Reflecting on Mark 16:9-20
"They will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all. (Mark 16:18)These words added to Mark stand out as odd, and dangerous.
Nowhere else in the Jesus stories is this mentioned.
There are some possible connections to other parts of the Bible
There is the prophecy of Isaiah 11 about the coming of the Messiah.
The Branch of Jesse will be Spirit-powered and make things right (Isaiah 11:1-5).
“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”(Isaiah 11:6-9)
And there is the story of Paul and the viper snake:
“Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, ‘This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.’ But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.” (Acts 28:3-5)
Today there are a few christians who take these words literally.
“A ‘snake handling church’ is a small number of isolated churches, primarily in Appalachia and associated with the Holiness and Pentecostal movements, that practice handling venomous snakes as a religious rite. Adherents believe this practice is a testament of their faith, supported by a literal interpretation of biblical passages like Mark 16:17-18, and that they will be divinely protected from bites. his tradition, which began in the early 20th century, also sometimes includes handling fire or drinking poison, though it is declining and out-lawed in most U.S. States.”
I do not take these words literally, but we can take them figuratively.
Jesus comes to make this world ‘very good’ again.
He comes to bring an end to the curse of evil, suffering and death.
As Isaiah imagines, there will no longer be fear, violence and tragedy.
Or as John envisions it when the new creation comes:
“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)
All of the miracles of Jesus were intended to be understood figuratively.
These “signs will accompany those who believe” (Mark 16:17).
They prove that the Jesus is the Messiah, and the kingdom is near (Luke 7:20-22).
Not everyone is healed; sickness and suffering remain.
But the signs are meant to help people look to Jesus for hope and healing.
We are to look to Jesus for victory over the serpent(s), and Satan.
The victory of the cross is the victory over the snake.
“The Lord God said to the serpent… I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (John 3:14)
Miracles still happen today, people are still healed and set free from demons.
But not everyone experiences this, and not everyone survives snakes or poison.
For now death, mourning, crying and pain remain… but not forever.
We do not seek out danger (snakes, sickness, suffering) as Jesus-followers.
We follow Jesus, we love and serve like Jesus, and we trust Jesus, whatever happens.
If we do encounter snakes, sickness or suffering, our only hope is Jesus.
I will plead for rescue or healing now, and for protection from all kinds of ‘snakes’.
But whether it comes or not, my hope is in the victory of Jesus.
Look to Jesus, not the snakes… let Jesus handle the snakes!
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, the last thing I want to handle is snakes and poison. But if it should happen, I will pray for a miracle, for help, for healing. But even if it should not come, I will know that their effect is temporary. The serpent has been crushed, and You are making all things new. If not today, then one day. You are my hope for help and healing!