Disciples Digital Library

Insisting on a Torah-observant lifestyle or favoring ethnic distinctions restores the walls of separation between Jewish and Gentile believers . The Mosaic Law was intended to keep Israel distinct from the surrounding Gentile nations. If the Church adopts  the requirements of the Mosaic Law, it will rebuild the “ middle wall of partition ” between Jewish and Gentile believers, a wall removed by Jesus at great personal cost.  The Apostle Paul presented an alternative to the Law for defining and identifying the single people of God - the “ faith of Jesus Christ .”

The  Gospel of Mark  divides the story of the barren fig tree into two sections and places the “cleansing” of the Temple between them. The two incidents are closely linked. The fruitlessness of the fig tree and its cursing highlighted the failure and fate of the Temple, and the actions of Jesus foreshadowed its destruction. After his arrival in the city of Jerusalem, he first visited the Temple and “ looked around on all things .”

The feeding of 5,000 men was a spectacular witness to Israel, yet most Jews continued to reject Jesus as Israel’s Messiah  -  Mark 6:31-56 .  The  feeding of the five thousand  is the only miracle story recorded in all four gospel accounts, which demonstrates its importance to the early church. In John’s gospel, it occurred near the Passover season. In  Luke , only the twelve disciples participated in the distribution of bread and fish.  Mark  places the story after the account of the execution of John the Baptist.