Bookmark Daily Bible Reading Calendar By: Ehimwenma E. Aimiuwu – Please LIKE us on Facebook
Mark 7:
The Pharisee and some teachers of the law that came from Jerusalem observed Jesus and his disciples eating without doing the Jewish ceremonial washing of the hands. Jesus told them that they put aside God’s laws for their human traditions and they even prevent people from doing things for their parents because they use tradition to steal it from that person in the name of God. Jesus declared all food clean because it enters the stomach and then gets excreted; it is what comes from the heart that is unclean. Jesus once refused to heal a woman’s daughter sick of an evil spirit because she was a Gentile, but the woman insisted that even Gentiles can benefit from the remains of the Jewish table. So Jesus healed her daughter. Jesus also healed the deaf and mute man.
Mark 8:
Jesus fed 4,000 men that had followed him for 3 days without food with just seven loaves of bread and some fishes. The Pharisee demanded a sign from heaven from Jesus, but Jesus said they will get no sign. Jesus warned the disciples to be careful about the Pharisees and Herodians as well as he healed the blind man. Peter also confessed that Jesus was the Christ and Jesus predicted his death. Jesus told them that the Jewish leaders and experts of the Mosaic law will kill him, but he would resurrect on the third day. Peter tried to make him change his words, but Jesus rebuked Peter as Satan because he understood the expectation of humans, but not God. Jesus told them that a disciple must be prepared for prosecution to follow him as well as die for him and the gospel of God. Jesus was going to deny those who are ashamed of him and his gospel to God the father.
Mark 9:
Jesus transfigured before Peter, James, and John in a high mountain and they saw Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus. God came down in a cloud and declared that Jesus was his son. Jesus informed the disciples that Elijah (John the Baptist) did come before him as it was written and he suffered many things. The disciples were unable to cast out a demon that made a boy mute, so Jesus made the evil spirit leave the boy. This healing needed prayer and fasting and Jesus reminded them of his death and resurrection. Jesus taught the disciples that to be the first, you must be last and servant of all, and whoever welcomes children because of Jesus welcomes both Jesus and God. The disciples saw a man casting out demons in Jesus’ name and tried to stop him, but Jesus claimed that if he is doing it in his name, then he his with them. Do not cause little children who believe in Jesus to sin because it carries huge punishment and it is better to enter heaven disabled than to be whole in hell. So it is better to discipline your arms, eyes, or foot if it causes you to sin.