The Gospel of Mark

[paradox3]

It does make a difference we need to understand who the ultimate Power & Authority is to keep us humble & compassionate, because we know all too well any power we think we have on our part corrupts, and feeds ego and pride.

This is an important observation. I think I have been questioning the distinction from the point of view of the person who receives the healing. You and @Mendalla seem to be looking at it from the point of view of the person able to perform the healing. Good insights, thanks.

 

[paradox3]

My understanding is that the relative powers of certain superheroes and how they obtained them is a topic of discussion. Like your conversation about powers here.

Got it.

Do you think they spend time at these conventions discussing whether the superheroes' powers are literal or metaphorical?

What about the nature of comic books? Has it been determined if they are historical documents or persuasive essays?

 

[Jaebius]

And from Mark's gospel:

Mark 3:14-15 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
14 And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, 15 and to have authority to cast out demons.

In the area where Jesus had been performing the miracles, there was a mountain.

Jesus managed to dismiss the crowd for a time, since he wanted to gain assistants and successors in his ministry. On this hill they'd be undisturbed, and he'd have leisure to give them the information concerning the call given them at this time.

He called to him those whom he wanted; he chose from the total number of his missionaries.

And as he chose them, they came to him in a place apart from the others. He then constituted twelve missionaries as a body for themselves.

Jesus' charge to them consisted in these points: That they should be with him, should be sent out by him and should have power to cast out demons.

The 12 were thus called, and they received their charge. And their names are recorded in order.

There was Simon Peter and James and John. These three are mentioned first, because they were Jesus' friends, being with him both on the Mount of Transfiguration and also in Gethsemane.

There was Andrew, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas, James, Thaddaeus and Simon.

Last is mentioned Judas, the traitor, who was let into the 12 that prophecy might be fulfilled.

Their charge having been made to them, the 12 returned to the valley with Jesus, and entered into a house. They needed rest and recreation, the last days having been strenuous.

 

[Luce NDs]

In the light of the first mark ... which was "X" or aleph of the unknown .. we don;t know the source yet ... so it must be an indeterminate mystery.

Those that claim to know the mystery are off track because of some agenda often turning up ... as abstract and dark as a well ... absence of what we know about what's lost in the gamma ... tis not a Q 'eu over how this was arranged to be disrupted by mortals ... thus false lines ... to satisfy Trumps needs to not know ... thus heh doesn't as God's representative in the US parts ... a stroke of luck that they are there and here we are!

As always this too will change ... and we will be nickeled and dimed by plutocrats ... thus the lights go out in GEO Gaia to allow rest ... all that's left after the right flare ... superpowers thus become superfluous as they extend themselves into the nebuli ... the dark Zoans ...

Relax ... it is only a strange word ... gives sinking feeling to those with their backs up ...

 

[paradox3]

Summary: Mark 3: 20-35

Now Jesus returns home and the crowd gathers, making it impossible for Him to even eat. People have been saying that Jesus is out of his mind. The scribes, arriving from Jerusalem, say Jesus is casting out demons by the power of Satan. Jesus responds in parables.

How can Satan cast out Satan? A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. A house divided against itself cannot stand. If Satan has risen up to stand against himself, Satan's end has come.

No one can enter a house and plunder it without tying up the strong man.

People will be forgiven their sins and blasphemies but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.

Then His mother and brothers came and called Him. Jesus replied that whoever does the will of God is His mother and brother and sister.

 

[Luce NDs]

Ignorant answers for things not previously understood that are now mostly believed by gullible people, yes.





How is this any different than the average conversation you might overhear at Comicon?

Gullible .. like Heathcliff and Gertrude debating the fish?

 

[Jaebius]

Summary: Mark 3: 20-35

Now Jesus returns home and the crowd gathers, making it impossible for Him to even eat. People have been saying that Jesus is out of his mind. The scribes, arriving from Jerusalem, say Jesus is casting out demons by the power of Satan. Jesus responds in parables.

How can Satan cast out Satan? A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. A house divided against itself cannot stand. If Satan has risen up to stand against himself, Satan's end has come.

No one can enter a house and plunder it without tying up the strong man.

People will be forgiven their sins and blasphemies but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. Such a person has an unclean spirit.

Then His mother and brothers came and called Him. Jesus replied that whoever does the will of God is His mother and brother and sister.

No sooner had Jesus come home than a crowd again assembled. So urgent were they to see him that Christ and his missionaries couldn't eat the food they needed.

Meanwhile, Jesus' relatives were worrying about him. They'd heard about the crowd and its insistence upon seeing Jesus and their giving him no rest.

So they set out from where they were with the purpose of taking care of him; for they thought he was bordering on insanity. This idea was due to ignorance. Jesus was God's Son, and he wouldn't submit to the extent as was supposed by his relatives.

 

[Luce NDs]

I apologize for arriving late to the party. Life has been busy.

I tend to read all of these forms of "healing" as similar in that they are part of restoring the ostracized, for whatever reason, to community. People who were ill, disabled, mentally or spiritually tortured, or whatever, were often viewed as "unclean" by the Jewish (aka early Christian) culture of the time, and therefore segregated. By removing whatever caused them to be viewed as unclean they were returned to the embrace of community. I read most healing narratives, of any kind, with this view.

Ostracized is a separate idea to ... causing mental conflicts for shore ... in the distraught pool! That 200% thing like in IQ ... differing with the IG that was ignited by a few strange words passing over as light and flighty! Ignitious ... fiery stones ...

 

[Luce NDs]

It does make a difference we need to understand who the ultimate Power & Authority is to keep us humble & compassionate, because we know all too well any power we think we have on our part corrupts, and feeds ego and pride.

Maintain balance BB takes 200% input due to our inconsistencies ... especially surrounding the agenda's unseen regarding the Golden Rule as powerfully corrupted by leaders that leave out wonky portions ... remaiders forming the left that grows dissonant and in numbers due to point men ... dunne sing or Dun*Cis!

God remains unknown ... a strange love when overbalanced ...

Recall there is nothing stranger than Gods essence ... essentially it comes and goes as love and info do their dance ... duck ... incoming aliens ... could these crash?

In some traditions these are labelled the highland downs ... strange runnings about!

Nothing gathers more than a burning soapbox or pseudepigraphic ... face on a stone (masquing what isn't; dearly departed because of emotional disruption of what was formerly thought ... a medium line ... quite mean due to the ends)!

Say something strange and watch the scatter ... so god went due to elimination theory ... we hated to be told alien stuff ... now all we see is Ides darker side! Great desire to know not ... tis questionable by some quirky reasoning ... a lark?

At tickle 'd finch ... mire touch on hatred! In the Lee of the Harper ... wonky Ness ... difficult to speak about as the wrong end?

Thus the toons and God gave thish ong ... in space? Diphthongs ... expounded ... in reality they too expire ...

 

[paradox3]

Reflection: Mark 3: 20-35

Interest in Jesus from the crowds seems to be escalating but people are saying He is out of His mind. His family is concerned about Him but He rebuffs them. The scribes, meanwhile, accuse Him of being in cahoots with Satan.

Jesus is in growing danger.

I am puzzled by blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. The Message gives us this to ponder:

Mark 3:28-30 The Message (MSG)
28-30 “Listen to this carefully. I’m warning you. There’s nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven. But if you persist in your slanders against God’s Holy Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives, sawing off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives.” He gave this warning because they were accusing him of being in league with Evil.

 

[Jaebius]

I am puzzled by blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the refusal of someone who was at one time a Christian to admit their shame, repent of it and desire God to forgive them in Christ.

 

[Luce NDs]

Those that are hostile towards nothing in particular ... mostly everything in the domain of conflict wishing to put down literary devices ... myths to counter lies?

Doubtful co opting lacks co ope' rations! Heaped words ... that's God in the dark ... go unravel or figure ... free choice!

 

[paradox3]

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the refusal of someone who was at one time a Christian to admit their shame, repent of it and desire God to forgive them in Christ.

Are you reading this into Mark 3:28-30? Or getting it from somewhere else?

 

[Redbaron]

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the refusal of someone who was at one time a Christian to admit their shame, repent of it and desire God to forgive them in Christ.

Since, in the time when Jesus walked the earth, no Christians yet existed, are you saying there was no blasphemy against the Spirit then? Or could it be that there's a deeper meaning that whatever book you're quoting from doesn't recognize?

 

[Jaebius]

Are you reading this into Mark 3:28-30? Or getting it from somewhere else?

I can't recall where I first learned it p3. It's pretty orthodox Christian doctrine.

 

[Jaebius]

Since, in the time when Jesus walked the earth, no Christians yet existed, are you saying there was no blasphemy against the Spirit then? Or could it be that there's a deeper meaning that whatever book you're quoting from doesn't recognize?

Not quoting from a book Redbaron. If I was, I'd give the source. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is discussed from time to time in evangelical churches.

I've never participated in a discussion concerning what the case was before Christ.

 

[Luce NDs]

Doctrine usually has its own cranky agenda ... thus the spin ... eve angels fall upon you darkly ... causing fairy circles ... especially under the eye's of those not taking a chance to rest it ... or whats' left of the mental BUNG!

Thus God's arid and needs a's wish ... thus washed up ...

 

[paradox3]

I can't recall where I first learned it p3. It's pretty orthodox Christian doctrine.

In order to engage with Mark's gospel, as some of us are attempting to do here, you might need to recognize it as a bias you bring to the text. There is nothing wrong with biases, we all have them, but they are important to recognize.

I am frequently made aware of certain liberal biases I hold as I study the gospels here on WC2.

 

[Redbaron]

Given that this saying about the unforgivable sin arises when Jesus is accused of being possessed by Beelzabul, it might well be that blaspheming the Spirit is trying to malign someone's good intent/.deed by ascribing an evil motivation to it without cause; sort of what Isaiah wrote about when he railed against those who called good evil, and evil good.

 

[Jaebius]

In order to engage with Mark's gospel, as some of us are attempting to do here, you might need to recognize it as a bias you bring to the text. There is nothing wrong with biases, we all have them, but they are important to recognize.

I am frequently made aware of certain liberal biases I hold as I study the gospels here on WC2.

Hmm... seems to me I've mentioned at least once on WC2 - on another thread if not this one - that everyone brings biases into reading the text. Anyone who wants to seriously study the Scriptures needs to first recognize their own biases.