Shake Off the Dust

Mark 2 Comments
Mk 6:11 “…shake the dust off the soles of your feet…”
 
Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Jesus told his twelve closest disciples to publicly shake the dust off the soles of their feet.

Why would He say this?

Jesus sent His disciple to the cities where He would soon be visiting, They were instructed to deliver a message to prepare the people for the visit. To validate the message Jesus gave the disciples incredible and unprecedented power to miraculously heal physical ailments and spiritual bondage. In spite of the power they were to demonstrate, Jesus knew from experience that the disciples would face rejection by some. 

But rather than to get upset about rejection, Jesus instructed them to shake off the dust of the town from their feet. By this action the townsfolk of that culture would understand that the pair of disciples who shook off the dust  were absolving themselves of their responsibility to share their miracles or message. The pair would then just go the the next town and hope for a better reception.

Click here to go directly to my personal application and your comments or continue with my full notes.

 

COMMAND 196: “…shake the dust off the soles of your feet…”
REFERENCE:
This is the Frankfort Michigan North Pierhead shining its light at dusk.
The tower and its light is there to guide mariners in day or night and in good or bad weather. Jesus’ commands are like that to guide the souls of men and women. More images are in the Photo Gallery.  Click here to see why I like lighthouses.

Mk 6:11; See also Mt 10:14; Lk 9:5

RECIPIENT: 

The twelve disciples

CONTEXT:

After Jesus departed Nazareth, He equipped His twelve closest disciples to perform unmistakable and unprecedented miracles of healing. He then sent them in pairs to the towns that He planned to visit.  Presumably they were to prepare the people for Jesus’ arrival and to receive His message favorably. 

 

Mark  

Mk 6:7-10 And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; 8and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff–no bread, no bag, no money in their belt– 9but to wear sandals, and He added, “Do not put on two tunics.“ 10And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave town.” 11“Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there…”

Matthew

Mt 10:1; 5-10 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
5These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.” 9“Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support. 11“And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city. 12“As you enter the house, give it your greeting.
13“If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.” 14“Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city…”

Luke

Lk 9:1-4a And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 2And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. 3And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. 4Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. 5And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city…”

COMMAND FULL TEXT:  

Mk 6:11b “…shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.“

Mt 10:14b “…shake the dust off your feet.”

Lk 9:5b “…shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

RESULT:

Mk 6:12-14 They went out and preached that men should repent. 13And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them. 14And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him. 

Mt 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them.
Mt 11:1 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.

Lk 9:6 Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:

Jesus sent His disciple to the cities where He would soon be visiting. He instructed them to deliver a message to prepare them for the visit. To validate the message He gave them incredible and unprecedented power to miraculously heal people of their physical ailments and spiritual bondage. In spite of the power they were to demonstrate, Jesus knew from experience that the disciples would face rejection by some. What other power could these disciples have wielded in their indignation and anger? Jesus does mention the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:22 – 19:29)! However, in mercy, Jesus instructed the disciples to literally shake the dust from their shoes rather than to call down condemnation.

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

shake: G1621  ἐκτιναìσσω ek-tin-as’-so ‘  — to shake violently

dust: G2868  κονιορτοìς kon-ee-or-tos’   — dust

MY PERSONAL APPLICATIONS: Please share your own application in the comments

Your sincere greeting of cheer or your message of vital knowledge may be rejected. Don’t be too surprised if occasionally someone takes offence ta your good attitude, words or deeds.  You need not take the rejection personally because you have no idea what they’ve experienced in life. Instead, let your peace remain with you and brighten someone else’s day. Perhaps they will be more receptive.    

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2021 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Stay There Until You Leave

Mark No Comments
Mk 6:10  “…stay there until you leave “
 
Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave town.”

Why would He say this?

After Jesus departed Nazareth, He instructed His twelve closest disciples and sent them out in pairs. They went on ahead ahead of Him to prepare the people to receive His message favorably by performing unmistakable and unprecedented miracles of healing. When Jesus finally arrived in a town that was first visited by the disciples, they would have been eager to hear what He had to say. By staying with one family the disciples  would have no distracting concern regarding their food and board. Also, by staying with one family, they minimized the social complications that would have occurred because of their instant popularity. The disciples’ mission would have been diminished had there been competition or even jealousy among hosts.

Click here to go directly to my personal application or continue with my full notes.

 

COMMAND 195: “…stay there until you leave…”
REFERENCE:  
Light in the Detroit River
This command reminds me of the Windmill Point light and the time our host allowed us to stay for the night.  After taking this picture, Dawn and I guided our little pontoon boat into Sinbad’s Restaurant and Marina to get something to eat for dinner. We were delighted when, after eating at that fine restaurant, the harbormaster graciously allowed us to remain in the marina for the night. This was just one of many fabulous experiences we had traveling Michigan to photograph its lighthouses.

Mk 6:10; See also Mt 10:11; Lk 9:4 

RECIPIENTS: 

The twelve disciples

CONTEXT:

After Jesus departed Nazareth, He equipped His twelve closest disciples to perform unmistakable and unprecedented miracles of healing. He then sent them out ahead in pairs.  Presumably they were to prepare the people for Jesus’ arrival and to receive His message favorably. 

Mark  

Mk 6:7-10 And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; 8and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff–no bread, no bag, no money in their belt– 9but to wear sandals, and He added, “Do not put on two tunics.“ 10And He said to them…

Matthew

Mt 10:1; 5-10 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
5These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.” 9“Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.”

Luke

Lk 9:1-4a And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 2And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. 3And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. 4Whatever house you enter…”

COMMAND FULL TEXT:  

Mk 6:10b “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave town.“

Mt 10:11 “And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city.“

Lk 9:4b “… stay there until you leave that city.“

RESULT:

Mk 6:12-14 They went out and preached that men should repent. 13And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them. 14And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him. 

Mt 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them.
Mt 11:1 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.

Lk 9:6 Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:

While meeting practical needs of the people, the pairs of disciples delivered their message in order to prepare for Jesus’ arrival. By preparing the people in this way, they would have been eager to listen to what He had to say. Staying with one family in each location would have been a practical advantage to the disciples in that they would have no distracting concern regarding their of food and lodging. Presumably, the disciples would have healed any sicknesses in the host’s house.

It would have also been an honor for the host to have such popular guests in the house. Had the disciples moved from house to house the hosts might feel they had done something wrong or other hosts might begin competing for the privilege. Competing hosts might foster jealousy among them and would have hindered the disciples’ mission. 

Examples of Guests in the Bible

The Bible has a few examples of houseguests. These examples have a consistent theme. In each of the examples, the guest gave something of value to the host.

In 1Ki 17:8-24 Samuel, an old testament priest, was a guest at a widows house. She and her son would have starved to death had Samuel not have provided food for her by supernatural means.  

In Jn 2:1-11 Jesus was one of the invited guests at a wedding that was held in the Galilean town of Cana. The host had not procured enough wine for the party and had therefore run out of it. Jesus turned ordinary water into excellent wine so that the host would not be embarrassed.

In Mt 8:14-15 Jesus was in Peter’s home at Capernaum. Peter’s mother-in-law was sick and Jesus healed her: 

In Ac 28:7-9 The apostle Paul, was shipwrecked on the island of Malta. He was a guest in Publius’ house. Publius’ father was ill and Paul healed him with a touch. 

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

inquire:  G1833 ἐξετάζω ex-et-ad’-zo – to examine or to test thoroughly by questions

worthy:  G 514 ἄξιος ax’-ee-os – for comparison to have the weight of another thing of like value

house:  G3614  οἰκία  oy-kee’-ah – a dwelling or the people who live there

stay:  G3306 μένω men’-o – a primary verb; to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy

MY PERSONAL APPLICATIONS: Please share your own application in the comments

When I travel a long distance to visit with family or friends and they offer to have me stay at their house, I will stay there until I leave town. That is, of course, if they are willing to host me that long. Leaving one home to stay at another’s home has the potential for my host to misunderstand as to the reason why I left. 

Also, if my host will allow it, I will make  myself useful while I’m there. At a minimum, I’ll happily pick up after myself. Maybe, like Jesus, I’ll bring the wine. Better yet, I’ll help out with some project or chores while I’m there, Perhaps they will invite me to come again!

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2021 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Do Not Put On Two Tunics

Mark 2 Comments
Mk 6:9  “Do not put on two tunics.”
 
Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Jesus told His twelve closest disciples to take nothing extra on their journey, not even two tunics.

Why would He say this?

Jesus sent these twelve men on a journey to the cities of Israel that He planned to visit. He equipped the men with miraculous powers and told them to use their powers to help people. They were to heal the sick and to urge the people to prepare themselves for Jesus’ arrival. He specifically told His disciples to travel lightly. Therefore, they were to take only their immediate necessities and not to include any backup necessities, such as an extra tunic. They would not need any other provisions because practical gratitude of the people would sustain them.

Although Jesus was instructing His twelve disciples about a specific journey, I think that there are some principles I can apply to my own life.

Click here to go directly to my personal application and your comments or continue with my full notes.

 

COMMAND 194: “Do not put on two tunics.”
REFERENCE:  
Ludington North Pierhead Light
On Sept. 9, 1910, the Pere Marquette 18′ ferry departed Ludington, Michigan with approximately 30 railcars on board. Midway to Milwaukee the ship began taking on water. In an effort to save the ship, the captain gave the crew orders to lighten the load by jettisoning the railcars. Unfortunately, the crew did not possess supernatural powers like the disciples had so as to keep the ship afloat, and it was lost to the waves for over a century. The shipwreck was discovered in 2020.
Click here see why I like lighthouses.

Mk 6:9; See also Mt 10:9; Lk 9:3

RECIPIENT: The twelve disciples

Mk 6:7-9 And He summoned the twelve…

Mt 10-1a; 2-4  Jesus summoned His twelve disciples… 
2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.

CONTEXT:

After Jesus departed Nazareth, He instructed His twelve closest disciples to send them out two by two to go ahead. Presumably they were to prepare the people to receive Jesus message favorably by performing unmistakable and  unprecedented miracles of healing. 

Mark  

Mk 6:7-9  And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; 8and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff–no bread, no bag, no money in their belt– 9but to wear sandals; and He added…

Matthew

Mt 10:1; 5-8  Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.   
5These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.‘  8“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.  Freely you received, freely give. ”

Luke

Lk 9:1-3a And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases.  2And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.  3And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money…”

COMMAND FULL TEXT:  

Mk 6:9b “Do not put on two tunics.”

Mt 10:9 “Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.”

Mt 9:3b “Take nothing for {your} journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not {even} have two tunics apiece.”

RESULT:

Mk 6:12-14 They went out and preached that men should repent. 13And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them. 14And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him. 

Mt 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them.
Mt 11:1 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.

Lk 9:6 Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES: 
Travel Lightly

These disciples were instructed to travel lightly in their own country, preach and, to supernaturally heal people. They were not to take more than their immediate necessities and not to take any extra goods or possessions. They were to have their own needs met by grateful individuals.

Bring a Staff or Not to Bring a Staff?

Did Jesus say to bring a staff or not to bring a staff?  This apparent inconsistency in the three narratives from Matthew, Mark and Luke is cleared up when you note that the Greek word ῥάβδος in Matthew and Luke is the plural form “staffs” and in Mark “staff,” ραβδον, is singular.  Jesus told them to travel without an extra staff.

Specific Instructions for the Twelve

This is specific instruction for the’ twelve closest disciples during Jesus’ earthly ministry. All their needs were to be supplied by the people they met and, they were to take nothing extra nor acquire anything extra. Jesus equipped these twelve men with miraculous powers and told them to use their power to heal sick people and to tell them that Jesus would be arriving soon. They didn’t need any other provisions because practical gratitude of the people would sustain them. Jesus later in Luke rescinds the command to take no provisions:

Lk 22:35-36 And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” 36And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.”

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

acquire: G2932 κτάομαι tal-ee-thah’  —  a primary verb; to get by any means

worker: G2040 ἐργάτης er-gat’-ace — a toiler; figuratively a teacher

worthy: G514 ἄξιος ax’-ee-os   — deserving, comparable or suitable (as if drawing praise):

support: G5160 τροφή τροφή  — literal or figurative nourishment

put on: G1746 ἐνδύω en-doo’-ō  — to sink into a garment); to literally or figuratively invest with clothing

tunic: G5509 χιτών khee-tōne’   — an undergarment, usually worn next to the skin, a garment, a vestment

MY PERSONAL APPLICATIONS: Please share your own application in the comments

When the opportunity arises to do someone a significant good deed such as save their life or return lost money or care for some urgent need, remind them that they matter. Perhaps suggest that they pass on the good deed to someone else in the future. Since I’m a Christian, I can also humbly tell them that God loves them and that He is their ultimate provider. Also, If I’m actually in need and the recipient is offering a gift of gratitude, then it is okay to accept it to meet my need.    

 

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2021 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Get up!

Mark No Comments
Mk 5:41 “…Get up!”
 
Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

He told a 12 year old girl who had just been pronounced dead to “Get up!”

Why would He say this?

Jesus intended to perform a miracle because the father of the girl demonstrated his faith in Jesus’ ability by asking Him to heal her. Upon arrival He found that the girl’s funeral had already begun. The scene was a commotion of activity with people crying and wailing. After ordering the crowd out of the house, the parents, Peter, James, John and Jesus entered the room where the stricken girl lay. Then Jesus gently told the girl to get up, which she did. I doubt there is any way to describe the joy and astonishment of all when she got up. Jesus then told the parents to do something very normal and that was to give the girl something to eat. 

I think that Jesus cleared the room because it was too difficult for the parents to focus their belief and attention on the healing of their daughter while her noisy funeral was in process.

Click here to go directly to my personal application and your comments or continue with my full notes.

Thunder Bay Lighthouse
In 1831 most of the USA was frontier territory when construction began on the lighthouse at Thunder Bay in Lake Huron. But before the tower reached its full height, a storm demolished it! The tower was completed in 1832 after the Government gave the order to rebuild it. This history seemed to me like a metaphor of the little girl who was nearly dead but whom Jesus restored to perfect health.
COMMAND 193: “Get up!”
REFERENCE:  

Mk 5:41b; See also Lk 8:54b; 
Mt 8:23-25 includes this event but does not record the command.

RECIPIENT:  

The 12 year old daughter of Jairus, an official from the Capernaum synagogue

CONTEXT:

Jesus and His disciples had just returned to Capernaum by boats from the country of the Gerasenes where He saved two men by sending their demons into a herd of swine. The leaders of the people there implored Jesus to depart from their region, which He did.

Mark:  

Mk 5:22-24a; 35-36a One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and on seeing Him, fell at His feet 23and implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.” 24And He went off with him;
 35While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?”  36But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” 37And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James.  38They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. 39And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” 40They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. 41Taking the child by the hand, He said to her…

Matthew

Mt 9:18-19; 23-24 While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”  19Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples.

23When Jesus came into the official’s house, and saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder, 24He said, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him.

Luke

Lk 8:41-42a; 49-50a And there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore Him to come to his house; 42for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying.
49While He was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” 50But when Jesus heard this, He answered him “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the girl’s father and mother. 52Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, “Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep.” 53And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died. 54He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying…

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:  

Mk 5:41b “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!“).
Lk 8:54b “Child, arise!”

RESULT:  

Mk 5:42-43 Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. 43And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.

Mk 9:25-26 But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26This news spread throughout all that land.

Lk 8:55-56 And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat. 56Her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened.

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:
What Happened

This is a straightforward narrative about Jesus entering Jairus’ house. He found that the girl’s funeral had already begun. There was a commotion of activity with people crying and wailing. He informed the crowd that the girl was not dead but they laughed at Him with derision. Jesus ordered everyone except the parents to leave the house. Then six people, Jairus , his wife, Peter, James, John and Jesus entered the room where the stricken girl lay. Then Jesus gently told the girl to get up, which she did. I doubt there is any way to describe the joy and astonishment of all when she got up. Jesus then told the parents to do something very normal and that was to give the girl something to eat.  

Jairus believed that his daughter could be healed by Jesus; this was the first step in achieving his miracle. Jesus understood that everyone present needed to focus their attention and concentration in order to move to the next step of doing. Therefore He put every nonessential person out of the room. Finally, only the essential people went into the room and the miracle was performed. This seems like a basic plan to succeed for even ordinary projects!

Was she dead? 

Was she dead? The people at the house thought so because her funeral had already begun.  Jesus said that she was not dead but asleep. All three accounts of the story record that Jesus denied that she was dead. Therefore, I believe she was not yet dead. Luke’s account says that her “spirit” returned, but this word’s literal meaning suggests that her normal breathing returned.  It makes no difference to the story. Jesus restored her life because ancient Jewish customs prescribed very quick burial after death, often the same day. If she was not yet dead when Jesus arrived she soon would be upon burial. 

Two Lessons for Me

First, the crowd believed the girl was dying and when she slipped into a coma, they easily, but mistakenly, assumed she had died. Then out of love and grief they acted upon their belief. They were not doing anything morally wrong. Jesus informed them that the girl was not dead but they laughed at Him. They assumed the facts rather than reexamining the girl. I think that a good lesson for me is to check the validity of my assumptions by verifying key facts, especially when the situation is critical and the truth is absolutely essential to the outcome. Just because almost everybody believes a thing to be true doesn’t make it true.

Secondly, Jesus removed the tumult and those who laughed at Him from the house. With all the commotion neither the parents or Jesus’ disciples could  focus their attention to believe in the miracle about to happen. Therefore Jesus put the crowd out and then went in to perform a miracle. I think a  lesson for me is that when I have clear conviction or direction about what is important and I must focus to achieve it, eliminating useless activity and the various forms of cacophony from my life is essential.

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

talitha: G5008  ταλιθά  tal-ee-thah’  —  fresh, a young girl or maiden

cumi: G2891  κοῦμι  koo’-mee    —  command to rise

little girl: G2877  κοράσιον  kor-as’-ee-on   —  damsel, maid.

say: G3004  λέγω  leg’ -ō   —  literally to lay forth, figuratively to relate with words

get up:  G1453  ἐγείρω  eg-i’-rō   —  to waken or rouse (from sleep, sitting or lying or from disease)

child:  G3816  παῖς  paheece   —  a young boy or girl

arise:  G1453  ἐγείρω  eg-i’-rō   —  same as “get up” 

MY PERSONAL APPLICATIONS: Please share your own application in the comments

The first application is to be willing to question my assumptions when making important decisions. If possible I should check the validity of my assumptions by verifying key facts, especially when the situation is critical and the truth is absolutely essential to the outcome.  

The second application is about achieving goals. Realizing that believing a goal is possible is the first step to achieving. Focusing and then doing are the next steps.  Focus takes concentration and effort. When possible, I should remove the excess activity, noise and distractions that drain my attention and emotional energy in order to focus on what is truly important and then do the work.   

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2021 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

 

Do Not Be Afraid; Only Believe

Mark 2 Comments

Mk 5:36b “Do not be afraid… ;only believe.”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Do not be alarmed because of bad news but instead cling to hope.

Why would He say this?

A man came seeking Jesus’ assistance to heal his dying child. Just moments after he asked Jesus to help, the man received word that his child had died. But Jesus told him to cling to the belief that first brought him and to be filled with hope rather than succumb to fear and sorrow.

As it turned out, the fact of the child’s death was inaccurate. Miraculously the child recovered and the man’s hope was fulfilled! This happy result would not have occurred if the man believed the unverified bad news and gave up his hope in a solution and walked away without taking Jesus with him.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

COMMAND 192: “Do not be afraid… ;only believe.”
Lighthouse for believe over fear
Photo by Dawn Carlson
In 1905 the Joseph S. Fay, a wooden steam freighter, was caught in a storm. The ship was fully loaded with iron ore and towing a smaller fully loaded ship. When the waves tore off part of the Fay’s stern the Captain did not succumb to fear but instead clung to his hope by steering the stricken ship toward the Forty Mile Point lighthouse. He believed that he could beach the ship before it sank. The remains of that shipwreck are still visible on the shore as a testimony to how that captain saved his crew that day.
REFERENCE:  

Mk 5:36b; See also Lk 8:50; Mt 9:23-25 includes this event but does not record the command

RECIPIENT:

Mk 5:22a  One of the synagogue officials named Jairus

CONTEXT:

Jesus and His disciples had just returned to Capernaum by boats from the country of the Gerasenes where two demon possessed men were delivered when Jesus sent their demons into a herd of swine. The leaders of the people there implored Jesus to depart from their region, which He did.

Mark

Mk 5:22-24a; 35-36a  One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and on seeing Him, fell at His feet  23and implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.”  24And He went off with him;

35While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?”  36But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official…

Matthew

Mt 9:18-19  While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”  19Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples.

Luke

Lk 8:41-42a; 49-50a   And there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore Him to come to his house;  42for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying…  While He was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.”  50But when Jesus heard this, He answered him,,,

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:  

Mk 5:36b “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.”

Lk 8:50b “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well.”

RESULT:  
Mark

Mk 5:37-43  And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James.  38They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing.  39And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.”  40They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was.  41Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded.  43And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.

Matthew

Mt 9:23-26  When Jesus came into the official’s house, and saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder,  24He said, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him.  25But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.  26This news spread throughout all that land.

Luke

Lk 8:51-56  When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the girl’s father and mother.  52Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, “Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep.”  53And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died.  54He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Child, arise!” 55And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat.  56  Her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened.

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:

Jairus was a distraught father who was seeking the restoration of his daughter’s life. She was dying and he had no recourse to save her except that he heard that Jesus was nearby.  Since Jairus was from Capernaum he no doubt had witnessed or heard the stories from credible witnesses of the miracles that Jesus had performed. Jairus believed enough to find Jesus and implored Him to come and heal his daughter. Some well meaning friend or relative came from his house to inform Jairus that his daughter had apparently died and to dissuade him from seeking Jesus’ help.  I wonder what would have happened if Jairus had been told about his daughter’s death a minute prior to talking with Jesus. 

Was she dead?

The people at the house thought so and her funeral had already begun. Jesus said that she was not dead but asleep. All three accounts of the story record that Jesus denied that she was dead. Therefore, I believe she was not yet dead. Luke’s account says that her “spirit” returned, but the literal meaning was that her breath returned.  It makes no difference to the story whether or not she was dead when Jesus arrived. He restored her life because ancient Jewish customs prescribed very quick burial after death, often the same day. If she was not yet dead when Jesus arrived she soon would be upon burial.  I think that a good lesson here is to verify the key facts of what everyone believes to be true when the situation is critical and the truth is absolutely essential to the outcome.

Opposition

Have you ever had people try to dissuade you from trying to do something out of the ordinary by telling you that it was dangerous or impossible or that they would never do such a thing?.  I sure have!  This kind of feedback used to discourage me.  But, I’ve learned over the years to view such words as helpful. If I can trust that naysayers are well meaning people who actually care about me then I can appreciate their concern and to listen to their advice. Many times I’ve been forced to consider a new perspective and to evaluate my plans and to change or improve them.  

Do not be afraid

Like Jairus, I seek God’s help through my life’s struggles. I want to be successful by accomplishing good things that benefit myself, my family, my customers, my employer, my church and the people whom I meet.  As a Christian I believe that God loves me and, like a father with children, He delights when I’m successful in the various areas of my life. I think that fear makes me focus on what can go wrong. And rational fear is not all bad; it has kept me alive and injury free on many occasions!  But prolonged fear dwells on the negative and con blind me to the possibilities of success and ultimately ensures what can go wrong will go wrong.  

How does God help me?

When I believe God delights in my  success in doing good things then I can be confident that He will help me to accomplish them.  Perhaps there are more ways that God will help but I thought of these:

    • My mind is alert to recognize opportunity.
    • My determination is bolstered to push through difficulties.
    • I am confident that problems can be solved so that I try to solve them.
    • I believe that He puts people or resources in my path that will help me.
    • When I read His words with application in mind then I can more easily apply the wisdom.
    • I am confident that through the experience I will grow as a person.
DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

afraid: G5399   φοβέω  fob-eh’ -ō   —  to frighten or terrify so as to flee;  or passively to be alarmed; by analogy to be in awe or to reverence.

any longer:  these words were added by the translators as implied by the text but not in fact present

only:  G3440   μόνον   mon’-on   —   alone or merely

believe: G4100  πιστεύω  pist-yoo’-ō   —  to think to be true, to be persuaded, to credit, to place confidence

spirit: G4151  πνεῦμα   pnyoo’-mah   —  a current of air such as a breath or a breeze; figuratively the spirit, that is the rational soul or the vital principle that defines a living, rather than dead, thing.

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

God loves me and is delighted when I succeed in doing good.  When I commit myself to the accomplishment of some good achievement, I need not be afraid of obstacles or naysayers but I can be confident that I will receive the wisdom, discernment, knowledge and resources that I need.  When I believe that success is possible for me then I will recognize opportunity, make plans and apply myself to the tasks while learning from the problems. In this way I will grow as a person and will be grateful when I ultimately achieve what I set out to do.

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2020 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application.

Go And Be Healed

Mark 8 Comments

Mk 5:34b “…your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction. ”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Jesus told a woman who had just been instantly released from her dozen years of misery to know that she had been healed indeed and that she could depart in peace.

Why would He say this?

The woman snuck up stealthily in a thronging crowd believing that just a touch of Jesus’ garment would heal her incurable bleeding. She was right but she could no longer hide in the crowd because Jesus perceived that power had gone out to accomplish the miracle. When He outed her actions she was terrified as if she had stolen something. But Jesus put her fears to rest by assuring her that He saw her and cared about her and that her healing was permanent. She need not fear any longer but was free to rejoice. 

The woman was in desperate need and she believed that she would receive what she sought. She formed a goal and made a plan and took definite steps to achieve her goal. She was  blessed with success.  I think there is a lesson here for me! 

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

Command 191: “…go …and be healed…”
St. Helena Lighthouse in Lake Michigan
Southerly wind can make treacherous waves in northern lake Michigan because there are hundreds of miles of open water from that direction. St. Helena Island was a refuge for ships during rough weather. If the captain made a goal to shelter there and sailed the ship to the northern harbor the ship, crew and cargo would be safe. This lighthouse existed to positively identify the island.
More lighthouse images can be found in the Photo Gallery Click here see why I like lighthouses.
REFERENCE:  

Mk 5:34b  also Mt 9:22 and Lk 8:43-48;
Also see Lk 7:50 in a separate context

RECIPIENT:  

A woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years

CONTEXT: Three accounts from Mark, Matthew and Luke
Mark

Mk 5:21-34a  When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore. 22One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and on seeing Him, fell at His feet 23and implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.” 24And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him.  

 25A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, 26and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse– 27after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.   28For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” 29Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?“ 31And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?'” 32And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. 23But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.   34And He said to her…

Matthew – does not contain the command

Mt 9:18-22  While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”   19Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples.

 20And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak;   21for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.”   22But Jesus turning and seeing her said…

Luke

Lk 8:40-48a  And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him.   41And there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore Him to come to his house;  42for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. But as He went, the crowds were pressing against Him.  

43And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone,  44came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped.  45And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.”  46But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.”  47When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed.  48And He said to her…

COMMAND FULL TEXT:  

Mk 5:34 …“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.” 

Mt 9:22 …“Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” 

Lk 8:48  …“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

RESULT:  

Mk 5:29  Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

Mt 9:22b At once the woman was made well. 

Lk 8:44b  …and immediately her hemorrhage stopped.

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:

The woman’s condition would have been miserable. It made her ceremonially unclean which meant that she would have been excluded from worshiping at the temple.  Her condition would have made her interactions with people difficult.  Her social life would have been nonexistent. If her bleeding was vaginal, then the Jewish Levitical laws meant that she likely had not had sex during the 12 years of her affliction.  She was financially broke.

Luke names the synagogue official as Jairis and mentions his daughter was 12 years old. The woman had been suffering for 12 years.  I wonder; if there was any connection with these individuals because of the years?  

Both the woman and Jaris came to Jesus believing that He was good natured and would care about them. Therefore both had a certain expectation that He would help them. In a word they had faith in Jesus. They both acted on their faith and did receive what they sought from Him. Both the woman and Jaris’s daughter got their life back!  Somehow faith is a powerful tool in God’s hands.

At different times and locations Jesus told men, women and children to “take courage,” Jesus referred to the paralytic who was let down through the roof as a child and he told him or her to, “Take courage.”  This woman was trembling when Jesus told her to take courage.   Jesus also told a blind man to take courage before healing him.  He treated them the same and healed them all miraculously.  These examples are subtle but clear demonstrations that Jesus did not distinguish between child and adult or male and female in terms of intrinsic worth.

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

daughter:  G2364 θυγάτηρ  thoo-gat’-air —  a female child

take courage: G2293  θαρσέω  thar-seh’-ō  —  be of good cheer (comfort)

your:  G4675  σοῦ  soo —  of you 

faith:  G4102  πίστις  pis’-tis —  persuasion, that is, credence or moral conviction

well:  G4982  σώζω  sōde’-zō  —  literally or figuratively to save, deliver or protect 

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

Two applications stand out to me. First, Jesus accorded an equal value to men, women and children when He interacted with them and therefore, so should I. Second, both individuals had a humble attitude and took physical steps to demonstrate their faith. Therefore when I approach someone for help, especially God, I also need to have a humble attitude and when possible take definite steps to demonstrate faith that I will receive the help. 

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2021 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Go Home And Report

Mark 2 Comments

Mk 5:19b “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you…”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

With a word Jesus performed a spectacular miracle to heal a man possessed by hundreds of demons. Jesus told the grateful man, who wanted to physically follow Him, to instead go home and tell everyone what happened.  

Why would He say this?

When Jesus commanded the demons to depart from the man they caused a huge herd of pigs to drown.  This event brought out the townspeople and their leaders to investigate. The man who was demon possessed, naked and bleeding when he came to Jesus was desperate to make any changes to his life in order to quench the torment of his soul by the demons. However the leaders of that region when they came to Jesus were not at all desperate and were thus unwilling to make changes to their lives. They were unwilling to even listen to Jesus before imploring Him to leave.

Many people dislike change in their lives. I’ve often said to myself and others, “Change is good provided it is good change!” I think that these people were too quick to judge as bad the potential changes that Jesus’ presence might bring to them. Therefore they implored Him to leave.

Change is good; provided it is good change! The original Fort Gratiot Lighthouse was built in 1825 but it was placed too close to the lake and was also poorly constructed. It was a disaster when it collapsed during a storm after just three years.  Because of the disastrous failures of the original lighthouse better plans and placement were implemented for its replacement  The current lighthouse has been in continuous operation since 1829.  
Similarly, the life of the demon possessed man was a disaster. His world had collapsed into total hopelessness. But it was during his hopeless experience that Jesus entered his world. Jesus gave the man healing and hope with better plans and sent him home as better place to live than in the tombs.
More lighthouse images can be found in the Photo Gallery.  Click here see why I like lighthouses.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link, or scroll down for my full notes.

Command 190: “Go home… and report…”
REFERENCE:  

Mk 5:19; Lk 8:39
See also Mt 8:28-34. It includes this event but does not record the command.

RECIPIENT:  

Mk 5:17  …the man who had been demon-possessed…
Lk 8:38  …the man from whom the demons had gone out…

CONTEXT:  
Mark

Mk 5:1-19 They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. 2When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, 3and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; 4because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. 6Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; 7and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” 8For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. 12The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.” 13Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.
14Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. 15They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened. 16Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. 17And they began to implore Him to leave their region. 18As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. 19And He did not let him, but He said to him…

Matthew

Mt 8:28-34 When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. 29And they cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” 30Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. 31The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. 33The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. 34And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.

Luke

Lk 8:26-39 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. 28Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” 29For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert. 30And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.
32Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. 33And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. 35The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. 36Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. 37And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned. 38But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying…

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:  

Mk 5:19b “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you”

Lk 8:39 “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.”

RESULT:  
Mark

Mk 5:20-21 And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.
21When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore.

Matthew

Mt 9:1 Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city.

Luke

Lk 8:39b-40 So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
40And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him.

 

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:

Sometimes when I read the Bible’s stories, it is the back story rather than the main story that speaks to me.  Here, the back story is the reaction of the region’s leaders and the main story is Jesus’s instruction to the man that was freed from his affliction with the demons.  I think that the nature of scripture is that you can apply its truth to different situations in life.  For instance, I have personally experienced a big career change and that is the perspective that I have right now.  If I had read this story after recovering from a major illness or while recovering from some addiction perhaps the main story about the demon possessed man would have captured my attention.  But at this time my attention focused on the regional leaders reaction.

They Implored Jesus to Leave

The man who was demon possessed was naked and bleeding and desperate to make any changes to his life in order to quench the torment of his soul by the demons. However the leaders of that region were not at all desperate and were unwilling to make changes to their lives. They were unwilling to even listen to Jesus before imploring Him to leave. Many people dislike change in their lives. I’ve often said, “Change is good as provided it is good change!” I think that these people were too quick to judge as bad the potential changes that Jesus’ presence might bring to them. Therefore they implored Him to leave.

When Jesus returned to the boats and left the region the people there suffered a greater loss than just the pigs. He would do no miracles there. In other places He healed many people and even brought some back from the dead. He would not be feeding thousands on the hillsides or causing the blind to see.  People from the region who had means probably visited Capernaum to hear Jesus speak and to witness the miracles or to be healed of their own ailments; but it did not happen in their own town.

Why the Difference?

The formerly demon possessed man strongly desired to physically accompany Jesus. However, Jesus told him to do something unusual instead. He told the man to follow Him by walking away and becoming an ambassador to the region. When Jesus healed other people He told them to tell no one about what He had done for them; but this time was different. This time Jesus told the man to tell everyone about the miracle and what had happened to him. Why the difference? Jesus encouraged the man to talk about how he was delivered from the demons. I think that the reason was because Jesus was departing from the area at the request of the local leaders. Therefore Jesus would not have the opportunity to speak directly to the people in the region. But this man would be a powerful witness for Him.

In the other circumstances where Jesus performed miracles He told the individuals to remain silent. Their disobedience caused such crowds of people to throng around Jesus and His disciples that the situation became a practical hardship for them to move about freely. The Sea of Galilee is and was only 13 miles across.  People would still have the opportunity to travel across it to hear Jesus in person if they were determined to do so. But  Jesus’ would not be hindered in His movement by the man’s testimony  because Jesus would simply not be in the Decapolis region.  

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

home:  G3624 oikos  oy’-kos   —  a dwelling, by implication a family

people:  G4675 σοῦ  lam-ban’-ō  — thy, thee

report:  G312 ἀναγγέλλω  lam-ban’-ō  — to announce (in detail)

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

I need to be cognizant of my personal resistance to changes in my life, especially when I initially perceive it as a setback. I will more carefully evaluate the proposed changes or those forced upon me and look for the good in them. Change is good provided that it is good change. I will consider that the changes have good in them rather than dismiss them all as bad right away.   

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2020 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Come Out… You Unclean Spirit

Mark 4 Comments

Mk 5:8 “Come out…”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Jesus commanded a very large collection of demons to, “Come out of the man…” 

Why would He say this?

St. Joseph After the Storm
Photo by Dawn Carlson
Storms are an analogy for evil spirits. From a mariner’s perspective a storm is a demon having no substantial substance but air, yet it has a will and a purpose to make their life miserable or worse. Tornadoes, hurricanes, microbursts and even straight line wind storms, like demons, can cause widespread danger and damage that affects perhaps millions of people. A single storm can have lightning, hail, wind, rain, snow, sleet, waves and reduced visibility.  Each of these phenomena are like distinct demons having their own disastrous effects.  
But when the storm ends, it is like God commanding a demon to depart. Now ships can come in and out of their harbors safely. Here is a ship in the St. Joseph River enjoying the freedom of beautiful weather.
More lighthouse images can be found in the Photo Gallery.  Click here see why I like lighthouses.

This event was the quintessential “Come to Jesus” moment. Two desperate and helpless men who were in a most miserable state came to Jesus. They came just as they were, naked and bleeding. These men were hopeless in their circumstances unless a savior should happen to pass by them; and that is what happened. They seized the opportunity, ran to Jesus and He saved them! 

I think that there is a lesson here for me when I face big life problems.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

Command 189: “Come out… you unclean spirit.”
REFERENCE:  

MK 5:8 also Mt 8:28-34 and Lk 8:26-39 include this event but do not record the command

RECIPIENT:  

An unclean spirit – a group of many demons collectively named Legion

CONTEXT: 

Jesus’ disciples spent a harrowing night of storms on the Sea of Galilee.  After Jesus calmed the storm the group sailed on to their destination.  

Mark

Mk 5:1-8  They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes.  2When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, 3and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain;  4because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. 6Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; 7 and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I implore You by God, do not torment me!” 8For He had been saying to him…

Matthew

Mt 8:28-29  When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way.  29And they cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

Luke

Lk 8:26-28  Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.  27And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs.  28Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:  

Mk 5:8 “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit”

RESULT:  
Mark

Mk 5:9-20   And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he *said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country.  11Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain.  12The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.”  13Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.  

14Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened.  15They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened.  16Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine.  17And they began to implore Him to leave their region.  18As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him.  19And He did not let him, but He *said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.”  20And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

Matthew

Mt 8:31-34  The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.”  32And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.  33The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs.  34And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.

Luke

Lk 8:32-39  Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission.  33And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.  

34When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country.  35The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened.  36Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well.  37And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned.  38But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying,  39“Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:

This event was the quintessential “Come to Jesus” moment. Two desperate and helpless men who were in a most miserable state came to Jesus. They came just as they were, naked and bleeding.   One of them was so much worse off than the other that he is the only person mentioned in Mark’s and Luke’s accounts.  Jesus did not reject him but commanded the demons to depart from the man, instantly freeing him from their torment.  These men were hopeless in their circumstances unless a savior should happen to pass by them; and that is what happened. They seized the opportunity, ran to Jesus and He saved them!  

The people of the region rejected Jesus and asked that He depart from them.  They were astonished by the miracle of the healed man but were in dread of the risk to their livelihoods.  Pig farming would not be tolerated in the regions of Israel closer to Jerusalem. The religious authorities would have put a stop to it.  But where this story takes place in the hinterland of Israel.  These Jews lived among the local not Jewish population and apparently catered to their needs and I speculate that  they likely appropriated their ways.  I think that these people reasoned that if Jesus were to remain in the area that He would expose their guilt under the Jewish law and compel them to make big big changes to their lives and livelihoods..  Therefore, rather than upset their lives, they asked Jesus to leave.

Jesus and his disciples healed others who were possessed by demons: 

Mt 8:16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill.

Mt 10:8 “Heal {the} sick, raise {the} dead, cleanse {the} lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.”

Mt 17:18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once.

Mk 16:17 “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;”

Lk 10:20 “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

Where Did the Demons Go?

What happened to the demons after the swine died; I have no idea!  Why do we not more often see demonic possession as is described here?  I’ve talked to people who have themselves been assaulted by demons but I never hear of demon possession except for in the movies.  Have you ever wondered if people who commit mass murderers, acts of terror, serial rape and other truly evil deeds today are demon possessed?  I do.  I do not know the answer. 

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

Come out:  G1831  ἐξέρχομαι  ex-er’-khom-ahee  —  to go or come forth of with the mention of the place or the point from which he departs

man:  G444  ἄνθρωπος  anth’-rō-pos  —  a human being, whether male or female

unclean:  G169  ἀκάθαρτος  ak-ath-ar-see’-ah   —   morally unclean in thought and life; ceremonially unclean and  must be abstained from according to the levitical law

spirit: G4151   πνεῦμα  pnyoo’-mah   —  a current of air, that is, breath (blast) or a breeze used by analogy or figuratively to refer to a spirit being having essence, but devoid of matter, and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

I must not wait until my situation is such that I am physically or metaphorically naked and bleeding before I seek the help I need. When I have large life problems I will not hesitate to come to Jesus by seeking the assistance of God in prayer and by contacting trained professionals.

 

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2020 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Hush Be Still

Mark 2 Comments

Mk 4:39 “Hush, be still.”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

When Jesus said,”hush, be still”  He was commanding the storm to put on a muzzle and to be silent.

Why would He say this?

Charlevoix Harbor
One obvious application of the command, “Hush, be still.” is to be certain to take Jesus with you physically in the boat when you are anticipating a storm!  You had better head for shelter if that is not possible. The Charlevoix City Marina is an excellent choice for protection against the storms of Lake Michigan. It is a large harbor with 69 slips and as you see from the picture, it has distinct pier lights.
More lighthouse images can be found in the Photo Gallery.  Click here see why I like lighthouses.

Jesus decided to cross the Sea of Galilee in a boat. His 12 disciples and an unknown number of other disciples went along in other boats. Some of them were still undecided about Jesus in general.  They did not realize that Jesus was the agent of creation.  The words of God made the world – Genesis 1.  Jesus is the physical embodiment of the Word of God – John 1:1-14.  Therefore, Jesus had full authority to command nature at will.  He was and is THAT powerful. If these disciples were to become future leaders they needed to know about Him without a doubt. 

I am like everyone else, created in the likeness of God.  Therefore, my words also carry power.  I must be careful how I use them!

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

Command 188: “Hush, be still.”
REFERENCE:  

Mk 4:39

RECIPIENT:  

Mk 4:39a And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea…

Mt 8:26b Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the se…

Lk 8:24b And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves…

CONTEXT:

See also Mt 8:23-27 and Lk 8:22-25 include this event and the fact that a rebuke of the elements was spoken but do not record the command.

Mk 4:35-39 On that day, when evening came, He *said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. 38Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea…

Mt 8:23-26a When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?”

Lk 8:22-24a Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.”  So they launched out. 23But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. 24They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:  

Mk 4:39 “Hush, be still.”  And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

RESULT:  

Mk 4:40-41 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Mt 8:26b-27 Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Lk 8:24b-25 And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.  25And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:
Who Then is This?

Jesus is the agent of creation.  Genesis 1 records that the world and all creation was made through the words of God, “Then God said…”.  Jesus is identified in John 1:1-14 as physical embodiment of the words of God.  Therefore, Jesus had full authority to command nature at will.  He was and is THAT powerful.  

At least some of the disciples were still unconvinced of Jesus’ deity when this incident happened.  The story recounts that Jesus’ closest 12 disciples and other disciples in other boats were present in the storm.

A reconstruction of a first-century boat based on an ancient boat excavated along the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Photograph by Todd Bolen. Photo © BiblePlaces.com

The Sea of Galilee 

The Sea of Galilee is unique .  It is the lowest freshwater lake in the world at 700 feet (213 m) below sea level.   It is small by comparison to other large freshwater lakes.  Being only 13 miles long and 8 miles wide with a surface area of only 64 square miles (166 km2), it is less than 1% of the area of Lake Ontario which is the smallest of the American Great Lakes.  

The lake is infamous for its sudden fierce storms. It is in a basin surrounded by mountains.  Wind currents and temperature differences at times cause torrents of wind to build up quickly over the surface.  Dangerous waves of up to 10 feet can to occur on the lake.  Before modern weather forecasting mariners were at risk if they were caught in the middle of the lake during such a gale.  

My Words

Jesus had the power and authority to command the physical elements with His words.  Genesis 1:27 states God created men and women in His own image.  Is it then unbelievable  that my words also have the effect of shaping the physical reality of the world around me? I think of it this way.  All human activity begins with a desire and thoughts.  Thoughts and desires are completely intangible until they are embodied with language – words. It is through words that my intentions, either good or bad, give rise to plans and then to actions.  The result of action over time is what brings about the changes in physical reality.  When my words are spoken they can bring about progress or disaster,  healing or hurt to those around me.  

My words indeed have power.  Consider the quote from Henry Ford; If you think you can’t (do a thing) you are right!”  If I think things like, “If it were not for bad luck I’d have no luck at all”, or “I’m too stupid to learn (fill in the blank) then I am defeated before I begin.  Henry Ford also said, “If you think you can then you can.”  Of course he left out the planning, time and effort part, but the statement is true.  I think this is why it is so very important to train my mind to think and to speak good, productive things.  The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:8 to dwell on whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute and on anything excellent and worthy of praise.

When I think and speak good things it changes my attitude and promotes the desire for good things to happen and with time and effort good things do happen!

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

hush:  G4623  σιωπάω  see-o-pah’-ō  –  silence, involuntary stillness

still:  G5392  φιμόω  fee-mo’-ō  –  to muzzle

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

My thoughts and words have power to shape reality. Whether I think and speak of productive and good things or of defeat and poverty, it changes my attitude and desires to affect the results of my efforts. Over time, a positive or negative reality is the result of my words.  Therefore, I will make the effort to read, watch and listen to good things so than my thoughts and words will have better results.  

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2020 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Take Care What You Listen To

Mark 6 Comments

Mk 4:24a “Take care what you listen to...”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Jesus said to pay attention to what I allow myself to hear.  He also said to pay attention to how well I listen.

Why would He say this?

A lighthouse is faithfulness to consistently say "yes" (on) and "no" (off).
Photo: Dawn Carlson
At night the Tawas Point light is known to flash white for 4 seconds. A mariner will recognize the light as the Tawas Point light and no other. 
But suppose a lighthouse keeper, on the advice of someone other than the United States Lighthouse Service, convinced him or her to put a red lens over the light or to changed the flash pattern from 4 seconds to 2 seconds?  (A light house keeper never did this and never would do such a thing!)
The lighthouse is a source of absolute positional truth for navigation. If that absolute truth were in doubt then you can just imagine how, in the days before GPS, mariners would be confused.  They would be imperiled if they misinterpreted their position. They might run aground even in good weather!   Similarly, if a teacher of truth is in error then those who rely on the truth will be confused and in danger of being in error themselves.
More lighthouse images can be found in the Photo Gallery.  Click here see why I like lighthouses.

I think that Jesus was warning his followers to be very careful of what and who they listen to.  His expectation for them was to train others about everything He was telling them.  How tragic if His followers lost the true meaning of His teaching by listening to falsehood from false teachers and then began to train others in falsehood. Many cults, heresies and even genocides have occurred by people listening to falsehoods about what Jesus said and meant rather than heeding what Jesus actually said and meant. 

The phrase, “Garbage in – garbage out,” is in reference to computers but it also applies to the human mind.  Thoughts inevitably lead to attitudes and together they lead to actions and actions lead to results.  This is why it is so important to evaluate carefully what I listen to and to fill my mind with good things.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

Command 187: “Take care what you listen to.”
REFERENCE:  

Mk 4:24a  also Lk 8:18

RECIPIENT:   To His followers, along with the twelve in private

Mk 4:10  As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables.

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount 

Mk 4:21-24a  And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand?  22“For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.  23“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”  24And He was saying to them…,” 

Lk 8:16-17  “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.  17“For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. “

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:

Mk 4:24b-25; “Take care what you listen to.  By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. “For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”

Lk 8:18  “So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”

RESULT:  

Mk 4:33-34  With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; 34and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:
Be the Lamp:

After explaining the Parable of the Sower, I think Jesus was telling his followers that He expected them to be the lamp; that is they are to spread the knowledge and deeper meaning to the world of people.  Jesus had imparted the deeper meanings of His parables to them and He did so with the expectation that they would spread this meaning this insight to others, much as the light of a lamp is put onto a lampstand to shine light so that many people may see.  

Be Very careful About What and to Whom You Listen

I  think that Jesus was also warning his followers to be very careful of what and who they listen to.  He just got through telling them the true meaning of an important parable.  His expectation for them was to train others about everything He was telling them.  How tragic if they lost Jesus’ true meaning by listening to falsehood from false teachers and then began to train others in falsehood.  

I don’t think Jesus was saying not to listen to other people, but to be very careful to compare what they say to what Jesus said.  It is so easy to believe hyperbole or exaggeration or clever phrases if such ideas align with our mood, or cultural standards but not quite what Jesus said. Many cults, heresies and even genocides have occurred by people listening to falsehoods about what Jesus said and meant rather than heeding what Jesus actually said and meant.  

Pay Close Attention 

Luke’s version is slightly different from Mark’s version.  Luke records Jesus saying to take care in how you listen.  I think He is encouraging them to pay close attention so as to fully comprehend His meaning.  If His followers, soon to be teachers and leaders, only have a cursory understanding rather than a full understanding they will be susceptible to error.

If I fail to listen in order to comprehend what Jesus said and I instead listen with comprehension to others with divergent messages then I am sure to eventually appropriate others’ ideas rather than what Jesus said.  You have heard of the phrase, “Garbage in – garbage out,” This truth is in reference to computers but also applies to the human mind.  Thoughts inevitably lead to attitudes and together they lead to actions and actions lead to results.  This is why it is so important to evaluate carefully what you listen to and to fill your mind with good things.

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

take care:  G991  βλέπω  blep’-ō  —  A primary verb; literally or figuratively to look at

what:  G5101 τίς tis  —  an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what as a direct or indirect question

how:  G4459 πῶς  pōs  —  an interrogative particle of manner; in what way? 

listen:  G191 ἀκουìω  ak-oo’-ō  —  to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf;  to attend, consider or to understand what is or has been said

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and share it in the comments

Guard your mind!  I must be careful to evaluate what I listen to in music, entertainment, news outlets, political speech, religion and philosophy; these things influence who I am as a person.  I will listen carefully to my mentors to fully understand them so as to implement what is good into my life and to those around me.  As a Christians, my highest mentor is Jesus and therefore what He said should be my standard for evaluating all others. 

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2020 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

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