Posts: Bible Context
Gospel Parallels: Woe To the Scribes and Pharisees
Mark 12.37–40 || Matt 23.1–36 || Luke 20.45–47; 11.46, 52; 6.39; 11.39–42, 44, 47–51, 43 || John 13.4–5, 12–17 Parallel is from Aland’s Synopsis of the Four Gospels, parallel #284
Gospel Parallels: A Question About David’s Son
Mark 12.35–37, 34 || Matt 22.41–46 || Luke 20.41–44, 40 Parallel is from Aland’s Synopsis of the Four Gospels, parallel #283
Gospel Parallels: The Greatest Commandment
Mark 12.28–34 || Matt 22.34–40, 46 || Luke 10.25–28; 20.40 Parallel is from Aland’s Synopsis of the Four Gospels, parallel #282
Gospel Parallels: A Question About Resurrection and Marriage
Mark 12.18–27, 34 || Matt 22.23–33, 46 || Luke 20.27–40 Parallel is from Aland’s Synopsis of the Four Gospels, parallel #281
Gospel Parallels: Paying Tribute to Caesar
Mark 12.13–17, 12 || Matt 22.15–22 || Luke 20.20–26 || John 3.2 Parallel is from Aland’s Synopsis of the Four Gospels, parallel #280
Gospel Parallels: Parable of the Wicked Tenants
Mark 12.1–12 || Matt 21.33–46 || Luke 20.9–19 Parallel is from Aland’s Synopsis of the Four Gospels, parallel #278
Olive Oil: Health, Healing, and Spiritual Effects
The use of oil is mentioned in Mark 6:13 in relation to casting out demons and healing. Here are some extra-biblical texts providing context for the use of olive oil for both.
Mark 2:3-17 and Meals
In Jesus’ context meals were not at tables with chairs. Meals were most often with people lying on the floor on pallets or slightly raised benches that would have been called “couches.” The food may have been on small raised tables in the center, or simply on the floor, likely on some kind of fabric …
Forgiveness and Healing for The Paralyzed Man in Mark 2
It may seem strange to us that Jesus first offers forgiveness to the paralytic brought to Jesus for healing by the paralytic’s friends. Below is insight from Jewish sources regarding the connection between sickness, sin, forgiveness, and healing. It may seem strange to us that Jesus’ first response to the paralyzed man was to engage …
All the References to “holy Spirit” in the Dead Sea Scrolls
The reference at the beginning is either the abbreviated name of the document and/or the cave designation (1QHa, for example, is the Pesher of Habbaquk from Cave 1). Each number is the folio/page and the line number of the manuscript. Many of these manuscripts are fragmentary, and breaks, unreadable portions, or missing segments are indicated …