Reprobate Mind - the mind tends to reduce a passage like this to its most palatable speck. Here we find as the diciple's minds were being opened up they were "astonished" frequently at Jesus's fuller revelations. Doesn't mean that they understood or agreed yet, only that they were seeing how deep things really were becoming.
Reprobate Mind - we see that at least in the case of divorce a legalized leniency was granted because of the hardness of mens hearts. Perhaps better stated as a civil protection for the offended party. God's better intention is that their softer hearts would not cause this course of action.
Reprobate Mind - Jesus just revealed something very deep about the inter-workings between the Father and himself; the limits of the Son's power. The disciples are consumed though in the inter-working amongst themselves.
If we don't separate the three events in this passage, the middle fig tree account becomes a symbol of how Jesus viewed the fruit of the temple. There was no fruit only leaves. Being out of season (coming new covenant) shows that it in no way could be expected to bare fruit either.
Reprobate Mind - Is of the mind that it is in control even when it is not. Here we see the intent revealed by parable, we see the attempt to trap Jesus in words being foiled, and the fear of what the people would think holding them back. And yet they will soon do exactly what the parable says that they will do. What control does it actually have?
Reprobate Mind - Interesting how two sides can completely agree on the verbiage of the greatest commandment but see it's daily implementation as opposites.
Interesting that the publishing of the gospel to all the nations is sandwiched between 2 versus depicting the being brought before counsels and kings for a testimony against them and how we are to proceed into these trials.
Generation may have been better translated "Age". The Greek conveys both meanings and it is obvious that the Son of Man did not return on clouds of glory in the Romans' temple destruction in 70 a.d.
Reprobate Mind - Was it only then that Peter thought about Jesus's words. The phrase "Calling to mind" projects the notion of items being on screen and off screen and that somehow we are in control as to which is which.
Reprobate Mind - A murdering insurrectionist considered in the same judgment as our Lord and savior and winning out in pardon? That is often a clue to just how un comfortable and threatened people are by the revelation of their own conscience.
Reprobate Mind - Pilate's question was never adequately answered, justice even in human terms did not matter in the least. The mob mentality and possible threat of their riotous reaction if action was done to the contrary was solely sufficient.
Reprobate - Mind, where else would this behavior be justified? How does the mind go from duty and responsibility to this as it often does. This is not just the behavior of a few distant Roman soldiers long ago, this is the mind set of many intellectuals and activist on our college campuses today, this is the direction of much political discourse. Slander, mocking, humiliation, for no other reason than self and mob exaltation.
Anyone that knew Alexander and or Rufus in that day could have asked to verify the accuracy of this account. The mention of them in scripture was deliberate and most impactful if we knew the context.
Just a few chapters ago we read Jesus parable about the vineyard that was stole away from the distant master by the employees thereof. Jesus deliberately stated that the servants knew that the true heir had been sent yet put the son to death in order to retain possession of the vineyard. We would suppose that these mocking men now talked about were somehow blinded and just didn't know who Jesus was. The parable suggests something much different. Or why else would have Jesus said it as so?
There are many way Jesus could have chose to reveal himself after the resurrection. To whom, to how many, in what way, all a series of choices deliberately made to cause the best effect. He chose to unwrap this like a much anticipated and extremely valuable birthday gift one corner at a time.
Can't help but think of the parable Jesus gave on the distant vineyard owner that sent envoys to gather it's produce only to be rejected by the hired hands. Jesus hints that there were those who knew who the Son was and yet killed Him to steal away His inheritance kjv@Mark:12:1-12. Who in this crowd would He be talking about?
The all important first love. The church of Ephesus is doing a whole lot right. They contend for the faith as Jude would exhort, resist evil and suffer for Christ's name sake as Peter. Their first love no doubt was for Him as a person and for each other as His friends. For as much as they are doing right, they still need to obey the great commandment kjv@Mark:12:30-31.
2012 - pBiblx2 Field Wise Bible System Version 2.0.9d - GPL3
