Category Archives: Ministry

The Hardworking Servant Messiah: Why Study the Gospel of Mark? Part 02

SUMMARY OF MARK

 Like the start of a marathon, the Gospel of Mark begins with a bang. Rich in detail, fast in pace, breath-taking in scope, this Gospel shows Jesus as an active, robust, on-the-move Servant-Messiah. He also was destined to suffer as no human has ever suffered – bearing the world’s sin, forsaken by God, and an object of divine wrath.

In the first part of Mark, there is an emphasis on service and power. Jesus is shown to have authority over sin, sickness, and demonic power; healings abounded and the crowds swelled as a result.

Then comes the second part of Mark. If the disciples were unclear about His true identity, it became strongly apparent when Peter confessed Jesus as Messiah (Son of David, Son of God) at Caesarea Philippi. This was followed by the transfiguration, where eternity touched earth on that holy mountain. They also were informed that Jesus’ destiny was to suffer, die, and rise from the dead. In fact, there were frequent mention of suffering as part of the price of discipleship (3:21-22,30; 8:34-38; 10:30,33-34,45; 13:8,11-13). Suffering brings purification and perfection, which also leads to enlargement and promotion.

Should Mark 16:9-20 Be in the Bible?

An on-going controversy involves the last twelve verses of the Gospel of Mark. The Greek manuscript called Textus Receptus, which was used in Luther’s German Bible, the King James Version, and Modern English Version, includes these verses.

The NIV uses an eclectic Nestle-Aland/United Bible SocietiesGreek New Testament, sometimes called ‘Critical Text.’ In its footnote for Mark 16, is says: The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20.Basically, they are questioning the inclusion of these verses in the Biblical text.

If the inference that these verses are not from Mark and/or part of inspired Scripture is correct, it creates problems.

1.  Tampering: Gods Word can be corrupted.

2.  Doubt-building: If Mark 16 is not legitimately included, what other parts of the Bible are suspect? The purpose of Scripture is to help build faith (Romans 10:17). Such comments can undermine faith.

3.  Divine inability: The message this sends is – God is not able to preserve or protect His Word.

4.  Addition/Subtraction: There is censure and penalties for ‘adding’ or ‘subtracting’ from God’s Word (Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18-19). If these verses were not Holy Spirit-inspired, then someone (or ones) will be in serious trouble with the Lord.

Donald Stamps in the Full Life Study Bible, which uses the NIV, says on  Page 1512 that vv. 9-20 are omitted (perhaps removed) from two of the oldest Greek manuscripts, they do appear in other old manuscripts, as well as in the majority of Greek manuscripts from all over the ancient world. Many scholars conclude, therefore, that any reading attested to by the majority of ancient manuscripts is likely to be part of the original writing of the Biblical author. Thus, Stamps concludes,  Verses 9-20 should thus be considered part of the inspired Word of God.

David W. Daniels in Answers to Your Bible Version Questions, page 117 says,Mark 16:9-20 should be in the Bible, since it is found in almost every Bible manuscript of Mark in existence (emphasis mine) Wherever you look, the evidence, including Alexandrian manuscripts, is over 99% in favour of keeping the words of God in Mark 16:9-20 … Out of 620 manuscripts that contain Marks gospel only two omit the last 12 verses.

Finis Dake in the Dakes Annotated Reference Bible New Testament page 55, builds the case that Mark 16:9-20 is part of the original manuscript. He, too, states that their are 618 manuscripts that contain Mark and only two (we know them as Codex Sinaitic and Codex Vaticanus) do not. He adds that the Syriac, Gothic, Egyptian, Armenian, and Georgian versions contain Mark 16:9-20. The Latin version has 8,000 manuscripts in existence, copied from Jeromes Vulgate 382 AD (who had access to the Greek New Testaments of his day). The Vulgate has these verses and so did the 2nd Century Vetus Itala, from which it was a revision. Like the Septuagint, the Vulgate served the church for centuries all the way to the Reformation.

The Church Fathers give testimony about Mark 16. There are 100 writers older than the oldest Greek Manuscripts and 200 more between 300 to 600 AD. All these church fathers attest to the originality of Mark 16:9-20. Vaticanus has a blank space where they verses could have been (before being removed). Also, Codex Vaticanus has missing Genesis 1-46; Psalm 105-137; Hebrews 9:14-13:25; all of 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and Revelation. Why dont the critics of Mark 16:9-20 say that these other portions should be left out as well?

Doctrines taught in Mark 16:9-20 are taught elsewhere in the New Testament:

1.  Post resurrection appearances: Mark 16:9-14 is in John 21:14 and elsewhere;

2.  The Great Commission: Mark 16:15 is in Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:47-53; Acts 1:1-8;

3.  Power in Preaching:Mark 16:16 is in John 3:16-20; I Corinthians 1:18-21;

4.  Preaching with signs and wonders: Mark 16:17-18 are in Matthew 10:1-8; 17:20; Mark 9:23; 11:22-4; Luke 10:19; John 14:12;

5.  Ascension of Christ: Mark 16:19 is in Luke 24:49-53; Acts 1:9-11

6.  Word of God, duly preached, confirmed by signs: Mark 16:20 with signs Mark 16:17-18 is in Hebrews 2:3-4; Acts 2:43; 5:16.

One need not wrestle or lose sleep over these verses. In light of the above comments, my recommendation is take them as from the mouth of God. They will not lead you astray.

TO BE CONTINUED

Kabul Calamity: What Does It Mean?

 

Afghanistan maybe half-way around the world – and seemingly in another planet – the fact is that it matters. Responsible citizens needs to know and then respond accordingly.

After twenty years of war, engagement, and ‘nation-building,’ America and its allies are withdrawing from Afghanistan.

We were told that now is the time.

Intelligence agencies said it would take eighteen months for Kabul to fall to the Taliban.

Only in July 2021, Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Afghan security forces had the capacity to sufficiently defend themselves. They had twenty years of training and tens of billions of dollars worth of high quality US weaponry. They had two air bases in Bagram and Kandahar.

Joe Biden said that the Afghan army had 300,000 troops, armed with high quality US equipment versus 75,000 Taliban. ’There is going to be no circumstance in which you are going to see people being lifted off the roof of an embassy of the United States from Afghanistan’ and, ‘I trust the capacity of the Afghan military.

Thus, the White House affirmed there was ‘No chance – none’ of repeating the disgraceful scene from Saigon 1975, where people where scampering up a ladder to a waiting helicopter on the top of the US embassy to escape the victorious communist North Vietnamese as they swept into power. It is a photo that haunts America to this day.

Yet, on August 15, 2021, while America troops were still in the country, the Taliban walked into Kabul. Early that morning, Afghani President Ashraf Ghani fled into exile. He knew what was coming. America only had 2,500 personnel in Afghanistan when the White House announced the withdrawal; now, they sent 7,000 troops in to supervise it. Call it the ‘Kabul calamity’ and it spells trouble to America and the world.

Kabul collapsed into the waiting hands of the fundamentalist Islamist group called the Taliban. Disturbing scenes from Kabul Airport, the last stronghold of US presence, where desperate Afghanis were crowding at the gate to escape the advancing Taliban. More distressing, ‘objects’ falling from the sky from the plane were people who clung to the departing plane, only to lose their grip and fall to their death from 100s or 1000s of metres above. Or people and children trampled to death because of the crowds. Or, the tragic double-suicide bomber from ISIS-K at the gate of Kabul Airport, killing one-hundred plus, including thirteen US service members.

The Taliban (meaning ‘student’) have taken over Afghanistan. They were in power once before. During their previous administration from 1996-2001, they were known for a strict, puritanical adherence to Islam, some say a medieval version. They were particularly remembered for their opposition to girls getting educated and blowing up the two 50 metre high Bamiyan Buddhas, 1,500 years old, carved on the side of the mountain. Reports from that period included whipping, stoning, torture, beheadings, rapes, forced marriages, girls denied schooling and work, and a return to pre-modern living.

The country will be called the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Twenty years in exile has made the Taliban stronger, more determined, and supposedly more media savvy. Messages sent out include: Afghanistan will not become a terrorist base; woman will be respected; no retribution will come to those who worked for the Allies. Sounds good. However, will that be the case? One astute expert said that the Taliban leadership may or may not have control of the various factions under its banner. The transition to full power will be bumpy and some groups are already executing ‘collaborators’ and tossing their bodies into mass graves – with or without the permission of the central authorities.

But it gets worse: Global jihadism received a major boost. Thousands of jihadi prisoners in Afghanistan have been released. Would-be jihadist from around the world maybe coming for training and support – a terrorist reunion – like they did before 9-11. ‘Holy warriors’ could fill Kabul-bound planes. And they have the billions of dollars of America equipment at their disposal (of course, the question is, will they know how to use them? Or get them serviced and repaired?).

Can the West fight back? Yes, they can, but it will be much harder, since there is no presence in the country and the neighbors aren’t friendly. Like the rise of ISIS and al Qaeda, jihadists want to export their jihad globally and establish a caliphate, with Jerusalem as capital.

China, ever ambitious, will step in and build its new ‘silk road’ from China westward via Afghanistan, probably through their ‘Belt and Road Initiative.’ They will gain access to Afghanistan’s rare earth reserves, of which China has much of its own.

There are thousands of Afghanis who worked for the Allied Forces who face imminent danger from the Taliban. Though promised help – and visas – by their western partners, the poorly planned, rapid troop withdrawal means they will be left behind to face a dire fate.

At this moment, there are thousands Americans and other westerners still in Afghanistan. They have been told NOT to go to the airport, find somewhere safe, and there are no guarantees that the government can get them out. NATO allies, which sent soldiers to Afghanistan in solidarity with the Americans, were also left stranded by a lack of communication and coordination.

Then there is the small but growing Christian population, many of them converts from Islam. The Taliban told them we know who you are and we are coming to get you. One Christian told his/her global friends that they would be seeing Jesus within the next two weeks. According to Evangelist Robby Dawkins, who works with Afghan believers, says that the church is strong and in no way will it be extinguished – though that does not mean the absence of suffering.

In this article, we looked at what has happened; in the next one, why it happened? In the meantime, pray for Afghanistan: Safe evacuation, wisdom and grace for military and political leaders, angelic intervention, and protection for the innocents (especially women and children).

TO BE CONTINUED