Twentieth Century New Testament - 02 - Mark, Chapters 6-10

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
The Gospel of Mark chapter six through ten, from the
twentieth century New Testament. This is a LibriVox recording. All
LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information
or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by J. A.
Carter www dot authentic light dot org. The twentieth Century

(00:28):
New Testament by a company of about twenty scholars. The
Gospel of Mark chapter six through ten. Chapter six. On
leaving that place, Jesus, followed by his disciples, went to
his own part of the country. When the sabbath came,
he began to teach in the synagogue, and the people,

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as they listened, were deeply impressed. Where did he get this?
They said? And what is this wisdom that has been
given him? And these miracles which he is doing? Is
not he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the
brother of James, and Joseus and Judas and Simon. And
are not his sisters too living here among us? This
proved a hindrance to their believing in him, on which

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Jesus said, a prophet is not without honor except in
his own country and among his own relations, and in
his own home. And he could not work any miracle
there beyond placing his hands upon a few infirm persons
and curing them, And he wondered at the want of
faith shown by the people. Jesus went round the villages

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one after another teaching. He called the twelve to him
and began to send them out as his messengers two
and two, and gave them authority over foul spirits. He
instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey,
not even bread or a bag or pence in their purse.
But they were to wear sandals and not to put
on a second coat. Whenever you go to stay at

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a house, he said, remain there till you leave that place.
And if a place does not welcome you or listen
to you as you go out of it, shake off
the dust that is on the soles of your feet
as a protest against them. So they set out and
proclaimed the need of repentance. They drove out many demons
and anointed with oil many who were infirm, and cured them.

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Now King Herod heard of Jesus, for his name had
become well known. People were saying, John the Baptizer must
have risen from the dead, and that is why these
miraculous powers are active in him. Others again said he
is Elijah, and others he is a prophet, like one
of the great prophets. But when Herod heard of him,
he said, the man whom I beheaded John, he must

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be risen. For Herod himself had sent and arrested John
and put him in prison in chains to please Herodias,
the wife of his brother Philip, because Herod had married her.
For John had said to Herod, you have no right
to be living with your brother's wife. So Herodias was
incensed against John and wanted to put him to death,
but was unable to do so because Herod stood in

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fear of John, knowing him to be an upright and
holy man, and protected him. He had listened to John,
but still remained much perplexed, and yet he found pleasure
in listening to him. A suitable opportunity, however, occurred when Herod,
on his birthday, gave a dinner for his high officials
and his generals and the foremost men of Galilee. And
when his daughter, that is the daughter of Herodias, came

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in and danced, she delighted Herod and those who were
dining with him. Ask me for whatever you like. The
king said to the girl, and I will give it
to you. And he swore to her that he would
give her whatever she asked him, up to half his kingdom.
The girl went out and said to her mother, what
must I ask for the head of John the Baptizer,

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answered her mother. So she went in as quickly as
possible to the king and made her request. I want you,
she said, to give me at once, on a dish,
the head of John the Baptist. The king was much distressed,
and yet, on account of his oath and of the
guests at his table, he did not like to refuse her.
He immediately despatched one of his bodyguard with orders to

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bring John's head. The man went and beheaded John in
the prison, and bringing his head on a dish, gave
it to the girl, and the girl gave it to
her mother. When John's disciples heard of it, they came
and took his body away and laid it in a tomb.
When the apostles came back to Jesus, they told him
all that they had done and all that they had taught.

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Come by yourselves privately to some lonely spot, he said,
and rest for a while, for there were so many
people coming and going that they had not time even
to eat. So they set off privately in their boat
for a lonely spot. And many people saw them going
and recognized them, and from all the towns they flocked
together to the place on foot and got there before them.

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On getting out of the boat, Jesus saw a great crowd,
and his heart was moved at the sight of them,
because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he
began to teach them many things. When it grew late,
his disciples came up to him and said, this is
a lonely spot and it is already late. Send the
people away, so that they may go to the farms
and villages around and buy themselves something to eat. But

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Jesus answered, it is for you to give them something
to eat. Are we to go and buy twenty pounds
worth of bread? They asked to give them to eat.
How many loaves have you, he asked, go and see.
When they had found out, they told him five and
two fishes. Jesus directed them to make all the people
take their seats on the green grass in parties, and

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they sat down in groups in hundreds and in fifties.
Taking the five loaves and the two fishes, Jesus looked
up to heaven and said the blessing. He broke the
loaves into pieces and gave them to his disciples for
them to serve out to the people, and he divided
the two fishes also among them. All every one had
sufficient to eat, and they picked up enough broken pieces

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to fill twelve baskets, as well as some of the fish.
We ate. The bread were five thousand in number. Immediately afterwards,
Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and cross
over in advance in the direction of bethsaida while he
himself was dismissing the crowd. After he had taken leave
of the people, he went away up the hill to pray.

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When evening fell, the boat was out in the middle
of the sea, and Jesus on the shore alone, seeing
them laboring at the oars, for the wind was against them.
About three hours after midnight, Jesus came toward them walking
on the water, intending to join them. But when they
saw him walking on the water, they thought it was
a ghost and cried out. For all of them saw

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him and were terrified. But Jesus at once spoke to
them courage. He said, it is I, do not be afraid.
Then he got into the boat with them, and the
wind dropped. The disciples were utterly amazed, for they had
not understood about the loaves, their minds being slow to learn.
When they crossed over. They landed at Genesseret and moored

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the boat. But they had no sooner left her than
the people. Recognizing Jesus, hurried over the whole countryside and
began to carry about upon mats those who were ill
wherever they heard he was. So wherever he went to
villages or towns or farms, they would lay their sick
in the market places, begging him to let them touch
only the tassel of his cloak, and all who touched

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were made well. Chapter seven. One day, the Pharisees and
some of the teachers of the law who had come
from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus. They had noticed that some
of his disciples ate their food with their hands defiled,
by which they meant unwashed. For the Pharisees, and indeed
all strict Jews, will not eat without first scrupulously washing

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their hands, holding in this to the tradition of their
ancestors when they come from market, they will not eat
without first sprinkling themselves. And there are many other such
customs which they have inherited and hold to, such as
the ceremonial washing of cups and jugs and copper pans.
So the Pharisees and the teachers of the law ask
Jesus this question, how is it that your disciples do

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not follow the traditions of our ancestors, but eat their
food with defiled hands. His answer was, it was well
said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you hypocrites, and
the words, this is a people that honor me with
their lips, while their hearts are far removed from me.
But vainly do they worship me, For they teach but
the precepts of men. You neglect God's commandments and hold

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to the traditions of men. Whisily do you set aside
God's commandments? He exclaimed, to keep your own traditions. For
while Moses said, honor thy father and thy mother, and
let him who reviles his father or mother suffer death.
You say, if a man says to his father or mother,
whatever of mine might have been of service to you,
is corbon which means given to God. Why then you

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do not allow him to do anything further for his
father or mother. In this way you nullify the word
words of God by your traditions which you hand down,
and you do many similar things. Then Jesus called the
people to him again and said, listen to me, all
of you, and mark my words. There is nothing external
to a man which, by going into him can defile him.

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But the things that come out from a man are
the things that defile him. When Jesus went indoors, away
from the crowd, his disciples began questioning him about this, saying,
what even you understand so little, exclaimed Jesus. Do you
not see that there is nothing external to a man which,
by going into a man, can defile him, because it

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does not pass into his heart, but into his stomach,
and is afterwards got rid of. In saying this, Jesus
pronounced all foods clean. It is what comes out from
a man, he added, that defiles him, for it is
from within out of the hearts of men that there
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, lander, haughtiness, folly.

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All these wicked things come from within and do defile
a man. On leaving that place, Jesus went to the
district of Tyre and Sidon, and he went into a
house and did not wish any one to know it,
but could not escape notice, for a woman whose little
daughter had a foul spirit in her heard of him
immediately and came and threw herself at his feet. The

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woman was a foreigner, a native of Syrian Phoenicia, and
she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.
Let the children be satisfied, first, answered Jesus, for it
is not fair to take the children's food and throw
it to dogs. Yes, Master, she replied, even the dogs
under the table do feed on the children's crumbs. For

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saying that, he answered, you may go. The demon has
gone out of your daughter. The woman went home and
found the child lying on her bed, and the demon gone.
On returning from the district of Tire, Jesus went by
way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, across the
district of the Ten towns. Some people brought to him

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a man who is deaf and almost dumb, and they
begged Jesus to place his hand on him. Jesus took
him aside from the crowd, quietly put his fingers into
the man's ears and touched his tongue with saliva. Then,
looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to the
man ifatha, which means be opened. The man's ears were opened,

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the string of his tongue was freed, and he began
to talk plainly. Jesus insisted upon their not telling anyone,
but the more he insisted, the more perseveringly they made
it known, and a profound impression was made upon the people.
He has done everything well, they exclaimed. He makes even
the deaf here and the dumb speak. Chapter eight about

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that time, when there was again a great crowd of
people who had nothing to eat. Jesus called his disciples
to him and said, my heart is moved at the
sight of all these people, for they have already been
with me three days, and they have nothing to eat.
And if I send them away to their homes hungry,
they will break down on the way. And some of
them have come a long distance. Where will it be possible.

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His disciples answered, to get sufficient bread for these people
in this lonely place. How many loaves have you, he
asked seven they answered. Jesus told the crowd to sit
down upon the ground. Then he took the seven loaves,
and after saying the thanksgiving, broke them and gave them
to his disciples to serve out, and they served them
out to the crowd. They had also a few small fish,

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and after he had said the blessing, he told the
disciples to serve out these as well. The people had
sufficient to eat, and they picked up seven baskets full
of the broken pieces that were left. There were about
four thousand people. Then Jesus dismissed them immediately afterwards, getting
into the boat with his disciples, Jesus went to the
district of Dalmanutha. Here the Pharisees came out and began

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to argue with Jesus, asking him for some sign from
the heavens to test him. Sighing deeply, Jesus said, why
does this generation ask for a sign? I tell you
no signs shall be given it. So he left them
to themselves, and getting into the boat again, went away
to the opposite shore. Now the disciples had forgotten to

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take any bread with them, one loaf being all that
they had in the boat. So Jesus gave them this warning.
Take care, He said, beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. They began talking to
one another about their being short of bread, and noticing this,
Jesus said to them, why are you talking about being
short of bread? Do not you yet see or understand?

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Are your minds still so slow of comprehension? Though you
have eyes, do you not see? And though you have
ears do you not hear? Do not you remember when
I broke up the five loaves for the five thousand,
how many baskets of broken pieces you picked up? Twelve?
They said? And when the seven for the four thousand,
how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you pick up? Seven?

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They said? Do not you understand? Now? He repeated. They
came to Bethseayidah. There some people brought a blind man
to Jesus and begged him to touch him. Taking the
blind man's hand, Jesus led him to the outskirts of
the village, and when he had put saliva on the
man's eyes, he placed his hands on him and asked him,

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do you see anything? The man looked up and said,
I see the people, for as they walk about, they
looked to me like trees. Then Jesus again placed his
hands on the man's eyes, and the man saw clearly.
His sight was restored, and he saw everything with perfect distinctness.
Jesus sent him to his home and said, do not

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go even into the village. Afterwards, Jesus and his disciples
went into the villages around Cesarea Philippi, and on the
way he asked his disciples this question, who do people
say that I am John the Baptist? They answered, but
others say Elijah, while others say one of the prophets.

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But you, he asked, who do you say that I am?
To this Peter replied, you are the Christ, on which
Jesus charged them not to say this about him to
any one. Then he began to teach them that the
son of Man must undergo much suffering, and that he
must be rejected by the counselors and the chief priests

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and the teachers of the law, and be put to
death and rise again after three days. This statement he
made openly, but Peter took Jesus aside and began to
rebuke him. Jesus, however, turning round and seeing his disciples
rebuked Peter, out of my sight, Satan, for you look
at things not as God does, but as man does.

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Calling the people and his disciples to him, Jesus said,
if any man wishes to walk in my steps, let
him renounce self, take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it.
And whoever, for my sake and for the sake of
the good News will lose his life, shall save it.
What good is it to a man to gain the

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whole world and forfeit his life. For what could a
man give that is of equal value with his life.
Whoever is ashamed of me and of my teaching in
this unfaithful and wicked generation of him, will the son
of Man be ashamed when he comes in his father's
glory with the Holy Angels. Chapter nine. I tell you.

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He added that some of those who are standing here
will not know death till they have seen the Kingdom
of God come in power. Six days later, Jesus took
with him Peter, James, and John and led them up
a high mountain alone by themselves. There his appearance was
transformed before their eyes, and his clothes became of a

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more dazzling white than any bleacher in the world could
make them. And Elijah appeared to them in company with Moses,
and they were talking with Jesus. Rabbi said Peter, interposing,
it is good to be here. Let us make three tenths,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
For he did not know what to say, because they

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were much afraid. Then a cloud came down and enveloped them.
And from the cloud there came a voice, This is
my son, the beloved him. You must hear. And suddenly,
on looking round, they saw that there was now no
one with them but Jesus alone. As they were going

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down the mountain side, Jesus cautioned them not to relate
what they had seen to anyone till after the Son
of Man should have risen again from the dead. They
seized upon these words and discussed with one another what
this rising from the dead meant. How is it, they
asked Jesus that our teachers of the law say that
Elijah has to come first. Elijah does indeed come first,

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said Jesus, and re establish everything, and does not scriptures
speak with regard to the Son of Man of his
undergoing much suffering and being utterly despised. But I tell
you that Elijah has come, and people have treated him
just as they pleased, as Scripture says of him. When
they came to the other disciples, they saw a great

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crowd round them, and some of the teachers of the
law arguing with them. But as soon as they saw Jesus,
all the people, in great astonishment ran up and greeted. Him.
What are you arguing about with them? Jesus asked, teacher,
answered a man in the crowd. I brought my son
to see you, as he has a dumb spirit in him,
and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down. He

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foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth, and he
is pining away. I asked your disciples to drive the
spirit out, but they failed. Oh, faithless generation, exclaimed Jesus,
How long must I be with you? How long must
I have patience with you? Bring the boy to me.
They brought him to Jesus. But no sooner did the
boy see him than the spirit threw him into convulsions,

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and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming
at the mouth. How long has he been like this?
Jesus asked the boy's father. From his childhood, he answered,
and it has often thrown him into fire and into
water to put an end to his life. But if
you can possibly do anything, take pity on us and
help us. Why say possibly? Jesus replied, everything is possible

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for one who has faith. The boy's father immediately cried out,
I have faith. Help my want of faith. But when
Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly collecting, he rebuked
the foul spirit, deaf and dumb spirit. It is I
who command you, come out from him and never enter
him again. With a loud cry. The spirit threw the

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boy into repeated convulsions, and then came out from him.
The boy looked like a corpse, so that most of
them said that he was dead, but Jesus took his
hand and lifted him, and he stood up. When Jesus
had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, why could
not we drive it out? A spirit of this kind,

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he said, can be driven out only by prayer. Leaving
that place, Jesus and his disciples went on their way
through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know it,
for he was instructing his disciples and telling them, the
son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of
his fellow men, and they will put him to death.
But when he has been put to death, he will

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rise again after three days. But the disciples did not
understand his meaning and were afraid to question him. They
came to Capernaum. When Jesus had gone into the house,
he asked them, what were you discussing on the way,
But they were silent, for on the way they had
been arguing with one another, which was the greatest. Sitting down,

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Jesus called the twelve and said, if anyone wishes to
be first, he must be last of all and servant
of all. Then Jesus took a little child and placed
it in the middle of them, folding it in his arms.
He said to them, any one who for the sake
of my name welcomes even a little child like this,

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is welcoming me. And any one who welcomes me is
welcoming not me, but him who sent me as his messenger.
Teacher said, John, we saw a man driving out demons
by using your name, and we tried to prevent him.
Because he did not follow us. None of you must prevent.
The man answered Jesus, for no one will use my
name in working a miracle, and yet find it easy

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to speak evil of me. He who is not against
us is for us. If any one gives you a
cup of water because you belong to Christ, I tell
you he shall assuredly not lose his reward. And if
any one puts a snare in the way of one
of these lowly ones who believe in Me, it would
be far better for him if he had been thrown

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into the sea with a great millstone. If your hand
proves a snare to you, cut it off. It would
be better for you to enter the life maimed than
to have both your hands and go into the pit
into the inextinguishable fire. If your foot proves a snare
to you, cut it off. It would be better for
you to enter the life lame than to have both

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your feet and be thrown into the pit. If your
eye proves a snare to you, tear it out. It
would be better for you to enter the Kingdom of
God with only one eye than to have both eyes
and be thrown into the pit where their worm does
not die and the fire is not put out for
it is by fire that every one will be salted.
Salt is good, But if the salt should lose its saltiness,

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what will you use to season it? You must have
salt in yourselves and live at peace with one another.
Chapter ten. On leaving that place, Jesus went into the
district of Judea, on the other side of the Jordan.
Crowds gathered about him again, and again, as usual, he
began teaching them. Presently, some pharisees came up, and to

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test him, asked, has a husband the right to divorce
his wife? What direction did Moses give you, replied Jesus. Moses,
they said, permitted a man to draw up in writing
a notice of separation and divorce his wife. It was
owing to the hardness of your hearts, said Jesus, that
Moses gave you this direction. But at the beginning of

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the creation, God made them male and female. For this reason,
a man shall leave his father and mother, and the
man and his wife shall become one, so that they
are no longer two, but one. What God himself then
has yoked together, man must not separate when they were indoors.

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The disciples asked him again about this, and he said,
anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman is
guilty of adultery against his wife. And if the woman
divorces her husband and marries another man, she is guilty
of adultery. Some of the people were bringing little children
to Jesus for him to touch them, but the disciples

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found fault with those who had brought them. When, however,
Jesus saw this, he was indignant. Let the little children
come to me, he said, do not hinder them, for
it is to the child like that the Kingdom of
God belongs. I tell you, unless a man receives the
Kingdom of God like a child, he will not enter
it at all. Then he folded the children in his arms, and,

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placing his hands on them, gave them his blessing. And
as Jesus was resuming his journey, a man came running
up to him and threw himself on his knees before him.
Good teacher, He asked, what must I do to gain
immortal life? Why do you call me good? Answered Jesus,
No one is good but God. You know the commandments.

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Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal,
do not say what is false about others. Do not cheat.
Honor thy father and thy mother. Teacher. He replied, I
have observed all these from my childhood. Jesus looked at
the man, and his heart went out to him, and
he said, there is still one thing wanting in you.

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Go and sell all that you have and give to
the poor, and you shall have wealth in heaven. Then
come and follow me. But the man's face clouded at
these words, and he went away, distressed, for he had
great possessions. Then Jesus looked round and said to his disciples,
how hard it will be for men of wealth to
enter the Kingdom of God. The disciples were amazed at

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his words. But Jesus said, again, my children, how hard
a thing it is to enter the Kingdom of God.
It is easier for a camel to get through a
needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the
Kingdom of God. Then who can be saved? They exclaimed,
in the greatest astonishment. Jesus looked at them and answered,

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with men, it is impossible, but not with God. For
everything is possible with God. But we began Peter, we
left everything and have followed you. I tell you, said Jesus,
there is no one who has left house or brothers
or sisters, or mother or father, or children, or land
on my account and on account of the good news,

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who will not receive a hundred times as much even
now in the present houses and brothers and sisters, and
mothers and children and land, though not without persecutions, and
in the age that is coming immortal life. But many
who are first now will then be last, and the
last will be first. One day, when they were on

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their way going up to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking in
front of the apostles, who were filled with misgivings, while
those who were following behind were alarmed. Gathering the twelve
round him once more, Jesus began to tell them what
was about to happen to him. Listen, he said, we
are going up to Jerusalem, and there the son of
Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the

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teachers of the law, and they will condemn him to death,
and they will give him up to the gentiles, who
will mock him, spit upon him, and scourge him, and
put him to death, and after three days he will
rise again. James and John, the two sons of Zebediah,
went to Jesus and said teacher, we want you to

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do for us whatever we ask. What do you want
me to do for you? He asked, grant Us this.
They answered, to set one on your right and one
on your left when you come in glory. You do
not know what you are asking. Jesus said to them,
can you drink the cup that I am to drink
or receive the baptism that I am to receive? Yes,
they answered, we can. You shall indeed drink the cup

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that I am to drink, Jesus said, and receive the
baptism that I am to receive. But as to a
seat at my right or at my left, that is
not mine to give, but it is for those for
whom it has been prepared. On hearing of this, the
ten others were at first very indignant about James and John.
But Jesus called the ten to him and said, those

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who are regarded as ruling among the gentiles lorded over them,
as you know, and their great men oppressed them. But
among you it is not so. No whoever wants to
become great among you must be your servant, and whoever
wants to take the first place among you must be
the servant of all. For even the son of Man
came not to be served, but to serve, and to

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give his life as a ransom for many. They came
to Jericho when Jesus was going out of the town
with his disciples and a large crowd. Bartimaeus, the son
of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside.
Hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to
call out, Jesus, son of David, take pity on me.

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Many of the people kept telling him to be quiet,
but the man continued to call out, all the louder
son of David, take pity on me. Then Jesus stopped
call him, he said, so they called the blind man courage,
They exclaimed, get up, he's calling you. The man threw
off his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. What

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do you want me to do for you, said Jesus,
addressing him rabon and I. The blind man answered, I
want to recover my sight. You may go, Jesus said,
your faith has delivered you. Immediately he recovered his sight
and began to follow Jesus along the road. End of

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chapter six through ten