- Paganism
Dead conscience – Mark 14 Vs 1-21 - Resurrection
Restoration – Mark 14 Vs 22-42 - Fasting
Peace on earth – Mark 14 Vs 43-72
1. Paganism – Dead conscience
Mark 14 Vs 1-21
Mark chapter 13 introduces the detestable human character – paganism (or human wisdom) which leads to both death and the end of the human race.
The Scriptures refer to paganism as foolishness and deceit – 1 Cor 3 Vs 19 which means the betrayal of one another:
“For the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God”
“Brother shall betray brother to death and children will rise up against parents – take heed – watch and pray” – Mark 13 Vs 12
The things we glorify, honor, desire so much; our secular education, professions, wealth, etc., the Scriptures defines them as “Law” – that is, everything originating or proceeding from human wisdom or abilities.
These things “our laws” appear so valuable, necessary and seem to make our earthly habitation easy and comfortable; sadly they all produce death which Scripture defines as a “dead conscience” – impaired sense of judgment between right and wrong).
A heart filled with human wisdom without God’s mercy is enmity to self and also to everyone else. The more education, wealth, etc., the more enmity, conflict and selfishness.
A rather surprising contradiction of human existence.
St. Paul succinctly sums up what human wisdom does to the human race in Romans 7 Vs 10:
“… and the commandment ordained for life (our secular works, education, etc.) I found to be death”
This was Paul’s experience in his earthly life – so very true.
While Pharaoh subjected God’s people to the worst type of slavery (a dead conscience); he was ignorant of his own enslavement by the same dead conscience – paganism.
Every dictator or law maker is ignorant of his or her own enslavement by same dead conscience.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 2 Vs 1 and Colossians 2 Vs 12 states:
“you are dead in your sins (paganism) following the ways of the world…”
Paganisms (human wisdom) is a deadly enslavement. It is death with plagues worse that those exhibited in Egypt.
Mark 13 Vs 7 etc
“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, fighting, etc., do not be alarmed, such things must happen…” – the end results of “a dead conscience” – we have fights in all families, within tribes, countries, religious sects, the rise and fall of governments, etc.
Paganism – conscience being dead is foolishness
-that is, lack of understanding the purpose of God’s love (mercy) and the Gospel (the love of one another) both of which are intended to unite the world into one spiritual body – defined as disciples of Christ – or God’s people with love of one another;
Mark 3 Vs 35
“those who do his will (prayer) are his brothers and sisters – disciples
With God’s people (disciples), all earthly relations; brothers, sisters, parents, different races, friends, etc., become one – brethren – which means, reception of one another as a result of God’s mercy and the Gospel.
Now the meaning of death comes to light – not physical bodily death but a dead conscience or a heart that is unresponsive to Mercy and the Gospel – like a dead body which is unresponsive to the earthly environment.
Paganism – a dead conscience – is the worst state of enslavement of a human heart – being nothing less than foolishness or betrayal of self and others.
All the trouble there is in our world and in all countries, homes, etc., is due to the paganism – or a dead conscience.
Israel represents all humanity with a dead conscience including each one of us alive today. All are condemned to death unless a new birth, a resurrection through prayer takes place which is the next part of Mark 14 Vs 22 – 42.
2. Resurrection – Restoration
Mark 14 Vs 22-42
Mark 14 Vs 22-42 – no doubt – is the sweetest and most delightful passage in the whole Bible. It spells out the human resurrection in the simplest terms possible for all to appropriate and receive as the gift of God’s mercy.
The resurrection is the reception of the two most delightful spiritual feasts (gifts) of prayer
- Which transforms one from paganism to a disciple
- From a dead conscience to a spiritual life which enables one to “love” with a dead conscience there can be no “love” except vows and commitments (Laws).
Sadly, paganism has made prayer to be nothing but petitioning of our needs and singing.
Prayer therefore consists of reception of the two most delightful spiritual feasts:
- The Passover Feast – detailed out in Mark Chapter 9, resulting into spiritual birth or Baptism
- The Feast of Unleavened bread – Mark Chapter 10 – The Gospel – which produces love of one another – without which there is no unity except death, deception, conflict, hatred, wars, etc.
Receiving both spiritual gifts of Prayer is the Resurrection.
We begin with the “Passover Feast” – Mark Chapter 9 which results into the spiritual birth (Baptism) – with 3 spiritual qualities given below:
a.) Baptism – Mark 9 Vs 1-17 – spiritual birth which means:
dependency on God’s mercy
During the Passover Feast in Egypt – God’s mercy saved all Israel’s first born children, whilst death of the first born reigned in Egypt.
In addition, God supplied all Israel’s needs during the Exodus – thus Israel learned to be dependent on God’s mercy and such dependency on God’s mercy is the restoration of all things – V 12 (the spiritual birth or Baptism)
God’s mercy to the world has continued ever since, to this day despite paganism (deceit with its lies of politics, social, economic policies, and vain promises) which enslave us all to death (or deceit) ie., the dead conscience (enmity to one another).
Baptism, (dependency on God’s mercy) is the spiritual birth which liberates humanity from the lies of the world, from a dead conscience, etc., all which enslave us to human authority and control, manipulations; a dead conscience thereby hurting one another.
b.) The 2nd element of spiritual birth is service – Mark 9 Vs 28 -41
Spiritual life – dependency on mercy – turns all into God’s servants, ie., disciples aiming to be “first” meaning greatness – which refers to disciples work of removing the pagan ideas of greatness, status, riches, laws, etc., which have completely messed up the world.
This service is exactly what Jesus did among his disciples and the world at large.
c.) Mercy reveals sin – Mark 9 Vs 42 – 80
Mercy reveals law, ie., paganism as sin and no one can be saved by law.
The pagan principle of fairness and justice is an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, etc., which is the summary of the law: the worm that does not die and the fire that shall never be quenched – Mark 9 Vs 48
This sin can only be removed by God’s mercy.
A pagan is not worth having been born and with a stone tied round the neck, should be damped into the sea – revealing serious repercussions of human wisdom.
As a result of paganism, there is no peace in the world .. Vs 50
“salt having lost its saltiness”
The example of our country – the more laws and security groups, the more sin and falls, the more chaos, unrest and dissatisfaction.
To save the pagan world God sent the Son with the “Gospel of Love”.
With “the Gospel” which is summarized in Mark Chapter 10 – is the Feast of Unleavened Bread – (as opposed to lies – the Leavened Bread of the human wisdom). This Love is derived from God’s mercy to replace the law with 3 spiritual elements to both the Jews and Gentiles alike.
1.) Mark 10 Vs 1-16 – the spiritual life (dependency) using the marriage union as an example of dependency on one another; which is the Gospel (Christ) to “love one another”
All of us having been born of a woman should have brought about strong spiritual dependency (Love) creating one family of God:
– the visible Church – and for this reason God created man and woman with Christ as the Head with the Gospel of love.
See what paganism did – it created ethical codes of marriage vows and banns, divorce and cultural conduct with regulations and religions – resulting into a dead conscience (paganism).
In the early Jewish communities, a marriage was God’s spiritual gift of union, brought into effect by a decision of only two male parents of the spouses with thankfulness to God and nothing more.
But now, marriage is a commercial transaction (money and vows) – revealing the deadness of human conscience.
2.) Mark 10 Vs 17-31 – Libertines – freed from paganism
With all the laws in the pagan world, summarized as the 10 Commandment – there can be no love of one another, no peace, because of the dead conscience which creates individualism, selfishness, etc., not knowing the truth or God’s mercy and the Gospel which unites all into the one body of Christ.
See what the young, educated rich ruler and judge did –
Mark 10 Vs 22
His treasure was money, riches and laws – defying God’s mercy and His love in creation….“and he was sad, grieved” and death (a dead conscience) reigned in his heart.
The more laws, wealth, etc., the more tyranny, hatred, sin, etc.
3.) Mark 10 Vs 32-52 – Unity
Paganism is divisive – for the purpose of maximizing profits, wealth and dominion, thus disregarding the Gospel of love which still supplies all human basic needs.
Vs 43 – But you shall not be so, those who desire to be the greatest – libertines – because of the Gospel – Love of one another.
For the Son of man became a slave (by dependency on God’s mercy) and by revealing sin (paganism) which led to His crucifixion and His physical death.
3. Fasting – Peace on earth
Mark 14 Vs 43-72
Spiritual life (fasting) is holding peace at all times. It is to have peace by waiting upon God’s mercy and love of one another even in very difficult situations and circumstances as Jesus did when he faced human pagan authority, and dominion (the tyrannical rule).
Such fasting is to love your enemies.
Being peaceful is to fast; but abstaining from eating (our fasting) may not always be a result of a spiritual life.
Jesus’ whole life on earth was a fasting; he kept his peace at all times as he faced the wrath of the pagan world – by dependency on God’s mercy and reception of his disciples – the spiritual life.
His disciples, many times did not understand his message – but still Jesus kept his peace and continued to teach them. God’s mercy and love have nothing to do with riches or poverty.
1.) Vs 43 As he was speaking, Judas with a great multitude with swords and clubs, the Chief priests, Scribes, and elders seized him.
They laid their hands on him and took him away. This forcefulness is the spirit of the world – human wisdom – the law, the government and man.
To the one who struck and cut off the servant’s ear, Jesus had this to say – Vs 48:
“you have not come against a robber…”
“I was daily with you in the Temple teaching…” and revealing the deadly character of human wisdom – and he kept silent.
2.) Peter and the other disciples all fled, still Jesus expressed no anger
To make matters worse, the Church leaders of the day, priests, bishops and the public – rich and poor with the militia, arrested the innocent man with no crime – still Jesus kept his peace.
To this day, all nations and Churches have rejected both God’s mercy and the Gospel – (Prayer) as God’s means of governance by and deliberate means of ignorance.
It means conflict within and without our hearts.
3.) They brought many false witnesses – Vs 55 -59 – Jesus answered nothing
To all indignities and crimes committed to Jesus – silence was the perfect answer and he was condemned to death by crucifixion; by all of us who have not yet received God’s prayer – the two Feasts.
To all Peter’s denials – Jeus said no word – He condemned no one – with this peace He reigns to this day.
