In most modern translations of the Bible there is some sort of note after Mark 16:8 which explains that the verses coming after v.8 were not part of the earliest manuscripts used to preserve the God-inspired words of the original authors of the New Testament (a similar passage like this is also found in John 7:53-8:11). So, what is going on with these kinds of passages and should they be a concern...  Read More

I have always struggled with guilt in my life. Either with my parents as a kid, with friends I have possibly offended, or with my heavenly Father. The guilt would keep me from confronting the root of my sin and seeing the forgiveness I had with my Father through Christ.It became a “back and forth” relationship with Christ. I would avoid him until I finally became desperate enough to crawl back. Th...  Read More

If we wanted a nickname for Mark’s gospel, we might call it “The Hurried Gospel.” One of Mark’s favorite words, which he uses over 30 different times, is the word “immediately.” Throughout story after story, conversation after conversation, teaching after teaching, Jesus and everybody around him is always doing whatever the next thing is “immediately.” Clearly Mark has written his gospel this way,...  Read More

According to early documents, Mark received the source material for his gospel firsthand from Peter. In fact, many scholars believe it is possible to pick up on certain phrases throughout Mark’s work that seem to indicate colloquial, personalized reminiscences. In other words, Mark writes them down specifically in the way he heard Peter reminiscing about them. Three of these occur in the first cha...  Read More

Recently, Pastor Ben preached a sermon about community from the book of Jeremiah. God told Jeremiah to tell the children of Israel, who were physical exiles in Babylon, to put down roots. “Build houses, plant gardens . . .” in other words, live life…you are going to be here for a while. That place was their temporary new normal. This was not what they wanted to hear, but it was where they were.Thi...  Read More

There are a number of fascinating themes that weave subtly through the Gospel of Mark, and one of them is a continued emphasis on keeping things quiet. Particularly in the first half of the Gospel, Jesus is repeatedly trying to keep his identity and his wonder-working on the down-low. Why would he do this? Didn’t he come to proclaim the kingdom of God, to save the world, to get as much as possible...  Read More