The Request of James and John and a Lesson in Servant Leadership

After a Sunday’s rest (because it would be worship day), today’s reading for Lent is Mark 10:32-45. I’d like to focus on Mark 10:35-45. The passage starts with James and John, both brothers giving a request to the Lord Jesus. Both of them were requesting for eats when Jesus would rule, one on the right hand and one on the left. This felt very sudden. John, who was known to be the one who stood by Jesus on the cross, also had his flaws. John, who was latest entrusted to care for Mary the mother of Jesus, made this request. These would be seats of honor. Apparently, both James and John had their timing wrong about the Kingdom to come. They expected the kingdom to come during their day. John would later be in exile in Patmos, beholding Jesus in all His glory.

Jesus Forgives a Woman Caught in Adultery

Today’s reading for Lent is taken from John 8:1-11. I would like to give an interesting trivia set before we begin this lesson. This was called the pericope adulterae or the section of the adulteress. I started to have this question after reading the late J. Vernon McGee gave some interesting information. The Greek text of Brook Fost Westcott and Fenton Hort, both authors of the NKJV (and often accused by the likes of Chick Publications as “secret Jesuits”), omits the incident of the woman and places it at the end of the Gospel. Nestle’s Greek text includes it but encloses it in brackets. Augustine writes that it was omitted because of a prudish fear that it would encourage adultery. However, McGee also believes that carefully reading the story wouldn’t condone sin but condemn sin. McGee believes that there’s a scholarly and moral basis for including it.

The Transfiguration of Jesus

Today’s Lenten Bible reading is from Mark 9:2-13. The parallel accounts can be found in Matthew 17:1-6 and Luke 9:28-36. This was where Peter, James, and John went up to a high mountain. This was where the Lord Jesus revealed His glory. Jesus’ clothes became radiantly and intensely white, and no one on Earth could bleach them. A humor that I love to throw is the use of the Tide detergent commercial. Sure, Tide has been tried and tested as a good detergent. Tide is often used as a detergent for clothes. However, no matter how much Tide can do its job–it can never match the glory of God.

The Pharisees’ Traditions vs. What God’s Word Says About the Total Depravity of the Human Heart

Today’s reading is taken from Mark 7:1-23. Jesus teaches about the hearts of people in this passage. It woud be good to examine who the Pharisees and the scribes were. The very description given by the late J. Vernon McGee in his Thru the Bible Commentary can provide good insights. I would like to share these important details on who the scribes and Pharisees are. The scribes are people who are professional expounders of the Law. However, by the time of Jesus, they have become “hair splitters” who cared morea about the letter of the Law than the spirit of the Law. The Pharisees arose in 170-160 B.C., shortly after the Maccabean Revolt. They were dedicated ot defending the Jewish way of life from foreign influences. They were strict legalists and believed in the Old Testament. However, overtime, the Pharisees got corrupted with power.

Apostasy After the Bread of Life Discourse

It’s the first Friday of March and today’s Lenten readings are taken from Mark 6:1-6 and John 6:60-71. My focus for today (and take note I’ll not be writing daily based on the Lenten Reading even if I’ll do the required readings) is John 6:60-71 focuses on the outcome. Many of those who followed Jesus, and heard Him say about the bread of life, soon said in John 6:60, “This is a hard saying, who can listen to it.” The KJV uses the term hear, while the footnote uses the term understand. The very bread of life discourse has been a tough saying.