JESUS FOUNDS HIS CHURCH CONT.
MARK, LESSON 4 B
MARK, LESSON 4 B
B. The Healing of the Multitudes. vv. 7-12
1. Jesus withdrew to the sea, v. 7a.
2. Multitudes follow because of His mighty works, vs. 7b-8.
3. Preparation was made for large crowds, v. 9. A number of times Jesus spoke to large crowds from a ship. The water makes a good sounding board.
4. The crowds PRESS in for healing, v. 10.
5. The UNCLEAN SPIRITS recognize Him, v. 11. 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
6. The unclean spirits charged not to make known who he was, v. 12. The crowds that followed him might make the Roman government to think he was leading a revolution.
I. THE SERVANT ESTABLISHES HIS CHURCH. vv. 13-21; Matthew 10:1-4
A. The Place of the Calling, v. 13; Luke 6:12, “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”
1. It was in a mountain, v. 13a. Near Capernaum, being solitary, and a place of recess and retirement, He went “to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”
2. After praying all night Jesus extended a SOVEREIGN CALL, v. 13b, “whom He would.”
Note: Whether by personal imitation or through the disciples Jesus invites or calls to himself a select number out of the vast crowds by the sea, those whom he really wished to be with him.
3. It was an EFFECTUAL CALL, v. 13c “they came unto Him.”
A. The PURPOSE of the Calling. vv. 14-15
1. To ORDAIN twelve “APOSTLES” [Gr. “to send”] thus, “missionaries,” v. 14a, Matthew 10:16, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”
Note: Why he chose twelve we are not told, probably because there were twelve tribes in Israel. It was a good round number at any rate. They were to be princes in the new Israel, Matthew 19:28, “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” —A. T. Robertson’s Word Pictures of the New Testament.
2. That they should be WITH HIM constantly, v. 14b.
NOTE: That they should be with him; constantly, in private and in public; be taken into his family, and reckoned such; be his familiars, and privy to all his affairs; HEAR all his discourses, and see his miracles; that so they might be TRAINED up and FITTED for the GREAT WORK he designed them for: —John Gill’s Expositor.
3. That He might SEND THEM forth as MISSIONARIES, vv. 14c-15.
a. They would be sent forth TO PREACH, v. 14d; Luke 9:2, “And he sent them TO PREACH the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.”
b. They would have POWER TO HEAL and cast out devils, v. 15, Mark 16:20, “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”
Note: To have power to heal—and to cast out devils The business of a minister of Christ is, 1st. To PREACH the Gospel. 2dly. To be the PHYSICIAN of SOULS. And, 3dly. To WAGE WAR with the devil, and DESTROY his kingdom. —Adam Clarke’s Commentary.
4. That He might ESTABLISH His Church. Although it is not stated here, yet the Scriptures prove it, 1 Corinthians 12:28, “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”
a. They were FIRST in the Church, and these same men are later associated with the Jerusalem Church.
b. There are MANY PROOFS that the Church was STARTED BEFORE the day of Pentecost.
5. This Church would then BE ABLE to carry out His work AFTER He went back to the heavenly Father, Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, AFTER that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be WITNESSES UNTO ME both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
B. The PEOPLE of the Calling, vv. 16-19
1. They were apostles, but they DISCIPLES FIRST, Luke 6:13, “And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.”
a. Disciple means a follower, learner or pupil of another, John 8:31, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;”
b. Apostle means a messenger, one sent forth with orders, Luke 6:13, “And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;”
2. They were all saved EXCEPT JUDAS, John 12:4, “Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,”
3. They were from DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS such as fishermen and a tax collector.
C. The Problems of the Calling, vv. 20-21.
1. Such a crowd came that there was no place for eating, v. 20; Mark 2:2, “And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.”
2. Friends misunderstood Him, v. 21.
3. They thought He was beside Himself, v. 21; 2 Corinthians 5:13, “For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.”
II. THE SERVANT TEACHES DOCTRINE vv. 22-35
A. Jesus is Charged with using Satan’s Power, vv. 22-30.
1. The accusation made, v. 22; Matthew 10:25, “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?”
a. Even His enemies could see that He cast out devils, Matthew 9:34, “But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.”
b. Beelzebub is a different spelling of Baalzebub, which means, “LORD OF FLIES,” 2 Kings 1:1-3, 6, 16, “Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. 2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. 3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? 6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. 16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.”
c. In v. 22, he is called the prince of devils. BEELZEBUB means “lord of the house,” which is a name of Satan, the prince of evil spirits.