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Mark 9 - 10
Chapter 9:2-8 ~ Christ Revealed in His Glory
Mark 9:2-8 ~ The Transfiguration of the Christ
This experience with the divine is the revelation of the Kingdom for three of the Apostles. The same experience is recorded in Matthew 17:1-8 and Luke 9:28-36. The disciples and Apostles must have been frightened and discouraged after Jesus' prediction of His death. To give them a vision to grasp in their darkest hour when the prediction of His death is fulfilled, Jesus took three Apostles, Peter, James and John Zebedee, up a "high mountain" to let them witness a manifestation of His glory that confirms He is the Son of God and that He will come in glory when all has been fulfilled.
This is not a demonstration of favoritism. God does not have "favorites." It is instead a demonstration of hierarchy in the future administration of Christ's kingdom.
As the new Moses, Jesus ascends the mountain; He does this not to find a revelation of God but to give a revelation of God the Son to His three Apostles.
Transfiguration (Raphael)
Chapter 9:9-48 ~ The End of the Galilean Ministry
Mark's favorite word, euthus, is found in Mark 9:15, 20, 24 and 10:52.
Mark 9:9-13 ~ The Coming of Elijah
Coming down from the mountain after the Transfiguration experience, Jesus commands the three Apostles not to make known what they have discovered about Jesus' true identity (9:9). Notice he does not tell them to never tell about the experience. He only asks them to remain silent until His death and resurrection.
It is a reasonable question. Did "rising from the dead" mean to have life returned so one could go one living a normal life as in the case of the little girl who was the daughter of the Synagogue official in Mark 5:38-43, or did it mean something else? Thinking about his question may have led them to consider the case of Elijah who was spared physical death and was then taken up into heaven (2 Kng 2:6-12).
The Transfiguration of the Christ presents the Apostles and the reader with the full mystery of Jesus' true identity. The miraculous transformation of the human Jesus into the glorified divine Son puts the coming Passion and death of Jesus into perspective by giving the Apostles the assurance that Jesus' suffering and death will end in the triumph of His glorious Resurrection on the third day. This is what He has tried to tell them (Mk 8:31-33) and which He will repeat two more times (Mk 9:30-32 and 10:32-34). In the continuing revelation of the "mystery," the hearts of His Apostles are being restored in preparation for the New Covenant Gospel that they will carry to the ends of the earth (Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:19-20; Lk 24:46).
Mark 9:14-29 ~ The Mute and Deaf Epileptic Demoniac
When Jesus and the three Apostles rejoin the nine Apostles and the disciples, they are greeted by a large crowd involved in a dispute that seems to center on the disciples. That they are "amazed" at the site of Jesus may suggest that Jesus' appearance still retained some vestiges of the Transfiguration experience like Moses' glowing face after being in the divine Presence (Ex 34:29-30). The same Greek verb is used for the women's amazement at seeing the angel who announces Jesus' resurrection (Mk 16:5). They are immediately drawn to Jesus and run up to greet Him.
Jesus inquires about the nature of the dispute and discovers that His disciples have been unsuccessful in casting a demon out of a boy, a power Jesus gave them when He sent them on their missionary journey (Mk 6:7; Lk 9:1). Unlike other demons this one is mute and tortures the boy with fits that threaten his life.
While Jesus, Peter, James and John were on the mountain, the other nine Apostles were continuing their mission to heal, cast out demons, and preach the coming of the kingdom. Jesus tells them that their failure to cast out a demon on this occasion is because of their lack of faith (also see Mt 17:19-20; Lk 9:41). It is a failure which reflects badly on their credibility as Jesus' ministers. Perhaps they were intimidated by the power of the demon.
Mark 9:30-32 ~ The Second Prediction of the Passion
As the time for His Passion is drawing closer, Jesus focuses His attention on preparing His disciples for the traumatic events and test of faith that they will experience. He is also equipping them for taking up their mission as His emissaries in carrying the Gospel of salvation to the world.
Mark 9:33-37 ~ The Greatest in the Kingdom
"On the way" will become a repeated refrain in this section of Mark's Gospel, but may not be translated literally in the English translation (8:37; 9:33, 34; 10:17, 32, 52 twice). Jesus and the Apostles travel to Peter's house in Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee (verse 33). Perhaps the separation of the three from the other Apostles and their privilege of witnessing Jesus in His glory in the Transfiguration experience has made the others uneasy about where they stand in the Kingdom of the Messiah. Jesus knows what they were arguing about, but He wants them to admit to Him the nature of their dispute so He can provide a teaching moment for them. They probably do not answer because they are embarrassed, and they know He will not approve.
Mark 9:38-41 ~ Using the Name of Jesus
John Zebedee, the "least" of the Apostles if Bible scholars are correct in identifying him as the youngest, has apparently not learned from the previous teaching. An unnamed man's success has evidently sparked the jealousy of the Apostles who were unsuccessful in casting the demon out of the boy earlier.
As Baptized Christians charged with continuing the good works of Jesus through the Kingdom of His Church, we must reject exclusivism in the apostolate—the idea that "good is not good unless I am the one doing it." The principal value and merit of good works lie in the demonstration of the love of God by which our good deeds are carried out. Saint Jose Maria Escriva wrote, "a little act, done for love, is worth so much" ("The Way," 814). And, Saint Francis de Sales wrote: "Do you see that glass of water or that piece of bread which a holy soul gives to a poor person for God's sake; it is a small matter, God knows, and in human judgment hardly worthy of consideration. God notwithstanding, recompenses it, and forthwith gives for it some increase of charity" ("Treatise on the Love of God," book 2, chap. 2).
God regards as worthy any act of services to others, however small, as a holy act of love in His name.
Mark 9:42-50 ~ Temptations to Sin and the Salt Parable
Still holding the little child on His lap, Jesus pronounces a divine judgment against anyone who seeks to lead "a child" who believes in Him into sin. In this passage the Greek verb skandalizo refers to what causes one to stumble into sin. These are Greek words from which we get our words "scandalize" and "scandal."
This passage has three references (verses 43b, 44, 46 and 48) to Isaiah's image of divine judgment and Hell's unbearable torment in Isaiah 66:24 ~ They shall go out and see the corpses of men who rebelled against me; their worm shall not die, nor their fire be extinguished; and they shall be abhorrent to all mankind. The imagery is of God's enemies who are dead outside the walls of the heavenly Jerusalem; just as in the past the corpses and filth lay in the Valley of Gehenna outside the city of the earthly Jerusalem where huge fires were continually burning.
Many people, even Christians, find the Hell of eternal separation from God a difficult subject. Yet, the teachings of Scripture and the Church affirm the existence of Hell and its eternal dimension. The chief punishment of Hell is eternal separation from God where the unrepentant person, whose soul is lost in mortal sin, suffers the penalty of eternal fire. The Catholic Church teaches that God does not predestine anyone to Hell (CCC 1037) and the choice of eternal life or eternal damnation is the personal choice of every individual based on the choices they make in life (see Mt 25:31-46 and CCC 1033-36). In fact, the destiny God has planned for every human being is eternal life and He is not willing that anyone should perish; the choice of our ultimate destiny is our own (2 Pt 3:9; 1 Tim 2:3-4).
Question: What three sayings does Jesus give about salt?
Answer:
- Everyone will be salted with fire.
- Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor?
- Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.
That "everyone will be salted with fire" may refer to the fiery love of God that will test our works when we face divine judgment (Wis 3:1-7; Lk 16:23-24; 1 Cor 3:13-15; Purgatory in CCC 1030-32). In Scripture salt represented purity and preservation. It therefore became a symbol of the perpetual nature of the covenant (Lev 2:13; Num 18:19 literal translation; 2 Chr 13:5). As a symbol of the covenant, salt was sprinkled on all sacrifices that were placed on the altar fire (Lev 2:13; Ez 43:23-24), and babies born into the covenant were rubbed with salt after birth (Ez 16:14). Methodius, bishop of Olympus (d. 311) wrote: "According to Levitical law, every gift, unless it be seasoned with salt, is forbidden to be offered as an oblation to the Lord God. Now the whole spiritual meditation of the Scriptures is given to you as salt which stings in order to benefit. Without this disinfection, it is impossible for a soul, by means of reason, to be brought to the Almighty" (The Banquet of the Ten Virgins, 1.1).
In this little parable, Jesus is using salt as a metaphor for the Christian's positive influence. In Jesus' time salt was used to favor and to preserve food, and it was used as a disinfectant. But salt that had a high mineral content, like salt from the Dead Sea, could lose its flavor over time and become useless. As Jesus' disciples, we are to be "salt of the earth" (Mt 5:13) in that we must live according to Jesus' teachings in order to be a good influence in the world. Christians who lose their commitment to Christ are not able to be a force for good in sharing the Gospel of salvation. Jesus commands His disciples to keep the "salt" of their commitment alive so that they might have the unity that promotes peace.
Chapter 10: The Beginning of the Final Journey
In Chapter 10, Jesus begins His journey to Jerusalem which will reach its climax in the fulfillment of the three prophecies of His Passion. Along the way, He continues to encourage the faith and heal the blindness of His disciples and the covenant people to the truth of His identity. He also offers His teachings on moral law, on service and leadership, gives the third prediction of His Passion, and heals a blind man whose faith has saved him. The last is a symbolic act to visually illustrate His continuing admonition for the disciples to see and hear and understand as in the healing of the deaf man in the Decapolis in Mark 7:31-37 and the blind man of Bethsaida in the Galilee in Mark 8:22-26.
Mark 10:1-12 ~ Jesus Teaches on Marriage and Divorce
Leaving the Galilee, Jesus and His disciples cross the Jordan River to the east bank and journey south toward Jerusalem. This was a favored route of most Jewish pilgrims traveling from Asia Minor and Mesopotamia for the pilgrim feasts in Jerusalem because it allowed them to avoid the dangerous, robber infested territory of the Samaritans on the west side of the river.
The Pharisees approach Jesus again to "test" him, as Satan tested Jesus. As in the other times they have tested Jesus, the purpose is not to learn His true identity but to show their superiority and to discredit Him with the people (Mt 12:13; 16:1; Mk 8:11; Lk 11:52-53). It is ironic that it is their attempt to "test" Jesus and to reveal to the people that His true identity is not the Messiah that they reveal their true identity as "children of Satan" who stand in opposition to God's plan for man's salvation.
Question: How is their question not only a test but a trap?
Answer: They are hoping they can maneuver Jesus to say something they can use against him. If He rejects divorce for any reason they can perhaps put Him in the same position as John the Baptist who was condemned to death for his criticism of Herod Antipas and Herodias' divorces and their unlawful marriage. Or, if he approves of divorce without restrictions, they can accuse him of being like the heathen Gentiles.
Question: The Pharisees interpret Moses' decree in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 as a commandment, but how does Jesus correct their interpretation of that passage?
Answer: Jesus tells them that it was not so much a command but a concession because of the hard hearts of the Israelite men.
Question: How does Jesus turn their "test" against them?
Answer: Jesus turned their test against them by quoting from Sacred Scripture, asking them if they did not know the passages from Genesis 1:27 and 2:24. He asks them if they are willing to dispute what God has commanded in those passages and interprets the passages to mean there can be no division/divorce when God has joined a couple in marriage.
In His declaration "what God has joined together, no human being [man] must separate," Jesus unequivocally affirms the sacred nature and the indissolubility of the marriage covenant between one man and one woman. He also affirms God as both the Creator of man and woman and the author of the institution of marriage. See CCC 1614-16.
Question: In Jesus' definition of marriage, what other forms of unions are rejected as not of God? See CCC 1645, 2357-59, 2387-88, 2390-91, 2400.
Answer: Polygamy, homosexual unions, incest and free unions cannot be defined as marriage and are offenses against the dignity of marriage.
In the Christian Church's first council in Acts chapter 15, the Apostles instructed faith communities in their Apostolic decree to avoid unlawful marriage (Acts 15:19-20) referring to marriages that were deemed incestuous. However, in the Church's power to "bind and loose," Jesus has given the Church the authority to make decisions in such matters as the annulment of marriages that never should have taken place because of fraud, deceit, or indecency. See CCC 1603, 1610.
Mark 10:13-16 ~ Jesus and the Children
It is fitting that Jesus' pronouncement on children should follow immediately after His teaching on marriage. This is the second time Jesus has used a little child as an example of faith, trust, and vulnerability. In Mark 9:36-37, He used a little child in Peter's household as a symbol of faith and trust and in instructing the disciples on their role of service to the lowly. People were bringing their children to Jesus for Him to lay His hands upon them to give them His blessing. In trying to protect Jesus, perhaps so He can have the time to heal the seriously afflicted, the disciples are turning away parents who have brought their healthy children to Jesus. Instead of protecting Jesus, they have deeply offended Him. This is the only time in the Gospels that it is said that Jesus was "indignant," in the Greek, aganakteo; it is a term indicating "outraged at an offense," "moved with indignation" (IBGE, vol. IV, page 125; Thayer's Greek Lexicon, page 3). The tender affection Jesus shows the children illustrates what an extrodinarly loving man Jesus was during his earthly ministry.
Mark 10:17-22 ~ The Rich Young Man
This story is found in all three Synoptic Gospels with only slight variations. The man in the encounter with Christ is described as a "young man" (neaniskos), in Matthew 19:20. He has been listening to Jesus' teachings and is concerned about his eternal salvation (it is not until verse 22 that we are told he is wealthy). He has everything he needs to enjoy this earthly life, but he understands that his wealth cannot buy his place in eternity.
Question: What three actions does he take and what is his question?
Answer:
- He runs up to Jesus
- He kneels before Jesus in humble submission
- He calls Jesus "good teacher"
- He asks Jesus what "good" he must do to attain eternal life.
Question: What does Jesus mean by His first response to the young man, answering his question with a question and then stating that no one is truly "good" except God. What is ironic about Jesus' exchange with the young man?
Answer: He asks the young man "Why do you call me good?" Then Jesus tells the young man that "no one is good except God alone," in other words that every man is a sinner. In His question, Jesus is subtly asking the young man if he has discerned Jesus' true identity as the only One who is good because He is without sin. The irony is that the young man is in fact addressing God.
Next Jesus answers the young man's question by reminding him that he knows the commandments, meaning the Ten Commandments and the other commands and prohibitions of the Law. Keep in mind that the young man is Jewish and the Old Covenant is still in effect and will continue to be in effect until Jesus' death and Resurrection.
Question: What is the pathway to salvation under the law of the Sinai Covenant? See Dt 30:16, 20; Ps 119:155, 166-68.
Answer: Under the Old Covenant, obedience to the commandments of God was the pathway to life; however, obedience could not promise eternal salvation.
Jesus then lists six commandments in verse 19 that are found in the Ten Commandments and in the extended teaching on the Law (to defraud was considered theft). These are not all the Ten Commandments but only those commandments dealing with love of neighbor, a command that is part of the Law of the covenant in Leviticus 19:18.
Question: Significantly what part of the Ten Commandments has Jesus not included?
Answer: Jesus has not included the first three commandments concerning love of God.
20 He replied and said to him, "Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth."
The young man responds that he has lived in accordance with those commandments that Jesus listed. In Matthew 19:20 the young man asks what is lacking in his life (verse 20), suggesting that he understood there was more than mere obedience to the Law to please God. His answer must have been sincere because St. Mark tells us Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "You are lacking one thing ... (Mk 10:21). This is an earnest young man and Jesus sees spiritual potential for him in service to the Kingdom.
21b Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
Question: What does Jesus tell the young man he must do if he wants to have a greater share in the Kingdom and what is the invitation Jesus is alluding to? Jesus spoke of this in Mark 8:34.
Answer: He tells the young man if he wants to be "perfect" to give up every material possession to the poor and to follow Jesus as a disciple and then he will have "treasure in heaven" as opposed to earthly rewards. Jesus is making a distinction between obedience to the commandments that show the path to salvation and earthly blessings under the Old Law and the call to discipleship that gives an even greater eternal reward. He is also asking the young man to put love of God above earthly comfort and ambition.
Question: Where in the Gospels has Jesus asked for a standard of "perfection" before? Under the law of the Old Covenant people were commanded to be live by a standard of perfection in being "holy as God is holy" (Lev 11:44-45; 20:26; 21:8). See Mt 5:48.
Answer: It is a standard of perfection Jesus asked the faithful to strive for in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:48 when He said: "So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
In Matthew 5:48 the Greek word "perfect" (tam) refers to the "wholeness" of God and His love for all people. This word only appears in Matthew 5:48 and in Matthew 19:21 in the Gospels. As you may recall in that passage in Matthew chapter 5, Jesus was concerned with the definition of love of one's neighbor. He urged the disciples to love even their enemies and used the example of God's loving care for all His creatures to challenge the disciples to avoid restricting their love only to those who love in return or who can benefit them. To be "perfect" is not possible on a human level; such perfection/wholeness can only come from God when we love as God loves.
The young man will still have the path of life in living in obedience to God's commandments, but like all the Jews of Jesus' generation he will have to make the choice to receive an even greater portion of blessing only offered through faith in Jesus Christ. We do not know what will happen to the young man in whom Jesus saw the potential for holiness, but perhaps, later, he had the courage to give up what was temporal for a greater eternal reward.
Jesus invitation to the young man does not mean that He expects all who profess faith in Him to give up all their worldly possessions, but we must all be willing to make the sacrifice and we cannot treasure our earthly possessions more than we treasure our eternal salvation. St. Francis of Assisi was the "rich young man" who said "yes" and gave up all his worldly wealth to follow Christ.
Mark 10:23-27 ~ A Teaching on the Danger of Riches
The Greek word for "camel" is kamelon while the word for "rope" is kamilon. The huge ropes to which the anchors of ships were tied were made of camel hair. This may be a play on words suggesting that it is easier not for the animal to pass through a needle than a rich man to enter the gates of heaven but Jesus may be using hyperbole to say that it is easier for the rope called a "camel" to pass through a needle used to make the fishing nets than for a rich man to enter the gates of heaven. It is a comparison that would have appealed to the Apostles, many of whom were fishermen from the Galilee and familiar with ships and their equipment. St. Cyril of Alexandria suggests this is the comparison Jesus was making: By "camel" here he means not the living thing, the beast of burden, but the thick rope to which sailors tie their anchors. He shows this comparison to be not entirely pointless (as a camel would be), but he makes it an exceedingly difficult matter; in fact, next to impossible (Fragment from the Gospel of Matthew, 219).(3)
Question: Why is it hard for the rich to enter the gates of heaven? See Ez 7:19; Prov 30:8-9; Sir 31:5-7 and Mt 5:3.
Answer: The problem isn't the wealth but it is the self-sufficiency wealth gives a person. The wealthy often do not feel they need God because they believe their wealth affords them the power to handle any crisis they may face.
Mark 10:28-31 ~ The Reward of Personal Sacrifice
Comparing the Apostles and disciples with the rich young man, Peter points out that he and the others have given up everything to follow Jesus. Notice that Peter acts as the spokesman of the group. According to the teachings of the Sinai Covenant having material blessings meant one was blessed by God (Lev 26:3-13; Dt 28:1-14). The Apostles and disciples understand that they have answered to a higher calling and want to know what their sacrifice will mean.
Mark 10:32-34 ~ The Third Prediction of the Passion
Each of the predictions of Jesus' Passion has had more details than the last.
Question: Why are the disciples both "amazed" and "afraid"?
Answer: They are amazed because of His determination to go to Jerusalem where He knows He will suffer and die. And they are afraid because they do not know what it will mean for them.
This prediction includes the information that the chief priests and the Roman authorities will be involved in His death. For the third time Jesus identifies Himself with the prophecy of Isaiah's suffering servant (Is 52:13-53:12). In verse 32, St. Mark reminds us that Jesus and His disciples are still on their journey to Jerusalem.
Mark 10:35-40 ~ The Ambition of the Sons of Zebedee
Jesus' teaching on humility seems to have had very little impact on the Zebedee brothers (see 10:15, 28-31). They apparently heard the part about heavenly "rewards" but not the teaching on having the humility of a little child or the part in which Jesus said: 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. The brothers request the places of highest honor at the Messianic Banquet: "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."
38 Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" 39 They said to him, "We can."
James and John did not know what commitment they were making when they expressed their willingness to "drink" from Jesus' "cup." The brothers were probably thinking of the Old Testament prophets and their prediction of drinking from the cup of God's glory in the eschatological banquet and so they have asked for places on either side of the Master (see Is 25:6-9).
Mark 10:41-43 ~ The Anger of the Ten Apostles
Unfortunately, the Apostles are acting more "childish" than "childlike."
The question of rank among the Apostles began in with their argument concerning "who was greatest" in Mark 9:34. After the disciples experience their "dark night of the soul" in the crisis of Jesus Passion and crucifixion, the issue is never raised again. Through their suffering, they will all learn humility and obedience.
Their authority in His kingdom will not be like rank and authority in the Gentile kingdoms where the people are "slaves" to the rulers. They are to be the servants of the children of God. An ancient title for the Vicar of Christ is "servant of the servants of Christ."
In this verse Jesus again identifies Himself as the prophesied "suffering servant." The ransom Jesus pays with His life will bring about the liberation of many and recalls the prophecy of Isaiah 53:12 ~ Because he surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked; and he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses. His service will be His sacrificial death (also see 1 Tim 2:6 and 1 Pt 2:23-24).
Mark 10:46-52 ~ The Healing of the Blind Man from Jericho
Jesus and His disciples have traveled southward down the length of the Jordan on the east side of the river and have come to the ford of the river across from the city of Jericho.
46b And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging.
Mark explains to his Greco-Roman audience the Aramaic meaning of the patronymic by which he identifies the poor, blind beggar: bar means "son" in Aramaic (in Hebrew the word for "son" is ben). Mark does not give the man's personal name but he is the only Gospel writer who identifies the blind man from Jericho by any name, even a surname. Bartimaeus is the only person to receive a healing by Jesus that Mark names in his Gospel and some Bible scholars have suggested he was still alive and known in the Church at the time Mark's Gospel was written.
47 On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."
Question: What is significant about the way Bartimaeus addresses Jesus? See Ez 34:23-24; 37:21-24.
Answer: He addresses Jesus as the Davidic Messiah promised by the Ezekiel to restore and heal the nation of Israel.
You might ask how this man from Jericho knows enough about Jesus to believe that He is the Davidic Messiah. St. Mark concentrates about two-thirds of his Gospel narrative on Jesus' mission in the northern region of what was once ancient Israel, but we know from St. John's Gospel that Jesus attended the God ordained pilgrim feasts and so He must have made those three trips to Jerusalem each of the three years of His ministry for Passover/Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths (see Jn 2:13; 7:2, 10, 14; 12:1). In addition, St. John records that Jesus attended the national feast of Dedicated (Hanukkah) in John 10:22-23, which was not a feast that required national attendance. Therefore, it is possible that Jesus, the perfect Jew, attended all seven annual feasts every year in additional to the national feasts of Dedication/Hanukkah and Purim. If this is the case, the people of Judah had many opportunities to hear Jesus preach.
50 He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
The blind man threw off his cloak; it is probably the one item of value he owns, but nothing will hinder him from immediate access to Jesus the Messiah, unlike the rich young man in 10:17-22. Jesus asks him what he wants; the response is in itself a profession of his faith in Jesus Christ who tells him: "Go your way; your faith has saved you."
52b Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.
Once again Mark's favorite word instills a sense of urgency.
Question: Where is it that Bartimaeus is following Jesus "on the way"?
Answer: He is following Jesus "on the way" to discipleship and to Jerusalem and to witness Jesus' Passion, death, and Resurrection.
In the story of Bartimaeus, Mark has continued with his subtheme of "hearing and seeing" in the deaf to whom Jesus restores hearing and the blind to whom He restores sight in fulfillment of what the prophets foretold about the Messiah (i.e., Mk 4:9, 12, 18, 20, 23, 24, 33; 7:16, 37; 8:18, 35, 22, 25) . Yet, many continue to be both deaf and blind to His true identity and what it means, which is also a fulfillment the prophecy of Isaiah in 6:9-10.
Those who are truly blind and remain as "outsiders" are those people who witnessed Jesus' miracles and prophetic acts and still did not acknowledge His true identity. In this healing of blind Bartimaeus, not only were his physical eyes "opened" but he also had the opportunity to have his spiritual vision confirmed in recognizing the Messiah. The same kind of spiritual blindness that afflicted the people who refused to acknowledge Jesus as the promised Messiah in the first century AD is still present today in twenty-first century men and women who persist in rejecting Jesus' gift of love and salvation and ignore Jesus' invitation to "follow me."
We are all called, like Jesus' disciples and Bartimaeus, to "follow Him on the way": to take Him as our pattern, receive nourishment from His grace and let Him be the ransom for our sins. In the sacrifice of the Mass, we take part in His sacrifice and His Resurrection. Time is suspended and we are present at the Last Supper when Jesus began His walk to the Cross as He feeds the faithful the bread that became His Body and the wine that became His Blood. As we move forward to the altar, we receive the Body and Blood of the glorified, resurrected Christ and we proclaim to the world that we live with Him and for Him in the new life He gave us when we first experienced the Sacrament of Christian baptism.
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A Daily Defense
DAY 158 Consciousness after Death Established
CHALLENGE: “Perhaps it doesn’t disprove consciousness after death, but Scripture does not provide a basis for believing it, either.”
DEFENSE:There are Bible verses that demonstrate consciousness after death.
The prophet Samuel is conscious when summoned by the witch of Endor (1 Sam. 28; note the text does not challenge the idea that it is Samuel who is summoned). This is an exceptional incident since a medium is involved (Deut. 18:11–12), but it indicates the possibility of and belief in consciousness after death.
1 Peter 3:19–20 refers to Christ preaching, after death, to spirits who disobeyed in the time of Noah. They were conscious, though some have questioned whether they are human or angelic spirits.
In the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah are shown interacting with Jesus (Matt. 17:1–9). However, Elijah never died (2 Kings 2:1–12), and although Moses did die (Deut. 34:5), Jude refers to an angelic dispute over his body (Jude 9). According to early Christian writings, this was a reference to an event in The Assumption of Moses, whose ending is now lost. Because of ambiguity about what happened to Moses after death (was he assumed? raised from the dead?) and because of the exceptional nature of the Transfiguration, this text is of limited value.
In the account of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19–31), Jesus describes Lazarus, the rich man, and Abraham as conscious in the intermediate state (i.e., between death and resurrection). It has been objected that this is a parable. However, Jesus’ parables are informed by real things (kings, fathers, sons, banquets, vineyards, and so on). If this is a parable, it suggests conscious individuals in the afterlife are also real.
More definitely, Paul expects to be conscious in the intermediate state when he says he “would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8; cf. Phil. 1:21–24). The clearest passages indicating consciousness in the intermediate state are in Revelation, where the souls of the martyred are depicted praying and worshipping God (Rev. 6 :9–11, 7:13–15). These are decisive since they are not exceptional and refer to the souls of many unnamed Christians continuing to be conscious.
Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist
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