Mark 4

1 - 20 The Parable of the Sower - Seeds that fall on the path are prey to birds, seeds on rocky ground will be scorched by the sun, and seeds among the thorns will be choked. Seeds on good soil will multiply. We should seek a good foundation to our faith for ourselves and our families.

21 - 25 Parables of the Lamp and the Measure - Don't put a lump under a bushel. Also the measure you give will be the measure you get.

26 - 34 Parables of the Seed and of the Mustard Seed - "The Kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how."

35 - 41 The Calming of the Storm - Jesus and the disciples begin to cross the sea, and a storm came. Jesus was asleep and the disciples awakened him in their panic. "Peace! Be still!" says Jesus, and he turns to the disciples, saying, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?"

Mark 3

1 - 6 The Curing of the Man with the Withered Hand - Again, in the synagogue, Jesus heals a man. It is the sabbath, and he heals him. The Prarisees begin to plot against him.

7 - 12 Curing Beside the Sea of Galilee - There are so many people, Jesus has to go on a boat. He heals many and when unclean spirits behold him, they cry out, "You are the Son of God."

13 - 19 Jesus Chooses the 12 Apostles - Roll Call!

1. Simon (surnamed Peter)
2. James (Son of Zebedee)
3. James (Brother of James; surname - Boanerges: sons of thunder)
4. Andrew
5. Philip
6. Bartholomew
7. Matthew
8. Thomas
9. James (son of Alphaeus)
10. Thaddaeus
11. Simon the Cananaean
12. Judas Iscariot

20 - 30 Allegations of the Scribes/Sin against the Holy Spirit - The scribes come from Jerusalem & state the Jesus is possessed by Beelzebul, Prince of demons. Jesus says, "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that Kingdom cannot stand." & later: "Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin." My notes: Such a person will not be forgiven, not because God cannot forgive all sins, but because that person, in his blindness towards God, rejects Jesus Christ, his teaching and his miracles, and despises the graces of the Holy Spirit as if they were designed to trap him."

31 - 35 The True Kinsmen of Jesus - Jesus mother and brethren come (in aramaic brethren is broad term for kinship, including nephews, cousins, and relatives in general). They say, "Your mother and brethren are here," and Jesus says, "Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother."

Mark 2

1 - 12 Curing of a Paralyzed Man - After Jesus returned from Capernaum, he forgave the sins of a parylitic. The scribes thought this was blasphemous, and Jesus healed the man. They were amazed and glorified God.

13 - 17 The Calling of the Tax Collector) - Levi the Son of Alpheus (My notes say Matthew calls him Matthew; Luke calls him Levi too - it's assumed they are the same person & he's Matthew) sits by tax office and rises and follows Jesus. When the scribes ask why he associates with sinners, Jesus says, "Those who aren't well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

18 - 22 A Discussion on Fasting - The Pharisees ask why Jesus' disciples don't fast, and Jesus says that wedding guests can't fast while the bridegroom is with them. Further, a new patch on an old garment won't work. Further, new wine doesn't work in old wineskins. My notes say he's talking about the relationship between the Old Law (Testament) and the New. Jesus has come to fulfill the Old Law.

23 - 28 The Law of the Sabbath - One sabbath Jesus is going through the grainfields and his disciples pick the grain. The Pharisees ask why he's allowing them to work on the sabbath. Jusus says, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath."

I've always assumed that Jesus was against going by the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law. I still think this, but my notes say further, "Christ teaches God's purpose in instituting the sabbath: God established it for man's good, to help him rest and devote himslef to divine worhip in joy and peace. The Pharisees, through their interpretation of the Law, had turned this day into a source of anguish and scruple to due to all the various prescriptions and prohibitions they introduced."

Mark 1

Wow, this gospel hits the ground running!

1 - 7 The ministry of John the Baptist - John the Baptizer appears in the
wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He speaks of Jesus' coming, saying, "I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

8 - 11 Jesus is Baptized - After Jesus is baptized by John, the heavens open up and the Spirit descends upon him like a dove. A voice says, "Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.

12 - 13 The Tempting of Jesus The Spirit leads him into the wilderness for 40 days, where he is tempted by Satan. He is with the wild beasts, and the angels minister to him.

14 - 20 Jesus Begins to Preach his Ministry in Galilee and Calls His First Disciples - After John is arrested, Jesus begins preaching in Galilee. Simon and Andrew drop their fishnets and follow him. Then James and and John leave their father Zebedee (and his hired servants) to follow him.

21 - 28 Jesus in the Synagogue of Capernaum - Jesus astonishes with his teachings on the sabbath, "for he taught them as one who had authority." Then Jesus removes an unclean spirit from a man. His fame spreads.

29 - 34 Curing of Peter's Mother-in-Law and Many Sick People - Jesus and the 4 apostles go to Simon's mother-in-law (and she serves them). Then at sundown many gather at the door and Jesus heals the sick and casts out demons.

35 - 39 Jesus Goes to a Lonely Place to Pray - Simon and the other apostles have to get him because "Every one is searching for you." He goes throughout Galilee preaching in synagogues and casting out demons

40 - 44 Curing of a Leper - A leper comes to Jesus and Jesus touches him and tells him that he is clean, and commands him to go see a priest (for the cleansing of what Moses commanded). One of the most interesting things about this is (and it's in Luke too), is that Jesus commands the man not to say anything to anyone, but he does anyway.

There's so much going on in this chapter that it's difficult to comment on. I'll focus on Jesus' authority in the synagogue. My favorite note in my Bible states, "First he does and then he preaches (Acts 1:1) - not like the scribes who teach and do not do (Mt 23: 1-5).

Ruth 4

Ruth Marries Boaz

When the closer relative approaches, Boaz (with 10 elders listening), tells him that he is able the redeem the land. He is willing to redeem the land, but when Boaz tells him that Ruth comes with the field, he is unable to acquire it.

Boaz marries Ruth, and Naomi rejoices. They bore a son named Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David (and ancestor of Jesus).

Ruth 3

Good Notes, J.P.

Naomi tells Ruth that she needs to remarry and is interested that Boaz is a friend of the family.While Boaz sleeps, Ruth bathes and lies beside him. When he wakes up and finds her there, he is very impressed that she has been loyal to him and hasn't "gone after" the younger men. Boaz says that if the other man refuses to marry her, then he will. He gives her grain to to Naomi. Naomi says, "Wait here, my daughter, until you learn what happens, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today."

Ruth 2

Naomi had a prominent kinsman named Boaz, of the clan of her husband Elimelech. Ruth suggests she glean ears of grain in the fields of anyone who allows her to. Ruth enters Boaz's field. Because Boaz has heard what she did for her mother-in-law, and allows her to glean in his field and has commanded his young men to let her drink (and not to mess around with her). He lets her have food and to dip her bread in the sauce. When she gets back that evening she has gleaned about an ephah of barley (my notes say about 4 liters). Naomi is amazed when she sees the bounty and encourages Ruth to do as Boaz said, to stay with the servants and complete the harvest.

Ruth 1

During the time of the judges, there is a great famine. Ruth has a husband, Elimelech, who dies and she is left with her two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, who married Moabite women, Orpah and Naomi. After 10 years, her sons die as well, and Ruth is stuck with her daughters-in-law.

Ruth gives them a chance to go back to their families. Orpah goes, but Naomi stays with Ruth. Thus it was that Naomi returned with the Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth, who accompanied her back from the plateau of Moab. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Judges 21

Benjaminites Saved from Extinction

At Mizpah, the Israelites swear that no daughter will marry a Benjaminite. Only 600 Benjamite soldiers are left alive. The Isrealites are are sorrowful over this situation.

The Israelites find a loophole: at the yearly festival at Shiloh, when the women dance in the vineyards, each Benjamite man will "carry off a wife for himself" - if the men don't complain, then they haven't "given their daughters up."

I think the last line sums this all up best: "In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes."

Judges 20

Assembly of Israelites and War with Benjamin

Israel mobilizes 400,000 soldiers versus the Benjamites' 27,000 men.
The Benjamites fight well, though, winning the first 2 battles. The Isrealites ask the Lord if they are doing his will. In response, the Benjamite army is annihilated and their towns burned.

Judges 19

The Levite from Ephraim

The Levite traveled from Ephraim to Bethlehem and convinced his concubine to come with him. They stopped for the night in Gibeah, a lawless town. The Levite was a coward, and when wildmen surrounded the house, rather than fighting, he offered his concubine. The next morning, they left. Then the Levite cut the woman into pieces and sent them throughout Israel.

Judges 18

Migration of the Danites

In order to enlarge their borders, the Danites overtake Laish. The 5 recon men know about Micah and the Levite and the idols, so they go to take them. They destroy Laish and name it after Dan. They maintain the carved idol Micah had made as long as the house of God was in Shiloh.

Judges 17

Micah and the Levite

Here comes another lapse into idolatry. Micah's mother makes an idol for him. He consecrates a young Levite within Judah to become a priest (and stay at his house and eat his food).

Judges 16

Samson begins seeing a harlot in Gaza. The men of Gaza want to ambush him, but he is too strong (tearing down gates, etc.). The men lords of the Philistines find out about Delilah and offer her money for the secret of his strength. Just like with his wife, he is able to hold to her pressure for so long (he tells her several lies - that 7 fresh bowstrings, new ropes, or weaving his hair into a web and fastened them with a pin). Finally, she wears him down by continually vexing him with complaints, and he tells her, "No razor has touched my head, for I have been consecrated to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaved, my strength will leave me, and I shall be as weak as any other man" (17). While he is sleeping, she cuts his hair off, mistreats him, and when he wakes up he is taken to prison where he is put to grinding which must have been miserable since his source of strength had been taken away).

The lords of the philistines make Samson play the buffoon for them for a sacrifice festival for the god Dagon. They station him between two columns and since his hair grew back in prison, he tears them down, killing himself and in one swoop, more than he had killed in his lifetime. He judged for 20 years.

Judges 15

Samson returns to his wife and discovers that she married another man. His father offers his (prettier) younger daughter. "This time I'm without blame," he thinks, and burns the Philistines' crops by tying torches to the tails of 500 foxes. When the Philistines find out that Samson did this, they blame his wife and her father and burn them up. Samson swears to to avenge them and hides in a cave.

The men from Judah find Samson and get him to agree to accompany them to turn himself in, and they tie him up. When they arrive at the Philistines, his bonds melt off like wax. He takes the jawbone of a donkey and slays a thousand men. He throws away the jawbone (ramath-lehi = the Hill of the Jawbone) and takes a drink at En-hakkore (The Spring of the one who called - he called out to God). Samson judges 20 years.

Judges 14

Samson asks his parents to arrange a marriage between him and a Philistine woman. They do this, even though the Philistine's have dominion over Israel.

On his way to Timnah a young lion approaches Samson and Samson tears him apart. Later, some bees have settled in the lion's carcass, and Samson scoops the honey for his parents without telling them anything about the lion.

Later at a banquet, Samson proposes a riddle to his 30 Philistine companions (groomsmen) for 30 linen tunics and 30 sets of garments.

Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.

This riddle causes stress for the marriage, and finally the wife pursuades Samson to tell the answer. She tells the companions, and he loses the bet. To pay his debt, Samson kills 30 men from Ahkelon and despoils them. He leaves in anger, and Samson's wife was married to the best man.

Judges 13

The Isrealites offend the Lord again and are forced under the power of the Philistines for 40 years.

An angel of the Lord appears before the barren wife of the Danite Manoah. He tells her to conceive, but she should abstain from alcohol, unclean food, the cutting of the hair. (My notes say this is a Nazarite vow). She tells Manoah, who prays for the angel's return so he might teach them what to do for the child.

The angel returns and repeats his instructions. Manoah asks him to stay, and the angel tells him to set up a sacrifice for the Lord. He refuses to tell Manoah his name. When the fire gets going pretty well, and Manoah offers his offering of goat and cereal as holocaust, the angel rises to the sky from the flames. The couple realize they definitely had an angel and Manoah thinks they will die because they have seen God, but Manoah's wife points out that if the Lord had wanted to kill them, he would have done so - indeed, the Lord has accepted their holocaust. She bears a son named Samson.