Well friends, it's been a fun trip through the Gospel of Mark. I've had fun over the past 15 weeks chatting about this book. In light of the success of "Mark: My Words" we will be doing more blogs in the future...so stay tuned!
Mark 16 is the dramatic conclusion to this biography of Christ. Are there really any better words than, "He has been resurrected!" (v. 6) Our Savior lives! This truly is the Good News. Mark 16 also contains what has become some controversial teaching, especially in our part of the country, Appalachia more specifically (see vv. 17-18). While we often make jokes, there are churches today that still practice snake handling and poison drinking. Depending on your translation however, you may notice something unique about vv. 9-20. These verses may be bracketed, or there may be special footnotes. This is becuase these verses are not contained in the oldest, most reliable Biblical manuscripts. This means that vv. 9-20 are most likely later additions. But why? Some think that Mark ends a bit abruptly. Imagine that Mark 16 actually ended with v. 8. Do you think the story is complete?
6 comments:
I am glad we do not do snake handling. That would take faith to another level. The way Mark ends is complete, but I think there are so many things Jesus did that were not written down. Was John the one who said many things He did were not written?
Could we just do cat-handling instead? I could go for that!
Seriously,I wonder about HIS statement that these are signs that will accompany those who believe. Exorcism, snake handling, poison drinking, and faith healing. That's a pretty limited list. I agree with Robert, I think that there are so many things not written down, and I'll bet this is not the complete list. If it is, I'm in big trouble...
The very last verse of John reads, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, if they were written one by one, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written." John 21:25
There are some who deny the bodily resurrection of Christ. Instead, they say that only Jesus' spirit was resurrected and it was this spirit that the disciples (and others) saw manifested. If this was the case, it seems odd that we have multiple records of people touching Jesus. We also find him eating. The writings of Paul especially make clear that Jesus was indeed resurrected in the flesh.
Jesus had Thomas touch him and see for himself that he had risen. There are too many recorded accounts of people eating with Jesus and touching him after he was dead to have only been raised in the spirit and not the flesh.
These are not the normal Bible stories that are studied during Thanksgiving, but WOW how appropriate!
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