his there is no recorded instance in the New Testament, but it finds an illustration in the tradition of the poisoned cup which was offered to St. John.
Any deadly thing - Any poison usually causing death.
Shall not hurt them - There is a similar promise in Isaiah 43:2.
They shall lay hands on the sick ... - See instances of this in the Acts of the Apostles, Acts 3:6-7; Acts 5:15, etc.
17, 18. And these signs shall follow them that believe … They shall take up serpents—These two verses also are peculiar to Mark.The Ascension and Triumphant Proclamation of the Gospel Thereafter (Mr 16:19, 20).
See Poole on "Mark 16:15"They shall take up serpents,.... The Arabic version adds, "in their own hands"; and in an ancient manuscript of Beza's it is read, "in the hands"; so the Apostle Paul had a viper, which fastened and hung on his hand, which he shook off, without receiving any harm from it, Acts 28:3.
And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; not that they were hereby warranted to drink poison, to show what power they had; but should they accidentally drink it, or rather should they be forced to it by their enemies in order to destroy them, they should find no hurt by it: and Papias (x) reports of Barsabas, surnamed Justus, who was put up with Matthias for the apostleship, Acts 1:23, that he drank a poisonous draught, and by the grace of the Lord, received no hurt: and the Jews themselves report (y), that
"a son of R. Joshua ben Levi, swallowed something hurtful; and one came and whispered to him in the name of Jesus, the son of Pandira (so they call our Lord), and he did well.''
It follows,
and they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover; as the Apostle Paul did on the father of Publius, who was thereby healed of a fever, and a bloody flux, and also others, Acts 28:8; nay, some were healed by the shadow of Peter, Acts 5:15, and others, by handkerchiefs and aprons taken from the body of Paul, Acts 19:12. The Persic version adds, without any authority, "whatsoever ye ask in my name, shall be given unto you".
(x) Apud Euseb. Hist. Eccl. l. 3. c. 39. (y) T. Hieros. Sabbat, fol. 14. 4. & Avoda Zara, fol. 40. 4. & Midrash Kobelet, fol. 81. 1.
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Mark 16:18. Ὄφεις ἀροῦσι] They shall lift up serpents (take them into the hand and lift them up). Such a thing is not known from the history of the apostolic times (what took place with the adder on the hand of Paul in Acts 28:2 ff. is different); it would, moreover, be too much like juggling for a σημεῖονof believers, and betrays quite the character of apocryphal legend, for which, perhaps, a traditional distortion of the fact recorded in Acts 28:2 f. furnished a basis, whilst the serpent-charming so widely diffused in the East (Elsner, Obss. p. 168; Wetstein in loc.; Winer, Realw.) by analogy supplied material enough. The promise in Luke 10:19 is specifically distinct. Others have adopted for αἴρειν the meaning of taking out of the way (John 17:5; Matthew 24:39; Acts 21:36), and have understood it either of the driving away, banishing (Luther, Heumann, Paulus), or of the destroying of the serpents (Euthymius Zigabenus, Theophylact, both of whom, however, give also the option of the correct explanation); but the expression would be inappropriate and singular, and the thing itself in the connection would not be sufficiently marvellous. The meaning: “to plantserpents as signs of victory with healing effect,” in which actual serpents would have to be thought of, but according to their symbolical significance, has a place only in the fancy of Lange excited by John 3:14, not in the text. The singular thought must at least have been indicated by the addition of the essentially necessary word σημεῖα (Isaiah 5:26; Isaiah 11:12), as the classical writers express raising a signal by αἴρειν σημεῖον (comp. Thuc. i. 49. 1, and Krüger thereon).κἂν θανάσ. τι πίωσιν κ.τ.λ.] Likewise an apocryphal appendage, not from the direct contemplation of the life of believers in the apostolic age. The practice of condemning to the cup of poison gave material for it. But it is not to be supposed that the legend of the harmless poison-draught of John(comp. also the story of Justus Barsabas related by Papias in Euseb. H. E. iii. 39) suggested our passage (in opposition to de Wette and older expositors), because the legend in question does not occur till so late (except in Abdias, hist. apost. v. 20, and the Acta Joh. in Tischendorf, p. 266 ff., not mentioned till Augustine); it rather appears to have formed itself on occasion of Matthew 20:23 from our passage, or to have developed itself[186] out of the same conception whence our expression arose, as did other similar traditions (see Fabricius in Abd. p. 576). On θανάσιμον, which only occurs here in the N. T., equivalent to ΘΑΝΑΤΗΦΌΡΟΝ (Jam 3:8), see Wetstein, and Stallbaum, ad Plat. Rep.p. 610 C.
καλῶς ἕξουσιν] the sick.[187] Comp. Acts 28:8 f.
[186] Lange knows how to rationalize this σημεῖον also. In his view, there is symbolically expressed “the subjective restoration of life to invulnerability.” Christ is held to declare that the poison-cup would not harm His people, primarily in the symbolical sense, just as it did not harm Socrates in his soul; but also in the typical sense: that the life of believers would be ever more and more strengthened to the overcoming of all hurtful influences, and would in many cases, even in the literal sense, miraculously overcome them. This is to put into, and take out of the passage, exactly what pleases subjectivity.
[187] Not the believers who heal (Lange: “they on their part shall enjoy perfect health”). This perverted meaning would need at least to have been suggested by the use of καὶ αὐτοί(and they on their part).
18. they shall take up serpents] And so we read of St Paul shaking off the viper at Malta (Acts 28:5). Comp. Luke 10:19.
and if they drink] As is related of St John that he drank the cup of hemlock which was intended to cause his death, and suffered no harm from it, and of Barsabas surnamed Justus (Eusebius, Eccl. Hist. iii. 39).
they shall lay hands on the sick] As St Peter did on the lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple (Acts 3:7), and St Paul on Publius in the island of Malta (Acts 28:8). “Gifts of healing” are mentioned both by this last Apostle (1 Corinthians 12:9) and by St James (Mark 5:14-15) as remaining in the Church.
Mark 16:18. Θανάσιμον, deadly) The resurrection of dead men is not here mentioned: Jesus Christ performed more than He promised. But we read of only Tabitha being raised by Peter, and Eutychus by Paul: for now that the Saviour has entered His glory, it is more desirable [more to be wished for] to wing one’s flight by faith out of this world into the other, than to return to this life.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents.…
— Mark 16:17,18
In the remote back hills of some states, there are religious groups who literally “take up serpents” as a part of their church services. These groups have taken Jesus’ words in Mark 16:17 and 18 literally, where He said, “And these signs shall follow them that believe…they shall take up serpents….” Based on this scripture, these people have concluded that Jesus was actually ordering believers to “take up serpents” as a way to demonstrate the strength of their faith!
Back behind the pulpit and next to the wall in these churches are cages that contain rattlesnakes and other poisonous snakes. At a preappointed moment in the church service, the cages are popped open, the snakes are brought out, and those who are daring enough pass those serpents from one person to the next. But is this what Jesus was talking about when he said believers would “take up serpents”? Of course not!
Let’s consider the times in which Jesus uttered these words. Then we can better see how these words of Jesus apply to us today.
The word “serpents” is the Greek word ophis, which was used to depict snakes. Snakes were considered to be dangerous and life-threatening creatures. People were especially afraid of snakes because the road system at this time was very much undeveloped. This meant people often had to blaze their own trail to get to some cities or remote places. Hiding in the rocks or grasses were dangerous and poisonous snakes that frequently bit travelers, causing premature death. These snakes were a concern to all travelers, especially to those traveling by foot.
In Luke 10:19, Jesus said, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” When Jesus uttered these words to His disciples, it was right after He had commanded them to go into the harvest fields of the world to reap the souls of men (see Luke 10:2-11). This verse was Jesus’ supernatural guarantee that when they went to preach, they would have divine protection against serpents, scorpions, and anything else the enemy might try to use to stop or hurt them. This is why Jesus concluded by saying, “…nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
But notice that in addition to serpents, Jesus also mentioned scorpions! The scorpions in the Middle East were extremely feared because they were loaded with deadly poison. One sting from the tail of such a scorpion, and a person could be permanently paralyzed or even killed. When people took journeys by foot, the prospect of encountering a scorpion was just as scary as the thought of snakes. Scorpions hid in the rocks and in the ruts in the road. Therefore, sitting on the wrong rock or accidentally stepping on the wrong spot in the road could result in disaster.
Jesus’ promise to His disciples that they would “tread upon serpents and scorpions” was very important! The word “tread” is the Greek word pateo, which simply means to walk. Jesus was telling them that even if they walked right over a scorpion or snake, they didn’t need to worry because He was giving them special, supernatural protection against these natural dangers. This was a specific promise of protection for those who would be journeying long distances or through rough terrain to preach the Gospel!
To make sure the concerns of all travelers were completely covered, Jesus added, “…and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” The word “hurt” is the Greek word adikeo, which means to suffer injustice or to suffer some kind of wrong or wrongdoing. This was the Lord’s promise that we need not fear injustice or wrongdoing when we have been sent into His harvest field. In fact, the Greek uses a triple negative in this phrase. It literally says, “…and nothing (first negative), no (second negative), by no means (third negative) will injure or harm you.” Jesus said this in the strongest terms available to assure followers that if they go into the whole world to preach the Gospel, they will be divinely guarded from all forms of evil.
Now let’s go back to where we began today in Mark 16:17,18. Jesus said, “These signs will follow them that believe…they shall take up serpents….” What did this mean to the disciples, and how does it apply to you and me today?
For the disciples, it meant they were divinely guarded by the power of God. This divine protection was so powerful that even if they were to be bitten by a deadly snake or a highly venomous scorpion, it would have no effect on them. An example of this can be found in Acts 28:3-6 when the apostle Paul was bitten by a deadly viper. Paul simply shook off the snake into the fire and went away unharmed (see June 25).
You see, Jesus gave His disciples supernatural protection because He was sending them to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Things that would normally injure or kill others would have no effect on them whatsoever. Since they were required to walk by foot through dangerous and rough terrain, this was a very important promise!
What does this have to do with you and me? First of all, it has nothing to do with passing rattlesnakes around a congregation! Although believers who do this may be sincere, they are sincerely wrong. This is foolishness and presumption. Jesus never intended for us to deliberately endanger ourselves!
But if we go in Jesus’ name to carry the Gospel to parts of the world that are considered to be unsafe, it does mean that God’s power will protect us! We may not deal with serpents and scorpions like the early believers did, but there may be times when we are required to fly on rickety airplanes, drive on dangerous roads, pass through highly volatile areas, or work in regions that are considered dangerous.
But as noted earlier (see July 7), this divine protection is activated in those of us who believe that God’s promise of protection will work for us. Whenever we enter dangerous territory in fear, doubt, and unbelief, we are likely to get in trouble. But if we will go believing and claiming that God’s protection is ours and that the enemy can’t do anything to hurt us, our faith in this promise will activate it and cause it to be manifested in our lives!
The bottom line is this: Before we ever take a mission trip, move to the mission field, or go anywhere considered dangerous for the sake of the Gospel, we need to make certain that we believe and actively claim the divine promise contained in this verse!
Mark 16:17-18
Of the gospel writers, Mark is the only one to record this account. These verses are similar to both Matthew's and Luke's versions of Christ's commission to the apostles (Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 24:36-49). However, only Mark includes the "signs [that] will follow those who believe." Are they commands for the followers of Christ or promises? In particular, does Jesussay Christians should handle snakes, or does He promise to protect them if they are bitten?
Many in the church believe, and it may well be, that Christ was speaking only to those God has called to preach the gospel. After all, in verse 15, He had said to the eleven remaining disciples,"Go into all the world." Combine this with the fact that we can see examples of the apostles fulfilling these signs in the New Testament and a case can be made for this view.
A snake bit the apostle Paul while he was on the island of Malta, and no harm came to him (Acts 28:1-6). However, he did not go looking for the snake in an effort to prove his faith. The snake bit him unexpectedly, in front of others, and God protected him as promised.
Luke writes that "the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name" (Luke 10:17). He also records in Acts 5:12, ". . . through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people." It is quite possible that this section of Mark applies to the apostles and perhaps is further limited to their lifetimes, that is, the first century. A slight problem with this conclusion is that Mark 16:17 says, ". . . these signs will follow those who believe." It would appear that these verses apply to all believers, all Christians, regardless of when they live.
In Matthew 4, Satan tempts Christ in various ways. At one point, he tries to get Jesus to throw Himself off the roof of the Temple, saying, "For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge concerning you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone'" (verse 6). Here Satan twists Psalm 91:11-12, which says, "For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone." God is promising protection to His people here, telling us that He will place His angels about us. He is not telling us to attempt to hurt ourselves in a deliberate effort to see if He will come through for us.
Interestingly, the next verse tells us that we will "tread upon the lion and the cobra" and that we will "trample underfoot" the "young lion and the serpent" (verse 13). Again, within the context of Psalm 91, God is promising His protection.
When Satan attempts to persuade Christ to jump off a building to prove that He truly is the Son of God, He answers the Devil, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God'" (Matthew 4:7). Certainly, Jesus knew that God's angels were all about Him, but He also knew not to test God deliberately. Christ was quoting from Deuteronomy 6:16, where hundreds of years earlier, He Himself had said this very same thing to the Israelites.
In Deuteronomy 5, through Moses, He had rehearsed to the children of Israel the Ten Commandments. Then, in chapter 6, He told them to "love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might" (verse 5). He further told them to teach God's ways to their children, fear Him, stay away from other gods, and do "not tempt the LORD your God" (verses 7, 13-14, 16). As Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 show, God's blessings would flow to them if they were obedient—blessings that include the promise of protection.
In Luke 10:17, the seventy that Christ had sent out returned with great joy, amazed that even the demons had been subject to them. Jesus responds:
Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. (verses 19-20)
Protection is promised here, not a command to flaunt their God-given authority. He specifically instructs them "not [to] rejoice in this" because it was not of their doing, not a show of faith. It was God's protection pure and simple.
The prophet Isaiah pens words of God similar to these in Isaiah 43:1-3, 5:
Fear not, for I have redeemed you; . . . you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. . . . Fear not, for I am with you.
Throughout His Word, God has promised us His protection. He is especially watchful over those He has commissioned to carry out His work, as well as all those whom He has called to make a witness for Him. The Bible is full of examples of His power to deliver His servants from life-threatening situations.
However, He does not guarantee to cover our foolishness when we put ourselves into potentially dangerous situations. He abhors being tempted—tested—as if He needs to prove Himself and His power to us. Psalm 78 shows His distaste for the Israelites' constant testing of Him in the wilderness. The last thing He desires is for members of His church to follow their example of unbelief (see Hebrews 3:7 through 4:2).
WORD-BY-WORD COMPARISON OF THE GREEK TO ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS:
[καὶ (conj/adv) Untranslated is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "but." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even", "also," and "just." --
ἐν (prep) Untranslated is en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power," and "with". --
ταῖς (article pl fem dat) "Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
χερσὶν] ( noun pl fem dat ) Untranslated is cheir (cheir) which means "the hand and arm," and "with the help of agency of another." Like "hand" in English, it has a lot of meanings including "an act or deed", "a body of people," and the measurement "handful."
ὄφεις (noun pl masc acc) "Serpents" is from ophis, which means "serpent", "a serpent-like bracelet", "a specific constellation", "a creeping plant," and "a type of fish." It is a metaphor for "an arrow."
ἀροῦσιν ( verb 3rd pl fut ind act or verb 3rd pl aor subj act ) "They shall take up" is airo, which means "to lift up", "to raise", "to raise up", "to exalt", "to lift and take away," and "to remove." In some forms, it is apaomai, which means to "pray to," or "pray for." --
κἂν (conj) "And if" is kan, which means "and if", "even if," and "although." It is a contraction of kai an. Kai is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "but." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even", "also," and "just." An, which is a particle used with verbs to indicate that the action is limited by circumstances or defined by conditions. There is no exact equivalent in English, but it is translated as "possibly," "would have", "might", "should," and "could."
θανάσιμόν [unique]( adj sg neut acc ) "Deadly" is thanasimos, which means "deadly" and "fatal."
τι ( pron sg neut acc ) "Any...thing" is tiswhich can mean "someone", "any one", "everyone", "they [indefinite]", "many a one", "whoever", "anyone", "anything", "some sort", "some sort of", "each", "any", "the individual", "such," and so on. In a question, it can mean "who", "why," or "what." --
πίωσιν ( verb 3rd pl aor subj act ) "They drink" is pinô (pino), which means "to drink", "to celebrate," and "soak up." --
οὐ μὴ (partic) "Not" is ou me, the two forms of Greek negative used together. Ouis the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. Mê (me) is the negative used in prohibitions and expressions of doubt meaning "not" and "no." As οὐ (ou) negates fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective. --
αὐτοὺς (adj pl masc acc) "Them" is autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself", "yourself", "himself", "herself", "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him", "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." In the adverbial form, it means "just here" or "exactly there." --
βλάψῃ, [unique]( verb 3rd sg aor subj act ) "It shall...hurt" is blapto, which means "disable," "hinder," and, of the mind, "distract", and "pervert."
ἐπὶ (prep) "Against" is epi, which means "on", "over", "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across," "after" in position, "during", and "against." --
ἀρρώστους [unique]( adj pl masc acc ) "Sick" is arrostos, which means "weak", and "sickly."
χεῖρας ( noun pl fem acc ) "Hands" is cheir which means "the hand and arm," and "with the help of agency of another." Like "hand" in English, it has a lot of meanings including "an act or deed", "a body of people," and the measurement "handful."
ἐπιθήσουσιν [4 verses] (verb 3rd pl fut ind act ) "They shall lay" is epitithemi, which means "to lay", "to put", "to place upon", "to set upon", "to put on," and "to dispatch." --
καὶ (conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "but." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even", "also," and "just." -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is best translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as".
καλῶς ( adj pl masc acc ) "Recover" is kalos, which means "beautiful", "good", "of fine quality", "noble," and "honorable." It is most often translated as "good" juxtaposed with "evil" in the New Testament, but the two ideas are closer to "wonderful" and "worthless", "noble" and "base." -- The word translated as "good means "good", "beautiful", "noble," or "of good quality." See this article on the real Greek meaning of the terms translated as "good" and "evil." The word translated as "well" means, as an adverb, "well", "rightly", "happily", "thoroughly", "altogether", and "deservedly".
ἕξουσιν. ( verb 3rd pl fut ind act ) Untranslated is echo, which means "to have", "to hold", "to possess", "to keep", "to have charge of", "to have due to one", "to maintain", "to hold fast", "to bear", "to carry", "to keep close", "to keep safe," and "to have means to do."
KJV Analysis:
Missing "And into the hands." -- (OS) The Greek source we use today has an introductory phrase here than means "And into the hands." The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with," or "among." The Greek word translated as "hands" means "the hand and forearm". It can mean both the idea of a helping hand and being in someone's control.
They -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
shall -- This helping verb "shall" indicates that the verb is the future tense or a form that indicates possibility at some time. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
take up -- "Take up" is one of Jesus's favorite "multiple meaning" words. It is a verb that means "to raise up", "elevate", "to bear", "to carry off", "to take and apply to any use," and "to cause to cease."Christ uses this verb to refer to what will happen to "the son of man," which can apply either to his being raised from the dead or lifted up on the cross. The form is either the future tense or the form of possibility.
serpents; -- "Serpents" is a noun that means "serpent" or "snake." It is a metaphor for "an arrow."
and if -- "And if" is from a conjunction that means "and if", "even if," and "although." It is a contraction of the conjunction "and" that joins and the particle that indicates a possibility,
they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
drink -- The word "drink" is the Greek for meaning to "drink". It also has a double meaning. "To drink" also means "to celebrate." The form is one of possibility.This form is required by the "if" conjunction.
any -- The Greek word translated as "any...thing" in the singular means "anyone", "someone," and "anything." In the plural, it means "some", "they," and "those."
deadly -- "Deadly" is a unique word for Jesus. It means "deadly" and "fatal."
thing, -- This "thing" is from the singular, neutral form of the previous adjective "any."
it - This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
shall -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if" or "when" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
not -- (WW) The "not" here is both of the Greek negatives used together. Greek has two negatives, one objective, one subjective. The use of both together is more extreme, like saying "you cannot really think." This is best simply as "never."
hurt -- "Hurt" is another unique word for Jesus that means "disable," "hinder," and, of the mind, "distract", and "pervert."
them; -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
shall -- This helping verb "shall" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
lay -- "Lay"" is from another uncommon Greek word for Jesus that means "to lay", "to put", "to impose," and "to place upon." Jesus commonly uses its root form that also means "to put" but this version has a prefix emphasizing the idea of the being putting "upon" or "against" something.
hands -- The Greek word translated as "hands" means "the hand and forearm". It can mean both the idea of a helping hand and being in someone's control.
on -- The word translated as "unto" means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on."
the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English, an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.
sick, -- "Sick" is an adjective that means "weak", and "sickly." There is no article, "the," that would normally be used to make it a noun.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
shall -- This helping verb "shall" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
untranslated "have"-- (MW) The untranslated word "have" means to "have", "possess", "bear", "keep close", "have means to do", "to have due to one", or "keep" and many specific uses. This verb isn't used to form past tenses as it is in English. The form is plural, future tense.
recover. -- (WW) The word translated as "recover" is not a verb but a common adjective or adverb that Jesus uses frequently. It means "good", "beautiful", "noble," or "of good quality" as an adjective. As an adverb it means well", "rightly", "happily", "thoroughly", "altogether", and "deservedly". In the context of "sick," the sense is "wellness." See this article on the real Greek meaning of the terms translated as "good" and "evil."
KJV Translation Issues:
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The untranslated Greek words here "and in the hands" existed in today's sources but not in the Greek source that KJV Greek used.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "shall" does not mean the future tense.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "not" means "never."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "have" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "recover" means "wellness."
NIV Analysis:
untranslated "and"-- (MW) The untranslated word "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
They -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense or a form that indicates possibility at some time. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
pick up -- "Pick up" is one of Jesus's favorite "multiple meaning" words. It is a verb that means "to raise up", "elevate", "to bear", "to carry off", "to take and apply to any use," and "to cause to cease."Christ uses this verb to refer to what will happen to "the son of man," which can apply either to his being raised from the dead or lifted up on the cross. The form is either the future tense or the form of possibility.
snakes; -- "Serpents" is a noun that means "serpent" or "snake." It is a metaphor for "an arrow."
with -- The word translated as "with" also means "in," "within", "with," or "among."
their -- (WW) The word translated as "their" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
hands; -- The Greek word translated as "hands" means "the hand and forearm". It can mean both the idea of a helping hand and being in someone's control.
and when -- "And when" is from a conjunction that means "and if", "even if," and "although." It is a contraction of the conjunction "and" that joins and the particle that indicates a possibility,
they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
drink -- The word "drink" is the Greek for meaning to "drink". It also has a double meaning. "To drink" also means "to celebrate." The form is one of possibility. This form is required by the "if" conjunction.
untranslated "anything"-- (MW) The untranslated word "anything" in the singular means "anyone," "someone," and "anything." In the plural, it means "some", "they," and "those."
deadly -- "Deadly" is a unique word for Jesus. It means "deadly" and "fatal."
poison, -- (IW) There is no Greek word that can be translated as "poison" in the Greek source.
it - This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
will -- (CW) This helping verb "will " does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
not -- (WW) The "not" here are both of the Greek negatives used together. Greek has two negatives, one objective, one subjective. The use of both together is more extreme, like saying "you cannot really think." This is best simply as "never."
hurt -- "Hurt" is another unique word for Jesus that means "disable," "hinder," and, of the mind, "distract", and "pervert."
them; -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
at all -- (IP) There are no Greek words that can be translated as "at all" in the Greek source.
they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
place -- "Place" is from another uncommon Greek word for Jesus that means "to lay", "to put", "to impose," and "to place upon." Jesus commonly uses its root form that also means "to put" but this version has a prefix emphasizing the idea of the being putting "upon" or "against" something.
their -- (IW) There is no Greek word that can be translated as "their" in the Greek source.
hands -- The Greek word translated as "hands" means "the hand and forearm". It can mean both the idea of a helping hand and being in someone's control.
on -- The word translated as "unto" means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on."
sick, -- "Sick" is an adjective that means "weak", and "sickly." There is no article, "the," that would normally be used to make it a noun.
people -- (IW) There is no Greek word that can be translated as "people" in the Greek source.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
get -- (WW) The word translated as "get" means to "have", "possess", "bear", "keep close", "have means to do", "to have due to one", or "keep" and many specific uses. This verb isn't used to form past tenses as it is in English. The form is plural, future tense.
well. -- The word translated as "well" is a common adjective or adverb that Jesus uses frequently. It means "good," "beautiful", "noble," or "of, good quality" as an adjective. As an adverb it means well", "rightly", "happily", "thoroughly", "altogether", and "deservedly". In the context of "sick," the sense is "wellness." See this article on the real Greek meaning of the terms translated as "good" and "evil."
NIV Translation Issues:
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "their" means "the" or "these."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "anything" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "poison" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "will" does not mean the future tense.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "not" means "never."
- IP - Inserted phrase-- The phrase "at all" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "their" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "people" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "get" means "have."
3rd Analysis:
untranslated "and"-- (MW) The untranslated word "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
They -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense or a form that indicates possibility at some time. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
be able to -- (IP) There are no Greek words that can be translated as "be able to" in the Greek source.
handle -- "Handle" is one of Jesus's favorite "multiple meaning" words. It is a verb that means "to raise up", "elevate", "to bear", "to carry off", "to take and apply to any use," and "to cause to cease."Christ uses this verb to refer to what will happen to "the son of man," which can apply either to his being raised from the dead or lifted up on the cross. The form is either the future tense or the form of possibility.
snakes; -- "Serpents" is a noun that means "serpent" or "snake." It is a metaphor for "an arrow."
with -- The word translated as "with" also means "in," "within", "with," or "among."
safety -- (IW) There is no Greek word that can be translated as "safety" in the Greek source.
untranslated "the"-- (MW) The untranslated word "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
untranslated "hands"-- (MW) The untranslated word "hands" means "the hand and forearm". It can mean both the idea of a helping hand and being in someone's control.
and if -- "And if" is from a conjunction that means "and if", "even if," and "although." It is a contraction of the conjunction "and" that joins and the particle that indicates a possibility,
they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
drink -- The word "drink" is the Greek for meaning to "drink". It also has a double meaning. "To drink" also means "to celebrate." The form is one of possibility. This form is required by the "if" conjunction.
anything -- The word "anything" in the singular means "anyone," "someone," and "anything." In the plural, it means "some", "they," and "those."
poisonous -- "Poisonous" is a unique word for Jesus. It means "deadly" and "fatal."
it - This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
will -- (CW) This helping verb "will " does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
not -- (WW) The "not" here are both of the Greek negatives used together. Greek has two negatives, one objective, one subjective. The use of both together is more extreme, like saying "you cannot really think." This is best simply as "never."
hurt -- "Hurt" is another unique word for Jesus that means "disable," "hinder," and, of the mind, "distract", and "pervert."
them; -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
be able to -- (IP) There are no Greek words that can be translated as "be able to" in the Greek source.
place -- "Place" is from another uncommon Greek word for Jesus that means "to lay", "to put", "to impose," and "to place upon." Jesus commonly uses its root form that also means "to put" but this version has a prefix emphasizing the idea of the being putting "upon" or "against" something.
their -- (IW) There is no Greek word that can be translated as "their" in the Greek source.
hands -- The Greek word translated as "hands" means "the hand and forearm". It can mean both the idea of a helping hand and being in someone's control.
on -- The word translated as "unto" means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on."
the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English, an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.
sick, -- "Sick" is an adjective that means "weak", and "sickly." There is no article, "the," that would normally be used to make it a noun.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
be -- (WW) The word translated as "be" means to "have", "possess", "bear", "keep close", "have means to do", "to have due to one", or "keep" and many specific uses. This verb isn't used to form past tenses as it is in English. The form is plural, future tense.
healed. -- (WW) The word translated as "healed " is a common adjective or adverb that Jesus uses frequently. It means "good," "beautiful", "noble," or "of, good quality" as an adjective. As an adverb it means well", "rightly", "happily", "thoroughly", "altogether", and "deservedly". In the context of "sick," the sense is "wellness." See this article on the real Greek meaning of the terms translated as "good" and "evil."
3rd Issue Count:
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" is not shown in the English translation.
- IP - Inserted phrase-- The phrase "be able to" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "safety" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "hands" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "their" means "the" or "these."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "will" does not mean the future tense.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "not" means "never."
- IP - Inserted phrase-- The phrase "be able to" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "their" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "people" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "be" means "have."
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "healed" means "well" or "wellness."
As we look at the Book of Acts we find that these signs did follow the early believers. For example, the believers in Jesus were able to cast out demons. We read in the Book of Acts when demons were cast out of people.
Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed (Acts 5:16 NASB).
This ability did follow the first Christians.
They also spoke with new tongues. We read of this occurring on the Day of Pentecost.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.(Acts 2:4 NKJV).
There is also an example of Paul picking up a snake but not being harmed by it. We also read about this in the Book of Acts.
As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, fastened itself onto his hand. The people of the island saw it hanging there and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.” But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and decided he was a god (Acts 28:3-6 NLT).
Furthermore, we find examples of people being healed with the laying on of hands. Indeed, the man Ananias laid hands on Saul of Tarsus after this persecutor of Christians encountered Jesus on the Damascus Road. The Bible says.
So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 9:17NRSV).
There is no example of anyone drinking something deadly and recovering from the experience. However four out of the five promises in Mark 16 were literally fulfilled by the believers in Jesus Christ.
Does This Mean the Signs Will Always Follow Believers?
The promise in Mark 16 has been understood to mean that these signs will always follow those who believe in Jesus. Three things should be said in response to this.
There Is a Question of Text’s Authenticity
First, there is a question as to the authenticity of the last twelve verses of Mark. The two oldest Greek manuscripts that contain the Gospel of Mark end at 16:8. The verses that promise the signs following are not contained in these manuscripts. While this, in and of itself, does not prove the verses should not be included in Mark, it should cause anyone to be hesitant about building any doctrine from these verses alone.
It has also been argued that the style of these last twelve verses is radically different from the style of the rest of Mark’s gospel. This is another reason to be careful about forming biblical teaching from these verses.
Some have also argued that the theology of this section is at odds with the remainder of the New Testament. The passage says.
The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16 NRSV).
To some this teaches that water baptism is necessary for salvation – a doctrine that is at odds with the rest of the New Testament.
These Truths Are Not Stated Elsewhere
In addition, we do not find the promises of signs following, which are found in the last few verses of Mark, stated elsewhere in the New Testament. There is nothing anywhere that restates these teachings. Because of the insecure nature on which the text rests, there should be a restatement of the claims if we are to accept them as promises of God. Yet there is no other restatement of these words in Scripture.
This Was Not New Testament Experience
Finally, we should not that it was not the normal experience of New Testament believers that these miraculous signs followed those who believed. Indeed, we do not find these things occurring when people put their trust in Jesus. Miracles surrounding the preaching of the gospel were the exception – they were not the rule. Normally the gospel was proclaimed and received without any supernatural signs following.
Did the Miracles Die Out with the Apostles?
There are some who hold the view that these signs did follow the first generation of Christians. However with the death of the apostles, these particular signs ceased.
Therefore, while the signs were in evidence for Jesus’ immediate followers, there was nothing of this sort to be found among the second generation of Christians. In addition, church history does not testify that these signs have followed those who believe in Jesus.
Consequently, we should not expect these types of supernatural signs to occur when people believe in Jesus Christ.
Summary – Question 14
Doesn’t Scripture Promise That Miraculous Signs Will Follow Those Who Believe? (Mark 16:16–18)
The promises which are found in the last few verses of Mark’s gospel have been used to argue for the continuation of miraculous signs to follow those who believe in Jesus. Those who hold this view usually bring up the following points.
Four out of the five signs promised in this passage are recorded in the Book of Acts as having occurred among the first Christians. The only promise which does not have a recorded fulfillment is the harmless effects of drinking deadly poison.
This has been taken to understand that these signs would always follow believers in Jesus. Therefore, today we should expect to see people speaking with new tongues, the sick being healed with the laying on of hands, protection from being bit by snakes, demons being cast out, as well as no harmful effects from drinking deadly poison
There are a number of problems with this position. We can sum them up as follows. First, there is a real question as to whether this text should be included as part of Scripture. Indeed, the two oldest Greek manuscripts which contain the gospel of Mark do not have the last twelve verses in the text. The text ends at 16:8. While there are those who still argue for the authenticity of the last twelve verses of Mark at the very least we should be careful of establishing any doctrine from these verses.
In addition, we do not find these promises stated elsewhere in Scripture. This should give us further reason to doubt that we should claim these promises for ourselves.
Finally, while there are instances of these signs occurring among the believers as recorded in the Book of Acts, it was certainly not the normal experience for each and every believer. In other words, if signs like this did follow, they were rare. Furthermore, as we mentioned, the New Testament does not record anyone having the experience of deadly poison without harmful effects.
Add to this the possibility that the signs, if they were given, were only given temporarily to a select group of people for a limited period of time.
All of this should caution us about using these verses to expect the continuance of miracles among those who believe in Jesus Christ.
THE TIMES OF THE SIGNS
First let us ask this question, “have you ever met a zealous, sectarian Christian who was like the noble Bereans of Acts 17:11 who were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were sot” There are very few unprejudiced Bible teachers, or Bible students, even among those who call themselves non-sectarian Christians. Perhaps all of us are agreed that more than ninety-five per cent of all Christians let their religious, denominational or spiritual leaders do most of their thinking for them. Because of this there are more than four hundred sects in Christendom. Let us ask this personal question, “have you followed the good example of the noble Bereans in reaching a decision as to what you believe and practice as a Christian?” Will you endeavor this one time to be a Berean as you read this message?
Our question is, “what about the signs of Mark 16?” Let us note every word in Mark 16: 14 to 18:
“AFTERWARD HE (CHRIST) APPEARED UNTO THE ELEVEN AS THEY SAT AT MEAT, AND UPBRAIDED THEM WITH THEIR UNBELIEF AND HARDNESS OF HEART, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED NOT THEM WHICH HAD SEEN HIM AFTER HE WAS RISEN.” “AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE. HE THAT BELIEVETH AND IS BAPTIZED SHALL BE SAVED; BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT SHALL BE DAMNED.” “AND THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE; IN MY NAME SHALL THEY CAST OUT DEVILS; THEY SHALL SPEAK WITH NEW TONGUES; THEY SHALL TAKE UP SERPENTS: AND IF THEY DRINK ANY DEADLY THING, IT SHALL NOT HURT THEM; THEY SHALL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, AND THEY SHALL RECOVER.”
Before we deal with these five verses in detail, let us note some words which the Holy Spirit led the Apostle Paul to write to Timothy more than thirty years after the resurrected Christ gave to the Eleven the commission and program of Mark 16:14 to 18. “According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.” I Timothy 1:11. “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might skew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern do them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.” I Timothy 1:16. “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities (sicknesses).” I Timothy 5:23.
Note “the glorious gospel of the blessed God”; use wine for thine oft sicknesses.
Note Timothy’s faith and Paul’s gospel “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee .” “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace; which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” II Timothy 1:5 to 9: This message of Paul was quite different from the message of Mark 16.
“Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to MY gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the Word of God is not bound.” II Timothy 2:8 and 9.
Then the Holy Spirit led Paul to thus instruct believers: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” II Timothy 2:15.
Note Paul’s last words to Timothy: “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” II Timothy 4:5.
Note the fact that Timothy was a Christian of unfeigned faith and that he was instructed to take medicine for his oft sicknesses. Any one who has read these two Epistles to Timothy has learned that Timothy was a faithful courageous uncompromising soldier of Jesus Christ. And any student of these Epistles will surely know that when Paul told Timothy to do the work of an evangelist, or preach the gospel, he did not tell Timothy to lay hands on the sick and they would recover, because faithful Timothy was told to take a physical remedy for his own sickness. Had Timothy endeavored to miraculously heal others, he would have been as inconsistent as was one of our well known Chicago “healing” preachers. While he was speaking over the radio telling Christians about physical healing in the atonement, his false teeth fell out. Moreover he was wearing glasses because of weak eyes. There was also a defect in his hearing. But none of these ailments seemed to convince him, or any of his devotees, of his inconsistency and his erroneous teaching. He continued to preach Mark 16:14 to 18 as God’s program for members of the Body of Christ, telling his listeners that the lack of faith in the atoning work of Christ kept them from being made physically whole no matter what physical afflictions had caused their suffering.
Think of the confusion and the controversy among Christians because of the lack of agreement concerning Mark 16:14 to 18.
Several nights ago I heard on the radio the voice of a preacher in Del Rio, Texas. I soon learned that he was a follower of Alexander Campbell. He would call himself a member of “the Christian Church,” or say that he belonged to “the Disciples of Christ.” When we speak of “Campbellites,” it is that we might be specific and distinguish between these “Christians” and the other Christians we have mentioned in our heading. This radio preacher was pleading and urging, with sincerity, pathos, and fervor, as a loyal “Campbellite,” that his radio listeners hurry to some preacher of his denomination and be immersed in water for the remission of sins before it was too late.
There is no doubt about it, that preacher was in earnest. Moreover, he was more consistent than another zealous preacher of his denomination who, for ten nights, was conducting a revival in his church. He preached every night that it was not possible for any one to be saved without belief and baptism. He quoted Mark 16:16, “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” During the first five or six nights a number of men and women responded to his invitation. Then, on Sunday, after seven days of the evangelistic campaign, he announced that on the following Wednesday night all who had come forward in the meetings would be immersed. A friend of mine said to him, “brother, you are not consistent.” “If what you have been preaching is true, any one of these converts may die before Wednesday night and, according to what you have taught concerning water salvation or baptismal regeneration, that one would go to hell.” “Why don’t you practice what you preach?”
The Campbellites agree with the Plymouth Brethren, with most Pentecostalists and with the Premillennial Baptists, that the Christian Church began on the day of Pentecost. All of these groups believe and teach that the Church which began on the day of Pentecost is the one Body of Christ mentioned in Ephesians 4:4 and described in Ephesians 1:19 to 2:21. And they are generally agreed that the Lord gave no commission to the Apostle Paul that superseded the commission of Mark 16:14 to 18, and that in 1941, A.D., God’s servants are still working under Christ’s orders in Mark 16:15 to 18.
The Campbellites affirm that if this is true, then the salvation message for Jews and Gentiles alike, in the day of grace, is Acts 2:38 “. . . Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Note carefully the order. It does not read, repent, be saved and then be baptized with water after you receive the Holy Spirit.
Read carefully again Mark 16:16: “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Then compare with Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost: “repent, and be baptized for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38. If the Campbellites thus prove, by Mark 16:16 and Acts 2:38, that their salvation message is scriptural, can we prove that it is unscriptural? We shall proceed to prove that, if the Lord Jesus did not give to the Apostle Paul a commission which superseded Mark 16:14 to 18, that is, if this Mark 16 commission sets forth the program for evangelists who are members of Christ’s Body, the Campbellites are far more consistent than are the Plymouth Brethren or the Baptists. Also we will show that if this is true, then the only consistent group among the four we have mentioned, is the Pentecostal group; that even the Campbellites are not.
Before we present this proof, we ask one thought-provoking question. We note in I Corinthians 11:1, that Paul wrote, “be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” Now, do you know a preacher who is in good standing in any of the four groups who follows Paul in two of his statements in I Corinthians? Note the first statement: “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than ye all.” I Corinthians 14:18. Then turn to I Corinthians 1:14 to 17: “I thank God that I baptized none of you but . . .” “For Christ sent me not to baptize.” No Campbellite would thank God for either experience. They do not speak with tongues, and they baptize every one they can get their hands on. Remember we are to follow Paul. What about it?
But now to the program of Mark 16:16 to 18, which the Lord Jesus gave to the Eleven, and we would emphasize “the Eleven.” Mark 16:14. Note the pillars who represented the Eleven. “And when James, Peter and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me (Paul) they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision” Have you carefully studied Galatians 2:7 to 9 to note the difference between the ministry of the Twelve and Paul?
Here we learn that James, Peter and John represented the twelve apostles and that nearly twenty years after Christ spoke the words of Mark 16:15 to 18, Peter and his associates agreed to go to the Jews and leave with Paul the evangelization of the Gentiles. Note Galatians 2:8: “For He that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles.” Here we learn that even before the agreement of Galatians 2:9 that the Lord had wrought mightily in Peter. To whom? To the circumcision. Not to the Gentiles, except to the household of Cornelius.
Why does the Holy Spirit mention Peter in Galatians 2:8 and not the other eleven? Peter was the chief representative of the Twelve. Note how he was also selected according to Acts 15:7. It is strange that the most prejudiced Christians do not like to read Galatians 2:7, and if they do, under protest, they will not believe the statement after they read it. You read it now, and believe it. Why is it that most Christians will not believe this truth? Why do they insist on changing “Of the Circumcision” to “To the Circumcision ?”
Every Bible teacher in any of the four groups mentioned would have to do some adjusting, and some confessing of their erroneous teaching, if they should begin to believe and teach the truth of Galatians 2:7. Note it very carefully. “But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me (Paul) as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter.”
In this connection let us note Peter’s message of Acts 5:29 to 33 and his confession of Acts 10:28.
“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, Whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with His right hand be a Prince and a Saviour, for TO GIVE REPENTANCE TO ISRAEL and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 5:30 and 31.
“Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.”. Acts 10:28 Here we note a turning-point about seven years after the commission given in Mark 16.
What do we learn from these Scriptures? We learn that, for several years, perhaps seven, after Christ gave the “Mark 16:14 to 18” commission to the Eleven, it was not lawful for the Twelve to preach to the Gentiles. Also Peter preached that God had raised Christ from the dead to be a Prince and Saviour, to give repentance and remission. To whom? To ISRAEL. The Lord was mighty in Peter to the apostleship of the Jews. Galatians 2:8. The Lord committed unto Peter the gospel of the circumcision.
Now, the question: “Does your denomination believe and teach this?” Yes or No? How, about you individually? Now a very pointed question: If you know that your denomination is not standing for Divine Truth as it is set forth in the Scriptures, rightly divided, will you continue laboring in that denomination and keep silent as to what you know to be Divine Truth? Just answer this to the Lord, not to me. Some preachers compromise for personal advantages. Read Galatians 1:10.
BELIEF—BAPTISM—SALVATION—SIGNS
But now to Mark 16:15 to 18: “And he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: in My Name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
In the writings of the apostles, Paul. Peter and John, the Holy Spirit presents God’s saving message, the gospel by which the believing sinner is saved. And then he so instructs the believer that he may know that he is saved, that is, the Lord wants the believer to have the proof of his salvation. When the Lord Jesus wanted Israel to believe that He was their Messiah He came with SIGNS. Note John 5:36 and Acts 2:22: “ . . . The same works that I do bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent Me.” “. . . Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know.”
When the Lord wanted Israel to know that He had sent the Twelve, He performed miracles by the Twelve. Hebrews 2:4: “God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will.” The Lord also wanted Jews and Gentiles to believe that Paul was a special apostle, hence II Corinthians 12:12: “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs and wonders, and mighty deeds.” We see that signs were God-given credentials to prove that the movement was Divine.
Thus we see signs accompanied or followed the apostolic claims.
In Mark 16:17 we read, “And these signs shall follow them that believe.” How were the people to be saved? “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”
Note the order: 1. Believeth, 2. Is baptized, 3. Saved,
And then what? Signs! The Campbellites and Pentecostalists preach this message as it is. They do not wrest it as do the Baptists and the Plymouth Brethren, who preach, “he that believeth and is saved shall be baptized’.” Who gave them the right to put “saved” before “baptized”? They are compelled to reverse the order there to support their denominational teachings. It is sad, but true, that prejudices, or preconceived opinions, are such hindrances that it is next to impossible to persuade most Bible teachers to be sufficiently intelligent and honest to acknowledge that in following the saving message of Mark 16:15 and 16, the Campbellites and the Pentecostalists are right and the Baptists and Plymouth Brethren are wrong. This is true also concerning Acts 2:38, Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost. But what do the Plymouth Brethren, the Baptists and the Campbellites do with the signs of Mark 16:17 and 18? These signs here seem to be the proof of salvation.
Note the proof:
1. “they shall cast out devils;
2. “they shall speak with new tongues;
3. “they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;”
4. “they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark 16:17 and 18.
Recently a Bible teacher in England wrote, “if the individual today must prove that he is a believer and is saved, because he practices the signs of Mark 16:17 and 18, there is not one single Christian in this generation and there has not been one since the day that the last apostle died.” Whether or not we believe this statement we do know that the accepted Bible teachers among Campbellites, Baptists and Plymouth Brethren make no attempt to prove that they are genuine Christians by performing the miracles of Mark 16:17 and 18. But the Pentecostalists do. The Campbellites, Baptists and Plymouth Brethren say belief and water baptism are linked together by the Holy Spirit in Mark 16:16 and they say, “what God hath joined together let no man put asunder.” The Pentecostalists say “Amen, but you are inconsistent, if not dishonest.” God hath joined the signs of Mark 16:17 and 18 with the belief and baptism of Mark 16:16. Let the reader be the juror, a real honest juror. Are not the Pentecostalists consistent when they attempt to carry on the “signs” program of Mark 16:17 and 18, if this is the Lord’s commission for this age of grace?
If Mark 16:14 to 18 is the Lord’s program for this age, then the Campbellites, working under Mark 16:14 to 18, are right as to Mark 16:16, but not as to Mark 16:17 and 18. The Plymouth Brethren and Baptists, who think their ministry and program is in line with the Lord’s commission and program of Mark 16:14 to 18, are much mistaken, for they neither preach “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved”, nor have the signs following.
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION
Now let us consider the teaching of the Campbellites and the Pentecostalists as to “salvation by water”, with several of Paul’s statements. We quote I Corinthians 9:22: “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” Romans 9:3: “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” Galatians 4:19: “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.”
Every spiritual, intelligent student of the Scriptures knows that the Apostle Paul ranked first as a “soul winner”. He sacrificed and suffered more than any other apostle or disciple in his desire and endeavor to bring men and women to Christ for salvation. Note his claim in I Corinthians 15:10. He agonized for them. And yet he said, “I thank God I baptized none of you except . . .” (a few). I Corinthians 1:14. Remember. this statement is in the same Epistle in which Paul wrote, “I am become all things to all men that I might win some.”
Now paraphrase Paul’s statement in I Corinthians 1:14 to 16 to harmonize with the teaching of preachers who teach water as a factor in salvation, “I thank God I performed for very few of you that ceremony that would have been a factor in your salvation.” Then he added a statement which had to do not only with the city of Corinth but with Paul’s ministry in general. He said: “Christ sent me not to baptize.” Note Paul’s testimony in I Timothy 1:12 and 16. Christ Jesus put Paul in the ministry and chose him to be a pattern for believers. Christ Jesus put Peter in the ministry and was mighty in him to the apostleship of the circumcision. Christ sent Peter to baptize. Matthew 28:19 and 20. Hear Paul’s testimony, “Christ sent me not to baptize.” In Philippians 1:10, the Holy Spirit, according to the Greek, instructs members of Christ’s Body to “test things that differ”.
SIGNS AMONG THE CORINTHIANS
Now let us note several facts concerning the saints to whom Paul wrote I Corinthians. “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.” I Corinthians 3:1 to 3.
“I speak to your shame.” I Corinthians 6:5.
“Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.” I Corinthians 6:8. Here we learn that these Corinthian saints were not “super-spiritual”. They were not like the very faithful saints whom Paul addressed in his Epistle to the Ephesians. The Corinthians were carnal. Paul could not teach them deep spiritual truths. They were able to take only the milk of the Word. But in I Corinthians 12:8 to 11 we learn that among those carnal Corinthians there was no lack of signs. Note first Acts 18:8: “. . . many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized.” They believed and were baptized. They became saints. Then those saints exercised their sign gifts: “to one the gifts of healing,” “to another the discerning of spirits,” “to another the working of miracles,” “to another divers kinds of tongues,” “to another the interpretation of tongues.” I Corinthians 12:9 and 10.
Perhaps the Corinthian saints were not given these sign gifts in fulfillment of Mark 16:17 and 18; but the fact is, that these different signs were found among them. These sign gifts are not found among Christians today, except in the counterfeit. Then, of course, comes the question, why? Why were those supernatural demonstrations found among those carnal saints in Corinth when not one of these sign gifts is exercised by the most gifted, spiritual Bible teacher of this generation?
Any absolute proof that the sign gifts have been found among any group of God’s people since the death of the apostles is lacking. We may not agree with the belief of Dr. C. I. Scofield but he seems to agree with the Bible. He believed “the sign gifts of I Corinthians 12 were operative only during the “Acts” period”. Any student of Paul’s Epistles, written after the period covered by the Book of Acts, will learn that there is no reference to “tongues”, “signs” and “miracles” in those Epistles. We note in Acts 19:11 and 12, that Paul himself accomplished miraculous physical healings, whereas, in I Timothy 5:23, he instructed Timothy, a faithful saint, to use a physical remedy for his sickness. Moreover, Paul wrote in II Timothy 4:20. “Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick”. Why? Why didn’t he heal Trophimus? Why didn’t someone heal Paul? God’s Divine healing for today is set forth in Philippians 2:27.
The key to this passage is the word "believe." That emphasis is in line with the thrust of Mark's gospel because this gospel does not present Christianity as just a nice story, a fascinating account of events that took place in the first century. It stresses the fact that the death and resurrection of Christ is something to be believed, and it is intended to change lives. As we act on our belief, it changes us. The emphasis here is on the belief of these apostles whom Jesus was to send out into all the world with this great story.
If you want a simple division of the passage, the first verses, 9-14, deal with the basis of apostolic belief; verses 15 and 16 deal with the apostolic preaching; and the rest of the passage, Verses 16-20, deal with the confirmation of the apostolic witness. Let's turn to Verses 9-14 and examine the basis of apostolic belief:
Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. (Mark 16:9-11 RSV)
Immediately, the writer underscores the fact that these disciples, when they heard of Mary's experience with Jesus, did not believe it. You remember how the women had come to the tomb early in the morning, at the first light of dawn, and found the stone rolled away and saw the angel. The angel told them what had happened. "He is risen, as he said." But they did not see Jesus then. Mary Magdalene, according to John's account, was ahead of the others and, seeing the empty tomb, she ran to tell Peter and John immediately. Evidently she did not hear the angel's explanation. Peter and John both ran to the tomb. Peter went inside and saw the grave clothes lying there still wrapped as though they were around a body, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head was folded and placed aside. This convinced Peter and John that indeed Jesus was risen, but they still had not seen him. Mary Magdalene returned more slowly to the tomb and, John tells us, as she stood weeping in the garden and saw what she thought was the gardener, she asked him where they had laid the body of Jesus. He spoke her name and she knew it was Jesus; holding him by the feet, she worshipped him. This was the first appearance of the risen Lord to a disciple. He came first, as Mark tells us, to Mary Magdalene. She ran and told the other disciples. But Mark tells us that when Mary told them that Jesus was alive and that she had actually seen him, they would not believe it.
In Verse 12, Jesus appears to two disciples.
After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. (Mark 16:12-13 RSV)
Here we have the account Luke gives of the two disciples who were walking some eleven miles to the little village of Emmaus. Jesus appeared in "another form," Mark explains, and they did not know him. This was an extended conversation. As they walked along he began with Moses and the prophets and showed them all the things that referred to Messiah. But as they sat at table with him and saw his hands as he broke bread, they recognized their crucified Lord. Then he disappeared.
These two disciples came back to Jerusalem immediately and told the eleven what they had seen, but, in Verse 14, Mark says the eleven did not believe them.
Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. (Mark 16:14 RSV)
It is evident that Mark wants us to understand what a climate of persistent and stubborn unbelief prevailed among these disciples after the resurrection. They found it difficult to accept this amazing fact, that the one they had seen crucified was now risen and living among them again. The significant thing here is that Jesus himself expected the eleven to believe before they saw him. He wanted and expected them to believe the reports of the eyewitnesses who had seen him. They were trustworthy persons and were reporting what they themselves had actually experienced, and that should have been enough to convince these disciples that Jesus was risen from the dead. So concerned is he about this that he rebukes them. Even as he did in the days of his flesh, so now, he, as their living, risen Lord, rebukes them for their unbelief. He takes them to task because they refused to believe those who had seen him. You can see the importance he attributes to this matter of believing eyewitnesses. John's gospel tells us that a week later Jesus appeared to them when Thomas, who had not been with them when he appeared the first time, was present. Jesus invited Thomas to examine him, to put his hand on his side and touch the nail prints in his hands and feet. Thomas did so and fell down at his feet, crying, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28b RSV). Jesus said, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe," (John 20:29 RSV). Years later, when Peter is writing his letters to the Christians he says to them (1 Peter 1:8), "Without having seen him you love him; though you do, not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy."
One thing is very clear from this account in Mark. When we have adequate, trustworthy witnesses who report to us what they have seen, we are expected to respond with belief. These men saw the risen Lord. They were granted a privilege that we are not granted; but nevertheless, our faith can rest upon solid foundation. Even though we have not seen him, we believe because of the eyewitness accounts here. Now remember the disciples' struggle to believe in the resurrection because that is the climate in which the rest of this passage dealing with the "signs following" is given. After rebuking the disciples for their unbelief, Jesus gives them a command in Verse 15:
And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16 RSV)
Amazingly, the translators of this passage have always handled it as though Jesus were emphasizing the word "go." That is not the central command he gave to these disciples. In both Matthew and Mark, where we have the great commission, what we should emphasize is "preach," for this is the command. It should read like this: "As you go into all the world (that is taken for granted), preach the good news to the whole creation." Our Lord takes it for granted that, as the church grows and develops, the good news will spread throughout all the world. It is right that we should think about how to reach out to the world. I am not diminishing the emphasis on missions at all. But I want to point out that the instruction our Lord gives is that while we are going, we are to preach, to tell the good news.
Now the good news, clearly, is the death and resurrection of Jesus himself. Nothing can be clearer than that. The good news is not that Jesus came to earth; the good news is that he died and rose again. The implications of those events and what they mean to us -- that is the good news! For, in the death of Jesus you have the solution of the terrible problem of human evil, the force that grips us and destroys all our good intentions. That force is finally destroyed, vitiated, by the death of Jesus. The implication of the resurrection is that Jesus himself, the same Jesus that lived and talked and manifested his life and power on the hills of Judea and Galilee, that same Jesus now lives within us and is available to us. He will live again that same life, in terms of our circumstances, right where we are.
Now that is the incredible good news of the gospel. There is no mention of the fact that when you die you will go to heaven. That is part of the good news. I do not want to have a misunderstanding here. But, almost invariably, heaven is what people think you are talking about when you mention the good news. They think it is some way to get past death. Heaven is not the good news; it is but a result of the good news. The good news is that the power of evil in your life and mine can be broken! It no longer grips us and ruins everything we try to do. It is broken by the power of the resurrection of Jesus. The living Lord himself lives within us and imparts to us power to act. This is the good news, and this is what we ought to be telling abroad.
Last week at the Family Congress in St. Louis, Missouri, most of the speakers talked about the release and deliverance that comes as a family begins to experience the power of a risen Lord. But some speakers were very unclear on this and garbled it terribly. One woman, addressing the congress, said that, as the early Christians gathered around Jesus, he taught them how to love one another. Then, she said, the disciples began to teach others how to love, and thus the Christian cause spread throughout the world, teaching people how to be a loving community. There was no mention whatsoever of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Now that is pure hogwash. Christianity without the death and resurrection of Jesus is pabulum that is handed out to people as a kind of moral teaching which is impossible for them to follow. Therefore, it is useless.
Mark Twain used to say, "It isn't the parts of the Bible I can't understand that bother me; it's the parts I do understand." Men do not need to be told what to do. What they need is to be changed, to be altered at the very depths of their being so that they can do what they already know is right.
That is what Scripture calls salvation. That is why Jesus said, "He who believes (this good news) and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."
Now there are some who quibble over the word "baptism." There are groups today that take this word, press it to an unwarranted extreme, and say it is necessary not only to believe but also to be baptized. They say that if you believe and are not baptized, you will never be saved. Such an extreme is, of course, totally unsupported by the rest of Scripture. What Jesus means is that belief ought to be real, and the reality of that inward belief is demonstrated by the outward action of baptism. Only that belief that changes us and makes us act is real belief, and the way that we can demonstrate it is by being baptized. But that does not add to what the belief itself has already accomplished; it only demonstrates it. If you cannot be baptized, that does not affect salvation at all. God knows and reads the heart. But ordinarily, belief is to be translated into action by this ritual which is designed to express faith in Jesus Christ, and says, in very eloquent terms, that you have been put down into death and risen again to walk with him in newness of life.
Now I have found people who dislike this word "saved" because it makes them feel uncomfortable. Well, I understand that. There have been times when I have felt uncomfortable when people used this term. To have somebody rush up to you, grab you by the lapels, and say, "Brother, are you saved?" always turns me off. It is not so much the term as the way it is used that turns people off. But I think it is clear that those who struggle with this word have never really understood the hopelessness of humanity. Once you begin to see how absolutely helpless you are to change your pattern of life, to be acceptable to God apart from the work of Jesus Christ, you will understand what "saved" means. And when it happens to you, you will know that this is the only possible word that could have been used -- that mankind indeed is like a drowning man, hopeless and helpless, unless somebody rescues him. As someone has well put it,
Your best resolutions must wholly be waived,
Your highest ambitions be crossed;
You need never think that you'll ever be saved,
Until you've learned that you're lost.
When you come to the place of learning how helpless you are, then this word of release comes in with mighty, thrilling, hope-giving power: "Believe and be saved."
Now just because salvation reduces man to having nothing to offer God, we struggle with it. We do not like that. Therefore it is frequently resisted and attacked and ridiculed. This will be especially true of the resurrection of Jesus, upon which our faith rests. No part of Christianity ever has been subjected to more severe ridicule, more clever attack, than the resurrection. In every generation it is under attack because, as Paul put it, "If Jesus Christ be not risen from the dead, then our faith is in vain," 1 Corinthians 15:7). And so, as the keystone of Christianity, the resurrection is under severe attack. In every generation attempts are made to try and explain it in natural terms.
Knowing the pressure that would be brought against these apostles to get them to deny this supernatural event, our Lord now goes on to give them certain signs which will accompany and encourage them in preaching the gospel. This climate of unbelief is the setting in which Jesus promises these signs in Verse 17,
"And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; If they pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mark 16:17-18 RSV)
It is easy to read this as though Jesus means these signs will accompany everyone who believes and preaches the gospel. Unfortunately, the text makes it appear this way, and this is how this passage has been understood by many. As you go about preaching the gospel, these signs will immediately confirm that the faith of those who believe is genuine. But the amazing fact is that for twenty centuries millions of people have been converted and have believed the gospel, and none of these signs have appeared.
There have been claims that these signs have been manifested in certain instances, but if this is what these words meant, then these signs would be everywhere. Every time a person became a Christian, some of these signs would be manifested. Therefore, they ought to be the most frequent occurrence in all Christendom. But the truth is, they are very rarely, if ever, seen.
Now what does this mean? Well, it means, of course, that we have misunderstood this passage if we read it that way. It does not square with what God actually does.
I think there is a rather simple solution to the problem. If we put the passage back in its context, in terms of the climate of unbelief which prevailed among these disciples as the word about the resurrection was brought to them, then we see that Jesus is addressing these words not to those who believe the gospel, but to these disciples who believed or disbelieved in his resurrection. When he says to them, "These signs will accompany those who believe," he is speaking about the disciples. I think we can even insert these words, "those among you who believe," without doing violence to the text. Jesus is saying to these disciples, "Now go and preach in all creation. And to encourage you, in the face of the hostility you will encounter, certain signs that only God could do will accompany you." They would be given power to deliver from demons, power to set free from demonic influence. They would be given power to praise God in a new language.
"New tongues" is speaking in a language that hasn't been learned. The disciples would be given this ability as a means of praising God. Paul himself tells us in First Corinthians 12, that he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to man. I do not know why it is so hard for us to accept that fact. Everywhere people consider tongues as a means of speaking to men, of preaching the gospel, or of conveying messages or prophesying events. And yet Paul says he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. He goes on to make clear that speaking in tongues is an act of praise and thanksgiving unto God for his magnificent works among men, as a sign to unbelievers. You remember these two things are underscored very strongly in Paul's great treatment of this in First Corinthians 14. "New tongues" is not spoken to men; it is spoken to God. And it is not for believers; it is a sign for unbelievers. Thus these disciples were sent out with this sign. I do not think this sign was limited to the apostles; others received the gift as well.
Further, the disciples would have power to survive physical attacks upon their lives. Bitten by a poisonous serpent, they would not die. If they accidentally drank poison, they would not die. They would have power to survive, that the gospel might go out. This would be one of the authenticating signs given to them.
Now you can see this has nothing to do with the practices of certain Kentucky mountain people who handle rattlesnakes and drink strychnine as evidence of their faith. Actually, if you investigate those practices, you will find that this really is affirming a lack of faith on their part, for periodically, one or more of them die as a result of having been bitten by a rattlesnake, or by drinking poison. This is not what the gospel is talking about.
The fourth sign is power to heal, to lay hands upon the sick, and they will recover. This was to be the invariable rule; there was to be no percentage on this. The disciples would lay hands on the sick and 100% of those who had hands laid on them would recover. Again, you can see what a far cry this is from what we are seeing today in "healing services" that claim to fulfill this.
Now the Apostle Paul did all these things. He cast our demons in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke in new tongues more than them all, he said, as praise and thanksgiving to God. I think he did it in the synagogue; it was not a private practice of his at home. When he was accidentally bitten by a poisonous snake, as recorded in the last chapter of Acts, he shook it off into the fire, unharmed, to the amazement of those who watched. He had power to lay hands on the sick, and they were healed; and he did it again and again. This is what he means when he writes in Second Corinthians 12:12: "The signs of a true apostle were performed among you in all patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works."
These, then, are the signs of an apostle. They were authenticating signs to accompany those who first went out with the gospel into an unbelieving and hostile world. We have this confirmed, I think, by the final paragraph.
So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them [the disciples] and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. (Mark 16:19-20 RSV)
Thus the authentication was given to their ministry, and encouragement to their faith. We have another reference to this in the letter to the Hebrewswhere, in Chapter 2, the writer reminds us,
...how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will. (Hebrews 2:3-4 RSV)
So Mark closes this gospel of his with the Lord in heaven -- not far off in space somewhere, but in the invisible dimensions of life right here among us, living as Lord in the midst of his church, directing its events, planning its strategy, carrying it unto the farthest reaches of the world. And the apostles, scattered throughout the known world of that day, preached this good news, their witness being confirmed by these great signs. They thus laid the foundation of the great building that Paul calls the church, the body of Christ, that has grown through all the centuries since. Remember how, in Ephesians 2, Paul says that the foundation was laid by the apostles and the prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone, upon which the whole building grows (and has grown now for these twenty centuries) into a habitation of God through the Spirit. That foundation was laid by these apostles, who speak to us the truth about Jesus.
When you hear all these claims about Jesus today, are you ever tempted to say, as I am, "Will the real Jesus please stand up?" He does in these Scriptures. The real Jesus is the apostolic Jesus, the one the apostles witnessed. And that witness is underscored and confirmed by these signs which accompanied them in their ministry, so that we would know that what they say is the truth.
May God grant that our work will rest upon this great foundation that has already been laid, and which no man can re-lay. May we proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, alive, vital, ready to live within men and women and set us free, change our lives, lead us into liberty and freedom, for that is what the gospel is all about.
Prayer
Thank you, our heavenly Father, for the good, good news that Jesus Christ is not dead but alive, and that he lives within our hearts and has the power to break the chains of sin, the bondage of evil, in our lives. Thank you, Father, for the changes that come as a result, the differences that he makes as he comes into human hearts. And thank you for these apostles, these mighty men who faithfully preached this great truth against much persecution and ridicule, and who clearly and accurately conveyed to us the facts upon which our faith rests. We pray that we may be faithful like them, and rest our faith upon this unchanging witness. We ask in Jesus' name, Amen.
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