Oh
My God: Some Key Changes to Jesus' Replies in the Gospel of Mark
by
Juan "Small Time" Mendez
Jesus
then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across
the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his
custom, he taught them. Some Pharisees came and tested him by
asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"
"Oh
my God!" Jesus replied.
"What
do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.
The
blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
"Ohmygod!"
said Jesus, "your faith has healed you."
Immediately
he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Seeing
in the distance a fig tree in leaf, Jesus went to find out if
it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves,
because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree,
"May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples
heard him say it.
On
reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving
out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the
tables of the moneychangers and the benches of those selling doves,
and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple
courts.
And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: `My house
will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have
made it a den of robbers."
The
chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began
looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the
whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. When evening came, they
went out of the city. In the morning, as they went along, they
saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and
said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"
"Oh.
My. God." Jesus answered.
Later
they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch
him in his words. They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know
you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because
you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of
God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to
Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?" But Jesus knew
their hypocrisy.
"Oh
MY God!" he said. "Bring me a denarius and let me look at it."
