I bring a fresh thread to bgnmdtnt from my personal study life: thoughts from Marks Gospel.
David Garland’s NIV Commentary has been aiding me, so I probably bring a mixture of thoughts from both scripture and the Dr’s opinions. I’ve deliberatedly made it slowly to chapter three of Mark. Lots to consider here.
Let me open your thoughts for discussion by presenting something that has been a reasonably large chord in my christian awareness recently: unity (or lack or it in the body too often). Jesus proclaims in Mark 3:25 says “And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.”
Garland comments on this hot area:
“Vicious criticism of others in religious circles stems form a variety of motives: sincere distress over something radically new, genuine alarm over what is perceived to be heresy, a desire to reassure that we belong to the good guys by branding others as bad guys, or a craven dread of losing power.” (Garland p.142)
Someone once said that “character is who we are when we are alone.” To often I’ve noticed that believers get caught up in wranglings about things which don’t really matter; clandestine tittle-tattle that is divisive and poisonous, and ultimately, unnecessary lies and speculation that proves cancerous and paralysing to God’s People and the development of His Kingdom.
There’ll probably be few comments on this post, or answers to these questions, sadly, due to the scale of discord that often exists within the “body”. I’ll ask it anyway for you to ponder at least:
Of the four that Garland mentions, which do you think are most common in your “house”? And, how much are you contributing to the unifying process?
Related posts:
- USA- My last evenings thoughts.
- Gospel Defense
- Go on, beat yourself!
- Foghorn preacher
- Rick Stein- ‘Homegroup’ specialist.
Comments on this entry are closed.