QT 15/02/2024 Thursday Mark 11. Back to original beauty & purposes. 回到最初的美丽和目的。
QT 15/02/2024 Thursday Mark 11
http://www.esvbible.org/mark11
In Mark 11, an animal (a colt) was used by Jesus for an important part of His ministry but the tables and benches set up by the people who were supposed to be His own, in His own temple were "overturned" (Mark 11:15):
The buyers and sellers in the TEMPLE were being driven out (Mark 11:15). The benches and tables, overturned (Mark 11:15);
Trading and transportation in the TEMPLE courts were not allowed (Mark 11:16);
In the TEMPLE was uttered the unpleasant "You have made it a den of robbers" (Mark 11:17).
On the other hand,
a. The colt was found (Mark 11:2);
b. As far as the "cleanness" and "newness" of the colt are concerned, "no one has ever sat" on it (Mark 11:2);
c. As far as the "readiness" at which it was being used, the mere claim that "The Lord has need of it " (Mark 11:3) was sufficient reason, even for those suspicious of the 2 disciples' intentions. In fact, the people "let them go" (Mark 11:6), so that the colt could be recruited for this triumphant entry.
d. Pleasant and honourable greetings welcome the LORD (Mark 11:9-10). The full blast of Psalm 118:25-26 quoted by the crowd reached the colt's hearing too OUTSIDE the temple, instead of those who abuse the temple.
REFLECTION (1): Are you cleansed in your daily walk and ready to receive Jesus' message and take part in His ministry?
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Look at this frightening "SANDWICH":
A: Visiting & leaving THE TEMPLE (Mark 11:11)
B: Unfruitful fig tree CURSED (Mark 11:12-14)
A: Visiting & cleansing & leaving THE TEMPLE 2nd time (Mark 11:15-19)
B: Unfruitful fig tree DIES (11:20-21)
Do you see the layers, A B A B?
Perhaps Jesus did not want to answer "the chief priests and the scribes and the elders" (Mark 11:27) because they were already numb and "dead"?
APPLICATION: Be alive to God! Do not question Jesus: "By what authority are you doing these things"? unceasingly (Mark 11:28) Instead, believe Jesus in the light of the evidence of Scripture.
星期四 2024年2月15日 今日读经：马可福音11章。 回到最初的美丽和目的。
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Mak/11/
在马可福音第11章中，耶稣在祂事工的一个重要部分中使用了一只动物（一匹马驹），但在祂自己的殿中，那些本该属于祂的人所摆设的桌子和长凳却被 "推翻 "了（马可福音 11：15）：
圣殿里的买卖人被赶出去了（马可福音 11：15）。长凳和桌子被推翻（马可福音 11：15）；
在殿里不允许交易和运输（马可福音 11：16）；
在圣殿里发出了令人不快的 "你们竟把它弄成贼窝了。"（马可福音 11：17）。
另一方面
a. 马驹找到了（马可福音 11：2）；
b. 就马驹的 "洁净" 和 "崭新" 而言，"从来没有人坐过"（马可福音 11：2）；
c. 就 "准备程度" 而言，只要说 "主需要它"（马可福音 11：3），即使那些怀疑这两个门徒意图的人也有足够的理由相信。事实上，人们 "让他们去"（马可福音 11：6），以便为这次凯旋招募马驹。
d. 悦耳尊贵的问候欢迎耶和华（马可福音 11：9-10）。众人引用的《诗篇》118:25-26 的全部声音也传到了圣殿之外，而不是那些辱骂圣殿的人的耳中。
思考 (1)： 你是否已经洁净并准备好接受耶稣的信息并参与祂的事工？
看看这个可怕的 "三明治"：
A: 耶稣进入和离开圣殿（马可福音 11:11）
B: 不结果子的无花果树被咒诅（马可福音 11:12-14）
A: 第二次到访、洁净和离开圣殿（马可福音 11：15-19）
B: 不结果的无花果树死了（11：20-21）
你看到 A B A B 的层次了吗？ 也许耶稣不想回答 "祭司长、经学家和长老"（马可福音 11：27），因为他们已经麻木和 "死了"？
应用：向上帝活着！不要质问耶稣 "你凭什么权柄作这些事？谁给你权柄作这些事？" (马可福音 11：28）。相反的，要根据圣经的证据相信耶稣。
