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| Christianity Explored |
Thank you for the more numerous 'Likes' for the first Mark post.
From the second week of facilitating at Christianity Explored. The first post mainly focused on Mark 1 with some work from Mark 2. Therefore the title:
Mark 1 Short Study
From Mark 3:7-5: 43
In the following events:
1. What does Jesus show authority over in these events?
a) calming of the storm (Mark 4: 35-41)
Jesus Christ demonstrated authority over the wind, storms and weather.
This was Biblically evident for everyone at our course table, based on the Marcan text. The Bible accepted as true religious history. I noted that accepting the text as historical documentation would minimally mean Jesus Christ had access to supernatural power and was perhaps supernatural in origin himself. I explained that the critic could opine that Jesus Christ was a god like Thor, for example.
Jesus Christ also healed a sick woman (Mark 5:24-34).
To be noted is the importance of human faith many times in the New Testament, in God acting for persons. The miraculous and supernatural was not typical even in Biblical times, but primarily occurred to demonstrate the power of the culminated Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ.
Any supernatural activity demonstrating power over life and death is a cumulative proof of an almighty God nature, not merely a god nature, This is infinitely beyond what could be reasoned in our modern age a finite god-like alien, like Thor and Superman. This was demonstrated by Jesus Christ as perfect man and incarnated God that raised the girl from death (Mark 5: 35-43).
Most importantly the resurrection of Christ documented in the New Testament, is the ultimate divine proof over life and death. This directly connects to the eventual and ultimate resurrection and perfection of those in Christ (1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 21-22).
It is simply reasonable that the infinite, divine author of life, even incarnated as a man, can recreate and resurrect life.
Again, in Mark 5: 36, and the New American Standard Bible, Jesus Christ asked the synagogue official to not be afraid any longer and only believe. God works through faith, although I would not state dogmatically that God always requires human faith. God is sovereign and acts accordingly.
The course handbook asks if it was a reasonable request by Jesus Christ. It was only if Christ has access to life and death and God's power. Christ went further in his ministry by forgiving sins and holding power over life and death as God.
2. How does this add to what we've already seen about his power and authority in earlier chapters.
I agreed with the church teacher that the disciples were gaining knowledge of the supernatural power and origin of Jesus Christ. Again, I pointed out that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from dead demonstrated infinite, almighty power from God.
Mark 2: 5-11 New American Version Bible (NASB)
5 And Jesus seeing their faith *said to the paralytic, “[c]Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins [d]but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus, aware [e]in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, *said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He *said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.”
From the first article I stated in regard to the title 'Son of Man.'
Browning notes the phrase Son of Man is common from Jesus and is in the gospels and in Acts 7 and Revelation 1:13. Browning (1996: 349). Browning reasons that an increasingly accepted view is that Jesus meant the term in an elusive, roundabout way of acknowledging his significance as ‘I, being the man I am’.Browning (1996: 350).
Erickson writes that the resurrection established the fact that the Son of Man is Christ, and that he is both a man that walked on earth and a heavenly being who would come in the future in the clouds of heaven. Erickson (1994: 693). Erickson explains that Jesus used the term Son of Man of himself and that one person, Jesus Christ, was both earthly man and pre-existent divine God who became incarnate man. Erickson (1994: 726).
Reasons for God June 17, 2013 By Carson Weitnauer
Bart Ehrman objects to the idea of Jesus Christ being God:
Quote
'For instance, in his book Did Jesus Exist?, Dr. Bart Ehrman claims in at least three places that the Gospel of Mark never mentions that Jesus is God. Most emphatically, Ehrman states, “In Mark Jesus is certainly not God.”'
Quote
'Instead, Ehrman thinks history leads to a fundamentally different conclusion about the nature of Jesus. He writes, Moreover, I agree with Schweitzer’s overarching view, that Jesus is best understood as a Jewish prophet who anticipated a cataclysmic break in history in the very near future, when God would destroy the forces of evil to bring in his own kingdom here on earth (KL 176-178).'
Interestingly, Jesus Christ leads with 'Son, your sins are forgiven'.and not God the Father or God has forgiven your sins. He takes personal authority for forgiving sins. Jesus Christ claims to be the Son of Man and does not make the theological corrective in the story that he was only a prophet representing God.
In Acts, as example, disciples and Apostles would perform the supernatural in the name of Jesus Christ as part of the triune God-head.
Acts 3: 4-9
'4 But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!” 5 And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” 7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. 8 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God;'
The disciples and Apostles as would a Prophet healing in the name of the Biblical God, make the definite and definitive distinction between themselves as finite servant and healer and the infinite, almighty God. Even as incarnate man in the context of the text it is clear Jesus Christ healed and forgave sins as God.
3. What are the different ways in which people respond to Jesus?
In Mark 4: 40-41
Timid and with no faith (NASB). As we discussed in the course, there was a progression of faith occurring with the disciples.
In Mark 5: 15
The disciples feared the 'legion' of demons from the demon-possessed. In time, based on the New Testament many disciples that endured in the new Christian faith and philosophy would eventually be able to cast out demons through the power of Christ and the triune God.
In Mark 5: 27-28, 34
The use of human faith by Jesus Christ and God is shown. Philosophically, I would opine that God as first cause, causes and wills a second cause to have significant faith.
God can force or coerce human thoughts, acts and actions and then later the person having been molded by God could with what I call 'limited free will' within compatibilism, embrace it. But I reason significant moral accountability by human, angelic, demonic or other rational beings is only the case with a significant limited free will and choice. If God forces or coerces persons or rational beings in thoughts, acts and actions, in agreement with philosophers of religion such as Alvin C. Plantinga (God, Freedom and Evil), I hold that freedom is required for human and rational finite creature, moral accountability. It could be stated that divine force or coercion would eventually evolve to divine moulding and persuasion.
I have pondered on this issue recently and opine it would not be in error to pray that someone be forced or coerced by God to reason and perform within God perfect will as opposed to God's permissible will. This is acceptable in regard to human and rational creature moral responsibility, as long as eventually within the chain of events, human limited free will embraces what God has initially caused. This limited free will connected by chain to finite human nature that within this realm is corrupted (Romans).
I am not stating that God always uses force or coercion in dealing with fallen human beings. As I documented in my MPhil and PhD theses work, moulding and persuasion were the preferred terms and meanings in the case of God's enlightening of the elect (Ephesians 1-2).
In Mark 5: 42
People were astounded by the power over life and death from Jesus Christ. I agreed with the church teacher that I would be too, until led by God with significant evidence.
I therefore answer the final workbook question that I do relate to these responses. It should be noted that as post-New Testament era Christians we have the benefit of theological hindsight via compiled volumes of historical Scripture and associated scholarship and teaching.
BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Oxford Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (1977)(2002) God, Freedom, and Evil, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
