Day #288

Sermon - Audio
Matt 8:14-34 & Mark 4-5 - Reading
Matt 8:14-34 & Mark 4-5 - Audio

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Matt 8:14-34

*Jesus healed many that were sick. There is no telling how many people he healed during His ministry. Isaiah 53 is quoted that speaks of Jesus' coming. Our infirmities came at the cost of His agony.

Notes on Enthusiastic "Follower"

*Many times we can believe that following Jesus is "glamorous." However, Jesus tells the man that this is just not true. He doesn't say no, but tells him the reality of it all.

*By the way, Jesus is not saying that he is homeless, but just that if he had a home he didn't stay there very often as His ministry led Him from place to place. It is most likely that Jesus could have returned to His parent's home, but that He more than likely didn't because time was just too short.

Other Notes in this passage:

*The man is not just asking to go bury his already dead father. However, it seems that his father is dying and the he wants to stay with him till he dies, bury him, and then come to Jesus. The possibility of someone being a disciple someday was not what Jesus was after. He wanted people to make a final decision. He wanted them to know that in order to be His disciple, they would have to give up some things.

*This is the same occurrence as yesterday's passages, but in the other gospel they only mention one of them men.

Mark 4

Parable of the Soils - See notes from yesterday.

Kingdom Parables:

*Growing Seed - The word of God works within us. When we sow the seed through words and works, it is up to God to grow them.

*Mustard Seed - Again, see notes from yesterday

Galilee Story - See notes from yesterday

Mark 5

Demon-Possessed Man - See notes from the previous 2 days.

Notes on the Healing of the Daughter

*Great multitudes seem to gather around Jesus everywhere He goes. Jesus is a compelling figure for obvious reasons.

*The man is a "ruler of the synagogue" = managed the affairs of the synagogue. He was well-respected, most likely a "pastor" in modern-day terms.

*The man shows confidence in the healing of Jesus.

*Jesus stops in the middle of this healing, for another one.

Notes on the healing of the Woman

*This woman's condition makes her ceremonially and socially unclean. This is a huge issue in Jewish society. If she touched anyone, they were unclean as well. Everyone would have avoided her.

*In Luke 8:43 we are told that this woman was now poor by trying to be healed from physicians.

*She thought that Jesus wouldn't touch her, knowing her condition. Thus, she secretly did it.

*The woman showed great faith in Jesus that by only touching Him, would she be healed.

*This is the only occasion where we see Jesus "knowing that power had gone out."

*The woman knew that Jesus was powerful and could do anything, especially after she knew she had been healed. Jesus reassures her that she has been healed and sends her on her way.

Continued...Notes on the Healing of the Daughter

*The girl dies, but Jesus will use this as an opportunity.

*Jesus tells the ruler to "believe."

*The Mourners, the "They" in, "And they ridiculed Him." = “Since even the poorest man was required by common custom to hire a minimum of two fluteplayers and one professional mourner in the event of his wife’s death, it is probable that one who held the rank of synagogue-ruler would be expected to hire a large number of professional mourners.” -Lane-

*Jesus puts out the doubters, so the believers can see and praise God for Jesus' works.