11 The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. 12 Sighing deeply in His spirit, He *said, “Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 Leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side.
Message: A Generation that Sought a Sign
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface: Jesus, after spending get-away time in Tyre and Sidon and Decapolis area also heals a demon possessed daughter and a blind man. Prior to this Jesus was emphasizing to his disciples and even the scribes the focus on the heart of man, as the Pharisees continued to emphasize the outward works. Jesus is really concerned about the heart. He spends time with many people, who have come from far away to see Him and then he takes care of their need to eat, using what has been provided, multiplying it for what everyone needs. He then leaves, with the disciples on a boat to the district of Dalmanutha.
I haven't done an entry in 2 weeks, simply allowing the other parts of life to fill up my time. We were on vacation for 6 days attending a wedding in Atlanta for my wife's nephew, but in general I have not been prioritizing time in the Word. Therefore, it is taking me a moment to get my mind wrapped around this text. In general, I think Jesus is trying to continue his message of repent and believe pronounced after his baptism. He is willing to teach many things along the way, often dispelling people's assumptions about Him or the way they have previously been trained to think of God.
After feeding the 4,000 he goes with the disciples to the town of Dalmanuthu or Magadan, in the region of Galilee. Mark mentions that as Jesus came into the City, The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him. The Pharisees arguing with Jesus was not uncommon. Jesus continues to share with the Pharisees the idea of the inside, the inward, motivations rather than the outward. But, this goes against their thinking. And it goes against our thinking today. We still live most of our life and judge life based upon what we see.
Thus, they were seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. For them, having Jesus was not good enough. I often think today if people could just see Jesus then they would believe, but many would still not be changed. Here he was living and working in people's lives and yet, many were still not convinced. Here, they were somewhat demanding proof.
Jesus' response: Sighing deeply in His spirit. I think it is great how we consistently get to experience in the Gospels, the humanity of Jesus. Jesus was fully human and even though he was God he thought and expressed himself often as a human. And this is an example. Undoubtedly He was amazed that people who had already seen or heard directly from those that had seen Jesus remained unbelieving. He must have realized that nothing he says will be good enough. This is the tragedy in life often, that people are sometimes so set in their ways that change or seeing something differently is not possible. We become conditioned to think and believe a certain way. And so this is Jesus' response. There was a stark difference in people for the healing he had previously performed were coming from people that did believe in him. Where these Pharisees clearly did not believe.
Summary: Jesus, even after all he has done, still receives words of unbelief from so many. And this reminds us that some people have a stubborn spirit and will only change as the Lord softens their hearts. Jesus here is in the town of Dalmanuthu, in the area of Galilee and this reading has the Pharisees questioning him, again.
Promise: Nothing we can do or say can convince those that have hardened their hearts to believe in Christ. Only God can overcome it.
Prayer: Lord, soften hearts. My heart breaks for people to not be convinced of you. My heart breaks when people think their physical needs must be met first. Lord, you have healed us eternally and have saved us today, tomorrow, and for all time. Lord, for those that do not follow you, I pray that their hearts would be softened by You God. I continue to pray Ezekiel 36:26 for many - I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
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