arteriosclerosis . . . mark 3:5 & mark 6:52
. . . a medical term for "hardening of the arteries" which can lead to heart attacks, aneurysms, strokes and physical death, but there is a more dangerous kind of hardening of the heart which, if left untreated, could lead to permanent separation from God for eternity.
When a person "hardens" his or her heart it is the result of intentional defiance against the spiritual truth that God places in the path of that person. Within a few chapters of each other, Jesus reacted to two groups of people who had hardened their hearts to His teachings. They refused to learn and were not open to instruction. And He (Jesus) entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they (the Pharisees) watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored *as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him. mark 3:1-6 (nkjv)
Here the Pharisees were already scheming to see how "they might accuse Him" Jesus of something. Jesus asks them a legitimate question to provide them an opportunity to reflect what their attitude will be in response to a miracle that Jesus is about to perform in healing the man's hand. I understand that opponents of Jesus can stiffen their necks and harden their hearts, but how about followers of Jesus Christ?
Immediately He (Jesus) made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. mark 6:45-52
When Jesus walked on water and instantly calmed the raging storm, Jesus' twelve disciples were "greatly amazed . . . beyond measure." I guess that is like being totally incredulous. But they were amazed because they had hardened their hearts and had not understood the miracle Jesus performed earlier that afternoon by feeding 5,000 men (not even counting the women and children) with five loaves of bread and two fishes. The disciples had started the day returning to Jesus after having gone out on missionary journeys two by two. They were eager to tell Jesus all of the things that they had done and taught, Jesus saw that they needed to get away and rest for awhile, but as the crowds pressed on them late into the evening, Jesus was pressed into action to feed the multitude with the twelve disciples doing the legwork of passing out the food and collecting the remnants. And now, although really exhausted, they were following Jesus' instructions to them to put out into the water and row to the other side, even as a raging storm caught them out in deep water.
So I ask myself again, how had the disciples hardened their hearts and not understood about the loaves? They had gotten caught up in all of the activity, even good activity of serving others and being obedient to Jesus instructions . . . but in spite of all the doing, they were rebellious at heart for failing to recognize Jesus as the Sovereign Lord of all creation. They forgot that in the process of fighting the storm in the middle of the lake during the wee hours of the morning that they could rest in the fact that they were being obedient to Jesus' instructions. The disciples were exercising faith (i.e obedience), but failed to trust.
I often do the same thing, when I start off doing the tasks that God sets before me and soon enough start focusing so hard on the "storm" raging around me that I forget that God brought me into that situation. I must remember that God knows my abilities and limitations, and He cares for me so much that He won't allow me to get into situations except where He provides a path out. So as the circumstances in my life get scarier, I first check to see if the circumstances are caused by any ongoing unrepented sin in my life. If not, then the circumstances must be from God or be allowed by God for good in His master plan.
Finally, if God put me here, I can trust Him to get me through it. Maybe not always to extricate me from the circumstances, but definitely always to be victorious exercising faith at the leading of the Holy Spirit and resting quietly in God's trustworthiness. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 corinthians 10:13
© S. Chan 2004. All rights reserved
When a person "hardens" his or her heart it is the result of intentional defiance against the spiritual truth that God places in the path of that person. Within a few chapters of each other, Jesus reacted to two groups of people who had hardened their hearts to His teachings. They refused to learn and were not open to instruction. And He (Jesus) entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they (the Pharisees) watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored *as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him. mark 3:1-6 (nkjv)
Here the Pharisees were already scheming to see how "they might accuse Him" Jesus of something. Jesus asks them a legitimate question to provide them an opportunity to reflect what their attitude will be in response to a miracle that Jesus is about to perform in healing the man's hand. I understand that opponents of Jesus can stiffen their necks and harden their hearts, but how about followers of Jesus Christ?
Immediately He (Jesus) made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. mark 6:45-52
When Jesus walked on water and instantly calmed the raging storm, Jesus' twelve disciples were "greatly amazed . . . beyond measure." I guess that is like being totally incredulous. But they were amazed because they had hardened their hearts and had not understood the miracle Jesus performed earlier that afternoon by feeding 5,000 men (not even counting the women and children) with five loaves of bread and two fishes. The disciples had started the day returning to Jesus after having gone out on missionary journeys two by two. They were eager to tell Jesus all of the things that they had done and taught, Jesus saw that they needed to get away and rest for awhile, but as the crowds pressed on them late into the evening, Jesus was pressed into action to feed the multitude with the twelve disciples doing the legwork of passing out the food and collecting the remnants. And now, although really exhausted, they were following Jesus' instructions to them to put out into the water and row to the other side, even as a raging storm caught them out in deep water.
So I ask myself again, how had the disciples hardened their hearts and not understood about the loaves? They had gotten caught up in all of the activity, even good activity of serving others and being obedient to Jesus instructions . . . but in spite of all the doing, they were rebellious at heart for failing to recognize Jesus as the Sovereign Lord of all creation. They forgot that in the process of fighting the storm in the middle of the lake during the wee hours of the morning that they could rest in the fact that they were being obedient to Jesus' instructions. The disciples were exercising faith (i.e obedience), but failed to trust.
I often do the same thing, when I start off doing the tasks that God sets before me and soon enough start focusing so hard on the "storm" raging around me that I forget that God brought me into that situation. I must remember that God knows my abilities and limitations, and He cares for me so much that He won't allow me to get into situations except where He provides a path out. So as the circumstances in my life get scarier, I first check to see if the circumstances are caused by any ongoing unrepented sin in my life. If not, then the circumstances must be from God or be allowed by God for good in His master plan.
Finally, if God put me here, I can trust Him to get me through it. Maybe not always to extricate me from the circumstances, but definitely always to be victorious exercising faith at the leading of the Holy Spirit and resting quietly in God's trustworthiness. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 corinthians 10:13
© S. Chan 2004. All rights reserved