Psalm 106:1-18; 2 Samuel 17:24-18:8; Acts 22:30-23:11; Mark 11:12-26
The battle is engaged. David’s strategy is to divide command of his armies among three men and yet his plan was to go out to battle with them. The soldiers and commanders urged David not to go but to remain in the city and send reinforcements from there. They wisely perceive that David is the only true objective of this war and if David is lost, all is lost. These men are devoted to David, willing to lay down their own lives to preserve David. Such loyalty and love is rare and yet David seemed to inspire such sacrifice. His love for Absalom, even in his revolt and even here as he seeks to kill his father, is unwavering, ordering his commanders to deal gently with Absalom. The battle was fierce and much life was lost among brothers in this pointless civil war. Was Absalom’s life worth the loss of so many other lives?
Does Jesus not know that the fig tree was out of season for bearing figs? It seems unlikely that Mark would believe such a thing so there must be something else at work. The acted out parable of the fig tree wraps around the story of driving out the moneychangers from the Temple so perhaps the two are related. Jesus is looking for fruit on the fig tree and finds none. Entering the city He proceeds to the temple and finds that instead of being a house of prayer for all nations the Jews have allowed those who do foreign exchange and who sell officially licensed sacrificial animals have taken over what was called the court of the Gentiles. The Gentiles, therefore, were not allowed in the area of the temple, near to God. The nation, then could not bear fruit among the Gentiles because the Gentiles had no access. Like the fig tree, the nation was barren. Does Jesus then curse the nation? No, He dies for the nation and it will not bear fruit apart from Him.
Does Paul not know that Ananais is the high priest? It is quite possible that he did not, he had not been in Jerusalem for a good long while and it is possible that he no longer kept track of such things. It is also a bit confusing to unravel historically just exactly who was the high priest any given year during this time as it transferred between a few people from one family during this time. Paul, however, recognizes that if indeed Ananais is the high priest that his remark that the man was a whitewashed wall was out of line. Paul uses the division between the Sadducees and Pharisees over the resurrection from the dead as wedge so that they will not come against him as a united front. Paul surely remembers what happens when religious people unite against an individual, especially concerning Jesus. Paul is blessed to have received this comforting word from the Lord, we don’t always get that comfort. So long as Paul is faithful, the Lord’s will prevails.
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided;
great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
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