41. MARK, otherwise known as "John (Jewish name), whose surname was Mark" (Roman name) was probably converted by Peter. (1 Peter 5:1313The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son. (1 Peter 5:13).) The Latin name soon superseded the Jewish one, for in the Epistles he is spoken of as " Mark" only. He was cousin to the wealthy and godly Barnabas, and usually resided with his mother Mary in. Jerusalem, who devoted her house and substance to the Lord and the saints. It is positively beautiful! the sleeping Apostle (Acts 12:66And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. (Acts 12:6)), and the praying saints. (Ver. 12.) Was not the deep sleep of the Apostle in view of immediate martyrdom, a sleep so profound that the delivering angel had to smite him on the side (ver. 7) to wake him up, the result, as was also the deliverance, of the united, I do not say, altogether believing prayers (vers. 14-16) of the church (ver. 5), and saints (ver. 12)? On the return of Paul and Barnabas from Jerusalem to relieve the temporal distress then existing in Judea, they were accompanied by Mark. (Acts 12:2525And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark. (Acts 12:25).) Their destination being Antioch, the center of the work amongst the Gentiles, as Jerusalem was amongst the Jews, would manifest the interest of the evangelist and his sympathy in the operations of the Spirit of God outside Judea. The special fitness of Mark in noting and arranging details in life and service, so characteristic of the second gospel, eminently qualified him to become the ministering attendant in the first evangelistic tour undertaken by Barnabas and Paul (Acts 13:55And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister. (Acts 13:5)); but strong in his home attachments, and daunted by the difficulties and trials, of the path of service, he forsook the apostles and the work, and returned to Jerusalem.
Mark's sad defection became the cause of the unhappy breach between the godly Barnabas and the indefatigable Paul (Acts 15:37-3937And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. 38But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. 39And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; (Acts 15:37‑39)); the latter however had the fellowship of his brethren (ver. 40), which the former had not. Seven or eight years afterward we find Peter, Silas, or Silvanus-Paul's chosen companion in. service, and Mark on the banks of the Euphrates, probably ministering to the dispersed of Israel located there in large numbers. (1 Peter 5) Was that the place and time of the writing of the second gospel? Four years afterward we have Paul heartily commending Mark to the renewed fellowship and confidence of the saints (Col. 4:1010Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;) (Colossians 4:10)), while after another period of about two years, the aged apostle would be comforted by the presence and companionship of the writers of the second and third Gospels-Mark and Luke. (2 Tim. 4:1111Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. (2 Timothy 4:11).) How singular are the ways of God! " John Mark," at one time the unfaithful and rejected servant, then again profitable to Paul "for the ministry" is used by the Holy Ghost to write of Christ, the ever faithful and ever personally accepted servant of Jehovah, to unfold in lovely and precious detail the ministry of the divine workman of whom it is alone recorded by Mark, " He hath done all things well."
It will be observed that here, we have no genealogy whatever of our Lord. You do not register the birth of servants, nor do you preserve any account of their ancestry. It is not unimportant, however to remark that Jesus is never presented as man's servant. He is " my servant," saith Jehovah, while blessedly serving the saints, and caring for them in all their need and necessity, carrying them in His heart in love, and on His shoulders in strength.
The opening words of the Gospel: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God," stamp their own character upon the divine record, which upholds the dignity of the Servant, while unfolding the details of His lovely and blessed service. In keeping with the character of the Gospel, Jesus is at once addressed as Lord. This divine title of authority is but. twice used of Him • first, in resurrection (chap. xvi. 19); secondly, as ascended to glory. (Ver. 20.) " Lord " is omitted by authorities in chapter 9: 24.
In this, the Gospel of service, such words as " forthwith," " immediately," " anon," " straightway "-all renderings of the same Greek word-occur 80 times in the New Testament, 41 of these instances being found in this Gospel alone. There are but very few quotations from the Old Testament. There are numerous sayings of our Lord's, but no lengthened discourses, save perhaps chapter 13.-a divine abridgment of the great prophetic discourse which occupies two long chapters in Matthew's Gospel (24.,25.) There is a remarkable vividness, graphic description, and minute circumstantiality of details which almost transport the reader into the midst of the scenes in witch the Servant the reader into the midst of the scenes in which the Servant of Jehovah lived and acted. It is a book of action, not of reflection as Luke, or of prophecy as Matthew.
The events of the Lord's life are grouped so as to manifest dispensational truths in the first Gospel; the moral order is that which prevails in the arrangement in the third Gospel; but here the chronological, or historical, course of events is traced by the pen of inspiration, hence the frequency in which notes of time are mentioned by Mark. In Matthew, Christ, as Lord of the harvest, clothes His servants with power, and sends them with authority; but in Mark the servants are regarded as His companions in service (chap.3. 14); and this is as true now (chap. 16. 20) as then. Here we have detailed the Lord's words in the sacred language of old, as " Talitha cumi" (chap. 5. 41), " Ephphatha." (Chapter 7:34.) Here also His very look of anger (chap. 3. 5), of complacency (chap. 3. 34), of encouragement (chap. 5. 32), and to heaven (chap. 7.34) is expressed. His actions, so artless and natural, are alone recorded here, as asleep on a pillow (chap. 4. 38), the multitudes He seats in perfect order in ranks, and on the green grass. (Chapter 6:39.) On one occasion He " sighed " (chap. 7. 44), and again He " sighed deeply." (Chapter 8:12.) But why multiply these precious characteristics of the Gospel? Do they not all lie open for the waiting and worshipping soul?
DIVISIONS.
Chapters 1.- 3. The Lord's ministry in Galilee, opposition of the Jewish leaders, blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, and the Lord's rejection of the nation. Chapters iv., v. Christ's service amongst the Gentiles and Jews till the establishment of the kingdom (in type) over both. Chapters vi.-x. 45. Preaching, serving, and healing as " Prophet " and " Jehovah " amongst the people. Chapters x. 46-16. The Lord's final journey to Jerusalem, closing instructions and service; His death, resurrection, and ascension-all in beautiful keeping with the character of the Gospel. w. S.
LETTERS AND EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS OF J. N. D. ON SUBJECTS OF GENERAL INTEREST.
DEAR —, They confound the whole of the truth in Ephesians. It is the act of God who took Christ, and set Him at His right hand; and us, by the same power, setting us in Him, making us sit together in
heavenly places in Him. Canaan, under Joshua, is warfare, and in this sense experience-warfare, carried on by us in grace, as led by Christ in Spirit; and confounding these two things is one of the great mischiefs. But the use of the rest of the images is also false. The Red Sea is, I doubt not, an image of Christ's death and resurrection for us. But it is so as bringing us completely to God, not experience at all, but redemption, dying, and rising again; and wilderness and. Canaan is experience. Thus: " Thou halt led forth the people whom thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them by thy strength to thy holy habitation." They were not in. Canaan as an inheritance, but, " Thou hast seen how I bare you upon eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself." It is God's work, bringing them to Himself, complete-not experimental, like journeying, or conflict experiences.
It is all wrong in confounding these. Even to Sinai, where originally they were to worship, all is simple grace. There they enter on the process of experimental knowledge of themselves. The wilderness was no necessary thing, nor part of God's purpose, nor mentioned when coming out of Egypt. (Ex. 3;6-15) The thief on the cross never went through any wilderness, nor any Joshua or Canaan experience. Redemption put him straight into paradise. The " ifs" of scripture are all connected with the journey and conflict, and met by the sure promises of God, because we (so to speak) are tested there. I admit fully there is a deliverance by dying with Christ to sin, in Romans, and to the world, in Colossians. But the wilderness, and Canaan as in Joshua, are not sitting in heavenly places, but man tested in his journey' in this wilderness world, and conflict in heavenly places with spiritual wickedness.
Now, for this last we have to be dead with Christ. Hence, to Joshua it is, " wherever thou shalt set the sole of thy foot." It is active taking possession as the Lord's host, not sitting in heavenly places. In Ephesians we wrestle against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places, but having done all, to stand. It is confounding the responsible man with the redeemed man. Redemption is always absolute and perfect; the responsible man, whether past Jordan, or not, is tested. I may war as in the flesh, and be captive to sin; and be set free, and in the Spirit; and obtain the victory, and stand fast. As to culpability and redemption, Egypt is the flesh, even when started on the road.
The wilderness is a usual, but not a necessary, part of God's ways; it is what the world becomes to those who are redeemed, or stand on that ground, and individually tested if they get to the end, viewed not as in heavenly places, but through redemption on a journey there; for scripture does so consider us. So, in Philippians, so, in Hebrews, though otherwise very different. Joshua-Canaan is another thing; being God's host, we are realizing what belongs to those who are risen with Christ. I may look at redemption as complete in Christ, and then in Christ I am brought to God; I may look at it as the beginning of exercise for myself, tribulation working experience, and find a Joshua and Caleb place, through God's faithfulness; or I may be fighting God's battles as the Lord's host; but neither are sitting in heavenly places. I may have eaten the grapes of Eshcol in the wilderness, and fail before Ai, in Canaan. But redemption is perfect, and sitting in heavenly places in Christ; one the absolute power, the other the blessed effect, of God's work. We have here no going to Gilgal constantly, there to renew the moral condition before God, which even victory endangers.
Be assured these people never know themselves. There is an anecdote of John Newton. When a person wrote to him, that he was in his C. of Cardiphonia (a work I quite forget), he replied, that he had forgotten one trait of C. that he never knew himself to be there..... We must not confound righteousness with xperience, though complete judgment of self ministers to the knowledge of divine righteousness.
Yours truly in the Lord.
J. N. D.
I have had a good journey through the Cevennes, and a good deal to encourage, though the world creeps in.
DEAR —, I agree that we are sitting in heavenly places, in, not with, Christ; but I do not know, in speaking of its being by faith-by which, of course, it is known-if you have allowed quite enough for union with Christ by the Holy Ghost. Encore it y a des choses dont nous jouissons par ('experience qui ne sont pas acquises by experience: every sealed believer is in Christ before God., and his place is to know it (John 14); but there are those who do not, through imperfect teaching. Hence, to the Corinthians lie writes as to carnal (not natural), not as to spiritual. We speak wisdom to them that are perfect-perfect meaning simply grown men in Christ. So Philippians: " Let us, therefore, as many as be perfect." We take the place by faith (beyond Jordan), but when taken, we realize being in it by the Holy Ghost; and this is experience. It is not based on experience, or progress in it. We are in it, if in. Christ. I reckon myself dead. But the wilderness is as much the fruit of redemption as Canaan.
It is quite false to make it a matter of progressive experience, as at the end of the desert, it is our identification with Christ's death, and Jordan is identified in fact, though not in application, with the Red Sea. But at the Red Sea it is a redemption wrought for me; in Jordan I died-not by experience, but I died-that is, it connects itself with our state, though we do not change that state by experience. But I experience that I have changed my position. This is net a play on. words. A process of experience is not the operative cause, but I have been brought into a new experience, which is the fruit of the change. It is important to see that it is no subject of progressive experience. Experience is that I cannot get it at all (Rom. 7)-no good to be got in me, nor a new position out of me, by any process. I then learn by simple faith, as taught of God, that He has condemned sin in the flesh, which I find in me, in the cross of Christ. (Rom. 8:33For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3).) This is simple faith, and divine teaching; the effect is, I am free, according to verse 2, and take the ground of chapter 6. Eph. 2 is quite another thing; there is no experience at all, but a new creation, if there, dead in sin. The new creation has nothing to do with dying, but we are viewed as dead in sin.
I do not know if you have seen what I have taught-that the wilderness is no part of the counsels of God but of His ways, and that Red Sea and Jordan coalesce, only at Jordan they go up into the land.
Further, in its full character the Red Sea closes all. They are brought to God, to His holy habitation, but not to the result of His plans as to us. The thief had no wilderness. All that experience learns, is, that I must have a deliverer, and then I learn that it is all done on the cross. The realization of this (2 Cor. 4) by the Holy Ghost is another thing; but then it is reckoning myself dead, and always carrying about the dying. It is important to see that Ephesians is on a totally different footing; and when on the ground of reckoning ourselves dead, there is an always carrying about the dying. As to relationships, it is all nonsense; I may be called out, as Christ Himself was, but save that calling, He was subject to, and afterward lovingly owned His mother. If a person is not called out, as giving up all for Christ, there is no question that these relationships are clear duties, and so treated everywhere in the New Testament. If they come into competition with Christ, everything gives way to Him.
Yours truly in the Lord,
J. N. D.
DEAR.... As regards your estimate of my thoughts on our reckoning ourselves dead, it requires a practical consciousness that we have no force to arrive at it; and there it is so many fail, often mistaking the joy of forgiveness for true deliverance. In Germany there has been much of this, and indeed a good deal everywhere. Practically, there must be a single eye upward, or we do not discover our want of force. As to disowning such relationships, it requires the word. It may come to a question between Christ and these ties, and then everything must give way.
We belong to the other world, as risen with Christ, not to this; but, as belonging to it, the acknowledgment of what God has established is part of our Christian life. Is a wife to disown her husband, or children, their parents? There is at bottom a great deal of self-license in all this. It is monstrous. Where that is disowned which God. has established, self, not Christ, has the first place in
people's hearts. If the unbeliever disowns it, it is another thing. If he breaks the tie, there is liberty; or, if he requires what is contrary to Christ, for he receives his authority from Him, and cannot use it against the direct authority of Christ. We cannot feel too strongly that we belong to another world, not to this; yet that is not the question, but the path of those who do belong to it, according to the word.
I have written thus, because the idea of not owning the relationships is monstrous. You will find it a difficult task, because I greatly dread any diminution of the feeling that we are dead and risen with Christ, or of having our conversation in heaven. But so false a use of this, -which I feel more strongly every day-is just what would tend to alarm upright souls as to the truth.
Yours truly in the Lord,
J. N. D.
Was Christ wrong when, after refusing all connection with His mother, when engaged in His service-which was, of course, and in every sense, outside such relations-when His hour was come, He gave such a positive and demonstrative testimony to the relationship, and acted so touchingly in it? It is remarkable it should be introduced.
There is a loosing from the power of our surroundings (as the Americans say), and sometimes from the surroundings themselves, as called away by the Lord, or as driven out by themselves. The absence of natural affections is an evil sign of the last days, but we have to live in natural ties as those who are not in them-to act from Christ in them. What God established of natural relationships He always owns-carefully so; but a power has come in, which, as sin has ruined all, overrules or makes us independent of them.