The Reverend Dr. Alan Cole was a classical biblical scholar.
A biblical scholar.
He lectured at Oak Hill Theological College in London
and in Moore College in Sydney and Trinity College in Singapore.
He was a missionary, both with the China Inland Mission
and CMS in Southeast Asia.
He was a founding master of Robert Menzies College
at Macquarie University
and one-time federal secretary of CMS in Australia.
He was a scholar of both Hebrew and Greek language.
He wrote three biblical commentaries,
one on Exodus, one on Galatians,
and one on Mark's gospel,
which has been a significant help for me
throughout this series on Mark.
I met Dr. Cole in 1997
while I was a student at Moore College.
Although I was totally unaware of who he was.
I was in a New Testament lecture on the book of Galatians,
a book that Dr. Cole had written a commentary on.
And I'd noticed on previous occasions
this elderly gentleman who sat at the back of the lecture room
taking notes.
And he didn't appear in any other lectures,
so I assume he wasn't a second-year Moore College student.
And it seemed a little strange
that to be a student,
that why was he there?
For me as a student,
why is this elderly gentleman there?
And in my view,
this is a little bit ironic,
but a little bit strange,
but in my view,
he resembled my lecturer.
And I just assumed that this elderly gentleman
was coming along encouraging his son
as he lectured in this particular subject.
And so one day,
at this very same subject,
this elderly gentleman came in
and he sat beside me.
And I struck up a conversation with Dr. Cole,
unaware of who he was,
but my curiosity got the better of me
and I asked him,
why are you here?
I don't see you in anything else.
Why are you here?
And his response to me was,
I've had a long interest in the Greek language
and in Galatians particular.
And I, being totally clueless
and potentially the arrogance of youth,
I said something to him
that went something like this,
it's never too late to learn Greek.
And how personally encouraged I was
that someone of his stage of life
was choosing to pick it up.
Somewhat embarrassed
when the guy who was sitting beside me
over morning tea said,
you idiot,
do you have any idea who you were talking to?
None whatsoever.
I was in the presence
of one of the great disciples of the kingdom,
of the biblical scholarship,
the Greek language Galatians,
at no concept of who it was
that I was sitting beside in that moment.
And is that not the issue
as we've been journeying
through the first section of Mark's gospel,
first eight chapters?
Who is this Jesus who we're coming to?
Who is this person we're sitting beside?
And of course for us,
for the readers,
the very first sentence of Mark's gospel
answers the question for us.
It says,
the beginning of the good news
about Jesus the Messiah,
the Son of God.
Jesus is the especially anointed one of God
who has the task of redeeming the world
back to God.
And the very first words of Jesus
in his gospel make that clear.
The kingdom of God has come near.
God has broken into his world
in the person of Christ.
So we know who Jesus is,
the readers.
Now some of us here might remember
the American television series Columbo.
I say some of us
because it was in the 1970s and 80s.
It was a show that popularised,
the first of its kind in fact,
the inverted detective story.
Which begins by showing us the crime
and the perpetrator
right from the very start.
And the plot therefore doesn't run
on the standard whodunit plot
of Midsummer murders,
that sort of thing.
But instead revolves around the criminal
who is finally caught and exposed
and it is referred to as the
how catch them.
How you're going to catch them theme.
And this is exactly how Mark reads.
Mark makes it clear
who Jesus is
right from the very start
for the readers.
And then he reveals
the details
of Jesus
backing up the claim
of who he is.
And we're following the narrative
to find out
will people see Jesus
for who he is?
First five chapters
we're seeing that Jesus
is staggering
divine authority
to conquer Satan,
to forgive sins,
to heal the sick,
to tell
the sea,
the oceans,
to be calm
and the wind
to stop
and overcome death.
And later in this chapter
which we did get to
in our reading
he miraculously
feeds 5,000 people
with a boy's lunchbox
and then
he walks on water
in the middle
of this deep lake.
He is consistently
through this gospel
backing up
the claim
that Mark says
at the beginning
he is the Messiah,
the Son of God.
He's the rescuer
and he is the redeemer.
And in fact
the two big miracles
at the end of Mark 6
are reminiscent
of the big act
of salvation
in the Old Testament
the rescue of Egypt
the rescue of God's people
out of Egypt.
Three times
at the end of Mark 6
we are told
that they are
in a remote place
just like Israel
was in the wilderness
after the escape.
Jesus is the good shepherd
teaching and leading
his people
in the wilderness.
He miraculously
feeds
his people
just like
was in the wilderness
under Moses.
Jesus miraculously
crosses the lake
just like the Israelites
miraculously
cross through
the divided sea
with Moses
and Jesus
as it says
in verse 48
chapter 6
was passing by
his disciples.
His glory
was passing
by his disciples
just as God
passed by Moses
and revealed
his glory
in Exodus 33.
All this
is for the disciples
to see
that Jesus
is
God
the Redeemer.
You see
Jesus and God
of the Exodus
events
are one and the same.
And the emphasis
in these chapters
is we must
see Jesus
for who he is.
it's not good
enough
to make
the statement
of
the earlier
chapters.
You see it
in chapter 3
a couple of weeks
ago
when Takeshi
and John
were preaching.
The religious leaders
thought Jesus
was bad.
His family
thought he was
mad.
The average
Australian
thinks he's
a good bloke.
Not good
enough.
Again in chapter 3
the Herodians
and the Pharisees
they plotted
to kill him.
They teamed up.
The Herodians
and the Pharisees
are like the left wing
and the right wing.
They don't agree
on anything.
But in this case
the only thing
they do agree on
that Jesus must go.
And it's not much
different as we see
in the beginning
of chapter 6 here
that Jesus
goes back
to his hometown
in Nazareth.
not as a
returning Olympian.
It says in verse 3
of chapter 6
they took
offense
at him.
So the religious
elite
the scholars
of the day
they took offense
of him
and then he goes
to Nazareth
which could be
called
Nowheresville.
It's a humble
little village
that is hardly
mentioned in history
at all.
Jesus is
its most famous
resident.
These are
grassroots people
who knew
Jesus
from a kid
and even
they're offended
by him.
The word
translated
offense
in verse 3
means that
they were
scandalized
by him.
You see
to be
scandalized
is not
just
we disagree
with Jesus
he's got
an inflated
view himself
nice bloke
but we disagree
with him.
It means
to totally
reject.
It means
to feel
hostility
towards
Jesus
yet
everywhere
he went
crowds
gathered
Jesus
both
mesmerized
and alienated
he attracted
and he
infuriated
he evokes
rejection
and hostility
he
scandalized
everyone
there's
no one
here
that's
not
scandalized
by
Jesus
but
all
for
different
reasons
you know
it's
the same
today
for
various
different
reasons
people
are
scandalized
by
Jesus
people
in the
east
and
eastern
suburbs
and northern
suburbs
of Sydney
are
kind of
okay
with
Jesus
and
Christianity
talking
about
love
and
forgiveness
and grace
we kind
of like
that aspect
of Christianity
love
forgiveness
grace
however
as soon
as you
talk
about
Jesus
being
the only
true
God
and saviour
of the
world
that's
when the
blood
pressure
starts
to rise
don't
cope
with that
at all
and yet
if we
plotted
picked
ourselves
up
now
and
move
to
traditional
culture
in the
east
and middle
east
particularly
that kind
of area
and talk
about
one
religion
being the
only true
religion
in the
world
yep
that's
fine
totally
tolerate
that
that's
totally
fine
but you
start
talking
about
forgiveness
and love
and grace
they think
you've got
no integrity
at all
scandalised
by different
reasons
they think
you'd have
no sense
of honour
to think
of love
and forgiveness
every place
is offended
but offended
for different
things with
Jesus
what one
culture
thinks
is too
regressive
about
Christianity
another
culture
thinks
too
progressive
about
Christianity
because
that just
simply
means
that
to
stay
away
from
Jesus
and the
Christian
faith
just
because
there's
part
of
your
culture
thinks
that
this
aspect
of
Christianity
is too
regressive
or this
aspect
of
Christianity
is too
progressive
that
just
means
you're
intolerant
and pretty
narrow
culturally
that's
all it
means
but if
Jesus
is
who
he
claims
to be
the
son
of
God
crucified
risen
from
the
dead
comes
from
heaven
from
God
then
he
is
going
to
offend
everyone
in
some
way
that's
because
he
stands
outside
of
this
world
as
the
creator
of
this
world
he's
not
conformed
to
our
personal
cultural
preferences
at
all
and so
to
accept
Jesus
is
to
accept
him
on
his
terms
which
means
he
will
offend
and
he
will
consistently
offend
your
cultural
sensibilities
there
will be
things
that he
will say
about
your
priorities
and your
values
that
will
cause
you
to
rethink
think
hard
and
to
change
he's
not
comfortable
for
anyone
it
doesn't
matter
if
you're
left
or
you're
right
or
you're
rich
or
you're
poor
or
you're
eastern
or
you're
western
Jesus
will
offend
you
and
it's
an
opportunity
for
you
to
change
for
your
good
or
to
resist
for
your
destruction
the
19th
century
Scottish
writer
George
MacDonald
wrote
this
everything
difficult
indicates
something
more
than
your
theory
of
life
currently
embraces
let
let me
just say
that
again
everything
difficult
indicates
something
more
than
your
theory
of
life
currently
embraces
you
see
the reason
why
Jesus
makes
us
uncomfortable
is
because
he
challenges
our
worldview
he
forces
us
to
expand
our
theory
of
life
and
purpose
and
its
goals
so
why
was
his
hometown
scandalized
by
him
notice
what
they
say
about
him
in
verse
3
where
did
this
man
get
these
things
what's
this
wisdom
what's
these
miracles
he's
been
doing
isn't
he
just
a
carpenter
don't
we know
his
family
we know
who this
guy
is
we
know
who
he
is
and
on
one
level
what
they're
saying
is
we
can't
believe
that
the
Messiah
who
has
come
to
save
Israel
would
come
from
such
humble
beginnings
remember
the
exchange
of
Philip
and
Nathaniel
can
anything
good
come
from
Nazareth
but
it's
slightly
more
than
that
another
commentary
on
Mark
written
by
William
Lane
in
this
section
he says
something
really
important
he says
their
discernment
could not
penetrate
the veil
of
ordinariness
that
surrounded
him
Laney's
saying
how
could
the
long
awaited
Messiah
and
Redeemer
of the
world
be
so
ordinary
he's
just
too
ordinary
this
could
not
be
God
this
could
not
be
the
Savior
you
see
the
ordinariness
of
Jesus
his
humble
beginnings
just
did not
fit
their
world
view
of a
triumphant
Messiah
in the
same way
the
ordinariness
of Jesus
offends
the
normal
human
understanding
of how
salvation
works
you see
every
religion
in this
world
offers
a
salvation
that is
a
liberation
from
ordinary
life
ordinary
humanness
in all
other
religions
ultimately
salvation
is seen
as escape
from the
shackles
of my
humanity
in some
way
it's been
set free
from all
human
limitations
of becoming
a
limitless
free
spirit
in some
cases
it's
literally
a
limitless
free
spirit
but in
every
way
it's
to
remove
the
limitations
I feel
as a
human
being
and
biblical
salvation
is the
exact
opposite
it is
not
an
escape
from
this
world
out
of
this
world
but a
transformation
of
this
world
the
biblical
vision
of
salvation
is
unique
it's
God
coming
down
into
our
ordinariness
not
yanking
us
out
of
it
but
coming
into
it
he
immersed
himself
in
the
pain
and
in
the
vulnerability
and
the
suffering
of
ordinary
human
life
and
yet
the
beauty
and
the
comfort
of
God
coming
down
into
the
mess
and
the
ordinariness
of
this
life
is
just
frankly
too
ordinary
for
most
the
humility
and
the
grace
of
salvation
of
the
Lord
Jesus
is
offensive
I
cannot
tell you
the
number
of
times
I've
spoken
to
people
and
said
this
is
the
grace
of
the
gospel
of
Jesus
Christ
let me
explain
to
you
nothing
that
you
have
done
but
everything
that
Jesus
done
how
many
times
the
response
has
been
that
what
that's
it
there's
got to
be
something
that I
do
that's
it
and
they
walk
away
it's
offensive
as
is
the
fact
that
it
takes
God
to
make
such
drastic
steps
in
order
to
save
us
it's
offensive
to the
human
heart
to
think
that
I
am
helpless
in
my
sin
and
I
need
God
to
rescue
me
surely
I
contribute
something
we
would
all
be
much
happier
with
the
Christian
faith
if
we
could
walk
into
heaven
with
people
applauding
well
done
you've
achieved
so
much
you
see
the
people
of
Israel
were
expecting
a
mighty
messiah
not
an
ordinary
man
they're
expecting
someone
who
would
get
them
over
the
hump
that
they're
feeling
in life
being
oppressed
by
the
Romans
and
not
someone
who's
going
to
pull
them
out
and
rescue
them
from
destruction
Jesus
is
offensive
he
scandalized
scandalizes
everyone
and yet
we cannot
know what
the Christian
gospel
is
if we've
never
felt
the
offense
of
Jesus
if you've
never
felt
it
you don't
know what
the Christian
gospel
is
we must
feel the
offense
but we
must
never
take
offense
Matthew
11
verse 6
Jesus
says
blessed
everyone
who
does
not
stumble
on
my
account
in
other
words
blessed
everyone
who
does
not
feel
offense
at
my
account
if
we
take
offense
of
Jesus
we
cannot
know
his
blessing
if
our
offense
of
Jesus
keeps
us
from
Jesus
then
he
cannot
do
the
great
miracle
of
salvation
in
our
life
that's
what
he's
being
pointed
to
here
in
verse
6
lack
of
faith
in
Jesus
means
no
blessing
from
Jesus
we
have
to
receive
and
we
have
to
embrace
Jesus
on
his
terms
even
with
the
offense
in
order
to
know
the
blessing
of
salvation
and
so
Jesus
attracted
and
he
infuriated
and
he
unleashed
a
movement
that
has
done
the
same
ever
since
and
that's
what
he's
preparing
his
disciples
for
in
verse
11
when
he
mentions
shaking
the
dust
off
their
feet
people
are
going
to
be
offended
by
you
mind
you
if
you
look
carefully
at
the
passage
Jesus
is
calling
us
to
a
highly
selective
offensiveness
Jesus
sends
the
disciples
out
to
minister
and
in
verses
8
to
10
he
instructs
them
not
to
take
a
war
chest
with
them
he
calls
them
to
be
dependent
upon
the
people
to
whom
they
are
ministering
it
was
an
it
was
an
active
out
of
respect
for
those
people
and
out
of
humility
and
so
notice
that
they're
not
just
going
to
help
to
tell
people
things
about
Jesus
but
they're
going
to
do
things
they're
going
to
serve
and
they're
going
to
meet
needs
they
will
pour
themselves
out
in
serving
the
people
that
they've
gone
to
speak
to
and
they
will
get
rejected
by
those
people
as
well
and
so
he's
saying
that
these
disciples
should
be
incredibly
attractive
in
their
love
for
these
people
and
they
should
be
sacrificial
in
their
giving
to
these
people
and
serving
of
others
but
on
the
other
hand
the
message
of
Jesus
being
the
only
Lord
and
Saviour
of
the
world
will
be
offensive
the
message
they
bring
will
be
offensive
but
their
love
and
service
of
these
people
will
be
attractive
and
this
attraction
and
rejection
has
been
the
history
of
the
church
Christians
are
the
most
exclusive
sounding
people
in
the
world
and
that
is
highly
offensive
and
intolerant
in
our
current
society
and
while
at
the
same
time
we
are
the
most
inclusive
acting
people
in
our
world
in
loving
those
who
persecute
us
so
this
is
the
test
if
we've
never
faced
rejection
because
of
the
Christian
faith
is
it
because
I'm
a
coward
with
the
gospel
if
however
you
are
constantly
offensive
and
constantly
clashing
with
people
over
the
Christian
faith
is
it
because
you
are
being
persecuted
for
obnoxiousness
sake
is
it
because
they
don't
know
love
from
you
at
all
you
see
if
you
add
abrasiveness
majoring
on the
minors
and
acting
like
the
victim
all
the
time
and
being
unwise
in
the
way
you
speak
and
if
you
add
abrasiveness
to
the
gospel
then
you're
not
going
to
be
attractive
to
anyone
at
all
if
you're
offensive
but
not
attractive
or
attractive
but
not
offensive
then
something's
wrong
so
where do
we get
the
power
to be
exclusive
sounding
but
also
inclusive
acting
have a look
at verse
3
again
you know
aren't
you a
carpenter
Jesus
that's
a put
down
you
know
go
back
to
the
work
shed
Jesus
you
leave
the
prophecy
stuff
to
the
elites
that's
the
put
down
but
it's
not
the
biggest
put
down
in
this
text
is
in
verse
3
have a
look
at
it
again
this
is
the
ultimate
put
down
from
his
hometown
isn't
this
Mary's
son
now
this
is
a
patriarchal
society
where
the
name
your
descent
your
lineage
of
every
person
is
always
traced
back
through
the
father
never
through
the
mother
to
call
Jesus
Mary's
son
is a
subtle
put
down
what
you
can't
hide
in a
small
town
is
when
Joseph
and
Mary
got
married
in
June
a
baby
is
born
in
September
you
can't
hide
that
in
a
little
village
small
towns
don't
forget
that
sort
of
stuff
ever
and
so
this
put
down
is
scathing
it's
something
like
Jesus
you
are
a
nobody
Jesus
we
don't
even
know
who
your
father
is
you
don't
even
know
what
your
name
is
Jesus
you
are
Jesus
you
are
an
illegitimate
bastard
Jesus
is
who
you
actually
are
know
that
you
are
nobody
a
person
without
a
father
in
that
culture
is
a
person
without
an
identity
at
all
no
identity
you
are
a
nobody
and
the
ultimate
of
this
Jesus
knew
exactly
who
he
was
he
knew
exactly
who
his
father
was
and
yet
he
went
to
the
cross
and
became
a
man
without
a
father
he
became
the
ultimate
nobody
when
he
said
my
God
my
God
why
have
you
forsaken
me
he
became
a
man
without
a
father
and
on
the
cross
Jesus
received
the
only
total
rejection
that
can
totally
really
destroy
us
and
that
is
the
rejection
of
God
he
stood
in
our
place
he
took
the
penalty
and
the
punishment
for
everything
that
we
have
done
and
deserve
by
rejecting
God
consistently
by
rejecting
Jesus
consistently
he
took
the
rejection
he
did
it
voluntarily
he
did
it
out
of
love
he
got
the
ultimate
rejection
so
that
we
can
receive
the
ultimate
acceptance
well
done
my
son
well
done
my
daughter
through
Jesus
we are
children
of the
father
sons
and
daughters
we
have
got a
name
and we
have
got
an
eternal
place
and it
means
that
we
can
take
whatever
form
of
rejection
this
world
will
throw
at
us
it
doesn't
matter
what
anyone
thinks
when you
have
the
love
of the
king
and the
acceptance
of the
father
who
cares
what
anyone
else
thinks
so
throughout
these
early
chapters
of
Mark
we
the
readers
have
been
strongly
encouraged
to
understand
who
Jesus
is
to
repent
to put
our
faith
in
Jesus
to
listen
to
Jesus
to
obey
Jesus
and
the
second
half
of
Mark
6
is
especially
calling
us
to see
Jesus
the
redeemer
he's
the
savior
of the
world
he's
the
only
source
of
eternal
rescue
and
Jesus
faced
acceptance
and
rejection
many
people
were
intrigued
by
Jesus
fascinated
by
him
and
that
might
in
fact
be
you
right
now
you
might
just
be
very
newly
fascinated
with
Jesus
might
just
be
right
now
just
the
last
couple
of
weeks
you're
fascinated
with
Jesus
some
of
you
it
might
be
the
last
60
years
you've
been
fascinated
with
Jesus
coming
to
church
week
in
week
out
fascinated
with
this
Jesus
but
you
find
aspects
of
Jesus
offensive
there's
bits
of
Jesus
that
he
says
that
I
just
keep
it
over
there
just
ignore
those
bits
epil
have
hundred
things
t
the
moment
of
opportunity
was
gone
whether your fascination with Jesus
has been two days, three days
30 years, 40 years
you are not in control of your heart
you think you are
but you're not
we do not have power and control over our hearts
and so I'm saying to you now
if you are open to do something with Jesus
but you are afraid to do it
even though you know you should do it
but you're confused by aspects of Jesus
or even offended by aspects of Jesus
don't think the window of opportunity
is going to be open forever
10 days, 10 months, 10 years
50 years
you've been hearing Jesus say
obey me, obey me, obey me
in this area of life
but you've shut it out
you've shut it out
today is the day to change
that don't think the window of opportunity
is just going to stay open
don't keep putting it off
don't wait until the day
when you don't find Jesus offensive anymore
it will never come
or it will come
but it will be too late
don't reject the king
understand who he is
repent
put your faith in Jesus
listen to him
and obey him
and do it
today
on your service sheet
as we've been doing
right through this service
right throughout this series of Mark
is a brief
simple
very simple explanation
bare basic explanation
of what it is
of the gospel
and a prayer
to pray
to respond
to Jesus today
I want to encourage you to do it
don't care whether it's
two days of intrigue with Jesus
or 60 years of intrigue with Jesus
do it today