Cover-to-Cover

Luke 1:57-80 Elizabeth, in Jewish culture, had been shamed by her inability to produce a child for Zacharias, a priest and servant in the house of God. Elizabeth was barren and well beyond child-bearing years. Have you ever noticed how God gets glory through someone’s life? He finds someone with a need. He finds someone who can’t solve the need on their own. He supernaturally provides the need. Do you...

Luke 1:24-56 Elizabeth hid her pregnancy for five months, at which point, she wasn’t able to hide it anymore. Why? One reason could be that her husband was struck dumb until John was born, so maybe she kept quiet together with him. Another reason could be she didn’t want to have to answer anyone for getting pregnant later in life. Another reason could be that she wanted to make sure...

Luke 1:1-23 God chose a family for a prophet to be born into. John the Baptist would be raised to know the Lord from childhood through adolescence and into adulthood. John would be the first prophet in 400 years to break the silence and prophesy to the nation of Israel. Let’s look at the family God chose. Zacharias was a priest in the temple and his wife, Elizabeth, was a...

Mark 16 “Now when the Sabbath was past…” the Sabbath was a holy day of rest and worship. After that special day (our Saturday), THEN three women go to the tomb. They were there at the very break of the new day. This shows me they honored the Sabbath. On Sunday morning then, they were at the tomb, finding it empty at the break of the new day. Jesus had...

Mark 15:27-47 The Scripture from Isaiah 53:12 was fulfilled that said, “He was numbered with the transgressors.” Jesus was considered a transgressor, a sinner, because He was crucified next to them, associated as one. It is true that Jesus was counted or recorded as a sinner, as one of us, as it is written, “He became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).”...

Mark 15:1-26 Pilate marveled that Jesus did not defend Himself, especially when Pilate knew what Jesus was facing – the torture would be fierce. Pilate was inclined to let Jesus go, but his hands were someone tied without Jesus giving a defense. This is because Jesus was willingly laying His life down to reconcile men and women to God. In verse 10, it says Pilate knew the chief priests handed...

Mark 14:51-72 Jesus faces the Sanhedrin. The charge brought against Jesus was Jesus’ statement that He would tear the temple down and in three days build it back up again. He was referring to His own body. They were false witnesses, saying they heard Jesus say that He was going to tear down the physical temple and build a new one. That was false. Jesus never said He would tear...

Mark 14:26-50 They sang a hymn after their Passover meal. The Hallel was from Psalm 115 and 118, traditionally sung at the close of a Passover meal. Psalm 118 is a Messianic psalm, singing about a coming Savior, by the Savior, on the way to becoming our salvation! Jesus predicts Peter’s denial. This shows me that Peter didn’t realize what he was capable of. He never thought he would deny...

Mark 14:1-25 Right before the Passover feast, the Jewish priests and scribes met to plot against Jesus. I’m sure they felt justified in their actions, feeling they were right and Jesus was a blasphemous, demonized cult leader. Have you ever had people meet behind your back to plot how they can destroy or stop your ministry? Your business? Your relationships? Perhaps they feel justified. Hey- if it happened to Jesus...

March 13:14-37 In verse 14 there is a definite marker that defines the middle of Daniel’s 70th week, or the last seven years before Jesus returns. It is called “the abomination of desolation.” This event is when the Antichrist turns on the Jews, followed by 1260 days called “The Great Tribulation.” After the tribulation, Jesus will appear in the clouds in the sky, gathering His elect up to where He...

Mark 13:1-13 In Mark 13:1-13, Jesus speaks of the destruction of the temple, which we know happened in 70 AD. When most Jews thought of the coming of the Messiah, they thought of the King coming to destroy the wicked nations and rule from Jerusalem. Not every Jew perceived that the Messiah would come first to die and rise again, followed by a season for reaching the Gentiles. The disciples...

Mark 12:28-44 One of the scribes asked Jesus what He thought the first, rather foremost, commandment was. Jesus didn’t quote one of the famous ten. He quoted Deuteronomy 6:4-5, to love God with your whole being. Then He went ahead and told the scribe what the second greatest was, saying it was “like” the first, quoting from Leviticus 19:18, Jesus said loving your neighbor as you love yourself. The scribe...

Mark 12:1-27 Jesus tells a story of wicked vinedressers. The land belonged to the landowner. He represents God. The vine dressers worked the vineyard. They were the religious leaders. God sent servants to the vineyard but they were not received. These are the prophets. God sent Jesus, His Son, but the religious killed Him, too. God came after the vinedressers and destroyed them so others could work and share the...

Mark 11:20-33 In verses 12-14, the day after the Triumphal Entry, Jesus and His disciples came out from Bethany and became hungry. Jesus saw a tree with leaves, indicating that it was in bloom, but there was not fruit, only leaves. Jesus cursed the tree, even though it was not the season for figs. The disciples heard Jesus curse the tree. They went to Jerusalem and then left that evening....

Mark 11:1-19 In verses 1-11, Mark writes about the Triumphal Entry. To read my commentary on the Triumphal Entry, please refer to February 1. In vrses 15-19, Mark wites about Jesus cleansing the temple. The Jews were supposed to be bringing a sacrifice from their flock to be inspected for sacrifice, but instead, they were buying and selling sacrifices. The scribes and chief priests were fine with money being made...