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Matt 3:15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἄφες ἄρτι, οὕτως γὰρ πρέπον ἐστὶν ἡμῖν πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην. τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτόν. John is baptising in the Jordan and issues a warning, namelyContinue reading “Street Legal”

Mark 6:13 / James 5:14 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. Mark 6:13, NIV This verse sticks out like a sore thumb (or possibly like a well bandaged and anointed sore thumb). Why? Jesus has given the 12 authority over the unclean spirits (τῶν πνευμάτων τῶνContinue reading “Healing Oil”

Mark 9:30-37 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”Continue reading “Calculating Leadership”

Mark 3:27 “In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house.” (Mark 3:27 NIV) Jesus has been accused of casting out demons by Beelzebul, the Prince of Demons. Jesus points out to His accusers that a kingdom divided against itself cannotContinue reading “The Strong Man”

Mark 3:1-6 At the start of Mark 3 we read that Jesus went into a synagogue, and a man with a withered hand was there. Some people wanted grounds for accusing Jesus, so the watched him to see if He would heal on the Sabbath. So let’s see how good you are at guessing: wasContinue reading “Whodunnit?”

Mark 1:40-42 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. (Mark 1:40-42 NIV)Continue reading “Well, there goes the Prayer Meeting…”

Mark 1:11 ‘At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whomContinue reading “Authorised”

Mark 1:1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God (Mark 1:1 NIV) Ἀρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ. (Mark 1:1 SBL Greek Testament) Amazing how many questions a short statement can raise, but on this occasion I am not interested in whether we should accept the readings which addContinue reading “Reward”

John 21 I have always loved the afterword to John’s Gospel. There is a clear closing paragraph at the end of John 20, in verses 30-31. So why John 21? The last two verses of 21 (24-25) are apparently in another hand – you would have to be a strange person to say of yourContinue reading “Breakfast at Tiberias’s”

John 20:21-23 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” John 20;21-23 NIV εἶπενContinue reading “If you forgive…”