Study Questions: 1. Do you believe anger is ever appropriate? If so, what makes it appropriate? READ Mark 11:1-25 2. Why does Marks tell us about Jesus’ instruction to find a specific colt and bring it to him? 3. What is being communicated about Jesus in the account of his entrance into Jerusalem? Why doesn't Jesus silence people who address him as Messiah, as he had done previously? (Mark sandwiches the account of Jesus' cleansing of the temple between an account of Jesus' cursing a fig tree and its consequent withering. As in previous places where this sandwich structure appears we are led to believe that there is a connection between these passages.) 4. Why does Jesus approach the fig tree and then curse it? Was this reasonable? 5. Why does Jesus clear the temple? What in particular has provoked his anger? 6. The disciples return to Bethany to find the fig tree has withered from the roots. What do you suppose is the connection between Jesus' curse on the fig tree with its resulting destruction and the clearing of the temple? What is being communicated by sandwiching these passages together? 7. What insights does this passage give us into the legitimacy, purpose and appropriate expression of anger? 8. Look at Jesus words in vs. 22-25. In their context what do they teach us about prayer? 9. Jesus says that for our prayers to be effective we must forgive others. What conditions must be met according to Jesus, before we forgive a person?
I thought we brought up an question that was rarely discussed or taught, "How Should We Understand the Imprecatory Psalms in which Enemies Are Cursed?"
This is a difficult subject for many Christians to understand. Shouldn't we love our enemies?
Here is an article on the internet that discusses this subject. http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_curses_luc.html
What are imprecatory psalms? Here are some examples: Ps. 109:6-20 Ps. 137:7-9 Ps. 139:19-22
These psalms expressed strong hatred toward evil and injustice. They also desire God's righteousness. In a way, they are like the prophets proclaiming judgments on the evil-doers.
As Christians, we should hate evil and injustice as God does. Yet, we also pray and wish those evil-doers will repent to avoid the punishment and judgment of God.
Another question we raised was on the question of prayer. Will there be situations that God does not listen to our prayers? I think there are.
Here are some references to consider: Ps. 66:18, "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;" 1 Pet. 3:12, "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer,but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." James 4:3, "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." Matt. 5:23-24, "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." James 5:16, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
Certainly we read in the passage of Mark 11:25, "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." and we see similar teaching in the Lord's prayer, "Forgive us our debts,as we also have forgiven our debtors."
It is clear that Jesus was not pleased with the prayers of the Pharisees and hypocrites (Matt. 6 and Luke 19).
We don't need to sinless for God to hear us, but we need to be humble and repentant. May we examine ourselves when we pray.
Some references in NT that some Christians may find it difficult to accept or understand, but I think Paul follows the same idea as in the imprecatory psalms. Gal. 1:8, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!" 1 Cor. 5:5, "hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord."
Study Questions:
ReplyDelete1. Do you believe anger is ever appropriate? If so, what makes it appropriate?
READ Mark 11:1-25
2. Why does Marks tell us about Jesus’ instruction to find a specific colt and bring it to him?
3. What is being communicated about Jesus in the account of his entrance into Jerusalem? Why doesn't Jesus silence people who address him as Messiah, as he had done previously?
(Mark sandwiches the account of Jesus' cleansing of the temple between an account of Jesus' cursing a fig tree and its consequent withering. As in previous places where this sandwich structure appears we are led to believe
that there is a connection between these passages.)
4. Why does Jesus approach the fig tree and then curse it? Was this reasonable?
5. Why does Jesus clear the temple? What in particular has provoked his anger?
6. The disciples return to Bethany to find the fig tree has withered from the roots. What do you suppose is the connection between Jesus' curse on the fig tree with its resulting destruction and the clearing of the temple? What is being communicated by sandwiching these passages together?
7. What insights does this passage give us into the legitimacy, purpose and appropriate expression of anger?
8. Look at Jesus words in vs. 22-25. In their context what do they teach us about prayer?
9. Jesus says that for our prayers to be effective we must forgive others. What
conditions must be met according to Jesus, before we forgive a person?
I thought we brought up an question that was rarely discussed or taught, "How Should We Understand the Imprecatory Psalms in which Enemies Are Cursed?"
ReplyDeleteThis is a difficult subject for many Christians to understand. Shouldn't we love our enemies?
Here is an article on the internet that discusses this subject.
http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_curses_luc.html
What are imprecatory psalms? Here are some examples:
Ps. 109:6-20
Ps. 137:7-9
Ps. 139:19-22
These psalms expressed strong hatred toward evil and injustice. They also desire God's righteousness. In a way, they are like the prophets proclaiming judgments on the evil-doers.
As Christians, we should hate evil and injustice as God does. Yet, we also pray and wish those evil-doers will repent to avoid the punishment and judgment of God.
God is both love and just, not one or the other.
Another question we raised was on the question of prayer. Will there be situations that God does not listen to our prayers? I think there are.
ReplyDeleteHere are some references to consider:
Ps. 66:18, "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;"
1 Pet. 3:12, "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer,but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
James 4:3, "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."
Matt. 5:23-24, "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."
James 5:16, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
Certainly we read in the passage of Mark 11:25, "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." and we see similar teaching in the Lord's prayer, "Forgive us our debts,as we also have forgiven our debtors."
It is clear that Jesus was not pleased with the prayers of the Pharisees and hypocrites (Matt. 6 and Luke 19).
We don't need to sinless for God to hear us, but we need to be humble and repentant. May we examine ourselves when we pray.
Some references in NT that some Christians may find it difficult to accept or understand, but I think Paul follows the same idea as in the imprecatory psalms.
ReplyDeleteGal. 1:8, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!"
1 Cor. 5:5, "hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord."