I had begun to post my notes on Mark 3 and had written about verses 1-12, hit save and my site went down and it was lost. 🙁 Oh well, here are my thoughts on verses 13 and on …
Mark 3:13 – I wonder how Jesus was able to get away with out the crowds. In verses 7-12, they were threatening to crush him and here he’s on a mountain with the 12. Was it just because climbing the mountain was too much trouble to see Jesus?
Mark 3:20 – Back home again and the crowd returns and they cannot even eat because of it.
Mark 3:29-30 – The long debated ‘blasphemy against the Holy Spirit’. For a teaching with such dire consequences (no possible forgiveness), it certainly is clouded by mystery. I have to admit, I’m not at all sure what it means, which is frankly a bit scary. I have a notion that it’s denying Jesus or something like that, but I honestly dunno. I wonder if there’s a clue in it being included here with the accusations that Jesus was working for Satan, but I’m not sure what to make of it. Any insights?
Mark 3:31-35 – Jesus draws a bold line of distinction here saying that his loyalty is no longer to his family but to the people of God. I wonder what it felt like for Mary and his brothers to hear this.

Mark 2:1 – I wonder what the conversation was like when he came home. “Mom, you should have seen the crowds …”
Mark 2:4 – Is Mark saying that they lowered the paralytic through the roof in Jesus’ house? I bet Jesus had to answer to Mary on that one. “Young man, you’re going to clean this up.” I wonder if Jesus repaired the roof?
Think about this scene for a minute. Jesus is preaching and some dust begins to fall from the ceiling. Then some larger chunks. Pretty soon, daylight breaks through. He probably kept preaching for a while, but at some point, Jesus probably stopped and just watched them. I bet it took some time, and there was a fair amount of time where folks were just staring at them, cutting a hole in Jesus’ roof.
All eyes on them, yet the kept digging. No wonder Jesus was amazed at them.
Mark 2:9-12 – I wonder, was he able to walk once Jesus pronounced his sins forgiven, or not until he actually told him to walk? Jesus seems to equate the two, so I suspect that he could have gotten up, he just didn’t make the connection. I wonder if he was lying there thinking “Sins forgiven? That’s nice and all, but I came here so I could walk!”
Mark 2:18-20 – It seems that Jesus here is calling his time with the disciples like the wedding itself. A celebrations, a party,. No fasting during the party, it would be out of place. But once the wedding is completed, then the business of married life begins. Then there is joy and pain, laughter and sorrow, celebration and fasting.
Mark 2:23-24 – I have this picture in my mind of Jesus and the disciples walking through a field with the Pharisees scurrying around them, waiting for them to do something wrong and then going “See! See! They screwed up! Ha! I caught ’em! I caught ’em!”

Mark 1:6 – I wonder why Mark included this one sentence bio of the kind of guy John was. What was the significance at that time of his dress and diet? Did it signify something to them? To us, it just means he was pretty odd.
Mark 1:9-15 – It’s interesting that Mark glosses over these things, giving them only a passing mention. Forty days of fasting and temptation, God speaking directly to Jesus and John getting arrested. Not important, evidently, to the story Mark wanted to tell.
Mark 1:16-20 – I wonder if he called others who didn’t follow?
A lot happens in these 4 verses – disciples called, demons cast out, traveling to other towns, prayer time, a leper healed, 40 days of fasting and temptation. That covers a lot of ground, but only on the surface. It’s as if Mark is setting the stage of Jesus as teacher, traveling minister and healer so that he can tell the real story.

Luke 24:1-3 – A grueling day watching the Lord beaten and crucified followed by a long, sad Sabbath waiting to go anoint his body, then they find the tomb empty. How dejected they must have felt. After all they’d been through to find that someone had messed with Him on the Sabbath day.
Luke 24:8-9 – The plain language that Luke sues here to describe this event completely bypasses the emotions that they must have felt. They saw the empty tomb, they were told he’s alive, the went and told the eleven.
What was KNN (now Disciples Today) did a short file on the cross, unique in that it portrays the events through the eyes of Jesus. At the end of it, we see Mary (Magdalene I think) meet Jesus. She runs to the others, ecstatic. She runs with abandon, half falling forward, arms waving, screaming “HE’S ALIVE! HE’S ALIVE! HE’S ALIVE!” The scene captures the excitement they must have felt as the impossible reality of the resurrection became real. I remember chills going up my spine as I watched it and their joy became real to me.
Jesus had already transformed so much of their understanding of God, but this changed everything. The world would no longer be the same.
Luke 24:12 – “But Peter rose and ran …” The others dismissed it as “an idle tale”, but Peter ran. I wonder if the memory of his denial still stung and he ran, hoping against hope that what they said was true and he could make things right with he friend and Lord.
Luke 24:13-35 – This is the story of a slow realization, like the turning of a mighty ship. They were still on the same course they had been on, even though they knew that something was going on. They seemed to understand that the empty tomb meant something, but they didn’t know what, so they carried on. Jesus gives them a scriptural dope slap, but it isn’t until he is revealed to them that they turn course, literally, and return to Jerusalem.
It will take a few more of these meetings with the risen Jesus to complete their transformation so that they can then transform the world.
Luke 24:36-49 – He asks them to touch him, he eats in their presence to prove without a doubt that he was real and was there. And he tells them, listen, this is exactly what I was talking about all the time. It wasn’t a fluke, he wasn’t making the best of it, it was how it had to go. he knew it would and had told them so. And just wait, it gets better.
Luke 24:50-53 – The stage is set. Finally, they are ready. Now they understand. Soon, the world will be changed.

Luke 23:3 – I wonder if Pilate understood this in some other way than the obvious, Earthly King. Certainly Jesus was not an Earthly King, but would Pilate be asking that? I realize that I’ve been reading it that way, Pilate asking if Jesus is the Messiah. In actuality, he’s only trying to test the claims of the leaders. Does this guy really think he’s a king?
Luke 23:8 – Interesting that Pilate doesn’t seem to know of Jesus at all, but Herod does. Jesus was from Herod’s jurisdiction and was well known there, but evidently was not well known in Pilate’s.
Luke 23:34 – I thought about his statement of Jesus. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” It’s an outrageous statement, isn’t’ it? They’ve arrested him without cause, beaten him, ignored the pleas of authority to release him and sentenced him to death and hung him no a tree. And his first comment from the cross is forgiveness.
I think that forgiveness comes in part because of Jesus’ grace filled nature, but also because of the second half of that statement – “… for they know not what they do.”. Jesus’ perspective all along has been completely different from everyone around him. He can see through heaven’s eyes, they see through Earthly ones. From his perspective, he can understand theirs and see that from their limited perspective this all make perfect sense. This understanding helps grace come easy. They just don’t understand.
This understanding also gives us hope. We cannot see through heavenly eyes, though we try and get closer as we mature in Christ. Still, our eyes drift to Earthy ways. From our perspectives, many things seem important and natural which are not. Based on our limited understandings, we commit sins against one another in the name of Jesus – just as these men did against Jesus in the name of God. We divide over things that aren’t worth dividing over, we cast out and judge those who are doing their best just as we are.
And Jesus can see why we do. He understands that from our limited, Earthy perspective it all makes perfect sense. And he can say of us as well, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Luke 23:49 – I can imagine looking on wondering how it had all gone so wrong. I’d wonder what was I thinking following this carpenter? Three years of my life, lost. But it couldn’t be lost, it wasn’t lost. His love, his wisdom and his authority and understanding were unlike anything I’d seen. But now he’s gone. He’d predicted it, but it didn’t make sense then. I wish I’d have paid better attention, asked more questions. I must have missed something. Now what am I to do? Will they come for me too? Jesus always knew what to do next, but he’s not here. Are we to just go back to fishing?

Luke 22:35-38 – What I get from this is not that Jesus wants us to be armed, rather that he was communicating to them that things are about to change. While he’s here, he’s setting the stage for the kingdom, soon the kingdom will be established. Until it’s been established, it cannot really be attacked. When it is established, it can and will be attacked. They need to change their mindset and be prepared.
Luke 22:39-46 – This small paragraph only scratches the surface of what Jesus was going through here. Every once of his humanity was fighting against what had to be done, yet his soul longed to fallow the father’s will. The battle between soul and flesh was so intense he was sweating blood. Jesus did not simple walk into the hands of the Jews and on to the cross, he battled his flesh to force it into the father’s will, just as we do on a lesser scale all the time. It’s so easy to gloss over this small paragraph and miss the agony he went through as he faced the decision point – submit or run.
Luke 22:45 – It’s easy to dismiss the disciples here as clueless be cause they slept. But here it says they were ‘sleeping for sorrow’. As Jesus battled his will, as he sweat blood and his anguish was so great, an angel appeared to comfort him, how do you think that effected the disciples? Can you imagine, not really understanding what’s going on but knowing that your teacher and friend was wrestling deeply, battling his will and hurting. It would take a toll on you. You’d weep, wanting to comfort but not knowing what to say. The helplessness of being present but disconnected from understanding would be draining. As you hurt and Jesus fought, sleep would overtake your weary soul.
Luke 22:60-61 – And there it is, Peter’s denial. The emotions and fear of the moment were too great and he forgot Jesus’ warning. Three denials, and then the rooster. “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered … and wept bitterly.”
I wonder why Jesus used the rooster. He could have used anything. The rooster crowing was a disconnected event from what was happening. Like an alarm clock or a warning siren. When that happened, he would be snapped out of the emotions of the moment and brought back to Jesus’ words. I imagine that glance from Jesus felt like a sword through his heart. And think of this – each morning for the rest of his life, he’d be taken right back to that spot. A daily reminder of his biggest failing. The morning rooster crow, and he’d see those eyes again, and be reminded of the time he had denied his friend. I wonder if Jesus knew that Peter would need that reminder to stay faithful. Every. Day. Don’t forget, you once deserted him. Don’t forget, the hurt in his eyes when you did. Don’t forget how it felt to be apart from him. Don’t forget.
In the musical Upside Down about the book of Acts, Peter comments something like “I must have killed 30 roosters those first couple of years.” I wouldn’t doubt it.
But over time, he would remember this day less and the day that Jesus cooked him fish on the beach more. The failure would fade, except that with would continue to stand in stark contrast to the grace of Jesus taking him back and leaving him to lead this new church. He would remember that Jesus knew ahead of time, but had also said then “but when you return …”

Luke 22:3-6 – I wonder, sometimes, what Satan was thinking. Did he think that God didn’t know what was up? That he could pull an end run on Him? Doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Luke 22:15 – This was not the first passover he had eaten with them, but this was the one he had eagerly desired to have.
Luke 22:19-20 – It’s hard to read this passage and not hear a communion message or ritual. Growing up, it was the same every time and though we only took it quarterly (I think) I can still hear it in my mind. Today, we take communion each week and a different brother shares something every time. Still, this passage and the similar passages in the other gospels are shared a lot.
I want to, in some way, distance myself from those memories and put myself at the Passover table, having this traditional mean that I had over and over and hear Jesus reconfigure it for the new covenant. His words are too familiar to me, but to them they were radical and fresh. The Passover meal would have likely been too familiar, its meaning faded with use.
The Passover was about remembrance of the lambs that had given them safely. Jesus was now saying from here on out, I am the lamb that gives you safety. Remember me instead. What a bold statement to make. Thousands of years of God commanded tradition are now replaced by me.
Luke 22:24 – I can imagine, as they are trying to decide who was the betrayer, one would say “Well, it’s not me, I’m his closest friend.” Then another states, “You?! I’m the one he took to the mountain.” and so on. Jesus gently redirects them. I need His patience. I would have blown up, and too often do with my kids. Just like the 12, they need constant and often immediate redirection, and it’s frustrating. Even at this climactic hour, when they’re still oblivious and time is running out, Jesus patiently instructs.
Luke 22:31-34 – I wonder how that effected Peter. He denied that he would turn his back, but Jesus knew better of course. Even as he did deny him, he forgot the Lord’s prediction until that rooster crowed. Even in this dire prediction, Jesus gives hope and expresses faith in him. “But when you have turned again …” he says. Words to cling to. Jesus wasn’t’ concerned about the denial and the betrayal. He’d come back.

Luke 21:1-4 – There’s a lot of commentary on wealth in Jesus’ message in Luke. Maybe I’m just sensitive to it now, but it’s standing out to me.
Luke 21:9 – The end of this Jesus says “… but the end will not be at once.” Taking this as not only the prediction of the fall of Jerusalem form around 70 AD, but also as an end of times prophesy, what could that mean? It sort of negates one view that someday – POW – Jesus returns and it’s all over. Then again, he did say it’ll come like a thief in the night too …
Luke 21:13 – Jesus says “This will be your opportunity to bear witness.” Great! Wait, what will be our opportunity? Persecution, accusation, seizure, prison, hatred and death. Oh.
Luke 21:18-19 – But wait, there’s more:

But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.

They were told that they would be hated, seized, persecuted and some even killed, yet they stuck with him. At this time, I think it was simple They didn’t quite get it, but it couldn’t be what it sounded like after all he’s the savior! It’ll sort it out later. After the cross, however, it was all clear. It was exactly what it sounded like, yet they forged ahead anyway. Why? What could emboldened simple men to rush headlong into certain harm, likely death?
An empty tomb.
A risen and living, yet crucified Lord.
Not only did he promise them death, he had promised them life everlasting afterwards. At the time, they didn’t understand that either, but on Easter morning he showed them exactly what he meant.
Death is not final. It’s painful and traumatic, but not permanent.
And he proved his point with his very life. Seeing Jesus risen, not only finished his work of redemption, it was the final proof of what he had been saying all along. It now made sense and they could carry on, into an uncertain, but definitely challenging, Earthly fate because they knew that wasn’t their ultimate fate. That fate was absolutely certain, and proven.
For us here and now, it means the same thing. We can forge on, no matter what lies ahead, because what lies ahead is small compared to what lies beyond.
“By your endurance you will gain your lives.”
Luke 21:25-28 – I’m sure some see the results of global warming in these verses. Of course, I’m sure at any given point in history, some see the events of their time in this chapter. Nonetheless, should we be discouraged or fearful? No:

Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.

Luke 20:1-8 – The implication in the challenge as to where Jesus’ authority came from was that the chief priests were the ones who granted such authority. They certainly didn’t, so what was he doing here? Jesus asking the question about John’s baptism was to answer their challenge with his own. If you think you should have the power to remove my authority to speak, show me that you’re worthy of it. They could not, so Jesus wouldn’t answer to them.
Luke 20:16 – I don’t get it – Why were the people shocked when Jesus said that the owner would destroy the wicked tenants who beat and mistreated 3 of his servants and killed his son? To me, that’s justice and I would have thought the crowd would have thought so too.
Luke 20:17-18 – I also don’t understand the connection of this OT scripture to the parable.

Luke 19:1-10 – As if to prove the point of the rich finding the kingdom, here’s the story of Zacchaeus. How did he find salvation? Through giving away half of what he had. Half. and beyond that, he promissed out of the remaining half to repay anyone he had defrauded. Was it in the act of giving away his wealth that he found redemptions? It’s not possible to say definitively from the text, but I’d say yes and no. The simple act of giving does not save. In other words, the rich who give to seek redemption will not find it. It’s the heart change that made the act not only possible but natural that brought salvation, I think.
Luke 19:30-34 – I love this story. Imagine going into town and finding a convertible along side the road. You hop in to go and bring Jesus into town. The owner comes how, and wonders what’s going on. “The Lord needs it”, you reply. Can you imagine them being fine witht hat explination? 😀
Luke 19:37-40 – This always made me wonder, in light of how in only a few days they would be calling for his death. It makes more sense to me in light of verse 11:

As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.

They had been following Jesus, amazed at what he had done, and they expected as he entered Jeruselem to usher in the kingdom. So as he entered, they couldn’t help but rejoice.