Author: michael

Mark 15 ¹Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. ² “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “You have said so,” Jesus replied. ³ The chief priests accused him of many things. ⁴ So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.” ⁵ But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. ⁶ Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. ⁷ A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. ⁸ The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. ⁹ “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, ¹⁰ knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. ¹² “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. ¹³ “Crucify him!” they shouted. ¹⁴ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” ¹⁵ Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus logged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Here we see that the chief priests and others brought Jesus to Pilate for trial. Pilate was the governor. The chief priests accused Jesus many things, but Jesus kept silent, and Pilate was surprised. This fulfilled the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah, He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7) Pilate knew that the chief priests had handed Jesus over out of jealousy, it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. The chief priest stirred up the crowd to release Barabbas, who had committed murder in the uprising, rather than Jesus who had committed no crime, in their eyes, Jesus is not as good as a criminal.. Pilate could not find what crime Jesus committed, and the parallel passage of gospel Matthew tells us that While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” (Matthew 27:19) At beginning, Pilate wanted to release Jesus, but because the crowd shouted loud for Jesus to be crucified, Pilate wanted to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas and handed Jesus over for crucifixion.

Recently I used android Bible to listen to Gospel John from the beginning. This morning I heard the parallel passage of Gospel John, talking about the same thing as the above passage, thank the Lord.

Mark 14:53-65 ⁵³ They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. ⁵⁴ 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. ⁵⁵ 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. ⁵⁶ Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. ⁵⁷ Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: ⁵⁸ “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’” ⁵⁹ Yet even then their testimony did not agree. ⁶⁰ 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?” ⁶¹ But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” ⁶² “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.” ⁶³ The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. ⁶⁴ “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as worthy of death. ⁶⁵ 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.

Here we see that Lord Jesus was taken to the high priest, Peter followed him at a distance and he also went to the courtyard of the high priest, he wanted to see what would happen. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin wanted to put Jesus to death, they wanted to find evidence. Many people gave testimony, but their testimony did not match, so accusation could not be established. Then many people gave false testimony, they violated the laws of the Old Testament to give false testimony in order to put Jesus to death. They accused him that We heard him say, “I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.” But what Jesus said was “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”  (John 2:19). Jesus said this referring his body as the temple. He predicted that his body would be put to death by them and would be resurrected three days later, that is, the temple would be destroyed by them and be rebuilt within three days. The high priest was surprised to see that Jesus didn’t answer. Usually people would defend themselves against false testimony, but Lord Jesus kept silent. But when the high priest asked him whether he is the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One, Lord Jesus said yes, and predicted what would happen in the future in his second coming, he would sit at the right hand of the mighty one and come on the clouds of heaven. When the high priest heard this, he said that Jesus was blaspheming, and he tore his clothes, they all condemned him to death because they did not believe that Lord Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
God is merciful,  He also wants us to be merciful, merciful to others, merciful to the sinners, and merciful to those who have sinned against us, if we are merciful to others, we are blessed, we will receive God’s mercy,  sometimes we also offended God and we also need His mercy.

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. (Matthew 9:13)
God desires mercy, not sacrifice. He is merciful to the sinners, Lord Jesus came to call the sinners, call those who know they are sinners, those who are sick need a doctor, those who know they are sick, will go to the doctor and get healed, those who know they are sinners, will confess and repent, receive God’s forgiveness and God’s mercy. God wants us to be merciful to others, God is not pleased if we are self-righteousness, if we judge others, harsh to other people, stand in His position to judge others, only God can judge, God wants us to be merciful to others, if we are merciful to others, we will receive God’s mercy.

May God bless you and your family. 🙏😊

Here we see that Judas, one of the twelve disciples, brought the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders to arrest Jesus. Many people armed with swords and clubs as if they wanted to arrest a robber. Judas who betrayed Jesus, also had arranged a signal with them to arrest Jesus by kissing Jesus. Because it was at night and it was dark in the garden, although they came with lanterns and torches, in order to make sure that they would not arrest the wrong person in the dark, Judas used a kiss signal. When they saw Judas kissing Jesus, they went to arrest Him. Someone drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. We know that this man is Peter from the parallel passage of Gospel John, Jesus said to Peter “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:52-53) Here we see that Lord Jesus opposed to use the knife, and He touched the man’s ear to heal him. It would be easy for Jesus not to be arrested. He could ask the Heavenly Father to send angels to help Him, but he didn’t do it, because He knew that his time had come. He wanted to obey the Heavenly Father and drank the cup that the Heavenly Father gave him. He used to sit in the temple every day and teach, but no one arrested him. Now his time had come, the Scriptures must be fulfilled. For example, Zechariah 13:7 says that when the shepherd is struck, the sheep will be scattered. Jesus was struck, arrested, and was about to be crucified for the world, His sheep were scattered, all his disciples fell away, and all his disciples left him and fled.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6)
What does righteousness mean? Righteousness is the righteousness of God, and God manifests his righteousness through the Bible, the words of the Bible is the word of God, the righteousness of God.

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”(Matthew 4:4)
Here it says that man should not live on physical bread alone, on physical food alone, but on spiritual food, which is the word of God and the words of the Bible. We want to eat when we are hungry, and we want to drink when we are thirsty. Do we hunger and thirst for the word of God? Do we hunger and thirst for righteousness? If we are, we are blessed, we will be satisfied. This satisfaction is spiritual satisfaction.

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. (Isaiah 55:1-2)
Here God tells those who are thirsty to go to him and drink, and he also tell those who have no money go to him, and they can go to him to eat and drink what is good he has given without cost, and they will be satisfied. People who spend money on junk food will not be satisfied, they can only be satisfied by eating and drinking what is good form God. Here water refers to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, and God Himself. If we listen to God, seek God Himself, we will eat what is good, we will be satisfied, we will have God’s presence, have joy from God, have joy in the spirit.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)
Here Lord Jesus said that if people drink water, they will be thirsty again. If people drink the living water he gives, they will never be thirsty. The water here refers to the Holy Spirit that Lord Jesus gives to those who believe in him and are baptized. The water will become in them a spring, a fountain of water welling up to eternal life.

May God bless you and your family. 🙏😊

Mark 14:27-42 ²⁷“You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. ²⁸ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” ²⁹ Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” ³⁰ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.” ³¹ But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same. ³² They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” ³³ He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ³⁴ “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” ³⁵ Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. ³⁶ “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” ³⁷ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ³⁹ Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. ⁴⁰ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.⁴¹ Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴² Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Here Lord Jesus quoted the Old Testament Zechariah 13:7 “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” He prophesied that when he was struck, arrested and crucified on the cross, his disciples would fall away. Peter and the other disciples denied that they would fall. Lord Jesus also prophesied that Peter would deny him three times before the rooster crowed twice, and Peter denied it. Later Lord Jesus and the eleven disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane, but only brought Peter, James, and John to pray. Lord Jesus and his disciples used to meet in the Garden of Gethsemane, so Judas, who betrayed Lord Jesus, also knew that place. Lord Jesus prayed to the Heavenly Father three times, “Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” This cup refers to the cup of suffering, the cup of suffering on the cross. As a man, Lord Jesus didn’t want this cup, but he obeyed God the Father. It says in the parallel passage Luke chapter 22 that An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.  And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Lord Jesus knelt down and prayed earnestly. He also told the three disciples, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” But they could not watch and pray. They felt asleep, and they all fell away. They were willing to stand with the Lord, but they all felt away because the flesh is weak. This is also a reminder to us, we must always watch and pray so that we won’t fall into temptation. We must watch and pray, rely on the Lord to overcome temptation.
May God bless you and your family.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
Here it says that blessed are the meek, why they are blessed, because they will inherit the earth. The same words are found in Psalm 37:11.

But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. (Psalm 37:11)
In some versions meek was translated as humble. In the Bible, meek or gentle and humble are often used together.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29)
Lord Jesus wants us to learn from his gentleness and humility, that is, to learn from his gentle and humble in heart. He is the Son of God, he is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, but he is gentle and humble in heart. We should follow the example of Lord Jesus. Below we see that gentleness and humility are also related to obedience.

Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it. (Psalm 37:34)
In some versions it says that wait on the Lord and keep his way.  So those who wait on the Lord, those who hope in the Lord,  those who trust in the Lord, and those who keep his way will inherit the land.  It says earlier that the meek and humble will inherit the land. By comparison, we see that obedience to God are related to gentleness, humility.

The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. (Psalm 37:29)
Here we see that the meek are related with the righteous,  the righteous, those who practice righteousness, those who practice God’s righteousness, and those who practice what Bible says, will inherit the earth and dwell in it forever. In the future there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and those who practice righteousness will dwell in it forever, the meek will dwell in it forever.
May God bless you and your family. 🙏😊

Yesterday I posted the above message, this morning when I read the Bible, I came across the verse
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29)
which I quoted in the sharing above. Thanks the Lord.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:4)
What does mourn mean ? mourn means mourn for one’s sins, see one’s own sins,  and mourn for the sins, confess and repent before God,  receive God’s forgiveness, and receive God’s comfort.

For this is what the high and exalted One says– he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Isaiah 57:15)
Here it says that God lives with the contrite and humble in heart, with people who mourn for their sins. When God is with us, we will receive God’s comfort, and God’s joy, even if it is a small sin, we should confess to the Lord and repent.

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)
Here we see that there are two kinds of sorrows. One is Godly sorrow,  one mourns for one’s sins, confesses one’s sins and repents, and receives forgiveness from God, leads to salvation. The other is worldly sorrow, sorrow for worldly things which brings death.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. (Revelation 21:4)
In the future, God will live with His people in the new heaven and new earth, there will be no more tears, no more sorrow, no more pain, no more death, everything will be new. Thank and praise the Lord.
May God bless you and your family.

Mark 14:1-9 1 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. 6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Here we see that what happened in this passage was very close to the crucifixion of  Lord Jesus. Lord Jesus was reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper in Bethany. Simon used to suffer from leprosy. The Lord Jesus healed him. While reclining at the table in Simon’s house, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. she broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. The expensive perfume worthed more than thirty taels of silver, which was equivalent to one year’s salary at that time. Who is this woman? John 12 tells us that this woman is Mary. John 12:2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Martha is Mary’s sister and Lazarus is Mary’s brother. Lazarus used to die for four days, and Lord Jesus raised him from the dead. We see that Mary loves the Lord very much. She offered her best to the Lord. She poured the most precious perfume on Lord Jesus in advance to prepare for his burial. In Gospel Matthew and Mark, she anointed Jesus’ head, and in Gospel John, she anointed Jesus’ feet. Apparently she anointed both Jesus’s head and feet. What she did in the eyes of the Lord was a beautiful thing, but a few people were very displeased and felt that it was a waste. The perfume could be sold for more than thirty taels of silver and the money given to the poor.  Judas who betrayed Jesus said the same thing in John 12,  Judas was not concerned about the poor, he was trying to steal the money. It’s not that Lord Jesus doesn’t care about the poor, he cares  a lot about the poor and the sick. He said “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.” Mary offered the best to the Lord, did a beautiful thing to the Lord, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she did will be remembered. Thank and praise the Lord,  may God bless you and your family.

After I prepared the above sharing, that evening my wife started listening to “The Biography of Dai Desheng”. I heard it said that Dai Desheng’s life was like the life of Mary who offered very expensive perfume to Lord Jesus.  Was it a coincidence?  Thank the Lord. Dai Desheng was a well-known British missionary who shared the gospel in China in the 19th century.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105)
Thy word is the word of God, the words of the Bible. What does “God’s word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” mean? When a person walks in the dark at night, one cannot see the path ahead, and you don’t know where to land your feet, the lamp in front of your feet will guide you step by step. The light on the path shows you the path ahead and the direction ahead. In the same way, the word of God is the lamp unto our feet, the light onto our path, guiding us along the path of life, the path of eternal life. God uses his words to teach us, instruct us, and guide us. We follow him step by step along this path of life. We hide the word of God in our hearts so that we will not offend him, far from him, but get closer to him.  We follow him closely on the path to heaven and heavenly home. We obey his words, do his will, seek him with all our heart, and experience his presence and receive his blessing. Thank and praise the Lord.
May God bless you and your family. 🙏😊