encouraged by the Lord. He was always among the first disciples. He was among
the fishermen who, upon Jesus’s call, immediately left their boats and fishing gear,
and got to be part of the Savior’s “intimate group”. He always acted as a spokesman
for the twelve disciples. Peter never had a blind faith. He witnessed the Saviour’s
work and he referred questions when the disciples were confused and did not
understand Lord’s work. His initiatives originated in his true heart, but with a
limited thinking, typical of the human being, with natural solutions and resolutions
in a spiritual context (for instances in this respect see The Bible, The New Testament, “The Gospel of Mark”).
25
We conclude this first illustration by asking ourselves: what would we do today
if our Savior Jesus Christ called us to follow Him? Would we leave “immediately”
our material goods, as Peter and his friends fishermen did? Would we leave our
houses, cars, forests, lands and other material values, in which we place all our
hopes, in this transitory life on earth? Of course not! We believe that they represent
the safety of a prosperous life on Earth and a secure future (The Bible, The Od
Testament, “The book of Deuteronomy”).
26
(B) We are facing the sea again. Jesus got down from the mountain, where he had
chosen, in the morning, the twelve disciples, to accompany Him and to send
them preach the Scriptures, giving them the power to heal the sick and those
possessed by the devil. After He had met His relatives (who, in their disbelief,
said that “He had gone crazy”), He talked with the scribes who had come down
from Jerusalem, accusing Him of casting out devils, working miracles helped
by demons (Beelzebub). After He had confronted them with logical and
undeniable arguments (The Bible, The New Testament, “The Gospel of
Mark”),
27 He headed home. Here, many people had gathered and He could
not have lunch. Thus, He hoped that He could rest on the seashore. He was
followed by the crowds and He began again to teach them. He sat in a boat on
the sea and all the people stood on the shore and listened to Him. He taught
them many things, speaking again in parables.
In the evening, after he had dismissed the crowd, Jesus asked his disciples, who
were accompanying Him, to get to the other side. A great storm began and the large
25 Peter, after seeing the glory of our Savior Jesus Christ, on Mount Tabor, when He transfigured
and His clothes became dazzling white and there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who
were talking to Jesus, in his natural and naive enthusiasm, full of dread, he said “Rabbi, it is good
to stay here. Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah”. Peter had not
matured spiritually, he still needed experience (The Bible, The New Testament, “The Gospel of
Mark”, ch. 9, verse 2–5).
26 “You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my handshave produced this wealth for
me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. . .”
(The Bible, The Od Testament, “The book of Deuteronomy”, ch. 8, verse 17 and 18).
27 “So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive
out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand” (The Bible, The New
Testament, “The Gospel of Mark”, ch. 3, verse 23 and 24).
20
C. Jurca ˘ and A. Buzarna-Tihenea (Ga ˘lbeaza ˘)
the fishermen who, upon Jesus’s call, immediately left their boats and fishing gear,
and got to be part of the Savior’s “intimate group”. He always acted as a spokesman
for the twelve disciples. Peter never had a blind faith. He witnessed the Saviour’s
work and he referred questions when the disciples were confused and did not
understand Lord’s work. His initiatives originated in his true heart, but with a
limited thinking, typical of the human being, with natural solutions and resolutions
in a spiritual context (for instances in this respect see The Bible, The New Testament, “The Gospel of Mark”).
25
We conclude this first illustration by asking ourselves: what would we do today
if our Savior Jesus Christ called us to follow Him? Would we leave “immediately”
our material goods, as Peter and his friends fishermen did? Would we leave our
houses, cars, forests, lands and other material values, in which we place all our
hopes, in this transitory life on earth? Of course not! We believe that they represent
the safety of a prosperous life on Earth and a secure future (The Bible, The Od
Testament, “The book of Deuteronomy”).
26
(B) We are facing the sea again. Jesus got down from the mountain, where he had
chosen, in the morning, the twelve disciples, to accompany Him and to send
them preach the Scriptures, giving them the power to heal the sick and those
possessed by the devil. After He had met His relatives (who, in their disbelief,
said that “He had gone crazy”), He talked with the scribes who had come down
from Jerusalem, accusing Him of casting out devils, working miracles helped
by demons (Beelzebub). After He had confronted them with logical and
undeniable arguments (The Bible, The New Testament, “The Gospel of
Mark”),
27 He headed home. Here, many people had gathered and He could
not have lunch. Thus, He hoped that He could rest on the seashore. He was
followed by the crowds and He began again to teach them. He sat in a boat on
the sea and all the people stood on the shore and listened to Him. He taught
them many things, speaking again in parables.
In the evening, after he had dismissed the crowd, Jesus asked his disciples, who
were accompanying Him, to get to the other side. A great storm began and the large
25 Peter, after seeing the glory of our Savior Jesus Christ, on Mount Tabor, when He transfigured
and His clothes became dazzling white and there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who
were talking to Jesus, in his natural and naive enthusiasm, full of dread, he said “Rabbi, it is good
to stay here. Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah”. Peter had not
matured spiritually, he still needed experience (The Bible, The New Testament, “The Gospel of
Mark”, ch. 9, verse 2–5).
26 “You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my handshave produced this wealth for
me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. . .”
(The Bible, The Od Testament, “The book of Deuteronomy”, ch. 8, verse 17 and 18).
27 “So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive
out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand” (The Bible, The New
Testament, “The Gospel of Mark”, ch. 3, verse 23 and 24).
20
C. Jurca ˘ and A. Buzarna-Tihenea (Ga ˘lbeaza ˘)