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Mark 16:17-18 The apostles were imbued with miraculous powers, these being for the purpose of authenticating the gospel they were preaching by their demonstration thereof. We see the casting out of the devils demonstrated in Acts 16:16-18 where Paul cast the spirit from the girl in Philippi. Individual speaking in languages they had not learned was remarkably fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:4-11 and again at the conversion of Cornelius (Acts 10:46). There is some accounts in secular history of John being given some poison to drink by Emperor Domitian, but not being in the inspired record, we won't dwell on that for long. The story goes that John drank some poison in front of Domitian, then gave some of the same poison to someone else who died after consuming it, then John raised this person from the dead in front of Domitian as a demonstration of God's power. Personally, I find it hard to believe John would have killed someone in order to authenticate the power of God even though he could raise him back from the dead. Paul was bitten by a serpent which he cast into the fire which resulted in His being given an opportunity to proclaim the gospel to the barbarians on the island of Melita where he spent 3 months (Acts 28). Laying hands on the sick and healing them is found in many instances in scripture, Acts 3:6-7; 5:15, etc. These were all miraculous manifestations which were needed then to confirm the word, but have since ceased as foretold by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:8-10. Our society today is replete with examples of those who have meddled with poisonous snakes and died, speaking in tongues no one on earth can understand to the edification of none, those claiming to be able to heal miraculously but confine themselves to headaches and other invisible maladies while shunning the hospitals full of the infirmed where a genuine display of God's power could be shown and prophets who prophecies fail repeatedly. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). This passage of scripture is abused basically by three groups of people. Those who wish to demonstrate these miraculous gifts today, those who wish to discredit belief in Christ altogether with claims of absurdity and those who wish to downplay the importance of obedience to Jesus by showing examples of things He said that are outside the realm of possibility. No one can say that the promise in Mark 16:17-18 has not been fulfilled unless he can show that none of these things ever occurred. There is plenty of evidence both internal and secular that some of the first century Christians had these abilities. The Christian today should be satisfied that the promise was fulfilled since these miracles were actually performed, though they do not occur now; and the believer now should not expect a miracle in his case. Miracles were necessary for the establishment of religion in the world; they are not necessary for its continuance now because we have that which is complete in the written record of God's word that is able to thoroughly furnish us unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The key to understanding specifically who these promises were given to is in the original Greek. "Them that believe" ... The antecedent of "them" is "the eleven themselves" mentioned directly in Mark 16:14. The only way this can be avoided is to change the singular pronoun and the specific pronoun in verses 15-16 into plural pronouns generally applicable to all which is contrary to the Greek text. There is nothing difficult in this interpretation, since it is simple basic English. The utmost importance must be attached to the preservation of the singular and specific pronouns in Mark 16:15-16; because, once these are changed, whether by alteration of the text or by a subjective projection of ones predisposed belief into the passage of "them that shall be saved", the meaning of Mark 16:17-18 is thereby perverted and contradicted within its own context. Jesus was speaking directly to his disciples and it is vital that we understand this and make the proper application of this to our lives today. We must take from it what is relevant for us today and leave the rest of it in their hands in the first century since it was to them it was specifically addressed. |
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