Feeding of the 5,000 and a link to Elisha

I noticed something interesting as I read through Mark 6:35-38 last night. There was a cross-reference to 2 Kings 4:42-44.

In the 2 Kings passage Elisha is involved in the feeding of 100 men, a similar miracle to the feeding of the 5,000 in our passage for the week. In Elisha's case 100 men were fed with 20 loaves of barley bread and there was some left over. In our passage for this week, 5,000 were fed from 5 loaves and 2 fish.

I thought it was interesting how the Old Testament passage had a similar miracle to the New Testament passage. However, the NT passage is a much greater miracle in terms of numbers...

What are your thoughts?

Click on the "comments" below and post a reply. This could be a great way for us to share our thoughts on a passage throughout the week as we study.

John MacArthur sermon on Mark 4:1-20

John MacArthur has a sermon on Mark 4:1-20 titled "A Survey of the Soils". Click on Mark and it will come up.

QuickSource Guides are in!

If you would like it before this coming Sunday, send me an email and I can send you a scanned version.

Codex Sinaiticus

How many times have you thought to yourself, if only I could see an original manuscript?  If I only had a nickel...

My daughter came home with a Christian magazine the other day and as I was perusing it I came across the Codex Sinaciticus.  From their website it is "a manuscript of the Christian Bible written in the middle of the fourth century, contains the earliest complete copy of the Christian New Testament."

Now if I could only read Greek... :)

Actually check out John 1:1 and see if you can pick out "logos" (i.e. "Word" in English).

1. Go to http://www.codexsinaiticus.org/
2. Click on "See the Manuscript"
3. Choose John 1:1 as the passage.
4. Locate "logos" (Hint: look for a repeated string of Greek characters in the Transcription window)
5. Click on "logos" in the transcription window and it will be outlined in red in the Image window.

John MacArthur sermon on Mark 2:13-28

Some more John MacArthur sermons on Mark 2:13-28 for you listening enjoyment!  Click on Mark and these will come up.

• The Scandal of Grace - Mark 2:13-17
• The Matchless Distinctiveness of the Gospel - Mark 2:18-22
• Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath, Part 1 - Mark 2:23-28
  

A Sidebar on John the Baptist aka Locust Eater

OK, even though he is not part of our focal passage for the week, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to chat about one of my favorite characters of the Bible: John the Baptist.  I think it's the little boy in me that is just amazed that someone would eat Locusts!

 If you're intrigued like I am read on.  If you're feeling mildly ill, skip this post and check back tomorrow!  What follows is an excerpt of a paper I authored a while back for a class.  That may explain a bit of the formal tone. :)

 JOHN AS THE LOCUST EATER

James Kelhoffer writes an interesting article concerning the fact that John the Baptist is portrayed as surviving on a diet of locusts and wild honey. Kelhoffer points out that “John’s diet has been completely overlooked in many fine monographs.” Why is it that two of the Gospel writers chose to specifically point out this man’s diet?

Kelhoffer lists out several possibilities for the reasons for the mentioning of the unique diet of John the Baptist. A diet consisting of locusts is by no means solely unique to that of John the Baptist. Kelhoffer refers to “certain ancient testimonies to locust-eaters in Herodotus, Pliny, Strabo and Jerome. … A significant insight concerns the popularity of locusts among the Babylonians (Assyrians?), who ‘evidently priced them as a prized delicacy.” In fact locusts are even eaten today in certain areas of the Middle East and parts of Africa. Part of the Dead Sea Scrolls actually gives instructions on the proper eating of locusts (referred to in Kelhoffer 109 as Damascus Document [CD-A] 12.12-15)

 Scobie points out that the locust is specifically listed in Leviticus 11:22 as being a clean animal suitable for consumption.

 22 ‘These of them you may eat: the locust in its kinds, and the devastating locust in its kinds, and the cricket in its kinds, and the grasshopper in its kinds.

 Kelhoffer summarizes Scobie’s explanation for the possibilities as to why John the Baptist chose to have a diet consisting of locusts and wild honey.

1. Due to John being in the wilderness, he may have been forced to subsist on what food was readily available.
2. At different times in scholarly articles John the Baptist is sometimes labeled as a Nazarite. The actions of the Nazarite are given to Moses in Numbers 6:1-21.
3. The possibility of an Essene influence. This may be strengthened by way of the Damascus Document mentioned previously.
4. Perhaps John chose of his own free will to limit his diet to locusts and wild honey.

It is also possible that the Gospel writers included John’s dietary information in order to highlight the fact that John preached in the wilderness.

 First and foremost Kelhoffer states that the predominant reason for why scholars believe that John is presented in this manner is to “highlight John as prophet, wilderness dweller, ascetic or vegetarian.” Although, labeling John as a vegetarian does not match up with him eating locusts.

 As we study the Scriptures concerning John the Baptist we realize that everything that John did pointed to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though John’s message was a bold one, pronounced in power, John never put himself any higher than he ought.
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References

Kelhoffer, James A. "'Locusts and wild honey' (Mk 1.6c and Mt 3.4c): the status quaestionis concerning the diet of John the Baptist." Currents in Biblical Research, 2, no. 1 (October 2003): 104-127.

Scobie, Charles H H. 1964. John the Baptist Philadelphia: Fortress Pr, 1964.

Image from: http://www.no-pest.com/Locust.htm

John MacArthur sermon on Mark 1:12-39

Here are a few John MacArthur sermons that you can download to your iPod and listen to throughout the day this week.  Click on Mark and these will come up.

• Jesus’ Strategy for Effective Ministry - Mark 1:12-20
• Cosmic Authority - Mark 1:21-28
• Kingdom Power - Mark 1:29-39