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    Selections from the Early New Testament including MARK and JOHN, the First and Last Gospels
    Selections from the Early New Testament including MARK and JOHN, the First and Last Gospels
    Selections from the Early New Testament including MARK and JOHN, the First and Last Gospels
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    Selections from the Early New Testament including MARK and JOHN, the First and Last Gospels

    By John Howard Reid

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    Using the best available texts, Bible scholar, John Howard Reid, throws new light on the Gospels of Mark and John. Mark has been re-written from Saint Peter's point of view, while John is totally re-arranged to present the narrative in some semblance of order. It now accurately differentiates John, the Beloved Disciple, from both Saint John, the Galilean fisherman and John, the Greek Elder. As Peter was an actual eye-witness to the events Mark describes -- and indeed he supplied Mark with all this information -- it seems appropriate to restore the text to what Peter actually said, rather than to what Mark said he said! Mark's device robs Peter's narrative of a great deal of its immediacy. All the same, Mark's account does proceed in a straightforward, orderly manner. The same cannot be said for John's Gospel. Numerous editors and copyists have made a total hash of the text, yet -- aside from James Moffatt and more recently, Hugh J. Schonfield -- few commentators have even attempted to piece it together. Yet separating the Beloved Disciple's account from the interpolations of his editor, John, the Elder, is comparatively easy, as the Elder uses language and allusions that the Beloved Disciple would never employ.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJohn Howard Reid
    Release dateMar 20, 2011
    ISBN9781458181442
    Selections from the Early New Testament including MARK and JOHN, the First and Last Gospels
    Author

    John Howard Reid

    Author of over 100 full-length books, of which around 60 are currently in print, John Howard Reid is the award-winning, bestselling author of the Merryll Manning series of mystery novels, anthologies of original poetry and short stories, translations from Spanish and Ancient Greek, and especially books of film criticism and movie history. Currently chief judge for three of America's leading literary contests, Reid has also written the textbook, "Write Ways To Win Writing Contests".

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      Selections from the Early New Testament including MARK and JOHN, the First and Last Gospels - John Howard Reid

      Chapter One

      *

      Behold! I will send forth My messenger, and he will survey the way before Me; and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come into His temple! (Malachi 3:1 LXX).

      *

      There is a voice crying in the wilderness: Prepare for the coming of the Lord God. Make all His pathways straight! Every valley must be filled, and every mountain and hill brought low! (Isaiah 40:3, 4a LXX).

      *

      [My account begins in the year 30 A.D., in the country of Palestine]. A man named John (John, the Baptist) went into that desert where the River Jordan flows into the Dead Sea. [This man adopted the life style of a hermit]. He lived on carob pods and wild honey, wore clothes made of camel’s hair, and tied a leather belt around his waist.

      John was a preacher. In fact, so powerful were his words that a great many people who lived in that region, including even citizens of Jerusalem, went out to hear him.

      John urged the people to totally turn themselves away from violence, cruelty, injustice, disobedience to God’s laws and all wrongdoing. Those who made a firm decision to change their lives, and publicly renounced their sins, were immersed by John in the River Jordan as a sign that God had forgiven them. [Just as the waters of the river washed away dirt from their bodies, so God would wash away sin from their souls].

      In the course of his preaching, John often announced: The day is coming when my place will be taken by a Man far more powerful than me—a Man whose very sandal-strap I’m not worthy to kneel down and unbuckle! I have baptized you in water, but He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit of Wisdom!

      Finally the day arrived when the very Man of whom John spoke appeared on the scene. He came from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. His name was Jesus [Yeshua in Hebrew] and He was baptized by John in the River Jordan.

      As Jesus came up out of the water, John saw the clouds overhead split open, and the Holy Spirit of Wisdom, in the likeness of a dove, descend upon Him. [Jesus’ body began to glow and shine, as if filled with Light]. And everyone heard this Voice coming straight out of the sky, saying, You are My Son, my only Son, Whom I love so dearly. With You, I am exceedingly well pleased!

      Immediately afterwards, the Holy Spirit prompted Jesus to leave that place and go further into the desert. There He remained in solitude for forty days and forty nights, living among the wild animals. The devil constantly tried to tempt Jesus, but without the slightest success. God’s angels helped Him and brought Him food.

      Shortly after Jesus had returned from the desert, John, the Baptist, was arrested. So Jesus took his place in Galilee. Everywhere He went, He told the people: I bring you good news from God: Right now is the special time foretold by the prophets. Right now, God Himself is approaching very close to you. So believe this good news and turn your backs on everything you’ve been doing wrong. Turn back to God!

      *

      One day, as Jesus walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two fishermen casting their nets into the water. They were brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew. Jesus said to us, Come with Me. I will turn you fishermen into fishers of men.

      Straightaway, we left our nets and followed Him.

      A little further on, Jesus saw James and John, and their father, Zebedee, in a boat, mending their nets. Jesus called out to James and John: Follow Me! Immediately, these two brothers said goodbye to their father, left their boat and joined Him on the shore.

      Jesus and His four disciples made their way to the town of Capernaum. On the Sabbath day, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach the people. They were amazed at His words, for Jesus interpreted Scripture with assurance and authority, not like the usual [defensive, nit-picking] teachers of God’s Law [who always made allowances for contrary opinions and consequently bolstered their arguments by constantly quoting the words of other lawyers, past and present, who supported their various interpretations].

      Present in the synagogue at that time was a man possessed by an evil spirit, who cried out: Have You come to destroy us? What are You meddling in here for, Jesus of Nazareth? I know who You are! The Son of God!

      Be quiet! Jesus ordered the devil. Get out of that man!

      The devil threw the man into convulsions and with a loud shriek flew out of him.

      People were amazed and began asking each other, What’s happening here? Is this some new kind of teaching? This Joshua speaks with authority and even the devils obey His orders!

      In no time at all, what had happened at the synagogue was told and re-told all over Galilee.

      When Jesus left the synagogue, I invited Him, together with James and John, to the home I shared with my brother, Andrew.

      When we arrived, Jesus was told that my mother-in-law was in bed with a fever. Going to her room, Jesus took her by the hand and raised her up. Immediately, the fever left her and she was able to wait on us at table.

      That same Sabbath evening, after sunset, the townspeople brought to Jesus all who were sick or possessed by devils. In fact, the whole town was soon congregated at our front door. Jesus cured people who were suffering from all kinds of diseases, and He exorcized many devils. The evil spirits knew who Jesus was, but He wouldn’t let them speak.

      The next morning, long before daylight, Jesus rose from sleep. Leaving the house, He walked off to a lonely spot where He prayed. Much later, I and my companions set out to look for Him. When we finally found Him, we exclaimed, Everybody’s searching for You!

      But [ignoring our complaint] Jesus answered, Let’s get going to the other country towns round about this district. I want to tell everyone the Good News in those places too, because that’s what I came for!

      So in synagogues all over Galilee, Jesus taught the people, and cast out devils.

      One day, when we were back home, a leper dared to approach Jesus. If you are willing, he pleaded, you are able to cleanse me.

      Jesus was visibly angered by this appeal. Stretching out His hand and actually touching the leper, Jesus said to him: Willing? Of course I’m willing! Be cured! As soon as Jesus said this, the disease left the man and he was completely healed. Jesus rebuked the man [for asking if He was willing], then threw him out of the house after warning him very sternly not to tell anyone what had happened. Instead he was ordered to immediately collect the offerings prescribed by Moses [a lamb, a tenth of a bushel of flour kneaded with olive oil, a pint of olive oil and two young pigeons], then go straightaway and show himself to the Chief Priest, so that his recovery would be formally recognized.

      But instead, when the man went away, he made it his business to talk to everyone, spreading the news all over Galilee. This miracle roused the people to such enthusiasm that Jesus couldn’t enter any town in the area without creating a huge commotion. So He was forced to stay in the open countryside. But people still flocked to Him from near and far.

      Chapter Two

      Some time later, when Jesus returned to my house at Capernaum, the word quickly went around that He was back. In no time at all, such a huge crowd gathered at the front door, there was no room to move in the street.

      While Jesus stood at the front door, preaching to the crowd, four townsmen came along, carrying a stretcher on which lay a man who was paralyzed. The four men wanted to bring the paralyzed man to Jesus for a cure, but there was no way they could get through the crowd. So the men went to the back of my house, where they clambered up to the roof [using the outside staircase], taking the paralyzed man and his stretcher with them. Then [using a makeshift rope from strips of their garments] the men lowered the paralyzed man on his stretcher down to Jesus.

      Shaken by their confidence in Him, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, My son, all your sins are forgiven!

      Some priests were standing near-by. They thought to themselves: Blasphemy! Who does this charlatan think he is? No man can forgive sins — only God Himself.

      These thoughts were no secret from Jesus. He could read their minds. So He said to the priests, "Why do you scoff at My words, your sins are forgiven? It’s easy for Me to forgive sins. Just as easy as it is for Me to say to this paralyzed man: Stand up and go home! And take that stretcher with you! So to prove to you that I do have the power to forgive sins… As He said these words, Jesus bent over the paralyzed man. I order you to stand up! He shouted. Take your stretcher and go home!"

      To everyone’s amazement, the man immediately stood up, took his stretcher under his arm and made a passage through the crowd. As they gave way for him, the people began to praise God. Never in all our lives have we seen anything like this! they cried.

      When Jesus left Capernaum to go to the Sea of Galilee, the whole crowd followed Him, listening eagerly to His words of wisdom.

      As He passed by the customs house, Jesus saw Matthew, the son of Alphaeus, sitting in his office. Everyone, including James and John, and my brother Andrew and myself, hated Matthew. We regarded him as a traitor, because he collected taxes for the Romans. But Jesus said to this man, Follow me! And straightaway Matthew leaped up from his desk and followed Him.

      *

      Some time later, Jesus and all His friends, including me, were having dinner at Matthew’s home. Seated at the main table with Jesus were a number of traitorous tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers and other social outcasts — for there were quite a few such people among His followers.

      When they saw Jesus eating a meal with these outcasts, the priests and the Scripture teachers said to John and me: You can always judge a man by the company he keeps. And you’re always proclaiming your Master is such a fine man; yet here we find him eating with traitors and prostitutes!

      Jesus overheard their remarks and answered them: Healthy people don’t need a doctor — only those who are sick! I came to prescribe a remedy not for virtue, but for vice!

      *

      On another occasion, when the disciples of both John, the Baptist, and the Scripture teachers were fasting in accordance with some religious edict, some busybodies came to Jesus and asked Him, Have you no respect for our holy traditions? The followers of John the Baptist and the Scripture teachers are fasting in accordance with the Law, but yours are not!

      Jesus replied: "Are you suggesting the bridegroom’s guests at a wedding feast would even dream of fasting while the bridegroom was still with them? I hope not! Refusing food at a wedding feast while the bridegroom was still present, would not only be absurd, but insulting! But the time will come when the bridegroom must leave them. Then, let them fast!

      And what’s more important, Jesus continued, I’ve given My followers brand new teachings. For them to keep up these old traditions would be like patching an old cloak with a piece of new cloth. The new patch will tear away the old cloth, leaving the cloak worse than before. Similarly, no-one pours new wine into old wine-skins. The new wine will burst the old skins and both will be lost. No! Fresh skins for new wine!

      *

      One Sabbath day, Jesus and His disciples were walking through some corn-fields. Being hungry, we began to pick the ears of corn and eat them as we walked along. When the priests saw this, they were outraged. Your followers are breaking the Law! they complained to Jesus. Our religion expressly forbids the harvesting of grain on the Sabbath day.

      Jesus answered: Harvesting grain on the Sabbath day? You must be mad! Surely you don’t call the plucking and eating of a few ears of corn an offense against the Laws of the Sabbath? Have you never read what your great hero, King David, did when he and his men were hungry and they had nothing to eat? It’s all written down in the book of Samuel, which you priests pride yourselves on knowing everything about. Samuel relates how David went into the temple (when Ahimelech was High Priest) and ate the consecrated loaves of bread which, according to your Law, only the priests may eat! Yet, because he was hungry, David ate this bread. Not only that, he even gave some to his men! Was this an offense against the Law? Come on, answer Me!

      The priests remained silent.

      You have no answer? And in any event, Jesus continued, the Sabbath was made for man; not man for the Sabbath. Am I a man? Yes? Then I am master even of the Sabbath!

      Chapter Three

      Jesus then went back to the synagogue, where He spotted a man with a crippled hand, seated in a very prominent position. The man had obviously been placed there by the priests. Yes, they were watching Jesus closely, hoping to God He would heal this man on the Sabbath Day — an action that would give them an excuse to bring a charge of Law-breaking against Him.

      So Jesus asked the man with the crippled hand to step right up to the front. Then He turned to the priests. What does the Law permit us to do on the Sabbath? He asked them. [No answer]. To do good? Jesus continued. Or to do evil? [Still no answer]. To save a life? Or let it be lost?

      The priests remained silent. Jesus became visibly angry as He looked around at their smug, envious, self-righteous faces, grieved at the way they had hardened their hearts against Him.

      Jesus then said to the man, Hold out your hand. And when he held it out, his hand was completely healed.

      Immediately leaving the synagogue, all the priests then hurried off to a pre-arranged meeting with supporters of Herod Antipas, the puppet ruler of Galilee. The conspirators plotted how they might do away with Jesus.

      So Jesus and His disciples left that town and walked a fair distance to the Sea of Galilee. An enormous crowd followed Him, because news of all the wonderful things He was doing, had spread far and wide. People had come from all over Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea across the Jordan, and even as far away as the cities of Tyre and Sidon. In fact, the crowd was so large that Jesus asked His disciples to get a boat ready for Him so that He wouldn’t be crushed. He’d cured so many people that all the sick were pressing forward, trying to touch Him. And whenever people possessed by devils saw Him, they’d fall down before Him and scream, You are the Son of God! But this recognition did not please Jesus at all. He had no wish to be acclaimed by evil spirits and commanded them to be silent.

      *

      Later on, Jesus went up into the hill country and summoned some of His disciples. They came to Him and He chose twelve of them to be His close companions, whom He would send out to preach in His name, and to whom He gave the power to exorcize devils. And these were the twelve He chose: Me, Simon (whom He re-named Peter); James and John (the sons of Zebedee), who, although inseparable, were always quarreling so loudly with each other that Jesus called them sons of thunder; Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James (the son of Alphaeus); Thaddeus; Simon (a patriot who had sworn to overthrow the Romans); and Judas Iscariot (who was later to betray Him).

      Jesus then went home to Nazareth; but such a crowd gathered around Him, He found it impossible even to get a bite to eat. When His relatives heard He was back home, they set out to take charge of Him, for some people claimed He was out of His mind. The Scripture teachers, who had come down on purpose from Jerusalem, stated that Jesus was possessed by Satan, the prince of devils and that it was by Satan’s power that Jesus cast out devils from other people.

      So Jesus confronted the Scripture teachers and asked them, "If I am possessed by Satan, how can I drive out Satan from these other people? If old Satan’s kingdom is in revolt and his subjects fight against him, his kingdom cannot last — and that will be the end of him! Show me a country that can stand united against a common enemy if that country is ripped apart by civil war. If citizens fight against fellow-citizens, their country will soon collapse in ruin and chaos. And if the various members of a family are forever fighting and quarreling with each other, that’s a family that cannot stay together.

      "No, my stupid friends! I cast out devils, not through the power of the devil, but by the power of My Father in heaven! Make no mistake, the devil is super-strong and the souls of these unfortunate men belong to him. They are his property. And no-one can break into a strong man’s house and make away with his property, unless he overpowers the strong man first. So (at My request) My Father in heaven overpowers the devil. The devil can’t overpower himself!

      Now I’m warning you fools to take special notice of what I’m about to say! If you accuse Me of being possessed by Satan, you are committing the most serious sin possible. Although My Father is willing to forgive all men’s sins—and even all their blasphemies against Him, there can never be any forgiveness for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit of Wisdom. It is by Her power that I cast out these devils. Speaking against the Holy Spirit is an eternal sin.

      The Scripture teachers angrily left the house; and at this point, Jesus’ mother and His relatives arrived on the scene. They stood outside the house [as they didn’t wish to take charge of Him in front of the crowd]. They sent word to Jesus to come out to them. There was quite a large group of people sitting around Jesus when the messenger said to Him, Your mother and your relations are outside and they’re asking for you.

      My mother and My relations! exclaimed Jesus, affecting surprise. Who are they? Looking about at all those sitting in a circle around Him, He added, My mother and my relatives are right here. Anyone who does the will of God is brother and sister and mother to me.

      Chapter Four

      On another occasion when a great crowd pressed around Jesus as He was trying to teach the people by the lakeside, He got into a boat, and sat in this boat on the lake, while the people gathered at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by telling stories [that He either made up Himself or based on popular tales like The Adventures of Toby]. Designed to awaken their conscience, a typical story concerned a

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