Twist family Bible study: the Gospel of Mark

[Wayne]

Chapter 11: Up to Jerusalem

Jesus tells two disciples that they will find a young donkey tied at a gate near Jerusalem. Maybe the rich man who he has just raised from the dead arranged for it to be placed there.

Jesus rides the donkey up the hill into Jerusalem, and masses of people crowd the streets to welcome him as the new king. They throw coats and palm fronds into the street before him to honor his triumphal entry.

This is the event commemorated as Palm Sunday, five days before Jesus will be killed.

[Wayne]

The next day Jesus curses a fig tree for not having any figs on it. Sounds strange. The disciples point out to him that figs are not in season.

They proceed to the temple, where Jesus disrupts the daily activities throwing tables over and chasing out the people who sell animals for sacrifice, as well as the people who sell the commemorative coins that have to be used to purchase the animals.

Their traditional purpose there has been to alleviate the stress on people who had to travel a long way and would otherwise have to cart in an awful lot of odd things like doves and cattle and sheep to perform their daily rituals. This way they could just pay for it.

The Jews held two provinces: Judea and Galilee. The two areas were not contiguous, and Galilee was always at a disadvantage. Jerusalem, the capital where the scriptures said all the big money had to be managed, was in Judea. People from Galilee - like, let's say, Jesus - were at the mercy of their prices. Jesus threw them out of the temple and called them a den of thieves. Good for him I say.     

The scribes and the chief priests heard, and decided to kill him.

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I think I may creat an expression "Curse a Fig Tree" to point out something absurd.

This is the point when I start loosing it with Jesus. His behavior seems out of control and somewhat psychotic. I have often heard peopl say they thought he might be schitzophrenic, would be hard to judge, but some of his actions seem very human in nature.

[Wayne]

Yeah, it does sound pointlessly spiteful.   

But that fig tree shrivels up and dies the next day!      According to Mark, it's Peter (from whom Mark got the story) who notes it.

I understand that Peter says in the Gospel of Peter that this was an allegory for how Jesus's efforts among the Jews had been fruitless, and it was time to turn the mission effort to the surrounding Greek provinces.

Myself I wonder if they're too much into allegory ...   

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Can our lives have too much allegory?

[Wayne]

Jesus recommends a Lord's Mini-Prayer:  "When you pray, forgive, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you."

[Wayne]

Can our lives have too much allegory?

Wow, that's deep! lemme think.


Hmmmm...   

hmmmmmmm     

hmm.   

hmmmm!!!     



No.          


What do you think Shakesmyfriend?   

[Wayne]

The chief priests et al ask him by what authority he takes these actions.

To avoid saying anything against the law, Jesus poses a counter-question: was the baptism of John real or fake?

The chief priests decline to answer, because the people hold John in reverence.

So Jesus refuses to answer their question as well.

[Shakesthecoffecan]

What do you think Shakesmyfriend?   

I think it could, but mostly for ourselves. 

[ifyoucantfixit]

    Sorry Wayne for usurping your blog...please accept my apology...