For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Mark 3
In the story of healing on the Sabbath (v. 1-6), what was important to the Pharisees? To Jesus? What is most important to you? Almost everywhere Jesus went there was a faction plotting against Him. If they didn’t want to outright kill Him, they were at least looking to discredit Him. It doesn’t make any sense. What did He do to them to make them so hostile toward Him? And why would anybody be upset about a man with a shriveled hand having his hand restored?
People’s reactions to goodness and truth reveal a lot about what rules their heart. Evil will always be uncomfortable in its presence. That’s because evil knows that truth will one day swallow it up. It knows it is wrong and that it cannot, in the end, win. Jesus’ question to the plotting people in the synagogue teaches us to be discerning about this. “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” (Mark 3:4). The answer is obvious. It was even obvious to them, which is why they remained silent. We need to align ourselves with those who aren’t afraid of what is good. As for those who try to twist things to make evil look good and good look evil, we should, like Jesus, be “deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts” (Mark 3:5a).
1 Sam. 19-20
What sources fueled Saul’s desire to kill David? What might Jonathan’s friendship with David cost Jonathan? What might it cost David? Do you have a friend for whom you’d take this kind of risk? Here is another similarity between David’s story and that of Jesus. King Saul, who was the Jewish authority of the time, was constantly looking to kill David, even as the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day plotted to kill Him. David had done no wrong to Saul or to anyone else. But Saul had evil in his heart, and evil is always uncomfortable in the presence of truth. Saul knew that he and his earthly kingdom would one day be swallowed up by David.
Jonathan, then, is the example of our relationship with Christ. Jonathan put everything on the line in faithfulness to David. He willingly laid down his earthly treasures which, as heir to the throne, were great. He even put David before his relationship with his own father. This is in line with what Jesus said. “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:37a). So if my loyalty to Jesus does not match that of Jonathan’s to David, I need to figure out what is holding me back and how to let go of it.