I once heard of a man who ruled a kingdom. The man was very fat and very self centered and thought only of indulging himself at every turn. He did not lead and did not care for his people, just himself. His brother attacked the kingdom and gained control. His brother was a good and honest man – a good leader. The brother who was now in control built a prison “room” for the fat and selfish brother. The room was lavish, no expense was spared and food was continually brought before the fat and selfish brother. The interesting thing is that the room, the prison, had no bars, no locks nothing at all. The doors were built to the size of a normal person, so were the windows. All the selfish mad had to do was to restrain himself from eating, and he could literally walk out of his prison. The story ended with the fat selfish man dying in the room, the prison, which his own heart condemned him to!
Many live inside of prison walls without bars, prisons built by the hardness of their hearts. Unable to move forward in life and love, unable to capture the essence of what it really means to live they imprison themselves without even knowing that they have the very key to what is holding them fast.
The Word of God has much to say about the condition of a man’s heart . . .
1 Samuel 16:6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him. 7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. KJV
Matthew 13:58And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. KJV
Mark 6:5And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. KJV
- · He could. . . NT:1410 dunamai (doo'-nam-ahee); of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible: KJV - be able, can (do, -not), could, may, might, be possible, be of power.
- · No . . . NT:3756 ou (oo); also (before a vowel) ouk (ook); and (before an aspirate) ouch (ookh); a primary word; the absolute negative [compare NT:3361] adverb; no or not: KJV - long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, [can-] not, nothing, special, un ([-worthy]), when, without, yet but. See also NT:3364, NT:3372.
Robert WareI have watched this several times and each time and more troubled. I think the passage he was referring to was Mark 6:5. Of note is that Jesus DID heal people in this passage at this time, also of note that Mark did not consider this a "mighty work." Mark wanted to see, just as Jesus wanted/wants to see, peoples hearts turned to the Father. I agree with you Blake Long, it is never appropriate, in my humble opinion, to say that Jesus "can't" do something. I think his heart was calling to the hearts of those around Him and THEY chose to not believe after given all the evidence. Jesus, in reality, COULD force His Love upon us, but He CHOOSES to allow us a choice. That offer in no wise diminishes His Omniscience, Power, or Godhood. He can do whatever He chooses, He just loves us enough to allow us to choose to either love or not love Him in return. Thoughts?
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Robert WareAlso, Matthew 13:58 sums up a little cleaner when it states that He "did not do" which illustrates that it was indeed Christs choice, not that He was not able . . .if that makes sense
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