Reflections on Mark 2:13-27

The Zohar says that there is at least one righteous person in every generation. Traditional Judaism says that the spirit of Moses is present in all generations. That leaves the rest of humanity as sinners. Yeshua came to help the sinners. Through his words and actions, we learn how to ask for and receive forgiveness for our sins. Adin Steinsaltz, in his book The Soul, said that every soul passes to Genonim (Hell). This is not for punishment but rather a purification of the soul because of the Nefesh’s sins (the body).[1] Then the soul travels to Heaven to be with the LORD. Yeshua shows us the path to righteousness so that our time in Genonim for purification is the shortest possible.

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[1] Adin Steinsaltz, The Soul (New Milford, CT: Maggid Books, 2018).

Thoughts on Mark 2:13-17

The idea that Yeshua declares that everyone is a sinner is interesting. If the Debt Code is removed, then there is no payment for sin. Repentance is the way to receive forgiveness. What happens to this analysis if the idea that Yeshua died for sins is explored. It could be said that Yeshua died to bring us the secrets of Heaven that were lost over the centuries. Yeshua preached repentance. He did not declare himself God. He never said that He died to free people from sin. Instead, Yeshua said you free yourself by repentance and then following the Torah the way He shows us. This methodology is a radically different way of understanding atonement than the church preaches.

Reflections on Mark 2:1-12

In Yeshua’s day, He healed people. That is something that everyone agrees with. Could Yeshua’s healing be the cure for sin after 70 CE when the Temple was destroyed? Since we do not have the original Mark Gospel, we will never know. It is possible that the forgiveness of sin was added to the narratives when the Gospel was copied and changed over the decades after 70 CE. That would account for Yeshua’s apparent blasphemy. It was blasphemy in His day, but after 70 CE, it became an accepted understanding of the faith, both Jewish and Christian. A conclusion is that Yeshua did not say “your sins are forgiven.” These words were added later.

Thoughts on Mark 2:1-12

Thoughts

The forgiveness of sin through words had to be established after the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem. It is interesting that in this narrative, Yeshua tells the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven. Should he have taken an animal to the Temple in Jerusalem and make the necessary sacrifice? Yeshua said that his sins are forgiven definitely would cause concern by the religious ruling elite. Is it against the Torah? Or is Yeshua telling the people that sin does not cause diseases or infirmities?

Additional Thoughts on Mark 1:29-45

Yeshua desired to bring unity to a fractured Jewish community. The Hebraic people of Galilee and Judea had been under an oppressive rule for centuries. This pressure caused their society to break apart. Groups of people followed Roman rule because they wanted to obtain financial and materialistic gains. Another group of persons opposed the Roman occupation with all their might. Most of the common people were from the peasant class. They were concerned about daily life. The Pharisees, Sadducees, Essene, and Zealots formed during this period of oppression. Each group had a different agenda and sometimes fought with each other. Even though their ideal situation was to work together to overthrow the oppressors, they had different ideas on how to do this and how to protect themselves. Thus their division allowed Roman rule to continue.

The divisions that started almost immediately in the Church is an example of what was happening in Judaism. Yeshua was interested in unity. The healing narratives are examples where Yeshua teaches us that unity is an essential feature of the Kingdom of Heaven. It must start on Earth. The man with leprosy was separated from the community. Thus the community was divided. Some people in the community were allowed access to the LORD, while others were not. Yeshua spoke about charity. He wanted people with excess resources to help people with little.

During Yeshua’s day, the differences in the philosophy of the Jewish groups kept them separated. Again, Yeshua wanted unity. He demonstrated this concept throughout the Gospel of Mark. It was the intolerance of the groups in Yeshua’s day that prevented them from being one nation. People today can learn from Yeshua’s lesson about unity.

In the United States, it can be generally defined that two groups are competing with each other. The two groups are Modernists and Post-Modernists. Over the past twenty years, it has become clear that age is no longer a determining factor as to which group a person aligns with. When Post-Modernism was introduced in the late 1900s, it was based on age. Young people were being taught Post-Modernism. Unfortunately, the teachers of Post-Modernism, and the founders of the movement, taught their disciples not to be very tolerant of Modernists.

Modern and Post-Modern thinking does have things in common. A new way of human thinking is always based on existing thinking. History has proven this. The problem today seems to be that the Modernists and Post-Modernists have gone to war. In the late 1900s, the two groups coexisted and worked together. Clashes always occurred because there are some substantial differences between the two philosophies. However, the two sides showed respect for each other. Compromise was occurring between the two groups, and society grew and learned to adapt to a new way of thinking.

When the new century began, the war started. It does not matter which side started the war, and perhaps it was a mutual thing. In 2020 the two sides are incredibly intolerant of each other. Both sides work toward destroying the other. It does not matter which side controls the U.S. government because the side out of power will fight instead of compromising. Also, the side in power now pushes the other side out of the picture whenever possible. This move is occurring whether Modernist or Post-Modernists are in power. Compromise has almost become a dead issue. When does comprise occur? When the thinking of Modernists and Post-Modernists intersect. That does happen from time to time. It is happening less often, which is sad.

This phenomenon is also occurring in Yeshua’s churches. The division among denominations that have stood for centuries is occurring. The Modernists and the Post-Modernists in the Church are fighting with each other. Each side has been obstinate to listening to the other side. Most of the large denominations have already been divided. The United Methodist Church will probably divide into Moderns and Post-Moderns in 2021.

Yeshua wanted unity for His people. Every time there is a division in Yeshua’s Church He must be weeping. How can people say they are disciples of Yeshua and are good with divisions in the Church? The Church is not united, and since 48 CE it never has been. Society’s war of Modernists and Post-Modernists is in the Church. Therefore, the divisions of the Church will probably continue.

How can both groups come together? In November 2020, after the Presidential election, it is apparent that something drastic has to happen to bring Modernists and Post-Modernists together. Yeshua stands for unity. He also demonstrated the courage to tell His people that their fracturing was allowing the oppression to occur.

A man approached Yeshua with leprosy. The law of the day said that one does not touch a person with leprosy. What did Yeshua do? He touched the man and healed him. Yeshua demonstrates courage! People in that day believed that touching a person with leprosy would transmit the disease. Did that stop Yeshua? No, He had courage. The allegorical meaning of the narrative is that Yeshua demonstrated that courage was needed to reunite the Hebrew people. Once united, they could stand up to their oppressors.

The Church has numerous oppressors today both inside and outside. The Church is dying because of oppression. The Church needs people of courage to come forward and reunite it to defend itself from oppression. The people of the Church need to take Yeshua’s example of courage. Touch the untouchable! The untouchable subject of compromise must be reinstated as the norm of how the Church works. Modernists and Post-Modernists in the Church need to have the courage to live the way Yeshua wants us to live. We are supposed to live in harmony and unity.

Who will have the courage to stand up and unite the factions of the Church? Perhaps that person is you. The greatest thing that could be done for Yeshua’s Church is to bring all of its factions together! The LORD is calling for someone to come forward. Isaiah answered the call of the LORD when no one else would. Yeshua is calling for all His disciples to come forward. Let us answer the call together.

Reflections on Mark 1:29-45

Church politics tend to disenfranchise people. A church I was assigned to had two types of members. The first I call the “elite.” These families controlled every aspect of the Church, especially finances. The second type was the “2^nd class members.” They were expected to perform the work of the Church and to be silent. During my years there, I elevated the 2^nd class members showing them that they were equal to the elite in the same way Yeshua demonstrated that there are no 2^nd class citizens in the Kingdom of Heaven. The elite became so obsessed that I did this that they worked overtime to get me moved to a different church. The elite won after three years. Sadly the 2^nd class membership was reinstated by the elite, and those true disciples of Yeshua stayed at the Church. The 2^nd class members showed loyalty to a church that did not respect them. It is NOT supposed to be this way. Do not let this happen in your Church. Every disciple is an elite member of Yeshua’s Church.

Thoughts on Mark 1:29-45

Thoughts

The disenfranchised people of society were Yeshua’s primary concern. How could He help them? He had to teach people that being sick or riddled with a disease was not a reason to place a person outside the community. Everyone has a right to find the LORD, worship Him, and to receive blessings from Him. This idea not only included sick people but all people. There were rules and regulations about who could come into the Temple at Jerusalem, and even entry into the local synagogues could be blocked. That is not the way of the LORD. The LORD and Yeshua value all people of all races and nations.