Activity from Goodnews§↻

Goodnews! Enjoy the Bartimaeus story! I love how Jesus simply asks him what he wants him to do for him... exactly the same way he responds to James and John before they ask to sit on Jesus' right and left in His glory. Fascinating parallel.

yes we just heard it preached last Sunday. A hard question What do you want me to do for you? What would I answer?

TheMoviegoer Yes, it is very interesting. We covered this in Sunday school a few weeks ago. Bartimaeus was blind and asked Jesus to give him sight, so He did. James and John, on the other hand, were spiritually blind to the reality of suffering before glorification. In the same way He did to Bartimaeus, Christ opened the eyes of His disciples to His suffering and, therefore, their own future experience. Wonderful connections, I wish I knew more!

Great comments, Goodnews and treeswallow! And Jesus's patience with James and John in the midst of their request is amazing. We often think of Peter's reflection on his own denials, but I imagine that James and John must have been overwhelmed to see two criminals at Jesus's right and left and finally understanding Jesus's mercy in not honoring their request.

Mark is a great gospel. Action packed and fast paced. I love everytime i read they were overcome with amazement, and they were all amazed and gloried God and they were astonished and they were astonished beyond measure and they were exceedingly astonished. I pray that we all experience this as we Behold our LORD Jesus!

These comments are quite thought provoking. And now I simply pose these following as "food for thought":

1. James the brother of John later on, finally did suffer martyrdom (Acts 12:2). But your point is well taken, Moviegoer, that at the moment of the Crucifixion, he and John must have been thinking, that could have, or would have, or should have been me, if I had got what I asked for. As they say, "be careful what you ask for".

2. But then my other thought is, who exactly was there witnessing the crucifixion among the disciples? We know that John was there, because of John 19:26 ("Woman, behold your son"). We know that other women were there (John 19:25) including Mary, Jesus' mother, and two other Mary's (but I admit, I haven't taken the time to cross check this with the other gospels) So I'm wondering, what about Peter and the other ten apostles? Matthew 26:56 says they all left Him and fled, but then goes on to tell of how Peter followed at a distance and ended up denying Christ three times.

So this is all just food for thought ... I wonder, they all left him and fled, as it says in both Matthew and Mark. But did they perhaps sneak back later and watch from a distance?

Thank you Moviegoer and Goodnews for your thoughts, which help God's Word to become more "alive" for us as we carefully interpret these things.

We had a couple who visited our church several times who had a very powerful prayer / healing ministry, and they regularly started with that simple question: ‘what would you like Jesus to do for you?’ Too often, when we pray for others, do we jump to our own conclusions about what to pray for. The story of Jesus and Bartimaeus reminds me how important it is to listen to people and encourage them to express their heart’s desire and their faith.

Goodnews,

I also love the raw and pure enthusiasm expressed in the Gospel of Mark. In good ways and in some uncomfortable ways. For example, when Jesus makes his comments about it being difficult for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God, the disciples were amazed and exceedingly astonished because they couldn't understand how anyone could be saved if the rich weren't saved.

Secundus,

Great questions/topics.
1. I don't think the disciples were all at the crucifixion. At least I don't believe the text supports that idea other than as you shared. Mark only mentions the women as being there. I am sure they heard about it. And whenever they did, I can imagine that it would have been quite sobering.

2. The martyrdom question is also very interesting. This is a very important and lengthy discussion, but one major theme seen in Mark and the entire NT, is that committing your life to Christ fully will involve suffering. As sinners, we feel it as we struggle with our own sin and strive to live in obedience. How much more so, when we step into the public square, and certainly when we attempt to bring the Gospel to entrenched political powers. I believe that the text is clear that none of the disciples knew or understood Jesus was talking about with regard to suffering, serving, and how it ties to His road to the cross. That would require the work of the Spirit which would not only enlighten them but also empower them to do what He asked, "go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation."

3. Sorry, you actually asked specifically about where the disciples went. From Mark, the best you can discern is that as you said, Peter followed to the courtyard of the high priest, but when the rooster crows, he is outside of the gate. From the last section in Mark, the angel says that Jesus is going before them to Galilee, and that Mary Magdalene is able to find them. In the end, I believe that it is completely clear that none of His disciples were willing or able to die with him as they claimed. By the time they do die for their faith (almost all of the disciples), they understood that they suffered not to earn acceptance by God or entry into the Kingdom, but that their faith allowed them to demonstrate the power of the Gospel to overcome terrible suffering, just like Jesus did for them.

PeterP, great point. And I am glad that we have an intercessor in Jesus to relay our prayers to the Father perfectly. It is interesting, because Bartimeaus is healed and gets what he ask for, but so do James and John. Not specifically, but James is martyred and John is given the final revelation for mankind in a vision on the Isle of Patmos. They may not be seated at the right and left geographically, but they are certainly in His glory!

Good analysis, Moviegoer, and thank you.