Don't worry, I haven't forgotten it’s Palm Sunday. There’s so much to cover today that there’ll be a short and sweet bonus blog this afternoon based on Mark 11:1-11.
At the start of Chapter 10, the Pharisees are back on the scene. With their popularity waning, they chose to question Jesus on a subject that would definitely appeal to the crowd.
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”
Mark 10:2
They weren’t interested in the answer. It was a trap laid for Jesus to fall into. John the Baptist had questioned Herod’s decision to marry his brother’s wife and if news got back to the palace then maybe a similar grudge could be held against Jesus. Why miss an opportunity to cause Jesus problems with Herod, the ruler of Galilee? It was all part of the plot to take Jesus out of the picture.
Jesus continued to upset the status quo, highlighting the importance of children in the kingdom of God after the disciples had tried to dismiss them. Through Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler the level of self-sacrifice needed to follow him was demonstrated. Peter pointed out to Jesus how the disciples had shown self-sacrifice to follow him. Again, the point of what Jesus was saying was missed.
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Mark 10:29-31
Not long after sharing how the first will be last, Jesus predicted his death for the third time. He took the twelve aside and laid out how the chief priests and teachers of the law would carry out the plot that would lead to his death. Jesus then said, “Three days later he will rise” Mark 10:34). After hearing this, James and John thought it would be a good moment to make their request known to Jesus. Although I have shown much sympathy for the disciple’s choices throughout these blogs, I’m struggling with this one!
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
Mark 10:36-37
Thanks for sharing about your death and resurrection but anyway, back to me!
Rather than taking the time to deepen their understanding of Jesus, they used their valuable moments with Jesus to work out who would get the best seat in glory. They didn’t fully recognise who they were talking to. It took a blind man, Bartimaeus, to see Jesus for who he truly was.
47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout,
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Mark 10:47
Jesus
Son of David
Messiah
Something to think about…
As we move into Holy Week let's pray this prayer that we would see Jesus, Son of David, the Messiah.
Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus,
To reach out and touch him and say that we love him,
Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen.
Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.
Robert Cull
Kay Moorby
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