- The center of Mark holds the core of Jesus’ teachings, but it is not what anyone was expecting.
- Even today there are many who think they are followers of Jesus but don’t understand this idea.
- First and foremost the challenge is to us, to follow Jesus in this surprising way.
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Hard Hearts & Deaf Ears
- Quick overview of the Structure
- The Problem of “Hardening” in 4:11–13
- The Blindness of the Disciples
- Making Sure our Hearts are not Hard, and our Ears are Ready to Hear
1. Quick overview of the Structure
2. The Problem of “Hardening” in 4:11–13
Mark 4
- And he said, “He who has ears to hear, had better listen.”
- And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.
- And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables,
- so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand,
so they may not repent and be forgiven.”
- He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you understand any parable?
- Jesus is quoting Is 6:9,10
Isaiah 6
- I heard the voice of the Lord say, “Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?” I answered, “Here I am, send me!”
- He said, “Go and tell these people:
“‘Listen continually, but don’t understand.
Look continually, but don’t perceive.’
- Make the hearts of these people hard;
make their ears deaf and their eyes blind.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
their hearts might understand and they might repent and be restored.”
Two Problems:
- Does God really want to stop people repenting?
- Is it even fair if it is God’s choice, not theirs?
- This is not the only place where these verses are quoted in the N.T.
- On the surface it sounds like God hardens people’s hearts to stop them receiving the gospel and repenting.
Isaiah 6 – Sarcasm
- Make the hearts of these people hard;
make their ears deaf and their eyes blind.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
their hearts might understand and they might repent and be restored.”
and they certainly wouldn’t want that, would they?”
Problem 2:
- God cannot hold anyone responsible for something they are not able to do.
- If he has hardened their hearts so they cannot believe, then it would be unjust to punish them.
The Mystery of God’s Sovereignty
- There are two truths that we have to hold in tension:
- God has chosen his people before the foundation of the world
- Everyone has a genuine free will and choice about following God
- Like two parallel tracks
- God has chosen his people before the foundation of the world
- Everyone has a genuine free will and choice about following God
- So what is this hardening about? Is God taking away their free will?
Pharaoh at the Exodus
- First Pharaoh “hardened his own heart”
- Later, God “hardened Pharaoh’s heart”
- Not by forcing Pharaoh into sin
- but by withholding his softening power and allowing Pharaoh’s hardness to grow
You see someone with a car at the side of the road
- Would you like some help?
- I fix cars for a living, but I won’t charge you for fixing your car
- I can see exactly what is wrong with it
- Are you absolutely sure you don’t want any help?
- Continuing to ask them is hardening them
- Is it wrong to do that?
- It is possible that they might change
- It leaves no doubt about your willingness to change, and who is to blame
3. The Blindness of the Disciples
Mark 4 – Parable of the Sower
- And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.…
- He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you understand any parable?
Mark 4 – Having ears to hear
- And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand?
- For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light.
- If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”
- And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.
- For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
- Folder: “Are you interested in this information: what is Andrew’s favourite chocolate?”
- If so, unzip carefully and read the description
- Not particularly?
- This plays out in three stories, each of them boat scenes:
Mark 4 – Stilling the Storm
- And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
- He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
- And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Mark 6 —Walking on Water
- but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out,
- for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
- And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,
- for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Mark 8 – No bread in the boat
- And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?
- Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?
- When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.”
- “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.”
- And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
- In between these 3 stories, come a lot of miracles, and this is what a lot of the stories are about!
“Ears to Hear” illustrated in Stories:
- Legion cleansed from evil spirits, yet asked to leave
- Woman who touched Jesus healed from issue of blood
- Jarius’s daughter
- But not accepted in his own home town
- Feeds 5,000 from 5 loaves/2 fish
- Gentile Woman who persists asking for her son’s healing
- Feeds 4,000
Hard Hearts & Deaf Ears
- Quick overview of the Structure
- The Problem of “Hardening” in 4:11–13
- The Blindness of the Disciples
- Making Sure our Hearts are not Hard, and our Ears are Ready to Hear
4. Making Sure our Hearts are not Hard, and our Ears are Ready to Hear
Growing our Ears to Hear
- Jesus puts pressure on them, but does not stop his intense love towards them
- He will not relent because he loves them so much.
- Why are you so afraid?
- Do you still not believe? Is your heart hardened
Mark 9: I believe; help my unbelief!
- So they brought the boy to him…
- [His father:] “if you are able to do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
- Then Jesus said to him, ” ‘If you are able?’ All things are possible for the one who believes.”
- Immediately the father of the boy cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Response
- What would Jesus say to you about your fears, your choices?
- None of us see and hear as well as we could.
- God so loves it when you trust him!
- “I believe; help my unbelief!”
