Monday 26 April 2010
- Bible Book:
- 2 Timothy
"Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful in my ministry." (v.11)
Background
Mark had a varied career. In Acts Paul is critical of himbecause at Perga Mark had left Paul and Barnabas and returned home.So, when Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them on a lateroccasion, Paul objected and this caused a rift between the two men.Paul and Barnabas went their separate ways: Silas going with Pauland Barnabas taking Mark with him to Cyprus.
Against this background Paul's request to "get Mark and bring himwith you" are words of great encouragement. First there is agenerosity of forgiveness. In
This verse is also reassuring because it speaks of new beginnings.Mark must have known that when he left Paul he had failed. Apartfrom being in receipt of Paul's anger he probably felt guilty, knewhe had damaged his reputation and was having to live with hisfeelings of failure. The way Paul in 2 Timothy 4:11 complimentsMark suggests that Mark used his experience of failure to develophis ministry.
It is too easy when things go wrong to avoid someone who hasoffended us. Paul, in that command to "get Mark" suggests there isan alternative way of dealing with our failures and embarrassmentsand that is to face them and learn from them.
To Ponder
What can you learn from Paul's change in attitudetowards Mark?
What can you learn from the changes which appearto have taken place in Mark?