Today's gospel is one of those complex writings that can cause a bucket of harm. Christ is being followed by a lot of people as He journeys toward Jerusalem. In this gospel he distinguishes between the interested and the faithful by emphasizing the spiritual distinct from the material. Families, wives, children are all shockingly shown as material and temporal to make the point. Taken alone, this gospel is difficult; one must see the whole. For example Christ's opinion of marriage is quite harsh and He repeats it: Marriage is an inviolable contract. Period. Marriage to Christ is repeatedly presented as sacred. So that the diminishing of marriage in this gospel must be more complex than at first blush.
A few years ago George Hensley started a movement in the Pentecostal Church that emphasized the handling of snakes. Several churches continue to handle poisonous snakes in their services to this day. This comes from several bible readings, Mark 16:17-18:
"And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues. 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" and Luke 10:19:
"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."
There is also a section in Acts 28:1-6, which tells that Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake and suffered no harm.
It is doubtful that Christ was creating a religion that hinged on snake handling. Seeing Christ and the whole of His meaning is the real message here.
A few years ago George Hensley started a movement in the Pentecostal Church that emphasized the handling of snakes. Several churches continue to handle poisonous snakes in their services to this day. This comes from several bible readings, Mark 16:17-18:
"And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues. 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" and Luke 10:19:
"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."
There is also a section in Acts 28:1-6, which tells that Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake and suffered no harm.
It is doubtful that Christ was creating a religion that hinged on snake handling. Seeing Christ and the whole of His meaning is the real message here.
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