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Mark

Mark 
Day 
Day 65

1 Peter 2:13 "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme..."

Day 65 – Mark 3

“Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme…” 1 Peter 2:13

DELIBERATE WITHDRAWAL

The Pharisees and the Herodians must have met surreptitiously to discuss their plans to kill Jesus. They must have discussed at great length how they could entrap Jesus and then have Him prosecuted by their court of law.

Jesus, who knew all things, felt that further confrontations would be most unfruitful. Thus He planned to withdraw Himself from the synagogue scene.

“But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea.
And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him,
And from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the
Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude,
when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.”
MARK 3:7-8

What were some of the reasons why Jesus withdrew from the synagogue scene to minister in the more open scenario of the seaside?

1. Not because of fear of His enemies

This must be said right at the beginning. Jesus was unafraid of His enemies at any time!

2. A waste of time

Already there were several confrontations. None of them saw the enemy giving ground. In fact they became even more incensed after each defeat! It would be a waste of time and energy to always be in conflict with the scribes and the Pharisees and the Herodians too.

3. Restrictive Ministry

Ministry at the synagogue level, no matter how important, was still highly restrictive. Only a small number of people could hope to squeeze into the local synagogue.

4. Ministering to the multitudes

There were many who had not yet heard the Gospel Jesus preached. These need to hear the glorious Gospel of the Kingdom of God!

5. Huge crowds might well cause the enemies to think twice about attacking Jesus

The multitudes were made up of people from a vast geographical area. Mark listed people coming from the cities and villages, far and wide. Some even traveled from Tyre and Sidon, sea-faring cities, to hear Jesus preach and teach!

Never in their wildest dreams could the scribes, Pharisees and Herodians imagine themselves drawing such multitudes to themselves!