Part 3: “Arise” While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came […]

Part 2 – Shocking! And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about […]

My friends, let me introduce you to the Mark Sandwich. Mark takes two stories and creates a mashup in this theological and literary technique. Its structure takes one story split into two slices, and another is sandwiched between to reveal a common theme (the meat) for both. We have already seen two: Mark 3:20-35 and 4:1-20, […]

Pt. 3 – When Pigs Fly? Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they (the spirits) begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, […]

Pt 2 – The Gergesa Demoniac And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, […]

The story of the Gergesa Demoniac (Mark 5:1-20) is one of my top three favorite stories in the Gospel of Mark. Because of its length, I will break the story into three parts. Part 1 – the Context They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when […]

Sileo On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, […]