Daily Devotions
Mark
1 Peter 5:9b "Knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."
Day 139 – Mark 6
“Knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”
1 Peter 5:9b
THE FAME OF JESUS
The ministry of Jesus became famous for many good reasons. His fame was well-earned. We may highlight three reasons:-
1. There was genuine power expressed
The power that He wielded to heal the sick and to cast out demons was genuine! There was no mistaking the greatness of power He possessed and expressed.
2. There was true greatness in the Person of Jesus
While others may have become famous because of “hype”, Jesus became great simply because greatness was inherent and intrinsic in Him!
3. The spreading of the Name of Jesus
All who had heard Him speak, found that they could not but share what they had heard. They had never come across such a powerful and eloquent Speaker as Jesus.
Those who were healed could not but share with others about how they were blessed when they met Jesus. They would of course want others to benefit as they did from having come to Jesus with faith in their hearts.
EVEN KING HEROD ANTIPAS HEARD ABOUT JESUS
Herod Antipas who had taken over the reign of Palestine, after the death of King Herod the Great, could not but hear about the growing fame of Jesus (Cf. Mark 1:28). As the ruler, he felt that he was duty bound to find out more about the identity of Jesus.
1. Herod’s personal belief
Herod Antipas had his own personal belief about Jesus. Mark picked up on this.
“And he said,
‘John the Baptist is risen from the dead,
and therefore these powers are at work in him.’
MARK 6:14
2. Opinions of others
Obviously, Herod had his men to check out what people were saying about Jesus. Three opinions seemed to have surfaced strongly:-
a) Some people thought that Jesus was Elijah who had returned (Cf. Malachi 4:5).
b) Others thought that He was The prophet spoken of by Moses (Cf. Deuteronomy 18:15).
c) Still others spoke of Jesus as one of the prophets of old.
Herod was spoilt for choice, but all were wrong! Jesus was more than a prophet!