Mark – Page 21 – Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment.

Mark 12, the Unfaithful Tenants, taxes to Caesar, marriage at the Resurrection, the Greatest Commandment, whose son is the Christ?, the widow’s Mite.

Mark 11, the Triumphal Entry, Jesus clears the Temple, the withered fig tree, Jesus authority questioned.

The fig tree is a symbol of Israel.

Mark 10, Marriage and Divorce, Jesus blesses the little children, the Rich Young Ruler, predicting Resurrection, Greatness in Serving, Jesus heals Bartimaeus.

Mark 9, the Transfiguration, a boy is healed, Jesus predicts his Death and Resurrection, who is the Greatest?, Unity, not division, Jesus warns of offenses, Salt with savor.

The majority text (King James Bible) adds verse 46: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Mark 8, feeding the four thousand, the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod, healing of a blind man at Bethsaida, Peter’s Confession, Jesus predicts his death.

Three days without food! The people needed it!

Mark 7, clean and unclean, Great Faith: Canaanite woman, the healing of a deaf-mute man.

Mark 6, a Prophet without honor, Jesus sends out the Twelve, John the Baptist beheaded, the feeding of Five Thousand, Jesus walks on the Water.

There has always been a strange fascination about beheadings. On Feb 12, 2018 the official portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama were unveiled.

Other works by Obama’s artist Kehinde Wiley: “Judith beheading Holofernes”

This one is also from the apocryphal book of Judith

Not to be outdone, in 2007 the then speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi went to Damascus, Syria, Tuesday April 3, 2007. Question: Why does an American Woman Infidel do the sign of the cross in the great Umayyad Mosque in Damascus Syria? Answer: Nancy Pelosi does the sign of the cross to pay her utmost respect to the skull of John the Baptist. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi looks at the tomb containing the head of St. John the Baptist inside the historic Umayyad Mosque.

Mark 5, the healing of a Demon-possessed man, a Woman with a Disease, a dead girl made alive.

The steep bank where the pigs were drowned.

Mark 4, Jesus’ parables, the Sower, a Lamp on a Stand, the growing Seed, the Mustard Seed, Jesus calms the Storm

Mark 4, Jesus’ parables, the Sower, a Lamp on a Stand, the growing Seed, the Mustard Seed, Jesus calms the Storm.

Image result for the parable of the sower

Image result for a lamp on a stand

Image result for mustard seed

Image result for mustard tree

Question: Why were they still terrified? Why was the sight of Jesus more terrifying than the waves?

Mark 3, Jesus heals on the Sabbath, attracting crowds, appoints the 12 Apostles, Jesus and Beelzebub, Jesus Mother and Brothers.

The Herodians were Jews that went along with the Romans, held important positions and was an important part of the secular government at that time.

Beelzebub is the Greek form of the name Baal-zebub, a pagan Philistine god worshiped in the ancient Philistine city of Ekron during the Old Testament times. It is a term signifying “the lord of flies”. The Jews changed the name to “Beelzeboul,” as used in this passage, meaning “lord of dung.” This name referenced the god of the fly that was worshiped to obtain deliverance from the injuries of that insect.

Yet, God is sovereign!