Mark 16:12-14 Stubborn Unbelief

Format for Your Devotions

Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.

Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.

Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.

Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.

Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?

Step 5: Apply this to your own life.

Step 6: Prayer

My Example Devotion: May 14, 2018, Mark 16:12-14

Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.

After this, Jesus appeared in a different form to two disciples as they were walking into the country. They went back and told the others, who didn’t believe them, either. Finally he appeared to his eleven disciples while they were eating. He rebuked them for their unbelief and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who had seen him after he had risen.

(Understanding the Text) We know that these are not the only appearances of Jesus, so the “Finally” here does not mean the last appearance, but rather a waiting has finished and Jesus is not only appearing to a few but the whole eleven remaining disciples.  Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 about the appearances “For I passed on to you the most important points that I received: The Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures, he was buried, he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures—and is still alive!— and he was seen by Cephas, and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Next he was seen by James, then by all the apostles, and finally he was seen by me, as though I were born abnormally late.”

The two disciples mentioned in this verse are the two followers walking to Emmaus spoken of in Luke 24:13-35.  “On the same day, two of Jesus’ followers were walking to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about all these things that had taken place. While they were discussing and analyzing what had happened, Jesus himself approached and began to walk with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing with each other as you’re walking along?” They stood still and looked gloomy. The one whose name was Cleopas answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who doesn’t know what happened there in the past few days?” He asked them, “What things?” They answered him, “The events involving Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, mighty in what he said and did before God and all the people, and how our high priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and had him crucified. But we kept hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel. What is more, this is now the third day since these things occurred. Even some of our women have startled us by what they told us. They were at the tomb early this morning and didn’t find his body there, so they came back and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who were saying that he was alive. Then some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said. However, they didn’t see him.” Then Jesus told them, “O, how foolish you are! How slow you are to believe everything the prophets said! The Messiah had to suffer these things and then enter his glory, didn’t he?” Then, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them all the passages of Scripture about himself. As they came near the village where the two men were headed, Jesus acted as though he were going farther. But they strongly urged him, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the daylight is nearly gone.” So he went in to stay with them. While he was at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed it, broke it in pieces, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they knew who he was. And he vanished from them”  (Luke 24:13-31).  I’ve always wondered why Jesus appeared to these two.  Was it to get them back to Jerusalem?  My top theory has been that Cleopas was a scholar of the scriptures and able to explain them well, so Jesus chose Him to explain the scriptures to the other disciples including the eleven.  Also, maybe Cleopas had some influence with the disciples to give them faith that Jesus had risen.  Luke says that Emmaus was about 7 miles from Jerusalem and that when they reached there the daylight was almost gone.  That would make it around 6:00 p.m.  By the time that Jesus disappeared, it was probably closer to 7:00.  According to Google, most people prefer to walk three miles per hour, so it would have taken about 2 1/2 hours to get from Jerusalem to Emmaus.  This tells me that they had left Jerusalem in the afternoon about 3:30.  Thus, they had had plenty of time to hear the stories of the women and make the decision to leave anyway.  They were leaving Jerusalem and walking slowly in defeat and disbelief, but they must have hurried back in victory.  I’m sure they probably only took about 1 or 1 1/2 hours to retrace their journey back to Jerusalem and the other disciples!

It says that the others did not believe the women or the two disciples who were on the road to Emmaus.  This implies that the others did not believe Peter either because  Luke tells us that when Cleopas and company reached the eleven and their companions, they were already talking about Jesus’ appearance to Simon.  “They got up right away, went back to Jerusalem, and found the eleven disciples and their companions all together. They kept saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two men began to tell what had happened on the road and how they had recognized him when he broke the bread in pieces”  (Luke 24:33-35).  When I put Mark and Luke together it seems to me that “the others” who did not believe does not include all the eleven since Peter and maybe John already believed.  On the other hand, it may include more than the eleven since Luke talks about “the eleven and their companions.”  Some of those companions were Jesus’ own family.  We also know that Thomas was still doubting.  There were probably others of the disciples who doubted the testimony of the women, Peter, and Cleopas & friend.  “The others” does not need to mean all the others, but simply that many of the group still did not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead.  Judging by my estimate of when the two left for Emmaus, Peter must have seen Jesus sometime in the afternoon because he had not returned to tell about his experience by the time they left at 3:30.  Maybe Jesus went directly from speaking with Peter to speaking with Cleopas and friend.  I always wonder why we are not told about what was said at the first meeting with Peter.  I guess we just don’t need to know, or we should already know based on other information.

Peter and John may not have been in the same place as the other eleven when Mary Magdalene came to tell them about the empty tomb, but they were later when Jesus appeared to the eleven.  It  says that they were eating together.  This is probably the time spoken of in John 20:26-29.  “A week later his disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were shut, Jesus came, stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he told Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Take your hand, and put it into my side. Stop doubting, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus told him, “Is it because you have seen me that you have believed? How blessed are those who have never seen me and yet have believed!”  (John 20:26-29). 

(Application / Revelation of God) My application to myself is that even though God wants us to believe with the first evidence that He gives us, He knows that we may need more.  God will give us all the evidence necessary for belief.  My other application is not to think that only the most famous and prominent are important to God.  Jesus appeared to Cleopas and an unnamed disciple and explained His lessons to both of them.  We do not know who that unnamed disciple is but Jesus appeared to him/her.  We do not know what happened to Mary Magdalene after Jesus ascended to heaven, but we can be sure that she continued to serve her Lord, and He loved her.  We do not know who the 500 were, but we can be sure that they were loved by Jesus.  Just because I am less well known than others and not in a favored position of leadership does not mean that God loves me less than His famous leaders.  He loves me and has a place for me in His work.

(Prayer) I am skeptical and cynical too many times. Forgive me for my unbelief and teach me to see You and Your teachings clearly. Help me to communicate Your love to others and to always remember in my own life how much You love me.