Mark Bruno

Shelley this is absolutely wonderful. Thank you for your attention to detail and your thorough work. Wow.

(Post image: Jerash in modern-day Jordan. Jerash was biblical Geresa.) On the last night of our Holy Land trip in 2014, our guide sat us down for a wrap-up, sending us off with these words, “The pil...

Jesus is moving forward with an authority that is immediately noticed by the spiritual beings around Him, yet so many are ignorant OR even accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub....

I wonder why Legion was concerned about being cast out of the region. Makes me wonder where these evil spirits go when they are cast out, except for the pigs this time, of course 😅

I heard a preacher from Russia use the story of the outcasts and that man who was possessed. When he asked to go with Jesus, he was told to stay and tell his story. The preacher uses this story as an ...

There are three stories of healing in Mark 5. With the stories of healing come three different responses from Jesus on how the healed ones in the story should respond about telling others of their hea...

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 ...

@shelley-johnson @mallary-malwick Yes, thank you Shelley! It does seem to make more sense in the context of God's Word... especially the parable preceding that one line I mentioned. All things in God...

Hey Travis! I've enjoyed hearing you in the podcasts!! Such good questions. To your first one, I had the odd sense as I read it again this morning that I finally understood it. And maybe Jesus really ...

Two parts that I get kind of caught on… '...so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven.' At...

@jimmy yes! That too! It's so hard to shake narratives about Jesus that have been part of our growing up experiences -- even if they are false narratives. But, that's why we read Scripture together, y...

@shelley-johnson Maybe because we equate anger with sin? That's interesting isn't it? How we do that. How we make things sins that aren't? I also wonder, coming from another angle, if there are peop...

Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit ( Mark 1-10-11). In Chapter 3 we see Jesus family saying “He is out of his mind” and the scribes saying He is demon possessed. Please correct me if I am wrong but...

A few reflections on today's readings. We gave more in-depth insight in this week's podcast. I encourage you to listen if you're interested in digging a bit deeper. The scene from yesterday's readings...

@okiebull13 That may be true. But this explanation should not minimize that members of Jesus' family (or those close to him) also thought he might be 'out of his mind' (more exactly: crazy). There is ...

In my commentary, they characterized the statement about being “out of his mind” as concern Jesus’s family had for Jesus’ safety…it went on to say that when Jesus found himself ministering to large cr...

I'm grateful that Mark includes a clarifying phrase after he tells us Jesus is angry -- because he is grieved by their hardness of heart -- so that we don't have to speculate on the source of His ange...

There is a lot to unpack this week with Chapters 3-4. I look forward to unpacking these verses with all of you.

@vltaylor1136 Often for me, the answer to questions of Jesus's meaning almost always start with "It comes down to the heart of it." (Which I suppose could also be debated just as much 😜) So, I...

What was God’s intention when he gave us Sabbath? How can we honor God’s original intention for keeping the Sabbath? Many of us use Sunday as our Sabbath but don’t make much difference to it than any ...

If you’re like me–after having read Mark 2:18-22–you’re wondering what all the hubbub is about fasting. Using commentaries can be helpful (and challenging!), but there are basic steps any of us can mo...

Today's reading is from Mark 2:13-17. Click here to see a list of each day's readings for the Week 2. Each day's segments of the readings will be posted on this site during the week. Today's Read...

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 be...

Now that I am retired, early morning does not carry the burden of worry or stress associated with working for a tribal government, the long commute and the appointments of the day. Instead, my day st...

Jimmy, could you talk about the word in verse 41 that is translated ‘pity’ as in Jesus was moved with pity. It is also translated as ‘indignation’ in the above translation. There seems to be a signifi...

41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him,  “I will; be clean.” (ESV) 41 Jesus was indignant. 1:41 Many manuscripts Jesus was filled with compass...

@sailing-bum Wow, I’m definitely going to save your insights in these words! Nautical analogy, and all. 🙃 Futile efforts to prove my worth, when all along He just wants relationship… and the i...

@sailing-bum Brother, that is so good. All of it. It's amazing how hard we work at grace sometimes. lol

As I read today's passage about Jesus going to Peter's home and healing his mother in law then preaching and healing many, I picture the scene as it was presented in The Chosen. They didn't miss a det...

Enjoying reading together and all the comments. Thank you all. Jay I too was struck by the language of the heavens being torn apart as God’s spirit descended on Jesus. Value of this slow reading, seei...

@travisbruno3 @jralphsmith Jesus was also interrupted during this experience of prayer. The pressing needs, desires, expectations of others pursued him into this deserted place (the Greek word for Pet...

@jralphsmith When I get mornings right — it makes a monumental difference on the rest of the day... but I also need to be better about days where I don't make the morning time, and giving myself grace...

1:35 Then Jesus got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer.  I’ve been trying to set my year up for ove...

I love how action packed the Gospel of Mark is with rapid fire comments. In my ESV bible the word "Immediately" is used 4 times in today's verses and in verse 28, Mark uses the words "at once". It app...