This week's readings are all from Mark chapters 3-4. Click here to see a list of each day's readings. Each day's segments of the readings will be posted on this site during the week.
Today's Reading:
He also said, “The kingdom of God is like someone who spreads seed on the ground. He goes to sleep and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. By itself the soil produces a crop, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. And when the grain is ripe, he sends in the sickle because the harvest has come.”
He also asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to present it? It is like a mustard seed that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground— when it is sown, it grows up, becomes the greatest of all garden plants, and grows large branches so that the wild birds can nest in its shade.”
So with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear. He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples.
On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” So after leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat, and other boats were with him. Now a great windstorm developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped. But he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are about to die?” So he got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Be quiet! Calm down!” Then the wind stopped, and it was dead calm. And he said to them, “Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?” They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and sea obey him!” (Mark 4:26–41 NET)
The previous translation is from the NET Bible translation. Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Resources for Today's Reading
in todays reading Jesus uses the phrase “his disciples” several times…I know we had talked about the apostles as being more than disciples as apostles were chosen as ones to be sent out to spread the word…but the disciples also seem to be a “special group” of followers as they were given the privilege to travel with Jesus in His boat…is there anything other than just being a follower devoted to learning as much as they could about Jesus that differentiates them from “the crowd”…are they just an “ancient set of groupies” who enjoyed being in the company of Jesus 🤔🤔🤔🤔
@okiebull13 Jeff, you asked about disciples:
'...but the disciples also seem to be a “special group” of followers as they were given the privilege to travel with Jesus in His boat…is there anything other than just being a follower devoted to learning as much as they could about Jesus that differentiates them from “the crowd.”
The Greek word for disciple is mathētēs, which corresponds to the Hebrew talmid. Both words mean 'student' or 'apprentice.' In the Jewish world, especially in what became Rabbinic Judaism, disciples were specifically chosen and hand-picked by the teacher or rabbi. They could be chosen directly by the rabbi or apply themselves to him and see if the rabbi would accept them. The idea is that they would the learn the teaching of their master (rabbi means 'my great one') so that they, some day, could, through the laying of hands, receive the same authority held by their rabbi to interpret the Torah and scriptures. That's one of the reasons why Jesus is asked so frequently: "Where do you get your authority?" Each rabbi could trace the lineage of their authority back through a list of persons that reached all the way back to Moses (according to traditions).
In the Gospels a follower could either be a disciple specifically chosen or accepted by Jesus or someone else who was drawn to Jesus' and his teachings and, quite literally, "came behind/after" or "went behind/after" him. The disciples, the crowds, some of the Pharisees, etc., are all at times referenced as followers of Jesus. In this case the line between disciple and follower may be a bit blurred.
Apostles are like emissaries who have been given the task and authority of announcing something in the name of the person, group, or government which sends them. The Hebrew word for this was shaliaḥ.
'...are they just an “ancient set of groupies” who enjoyed being in the company of Jesus...'
Ummm...groupies? No. 😀
This reading of Mark continues to raise questions for me. I got to wondering, what would have happened if the disciples had not awakened Jesus?