by Darrell | May 28, 2026 | Articles
In Mark 12:28-34 (the parallel passage being found in Matthew 22), Jesus is asked by a scribe (one who was expected to be an expert in the law) what the greatest commandment is. Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and adds the second greatest commandment as well. It was not new. It comes from Leviticus 19:18. The scribe didn’t ask about the second greatest commandment, but Jesus added it anyway because it is “like it.” These 2 commandments “depend all the Law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:40). The scribe agrees with him, but is that enough? Jesus says he is “not far from the kingdom of God.” No, it wasn’t quite enough. We know that one must believe in Jesus (John 8:24) and obey Him (John 14:15; 15:10). The scribe’s understanding of these commandments was a good start, but he needed to go a little farther. Many people will believe a great many things Jesus taught and still stop short of full commitment. I would hope that the scribe did indeed go the whole way to being saved, but it is not revealed to us.
Loving God fully is not just a warm, fuzzy feeling. It is a commitment, a prioritization of God in our lives. We are called to give the full measure of ourselves — heart, soul, mind and strength. Nothing held back or reserved. We are seeking Him and desiring to align ourselves with His will.
Loving our neighbors as ourselves is also a high calling for the Christian. Before the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, the question was asked of Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” It was asked in order to justify himself. Loving your neighbor is easy when it’s someone who looks like me, talks like me, believes like me, etc. It’s much more challenging when it goes outside those boundaries. The Jews had been told not to associate with Gentiles to the point that they didn’t think they were their neighbors at all. The parable of the good Samaritan revealed that thinking as flawed.
What do we want for ourselves? Good things, of course. We want the necessities of life, but we want more than that. Ultimately, we want salvation as well, so we should want this for our neighbors. We should be actively looking for and sharing the answer for that need! And we should be doing it in love (Ephesians 4:15).
Jesus’ simple answer to the scribe’s question has a lot of implications. We would do well to meditate on not only the meaning of those 2 commandments, but also whether we are actively working to fulfill those commandments in our lives.
by Darrell | May 15, 2026 | Articles
In Mark 10:13-16 we have a short exchange that is important for us to understand. In the course of Jesus’ teaching the people, parents begin bringing their children to Him. It says that they wanted Him to touch them. They expected a “blessing” upon them from Jesus. Jesus uses it as a teachable moment. In Matthew’s account, 19:13, it states that they wanted Him to lay hands on them and pray. We see this custom in Old Testament passages such as Genesis 48. It shows some level of recognition of His power and authority.
At first, the disciples begin rebuking these parents. They seemed to think that this was a distraction and annoyance. “We have work to do” might be their thought. Jesus, however, did not want to overlook the children and He had a lesson to teach His disciples. Mark says Jesus became indignant. It was unfair to think that Jesus didn’t care about children.
Think about this for a moment — Jesus deals with people all day long. Some of them receive His words. Others turn away. Still others question Him and try to entrap Him. And now, these children are brought to Him. I could see Him having a sense of joy interacting with these children. They don’t have any impure motives. Mark says he took them up in his arms. He embraces them and blesses them. The disciples wanted to cut short a moment that was enjoyable for Jesus.
There was another lesson for His disciples to learn. “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Receive the kingdom without ulterior motives or preconceived notions. Receive it without any barriers that people tend to build up as adults, such as their own sinful desires, their rebellious attitudes, and their unwillingness to change. Receive it with the childlike wonder and amazement at what Jesus offers.
My grandson, Anaiah, loves to explore outside. He picks up the most random things and looks at them intently. Sticks, acorns, leaves, snails, etc. I always wonder what he is thinking. He will examine it from every angle, and some of them he will keep carrying around. Perhaps if people would examine what God says in His word with that kind of intention, we would be better off! More people would see the truth. More people would let it change them! The Word of God is amazing! We should treat it that way and examine it carefully, taking in what is being taught to us.
Be like children. Innocent, inquisitive, and ready to receive!
by Darrell | May 1, 2026 | Articles
Mark 6:1-6
Hometowns can be complicated. There’s history. There are relationships (sometimes going way back to early childhood!). I think we see this with Jesus. He grew up. He was well regarded (Luke 2). But when He goes back to Nazareth, where everyone should have remembered how He grew up (which one would think that would give Him some credibility), they reject Him. He was just a carpenter’s son in their eyes. He was just a son and a brother.
I have often thought of this. What was their barrier to belief? Was it just familiarity? Was it jealousy, since He grew up there and should be just like them? I can’t answer for what was in their hearts. I do, however, notice that Jesus expected more of them. He came teaching and doing mighty works, but they reject Him. He marveled (astounded). No doubt He wants them to believe, but speaking in human terms, I think there would be an added desire since He had personal relationships with people back home.
“A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” All 4 gospels contain this saying. Many consider it to be a common proverb. Jesus had been honored by people in other areas, but in His own hometown, they questioned Him and did not believe. Matthew 13:58 states that Jesus didn’t do many mighty works because of their unbelief. The text indicates He had done some mighty works, but they still don’t believe. And they weren’t going to. At least not now.
Jesus went elsewhere. He didn’t come to preach to those who stopped up their ears so they wouldn’t hear. He came to seek and save the lost, which requires listening, belief, and obedience! He wasn’t finding that in Nazareth so He went elsewhere.
Oh that we would never be in such a situation! We should always be willing to listen to what God has to say in His inspired Word. Even when it’s a hard thing. Even when we are challenged to repent, change, or adopt a different behavior. May Jesus never marvel at a lack of belief in us!
by Darrell | May 1, 2026 | Articles
Mark 2:1-13
We have finished Matthew and have begun the gospel account of Mark. In chapter 2, we read of Jesus healing a paralytic. Jesus is at Capernaum and people are gathering in a large enough number that there is no more room at all. Jesus is preaching the word and people are listening. Four men arrive carrying the paralytic. I can’t imagine carrying someone a significant distance but it would certainly slow them down and they arrive to see there is no more room to enter. This doesn’t deter them! That tells me 2 things – they were good friends and they had faith in Jesus power to do something for their friend.
These men carrying the paralytic are good friends. Friends that care. I was thinking about this in terms of drawing an application to ourselves. We need friends that will see our needs and work to help us with them. But we also need to BE friends that see needs and help with them. Not just physical things, but spiritual needs. What greater need does anyone have than to be brought to the Savior and have their sins forgiven?
Jesus looks at this paralytic and says, “Your sins are forgiven.” Perhaps everyone expected Him to heal the man and for them to see him get up and walk, but Jesus saw a bigger need than walking (and a teaching moment). Jesus forgave the man’s sins and He had every right to do so. He is the son of God. But in order to prove His authority to forgive sins, He also heals the man. The miracle proved it. This miracle was the witness to who Jesus is.
We need to understand and remember who Jesus is. The lamb of God. the Son of God. The Great Physician. The Good Shepherd. The Savior. The High Priest. And we could keep going. Jesus is of paramount importance. We need to be at His feet and we need to bring others to His feet!
by Darrell | May 1, 2026 | Articles
In Matthew 26:17-29, we read of the Lord and His disciples observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which was part of the Passover observance. There are a few things we can think about regarding this time they spent together.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is described in Exodus 12:15-20. It lasted for seven days. Matthew states that they wanted to prepare for this feast, which came a day after the actual Passover meal. The Passover would fall on Wednesday and this meal would be on Thursday. The preparation mentioned would be finding a suitable place that had already gone through taking out all leaven. They were following Exodus 12.
An occasion that was intended to be a remembrance of that final plague in Egypt and the salvation of the Hebrews from death (a likeness of Jesus’ sacrifice to deliver us from spiritual death) was soured by Jesus telling the disciples that someone would betray Him. None of them could believe it and even asked, “Is it I, Lord?” They couldn’t see their fellow disciples betraying Him and even asked about themselves. A special occasion with love for the Lord and dedication to keeping the law is interrupted with this exchange and they were distressed by it. When Judas asks, “Is it I, Rabbi?” Jesus responds. “You have said so.” Judas had already made an offer to the chief priests (verse 14). He had already thought of it. John adds to this in John 13:30 that Judas goes out immediately.
When we get to Matthew 26:26-29, we read of Jesus partaking of the unleavened bread and also instituting the Lord’s Supper. We learn of the elements – the unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine – from this context. He was taking a special observance from the Passover in the Old Testament and and giving us a new observance that is even more special under the New Covenant. An observance that sees the true Passover in which Christ is our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). We partake of that special observance each Lord’s Day (the first day of the week, the day He arose from the dead). The Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of that sacrifice to deliver us from death (Hebrews 2:14-15). What an important thing to remember!
Jesus partook of that unleavened bread and fruit of the vine. He was betrayed, mocked, abused, scourged, and crucified — according to the plan of God (Ephesians 1:9-10). He was 3 days in the earth (tomb) and He arose on the third day, appearing to His apostles and over 500 others (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Then He ascended to Heaven (Acts 1:6-11) and we await His return. Let’s be ready!
