Mark 16

Thought on This Chapter

MK 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Jesus had risen and already showed Himself to many. Those who had seen the risen Saviour were witnessing and telling others about it. The eleven apostles did not believe the true witness that Jesus had risen. Jesus came and appeared unto the eleven as they were eating and notice what He did. He rebuked them. Even after all the evidence they had of His resurrection they still did not believe. This shows that they did not make up the resurrection. They did not expect His resurrection and they did not believe that He rose until it was impossible for them to deny it. It is only after they saw Him face to face.

Jesus was not pleased with their unbelief. In verse 14 we see that Jesus also upbraided them for their hardness of heart as well as their unbelief. The two really are connected. Why do men often not believe today. Even with all of the evidence they still refuse to believe. It is because of hard hearts. It is often the case that a hard heart will result in unbelief. This is true for the lost.

A hard heart can also cause a Christian to refuse to believe some of the promises that God gives to His redeemed. For example if we let our hearts become hard, then we can start to doubt His promise to provide for our needs (notice I did not say wants). We need to pray that God will help us to keep our hearts tender to the things of God.

Thought On This Chapter

MK 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Notice what they were doing. They went forth every where and preached.

Notice who was empowering their effort. The Lord working with them.

Notice what the signs were for. Confirming the word that was preached.

They did not have a completed Bible yet. So God gave them sign gifts to confirm what they were preaching. God did that for those people at that time because there was a need for it. Today if you want confirmation that what a man is preaching is from God, then all you have to do is compare what he preaches to the Bible. We have God's completed revelation to man and in America anyone can hold it in their hands.

Notice the priority. They went preaching. It does NOT say that they went every where performing signs. The signs confirmed the preaching. It is clear that God put a priority even then on the preaching, and the signs were only to confirm the preaching. Preaching was the most important. Once the Bible was completed the sign gifts were done away, but not the preaching. God still puts a priority upon preaching. God still works in the hearts of men thru preaching. Stop the entertainment and get back to what God puts a priority on. Let's get back to putting a premium on the preaching of the Word.

King James Bible Main Index:

Mark 16 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]

MK 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

MK 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

MK 16:3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

MK 16:4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

MK 16:5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

MK 16:6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

MK 16:7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

MK 16:8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

MK 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

MK 16:10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

MK 16:11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

MK 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

MK 16:13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.

MK 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

MK 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

MK 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

MK 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

MK 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

MK 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

MK 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Outline of Mark Chapter 16

VI. Resurrection of Jesus
A. First at the tomb
1. When the sabbath was past
2. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome come
a. They bring sweet spices
b. That they might anoint Him
c. They came very early the morning on Sunday
d. They came at the rising of the sun
B. The empty tomb
1. They said, Who shall roll away the stone for us
2. When they looked they saw the stone was rolled away
3. Entering in they see a young man
a. Sitting on the right side
b. Clothed in a long white garment
c. They were affrighted
4. The angel addresses the women
a. Be not affrighted
b. Ye seek Jesus
1. Of Nazareth
2. Which was crucified
c. He is not here
d. Behold the place where they laid Him
C. Commission to preach the resurrection message
1. Go tell the disciples
2. Go tell Peter
3. He goeth to Galilee
4. There shall ye see Him as Jesus said
5. They went out quickly
a. They trembled
b. They were amazed
c. They said nothing
d. They were afraid
VII. Appearances of Jesus
A. To Mary Magdalene
1. She went and told them as they mourned and wept
2. They heard and did not believe
B. To two disciples
1. He appeared in another form
2. They went and told but were not believed
C. To the eleven disciples
1. He appeared as they sat at meat
2. He upbraided them
a. Of their unbelief
b. Of their hardness of heart
c. Because they believed not those who had seen Him
VIII. The Great Commission
A. Go ye into all the world
B. Preach the gospel to every creature
C. Belief saves
D. Signs
1. In Jesus' name cast out devils
2. Speak with new tongues
3. They shall take up serpents
4. Deadly drink shall not hurt them
5. Heal the sick
IX. The ascension
A. He was received up into heaven
B. He sat on the right hand of God
X. Fulfilling the Commission
A. They went forth
B. They preached every where
C. The Lord working with them
D. The Lord confirmed the word with signs

There are two sections in this chapter that are used to teach error.

The first one is verse 16. People will use this verse to teach that baptism saves. But they never use the whole verse. The last part of the verse says that it is not believing that damns. It does not say that not getting baptized damns. Always watch out for people who do not use scripture in its context. You need to use scripture in the context of the whole verse and you need to use scripture in the context of the whole Bible. Eph. 2:8-9, John 3:16, ect...

The second section is verses 17 and 18. These signs were temporary sign gifts. The they was the apostles. The purpose of the gifts was to confirm the truth of what they were saying because the Bible had not been finished yet.

Look closely at verse 20. It says the Lord confirmed the word with signs. This is no longer needed because we have the scriptures.

These signs were temporary gifts for the specific reason of confirming the Word and they ceased when they were no longer needed.