_FAITH AND UNBELIEF CONTRASTED_ ‘There was a man there which had a withered hand.’ Mark 3:1 The narrative, like the whole of Mark’s Gospel, is marked by picturesqueness. I. THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH IS EXHIBITED. (_a_) _ This man was obedient in the presence of a great foe_. ‘And He saith unto th... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE ANGER OF CHRIST_ ‘And … Be … looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts.’ Mark 3:5 Mark’s narrative has many notices, not only of what Jesus said, but also of how He looked, or what He felt in saying it—touches that irresistibly suggest impressions... [ Continue Reading ]
_JUDGMENT AND MERCY_ ‘And when He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.’ Mark 3:5 I. IN THIS WITHERED HAND WE BEHOLD THE EM... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE HUMAN SIDE OF A MIRACLE_ ‘Stretch forth thine hand.’ Mark 3:5 By the command of the text three conditions were demanded:— I. FAITH WAS REQUIRED.—Unbelief hinders God’s merciful designs, excludes the light of His presence, arrests the arm of His salvation. Faith is the handmaid of His goodn... [ Continue Reading ]
_CALLING AND ELECTION_ ‘And they came unto Him.’ Mark 3:13 I. HERE IS THE EVIDENCE OF OUR CALLING.—We come because He calls. Let us not trouble ourselves with the doctrine of election. Let each one ask himself the question, ‘Have I come to Jesus?’ If you have, then Christ has _ called_ you, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY_ “He goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto Him whom He would: and they came unto Him. And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach and … to heal.’ Mark 3:13 The selection and sending forth of the Apostles formed a n... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE MINISTRY OF PREACHING_ “He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach.’ Mark 3:14 Such is the Evangelist’s brief account of the origin and purpose of the Apostolate. I. THE DECAY OF PREACHING.—Does the preaching of the message of Christ, does... [ Continue Reading ]
_‘BOANERGES’_ ‘And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and He surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The son of thunder.’ Mark 3:17 St. James and John were together in desiring to rival the fiery and avenging miracle of Elijah, and to partake of the profound baptism and bitter cu... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE CONFLICT BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL_ ‘No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.’ Mark 3:27 We have no _ a priori_ right to deny the existence of evil spirits. It has been urged that in a world creat... [ Continue Reading ]
_SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST_ ‘All sins shall be forgiven unto … men … but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness.’ Mark 3:28 There is probably no text of Scripture of which the full meaning is more uncertain, and yet, in spite of its obscurity, probably no text in w... [ Continue Reading ]
_DIVINE RELATIONSHIPS_ ‘And He looked round about on them which sat about Him, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother.’ Mark 3:34 What words are these! I. IN THE FAMILY.—It were a great thing that God... [ Continue Reading ]