Mark 16- Should there be believers drinking any deadly thing?

[jeffnevins]

My guess is no. Arsenic anyone? But the end of Mark, as some are sure to know:

17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Maybe its metaphor. We're supposed to have great faith, and can move mountains. But not physically move a mountain.

I imagine people have drunk things & died for not understanding the verse right. But a few can speak in tongues, heal, handle snakes, & cast out devils.

Anyway, thanks.

[stan4257]

My guess is no. Arsenic anyone? But the end of Mark, as some are sure to know:

17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Maybe its metaphor. We're supposed to have great faith, and can move mountains. But not physically move a mountain.

I imagine people have drunk things & died for not understanding the verse right. But a few can speak in tongues, heal, handle snakes, & cast out devils.

The NIV translation of scripture has this comment before verses 9 to 20 in chapter 16 of Mark.

"The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20."

[EricH]

Aside from the possibility that this section was not a part of the original text, just because God will rescue believers from certain things, does not mean they should do those things to test God's promise. Consider Jesus' temptation by Satan in the desert. In Psalm 91, God had promised to protect those who love Him by saying this:

For He will give His angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways. They will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

Psalm 91:11-12

Satan quoted this to Jesus in Matthew 4 and encouraged Him to jump off the temple to fulfill the verse. Here was Jesus' response:

Jesus told him, "It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God."

Matthew 4:7

The principle is that God will certainly protect us as we serve Him. But we are not to seek out situations to test God's promise

[exrockstar]

My guess is no. Arsenic anyone? But the end of Mark, as some are sure to know:

17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Maybe its metaphor. We're supposed to have great faith, and can move mountains. But not physically move a mountain.

I imagine people have drunk things & died for not understanding the verse right. But a few can speak in tongues, heal, handle snakes, & cast out devils.

Anyway, thanks.

many Christians believe this things are currently in place.

these things happened temporarily.

the more you read the bible the more you will see that the miracles were going away.

i can provide you scriptural examples of some.

[jeffnevins]

Aside from the possibility that this section was not a part of the original text, just because God will rescue believers from certain things, does not mean they should do those things to test God's promise. Consider Jesus' temptation by Satan in the desert. In Psalm 91, God had promised to protect those who love Him by saying this:

For He will give His angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways. They will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

Psalm 91:11-12

Satan quoted this to Jesus in Matthew 4 and encouraged Him to jump off the temple to fulfill the verse. Here was Jesus' response:

Jesus told him, "It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God."

Matthew 4:7

The principle is that God will certainly protect us as we serve Him. But we are not to seek out situations to test God's promise

Exactly. The signs can follow the believer. Not the other way. Thanks.

Interesting that the number of believers isn't specified. Could be that some can speak tongues. Fewer cast out devils, and on down to drinking any deadly thing.

Maybe there are two people on the planet that now (or in the future) can survive drinking acid or liquid nitrogen in the course of staying true to their faith. In which case the passage would be true.

[redwing]

Concerning Christ's temptation, observe, that directly after he was declared to be the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, he was tempted; great privileges, and special tokens of Divine favour, will not secure any from being tempted. But if the Holy Spirit witness to our being adopted as children of God, that will answer all the suggestions of the evil spirit. Christ was directed to the combat. If we presume upon our own strength, and tempt the devil to tempt us, we provoke God

to leave us to ourselves. Others are tempted, when drawn aside of their own lust, and enticed, Jas 1:14; but our Lord Jesus had no corrupt nature, therefore he was tempted only by the devil. In the temptation of Christ it appears that our enemy is subtle, spiteful, and very daring; but he can be resisted. It is a comfort to us that Christ suffered, being tempted; for thus it appears that our temptations, if not yielded to, are not sins, they are

afflictions only. Satan aimed in all his temptations, to bring Christ to sin against God. 1. He tempted him to despair of his Father's goodness, and to distrust his Father's care concerning him. It is one of the wiles of Satan to take advantage of our outward condition; and those who are brought into straits have need to double their guard. Christ answered all the temptations of Satan with to ?It is written; to ? to set us an example, he appealed to what was written in the Scriptures. This method

we must take, when at any time we are tempted to sin. Let us learn not to take any wrong courses for our supply, when our wants are ever so pressing: in some way or other the Lord will provide. 2. Satan tempted Christ to presume upon his Father's power and protection, in a point of safety. Nor are any extremes more dangerous than despair and presumption, especially in the affairs of our souls. Satan has no objection to holy places as the scene of his assaults. Let us not, in any place, be off

our watch. The holy city is the place, where he does, with the greatest advantage, tempt men to pride and presumption. All high places are slippery places; advancements in the world makes a man a mark for Satan to shoot his fiery darts at. Is Satan so well versed in Scripture as to be able to quote it readily? He is so. It is possible for a man to have his head full of Scripture notions, and his mouth full of Scripture expressions, while his heart is full of bitter enmity to God and to all

goodness. Satan misquoted the words. If we go out of our way, out of the way of our duty, we forfeit the promise, and put ourselves out of God's protection. This passage, De 8:3, made against the tempter, therefore he left out part. This promise is firm and stands good. But shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? No. 3. Satan tempted Christ to idolatry with the offer of the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. The glory of the world is the

most charming temptation to the unthinking and unwary; by that men are most easily imposed upon. Christ was tempted to worship Satan. He rejected the proposal with abhorrence. to ?Get thee hence, Satan! to ? Some temptations are openly wicked; and they are not merely to be opposed, but rejected at once. It is good to be quick and firm in resisting temptation. If we resist the devil he will flee from us. But the soul that deliberates is almost overcome. We find but few who can decidedly reject such

baits as Satan offers; yet what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Christ was succoured after the temptation, for his encouragement to go on in his undertaking, and for our encouragement to trust in him; for as he knew, by experience, what it was to suffer, being tempted, so he knew what it was to be succoured, being tempted; therefore we may expect, not only that he will feel for his tempted people, but that he will come to them with seasonable relief.

(Mt 4:12-17)

commentary by matthew henry

found in the public domain

[stan4257]

Maybe there are two people on the planet that now (or in the future) can survive drinking acid or liquid nitrogen in the course of staying true to their faith. In which case the passage would be true.

Their survival, were it to happen, would clearly be true if it happened, but the truth of it would not be based on the quoted scripture.

[jeffnevins]

[quote name='exrockstar' post='1129381' date='Mar 6 2008, 10:33 AM'

If you think the Gifts of hte Spirit are finished, why don't you go visit a few older pentecostal churches, preferrably Assemblies of God, Church of God, or non-denominational, and you'll see they are still very much alive.

[patricia1]

hello there....We are bombarded by poisons everyday and if you are drinking tap water without knowing whats in it... you can be taking a chance. Just pray over everything including medicines. A large percentage is made outside the united states.

Also in the last days the water will be undrinkable and food today does not taste as good as it did 40 yrs ago..I would think we better all be beliveing that scripture or you may one day be dring wormwood. LOL

Do not want to make anyone paranoid but...there is a reason The Lord Jesus has it there...

[patricia1]

hey Jeff, Just tell God you want to speak in tongues...praise him with a song...even if it starts to sound like baby talk continue...I have a feeling The wells are busting to be opened. The Holy spirit is within you and so is the gift. Spring up oh, well, within my soul...rivers of living water to flow out of your son Jeff Lord....mature rivers... I can see it...