"Jesus the Man"
How Things Work – Consideration #128 (Book II Science & Religion)
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Tuesday March 26, 2024
“Jesus Christ belonged to the true race of prophets. He saw with open eye the mystery of the soul. Drawn by its severe harmony, ravished with its beauty, he lived in it and had his being there. Alone in all history, he estimated the greatness of man.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
PREFACE
Welcome Everybody!
Mark reflects Jesus as a common person dealing with common problems. In this story, the Pharisees confront Jesus over the tradition regarding how food is handled. It sets a precedent for how Jesus reveals the limitations within the law regarding other “Kosher” food issues; particularly when the law is in the hands of those who would exploit it to gain more power and authority over others.
The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.
So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”
He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
– Mark 7:1-8
Jesus expands this idea to include “non-kosher” food by insisting that physical things (empirical things), such as food, are not as important as spiritual things (rational things), such as truth and understanding.
Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”
After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come – sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”
– Mark 7:14-23
This is one of those times when context matters. Mark is writing for Gentiles. Gentiles do not follow Jewish law and tradition. Neither do they eat kosher food. Essentially, Jesus is saying you do not have to be Jewish to be Righteous. According to Mark, Gentiles do not have to convert to Judaism and put themselves under the Jewish law in order to be fully-fledged “Christians.” This will become a major issue for the “new church” immediately after Jesus’ ascension.
CONSIDERATION #128 – Jesus the Man
In Mark, the Apostles often seem somewhat confused over who Jesus is and what he must do. Jesus finds evil and temptation everywhere, even among those closest to him. In this example, Peter becomes angry with Jesus when Jesus openly reveals the truth regarding what is about to happen. It is inferred that Peter tries to talk Jesus out of it. However, Peter is rebuked by Jesus, who calls him Satan, the tempter.
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
– Mark 8:31-33
Then Jesus reveals the truth regarding what is necessary to follow his teachings. You are either all in, or all out. You must lose yourself, to find yourself.
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
– Mark 8:35-38
Jesus answered this question when Satan offered him the “whole world” and he refused to “sell” his soul for mere physical wealth, power, and luxury. Jesus sets a high value on spiritual enlightenment and understanding. It is worth more than the entire physical world.
If you do not value your soul, you will lose it. However, keeping your soul may involve some sacrifice.
POSTSCRIPT
In Mark, Jesus expresses to his disciples that whoever is not against them, is essentially for them. Jesus is not concerned with “his” movement, but with “God’s” movement. Anyone who is pure in heart can help. You don’t need Jesus’ permission to do good things, just a pure heart and a commitment to do “God’s Will.”
“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.
– Mark 8:38-41
In Mark, Jesus emphasizes the importance of loving and being kind to children, after his disciples try to keep them away from him.
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
– Mark 10:13-16
Mark often emphasizes Jesus “the man,” and not just Jesus the “Messiah.” We see a Jesus who deals with challenges such as confusion, expectations, and anger from those around him, even the apostles. We also feel his dismay, disappointment, and frustration with them. Often, the Jesus in Mark feels more like a normal person that you can relate to; as opposed to an all-powerful “divine being” that can only be worshipped.
In Mark, Jesus is both fully divine, and yet also fully human. A common man, as well as a holy prophet.
Next week we conclude our consideration of Mark’s gospel….
P.P.S – The Symbol of the Fish
There is a lot of Christian history and tradition infused into the Greek’s symbolic “fish” representation of Jesus “the Christ.” In Greek, the word for fish is “ichthys.” Early Christians used this word as an acronym for “Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter,” or in English, “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.”
“There is also a connection between fish and the baptism of converted Christians.”
References to fish in the gospels include Jesus telling Peter and Andrew that he would make them “fishers” of men, in addition to the miracle of feeding the multitude with only five loves of bread and two fish. There is also a connection between fish and the baptism of converted Christians. According to the second-century theologian, Tertullian, “we, little fishes, after the image of our Ichthys, Jesus Christ, are born in the water.”
“The symbol of the fish was used to mark meeting places, Christian tombs, and most importantly, to distinguish friend from foe.”
Finally, this symbol became a form of secret communication among the oppressed Christian community. The fish, unlike symbols such as the cross, was also a common symbol among pagans; meaning Christians could easily use it without bringing attention to themselves. The symbol of the fish was used to mark meeting places, Christian tombs, and most importantly, to distinguish friend from foe.
When a Christian met a stranger, they might draw this simple symbol in the sand; fellow Christians would know how to respond.
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