Click here to go to Mark 9
We visit the transfiguration story again, which I talked about when we read Matthew so I was looking at verses 30-32:
30 From there Jesus and His followers went through the country of Galilee. He did not want anyone to know where He was. 31 He taught His followers, saying, “The Son of Man will be handed over to men. They will kill Him. Three days after He is killed, He will be raised from the dead.” 32 They did not understand what He said and were afraid to ask Him.
We have the advantage of the New Testament and history, but what it must have been like for the disciples. They had seen Jesus raise people from the dead by this point, yet this sounded so far out to them. Some scholars believe Mark was written first and Matthew and Luke used Mark as a guideline. Can you imagine what the disciples must have thought after reading Mark (ok, I'm making an assumption that they read it...) but when they recalled this event and I wonder if they thought "How were we so blind?" or "Why didn't we understand, He was so plain in what He said?" How often do I look at a passage of scripture and go, "I've read this dozens if not hundred of times why am I just now getting it?!?" And I think we all know, we weren't ready to understand it. Thank God for the Holy Spirit who teaches us the truths of the scripture when we're ready to understand it.
I'm not sure I've ever noticed these verses before and to be quite honest I have no idea what the second half of 50 means. I would probably need to make a trip to my favorite seminary library to do some research. Of course, the "silly side" of me thinks "I am FULL of salt so now I need to be at peace with others.
We do know that in Biblical times salt was used to preserve food so it would last longer. So in that context maybe Jesus wants us to be full of salt so we can last longer in the tasks He's given us. I don't know just letting my thoughts run wild.
49 “Everyone will be made cleaner and stronger with fire. 50 Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how can it be made to taste like salt again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with each other.”
Blessings all!
Mark 9
ReplyDelete50 "Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how will you restore its flavor? Have salt within you, and live in peace with one another.”
Seasoning in a bland world! How much the Lord wants us to be His Voice! "Taste and see that the Lord is good!" Flavorful to every need man has, exposing sparseness as able to be filled with His grace, Love, and compassion on a dying world. Live in peace with one another ~*~ not lacking what He has extended to us, in overflow to others.
John 14 New Living Translation
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid."
John 14 The Message
27 "I'm leaving you well and whole. That's my parting gift to you. Peace. I don't leave you the way you're used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don't be upset. Don't be distraught."