Mark 16:17&18.....what does it mean?

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peso73

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At the end of the gospel of Mark, it says believers “will drive out demons”, ok…“they will speak new languages”, I assume it means without learning them, although the Pentecostals believe it refers to what they are doing when they “speak in tongues”, right? Either one of which it seems to me not to be true, at least not literally…and that they could be bitten by serpents or drink poison and no harm would come to them!? Is this symbolic?
I know there are those who seem to have the gift of healing, so that doesn’t bother me so much, but what about those signs in between? Can anyone explain them as they seem untrue?
 
peso73 said:
At the end of the gospel of Mark, it says believers “will drive out demons”, ok…“they will speak new languages”, I assume it means without learning them, although the Pentecostals believe it refers to what they are doing when they “speak in tongues”, right? Either one of which it seems to me not to be true, at least not literally…and that they could be bitten by serpents or drink poison and no harm would come to them!? Is this symbolic?
I know there are those who seem to have the gift of healing, so that doesn’t bother me so much, but what about those signs in between? Can anyone explain them as they seem untrue?
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Why does it seem “untrue” that God can work miracles?
Why would it “bother” you if He did?

Acts 2:6-13
6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and wondered, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Par’thians and Medes and E’lamites and residents of Mesopota’mia, Judea and Cappado’cia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phryg’ia and Pamphyl’ia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyre’ne, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Acts 28:2-6
3 Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, when a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. 4 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They waited, expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead; but when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
 
…well, I think you misunderstood what I meant, not that God can’t perform any miracle He wants to whenever He wants to, or that any of the accounts of miracles in the Bible or even the saints after bother me, my problem understanding that scripture is that it seems to claim that those who believe in Jesus will show these signs…it seems like it’s talking about any Christian, and I am pretty sure if your average catholic in the pews, or any priest, bishop, or anyone else got bitten by a poisonous snake, they’d get sick, or if they drank poison they’d die just like a non-believer. I mean modern day believers, why don’t we have these signs to testify to the world? 🤷
 
From A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture, edited by Dom Bernard Orchard M.A., published by Thomas Nelson & Sons in 1953, page 933-934, on Mark 16:17-18:… The promise [of miraculous signs] is made to the community of the faithful rather than to each individual believer. In the early days of the Church, possibly because a greater need for extraordinary signs in order to move a sceptical and hostile world to which the Gospel and Church was still new, some of these manifestations of miraculous power were more frequent than in later times. But Christ’s promise is not limited to a particular period. In every age miracles have given proof that Christ abides with the Church. …
 
peso73 said:
…well, I think you misunderstood what I meant, not that God can’t perform any miracle He wants to whenever He wants to, or that any of the accounts of miracles in the Bible or even the saints after bother me, my problem understanding that scripture is that it seems to claim that those who believe in Jesus will show these signs…it seems like it’s talking about any Christian, and I am pretty sure if your average catholic in the pews, or any priest, bishop, or anyone else got bitten by a poisonous snake, they’d get sick, or if they drank poison they’d die just like a non-believer. I mean modern day believers, why don’t we have these signs to testify to the world? 🤷
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I will give you a personal opinion, as a Charismatic Catholic. I believe that we recieve all the gifts of the HS at baptism, and these are strengthened and released in confrimation. However, the Church has focused catechesis on the gifts to build up the individual

Isa 11:2
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

to the exclusion of the charismatic gifts you mention. Part of this is because the charismatic gifts are easily abused, as we can see in I Cornthians. If you are interested in learning more about these gifts, and how to use them, you can seek out a charismatic prayer group near you. These gifts are still active in the Church today.

nsc-chariscenter.org/
 
guanophore said:
I will give you a personal opinion, as a Charismatic Catholic. I believe that we recieve all the gifts of the HS at baptism, and these are strengthened and released in confrimation. However, the Church has focused catechesis on the gifts to build up the individual

Isa 11:2
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

to the exclusion of the charismatic gifts you mention. Part of this is because the charismatic gifts are easily abused, as we can see in I Cornthians. If you are interested in learning more about these gifts, and how to use them, you can seek out a charismatic prayer group near you. These gifts are still active in the Church today.

nsc-chariscenter.org/
Click to expand...
 
“to the exclusion of the charismatic gifts you mention. Part of this is because the charismatic gifts are easily abused, as we can see in I Cornthians. If you are interested in learning more about these gifts, and how to use them, you can seek out a charismatic prayer group near you. These gifts are still active in the Church today.”

As an advocate for Charismatic Renewal, I believe that not only you can but you also should seek the Charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is not based on my simple experience, it is what St. Paul said:“Follow after charity, be zealous for spiritual gifts” (1 Corinth. 14: 1)

When people attempt to use St. John of the Cross to question whether or not to seek these spiritual gifts, they are missing the meaning and purpose of charismatic gifts. Charismatic gifts are not given to be laurels, they are given for ministry** Charismatic gifts are still active in the Church today, and seeking them out is to be encouraged. For example, a Latin-Rite priest seeks the charism of celibacy.

I do have a word of caution: just because you seek spiritual gifts, does not make you a charismatic. Receiving the power of the Holy Spirit to minister to the Christian Community is something for all Catholics. The Apostles at Pentecost were not charismatic Catholics.

A charismatic Catholic is somebody actually involved in the Renewal.

They are many charismatic groups in the Catholic Church today that are not affiliated with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Focolare (I butchered it, I know), Communion and Liberation, Opus Dei, the Neocatechumenate, the Cursillo’s.

As far as Confirmation and the release of the Holy Spirit, I believe Confirmation strengthens the gifts of the Holy Spirit but it is not a prerequisite for them. This is based upon my experience when I was touched by the power of the Holy Spirit in the Charismatic Renewal shortly after my conversion, at which time I was in Confirmation Class.

Being active in the Renewal has given me a great deal of spiritual strength. I encourage all Catholics to open their heart to the gifts God the Father wants us to have.

God bless,

Peter Rowe
Tiber Swim Team class of 99/00.
 
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