Each of the four Gospel accounts is unique and written for different audiences. In Mark, Jesus is presented differently than in the other three narratives. In this part of His story, the theme is repeatedly about Jesus’ role as a sacrificial servant and death. 

Jesus’ central message throughout the book was about the “secret of the kingdom.” Yet, the disciples failed to understand what He was talking about. Repeatedly, Jesus chides them. He appears to become more discouraged and dismayed by their attitudes and actions. He calls them out for having “hard hearts” and their lack of “eyes to see and ears to hear” (Mark 8:17-18).

In Mark 4:11-12 the Lord tells the disciples they “have been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables.”

Still, they failed to understand. 

Jesus admonishes them over and over:

“Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? (Mark 4:13)

“…for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:52).

“Then are you also without understanding? (Mark 7:18)

“Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? … Do you not yet understand? (Marke 8:15-21)

It gets worse… they failed to understand or accept what was coming and the Lord’s call to “take up a cross” and make themselves “last” in order to be first, and to become faithful servants to Him and others.

There’s more… On the road to Jerusalem, Jesus privately shares with His disciples on three different occasions the terrifying events about to happen (Mark 8:31-32; 9:30-32; 10:32-34). Mark strongly states He told them clearly and “painly” but they didn’t understand and were scarred to ask Him what He meant.

In three other instances, they again fail to grasp His words:

“Peter sharply rebukes Jesus and declares that as Messiah this can never be! Jesus replies to him, “Get behind me Satan, you are not on the side of God but of men.” (Mark 8:31-38)

“The disciples have a dispute among themselves as to who is the greatest. (Mark 9:33-37)

“James and John, the sons of Zebedee, ask for the chief seats on the right and left of Jesus when He comes into His power and glory.” (Mark 10:35-45)

Over and over again, Jesus tells them what it means to serve, not to be served, and to make oneself last and least.

Mark admonishes the reader in the middle of Jesus’ words: “Let the reader understand” (Mark 13:14).

Mark wants us to understand that Jesus’ words weren’t just for the disciples, it was also for us. It’s as if Mark was writing for this purpose – To determine who would see, hear, and understand the “secret.” 

Faith – It isn’t merely believing something is true or that something happened, but it’s a committed trust that service, suffering, and death lead to glory, power, and exaltation. 

We are back to the core meaning of faith of which Jesus constantly refers to each of the four Gospels. The point of faith is that it isn’t an abstract idea. It’s an action. Your acts follow what you believe.

On the night Jesus is arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, Mark 14:50 says, “And they all forsook Him and fled.”

This was after Jesus pleaded with them 3 times to stay awake. Each time, they went to sleep. The failure was even more pronounced when Peter denied He even knew the Lord 3 times, as Jesus said Peter would do and He stated it would never happen.

The disciples never appear again in Mark’s Gospel.

Failure to listen, hear, and act by faith was their undoing.

How many of us share the same fate?

The only difference between us and the disciples is they had the Lord to correct them in person, and that didn’t even take with them. Today, that’s the role of the Church. Yet, how many Christians say they hear and see but their fruit is rotten and spoiled?

Here’s the heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ — He knows you better than you know yourself. Despite any of our failures (I have more than most, I promise you), He has never turned His back on those who hear His voice and follow Him, despite any failures either known or unknown.

Despite the disciple’s attitudes and behaviors, after Jesus’ resurrection, we see very different people. They were changed! No matter how much they failed to hear, see, or understand, God still wanted to use them for incredible things.

Don’t get me wrong, they counted the cost, and all but one of them paid it with their lives in the most brutal of deaths. Yet, they counted it all joy knowing they would be with the Lord in heaven for all eternity. 

Do we have that kind of faith?

If God asked you to, would you be willing to sacrifice your job, friends, or even family to follow Him? 

What about your life?

The point is when we hear, see, and understand the Lord… When we experience Him — something changes us from the inside out. Our failures become tools or instruments to bless others with. Our stories remind others that no matter what you’ve done in your life, He’s waiting patiently and never giving up on us.

Perhaps you feel like a failure. 

It’s okay. 

You can’t hide from God.

What you can do is recognize how He can use those failures for incredibly good things in your life and other’s lives. Still, the choice is up to you.

The question is, are you listening?

Do you see?

Are you open to understanding?

God Bless You!

Father Don