Mark 6: 45-56
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The New
Testament Witness of the Apostle
Peter |
The Pulpit at Pilgrim's Rest Christ Covenant Reformed (PCA) |
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The key verses in this section are the second half of fifty-one and all of fifty-two. "And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened."
On several occasions, I have had former students wish that they could return to class later in life to learn anew what it was they had ignored when they had the opportunity of youthful leisure to comprehend their learnings. So was I as a student as well, and I would assume all of mankind learns essential lessons slowly. We see in our passage today that even the disciples were slow to learn and especially to apply what they had learned.
Here it was, only a day later, and the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves had not prepared them adequately for the demonstration that Christ would show them by meeting them in the middle of the lake. John Calvin comments extensively on this ignorance.
"Mark tells us, that their heart was blinded, and that they understood not about the loaves; for that miracle had given abundant evidence that Christ possessed divine power to assist his followers, and that he was careful to assist them, when necessity required. Justly, therefore, are they now charged with stupidity in not immediately recollecting that heavenly power, having beheld, on the preceding day, so astonishing a proof of it, which ought to have been still before their eyes. It is, no doubt, true, that their blameworthy slowness of apprehension was the reason why they were astonished; for they had not profited, as they ought to have done, by other and preceding miracles. But the principal charge brought against them is blindness, in allowing so recent an exhibition to fade from their memory, or rather in not directing their mind to the contemplation of Christ's divinity, of which the multiplication of the loaves was a sufficiently bright mirror."
Now, Calvin thought in French, and wrote in Latin from the Greek and Hebrew texts. No doubt, the word stupid above is an adequate translation into the English. However, I would think that stupid is too harsh a word. I have often used a little proverb at school that goes like this: "Ignorance can be cured, but stupid is forever." So in the sense of this passage, I would like to classify the disciples as slowly being roused from their spiritual stupidity to a worldly ignorance that can be cured by proper instruction. The reason that I clarify this issue is the fact that, some do indeed remain spiritually stupid forever and miss out on the claims of Christ because they are not of the elect and do not want to be insofar as they understand the difference between the world and the church.
At least those of us within Christ's Church have had the scales of stupidity rinsed from our eyes. I well remember a vivid experience from basic training. We were learning how to use our gas masks. And we went into a bunker filled with tear gas. I realized that my mask was not working, but stayed in line like I was supposed to. They had to carry me out. Dear old Sgt Roy, explained to me that under the circumstances, I should have used my common sense and intelligence rather than being blindly obedient. The lesson was further reinforced the next morning. When I awoke, my eyes were completely matted shut and it took twenty minutes of washing and rinsing to open my eyes so that I could see again. With that illustration to set the proper perspective, let us hear from Calvin again:
"Two things are expressed by the words of Mark; first, that they did not properly consider the glory of Christ, which was exhibited in the multiplication of the loaves; and, secondly, a reason is assigned, that their heart was blinded. This appears to have been added, not only as an aggravation of their fault, but as a warning to us respecting the corruption of our understanding, that we may seek from the Lord new eyes. It certainly was a proof&emdash;as I have lately mentioned&emdash;of brutal ignorance, that they did not perceive the power of God, when they might almost feel it with their hands; but as the whole human race labors under the same disease, Mark purposely mentions blindness, in order to inform us that it is no new thing if men have their eyes closed against the manifest works of God, till they are enlightened from above; as Moses also said, The Lord hath not yet given thee a heart to understand, (Deuteronomy 29:4.) Now though the word heart more frequently denotes the will or the seat of the affections, yet here, as in that passage which I have now quoted from Moses, it is put for the understanding.
You know, I am always amazed at the truthfulness of the Scriptures. By this I mean, all of the biblical characters are described in unflattering terms that illustrate their true condition. This fact has not escaped the scholars over the years who would tell us that this fact should enlighten us to comprehend the complete and utter truth of the words written for our benefit. Where else would you find an autobiography of events, thoughts and heart aches that is not put in a better light than reality would admit. Recently, I have been reading several books in which General MacArthur is described as having a whole "corps" of staff officers to trivialize his mistakes and magnify his accomplishments. Thank goodness, that the writers of scripture did not retain a similar sort of megalomania or the essential truths of scripture would never have been known! Unless, we are led by the Holy Spirit to affirm the truth in the words of an old and favorite hymn: "Once I was blind, but now I see," we are going to remain spiritually stupid forever.
Harry Uprichard, in a new commentary that I just picked up this week, explains this transformation in the conversion of John Wesley.
"For years, John Wesley had had an outward profession of faith, in which some of his beliefs in particular led to grave misconceptions as to the meaning of Scripture as a whole ...
This total misconception about biblical salvation was changed as the true nature of God's grace dawned on Wesley: 'In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.'
Wesley's misunderstanding of salvation was based on human traditions. He believed in baptismal regeneration and in justification by works. These traditions nullified the Word of God. In experiencing God's grace, his misconceptions were removed and the teaching of the Word of God became real to him personally. ... From being a mere professor of religion, Wesley became a true possessor of the grace of God in Jesus Christ."
In the line of thought that we have been following this morning, may I humbly suggest that the disciples are learning slowly that Jesus is not only the Lord's Anointed, but God in the flesh with us. It is an exceptionally hard lesson to learn and even harder to affirm!
Look carefully at verse fifty and hear the greeting of Christ: "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." There is something more profound in the Greek version. Listen again to a word by word transliteration of the same passage: "Be of good cheer, I am; be ye not afraid." There in the words "I am", in the Greek it reads ego ami. That is the Greek translation of the divine Name of God. "I AM". This is one reason why we depend upon the original Greek and Hebrew texts, because so much more can be learned from the written record than can ever be learned by the spoken word or even a video bible project. This man, this Jesus is indeed the very God, the very man who spoke the scriptures through the Holy Spirit to the prophets, priests, kings and apostles who have recorded them for our understanding and benefit.
In far too many churches, these stories are just that, stories to illustrate a religiosity that is all to commonly associated with personal perfection and personal ability to rise above the common crowd of abject sinners. To be kind and considerate of all of those who claim the precious Name of Christ, let us go on to the second incident in our passage today where many people are healed by merely touching the robe of Christ. Calvin again gives us a deeper understanding here than is commonly experienced:
"That they might touch the fringe. There is reason to believe that they were under the influence of some superstition, when they limited the grace of Christ to a touch of his robe; at least, they defrauded him of a part of his honor, since they did not expect any efficacy to be derived from his bare word. But that he may not quench the smoking flax, (Isaiah 42:3) he accommodates himself to their ignorance. Yet there is nothing here that lends countenance to the views of those who seek the grace of God in wood, or nails, or robes; while Scripture expressly declares, that we have no right to form any conception respecting Christ but what is spiritual and consistent with his heavenly glory. The weakness of those who, not knowing that Christ is God, desired to make a nearer approach to him, was endured for a time. Now that he fills heaven and earth with the sweet savor of his grace, we must embrace&emdash;not with hands or eyes, but by faith&emdash;the salvation which he offers to us from heaven."
In this sense, we may affirm that very many Christians, who are saved, are actually woefully ignorant of the grace which has been given to them. We see in this passage that healing as well as other works of grace do not totally depend upon our comprehension. Thank the Lord for that grace, but let us never ever shirk from delving more and more into Scripture so that we may learn better the true state of our original stupidity and be thankful for the spiritual ignorance to which that stupidity is transformed. But let us not be content to remain blissfully ignorant of these things, but in the admonition of Paul, let us grow up in the faith and leave behind the bread and milk of spiritual infancy and go on to comprehend the great doctrines of the faith. May this be our continual calling to grow in grace and knowledge so that we may better reflect the Divine Reality who revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Cole, Alan. |
Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries: |
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Keener, Craig S. |
The IVP Bible Background Commentary:
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Pringle, William. |
Calvin's New Testament
Commentaries: |
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Uprichard, Harry. |
A Son is Revealed: |
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"Bringing the Light of the Reformation to Scripture" (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995) |
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B2b36 |
25 June 00 |