Mark 5:21-25 - My little daughter is dying

5:21-24

In response to the request of the people, Jesus had left and crossed to the other side. As usual, a large crowd gathered. One of the synagogue leaders, called Jairus, came to Jesus and fell at his feet. His little daughter was seriously ill and was dying. He asked Jesus to come and lay hand on his daughter, believing that she would then be healed and would live. So Jesus went with Jairus, and, of course, was followed by a large crowd. It is possible that this was taking place in Capernaum.

5:25

The healing of Jairus’ daughter will take place later, but this is interspersed with the healing of a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. As well as the physical suffering, this would also make her “unclean” and so would severely restrict her involvement in society. Moreover, if she touched people they too may become unclean. 

2 Samuel 17:1-6 - This plan seemed good to Absalom

17:1-4

Ahithophel’s advice continued, now moving on from the humiliation of David to the actual vanquishing of David. Ahithophel said that he would choose twelve thousand men and set out almost immediately in pursuit of David. There would be an early attack, based on the assumption that David and his men would be weak and weary, and highly susceptible to a quick attack. Also twelve thousand men was substantially more than David had with him. He would kill David and bring the rest of the men back to Jerusalem. With David dead they would now be with Absalom. Absalom’s initial reaction was to approve the plan, as did the elders of Israel. A key feature of the plan was that Absalom was not directly involved.

17:5,6

Absalom, however, wanted to consult Hushai as well to get a second opinion. This was a sensible approach to take, but in this case would be Absalom’s downfall. Hushai arrived, and Absalom told him the details of Ahithophel’s advice.

Mark 5:16-20 - All the people were amazed

5:16,17

Word of what had happened, both to the man and to the pigs, spread and the people began to plead with Jesus to leave. Why did they do this? Salvation was among them, but they didn’t want it. It could be a combination of fear at the power of Jesus, and a fear of more economic loss. Two thousand pigs must have been worth a fair amount.

5:18-20

Jesus began to leave, giving the people what they had asked for. It has often been said that the worst thing God can do to a person is to give them what they want. The previously demon-possessed man begged to go with Jesus. Jesus would not allow this. Instead He told him to go to his own people and tell them how much the Lord had done for them. This is in contrast to the instruction often given to demons and Jews not to tell anyone. Why the difference? Maybe because Jesus these people were predominantly Gentiles, so there was no risk of them getting the wrong idea (i.e. thinking Jesus was a military messiah). It would also prepare the ground for the later spread of the gospel. The man did as he was told, and the people were amazed. A gentile man was more obedient than the Jewish people.

2 Samuel 16:18-23 - What should we do?

16:18,19

Hushai replies by saying that he will serve the one whom God has chosen, implying that Absalom is now the chosen one. This might have flattered Absalom. He also says that he is serving the son of David, so he was still being loyal to the house of David. David has made this explanation plausible. First, it is not clear how well known David’s sins were, but if they were known then he had forfeited his previous honour. Secondly David had abandoned Jerusalem, implicitly abandoning the throne.

16:20-23

Absalom now turns to Ahithophel for advice. Ahithophel tells Absalom to sleep with David’s concubines, and to do so openly so that it would become public knowledge. This would bring disgrace upon David. This was a fulfilment of Nathan’s word in 2 Sam 12:11,12. Ahithophel was highly regarded by both David and Absalom, treating his words as though they were the wisdom of God.

Mark 5:14,15 - The man was in his right mind

5:14

Those tending the pigs were naturally rather perturbed by what had happened.  They went into the town and described what had just happened. The people from the town then came out to see Jesus. We then see two very different things, the effect of all this on the previously demon possessed man, and the response of the people.

5:15

The man was now dressed and was in his right-mind. His dignity had been restored. This is what Jesus does for people. When we repent and turn to Christ He restores our dignity. Rebelling against God leads to us losing our dignity, as an example look at the effects of various sorts of sexual sin, or drunkenness, or drugs. God created us as the pinnacle of His creation, and when we are restored by Him our dignity is restored. The people were afraid, for something that was not explicable had happened.

2 Samuel 16:11-17 - My son is trying to kill me

16:11,12

We see something of the emotional turmoil within David, and the humbling effect of God’s judgement upon him. His own son is trying to kill him, and he knows that all this stems from his action with Bathsheba and Uriah. So David does consider himself in any position to be judging Shimei. He sees it as part of God’s judgement upon himself. He is also trusting to God’s mercy, and hoping for restoration to “His covenant blessing”.

16:13,14

So David and his not so merry men continue on their journey, with Shimei cheerfully cursing and throwing stones at them. Eventually they reach their destination, tired and exhausted.

16:15-17

While David is on his travels, Absalom and Ahithophel arrive in Jerusalem. David’s “plant”, Hushai, also arrives in Jerusalem, and declares his allegiance to the new king. Absalom initially is not impressed by Hushai, possibly suspicious of him as well, questioning why he has abandoned David.

Mark 5:11-13 - Send us among the pigs

5:11,12

We see that these events were taking place in a largely Gentile region by the presence of pigs, Jews were not allowed to farm pigs. The demons pleaded with Jesus to be allowed to go into the pigs. It is not clear why the demons thought that this was a good idea, and it turned out not to be a good idea at all. Demonic powers can be powerful, but they can also be very foolish. 

5:13

Jesus granted them this permission, and the demons duly went into the pigs. Again, we are not told why Jesus granted the demons their request, though perhaps it was because He knew what the outcome would be. Things did not end well for either the pigs or the demons. Once the demons had entered the pigs, they rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. Demons never have a good effect on anything.

2 Samuel 16:5-10 - He pelted David

16:5-8

Another man from Saul’s family, Shimei, now spends his time cursing and throwing rocks at David. He viewed the situation as an opportunity to get revenge for David defeating Saul. He accused David of being a murderer and a scoundrel. David, of course, was actually a murderer, though the death of Uriah is probably not what Shimei was thinking about. So Shimei’s actual accusations were false, for God had given the kingdom to David, and David had spared Saul’s life on at least two occasions. However, David knew he actually was a murderer, so the accusation may well have had an effect on him.

16:9,10

Abishai was loyal to David, and was always keen to act (1 Sam 26:6-9; 2 Sam 2:18,24; 3:30). So he offered to go and behead Shimei. David, however, refused to let him do that. Possibly partly because of his own guilt, partly because of his sense of righteousness. David thinks that whatever Shimei’s personal motives, this could be the will of the Lord. People who do the Lord’s will don’t always know that they are doing so.

Mark 5:6-10 - Come out of this man

5:6,7

The man saw Jesus and ran towards him, falling on his knees before Jesus. Now was this the man seeking help, or was it the reaction of the demons? Given the other instances of the response of demons to Jesus, the latter must have had something to do with it. The demon shouts out through the man, and this is the first instance of a demon referring to Jesus as Jesus, the Son of God. The demon knows it is in big trouble, pleading not to be tortured by Jesus.

5:8-10

Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Jesus then asks “what is your name”. Now it was the demon who answered, and it may have been the demon that Jesus was addressing the question to. Indeed, this is the most likely, though Jesus was actually concerned about the man himself. Whatever the case it is the demon who answers, saying his name is “Legion, for we are many”. This man was in a very sorry state indeed.

2 Samuel 16:1-4 - Why have you brought these?

16:1

Leaders encounter all sorts of people, this applies in life in general and in church life. Some are genuinely supportive and loyal. Some will follow whoever seems to be the current flavour of the month, others claim to be on your side, but are manipulative. As we are all human, some are a mixture of these types. There are also those who are opposed to us. Ziba seems to be of the scheming sort. Ziba is waiting for David. He was the steward of Mephibosheth, and had a load of supplies for David.

16:2-4

David enquired as to why Ziba had brought all this stuff, and why he had left Mephibosheth. ZIba claims that Mephibosheth has sided with Absalom, implying that it is because he thinks he will get all that belonged to Saul, his grandfather. 2 Sam 19:26 indicates that this isn’t quite true. However, David accepts Ziba’s explanation, and gives him all that belonged to Mephibosheth.

Mark 5:1-5 - A man with an impure spirit

5:1

In your Bible you will probably see footnotes against “Gerasenes”, saying some manuscripts have “Gadarenes” or “Gergesenes”. The “region of the Gerasenes” probably refers to the whole region of the Decapolis, a group of Hellenistic towns, i.e. Gentile towns. Matthew has “Gadarenes”. It was common for a region to be known by a single city. Gadara is actually nearer the sea than Gerasa, and the Gadarenes is geographically where the event took place, and Matthew is the most “Jewish” of the gospels. Mark was writing for Jews and Gentiles who were distant from the area, and Gerasa was the larger city, and more likely to be known by his readers.

5:2-5

Jesus got out of the boat and was met by a man with an impure spirit, i.e. he was demon possessed. In the early stages of the account it seems that it is the demon speaking through the man. After Jesus sets him free, the man comes into his own again. The man came from the tombs. In fact he was in a very sorry state indeed. The demon made him very violent. The people had tried to restrain him by chaining him hand and foot, but this no longer worked, he was able to break free. He spent his time wandering among the tombs, crying out, and self-harming. The people wanted nothing to do with him, and this was largely out of fear and not knowing what to do with him. Sometimes well meaning Christians will criticise others for not wanting to have anything to do with certain types of people. At one level the criticism is fair, but it should also be recognised that it is often largely out of fear and not knowing how to handle the person. Just criticising people for not being “loving enough” is not a sufficient or helpful reaction. We need the power of God, and we may well be dealing with demonic activity. The love of God and the power of God go together.

2 Samuel 15:27-37 - Turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness

15:27-31

David also had a plan. Zadok and Abiathar would also act as informers for David. David had also learnt that  Ahithophel, who had been a key adviser for David, was on Absalom’s side. This was potentially very bad news. David’s response was to pray to the Lord to confound Ahithophel’s advice. David was weeping as he walked along, and we can imagine this procession as a very sorry site, yet David is still calling upon the Lord.

15:32-37

When they reached the summit David met Hushai. David told Hushai to return to Jerusalem and to pretend to be willing to serve Absalom. The purpose was that Hushai would frustrate the advice of Ahithophel. He was also to work with Zadok and Abiathar, and Zadok and Abiathar’s sons would be the communication link with David. So Hushai returned to Jerusalem, and arrived there at the same time as Absalom.

Mark 4:39-41 - Who is this?

4:39,40

Jesus got up and rebuked the waves. The wind died down and everything was calm again. Jesus then rebuked His disciples “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” We may encounter very serious occasions, but God will not let us die before the appointed time. Now, is Jesus saying that the storm would not actually have caused them all to drown? I.e. Did Jesus actually need to calm the storm? Or would He have woken up at the right time and rebuked it? If we take the former scenario, then Jesus’ calming of the storm demonstrates that God was in total control. We can often be afraid of events happening in our lives, we can be confident that God will not allow events to run out of control.

3:41

The demonstration of authority by Jesus terrifies the disciples. This was something completely outwith their experience. The power of God is something infinitely greater than anything human, or even in nature. They now saw that Jesus was completely out of the ordinary.

2 Samuel 15:19-26 - Go ahead, march on

15:19-22

David was concerned for the well being of Ittai the Gittite and urged him to go back to Jerusalem and to stay with Absalom (David even referred to him as king Absalom). David considered that Ittai owed no debt to David. However, Ittai insisted on continuing to follow David, and so it was.

15:23

“The whole countryside wept aloud ...” Although Absalom had gathered a large number of people, it seems that the whole country had not been won over. A group of people who are utterly determined, even though they are a minority, can have an enormous influence.

15:24-26

The ark of the covenant was with them, along with Zadok the priest and the Levites. Sacrifices were offered. Having the ark was a sign that David was trusting in the Lord. However, David did not treat the ark as a “good luck” symbol. So he ordered Zadok to take the ark back to Jerusalem, that was where it belonged. He also thought there was a possibility that God would allow David to return to Jerusalem. Whether or not God allowed David to return, David was content to accept God’s judgement on the matter. David had put himself in God’s hands. When someone has sinned there are two basic reactions. One is to protest our innocence, or to become belligerent, exalting ourself. The other is to accept that we have sinned and to entrust ourselves to the Lord. David had chosen the latter course.

Mark 4:35-38 - Don't you care if we die?

4:35,36

We now come to the well known incident of Jesus calming the storm. This is followed in the subsequent chapter by a number of incidents that demonstrate the authority of Jesus. “That day when evening came ...” implies that they went over to the other side after a day’s teaching. “They took Him along, just as He was” seems a rather odd way of saying it, as though they are in charge of ferrying Jesus about. 

4:37

“A furious squall came up”. The Sea of Galilee was known for such squalls. With a number of the disciples being fishermen, they would not easily be scared, being familiar with the conditions one might encounter.  This was a serious storm, threatening to swamp the boat and lead to drowning.

4:38

Meanwhile Jesus was sleeping. This could be due to tiredness after a day’s teaching, or could be because He was perfectly at peace. The disciples are surprised and shocked at Jesus’ seeming unawareness of the danger they were in. In Matthews’s account (Matt 8:25) they say to Him “Lord save us! We’re going to drown!”.  Taking Mark (or Luke) alone it could be that they are just shocked that Jesus seems to be totally unaware of the danger, but Matthew says they did call on Jesus to save them. However, 4:41 indicates that they did not expect Him to calm the storm.

2 Samuel 15:15-18 - Your servants are ready to go

15:15

The king’s officials are still loyal to David and willing to follow him. David barely deserved this loyalty, for when we act immorally our actions hurt others. The world’s mantra of “as long as it doesn’t hurt others” is useless, for all that we do has an effect on others.

15:16-18

So David sets out with his entire household, except for ten concubines. One might ask what was David doing with ten concubines, and he also had multiple wives? He left them to care for the palace.This was to prove to be a very bad move for the concubines (2 Sam 16:21,22). David and his people set out. They halted at the edge of the city, and all David’s men marched past him. This included six hundred Gittites who had accompanied David from Gath. Perhaps it is significant that Gath is where Goliath came from. David had defeated the strong man and ransacked his goods (Matt 12:29).

Mark 4:30-34 - It is like a mustard seed

4:30-32

We have just been told that we are not solely involved in the process, there are things happening beyond what we are responsible for. The real Gardener is God Himself (John 15:1). Now we are warned not to assume that the early stages are indicative of the final outcome. The parable is introduced by Jesus saying “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?” Jesus says the kingdom is like a mustard seed, it may start off seemingly small and insignificant, but like a mustard seed it grows into the “largest of all garden plants”. As it says in Zech 4:10, we should not despise the day of small things. Again the key thing is that we need to recognise our proper place. God involves us in all that He does, there are things that He commands us to do, and we should do them. But we need to look at things as God involving us in what He is doing, rather than getting God involved in what we are doing. Then we are more likely to have the right perspective and to have faith.

4:33,34

Mark records only a small sample of Jesus’ parables, more are found in Matthew and Luke. Jesus used many other parables in speaking to the people. He only gave them “as much as they could understand”. So if people object that they could not understand they are actually without excuse. Jesus spoke only in parables for the most part. However, when “he was alone with His own disciples, He explained everything”. So what was the difference between the disciples and “the rest”? Maybe it was that the disciples were committed to Him and were following Him.

2 Samuel 15:13,14 - The hearts of the people are with Absalom

15:13

News of Absalom’s conspiracy reaches David, and he is told that “the hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom”. From the man of action that we have encountered in 1 Samuel, David is a much weakened character, largely as a result of his own sin and the subsequent judgement of God upon that sin. 

15:14

In response to the news David decides to abandon the city, reckoning that there is currently no way of opposing Absalom. He does this both for his own preservation and that of the people of Jerusalem. David had once been a fugitive on the run from Saul, now he is a fugitive on the run from his own son. However, despite his weakened state, we will still see David making some good choices, and treating others well. For all of us there are times when we seem to be on top of things, flowing in the Spirit. Then there are other times when we feel as though we are barely living. Even in those latter times we should still strive to make good decisions, morally right ones.

Mark 4:27-29 - All by itself the soil produces corn

4:27,28

Preaching is necessary, but we should also recognise the limit of our part. Once the seed is sown, the farmer does not know how the seed grows, in fact there is no need for him to know how it grows. Moreover, the seed germinates and grows all by itself. Now again, we must not take things too far, 1 Cor 3:7,8 talks about the one who waters. But the point here is that when we sow the word there are things that happen that we are unaware of. We do not fully understand everything and do not need to. If we think everything is up to us then this will lead us into error. A preacher or evangelist may try to use emotion or clever tricks to seek to manipulate the hearers.  If a church starts to be very “successful”, then others may start thinking that the method or organisational structure is the reason for the success, and think that if they follow the same method they too will be successful. It is the word of God and the Holy Spirit that bring success. Thinking a method or structure will bring success is a form of idolatry.

4:29

There is a point where the farmer comes actively back into the frame. When the corn is ripe the farmer “puts the sickle to it”. So we are involved in God’s work, He wants us to bear witness to Christ and to preach and live the gospel, and He wants us to reap the harvest at the right time. But there are things that God does without us being fully aware of it.

2 Samuel 15:10-12 - Absalom is king in Hebron

15:10

Having laid the groundwork, Absalom now enacts his plan to become king of Israel. Note that he was due to become king anyway as David’s son, but like the younger son in the parable of the Prodigal Son, he wanted his “inheritance” early. It is also like mankind in general. The Lord’s command in Genesis 1 was that we should rule over the earth, but we rebelled against God wanting to do it our way. Sothe people were to proclaim “Absalom is king in Hebron”.

15;11,12

Absalom was a schemer, and had invited two hundred men from Jerusalem under false pretences. Absalom also sent for Ahithophel, David’s adviser. Absalom’s conspiracy was well under way. It had been carefully planned and was gaining strength.

Mark 4:24-26 - Consider carefully what you hear

4:24,25

These verses refer to how we receive the word of God. First we need to consider it carefully. We do not just let something wash over us. Instead we pay close attention. “With the measure you use ...” The lens through which we look at the word affects how we receive it. If we look at it through self-interest, or the eyes of the prosperity gospel then we will never receive it properly. If we look at it through a man centred lens we will never understand it. We need to approach the word from a God-centred perspective, we need to be Christ focused. When we do that we will gain ever increasing understanding. If we adopt the wrong approach then “even what we have will be taken away”. 

4:26

In the parable of the sower we learn that there will be different responses to the word, ranging from total indifference to wonderful and fruitful acceptance. Now we learn more about what happens. First there is a man scattering seed. The word does need to be sown. As it says in Rom 10:14, how can they hear without someone preaching to them. Our actions do need to be consistent with our words, but words are essential, and used again and again by God, just read the Bible. The oft quoted phrase “Preach the gospel at all times, use words if necessary”. It is wrongly attributed to St Francis of Assisi. Whoever it originated from, it is absolute nonsense. Words are necessary, so get over it.

2 Samuel 15:5-9 - So he went to Hebron

15:5,6

Absalom also behaved in a very obsequious manner towards them as well, pretending to be very humble. Absalom was a snake, there was no truth in his sayings nor his manner, he was only trying to gain power. However, “he stole the hearts of the people of Israel”. We should note that the “people of Israel” were very stupid to be taken in by all this. We all have a duty to assess carefully the claims of those who attack the current leadership, promising to be oh so much better.

15:7-9

“At the end of four years ...” A further illustration of the fact that Absalom bided his time until the right moment. Absalom made up a story about having made a vow to go to Hebron if he was brought back to Jerusalem. While in Jerusalem it seems his movements were somewhat restricted as he needed David’s permission to go to Hebron. David grants him this permission. David has no insight when it comes to dealing with Absalom.

Mark 4:22,23 - Whatever is hidden

4:22

The things that are hidden refer to the mystery of the gospel. For many centuries the mystery was hidden, but now it is revealed. It is revealed in Christ, and in and through us, or rather Christ in us. We are meant to let the light of Christ shine in and through our lives. The church and Christians are not meant to be hidden away, but are to be made visible to all. 

4:23 

“If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” Not everyone has ears to hear. The parable of the sower is an illustration of this. But some do “have ears to hear”, and we have then we should take in the full gospel, all of it. We need to understand how the gospel works, how God works.

2 Samuel 15:1-4 - If only I were appointed judge

15:1

Absalom was a calculating man, prepared to wait for the right moment, rather than rushing into things. So over the course of time he built up a small private army of chariots and horses, along with fifty men. 

15:2-4

As well as building up military resources, Absalom also built up political support. So each day in the morning he would wait at the road leading to the city gate. Some people came with a complaint to put before the king. (Note that there was access to the king.) Absalom would engage in conversation with the complainant saying their  claims were valid, and if Absalom were king he would ensure that they got justice, but that with the current king they would not get justice. This is the ploy of all opposition parties. The same tactic can sometimes be used within churches as well.

Mark 4:20,21 - You put it on its stand

4:20

Finally we get good news! There is good soil, and when this receives the word it accepts the word, grows and is abundantly fruitful. All these four examples indicate that the state of our heart is crucial. This is why Prov 4:23 tells us to “guard our hearts with all diligence”, for it is the wellspring of life. We need to watch and nurture our hearts. Now all this might seem to indicate that  how responsive we are to the gospel is determined by the condition of our hearts, rather than the grace of God. It seems to me that we often pose a false dichotomy between the grace and sovereignty of God, and our responsibility. The Bible seems to have no such problem.

4:21

Jesus now introduces an analogy. If you have a lamp the one thing you definitely do not do with it is put it under a bowl (or under a bushel, as in KJV) or bed. The whole purpose is to put it on a stand, to make it visible so that its light can shine, and bring light to its surroundings. 

2 Samuel 14:28-33 - The king summoned Absalom

14:28-30

Absalom, though living in Jerusalem for two years, had not seen the king, and he was now getting rather fed up with this state of affairs. It was Joab who had previously persuaded the king to bring him back to Jerusalem, so he called on Joab again, expecting him to sort out the situation. Joab, however, refused to come. Absalom tried again, but Joab still ignored the call. Absalom, being rather self-centred and stupid set fire to Joab’s field, knowing that this would get his attention.

14:31-33

Absalom’s final ruse had the desired effect, and Joab did go to him demanding to know why his field had been set alight. Absalom’s reply demonstrates his self centeredness. He thought that Joab should come immediately when he received Absalom’s call. Absalom expresses his dissatisfaction with the situation. Joab does go to the king, and the king summons Absalom. Absalom bowed down before the king, and the king kissed Absalom. This latter act signified that the king now accepted Absalom. Though the whole situation is very formal.

Mark 4:16-19 - When trouble or persecution comes

4:16,17

The word that falls in the rocky places is like those who initially receive the word of God with joy, but the word is only skin deep, and so does not last. Encountering trouble causes them to give up, they last only a short time. Trouble or persecution causes them to fall away. There are a number of important lessons. First impressions do not always give a reliable indicator of how faithful someone will be. We should be cautious of getting “new Christians” to give testimonies. Now, at the same time we should also note that there are counterexamples to this, for example the woman at the well. We should be particularly careful how we treat “celebrity” converts. A new convert is a babe in Christ. They need to be carefully nurtured. Note that encountering trouble and/or persecution is an expected and normal part of Christian life.

4:18,19

The seed sown among the thorns is like the person who again initially receives the word, but this time it is crowded out by “the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things”. Worry and anxiety can be a major problem, and we need to know how to deal with it. We also need to know how to avoid being deceived by wealth or other distractions.

2 Samuel 14:21-27 - Bring back the young man Absalom

14:21,22

David then speaks directly to Joab and tells him to bring back Absalom. In response Joab prostrates himself before David and praises him. Though, given Joab’s track record, whether these words are sincere, or just part of the game, is open to question.

14:23,24

So Joab went to retrieve Absalom. However, David did not trust Absalom, for he insists that Ansalom must go to his own house. He was not to be allowed to come to the king’s palace, nor to see David. David was deeply conflicted. This whole situation was caused by David’s sin, and much compounded by Absalom’s sin. And there was much more sin to come from Absalom.

14:25-27

Absalom was very good looking, and the people of Israel admired him for that. He also, apparently, had a good head of hair, and was rather proud of it!  His annual hair cutting was quite an event. He had three sons and one daughter. His daughter was named after his sister Tamar. 2 Sam 18:18 says that he had no sons, so it is surmised that his sons died young.

Mark 4:13-15 - Don't you understand this parable?

4:13

Now Jesus turns to His disciples, “Don’t you understand?”, adding “How then will you understand any parable?”. This could be taken as saying understanding this parable is a key to understanding all the parables, or it could be a general commentary on the state of the disciples.  Jesus then goes on to explain the parable.

4:14,15

First we learn that the seed is the word of God. The word of God has the potential to produce much fruit, but its effectiveness is dependent upon the state of the soil. The seed that was sown on the path was like the case where people hear the word, but immediately Satan comes in and takes away the word. He can do this by immediately countering what was said, or by distracting them into paying attention to something else. Note that Jesus says “Satan comes ...” Sometimes people try to be clever by saying that Satan is not omnipresent (which is true), so he cannot be everywhere and putting things down to Satan is wrong. It is indeed true that Satan is not omnipresent, but his work is all over the world, so this argument is just trying to be too clever.

2 Samuel 14:12-20 - Did Joab put you up to this?

14:12-17

The woman then makes explicit the connection between her story and how David is treating Absalom. David is “blamed” for not bringing back Absalom, and this is seen as an affront to the people of Israel. When Nathan confronted David the case was far clearer. David had overtly broken two of the ten commandments. In “exiling” Absalom David had not done any such thing,  indeed it was Absalom who had broken one of the commandments. Though it could be argued that Absalom was seeking justice for the rape of his sister. The woman claims that God wants Absalom to be restored, though whether he does or not is open to question! The woman now reverts back to speaking about her concocted story. 

14:18-20

When Nathan spoke to David, David realised that he had sinned against God, his eyes were opened to his own guilt. He was convicted of sin. In this case David’s eyes are opened, but opened to the machinations of Joab. So he asks the woman directly if Joab had put her up to this. In reply the woman says yes, but not before flattering David for his astute insight. She also admits that Joab wanted to change the current situation.

Mark 4:10-12 - The secret of the kingdom has been given to you

4:10,11a

Later Jesus was alone with the “Twelve”, and they asked Him about the parables. Jesus told them that “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you”. Now the disciples were not quick on the uptake, so this may seem a rather strange statement in some ways. One of the key differences between the likes of the religious leaders and the disciples was that when they didn’t understand (which was most of the time) they went to ask Jesus. The religious leaders, on the other hand, plotted to kill Jesus.

4:11b,12

Jesus then quotes from Isaiah 6:9,10. These were words given to Isaiah after he had his vision of the glory of the Lord, and his sin being taken away. The “so that”  might seem to imply that it was God’s deliberate purpose to make people “never perceiving”. The original statement in Isaiah 6:9 is introduced by “go and tell this people”. So it is actually a description of what the people are like. They hear the words, but never perceive the meaning. In fact the last part “otherwise they might turn and be forgiven” is a very accurate, and sad, commentary on the religious leaders. If instead of reacting against Jesus, to the point of plotting to kill Him, they had repented, then they would have received forgiveness and new life. It is a sad commentary on the state of many people, the religious leaders in particular.

2 Samuel 14:4-11 - Help me your majesty

14:4-7

The woman duly went to the king and fell face down before him. She then asked for the king to help her. Then she gave the king her tale. The scenario is something like the one when Nathan the prophet confronted David. Nathan gave a tale that had parallels with David’s situation. The same applies here. The difference is that Nathan was following God’s instructions, the woman was following Joab’s instructions. The tale involved the woman having two sons, and one of them killing the other. The woman was being pressured to hand the other son over. This would have meant the surviving son being put to death. So the woman would be left with no sons. David had several sons, but Absalom had killed Amnon. David felt that justice meant Absalom should suffer, even be put to death, yet David loved Absalom. David’s feelings and thoughts would also be compromised by the fact that he had had Uriah put to death.

14:8-11

The king assures the woman that he will deal with the situation so that her surviving son is not put to death. The case was one of manslaughter rather than murder, so David would pardon the woman and her family. There is a rather protracted discussion, with the king giving his absolute assurance. The woman wanted David to give this absolute assurance, so that he would then be bound to act favourably towards Absalom.

Mark 4:3-9 - Whoever has ears to hear

4:3-8

The farmer sows the seed liberally, and it falls on all sorts of ground, with four particular sorts being identified. One of the lessons is that we should spread the word liberally. There is a degree of wisdom in seeking to choose suitable “soil”, but we must not take this too far, for we are often not good judges of what is good and poor soil, and God can choose the most unlikely people. So some fell on the path, never taking root at all and were eaten up by the birds. Other seed fell on rocky places. There was some soil, but not much. So the seeds did grow but had no real roots, so when the sun shone they quickly withered away. Others fell among thorns, so the seed did take root, and reasonable roots at that, but other things crowded it out and choked it, so no grain was produced. Finally some seed fell on good soil. It took root, grew, and produced a good crop. With crops of various sizes being produced.

4:9

“Then Jesus said, ‘Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear”. Many people may hear a message, but not all of them will understand the real meaning. We should seek to understand what Jesus is telling us.

2 Samuel 14:1-3 - The king's heart longed for Absalom

14:1

The situation between David and Absalom had not been resolved. In this chapter a partial resolution was arrived at, but ultimately the situation was to end in disaster. The problem was Absalom’s sin, David’s sin and the fact that Absalom was David’s son and the heir to the throne. So David’s “heart longed for Absalom”. If David had disciplined Absalom properly would things have been different? One could even draw some parallels with the current situation of King Charles and Prince Harry!

14:2,3

Joab is scheming. He knew that the present situation with Absalom in a sort of exile could not be allowed to continue. Something had to be done about it. Joab is a very complex character. Some of his actions are clearly self-serving, but others are with the interests of David or Israel at heart. Joab chooses “a wise woman” from Tekoa. Tekoa was about twelve miles from Jerusalem, so the woman would not have been known in Jerusalem. The woman was to pretend that she was in mourning, and then go to the king and give him a tale that Joab would give to her. It is worth noting that the king was available for someone like this woman to speak to him.