EmmDev 2026-06-03 [Moments with Mark] Concluding Mark #9 The Abrupt Ending points to Resurrection Hope

Concluding Mark #9 The Abrupt Ending points to Resurrection Hope

"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.' " Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. (Mark16:6-8)

Most scholars agree that this was the original ending to Mark's Gospel.
It is abrupt and a little disturbing because it leaves things hanging in the air.

But think about it for a moment...
We think this account was written around 60AD some 30 years after the Ascension.
By now the gospel has reached Rome, Asia Minor and beyond.

Anyone reading the cliff-hanger ending would know how it actually turned out.
They would know that:
- the women did speak.
- the tomb remained empty,
- Jesus met with Peter
- Jesus met with the disciples
- He ascended and the disciples were filled with the Spirit
- the Church had spread like wildfire, in spite of persecution.

Resurrection had triumphed.
What looked like defeat and a sputtering wick had burst into glorious flame.

In many ways this is typical of Mark.
He portrays human weakness with simple honesty but never hopelessly.

Considering what I have just written, it is then unsurprising and quite ironic that the "footnote" or "longer ending" that was later attached to Mark reflects all these thoughts:
- Fear and unbelief addressed
- Great Commission and the Power of the Holy Spirit affirmed
- The Ascension and the disciples' missionary obedience recorded.

The abrupt ending naturally invites readers to ask what happened next.
The "longer ending" tries to do that for their generation, but I think the abrupt ending invites every reader to respond personally.

But we need to answer it too.
In the light of the Risen Christ who speaks to His Church and the Peter in you and me.
What will we do?
Will we, like the Early Church, overcome our initial fears and spread the gospel?
Mark leaves us to to add our response...
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That brings us, at long last, to the end of our marathon series on Mark.
I hope you have found it meaningful.
I'll be taking a break from EmmDevs for the rest of June.

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EmmDev 2026-05-29 [Moments with Mark] Concluding Mark #8 The cross is not defeat, but victory.

Concluding Mark #8 The cross is not defeat, but victory.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard His cry and saw how He died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" (Mark15:37-39)

Mark records numerous moments where Jesus made it clear that He heading for the cross.
In chapter 10 Mark remembers how Jesus was striding ahead of the disciples and how His disciples are astonished and afraid.

Throughout his gospel, Mark paints a picture of Jesus serving, loving, healing and teaching and heading towards a sacrificial destiny.
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)

So it is understandable that we might begin to see the cross as a low-point.
A place of tragedy, heartbreak and sacrifice.

But when we get to the cross, Mark surprises us because he writes briefly about the crucifixion (only 17 verses). There's a quiet dignity in his brevity instead of a Hollywood-like morbid fascination with the violence and suffering.

He recounts the criminals and the sign.
He dwells on the insults but this only strengthens the Centurion's response later.
He only notes one of the "seven words", but it is in God-Forsakenness that He atones for our sin.
He describes that wine-vinegar - the drink of the poor
and the crowd's misunderstanding that he was calling Elijah.

And then comes the climax...

• A loud cry and Jesus breathes His last - a clear indication that Jesus was not the victim who's life was taken,
  but the King who gives His life.
• The temple curtain torn in two. The atonement sacrifice was sufficient and our sin-debt was paid in full.
• The gentile Centurion, a man of authority, recognises Him as the Son of God.

This makes the cross a place of VICTORY.
Sometimes preachers and movie-makers use the violence and suffering of the cross to pull at the heart-strings.
Sometimes we tend to preach "BAD Friday" and "Resurrection Sunday"
but it is called "GOOD Friday" for a reason.
The victory was won at the cross - and the resurrection vindicates that victory

Do I hear a HALLELUJAH?

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EmmDev 2026-05-28 [Moments with Mark] Concluding Mark #7 Reaching out to the Broken

Concluding Mark #7 Reaching out to the Broken

A man with leprosy came to Him and begged Him on his knees, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. "I am willing," He said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. (Mark1:40-42)

Mark's Gospel is filled with broken people:
- lepers,
- paralytics,
- demoniacs,
- grieving parents,
- outcasts, failures,
- doubters,
- and fearful disciples.

Our passage records the first healing miracle in Mark and it is most certainly not the last!

The man has leprosy. It is highly contagious.
People recoiled from those who had leprosy.
They chased them with literal and verbal sticks and stones.
The man comes and begs from his knees.
The disciples and crowd probably gasped and retreated.
All of a sudden Jesus isn't being mobbed or crowded.
They're all ten steps back.

The man is begging and Jesus is standing there.
"If you are willing... " the man implores
Jesus is filled with compassion. (In Greek the word implies an intense emotion)
Instead of stepping away - Jesus steps in.
Instead of recoiling - Jesus touches - probably embraces.
And the man is immediately clean.

This is what love is.

Throughout Mark Jesus consistently moves toward broken, not away from them.
We see it again and again:
- Jesus touches the untouchable.
- Jesus forgives the guilty.
- Jesus restores the ashamed.
- Jesus calls the unlikely.

Jesus' church needs to be like this too.
Church is not a display cabinet for saints
but a hospital for the broken.

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EmmDev 2026-05-27 [Moments with Mark] Concluding Mark #6 The Tragic Hardness of Heart

Concluding Mark #6 The Tragic Hardness of Heart

Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone." Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. (Mark3:3-6)

One of the saddest themes in Mark's Gospel is the ongoing hardness of people's hearts. This passage reveals it powerfully...

It's a Sabbath and the Pharisees are more concerned about observing the Sabbath than about the plight of a fellow human being. If the Law of Moses allowed one to get a cow out of a pit on the Sabbath, surely the healing of the precious human being would matter too?

Throughout Mark's Gospel we see people being helped by Jesus and trusting in Him:

• desperate people come to Him
• broken people trust Him
• outsiders welcome Him
• women follow faithfully
• children respond naturally
• sinners eat at His table

But the Pharisees remained hard and stubborn of heart.
Their hearts are so hard, that the Pharisees and Herodians who were polar opposites theologically and idealogically, begin to plot murder. Strange bedfellows indeed.

What's striking in this passage is that Jesus' response to this hardness was not indignation or antipathy but deep distress. He is grieving with the hot angry grief that one feels when there is a sense of a life wasted. He sees the hardness of their hearts and it vexes Him.

Right into Holy Week Jesus interacts with Pharisees, Saducees, Herodians, Teachers of the Law. They continue to resist Him and He faces them with truth, logic, Scripture and even outright rebuke, but they refuse to see...

May we never harden our hearts in this way.

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EmmDev 2026-05-22 [Moments with Mark] Mark's Pentecost #4 - In our weakness

Mark's Pentecost #4 - In our weakness

Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," He said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." (Mark14:37-38)

One would think that a Gospel account that formed the basis of the Early Church would attempt to paint the disciples in the best possible light. They were the ones chosen and trained by Jesus and they would have played a key role in the wonderful growth of the church. One might expect that a gospel account would portray them a bit like swashbuckling pioneers of the early church.

But Mark didn't do that. He portrayed them very humanly. They misunderstood Jesus, bickered over who was the greatest; fell asleep in Gethsemane when Jesus needed them; ran away when He was arrested; some even denied knowing Him; and they struggled to believe when faced with an empty tomb.

This doesn't inspire a huge amount of confidence in the first disciples...
But I think this is one of Mark's subtle points.

Jesus comment to Peter says it all. "The spirit is willing, but the body (flesh) is weak."

Jesus isn't talking about the Holy Spirit.
He's talking about the human spirit which, although willing, is hindered by our frailty and humanity.

But the Good News is that Mark starts His Gospel with the promise of the Holy Spirit.
Mark 1:8: "I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

So Mark's Gospel is a true reflection of what happened.
Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth to "give His life as a ransom for many."
He called disciples, but they were not superheroes, they were everyday people.
They made mistakes, they got it wrong, they were not strong enough by themselves.
But there was a promise - "He will baptise with the Holy Spirit..."

And it was fulfilled at Pentecost!
The church was never built on human strength, but on Spirit-empowered weakness surrendered to Christ.
Pentecost was not God choosing the impressive - it was God empowering the weak.
And that gives you and me hope!

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EmmDev 2026-05-21 [Moments with Mark] Mark's Pentecost #3 Inspiration under Pressure

Mark's Pentecost #3 Inspiration under Pressure

You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. (Mark13:9-11)

Today's reading comes from the challenging chapter 13 where Mark unpacks Jesus' teaching on the "end times."

To set the scene, the key points of this chapter are:

• The "end times" extend from Jesus' ascension to the Second Coming.
• The church will experience persecution and hardship cyclically, like the contractions of a woman in labour
• Some parts of the chapter apply to the persecution of the church by Rome, culminating in the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD.
• Other parts of the chapter are applicable any time or anywhere that the church is suffering or is being persecuted.

Our reading is a reassurance that Jesus gives the disciples, but it is also applicable to the whole church. It is a powerful reassurance and a comforting promise: "Whenever you're in a tough place, whenever you're being persecuted, whenever you're being threatened, and whenever you might be lost for words, the Holy Spirit will give you the words.

Throughout the history of the Church, there have been "contractions" - times that the whole or part of the church has experienced suffering and persecution. In the book of Acts and in the annals of church history we have story upon story of believers who have responded with love, grace and profound wisdom in the face of trouble.

This is a beautiful gift from God's Spirit.
He will be with us and He will give us the words we need.

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EmmDev 2026-05-20 [Moments with Mark] Mark's Pentecost #2 Misunderstanding the Spirit

Mark's Pentecost #2 Misunderstanding the Spirit

Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples were not even able to eat. When His family heard about this, they went to take charge of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind." And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons He is driving out demons." So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit." (Mark3:20-31)

Today's passage is challenging.

There are two issues at stake here.
1. The Holy Spirit is the powerful One by whom Jesus "binds the strong man".
2. There are consequences to ignoring, resisting and maligning the Spirit's work.

As Mark portrays Jesus as tirelessly proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom in word and action. But the extent and effect of His ministry attracts attention and causes sensation. His family are embarrassed by the attention He is getting and those who are threatened by His popularity criticise and malign.

Their key argument is that His spiritual power has an evil source.
They need to do this, because otherwise they have to admit that "the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him."
This would be tantamount to admitting that He was the Messiah.

Jesus easily exposes their faulty thinking - A house divided against itself cannot stand.

But this leads Him to make a statement about blasphemy against the Spirit that has worried many sincere Christians. Over the years many people have consulted with me, worried that they have committed the unforgivable sin.

To understand what this is all about, we need to remember that one of the main activities of the Holy Spirit is to bring us to the place where we can recognise Christ as Lord. The Spirit is always drawing us closer to Jesus. He reveals, convicts, prompts, illuminates and works in our circumstances to open our eyes to Christ. He wants us to recognise Jesus as Saviour and Lord.

Jesus talks about "blasphemy against the Spirit" in Matthew, Mark and Luke. In each case He is confronting the hard-hearted Pharisees and Sadducees who persistently refuse to recognise who Jesus is:
- In Matthew they argue that Jesus does His miracles by demonic power
- In Mark they say that Jesus has an evil spirit
- In Luke the context is God's provision on the one hand and disowning Christ on the other and Luke puts it into the context of the final judgment.

So "blasphemy against the Spirit" is to reject the Spirit's "core business" which is to help us recognise Jesus for who He is.

Many Theologians understand that this is a process and not an event. We don't commit blasphemy against the Spirit by accident or as a once-off. This is something that is a stubborn hard-heartedness and that we don't care about. To "blaspheme against the Spirit" is to stubbornly resist the "seed-planting" work of the Holy Spirit to the end of our lives or to the point that our hearts are so hard that we will never change. Elsewhere Scripture talks about a "hardened heart" or a "seared conscience."

The point: If we are resisting the working of the Spirit, then we won't care whether this is forgivable or not. And so I say to folk: "If you're worried that you have committed unforgivable blasphemy against the Spirit, then you haven't!"

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EmmDev 2026-05-19 [Moments with Mark] Mark's Pentecost #1 Jesus and the Spirit

Mark's Pentecost #1 Jesus and the Spirit

It's Pentecost Week and so I'm interrupting the conclusion of Mark with four devotions on Mark's view of the Holy Spirit. (Mark just doesn't want to let go of me!)

John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: "After me will come One more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, He saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased." At once the Spirit sent Him out into the desert, and He was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended Him. (Mark1:6-12)

Mark only makes a few specific references to the Holy Spirit, but from these references we get a clear implication of the Spirit's work, effect and influence.

In the opening verses of the Gospel, Mark highlights the way John the Baptist characterises the ministry of Jesus as Spirit-filled-and-empowered. Then he shows the coming of the Spirit paired with the Father's affirmation of Jesus. Then he shows Jesus being led by the Spirit into the desert for a period of preparation.

There are a couple of insights that come with Mark's descriptions of the Spirit's work and presence in Jesus.

• The presence of the Spirit implies worthiness and power.
  Jesus receives the Spirit by worth - we receive the Spirit by grace.
• The Spirit comes as a dove along with the affirmation of the Father's love.
  This is beautiful and profound: belovedness precedes mission and identity precedes ministry.
• The Spirit guides Jesus in preparation and accompanies Him in temptation and hardship.
  Many who focus on the Spirit's gifts and empowerment neglect the fact that He will sometimes lead us into and through tough spaces.
• Mark uses his signature "at once" and we have a sense of the dynamic and vibrant nature of the Spirit's guidance.

From the very outset it is clear that Mark fully understands that Jesus' vibrant ministry as the "Son of Man who came to serve and not to be served" was guided, empowered, shaped and validated by the presence, indwelling, and work of the Holy Spirit.

The empowering of the Spirit, depicted by a dove and accompanied by an affirmation of love and approval, is significant. Sadly, many people reduce the Spirit to a source of power. The Spirit is more than Popeye's Spinach, Asterix's magic potion or a super-soldier-serum.
The Spirit isn't our power-pack, He's the affirming presence of God with us in Mission.

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EmmDev 2026-05-14 [Treasure Cupboard] Ascension Day

Ascension Day

 

It's Ascension Day today. It used to be recognised as a public holiday, but now the responsibility lies especially with the Church to remember and celebrate it well.

Even in the Old Testament, God's Sovereignty and Majesty were recognised by the Israelites. Psalm 47 was written by the "Sons of Korah" who were a family line of Levites (temple servants) descended from Korah. Although Korah himself rebelled against God in Moses' time and died in judgment, his descendants were spared and later became faithful worship leaders and musicians in Israel.

Psalm 47 sits in the middle of three Psalms that assert God's victory and celebrate God reigning over nations, wars, fear, and every force of chaos. We're most familiar with Psalm 46 which starts off with "God is our refuge and strength - a very present help in trouble" and ends with "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 48 celebrates Zion - the city of God - as a place of peace and refuge.

Psalm 47 - the psalm in the middle - is marked with great joy and celebration. It starts with "Clap your hands" and "Shout for joy" and continues to celebrate God's victory and our deliverance and inheritance.

The Psalm evokes an Old Testament image: a king riding up to Jerusalem and taking his place on the throne. It would be a time of great joy: "God has ascended amid shouts of joy... sing praises... sing praises."

Today we celebrate Jesus' Ascension.
It is not merely about Christ departing, but of Christ reigning.
- He is the Messiah - God's chosen one - God's only Son.
- He made the ultimate sacrifice - His life for our sin
- The sacrifice was sufficient - and so God raised Him from the dead
- He ascends now - Having conquered Sin, Death and Satan.
- He reigns at the Father's right hand - interceding for us.
- And we have the hope of His return.

We have two tasks or callings to do in the meantime.
1. Celebrate who He is and what He has done through worship.
2. Tell others about His love and victory and doing it in word and deed.

Read the Psalm below and clap your hands, sing praises to God, and proclaim His victory to the world!

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth! He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loved. [Selah] God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. (Psalms47:1-9)

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EmmDev 2026-05-13 [Moments with Mark] Concluding Mark #5 Parables about the Kingdom

Concluding Mark #5 Parables about the Kingdom

He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come. (Mark4:26-29)

Mark recounts Jesus' parables.
Most of these parables are about the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God grows quietly but powerfully
-Seeds.
-Lamps.
-Mustard trees.
-Soil.

Mark's parables remind us that God's Kingdom often looks small, hidden and unimpressive at first.
-But the seed is powerful.
-The gospel changes lives.
-Truth grows.
-Love multiplies.
-Grace bears fruit.
-And often the growth happens quietly:

"All by itself the soil produces grain..."
God is at work even when we cannot see it.

In my life God worked like that:
- I was baptised by believing parents
- I had a Sunday School teacher in a conservative Afrikaans church whose sincerity impressed me
- I heard our high school Students' Christian Association (SCA) singing worship songs and it drew me
- I joined the music team
- I went on a camp
- I started reading the Bible
- I started helping out at a youth group
- And the rest is history

There's a lot of "I's" there, but I was just responding, God made all the first moves.

How has He been at work in you??

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EmmDev 2026-05-12 [Moments with Mark] Concluding Mark #4 Movement, Trust and Surrender

Concluding Mark #4 Movement, Trust and Surrender

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of people." At once they left their nets and followed Him. (Mark1:17)

Mark's gospel is a gospel of movement and calling.
Jesus is portrayed as "the One who came to serve and not be served."
He is constantly on the move: teaching, healing, praying and calling.

When it comes to calling, the first disciples quickly learned that following Jesus means movement, trust and surrender.

In Mark, discipleship is never passive.

Again and again people must:
- leave their nets
- leave comfort
- leave pride
- leave old identities
- leave fear

When you add people to a quiet life, it stops being quiet. Jesus called the disciples to be fishers of people. Previously they would have talked about nets, techniques and the best way to cook a fish. Now they would talk about connection, contact and their need for God. Their lives would be filled with:
- jostling crowds,
- moms bringing snotty babies,
- hungry crowds,
- and going wherever Jesus took them.

And the disciples often fail spectacularly.
- They misunderstand.
- They argue.
- They panic.
- They sleep in Gethsemane.
- Peter denies Jesus.

And yet Jesus keeps calling them back.

That is deeply encouraging.
Mark reminds us that discipleship is not about flawless performance, but about continuing to follow Jesus in the helter-skelter --> even after failure.

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EmmDev 2026-05-08 [Moments with Mark] Concluding Mark #3 More on "Son of Man"

Concluding Mark #3 More on "Son of Man"

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. (Romans5:7)

The Biblical Book that uses the phrase "Son of Man" even more than the gospels do is Ezekiel. There it means "Mortal Man" as some of the older translations put it. I think this is part of the reason that Jesus used the phrase. He was emphasising the incarnation. He was the "Word made Flesh".

But in His trial Jesus brings another emphasis when He quotes from Daniel 7: "You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." This powerfully brings together the idea of "Mortal Man" and "Messiah"

Other Messianic titles like Messiah, King, Son of David were politically loaded - Jesus chooses a title that is Messianic, but conveys His mission. "The Son of man came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom to many."

Paul develops a similar thought using a different analogy. He talks about Jesus as a kind of "Second Adam" and in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15 he talks about how Jesus' death and resurrection open a new way for us.

When we combine this with John's idea of the "Word became flesh and dwelt among us" we start to see the huge significance of the Incarnation.

We have a God who came to live among us and rescue us.
HALLELUJAH!

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EmmDev 2026-05-07 [Moments with Mark] Concluding Mark #2 Son of God, Son of Man

Concluding Mark #2 Son of God, Son of Man

The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark1:1)

Mark explores a profound contrast in his gospel.
He identifies Jesus as the "Son of God."
But He also calls Him the "Son of Man."

Interestingly, Mark uses "Son of God" three times.
- At the opening of the Gospel
- In the mouth of the demons in ch.3 so that even ultimate evil knows His authority
- In the mouth of the Centurion at His death

We see glimpses of His glory:
-Demons recognise Him.
-Storms obey Him.
-Disease flees from Him.
-Food multiplies
-Fig trees wither
-Death is defeated (but in Mark's ending we get just a glimpse of resurrection)


But for Mark the "Son of God" reveals His glory through servanthood.
He uses "Son of Man" fourteen times.
Jesus truly is a "man of the people" and His glory is often hidden beneath humility.
He walks dusty roads, touches lepers, eats with sinners, grows tired, sleeps in boats and finally hangs on a cross.

Mark's great revelation is this:
Jesus is not less glorious because He serves and suffers.
His humility is His glory.

Once again we come to one of the major points in the Gospel of Mark:
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."

Jesus, the Son of God, is also the Son of Man.

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EmmDev 2026-05-06 [Moments with Mark] Concluding Mark #1 Immediately

Concluding Mark #1 Immediately

At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert... (Mark1:12)

Apart from some detours for Month of Mission and Lent, we've been working through Mark since February last year!

For interest, I threw all 115 of my devotions on Mark at an AI and asked it to summarise the key themes.
The results were striking and rang true and so, over the next few days, I'll explore these themes.

The first of these themes is that Mark should not be read without an appreciation of the sense of urgency that permeates the narrative. Mark writes with urgency and simplicity.
Again and again his favourite words appear:
"Immediately..."
"And then..."
"At once..."

This gives Mark's Gospel a sense of breathlessness.
Jesus is always moving:
- Teaching.
- Healing.
- Confronting evil.
- Calling disciples.
- Striding toward the cross.

This links to Jesus' powerful sense of purpose which is expressed so clearly in Mark 10:45.
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
and to give His life as a ransom for many."

What is the "take-home"?
That we are loved.
Fiercely and Urgently.
Jesus came and lived earnestly, urgently, passionately and purposefully.
He came to rescue us and He poured His life into His mission...
... and then He poured His life out on the Cross.
He held nothing back - He gave us His all.
We are fiercely and urgently LOVED.

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EmmDev 2026-05-05 [Moments with Mark] An Early Church Conclusion to Mark

An Early Church Conclusion to Mark

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen Him, they did not believe it. Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; He rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and He sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it. (Mark16:9-20)

There are some important textual questions around the last 11 verses of Mark as we have them in our modern Bible Translations.

• The passage is not found in the oldest manuscripts.
• Its language and style differ from the rest of Mark.
• It includes themes that may reflect the early church's mission rather than Jesus' earthly ministry.

The NIV Study Bible says this about today's reading: "Serious doubt exists as to whether these verses belong to the Gospel of Mark. They are absent from important early manuscripts and display certain peculiarities of vocabulary, style and theological content that are unlike the rest of Mark. His Gospel probably ended at 16:8, or its original ending has been lost."

I think that a viable explanation is that while the early church carefully preserved and transmitted what it received, they sometimes included additional material that reflects the early church's witness.. As we discussed in the last devotion, the "abrupt ending" left us contemplating that although the resurrection happened, there were moments of struggle and fear too. It may be possible that Mark left the ending abrupt so that people would think and ask: "So what happened next?" The early church included material that answered the question.

The longer ending may not be Mark's original conclusion, but it powerfully reflects how the early church understood and proclaimed the risen Christ. Here are some of the key lessons:

1. Although the "abrupt ending" reflects some uncertainty and fear, these are explicitly answered in resurrection appearances and by Jesus addressing their fears and doubts. (It must be noted that the line "He rebuked them for their lack of faith and stubborn refusal to believe..." carries a stronger tone than we see elsewhere in the Gospels, and may reflect the early church's emphasis on bold, trusting faith...)
2. The missional nature of the ending certainly reflects the passion and ardour of the early churchh.
3. That same missional focus also reflects in the emphasis on belief and baptism and the consequences of a lack of faith.
4. The promise of "signs and wonders" is a vibrant reflection of the life of the early church. Paul drove out demons, spoke in tongues, healed people and even survived a snake bite. We don't have a Biblical account of a Christian surviving a poisoning attempt but, in the light of all the other miracles, this too is feasible as something that happened in the growth of the church.
5. The Ascension account makes three important points:
   1. Jesus sat down at the right hand of God - speaks of His authority and victory
   2. The disciples went out and preached
   3. The Lord worked with them and confirmed His word miraculously - speaks of the powerful outpouring of the Spirit.

So although it's unlikely that Mark wrote the longer ending, the early church preserved these thoughts, and nothing in this passage stands alone - all of these themes are found elsewhere in the New Testament. And, guided by the Spirit, we can learn from and apply the lessons we learn from this later ending.
---------------------------------------
Tomorrow I'll end off this series with a reflection of Mark's "Key Lessons...."

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EmmDev 2026-04-30 [Moments with Mark] Abrupt Ending

Abrupt Ending

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as he told you.' " Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. (Mark16:1-8)

While there is another section that follows, scholars are pretty convinced that this is where the original gospel of Mark ended. Next week we'll look at the "longer ending" and understand the role that it plays.

For now, let's consider this piece as the "shorter ending."

Let's bear in mind that for Mark and the early church, the Resurrection was never in doubt. Christians were being persecuted and martyred and they faced their death with hope and praise because they were utterly convinced of the resurrection. The Holy Spirit had been poured out on them, the church was growing like wildfire, and they were not afraid of dying for their faith. In writing his gospel, Mark wasn't defending the resurrection, he was making sure that the stories about Jesus that we think he was hearing through Peter's sermons, would not be lost to future generations. (Think about how abruptly Mark began his gospel. No birth and infancy narratives - just straight into the account of Jesus' ministry.)

So this "abrupt ending" is not so abrupt when we consider Mark's style and purpose. Throughout the gospel Mark has been short and economical, writing like a newspaper reporter: short, sharp and punchy.

When it comes to the resurrection he's doing the same.
He describes:
- the first eye-witnesses.
- their journey to the tomb and what they experienced.
- what they saw: The stone rolled away and the angel sitting inside
- what they heard: Jesus is not here. He is Risen. Tell the disciples and Peter "Go to Galilee"

Then he describes the women leaving, trembling and bewildered, not talking to others at this point.
And that's the original ending.

It's a puzzling note to end on.
From the other gospels we know that Jesus Himself appeared to Mary Magdalene and that the women eventually told the disciples. We know that Peter and John ran to the tomb and that John believed. From John we know that Peter left bewildered and wondering what happened. From Luke we know that Jesus appeared to Peter all by himself.

Maybe this is the clue that Mark is leaving us. He emphasises that the angel told the women, "...tell the disciples and Peter..." Maybe Mark wanted his readers to understand that the women struggled and that Peter struggled, but everybody knew that the tomb remained empty, the Holy Spirit came, and the Early Church found courage.

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EmmDev 2026-04-29 [Moments with Mark] Joseph (Part 2) - Respect

Joseph (Part 2) - Respect

So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. (Mark15:46-47)

Yesterday we looked at Joseph's faith and courage.
Today I'd like to consider another driving force in his actions, namely respect.

Let's recap. Joseph
- takes a risk going to Pilate.
- probably jeopardises his standing with the Council
- makes a sacrifice in offering up his expensive and elite tomb

Along with his faith and courage, Joseph is "doing right" by Jesus.
I think this shows respect.
There are moments of respect throughout the burial and resurrection.
- Nicodemus brings spices for the burial. He was also a member of the council.
- The women return after the Sabbath to complete the work of anointing Jesus
- Jesus folds His grave cloths when He rises from the dead.
- And Joseph does what he can to give Jesus a dignified burial

Respect is important.
It speaks of the intrinsic value of people, and in this narrative, it reminds us that Jesus was respected even by some of those who would have been considered His enemies.

When we love God, we also love people.
But we also respect God and respect people.
Joseph shows it towards Jesus, as do Nicodemus and the women.
Jesus shows it towards Joseph and whoever will tidy the tomb.

In a world filled with disrespect - where people are celebrated for "dissing" (disrespecting) others, this is an important insight.

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EmmDev 2026-04-28 [Moments with Mark] Joseph (Part 1)

My apologies for the long delay in devotions. The Easter season overwhelmed me a little and then we were away on leave...

Joseph (Part 1)

It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate was surprised to hear that He was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. (Mark15:42-45)

I have a little theory. I can't prove it, but in eternity we'll know if I'm right.
I think that Joseph of Arimathea was the "Rich Young Ruler" who walked away when Jesus told him to give up all he had... If I'm right, this makes the events of this passage very significant.

The name "Joseph" means, "God will add."
This is very fitting for this moment because, although this account is about a burial, God will add resurrection to the story.

Let's pick up the details:

• It was Preparation Day: They had until sunset and then the Sabbath begins. So it was urgent to get this work done, thus avoiding defilement on the Sabbath.
• Joseph is from Arimathea which was also called Ramah. There were a number of places called Ramah in the OT, because the name can mean "high, exalted, lifted up, lookout, height." There is also a possible link to the Ramah mentioned by Jeremiah and quoted by Matthew when Herod orders that the baby boys around Bethlehem be killed - "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning..."
• Joseph was a prominent member of the Council which was the highest Jewish governing body consisting of chief priests, elders and the teachers of the law. They made religious decisions, legal judgments and, ironically, were the ones who decided on the arrest and trial that led to Jesus' crucifixion.
• Joseph was "waiting for the Kingdom of God." This means that he was spiritually aware. Another member of the council, Nicodemus, had been to meet Jesus (see John 3) and according to the other gospels, he accompanies Joseph to the burial. So it seems that there were some religious leaders who had open hearts and were contemplating Jesus' significance.
• He boldly went to Pilate. Mark is highlighting the irony here. The council condemned Jesus to death and now Joseph is giving Him a dignified funeral. This would have placed Joseph under a spotlight of suspicion and criticism. This would have had to be a carefully considered decision, especially as it involved a family tomb, and Joseph makes it boldly.
• Pilate is surprised that Jesus is already dead. This was because crucifixion was a slow and cruel way of putting people to death. Mark is making an important point here. Jesus' life wasn't taken by Roman torture, His life was given for us.
• Pilate gives the body to Joseph. Normally crucified criminals' bodies were discarded like refuse. Rome preferred it that way, it proved their supremacy. To have an executed man's body buried among the wealthy and elite would have mixed the message that Roman Crucifixion was meant to convey. Maybe it was the impact Jesus had on Pilate earlier that day that led him to agree to this request.

Tomorrow we'll look at the rest of the details, but for now, our takeaways are:

• Joseph is a leader who, in spite of the other toxic leaders in the Council, was impacted by Jesus.
• Pilate was also impacted by Jesus and releases His body for dignified burial instead of humiliation.
• In Joseph's name ("God will add") and in the name of his home town ("Ramah" - the place of weeping) we find hints of the sadness Jesus came to heal and the hope of resurrection.

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EmmDev 2026-04-07 [Moments with Mark] The Faithful Women

The Faithful Women

Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed Him and cared for His needs. Many other women who had come up with Him to Jerusalem were also there. (Mark15:40-41)

From the other gospels we know that there was only one male disciple at the cross and that was John. We think it is because he was young, possibly just a teen. This is why he could call himself "the one that Jesus loved." Being the young one it is likely that all the disciples and Jesus had a soft spot for him. This, probably, is also why Jesus assigns him and Mary to look after each other. To be fair, John is there only by advantage of his youth. The other disciples were older and potentially have been considered as "enemies of the state." It would have been dangerous for them to be at the cross.

In gentle contrast, Mark tells us of a number of women who were there, supporting Jesus. There are some variants in the names of the women as given by the four gospel writers, but we won't be considering the individuals for now.

What is interesting is that Mark portrays women positively in his gospel:
- The woman with the bleeding disorder had courageous faith.
- The Syrophoenician woman understood grace.
- The widow with her two coins gave sacrificially.
- The woman who anointed Jesus recognised His impending death when others didn't.

Here, the women stay at the cross, continuing their faithful devotion to Jesus. Mark tells us that they came to Jerusalem with Jesus and that in Galilee they had followed Jesus and cared for His needs. Luke tells us that some of them "... were helping to support them (Jesus and the twelve) out of their own means."

In a society where women did not enjoy rights and standing of men, it is significant that Mark (who was known for brevity and focus on key aspects) devotes some time to describing their presence. Especially just after the dramatic events of Jesus' death.

These women are examples of "a long obedience in the same direction."
They have been faithful, and, despite being undervalued by society, they are just faithfully there.
Let's take a moment to give thanks for the faithful women who are role-models to us as they faithfully and practically practice a long obedience in a God direction.

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EmmDev 2026-04-02 [Moments with Mark] Triumph: Demonstrated and Recognised

Triumph: Demonstrated and Recognised

The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard His cry and saw how He died, he said, "Surely this Man was the Son of God!" (Mark15:38-39)

Yesterday I suggested that Jesus' "loud cry" was one of triumph.

Our reading today supports this...
At His death, the temple curtain, which separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple, tore from top to bottom. We should never underestimate the visceral impact this event would have had. Normally the Holy of Holies was "off limits" - The High Priest entered only once a year, on the Day of Atonement. Jesus' sacrifice changed all of that. The torn curtain was a powerful symbol of the success of the atonement offering Jesus made.
The letter to the Hebrews explains that Jesus, our High Priest, sacrificed for our sins, once and for all.

Now the Roman Centurion didn't see the curtain tear. He saw the darkness. He may have felt the earthquake mentioned in Matthew. He heard Jesus' cry. He saw how Jesus carried His agony and how He died. He didn't hear a helpless victim. He didn't see a tragic ending. He wasn't left hopeless. He was moved to make a significant statement. "This Man was the Son of God."

This statement is one of the most powerful creeds or declarations of faith in the New Testament.
There's deep theology in this one line.
- He was a Man (God made flesh)
- He was the Son of God (Not just a good man - He was God)

Think about it...
This seasoned Roman soldier had simply been doing his duty.
He'd executed a man considered an enemy of the empire.
And yet, as he contemplated this grisly death which should have simply been a demonstration of Rome's crushing power over anyone who would dare to oppose, he came to a completely unexpected conclusion:

This was the Son of God.

Today we think about Jesus walking the dusty byways of history. We can reduce Him to a relic of our Sunday School stories - an artifact of a quaint religious upbringing. But what happened to the Centurion should grab our attention. At Jesus' death, he should have smirked and said something like "See? You don't mess with the power of Rome."
But instead, he is shaken to the core.
Even in death, Jesus conveys majesty.
His sacrifice means something significant.

And we should take note!

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EmmDev 2026-04-01 [Moments with Mark] Victim or Priest?

Apologies: this is yesterday's devotion sent out late. Today's one will come a little later.

Victim or Priest?

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last. (Mark15:37 )

As we have seen, Mark keeps things short and simple.
From the other gospels we know that this "loud cry" included
"It is Finished" ("Tetelestai" - "Paid in Full")
and "Father into Your hands I commit my Spirit".

Mark captures the sense of this with his simple account.
The loud cry is one of triumph and victory.
Breathing His last indicates that Jesus was in control.
His life wasn't taken from Him by us - He gave His life for us.

This is a vital distinction.
Jesus is not a helpless victim, He is our Great High Priest who offers Himself.
Tomorrow we will see that the manner of His death is so striking that it moves a senior Roman Officer to utter one of the New Testament's greatest statements of faith.

Take a moment to reflect on a Saviour who
- experienced the excruciating (pun intended) agony of the cross,
- refused narcotics,
- fulfilled scripture,
- offered mercy to a hardened criminal,
- took care of His earthly mother and youngest disciple,
- and traversed God-forsakenness that reduced Him to His "mother tongue."
Then even in His final moments even death is His choice and not ours.
He is not a victim losing His life, but a Priest offering it.

As Charles Wesley's hymn asks:
"Amazing Love, how can it be, that Thou, O God, shouldst die for me?!"

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EmmDev 2026-03-31 [Moments with Mark] Mother Tongue

Mother Tongue

Jesus hung on the cross for six hours. (Time was measured from sunrise and so Jesus was crucified at the 3rd hour (about 9AM))

At the 6th hour (about midday) darkness covered the land until the 9th hour. This darkness represented the time in which Jesus experienced separation from God. This was the penalty for my sin and yours. God's wrath is complete separation from Him.

Imagine what that was like for Jesus. As part of the Trinity, He had experienced eternal and perfect love and communion with the Father and Spirit. Now on the cross, He is separated from the Spirit and the Father.

In this gut-and-heart-wrenching moment Jesus does two incredible things.

Firstly he quotes from Psalm 22 which starts "My God my God why have you forsaken me..." If someone on their deathbed says "Our Father who art in heaven..." we would say they prayed the Lord's prayer on their deathbed. If someone says "The Lord is my shepherd..." we would say that they recited Psalm 23. Jesus, by quoting the first line of Ps.22 is therefore connecting to the whole of the Psalm which is an exploration of the pain of unjust suffering and God's ultimate deliverance. If we ever wondered whether God understands our pain, this Psalm and the fact that Jesus had it on His lips on the cross should cancel all our doubts.

Secondly, Jesus quotes the Psalm in Aramaic. This is His "mother tongue" - the language He was first taught as a child and the language He grew up with. When we are pushed to the limits of our humanity, we go back to our earliest memories and language. We tend to talk about the cross as though it was a tea-party. Jesus, in this moment of intense pain and suffering, is pushed back to his "mother tongue". It should fill us with incredible awe and wonder that we would be loved SO much.

It's important to note that Jesus isn't surprised or caught off guard here. It's not as though He didn't know what was going to happen. Some interpret "Why have you forsaken me?" as a moment of desperate pain. Although the pain takes Jesus back to "mother tongue", He is not surprised or "out of His mind with pain". He deliberately alludes to Psalm 22 and faces separation with the clear hope that God will deliver him.

Psalm 22 ends with "They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn--for he has done it.

Jesus at the 9th hours says "It is FINISHED!" (I have done it).

HALLELUJAH!!!

(I've included the full Psalm 22 below...)

At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark15:33-34)

PS 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent.

3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the praise of Israel.
4 In you our fathers put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 They cried to you and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
8 "He trusts in the LORD;
let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him."

9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you
even at my mother's breast.
10 From birth I was cast upon you;
from my mother's womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions tearing their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.

19 But you, O LORD, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver my life from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

22 I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the congregation I will praise you.
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.

25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
they who seek the LORD will praise him--
may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations.

29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him--
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness
to a people yet unborn--
for he has done it.

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EmmDev 2026-03-25 [Moments with Mark] Insults

Insults

Apologies for the missed devotion yesterday. We were down in Dundee KZN to do some sessions with our Probationers. We were camping there and it was pouring with rain - which made writing EmmDevs challenging!

For even Christ did not please Himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me." (Romans15:3)

In our last devotion we looked at all the groups who poured out insults on Jesus.
The priests, the crowds, the soldiers and even the fellow-crucified all poured out disdain and vitriol on a humble carpenter from Nazareth who preached love, healed broken people, fed the hungry and drove out life-destroying demons.

Why did this happen? Why such anger?
To find our answer, we turn to a letter Paul wrote to the Church in Rome.
He's making the point that Jesus put His own agenda second and God's agenda first.
He's quoting from Psalm 69 which is a Psalm about a good God-fearing king who suffers for His trust in God.
This Psalm that is applied to Jesus is also quoted in the gospels when Jesus is clearing the temple and the disciples remember Psalm 69:9: "Zeal for Your house consumes me..."

When the Psalmist says "The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me."
- The "You" in the Psalm is "God"
- and the "Me" in the Psalm is David, but it is prophetic of Christ.

The point that Paul is making, is that Jesus voluntarily bore humankind's hostility toward God.
When Adam and Eve sinned against God, they knew they were naked, and their immediate instinct was to hide from God.
Even in Adam's first sin-stained encounter with God we see the hostility emerge:
"The woman YOU put here with me -- she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

That's the reality of our sin-stained perceptions. We are hostile to God. He is light and our darkness cannot bear it.

Jesus reflected the righteous love of God and human hostility was directed towards Him.
It breaks our hearts, but it can't be denied.

But Paul's point is vital. Jesus chose to bear this. He chose to carry our hostility.

Jesus did not just endure human insults: He carried our hostility toward God, and answered it with love.

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EmmDev 2026-03-20 [Moments with Mark] Rejected

Rejected

Those who passed by hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!" In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked Him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but He can't save himself! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him. (Mark15:29-32)

It's a three-fold rejection.
- From the crowd.
- From the people who should have recognised Him.
- Even from the two crucifixion criminals.

Imagine being utterly rejected by those you came to save.

And dying for them anyway...

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EmmDev 2026-03-19 [Moments with Mark] Stark Contrast

Stark Contrast

The written notice of the charge against Him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. (Mark15:26-27)

From the other gospels we learn that it was Pilate who had the sign written for the cross.
Here's how John describes it:
"Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek.
The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews."
Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written." (John 19:19-22)

It is very likely that Pilate wrote this to anger and ridicule the Jews. ("Look at your king on the cross")
It was also a veiled threat that anyone who wanted to be a political leader in opposition to Rome would suffer the same fate.
But the chief priests were quick to nitpick - they were worried - many people would see the sign.
Perhaps they were worried that some would make the connection to Isaiah 53 which is about the suffering Messiah.
So they wanted the sign tweaked to say that Jesus had made a false claim.

Up to now Pilate has come across weak and indecisive. In this moment he is decisive and firm of purpose.
His sign became the silent preacher, explaining the tragedy and triumph playing out beneath it.

In sharp contrast to the sign which proclaimed the royalty of the One being crucified, we see Him crucified between two criminals. The Greek word that is translated here as "robbers" is "lēstai" and it had the connotation of "guerrilla fighters", "revolutionaries", or "anti-Roman insurgents." Barabbas, the murderer, was also counted as a "lēstai". These are not petty criminals, they are enemies of the state.

Jesus is crucified between them, and it seems that the purpose was to imply that He was the worst of them.
(The one criminal actually later acknowledges that he has done things that deserve being crucified.)
Initially Jesus will be subjected to their derision, but later one of them comes to faith.

So we have a stark contrast.
A sign proclaiming greatness is meant as mockery and warning, but it actually conveys a great truth.
The providing of "bad company" is meant to besmirch character but leads to salvation.
The King is condemned among rebels so that rebels like us might go free.

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EmmDev 2026-03-18 [Moments with Mark] Six Hours One Passover Friday

Six Hours One Passover Friday

It was the third hour when they crucified Him... At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour... And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last... (Mark15:25-37)

Back then, time was measured from sunrise. So the third hour is 9h00, the sixth is 12h00 and the ninth is 15h00.

For the next few days we'll explore Mark's account of the six hours Jesus spent on the cross.
Bear in mind that the first three hours of the day (before the third hour) consisted of an ambush; lies; accusations; manipulations; trials before high priests, Herod and Pilate; a crowd shouting "crucify Him"; soldiers mocking; a flogging; and the arduous "Via Dolorosa."

Then, at the third hour, they crucified Him.

The physical agony has been well documented.
And occasionally we do have to think about it.
His raw encounter with pain reminds us that
- when we are in pain, He understands
- when human beings are incredibly cruel, He understands
- when we are exposed, powerless and completely at the mercy of others, He understands

But there's more than physical agony.
In the first three hours Jesus endured worst human beings can offer. They've hammered nails through Him. They've gambled away His clothes and the soldiers, priests, thieves, and the crowd have mocked. He is alone apart from a few women and John (who was probably just a teenager.) They're not really able to comfort Him. In fact, He lovingly comforts them: giving Mary a God-son and John a God-mom.

But there's more than social humiliation.
In the second three hours it goes dark for three hours.
This is symbolic of the darkness of our sin that now rested on Jesus.
In these three hours He is experiencing Divine Judgement and Wrath:
My eternity without God, your eternity without God, everyone's eternity without God.
Only three hours by our time.
For Him, it is eternal consequences, being carried on shoulders attached to nail-pierced hands.

...It's Passover...
In the temple courts and in homes people are preparing in the strange darkness.
They're slaughtering Passover lambs, preparing unleavened bread, and making bitter herb sauce.

But for six hours the "Lamb who takes away the sins of the world" has been hanging on the cross.
For three of those hours He has been abandoned by people.
For three of those hours He has been literally God-forsaken.

If we combine all the gospels, big things happen at the end of the sixth hour on the cross.
- He cries out in the agony of forsakenness.
- He breathes His last, He gives up His Spirit, He pronounces "It is finished!" (Done, Paid in Full)
- The temple curtain tears from top to bottom
- Graves split open and dead people rise because, death too is defeated.
- Our sins are forgiven, our penalty paid.

And the Roman Centurion declares "Surely this was the Son of God!"

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EmmDev 2026-03-17 [Moments with Mark] Fully Present

Fully Present

They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). Then they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it. And they crucified Him. Dividing up His clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. (Mark15:22-24)

There are three thoughts that stand out in today's passage:

• Golgotha: Just the mention of the name must have given people chills. The word means "Place of the Skull." Some have suggested that it is a hill outside Jerusalem that actually looks like a skull, others argue that none of the gospels mention a hill, and that the name simply comes from what was done there. Either way, it is chilling.
  
  Years ago, I did the pedal project, where I cycled 1100km to raise funds for under-resourced congregations. I completed my target distance just outside Belfast, near the Engen Garage. As we rode in, there was a hill with three crosses. It was a moment that right-sized me. I was quite proud of my 11 days in the saddle, but the hill with the three crosses reminded me of a much bigger price paid.
  
  When Jesus, the soldiers and the crowds arrived at "skull place" - there would have been a chilling sense of reality and gravity. 
  
  
• Fully Present: We normally use this in a positive sense. When we're playing with our kids or on a date with our loved one, we should strive to be "fully present." By refusing the wine mixed with myrrh, which was a rough and ready narcotic, Jesus was choosing to be fully present. He chose to be present to the pain and humiliation, so that He could fulfil prophecy, comfort Mary and John, assure a fellow victim of Eternity and surrender His life for us. He was never out of control. We didn't take His life - He gave it for us.
  
  
• Stripped: Crucifixion was brutal. Jesus was flogged, beaten, mocked, made to carry the cross to the point of collapse, and now they nailed Him to the cross so that He could not move. On top of that, He was stripped naked, which maximises a sense of vulnerability. Then callous soldiers made a game of dividing up His clothes.
  
  A few years ago my Lent fast was to stop shaving. Within days my stubble started itching and I itched until I could shave the beard on Easter Sunday. During that time I imagined not being able to scratch my face because my hands were nailed to the cross. It was profoundly humbling.

So the moment has come.
The Son of God is crucified.
We should stand in silent awe.

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EmmDev 2026-03-06 [Moments with Mark] Simon, the Father of Alexander and Rufus

Simon, the Father of Alexander and Rufus

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). (Mark15:21-22)

Gospel Singer Ray Boltz wrote and performed the song below in the 80s. It beautifully imagines the back story of Simon of Cyrene...
You can listen to it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=a92Nejt8BRA.

WATCH THE LAMB (Ray Boltz)

Walking on the road to Jerusalem
The time had come to sacrifice again
My two small sons, they walked beside me on the road
The reason that they came was to watch the lamb

And they said, "Daddy, Daddy, what will we see there?
There's so much that we don't understand"
And so I told them of Moses and father Abraham
Then I said, "Dear children, watch the lamb"

There will be so many in Jerusalem today
We must be sure the lamb doesn't run away
And I told them of Moses and father Abraham
Then I said, "Dear children, watch the lamb"

When we reached the city, I knew something must be wrong
There were no joyful worshipers there, no joyful worship songs
And I stood there with my children in the midst of angry men
Then I heard the crowd cry out, let's crucify Him

We tried to leave the city but we could not get away
Forced to play in this drama, a part I did not wish to play
Why upon this day were men condemned to die?
Why were we standing here where soon they would pass by?

I looked and said, even now they come
The first one cried for mercy, the people gave him none
The second one was violent and he was arrogant and loud
I still here his angry voice screaming at the crowd

Then someone said, "There's Jesus", I scarce believed my eyes
A man so badly beaten, He barely looked alive
Blood poured from His body, from the thorns upon His brow
Running down the Cross, falling to the ground

I watched as He struggled, I watched Him when He fell
The cross came down upon His back, the crowd began to yell
In that moment I felt such agony, in that moment I felt such loss
Till a Roman soldier grabbed my arm and screamed
"You, carry His cross"

At first I tried to resist him, then his hand reached for his sword
So I knelt and took the Cross from the Lord
I put it on my shoulder and we started down the street
The blood that he'd been shedding was running down my cheek

They led us to Golgotha, they drove nails deep in His feet and hands
Yet upon the Cross I heard Him pray, "Father, forgive them"
Never have I seen such love in any other eyes
"Into Thy hands I commit my spirit", He prayed and then He died

I stood for what seemed like years, I'd lost all sense of time
Until I felt two little hands holding tight to mine
The children stood there weeping, I heard the oldest say
"Father please forgive us, the lamb ran away"

"Daddy, daddy, what have we seen here?
There's so much that we don't understand?"
So I took them in my arms and we turned and faced the Cross
Then I said, "Dear children watch the lamb"
----------------------------------
I will be away next week - there will be no EmmDevs....

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EmmDev 2026-03-05 [Moments with Mark] The darkness continues...

The darkness continues...

The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on Him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on Him. And they began to call out to Him, "Hail, king of the Jews!" Again and again they struck Him on the head with a staff and spit on Him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to Him. And when they had mocked Him, they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him. (Mark15:16-20)

I did a little bit of research. It turns out that it was common practice for the Romans to scourge or flog those who were condemned to be crucified. They did it to punish and humiliate, and it made their victims more docile when they crucified them. It also hastened their death on the cross.

Yesterday I commented on Pilate handing Jesus over for flogging and crucifixion. I attributed a degree of malice and pettiness to Pilate. I don't think the fact that flogging was "standard operating practice" takes away Pilate's guilt entirely because, after all, Jesus had impacted Pilate who then declared Jesus' innocence to the crowd. Pilate did nothing to protect Him or ease His burden.

The flogging was brutal. I won't go into the details, but it left the victims severely dehydrated, weak from blood loss and in absolute agony.

On top of that the whole company of soldiers gathers to mock Him. Much of this is the result of the charge the chief priests made, accusing Jesus of claiming to be "the King of the Jews." In the soldiers' eyes this made Jesus an "enemy of the state," and so they go out of their way to ridicule and mock.

Roman floggings were so severe that historians note that some did not even survive. I find it hard to fathom that after such a flogging the soldiers would gather, mock, spit, beat, ridicule and weave a crown of thorns. But this is another reality of our brokenness. We are capable of great cruelty which we dress up as "justice."

In Isaiah 52 and 53 we find a "servant song" which powerfully depicts the suffering the Messiah will go through.
In 52:14 we read:

"Just as there were many who were appalled at Him--

His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man

and His form marred beyond human likeness."

Although I find it hard to stomach, Jesus' suffering here takes Him into the heart of human brokenness and cruelty...

And He enters it to rescue you and me.

Isaiah goes on to say:

He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.

Like one from whom men hide their faces

He was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely He took up our infirmities

and carried our sorrows,

yet we considered Him stricken by God,

smitten by Him, and afflicted.

But He was pierced for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,

and by His wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to His own way;

and the LORD has laid on Him

the iniquity of us all. 

I don't think I can say it better...
I can only respond with worship and profound gratitude...

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EmmDev 2026-03-04 [Moments with Mark] Humanity's Darkest Moment.

Humanity's Darkest Moment.

Now it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate, knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. "What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?" Pilate asked them. "Crucify Him!" they shouted. "Why? What crime has He committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify Him!" Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified. (Mark15:6-15)

There was a custom at Passover that Pilate would release a prisoner at the people's choosing.
Whether by accident or design, this was very appropriate for Passover which celebrated the release of Israelite slaves from Egyptian captivity. The rescue of someone who was imprisoned by the Roman regime would be a powerful message of hope.

Pilate had hoped it would be Jesus who was freed.
He knew the chief priests were envious of Jesus' influence, but I think he hoped that the crowd would vote with their hearts and free Jesus. Unfortunately the influence of the chief priests was strong enough to stir up the crowd and so their power to rescue Barabbas also became their power to condemn Jesus.

Dramatically, Pilate's appeal to Jesus' innocence, just seems to pour fuel on the crowd's fire and they shout all the louder. It is a sad feature of humanity that in our low moments we destroy the good and the beautiful - maybe because they are reminders of what we are not.

And so Pilate, in the face of inevitability, shrugs his shoulders and gives the crowd what they want.
Sometimes I feel sorry for Pilate - in order for God's will to be done, someone needed to condemn Jesus to death. The circumstances are such that Pilate makes a choice for the greater good. The life of one country preacher instead of riots and mass violence. But then Pilate does something that, in my evaluation, makes him as broken as the priests and the crowds. "He had Jesus flogged and handed Him over to be crucified."

Why have Him flogged?
He's already going to die an excruciating death (pun intended).
A Roman flogging was a terrible thing - many did not survive.
Why do that to Jesus?
I suspect this was Pilate's way of asserting his power, showing who was the boss and "putting the 'King of the Jews' in His place." I think Pilate was frustrated at Jesus' silence, His questions, His innocence. And, like the crowd and priests, he lashes out (pun intended) at the beauty and innocence of Jesus.

But in this darkest of human moments (a moment that we all, in some way, participate in) there is a glimmer of light... Barabbas, a guilty and broken man, is set free. He becomes the symbol of all of us. Although the brutality of broken humanity was directed at the sinless Son of God, He would set all of us FREE.

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EmmDev 2026-03-03 [Moments with Mark] Innocent and yet Accepting.

Innocent and yet Accepting.

Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate. "Are You the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate. "You have said so," Jesus replied. The chief priests accused Him of many things. So again Pilate asked Him, "Aren't You going to answer? See how many things they are accusing You of." But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. (Mark15:1-5)

John tells the Pilate story in full detail.
Mark keeps it very brief.

In our last devotion we saw Jesus give a full answer to the question: "Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?"
Jesus' answer is clear, affirmative an unequivocal:
"I am (the Messiah and Son of God) and you'll see me return in glory. (And He quotes Scripture to back His claim.)"

In today's reading Pilate gets a much shorter and more cryptic answer.
"You have said it."
(In Greek it's just two words: "You" (emphatic) and "say" (present indicative))

What's going on here?
The difference is in the question...
Pilate's question is different: "Are You the king of the Jews?"

There's a vast difference between the two questions.
The High Priest's question is a religious one - a spiritual question.
"Are You the one sent by God to bring God's Kingdom here to earth?"

Pilate's question is based on the insinuations made by Jesus' enemies.
Mark lists them: the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin.
They've implied that Jesus is guilty of treason against Caesar.
They suggest that Jesus is trying to be "King of the Jews".
This is a political question and a positive answer would have been punishable by death.

But Jesus' kingdom is not an earthly kingdom - it's a Kingdom that is "not of this world" (as Jesus affirms in John's Gospel.)

So Jesus won't admit to a trumped up political framing of His mission and charge of treason.
He makes it clear that these are Pilate's words - informed by the chief priests and their cohorts.

When it comes to all the other accusations, Jesus simply remains silent.
His silence is eloquent - It indicates the baselessness of the claims but also recognises the hardness of their hearts. Nothing will change their narrative. It also indicates His submission to the Father's will and acceptance of His mission.

Mark tells us that Pilate is amazed by Jesus' demeanour.
From the other gospels we know that Pilate actually tries to intervene on Jesus' behalf.
And he attached a sign to Jesus' cross - "King of the Jews"

It is clear from all the gospel accounts that Jesus had a profound impact on Pilate.
We know that Pilate's wife even had a dream about Jesus and that Pilate actively defended Jesus at one point.
Jesus could have leveraged His influence on Pilate and turned the tables on the "religious mafia."
But He doesn't - He has a higher mission - A mission of love and sacrifice.
And so He asserts and establishes His innocence and lets them use their fabricated charges to have Him crucified.

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EmmDev 2026-02-27 [Moments with Mark] In the Middle of the Brackets

In the Middle of the Brackets

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put Him to death, but they did not find any. Many testified falsely against Him, but their statements did not agree. Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against Him: "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.' " Yet even then their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked. "You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned Him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at Him; they blindfolded Him, struck Him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took Him and beat Him. (Mark14:55-65)

Between the brackets of Peter's denial we have a very different scenario.
The sinless Son of God is being tried in a kangaroo court of the Religious Mafia of the day.
And they can't even get their lies to stick...

So the high priest wades in.
He's the "big gun."
He'll make something stick.

His strategy is ironic.
He asks the most important question of them all.
"Are you the Messiah - the Son of God?"

I can imagine a goose-bumpy silence settling over the room.
A positive answer should be met with awe and worship.
Here it will be met with disbelief, judgement and a death sentence.

Jesus not only answers affirmatively, but explosively.
He answers using the "I am" formula and He follows that by quoting the enthronement prophecies of Daniel 7 and Psalm 110.
It's an announcement of impending judgement.
"Yes, I am the glorious Son of God and you will see how wrong you were"

While Peter ducks the truth and the disciples run away.
Jesus stands calmly before the council and,
as He makes Himself subject to this perversion of what faith should be,
tells the truth.

The consequences of this truth are devastating.
They condemn Him to the cross and mock and torture Him.

This is the full extent of His love for us...

PS: I like to use capital letters for divine pronouns.
It's not conventional, but it's my little subversive act of worship.
Today it was tough to put in the capitals.

They all condemned Him as worthy of death...
Then some began to spit at Him...
they blindfolded Him...
struck Him with their fists...
And the guards took Him and beat Him...

Oh how He loves us!

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EmmDev 2026-02-25 [Moments with Mark] The opening bracket and closing bracket

The opening bracket and closing bracket

They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together. Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire. ------------- While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. "You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus," she said. But he denied it. "I don't know or understand what you're talking about," he said, and went out into the entryway. When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, "This fellow is one of them." Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean." He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about." Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times." And he broke down and wept. (Mark14:53-72)

Mark tells Peter's denial story in two parts...
I call them the opening and closing brackets.
These two parts give some balance to the story.

The opening bracket shows Peter following Jesus who is being taken to the high priest.
What is striking is that Mark says that Peter was following "Him", not "them."
It's a subtle nuance, but striking.
Although he had deserted and fled (after chopping off an ear) Peter is back to following Jesus.
Ironically Mark uses the same basic verb for "follow" here as he does when Jesus called Peter to "follow", but here he qualifies "followed" with "at a distance."

So there's a positive and a negative. Peter is following, but it's at a distance.

When we get to the closing bracket, Peter's "distant following" turns into a triple denial. And, as they say, "There, but for the grace of God, go you and I...."

We do need to note what comes between the brackets.
Jesus is placed before a "kangaroo court" and they can't get the evidence to stick.
So Jesus states His true identity as the Son of God, allowing them to make a charge of blasphemy.
So while Peter tries to follow but stays at a distance and then denies, Jesus springs the trap on Himself.

Two take-homes:
1. I'm comforted by Peter's humanity. I also try to follow, though sometimes at a distance, and sometimes I deny. We think that Mark wrote his gospel based on sermons by Peter. Peter found forgiveness and restoration and so there is hope for me too.

2. In spite of human failures (Peter) and evil's bungling machinations, Jesus was determined to save you and me, even to the point of springing the trap on Himself.

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