Author Archives: Mark

Bible 911 Luke

Posted on by
4

This edition of Bible 911 is from Luke and is found in the story of the feeding of the five thousand. Why would Jesus feed 5,000 people and then feed 4,000 more soon after that? How does this miracle fit into the Kingdom timeline of Jesus heading to Passover? What does each Gospel add to the narrative to form a “big picture”? Whom did Jesus want to perform this miracle?

A Little Background

Luke was a Greek doctor that was known as a traveling companion of Paul. He wrote the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts for a person known as Theophilus. Since “most excellent Theophilus” means “strongest God friend” I have to wonder if that was a play on words or some hidden meaning. In Luke 1:1-3 he makes it clear that he has done a lot of research and feels he should write an account of what he knows. It seems that Luke follows the basic timeline in Matthew and Mark but puts events and stories together differently to achieve a smooth tale for Theophilus.

Luke is the only writer to include the narrative about the 72 disciples who were sent out. I think because of this, a tradition was started that he was part of those 72 disciples. We do not know this as a fact.    

Feeding the 5,000

Luke 9: 11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. (KJV) Luke’s telling of this miracle starts in verse 10 and runs through verse 17. The story of feeding the 5, 000 is one of a few events that make it into all four Gospels. The stories are basically the same. They are found in Matthew 14, John 6, and Mark 6.

John adds about the little boy’s lunch (In my tradition, that is John Mark, his nephew.) People have picked Feeding to be one of the seven miracles that show Jesus as Lord. Really, John has more miracles than just seven, but this sign was given for a reason. I think it mirrors the feeding of Israel in the wilderness, something tradition said the Messiah had to do to prove Himself. It is possible that Jesus added the feeding of the 4,000 after He refused to give the Pharisees a sign, just because He was Jesus.

I wish to highlight that this period was part of Jesus’s final push before He went to Jerusalem to die. Luke 9:11 says that He welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom, and healed those who needed it. The pattern of teaching about the kingdom of God/Heaven and healing the sick is well established in the Gospels and Acts. It makes you wonder what happened.

This list is compiled from all four Gospels. It may be missing parts from your favorite telling, just include them for your study. In my long-running study of the Kingdom, I noticed that in Matthew, mentions of John the Baptist and blocks/levels of specific teaching on the Kingdom go hand-in-hand. Here are twelve events that are associated with the feeding of the 5,000 and His preparation for Jerusalem.     

  1.  The Twelve are sent out and John the Baptist is killed.
  2. Jesus is seeking quiet time and feeds 5,000+ people.
  3. Jesus walks on water.
  4. John 6:15 The Bread of Life.
  5. Questioned about clean and unclean practices, and His authority.
  6. The group goes to Tyre and the Decapolis for specific healings.
  7. 4,000+ are fed.
  8. Matthew 16:1 is a demand for a sign.
  9. Yeast of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herod.
  10. Peter’s confession and Jesus predicts His death.
  11. The Transfiguration for the inner circle, while talking to Moses and Elijah.
  12. 72 are sent out to prepare the way to go to Jerusalem.  

As Master Teacher, Jesus provided hands-on learning opportunities and evaluation experiences for His students. The Twelve being sent out filled both of these learning events. In Luke 9:13 it is clear that Jesus wanted them to feed the crowd, that is a master-level evaluation. The students did not pass that test. So, Jesus began a reteach by feeding the 5,000 and walking on water. (A miracle to rival opening the Red Sea.)

Jesus was preparing the Disciples for the “ride into Jerusalem” and Pentecost. (Remember, Judas Iscariot, was present for these events.) Jesus still had His time on the East Bank and then the trek to the Mount of Olives and His Sermons on the Two Mounts.

Observations, Questions, and Comments

  • What did Jesus do when the disciples were out on their missionary trips?  Search and see if you can find any clues.
  • Jesus did reach out to Gentiles during His trips to Tyre and the Decapolis. These stops foreshadowed the work the Disciples were charged with.
  • 5,000+ people eating without washing their hands, which must have aggravated the Pharisees.  
  • Jesus told the disciples many times that He was to die. Not sure they listened well.

These are two sites from a web search about events in all four Gospels. I am adding these for reference.

10 Events Seen in All 4 Gospels (whatchristianswanttoknow.com)

The Bible in a Year: Seven stories that all the same in all 4 Gospels (sylviabibleinayear.blogspot.com)

Krypto in the Bible

Posted on by
Reply

Krypto and its various forms are used in the Bible that was written in Greek (New Testament). This is a thought that makes translators work, hard. I am using the Mounce website as a reference. The simple transliteration is krypto, but it does take various forms and is used eighteen times. In the text we read it may be-hid/hide, hidden, secret, covered, or concealed. The Strong’s number is G 2928.  

Some of the verses that caught my attention are:

Matthew 13: 44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (KJV)

Matthew 25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. (KJV) This is from the Sermon on the Two Mounts.

On the lighter side, Superman’s dog is named Krypto. That should come from kryptonite and not something hidden.

  Psalms the Fourth Book

Posted on by
Reply

The fourth book within the Book of Psalms contains #90 to 106. I am going on the idea that they may have been organized to reflect the Five Books of Moses. If that is factual Book IV corresponds to Numbers. It may be that David started this organization, but I feel that Hezekiah could have authored Psalm 102. So, we do not know who did the final editing of Psalms, but it has been this way for a very long time. More mysteries that we get to search out.

As I muse on the Books of Moses, I see them this way:

  1. Genesis is the creation of the world and the Hebrew people.
  2. Exodus is about freeing the people from Egypt and introducing how to be in the presence of God.
  3. Leviticus is for the priest to be able to help the people.
  4. Numbers, well, is numbers about the people and the numbers in the history of the trip.
  5. Deuteronomy is the second telling of the Laws and the trip.

Psalms 90 to 100 are thought to be from Moses and reflect what the former slaves needed to learn and remember. Psalm 100: 6 includes the name Samuel, which throws people into a tizzy. If Moses wrote these, Samuel could be one of many leaders that are not named in the Exodus.  Psalm 101 is written by David. Psalm 102 is a prayer of an afflicted man; I think it was written by Hezekiah during /after he was healed. Psalm 103 is by David. Psalms 104 to 106 are unnamed, but they tell the history of creation (104) and 105 and 106 are very good recaps of the Exodus. Psalm 106 adds details that seem to be written after David, verses 40 to 48. I can hear this coming after Jeremiah, more likely it was written by Ezra or Nehemiah or beyond. The fourth book of Psalms does a good job of covering the history of Israel.

The Bible and Science-Erg and Dyne

Posted on by
Reply

I have been using the Mounce Interlinear to help in my studies. While studying the works of God I came across the words: ergon (Strong’s G2041) and energeo (Strong’s G1754). The science word I recognized is erg. In science, it is a unit of energy and is associated with work. The Greek words not only deal with work but doing work and some translations will also say power in some passages.

A dyne comes from the Greek word dúnamis (Strong’s G1411) and is power or force in the New Testament. Ergs and dynes come together in the formula for a joule. Our word dynamite is derived from dunamis.

The Ark- the Chest

Posted on by
11

The three parts of the Ark of the Covenant are the Mercy Seat, the Chest or Ark, and the Poles. This post will look at the Chest of the Ark and its symbolism of Jesus. The given instructions are in Exodus 25:10-12 and its purpose is in verse sixteen. The Chest was to hold the stone tables of the Law. Over the course of time a pot manna and Aaron’s symbol of leadership, the sprouted staff was also placed inside the Chest. (Hebrews 9:4)

Materials and Parts

  • Acacia wood
  • Gold (to cover the wood)
  • A gold molding
  • Four gold rings (for the Poles)
  • Four feet

(Symbols and symbolism can be like beauty – “it is in the eyes of the beholder”. There is always more that can be said, please add these to your list.)

  1. I looked but did not see where ornaments or decorations were added to the sides of acacia wood.
  2. The gold on the wood speaks of Jesus’ dual nature God/Man, heavenly/earthly, plain/rich. This list could go on for a while.
  3. The gold molding can represent the crown that was always His. It should have helped to maintain the Mercy Seat on the top of the Ark.
  4. The feet were necessary for the attachment of the rings. This arrangement would have the Ark high and lifted above the Levities who carried it.
  5. The rings held the Poles (the Holy Spirit).

The Real Ark

Moses made a copy of what he saw in heaven when he talked with God on Mount Sinai. Revelation 11:19 is John seeing the Ark in the heavenly Temple. Is there possibly still an ark here on earth? Sure, why not, but it is still a copy of what Moses saw. John 1:17 says it differently, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” 

Five

Numbers and symbols are tools of our God to teach us lessons. They are not to be feared or worshipped, they do not bring you good or ill, they are just tools. Instead of fearing them, fear the One who made them. With that said, pundits of the past and present see five as representing grace. Why? When they count things in the Bible, they see sets of five as being associated with the things of grace. (Remember what your eyes see.) Are they wrong, NO? If you do an internet search for things in the Bible, please be aware that many secular and New Age sites work biblical numbers in with their non-godly philosophies.

Jesus is the reason we have God’s grace. The ark/chest, which I see as representing Jesus, has five sides. The sixth panel of the box is the Mercy Seat, which is the Father. This idea helped me to make sense of why five fish fed the 5,000. The five fish were broken into pieces (like Jesus was broken) and that allowed for the 5,000 to receive grace and be fed. If you continue your study to when the crowds found Jesus on the other side of the lake; Jesus called them out for only wanting to be fed. The forty years of manna was in this conversation. A jar of manna was in the Ark for a long time.  

Rules, Provisions, Leadership

Moses was directed by God to put three items in the Ark: Tablets of the Law, a gold jar of manna, and Aaron’s rod. These items are the reason I began this study. A pastor I respect rightfully said that these things are associated with rebellion against God. He continued by saying that they are covered by being in “Jesus”. I saw the items as positive things that Jesus has waiting for us in Him. Like the Tree in the Garden, many things can have good/bad thoughts associated with them.

  • Manna – This heavenly bread was going to be supplied because the people had to eat. The congregation of Israel just had to complain instead of thanking God for His provision. The amount stored was an omer. The same amount that one person needed for one day.
  • Aaron’s Rod – God had a dead stick blossom and fruit so everyone could see whom He picked to be responsible for leading the Levities. This came about because Korah (a Levite) wanted authority that was not for him to have. The stick blossomed as an almond. See the post on Fruit and Nuts.
  • Stone Tablets of the Law – The tablets that went in were the second set God wrote. Moses broke the first set because of the golden calf Aaron had made and how quickly the people went wild. The Law was given to help us and would have been stored somewhere.
  • Gold – (How you look at things.) The inside of the Ark was covered with gold. Just saying.

Questions

When and how did the manna and rod leave the Ark? Were the contents ever brought out and shown to the people? How big were the tablets?

A Little of the Ark’s Travels

  • In Judges the Ark was in Bethel, this is where Jacob saw the stairs and angels coming and going from heaven.
  • Samuel starts with the Ark in Shiloh.
  • After the Philistines returned it, they had it for seven months. The people took it to Kiriath Jearim (Baalah of Judah), a Levitical town. It stayed there for twenty years. It is hard to say if the Ark and the rest of the Tabernacle were together at this time, but it did not go back to Shiloh. This is a serious separation. No, sacrificing near the presence of God.
  • David puts it on a new cart (like the Philistines) and tries to move it to Jerusalem. A priest dies and it goes to the house of Obed-Edom for three months. The question here is did anyone know the correct way to transport the Ark? The priest and Levites seemed to agree and go along with this improper way of honoring God.
  • David pitches a tent for the Ark in Jerusalem, and it stays there until Solomon moves it into the Temple.
  • Through good kings and bad, the Ark stays in the Temple. 2 Chronicles 35:3 is the last mention of the physical Ark I can find. Josiah is telling the Levites to stop carrying it around Jerusalem and teach the people. Treasures had been removed by several invading countries, and kings have used the Temple’s treasures to buy off bully nations, but no one touched the Ark. You have to wonder if the seven months in the land of the Philistines had something to do with it?
  • Jeremiah 3:16 is the last mention of the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament timeline. It actually is a promise from God to the people about not needing it. The last part of the verse, to me, is strange- “nor will another one be made”. Bible translations seem to be split on how to handle this verse. Many infer that seeking the Ark won’t happen. (There are legends that Solomon may have made a copy.) It is assumed that Jeremiah, a priest, removed the Ark from the Holy of Holies and hid it or carried it off.

The shadows that these movements and events create are complex. The symbol of the triune God in the hands of the Philistines is very unnerving. I could see links to Jesus’ life and sacrifice here. The roughly 400 years of silence in scripture about the Ark also leaves many questions. I will take for granted that the priest still carried out their duties, but did the people join them? Hezekiah and Josiah both had “cleaning out the Temple” and “finding the Book of the Law” moments, so it seems that the priest had lapses in doing what was right.

Simple links and comparisons of the chest of the Ark to Jesus may be few. I know this study has challenged me to see and seek God are more insight into this mystery.