Question 7. Please give an outline of Mark 16:15-19. Is this mission, unto which the Lord sends “the eleven,” continued beyond their personal testimony? W. H.
Ans. Here our risen Lord victorious over death, and sin, and Satan’s power, is speaking “GO YE into all the world, (Lit. the whole creation) and preach the gospel to every creature”. This is the good news just as we know it. “Christ died for our sins” and “is risen for our justification”. And this was their authority to preach it.
Mark 16:16 is the result of the preaching, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Whosoever believed the gospel, and united with the disciples by baptism, confessing the Lord, would be saved. He who believed not, would be condemned; it is a question of salvation or condemnation.
Mark 16:17-18. In the signs that follow, we see: 1st, Satan’s power defeated; 2nd, Grace reaches people of every language; 3rd, The servants are protected till their work is done. 4th, They heal the sick.
Mark 16:19 is Christ’s present place at the right hand of God.
Mark 16:20 shows that they went forth and preached everywhere as in verse 15, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word with the signs of His power following. (See also Heb. 2:3-4.)
If there is a doubt on the mind of any believer as to his privilege to preach the gospel because he cannot do the miracles here spoken of, let him meditate and pray over the following Scriptures which were written for the whole Church of God. Service is always individual, and each believer, young and old, male and female, needs to find his or her special sphere of service from the Lord and in obedience to the Word. Acts 8:4; Romans 10:14-15; Romans 16; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:8, 4:2, 5; The gospel is good news committed to us who are saved, to tell others how they can be saved (Romans 1:14-17).
Paul is not carrying out this commission of Mark 16, but had his own direct from Christ, the glorified Head, in heaven. He preached to every creature under heaven, and unfolded the mystery of the church (Col. 1:23-26).
Mark gives what is of general application; the rejection of Christ by the Jewish nation seen in Acts 1 to 8, and to “the Jew first” is left out by him.
Question 8.
Please explain Isaiah 65:20, “There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” C. E.
Ans. Isaiah 65:17 to 25 is a description of some of the blessings coming to Israel during the millennial reign of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 8:8-12, tells us every one of them will know the Lord; Revelation 20:13, rids the earth of Satan during that period; Isaiah 25:8, with 1 Corinthians 15:54 and Revelation 20:4-6, let us see that ALL the sleeping saints have been raised, the First resurrection is completed; no more saints can ever die. It is of this period our verse speaks, death cannot touch the infant of days nor the old man leaning on his staff for multitude of days Zechariah 8:4, 5. One of an hundred years is counted as a child or youth; if he die it is as a sinner, accursed.
Though Satan is bound and the Lord Jesus Christ is reigning; death and sin are present in Millennial days, proving that man’s evil nature is unchanged. The new birth is needed in all dispensations before a man can enjoy communion with God (John 3:3-5).
Question 9.
What does the inn in Luke 10:34 represent? L. G.
Ans. Luke 10:25-37. This story spoken by our Lord to the lawyer who tempted Him, and who thought he could keep the law; not knowing his own badness nor his helplessness, illustrates the grace of God in our Lord Jesus Christ. It pictures man on the downward road, ruined and helpless, unable to receive the benefit of priest and Levite; who therefore pass by on the other side.
In the Samaritan we see the love and grace of God to His enemies, in our blessed Lord coming down from heaven, taking our place and bearing our sins on the cross, 2 Corinthians 8:9, taking us up in His compassionate love, bestowing upon us life everlasting, peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessed hope of glory with Christ above.
The inn, therefore, would suggest to us the safe place the Lord has put us in till He comes for us; for in this parable it is not home (as in Luke 15) in the Father’s house. We are seen as strangers here, but under the care of the Holy Spirit, who ministers to us the sufficiency of Christ; the two pence, that is; all that Christ is for us now, including our great High Priest and Advocate.
“When I come again, I will repay thee” and “Go thou and do likewise” might teach us our precious privilege of fellowship with the Lord in this Ministry of Grace to both sinner and saint.