"'If you had known Me, you should have known My Father also; and from henceforth you know Him, and have seen Him.' Philip said unto Him, 'Lord show us the Father and it will be enough for us.'" John 14:7-8
Maybe our current age is not so much different from past times and cultures, but it seems to me that in Western society, at least, the abundance of time and resources has produced in us a restlessness that fosters a grasping, self-seeking, greedy spirit. Contentment is one word that is lacking in most household vocabularies. It seems as if it does not matter how much we have, we always want more. We strive after the next promotion in the office, we want the latest gadget or fashion trend, or we want one more week of vacation. And who ever has enough money? It seems as if our lives are a constant striving after that which is bigger, newer, better, or cutting-edge. Unfortunately, what applies to the secular environment can also be found in the spiritual. Spiritual contentment (not to be confused with mere passivity) is as rare in the Church as in the world. We are forever seeking out the latest praise song, the newest technology to help us worship and fellowship, the most current life-changing seminar, the cutting-edge means and methods to build up the kingdom, the newest book to mold our theology or personal behavior, or larger sanctuaries and ministry centers for the glory of God. We run from gathering to gathering collecting personal blessing or a new word from the Lord or a fresh experience with God. But these things are no more fulfilling then their counterparts in the secular world. They are a quick "fix" that gives us a momentary mountain-top feeling, but always leaves us wanting more. They sometimes keep us from the depths of spiritual contentment that really needs to be present in our lives. If we were more content, I believe we would live more consistently day to day instead of living like we were on a roller-coaster. We choose the role of Martha "encumbered with much serving" instead of the role of Mary whom the Lord said had "chosen that good part which shall not be taken away." (John 10:38-42). But in every age of the Church there have been those who have learned and lived in true spiritual contentment, recognizing those things that are "needful" and finding in them everything that is sufficient for the day. Such a man was Philip, the Apostle.
Philip finds a more prominent place in the New Testament Scriptures than many of the other apostles. He appears in each of the four lists of Apostles found in the synoptic evangelists and in each of the lists appears fifth after Peter, Andrew, James and John. Many historians have concluded that he was a follower of John the Baptist. There are several arguments for this. First, his calling is only recorded in the gospel of John (John 1:43-46). John was one of the disciples of the Baptist (more than a casual or curious on-looker) and would have been acquainted with other disciples including Philip. He therefore records details of his calling that no other evangelist does. Second, Philip has a longing and expectancy for the coming of the Messiah that is likely to have been ignited by the teaching of the Baptist. After his calling he seeks out Nathanael to share the proclamation that "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write." (i.e. the Messiah). Note the use of the plural word "we", implying that he was part of a larger circle of seekers.
The early Church fathers believe him to be descended from the tribe of Zebulun and in the New Testament and writings of the Church Fathers, he is referred to as Philip, the Apostle, to distinguish him from Philip, the deacon and evangelist (mentioned in Acts 6:5, Acts 8:4-14, Acts 8:25-40 and Acts 21:8-9). He is recorded as speaking three other times in the gospels, all recorded in the gospel of John. The first is found in John 6:1-7.at the feeding of the 5,000. Philip was confronted by Jesus who questioned him concerning how they intended to feed the gathered crowd. Philip answered from an honest assessment of the need, "Two hundred denarii's worth of bread is not sufficient for them [the crowd] that each of them might have a little." He then witnesses the great miracle that Jesus did with only five loaves and two small fish. The second is found in John 12:20-22 when the Greeks arrived at the feast seeking Jesus. Philip came with Andrew to Jesus to announce them and instead received a revelation about Jesus's death, the seed that dies in the ground to bring forth much fruit. Each of these instances was a personal step deeper into the very heart of Jesus. Moving from "We have found the Messiah", to seeing the sufficiency of Jesus in any circumstance, to receiving the calling to follow in the sacrificial life of the Christ, Philip grew in his knowledge of his Lord. The third reference seems to complete his training. In John's gospel we read the details of the Last Supper in which many of the disciples asked questions or interacted with Christ in a time of uncertainty, growing threat and veiled revelations of the Lord's death. In John 14:7-12 Philip shows that he at least has his priorities right. "Lord, show us the Father and it will be enough for us." Jesus responds that in Him the fullness of the Father is to be seen and known. And that is sufficient for Philip.
What little more we know of him comes from records contained in Eusebius' History of the Church. In Book 3, Chapter 30 Eusebius quotes Clement, bishop of Alexandria as stating that Philip was married, had children, and had given his daughters in marriage. In Book 3, Chapter 31 he quotes Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus writing to Victor, bishop of Rome as saying "For in Asia also, mighty luminaries have fallen asleep....Philip, one of the twelve apostles who sleeps in Hierapolis." A fragment preserved from Papius, bishop of Hierapolis, states that he knew Philip and that he worked notable miracles including raising someone from the dead. Philip shares a remembrance day with St. James, the Less and is said to have ministered in central Asia and in Greece. There are contradictory stories concerning his death; some state he died a natural death and others that he was crucified under the Roman emperor Domitian. Little is known with certainty.
Let us return to the point at which we began and ask what lesson we can learn from the life of Philip. In a world in which true contentment is evasive at best, we see in the life of Philip an example of a man who recognizes the fullness of life when it is presented before him and who recognizes that its apprehension is sufficient. In his dual declarations "We have found the One...." and "Show us the Father and it is enough for us" we find a model for spiritual contentment. It is that contentment that produces a consistent, steadfast life that is wholly devoted to the Lord and His command, a life through which God is free to pour healing and grace and power. Let us never trade our simple devotion to Christ and his gospel for any self-gratification that the world or the practice of religion offers (II Corinthians 11:1-3). For as Paul declares elsewhere (Colossians 2:9-10) the fullness of God dwells in Christ and in Him, we are made complete (and to this I add content).
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
James, the Less, Apostle (Remembrance Day May 1)
"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting...If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all men liberally...." James 1:1, 5a
There is a tendency in any religion that professes to be founded at least partly in the supernatural sphere, to place an emphasis on other-worldliness. This often leads to severe asceticism as this world, our bodies and appetites, and indeed anything material is somehow seen as inferior and the source of great evil,. On the other hand, anything truly spiritual is seen as preferred and the target of our higher aspirations. Thus virginity is seen as a higher state of life=s calling than marriage, fasting is preferred to feasting, a priest is accounted closer to God than a farmer, and physical needs are neglected in favor of the search for spiritual ecstasy. But God dispelled the notion of any separation between things natural and things spiritual when He chose to ordain the restoration of our world via the Incarnation of His Son. This forever joined that which was the very fullness of the Godhead to that which was the very crown of God=s physical creation, humanity. This set Christianity apart from the religions of their time. It was not indoctrination into some hidden mystic wisdom, or the seeking of some high and lofty philosophy. It was nothing less than the restoration of the day to day stuff that life in our world is made up of by the Word of God dwelling among us. As such it is a very practical Areligion@ and is meant to be lived, not studied. The Scripture is clear that our world will continue to prefer its own wisdom because to them the sending of the Son of God to our world, not to bring in some new heavenly order but to die in shame upon the cross, appears nothing less than foolishness (see I Corinthians 1:18-25). But there are those men who recognize that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and who would gladly be counted foolish in the sight of the world to gain the kingdom. They are willing to spend themselves in the service of Jesus Christ putting faithful, consistent obedience and action to an unswerving faith in the promise of God. Such a man was James, called “the Less”, but proven to be a righteous man whose fervent prayers availed much.
The simplest place to start is in the apostolic lists contained in the synoptic gospels. All four lists (Matthew 10:2-5, Mark 3:14-19, Luke 6:13-16 and Acts 1:13) identify the apostle James as the Son of Alphaeus and consistently list him ninth in their order. He derives his descriptive title "the Less" from a passage in Mark 15:40 when Mark lists the women present at the crucifixion of Jesus stating that "There were also women looking on afar off, among whom were Mary Magdalene; and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joseph; and Salome..." When this scripture is compared to Matthew 27:56, Mark 16:1 and Luke 24:10 we find a remarkable agreement in the listing of the women present. It is when we add John 19:25 that a problem is introduced. John describes the women in this manner, "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” The conclusions that can be drawn from these scriptures and other evidence is that Mary was the mother of James the Less (apostle); that this Mary was the sister of Mary (mother of Jesus) and wife of Clopas; and that Clopas and Alphaeus are the same person. Other evidence favors the further conclusion that James was therefore the Abrother@ of the Lord, the brother of Jude the apostle, the head of the Church at Jerusalem, and the author of the Epistle of James. James never seems to have suffered from the identify crisis modern commentators try to give him as they try to sort among the various James= encountered in the New Testament. He is content to describe himself as "a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ."
If we hold to the conclusions written above, it is instructive to read the scriptures which then apply to James. Paul classifies James as the "Lord's brother" in Galatians 1:19 as he describes his trip to Jerusalem to confer with the disciples after his conversion and his preparation for ministry. Further on in Galatians 2:9 he classes James with Peter and John and calls them "pillars" of the church. From these three men Paul received the Church's recognition of his call to preach to the Gentiles. Paul further proclaims James to specifically be (singled-out) an eye-witness to the resurrection of the Lord in I Corinthians 15:5-7 "After that He (Jesus) was seen of James; then of all the apostles." It is likely that James' position as the head of the Jerusalem congregation required an eye-witness testimony to the risen Christ. The final passage is found in Acts 15:13-29. Persecution is widespread, Herod has already killed James the elder (brother of John) and has imprisoned Peter to please the Jews, Peter was miraculously released, told messengers to tell James of his release, and then "departed and went into another place." (Acts 12:1-19) The care and direction of the Jerusalem church was entrusted to James and it is recorded that he presided over the council of Jerusalem. After all sides are heard concerning the controversy of the requirements for Gentile believers, he brings the final judgment of the council and directs letters to be written to the local churches concerning the decision. He then disappears from further scriptural historical narrative, and from this point we must turn to other writings.
Eusebius in his History of the Church, Book 2 Chapter 23 quotes from Hegesippus who wrote in his fifth book of commentaries the following description of James. "James, the brother of the Lord, who, as there were many of this name, was surnamed the Just by all, from the days of our Lord until now, received the government of the church with the apostles. This apostle was consecrated from his mother's womb. He drank neither wine nor fermented liquors, and abstained from animal food. A razor never came upon his head, he never anointed himself with oil and he did not use the public baths. He alone was allowed to enter the sanctuary. He never wore woolen but linen garments. He was in the habit of entering the temple alone and was often found upon his bended knees and interceding for the forgiveness of the people; so that his knees became as hard as camel's in consequence of his habitual supplication and kneeling before God." Hegesippus further recounts his martyrdom. James was accused by the Scribes and Pharisees of blasphemy, thrown down from one of the temple wings, and then stoned and beaten. As he suffered he prayed the prayer of Christ from the cross, "I entreat you O Lord God and Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." As cooler heads tried to stop the beating a fuller ran forward with his fuller's club and crushed his head.
What further can be said of James? He chose to remain in one of the most resistant mission fields facing the church -- Jerusalem, the center of the Sanhedrin's power and influence. He was known for both his piety and his just dealings and was blameless in his behavior before God and men. He left behind his testament, the epistle that bears his name, written to the Christian Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire. And in that testament he exhorts them to faith, perseverance in trial, application of the word of God to daily life, justice and mercy towards widows and orphans, equity in their dealings with all men, faith put into meaningful action, consistency in daily behavior, humility before and dependence upon God, submission to His will, fervent prayer and a real expectation of the Lord's appearing. This is exactly the practical "religion" that incarnates divinity into every day life and has the power to "convert the sinner....save a soul from death and....cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:20) It is for that reason that James could boast of his Christianity in this way, "I will show you my faith (or substitute my Lord, His Kingdom, the grace and mercy of God, the sureness of His promise) by my works (that is, by the way I live out my daily life before you)." Like James may we also be fervent in prayer, steadfast in the promise of God, and extending our hands to those who need justice, mercy, forgiveness and grace.
There is a tendency in any religion that professes to be founded at least partly in the supernatural sphere, to place an emphasis on other-worldliness. This often leads to severe asceticism as this world, our bodies and appetites, and indeed anything material is somehow seen as inferior and the source of great evil,. On the other hand, anything truly spiritual is seen as preferred and the target of our higher aspirations. Thus virginity is seen as a higher state of life=s calling than marriage, fasting is preferred to feasting, a priest is accounted closer to God than a farmer, and physical needs are neglected in favor of the search for spiritual ecstasy. But God dispelled the notion of any separation between things natural and things spiritual when He chose to ordain the restoration of our world via the Incarnation of His Son. This forever joined that which was the very fullness of the Godhead to that which was the very crown of God=s physical creation, humanity. This set Christianity apart from the religions of their time. It was not indoctrination into some hidden mystic wisdom, or the seeking of some high and lofty philosophy. It was nothing less than the restoration of the day to day stuff that life in our world is made up of by the Word of God dwelling among us. As such it is a very practical Areligion@ and is meant to be lived, not studied. The Scripture is clear that our world will continue to prefer its own wisdom because to them the sending of the Son of God to our world, not to bring in some new heavenly order but to die in shame upon the cross, appears nothing less than foolishness (see I Corinthians 1:18-25). But there are those men who recognize that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and who would gladly be counted foolish in the sight of the world to gain the kingdom. They are willing to spend themselves in the service of Jesus Christ putting faithful, consistent obedience and action to an unswerving faith in the promise of God. Such a man was James, called “the Less”, but proven to be a righteous man whose fervent prayers availed much.
The simplest place to start is in the apostolic lists contained in the synoptic gospels. All four lists (Matthew 10:2-5, Mark 3:14-19, Luke 6:13-16 and Acts 1:13) identify the apostle James as the Son of Alphaeus and consistently list him ninth in their order. He derives his descriptive title "the Less" from a passage in Mark 15:40 when Mark lists the women present at the crucifixion of Jesus stating that "There were also women looking on afar off, among whom were Mary Magdalene; and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joseph; and Salome..." When this scripture is compared to Matthew 27:56, Mark 16:1 and Luke 24:10 we find a remarkable agreement in the listing of the women present. It is when we add John 19:25 that a problem is introduced. John describes the women in this manner, "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” The conclusions that can be drawn from these scriptures and other evidence is that Mary was the mother of James the Less (apostle); that this Mary was the sister of Mary (mother of Jesus) and wife of Clopas; and that Clopas and Alphaeus are the same person. Other evidence favors the further conclusion that James was therefore the Abrother@ of the Lord, the brother of Jude the apostle, the head of the Church at Jerusalem, and the author of the Epistle of James. James never seems to have suffered from the identify crisis modern commentators try to give him as they try to sort among the various James= encountered in the New Testament. He is content to describe himself as "a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ."
If we hold to the conclusions written above, it is instructive to read the scriptures which then apply to James. Paul classifies James as the "Lord's brother" in Galatians 1:19 as he describes his trip to Jerusalem to confer with the disciples after his conversion and his preparation for ministry. Further on in Galatians 2:9 he classes James with Peter and John and calls them "pillars" of the church. From these three men Paul received the Church's recognition of his call to preach to the Gentiles. Paul further proclaims James to specifically be (singled-out) an eye-witness to the resurrection of the Lord in I Corinthians 15:5-7 "After that He (Jesus) was seen of James; then of all the apostles." It is likely that James' position as the head of the Jerusalem congregation required an eye-witness testimony to the risen Christ. The final passage is found in Acts 15:13-29. Persecution is widespread, Herod has already killed James the elder (brother of John) and has imprisoned Peter to please the Jews, Peter was miraculously released, told messengers to tell James of his release, and then "departed and went into another place." (Acts 12:1-19) The care and direction of the Jerusalem church was entrusted to James and it is recorded that he presided over the council of Jerusalem. After all sides are heard concerning the controversy of the requirements for Gentile believers, he brings the final judgment of the council and directs letters to be written to the local churches concerning the decision. He then disappears from further scriptural historical narrative, and from this point we must turn to other writings.
Eusebius in his History of the Church, Book 2 Chapter 23 quotes from Hegesippus who wrote in his fifth book of commentaries the following description of James. "James, the brother of the Lord, who, as there were many of this name, was surnamed the Just by all, from the days of our Lord until now, received the government of the church with the apostles. This apostle was consecrated from his mother's womb. He drank neither wine nor fermented liquors, and abstained from animal food. A razor never came upon his head, he never anointed himself with oil and he did not use the public baths. He alone was allowed to enter the sanctuary. He never wore woolen but linen garments. He was in the habit of entering the temple alone and was often found upon his bended knees and interceding for the forgiveness of the people; so that his knees became as hard as camel's in consequence of his habitual supplication and kneeling before God." Hegesippus further recounts his martyrdom. James was accused by the Scribes and Pharisees of blasphemy, thrown down from one of the temple wings, and then stoned and beaten. As he suffered he prayed the prayer of Christ from the cross, "I entreat you O Lord God and Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." As cooler heads tried to stop the beating a fuller ran forward with his fuller's club and crushed his head.
What further can be said of James? He chose to remain in one of the most resistant mission fields facing the church -- Jerusalem, the center of the Sanhedrin's power and influence. He was known for both his piety and his just dealings and was blameless in his behavior before God and men. He left behind his testament, the epistle that bears his name, written to the Christian Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire. And in that testament he exhorts them to faith, perseverance in trial, application of the word of God to daily life, justice and mercy towards widows and orphans, equity in their dealings with all men, faith put into meaningful action, consistency in daily behavior, humility before and dependence upon God, submission to His will, fervent prayer and a real expectation of the Lord's appearing. This is exactly the practical "religion" that incarnates divinity into every day life and has the power to "convert the sinner....save a soul from death and....cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:20) It is for that reason that James could boast of his Christianity in this way, "I will show you my faith (or substitute my Lord, His Kingdom, the grace and mercy of God, the sureness of His promise) by my works (that is, by the way I live out my daily life before you)." Like James may we also be fervent in prayer, steadfast in the promise of God, and extending our hands to those who need justice, mercy, forgiveness and grace.
St. Mark, Evangelist (Remembrance Day April 25)
“Hearken: Behold there went out a sower to sow. And it came to pass as he sowed, some fell by the wayside and the birds of the air came and devoured it. And some fell on stony ground....and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it...And other fell on good ground and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth some thirtyfold, some sixty and some a hundred. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:3-9
We are sometimes reluctant to believe that our lives can ever amount to anything at all in the Kingdom of God; even more reluctant to believe that the grace of God is able to take our vessel of wood or clay and turn it into “a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and fit for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” (I Timothy 2:20-21) We tend to ascribe spiritual greatness, holiness, zeal, and boldness to those “other” saints (both ancient and current) who seem to be so much better fitted to work the works of God. But truth be told, both the scriptures and history more often portray these “great” Christians in their weaknesses, doubts, short-sightedness, and lack of faith. Each of them could truthfully find their lives mirrored in the parable of the sower told early in the ministry of Jesus. How often had the word touched their hearts only to be stolen away by sin and unbelief; how often had it appeared to have sprung up in joy only to whither far short of maturity; how often had it come up afresh in another good start only to be choked out by a thousand competing interests, cares or even fears. But then came that day when, by the grace of God, it fell on “good ground” -- ground ready for the seed, ground tended and watered and protected -- and it sprang up bearing fruit in an amazing abundance. Those that experience this “new life” are as amazed as anyone that it could ever have come to pass and they are so filled with the glory of that moment that everything else is lost in its intensity. Such a man was Mark, the Evangelist.
There is some difficulty in tracing his story until we recognize that he goes by the names John, Mark, Marcus and John Mark in the scriptures of the New Testament. We pick up the thread of his lineage and calling in Acts 12:11-12 where it records the miraculous deliverance of Peter from Herod’s prison and his return “to the house of Mary, the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.” Mary, here mentioned, was related to Barnabas, the companion of Paul and thus Mark is referred to in Colossians 4:10 as “sister’s son to Barnabas”. Most commentators understand this to mean Mark was a cousin to Barnabas. Mary offered up her home as a place for the church in Jerusalem to gather, and her son Mark to the gospel calling. In Acts 12: 24-25 as it records that as the word of God multiplied, Barnabas and Paul left on what would be called “The First Missionary Journey” taking “John, whose surname was Mark” with them. Their first mission field was Cyprus , Barnabas’ homeland (Acts 4:36). John Mark is identified in Acts 13:5 as being their helper or assistant. Luke uses this word in Luke 1:1 to describe those who besides the eyewitnesses upon which he depended for his gospel, were “servants” of the word. This carries the notion of writing down the events of the gospel or paying careful attention to them. This function served Mark well in his later work as evangelist.
Briefly, the thread in Acts plays out in this manner. The missionary team traveled the island of Cyprus from east to west until they came to Paphos (Acts 13:13-14). After they left the island sailing northward to Perga in Pamphylia, “John left them to return to Jerusalem.” The reason for leaving is not given, but when Paul and Barnabas were about to begin a second missionary journey through the regions that they had formerly preached and ministered in, it records in Acts 15:36-41 that Paul did not want to take Mark again, having judged his first decision to leave them as “desertion”. Paul felt so strongly about this that he and Barnabas were forced to split over the issue, Paul taking Silas through Syria and Asia Minor, and Barnabas taking Mark westward into Cyprus. At that point Mark drops out of the account in Acts as its focus shifts to Paul’s work. Were that the only scriptural record we had we might be left thinking that Mark had been a hindrance to the work of the gospel rather than a help. This is not the case however. Not only was Mark reconciled to Paul much later during Paul’s first imprisonment at Rome (Colossians 4:10, Philemon 23-24), but in Paul’s own words in II Timothy 4:11 his opinion and relationship to Mark was clearly expressed. “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”
We must flesh out the rest of what we know about Mark from other writings. Eusebius quotes Papius in his Ecclesiastical History (Book 3, Chapter 39:15 cf. “And John the Presbyter also said this, Mark being the interpreter of Peter whatsoever he recorded he wrote with great accuracy but not however, in the order in which it was spoken or done by our Lord, for he neither heard nor followed our Lord , but as before said, he was in company with Peter, who gave him such instruction as was necessary, but not to give a history of our Lord’s discourses; wherefore Mark has not erred in anything by writing some things as he has recorded them; for he was carefully attentive to one thing, not to pass by anything that he heard, or to state anything falsely in these accounts.” This function as “servant of the word” first with Paul, then with Peter in Rome, is implied in Peter’s own words in I Peter 5:13 where, writing from “Babylon” (i.e. Rome) he refers to Mark as “his son”. Eusebius quotes Clement of Rome in Book 6, Chapter 14:5 c.f. to further show that Mark wrote his gospel based on Peter’s proclamation of the word in Rome. The rest of his history is not easily authenticated, although tradition does state that he later preached in Alexandria, Egypt and started a church at that location, and that he was martyred there by being dragged along the stone streets by a team of horses until dead.
Anything else that we wish to learn; about Mark must come from the gospel that he wrote and entrusted to the Church at Rome. It was the third of the synoptic gospels to be written and like the other gospels has a key word that dots its geography like signposts marking the way to the final destination. Mark’s key word is “immediately”, or in the King James “straightaway” and he uses it almost 40 times in his brief account. And from the “beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1) these signposts lead us on with a sense of urgency to the death and resurrection of the Lord. Although the gospel is the shortest of the four New Testament accounts, it devotes nearly 40% of its account to the last week of Jesus’ ministry culminating in His death, resurrection, and ascension. Mark ends his account with the words “And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” In his gospel and in his life we are fortunate to behold that great miracle of the grace of God when the word is finally sown into fertile soil and it springs up in an abundant fruitfulness that encompassed the entire Roman Empire. May we not doubt that the same power of God is working in and through us even now.
We are sometimes reluctant to believe that our lives can ever amount to anything at all in the Kingdom of God; even more reluctant to believe that the grace of God is able to take our vessel of wood or clay and turn it into “a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and fit for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” (I Timothy 2:20-21) We tend to ascribe spiritual greatness, holiness, zeal, and boldness to those “other” saints (both ancient and current) who seem to be so much better fitted to work the works of God. But truth be told, both the scriptures and history more often portray these “great” Christians in their weaknesses, doubts, short-sightedness, and lack of faith. Each of them could truthfully find their lives mirrored in the parable of the sower told early in the ministry of Jesus. How often had the word touched their hearts only to be stolen away by sin and unbelief; how often had it appeared to have sprung up in joy only to whither far short of maturity; how often had it come up afresh in another good start only to be choked out by a thousand competing interests, cares or even fears. But then came that day when, by the grace of God, it fell on “good ground” -- ground ready for the seed, ground tended and watered and protected -- and it sprang up bearing fruit in an amazing abundance. Those that experience this “new life” are as amazed as anyone that it could ever have come to pass and they are so filled with the glory of that moment that everything else is lost in its intensity. Such a man was Mark, the Evangelist.
There is some difficulty in tracing his story until we recognize that he goes by the names John, Mark, Marcus and John Mark in the scriptures of the New Testament. We pick up the thread of his lineage and calling in Acts 12:11-12 where it records the miraculous deliverance of Peter from Herod’s prison and his return “to the house of Mary, the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.” Mary, here mentioned, was related to Barnabas, the companion of Paul and thus Mark is referred to in Colossians 4:10 as “sister’s son to Barnabas”. Most commentators understand this to mean Mark was a cousin to Barnabas. Mary offered up her home as a place for the church in Jerusalem to gather, and her son Mark to the gospel calling. In Acts 12: 24-25 as it records that as the word of God multiplied, Barnabas and Paul left on what would be called “The First Missionary Journey” taking “John, whose surname was Mark” with them. Their first mission field was Cyprus , Barnabas’ homeland (Acts 4:36). John Mark is identified in Acts 13:5 as being their helper or assistant. Luke uses this word in Luke 1:1 to describe those who besides the eyewitnesses upon which he depended for his gospel, were “servants” of the word. This carries the notion of writing down the events of the gospel or paying careful attention to them. This function served Mark well in his later work as evangelist.
Briefly, the thread in Acts plays out in this manner. The missionary team traveled the island of Cyprus from east to west until they came to Paphos (Acts 13:13-14). After they left the island sailing northward to Perga in Pamphylia, “John left them to return to Jerusalem.” The reason for leaving is not given, but when Paul and Barnabas were about to begin a second missionary journey through the regions that they had formerly preached and ministered in, it records in Acts 15:36-41 that Paul did not want to take Mark again, having judged his first decision to leave them as “desertion”. Paul felt so strongly about this that he and Barnabas were forced to split over the issue, Paul taking Silas through Syria and Asia Minor, and Barnabas taking Mark westward into Cyprus. At that point Mark drops out of the account in Acts as its focus shifts to Paul’s work. Were that the only scriptural record we had we might be left thinking that Mark had been a hindrance to the work of the gospel rather than a help. This is not the case however. Not only was Mark reconciled to Paul much later during Paul’s first imprisonment at Rome (Colossians 4:10, Philemon 23-24), but in Paul’s own words in II Timothy 4:11 his opinion and relationship to Mark was clearly expressed. “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”
We must flesh out the rest of what we know about Mark from other writings. Eusebius quotes Papius in his Ecclesiastical History (Book 3, Chapter 39:15 cf. “And John the Presbyter also said this, Mark being the interpreter of Peter whatsoever he recorded he wrote with great accuracy but not however, in the order in which it was spoken or done by our Lord, for he neither heard nor followed our Lord , but as before said, he was in company with Peter, who gave him such instruction as was necessary, but not to give a history of our Lord’s discourses; wherefore Mark has not erred in anything by writing some things as he has recorded them; for he was carefully attentive to one thing, not to pass by anything that he heard, or to state anything falsely in these accounts.” This function as “servant of the word” first with Paul, then with Peter in Rome, is implied in Peter’s own words in I Peter 5:13 where, writing from “Babylon” (i.e. Rome) he refers to Mark as “his son”. Eusebius quotes Clement of Rome in Book 6, Chapter 14:5 c.f. to further show that Mark wrote his gospel based on Peter’s proclamation of the word in Rome. The rest of his history is not easily authenticated, although tradition does state that he later preached in Alexandria, Egypt and started a church at that location, and that he was martyred there by being dragged along the stone streets by a team of horses until dead.
Anything else that we wish to learn; about Mark must come from the gospel that he wrote and entrusted to the Church at Rome. It was the third of the synoptic gospels to be written and like the other gospels has a key word that dots its geography like signposts marking the way to the final destination. Mark’s key word is “immediately”, or in the King James “straightaway” and he uses it almost 40 times in his brief account. And from the “beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1) these signposts lead us on with a sense of urgency to the death and resurrection of the Lord. Although the gospel is the shortest of the four New Testament accounts, it devotes nearly 40% of its account to the last week of Jesus’ ministry culminating in His death, resurrection, and ascension. Mark ends his account with the words “And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” In his gospel and in his life we are fortunate to behold that great miracle of the grace of God when the word is finally sown into fertile soil and it springs up in an abundant fruitfulness that encompassed the entire Roman Empire. May we not doubt that the same power of God is working in and through us even now.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Good Friday and Holy Saturday
“Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews’....and it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin.” John 19:19, 20b
The chronology of these days can be gleaned from the scriptures. Luke tells us that as soon as it was day (the Jewish day watch begins at 6:00 am), the Sanhedrin rose up after their trial of Jesus in the night, and led Him to Pilate for judgment. The gospels record Pilate’s deliberations and Matthew tells us that finally he washed his hands of the whole matter and handed over this innocent man to the crowd to crucify. Mark records that they crucified Him at the place of the Skull at the 3rd hour (in the day watch this would be 9:00 a.m.). Luke tells us that from the 6th hour (12:00 noon) until the 9th hour (3:00 p.m.) darkness was over the land. It was in this final hour that Jesus cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. And then, bearing the full weight of sin upon himself, He said “It is finished”; “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”; and hanging His head, yielded up His spirit to the complete judgment of God upon sin. Since it was the day of preparation of the Passover (which began at 6:00 p.m. on Good Friday), the body of Jesus was hastily taken down from the cross, washed and prepared for burial, wrapped in burial cloths as was the custom, and laid in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. And what of His closest disciples? Matthew 26:56 records that at His betrayal, “all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” Matthew 25:75b says that after Peter denied the Lord three times, “he went out and wept bitterly.” John 20:19 says that on Resurrection day, “...the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews...” And even after the reports of the women at the empty tomb, Luke 24:11 says that these words “seemed to them like idle tales and they did not believe them.” Separated from Jesus Christ for the first time in three years, faced with the enormous void left at His death, the followers of the Lord faced what St. John of the Cross calls “the dark night of the soul.”
We should mark these days in prayer and waiting. The hours between 12:00 noon and 3:00 p.m. on Good Friday, the hours of darkness upon the cross, can be set aside as a holy time marked by silent contemplation, prayer, true contrition of heart. This is the most solemn day of our Atonement. In it we should recall our own forgiveness and redemption, and the price that was paid for our deliverence, the blood that Jesus Christ shed for our sin. We should remember what we would be without Him and seriously consider that thought in our hearts. All our righteousness is as filthy rags and without God's intervention we would remain, as St. Paul says, alone, without God and without hope in this world. It is these days that enable us to know peace, love, joy and hope. In the recognition of our own unworthiness, we begin to understand the eternal worth of Jesus Christ. He is that supreme gift that demonstrates the reality of God’s mercy and grace.
Holy Saturday has two moods. The first is the keeping of vigil with its longing and waiting. It is a day in which no candles are kindled for the light of the world lies in the tomb. It is a day without music and singing, for sorrow chastens and sobers us for a time. The second theme is the joyful anticipation of tomorrow; though we sorrow in the moment, we remember His promise that He will rise again in joyful victory. It is traditional to keep vigil through the Holy Saturday night and greet the sunrise of Resurrection morning knowing that death could not hold Jesus Christ in its power. As darkness gives way to light, we receive the daily parable of sunrise and understand that it must ever be this way in the Kingdom. “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.” Psalm 126:5; and again, “Most assuredly I say to you, that you will weep and lament...and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy...now you have sorrow, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you..” John 16:20,22; and once more, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5
The chronology of these days can be gleaned from the scriptures. Luke tells us that as soon as it was day (the Jewish day watch begins at 6:00 am), the Sanhedrin rose up after their trial of Jesus in the night, and led Him to Pilate for judgment. The gospels record Pilate’s deliberations and Matthew tells us that finally he washed his hands of the whole matter and handed over this innocent man to the crowd to crucify. Mark records that they crucified Him at the place of the Skull at the 3rd hour (in the day watch this would be 9:00 a.m.). Luke tells us that from the 6th hour (12:00 noon) until the 9th hour (3:00 p.m.) darkness was over the land. It was in this final hour that Jesus cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. And then, bearing the full weight of sin upon himself, He said “It is finished”; “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”; and hanging His head, yielded up His spirit to the complete judgment of God upon sin. Since it was the day of preparation of the Passover (which began at 6:00 p.m. on Good Friday), the body of Jesus was hastily taken down from the cross, washed and prepared for burial, wrapped in burial cloths as was the custom, and laid in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. And what of His closest disciples? Matthew 26:56 records that at His betrayal, “all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” Matthew 25:75b says that after Peter denied the Lord three times, “he went out and wept bitterly.” John 20:19 says that on Resurrection day, “...the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews...” And even after the reports of the women at the empty tomb, Luke 24:11 says that these words “seemed to them like idle tales and they did not believe them.” Separated from Jesus Christ for the first time in three years, faced with the enormous void left at His death, the followers of the Lord faced what St. John of the Cross calls “the dark night of the soul.”
We should mark these days in prayer and waiting. The hours between 12:00 noon and 3:00 p.m. on Good Friday, the hours of darkness upon the cross, can be set aside as a holy time marked by silent contemplation, prayer, true contrition of heart. This is the most solemn day of our Atonement. In it we should recall our own forgiveness and redemption, and the price that was paid for our deliverence, the blood that Jesus Christ shed for our sin. We should remember what we would be without Him and seriously consider that thought in our hearts. All our righteousness is as filthy rags and without God's intervention we would remain, as St. Paul says, alone, without God and without hope in this world. It is these days that enable us to know peace, love, joy and hope. In the recognition of our own unworthiness, we begin to understand the eternal worth of Jesus Christ. He is that supreme gift that demonstrates the reality of God’s mercy and grace.
Holy Saturday has two moods. The first is the keeping of vigil with its longing and waiting. It is a day in which no candles are kindled for the light of the world lies in the tomb. It is a day without music and singing, for sorrow chastens and sobers us for a time. The second theme is the joyful anticipation of tomorrow; though we sorrow in the moment, we remember His promise that He will rise again in joyful victory. It is traditional to keep vigil through the Holy Saturday night and greet the sunrise of Resurrection morning knowing that death could not hold Jesus Christ in its power. As darkness gives way to light, we receive the daily parable of sunrise and understand that it must ever be this way in the Kingdom. “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.” Psalm 126:5; and again, “Most assuredly I say to you, that you will weep and lament...and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy...now you have sorrow, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you..” John 16:20,22; and once more, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5
Holy Thursday
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” John 13:34
Holy Thursday is also called Maundy Thursday. Some etymologists trace this name back to the Latin word for command, because on this day the Lord gave a new commandment in John 13:34, which would serve as the sign by which the world would know that we are disciples of Jesus Christ. In this day the Lord proclaimed the fulfillment of the Old Testament and the inauguration of the New Testament in His blood. Now, as Paul states in I Corinthians 5:7 “Christ, our Passover, [is] sacrificed for us.” In the events of this day and night, we find the foundations laid for God's ministry of reconciliation that begins with the shedding of the blood of the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus. These include:
- The everlasting love of God for His people from which we will never be separated; John 13:1 says “Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
- The example of the true servant of God; John 13:14-17 “...I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example....a servant is not greater than his master...if you know these things happy are you if you do them.”
- The new commandment of love in John 13:34.
- The eternal assurance of faith; John 14:3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself that where I am there you may be also.”
- The promise of the Holy Spirit; John 14:16 “I will pray the Father and He will give you another Comforter...even the Spirit of truth...for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
- The abiding sign of His sacrifice for sins; Luke 22:20 “This cup is the new covenant in My blood which is shed for you.”
The Eucharist that we observe was instituted at the Passover supper on Holy Thursday, the night in which the Lord was betrayed into the hands of sinful men. This was the “last supper” that Jesus ate with His disciples before His death. At that supper the Old Covenant was fulfilled by the establishment of the New Covenant. The bread and wine used as part of a meal remembering God’s Passover deliverance of Israel, became the Body and Blood of the Perfect Lamb of God given now for the sins of the world. And each times that we share the bread and wine with each other, we remember that God's deliverance was fulfilled in Jesus, the Messiah. The Passover is fulfilled in the Cross, and Good Friday becomes ever more the shedding of the blood of the perfect sacrifice by which God’s righteous judgement passes over His people and their sins receive an eternal covering. But that is another day to remember. It is enough for us today to remember that when Jesus gathered with His disciples He said "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer...." He says the same to us.
Holy Week in Lent
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. And they will scourge Him and put Him to death. And the third day He will rise again.” Luke 18:31b-33
This prophetic word by Jesus defines the context of Holy Week, the last week of the Lenten season. It is an intense time spiritually because as we draw closer to the cross of Jesus Christ all of heaven and earth seem to hold their breath in anticipation of the great events which are unfolding before our eyes by the hand of God. It is for that reason that we call it “holy” week. It is the week in which God’s terrible judgment on sin is revealed and in which God’s unbelievable offer of mercy and grace is tendered to a fallen world. It is the week in which the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the world is offered and accepted, the week in which death is embraced and forever conquered, the week in which the head of the serpent is crushed beneath the heel of God’s Anointed, the week in which the gates of hell are forever vanquished and in which the gates of heaven are finally opened. There is quite literally nothing trivial in this final week of the Lord’s ministry and we need to pause and lay hold of its fullness if we are to truly receive the measure of grace which lies within it. To apply the words of Jesus Christ given in a different context but nonetheless true for the events contained in this week: “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28)
Holy Week will take us through a variety of experiences and many steps of faith. It begins with the celebration and excitement of the Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem; leads us to a depth of contemplation, remembrance and reflection on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; finds us sharing the Last Supper with the Lord on Thursday; standing at the foot of His cross on Friday; waiting in silent vigil on Saturday; and finally rejoicing at the sunrise and the shout of victory that greets Resurrection Sunday. Again I say, there is no limit to the grace that abounds for those who enter these days in faith and love. There is more depth in the events of this week than any one person could capture, more even than all of the people in every age and every nation could fathom. This week is inexhaustible in its richness. We could think upon the events of this one week for all of our days on earth and still have need of eternity to complete our praise and thanksgiving for the great works of God on our behalf. Let us therefore celebrate these holy and precious events and not let them pass without drawing from them everything that they offer. May we all go up to Jerusalem with our Lord to once more experience and receive the depths of God’s love manifested in His deliverance. “Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29b
This prophetic word by Jesus defines the context of Holy Week, the last week of the Lenten season. It is an intense time spiritually because as we draw closer to the cross of Jesus Christ all of heaven and earth seem to hold their breath in anticipation of the great events which are unfolding before our eyes by the hand of God. It is for that reason that we call it “holy” week. It is the week in which God’s terrible judgment on sin is revealed and in which God’s unbelievable offer of mercy and grace is tendered to a fallen world. It is the week in which the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the world is offered and accepted, the week in which death is embraced and forever conquered, the week in which the head of the serpent is crushed beneath the heel of God’s Anointed, the week in which the gates of hell are forever vanquished and in which the gates of heaven are finally opened. There is quite literally nothing trivial in this final week of the Lord’s ministry and we need to pause and lay hold of its fullness if we are to truly receive the measure of grace which lies within it. To apply the words of Jesus Christ given in a different context but nonetheless true for the events contained in this week: “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28)
Holy Week will take us through a variety of experiences and many steps of faith. It begins with the celebration and excitement of the Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem; leads us to a depth of contemplation, remembrance and reflection on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; finds us sharing the Last Supper with the Lord on Thursday; standing at the foot of His cross on Friday; waiting in silent vigil on Saturday; and finally rejoicing at the sunrise and the shout of victory that greets Resurrection Sunday. Again I say, there is no limit to the grace that abounds for those who enter these days in faith and love. There is more depth in the events of this week than any one person could capture, more even than all of the people in every age and every nation could fathom. This week is inexhaustible in its richness. We could think upon the events of this one week for all of our days on earth and still have need of eternity to complete our praise and thanksgiving for the great works of God on our behalf. Let us therefore celebrate these holy and precious events and not let them pass without drawing from them everything that they offer. May we all go up to Jerusalem with our Lord to once more experience and receive the depths of God’s love manifested in His deliverance. “Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29b
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