In today's section, we read about:
The nature of the kingdom, servanthood, being like a child
Jesus goes up to Jerusalem
Jesus at the Temple, driving out the money lenders and in confrontation with the religious leaders
Jesus talks about the end times
The last supper, prayer at Gethsemane, arrest and trial of Jesus
The crucifixion and the resurrection
Luke starts with the promise and birth of John the Baptist and the promise of Jesus to Mary
Some thoughts that struck me:
I was struck by the amount of times that Jesus' first response is to answer with a question, rather than a statement of his own.
I can really empathise with the father in 9:24 who says, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
When Jesus says in 9:35, "Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else,” it immediately put me in mind of Phil 2:6-8, "Though he was God, / he did not think of equality with God / as something to cling to. / Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; / he took the humble position of a slave / and was born as a human being. / When he appeared in human form, / he humbled himself in obedience to God / and died a criminal’s death on a cross."
I was trying to imagine exactly what it means that "Jesus felt genuine love for him" (10:21). It can't mean that the rest of the time Jesus didn't feel genuine love, but it adds to the poignancy of the regret Jesus feels when the man cannot follow him on the terms that are required. This encounter must have made a real impression, and it says, 'this amazed them," (10:23) and "the disciples were astounded" (10:26).
How would I respond if Jesus said to me, "what do you want me to do for you" (10:51)?
11:24-25 - unforgiveness and hardness of heart are real barriers to God answering our prayer.
In Mk 10:29-30, I like the little rider, just to ground us in reality, "I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.
In all the discussions with the teachers of the law and with the disciples in Mk 12 and 13, it is clear that God is in control, and will be the one that determines the outcome according to His will, even though on occasion, appearances may suggest otherwise.
I like Jesus' prescience in 14:9, "I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” How true!
You wonder what it was that enabled the Roman centurion in 15:39 to exclaim, "This man truly was the Son of God!"
I would like to know more about why there are different endings to Mark.
At first glance, there is not a huge difference in response between Zechariah in Lk 1:18 and Mary in 1:34. Yet in 1:20, Gabriel tells Zechariah "you didn’t believe what I said", whereas in 1:35, the angel explains what will happen, answering her as opposed to offering a rebuke, as was the case with Zechariah.
Reading the whole of Lk 1, I love the way the supernatural and incredible (miraculous) is interwoven with the ordinary. I particularly like the way that John the Baptist jumps in the womb with joy.
One verse from today - "The morning light from heaven is about to break upon us" (Lk 1:78)
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