son of God. He's not just a prophet, because that would undermine the truth of what Jesus claimed. He is the good news. He is the personification of grace and salvation. He is the Son of God. I love this matter of a fact kind of writing that Mark employs. It is easy to grasp and connect with. Today we might be inclined to write some explanatory notes and introductions before we delve into the crux of our letter, but for Mark, this is about Jesus the Christ, and he wants his readers to be clear on that point.

Mark highlights very quickly to his readers that this gospel is about Christ, the promised Messiah. He then quickly links Jesus with Old Testament Scriptures and prophets, noting Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3, and he is also quick to link Christ to John the Baptist. Hurtado writes that the work is written, 'not from the standpoint of unconcerned historical observance but with deeply religious interests in mind' (1983: 15). In fact, Mark is making the point that Jesus did not just pop up onto the scene, but is actually the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy. He is one sent from God for the redemption of humanity.

Interestingly, the reference from Malachi 3:1 (look at Mark 1:2), was understood by the Jewish community as a prophecy regarding the future sending of a Messiah type figure, and that the Jewish people considered Elijah (see Malachi 4:5-6) to be the one that would be sent, according to this prophecy (Hurtado, 1983: 16). So when Mark begins mentioning John the Baptist, and the clothes he wore and the food he ate, there is a conscious connection here by Mark, to connect Malachi (About Elijah) to John the Baptist and then to Jesus the Christ.

Mark builds the connection between John the Baptist and Jesus. In his matter of a fact way, Mark quotes John the Baptist as saying that while he baptizes with water, this Christ would baptize people with the Holy Spirit. If I could offer a powerful contemporary hermeneutic here, it would be the challenge to come before Christ and be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Baptize meaning 'immersed into', and like John the Baptist immersed people into water, we can come before Christ and be filled with the Holy Spirit.


Bibliography:

Hurtado, Larry W. (1983). New International Biblical Commentary: Mark. Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers & Paternoster Press.

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Mark 1:1-8 - 'John the Baptist Prepares the Way for Jesus' is part of Pete's Bible Commentary by Pete Brookshaw. Share

Romans 1:1-7 - The Beginning of Paul's Letter to Rome - Pete's Bible Commentary

Romans 1:1-7 (NRSV) - "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures: the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."


Brief Exegetical Summary of Romans 1:1-7

Paul writes the letter to the Romans from Corinth around the time of late 55AD/early 56AD. In contrast to other Pauline literature, Paul knew very little Christians in Rome, and did not play a vital part in the evangelism and growth of the church. Conversely, he knew extensively about the political and religious movements in Rome.

Romans 1:1-7 is the beginning of a cohesive letter to the Romans, although some have argued against the coherency of ‘one’ letter. This letter begins with the self-identification of who Paul is, ‘a slave of Christ Jesus’, ‘called to be an apostle’ and ‘set apart’; almost an intentional self-promotion to the church at Rome, so as to build credibility for the rest of the letter. After then outlining what he is called to (the gospel), he gives a description of who he is addressing, ‘to all those in Rome’ and then a familiar Christianized greeting, ‘grace to you and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Dunn, 1988: 5).


Why does Paul not start off his letter with the name, “Saul”?

Interestingly Paul does not begin any of his writings with the name ‘Saul’. The name Saul, most likely, represents his former days as a zealous Pharisee (Phil 3:5-6), who persecuted the new followers of Jesus, and was indebted to fulfil every iota of the law of the Old Testament. Paul’s theophany of Jesus on the road to Damascus, came with a name change, and one that Paul embraced and used from that day forward.


Verse one begins with, ‘Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus...’ What is Paul highlighting to his readers?

The life of Paul is consumed by the Christ who transformed his life. Some translate ‘servant’ (δουλος - doulos) to be ‘slave’ which expresses with greater clarity the reality of Paul’s calling in life. No other calling, religion, philosophical idea or cultural idol could distract him from being a servant of this Messiah. The challenge is outlined, right from the start, to the Roman readership, that no less than full commitment to Christ is what Paul stands for, and they should consider the same.


Paul says that the gospel was promised beforehand through the prophets (v. 2). Can you recall prophecies from the Old Testament that Paul may be referring to?

Micah 5:2 says, ‘But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.’ This is but one example of a prophet who declares something of the nature of the coming Christ (see also: Prov 30:4, Is 9:5-7, Ps 2:6, 110:4, Deut 18:15, Dan 9:24-26). Paul was well versed in the Old Testament Scriptures, and was able to understand and teach that particular OT references can be now be revealed with the light of Christ shining upon them.


Why does Paul mention that Jesus is a descendent of David (v. 3)?

Paul is not the only NT writer who makes reference to Jesus as a descendent of David (see Mt. 1, Lk. 3). There are Old Testament references that explicitly outline that from David will come someone who will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. The most popular of these, no doubt, is Isaiah 9:1-7, ‘to us a child is born...’ ‘Prince of Peace’, ‘He will reign on David’s throne’, etc. Paul is declaring to his readers, that those many verses that allude strongly to the idea that from David’s line YHWH will establish his throne, has occurred in Jesus Christ.
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Romans 1:1-7 is part of Pete's Bible Commentary, written by PeteBrookshaw. Share

Introduction to the Gospel of Mark - Pete's Bible Commentary

Let's look at the gospel according to Mark; part of Pete's Bible Commentary.

The generally held view is that the gospel of Mark was authored by John Mark. John Mark is the newphew of Barnabas, and he is said to have scribed this gospel with significant assistance from the Apostle Peter.
Around 110, Bishop Papias wrote, 'Mark was an interpreter of Peter and wrote down carefully what he remembered - though not in order - what was said or done by the Lord. He had in fact neither heard the Lord nor followed him, but later on, as I said, he followed Peter. The latter formulated his teachings as was needed, though without making an ordered composition of the oracles of the Lord' (cited in Charpentier, 1981: 57).
Guthrie says the gospel of Mark is more about movement than discourse (1975: 53). It is not hard to realise, in comparison to the other gospels, that Mark is down to earth and what it lacks in analytical, historical depth, it makes up for in vivid pictures of the work of Jesus, and a fairly detailed view of the passion narrative.
Mark is one of three 'synoptic' gospels. The word synoptic comes from the Greek synopsis, meaning you can read these texts in a similar fashion, and they are easily comparable. The other two synoptic gospels are Luke and Matthew. The book of John differs somewhat in its literary content and style to the other synoptic gospels, and is therefore treated separately.
Mark was the first of the gospels and the general consensus is that this gospel was written in Rome in 70AD. It is also very probable that Matthew and Luke were aware of Mark's writings and referred to them when scribing their own gospels.

Bibliography:
* Guthrie, Donald. (1975). New Testament Introduction. Inter-varsity Press: London.
* Charpentier, Etienne. (1981). How to Read the New Testament. SCM Press: London. 


The Introduction to the Gospel of Mark is part of Pete's Bible Commentary, written by PeteBrookshaw.


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