The Marks of Jesus – Suffering

From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the marks that show I belong to Jesus.

Gal 6:17

We are investigating Galatians 6:17 above and I am responding to the question: What does it mean in Gal 6:17 “The Marks of Jesus”? What are the marks of Jesus?

In the previous Nugget we looked at the mark of “Discipline” What did you conclude? Could Paul have been referring to the mark of Discipline?

1. Was this a Mark of Jesus?
2. Was this a Mark that Paul bore on or in his body?
3. Could this be what Paul is referring to?
4. What’s your conclusion?
5. Is this a Mark which characterises you?

So could the Mark of Discipline have been what Paul was referring to?

1. Yes, it was a Mark of God and Jesus in that we are called to a disciplined life of obedience to God and to Christ. However, never is Jesus referred to as having undergone discipline as such. Discipline is applied to those who are disobedient. Christ is not referred to as being disobedient.
2. Yes, this was certainly a mark which Paul had on his life although there was no specific mark on his body but there could have been. Paul talked about kicking against the pricks or against the spurs in Act 9:5. In the context of the verse Jesus is talking about Paul persecuting him and kicking against the pricks or spurs to steer him the way the Lord wanted him to go. Nowhere does Paul talk about marks on his body as a result of kicking against the pricks. Although he does talk rather enigmatically about the thorn in his flesh given to keep him from becoming conceited. That certainly sounds like a mark of discipline but we are left to speculate as to what it could have been.
3. Yes, it could well be.
4. It was highly likely Paul included discipline in his thinking; all Christians ought to be characterised or marked with an attitude of responsiveness to God’s correction. If we want to be Christlike and have the mark of being a Christian on us then we need to be willing to be disciplined accordance with Hebrew 12:5-8. I certainly know the mark of the Lord’s discipline on my life although I can’t say it has left scar. I can look back to the time when God said to me, “Thus you are to know in your heart that I the Lord was disciplining you just as a father disciplines his son.”
5. What about you? Can you look back to times when the Lord has been disciplining you.

The Marks of Suffering

There is a prevalent teaching around which suggests that if we suffer or are persecuted or if accidents and bad things happen to us then we are not walking in the Spirit. If such things happen to us then it’s an indication we are out of God’s will. Ask yourself the question: Is that true? Can you recall anything Jesus or Paul had to say about this in relation to us as His disciples? What about these verses?

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

John 15:18-21

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.

2 Cor 4:8-11

In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defence. We serve God whether people honour us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you.

2 Cor 6:4-11

Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

2 Cor 11-23-27

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Cor 12:9-19

I could add many more verses for Jesus and for Paul. The verses from 2nd Corinthians are summary verses of Paul’s experiences scattered throughout the Book of Acts. I simply felt that was a more efficient way of summing up Paul’s likely scars from the hardships of life. To believe otherwise is to follow the teachings of Pharisees and Sadducees. These sects believed sickness, deformation of body or limbs, poverty, persecution, in short all bad things were a sign of God’s curse being on you. All of these ailments or contra-indications were clear evidence you were a sinner and not blessed by God. Is that what you believe? Missing fingers, toes or limbs, scar tissue, signs of past sickness or scarring, skin diseases and other bodily scars were proof that God’s blessing was not following you. How do you measure up? Could the priest or pharisee examine you and see signs of God’s curse on you? Do you believe Christ words or the pharisees teaching?

• When Paul said “I bear on my body the marks that show I belong to Jesus”, could he have meant persecution?
• Did Paul have scars on his body indicating he had suffered?
• Did Paul in fact have marks on his body which indicated he had suffered for Jesus?
• Would a Pharisee have considered him blessed?
• Do the marks of persecution have to be outward marks on the body or can they be inner marks of persecution?

Have you experienced persecution because of the Name of Jesus?

Do you have the Mark of Suffering on your life?

Talk to God about it.

Apply the standard Questions to this Mark of Jesus.

Before the next Nugget spend some time thinking about this connection to the Mark of Suffering and work your way through the above FIVE QUESTIONS for this option to Paul’s use of stigmata.