Snakes, Poison, Demons, Tongues, and Healings
Mark 16:9-20
A few weeks ago someone came to me with questions about a specific passage of Scripture that started me on the search for answers. That journey and the answers that I found are the basis for this morning’s teaching. We’re going to do more of a Bible study than a sermon as we look at a rather confusing passage of Scripture and try to see if we can make some sense out of it. So turn with me, if you will, to the last chapter in the book of Mark – the 16th chapter and verses 9-20.
“When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. [10] She went and told those who had been with him ad who were mourning and weeping. [11] When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.
[12] Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. [13] These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
[14] Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
[15] He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. [16] Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. [17] And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; [18] they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
[19] After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. [20] Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.”
Now, you may think, “What’s so difficult to understand about that passage?” Well, let’s take a closer look.
I. Not Found In Earliest Manuscripts
Depending on what Bible translation you have, you may or may not see a very interesting note concerning these verses. In the NIV translation you will find a note saying something to the effect that the earliest manuscripts of this gospel and certain other ancient witnesses do not include verses 9-20 of Mark 16.
So that leads us to the first set of questions concerning this passage. Why isn’t it found in the earliest versions of this gospel? Did Mark actually write these verses or did someone else? If someone else did write them and add them to the end of this gospel, why did they? And perhaps most importantly, what affect does this have on our beliefs as Christians?
These are some very important questions and should not be taken lightly. Unfortunately I couldn’t find definitive answers to some of them, but I want to share with you what I did find.
A. Supported By Other Scripture
First of all, scholars have not been able to determine who wrote this final passage of the book of Mark. They are uncertain whether Mark wrote them or if some later scholar added them to “finish” out the story. Verse 8 of chapter 16 ends with the women at Jesus’ tomb finding an angel in place of the body of Christ and being afraid. It seems like a rather strange place to end the story of the life of Christ, but throughout Mark’s gospel he chose to show the disciples as ordinary men and women who are frail and who routinely fail. So, it is possible that Mark would end showing Christ’s resurrection and the disbelief and fear of His disciples.
If this is the case, then our passage this morning was added at a later date by someone transcribing the gospel. So, how then should we view them? Should they be something we throw out as false?
I don’t think so. If you do some careful study, you will find that everything that is mentioned in this passage of Scripture can be supported by other passages in the Bible whose authorship and authenticity is not is question.
1. Christ’s Appearance to Mary Magdalene After the Resurrection
For example, in verses 9-11 it says that after His resurrection, Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene and told her to tell His disciples what she had seen. It also says that when she did this, the disciples didn’t believe her.
The gospel of John 20:10-18, confirm this account in greater detail. And Luke 24:9-11, confirm the fact that she told the disciples of Christ’s resurrection and that they did not believe her.
2. Jesus Appearance to the Disciples on the Road to Emmaus
Another example can be found in verses 12 and 13 of Mark 16 in which we see Jesus appearing to two disciples while they were walking in the country. This account is confirmed in Luke 24:13-35, which gives a detailed account of Jesus’ appearance to the two disciples who were walking to Emmaus.
3. Rebuking the Disciples For Their Unbelief
A third example would be verses 14 and 15 in which Jesus appears in the midst of His disciples while they were eating and rebukes them for not believing the news of His resurrection. Luke 24:36-43 acknowledges this truth as well.
And the other events recorded in Mark 16:9-20 can be confirmed by other Scripture as well: Jesus’ command to preach the gospel to the world, Jesus confirming His resurrection by performing miracles in their presence, and Jesus’ ascension to heaven.
So what this tells me is that even if this passage of Scripture was not originally written by Mark, but added by someone else at a later date, there is nothing in it that refutes other passages of Scripture. It’s contents are also historically accurate and therefore I believe we can accept them as truth and include them as words in which to live by.
B. Does Not Affect Doctrine or Theology
Another thing to realize is that whether these verses are included in Scripture or excluded there is no affect on our Christian doctrine or theology. Throwing this passage out does not change anything because we have the other gospel accounts that would fill in what isn’t mentioned in the rest of the book of Mark. Likewise, adding this passage doesn’t change anything because it says the same as other accounts. Properly interpreted, these verses will not cause any false doctrinal concepts or erroneous beliefs to arise.
II. Correct Interpretation of Verses 17 and 18
So that leads us to the next set of questions concerning the interpretation of verses 17 and 18 of Mark 16, which cover the signs that accompany believers in Christ. Let’s reread those verses together so you can see what I’m talking about.
“[17] And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; [18] they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
These verses can be very confusing for believers. By just a cursory reading of them it appears that all believers will be able to perform these miraculous deeds and that those who do so can prove their faith or salvation by them. That naturally leads to Christians who have not performed these miracles to believe that they are not saved or not faithful or spiritual enough. Is that what these verses are really saying? Is that the correct interpretation of them?
No, I do not believe that is what these verses are telling us. Let me explain.
A. Not Connected to Our Gaining or Maintaining Salvation
First of all you need to understand your salvation or spirituality is in no way connected to the performing of miraculous signs. All through the New Testament, God makes it clear that salvation is a gift from God. It has nothing to do with what we bring to the table and everything with what Christ did for us.
Ephesians 2:8, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God –.”
You didn’t do anything to earn your salvation and you don’t have to prove anything in order to keep it. No where does the Bible say you have to perform or do so many deeds or pray so many times or heal so many people in order to prove or keep your salvation. That idea is totally contrary to Scripture.
If this idea were true, that you had to do something to prove you were saved or keep your salvation, then in essence you are saying that Jesus’ work on the cross wasn’t good enough to save you or keep you safe. And if Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection wasn’t good enough, if His perfect sinless life, laid down as a ransom for sins wasn’t good enough, then we are all doomed to eternal hell and separation from God.
B. Not to Be Ritualized or Used to Prove Salvation or Spirituality
Now, a second thing we need to realize is that these verse in no way should be ritualized or used to prove that we have been saved, and unfortunately that is exactly what some people have done. As we said earlier these verses when interpreted correctly do not change or add to or take away from any doctrine given to us by the rest of the Bible as a whole. But some have actually taken these two verses and made a doctrine out of them.
There are actually some “Christian” sects that practice handling poisonous snakes and drinking poison as a sign of their faith. They’ve taken these two verses of Scripture and build an entire religion around them.
Should Christians drink poison and make pets of rattlers as evidence of their faith? No. God does not ask us to tempt the laws of nature. God is not a safety net for people who leap off of tall buildings. And truthfully, what these people are doing, though they may not realize it, is testing God. They are deliberately placing themselves in dangerous situations and testing God to see if He will save them. And Scripture makes it very clear that testing God is a sin.
Matthew 4:7 Jesus says, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” And Deuteronomy 6:16 says, “Do not test the Lord your God…”
God calls us to live as new citizens in the eternal kingdom and to witness by word and service to God’s love and power. Our witness should center on Jesus, not on superhero-type stunts.
C. All Signs But One Did Occur and Still Can
These signs were given to believers who encountered such situations as they went about their normal work of spreading the Gospel of Christ. And all but one of them is recorded as actually occurring in the Bible.
1. Snake Bite
For example, the sign that a believer would pick up a deadly snake and be bit, yet not suffer the effects actually happened to the Apostle Paul on the island of Malta. Look at Acts 28:1-6, “Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. [2] The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. [3] 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. [4] 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, Justice has not allowed him to live.’ [5] But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. [6] The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.”
Notice that Paul didn’t go out looking for a poisonous snake just so he could pick it up and put on a show for the islanders. While he was going about the work of God, spreading the news of Christ Jesus and His atoning work on the cross, he was bitten by accident and God protected him. This miracle also proved God’s power over the natural world and prompted the islanders to listen to and maybe even believe what he said.
2. Healing the Sick
Another sign which accompanied the early disciples was the healing of the sick. Several places in the New Testament you will find that this sign was fulfilled. Acts 28:7-10 is just one. “There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. [8] His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went into see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. [9] When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. [10] They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.”
Again notice that Paul was not putting on a grand stand type show trying to “sell” the gospel to the natives of the island. He didn’t heal the father to prove his faith to the people. He prayed first to discern God’s will and then laid his hands on the man. God healed him as a sign of His presence and the truth of Paul’s message. And then God healed the rest of the sick on the island. This wasn’t done for Paul’s sake, to prove that Paul was a believer. It was done so that the unbelievers would see the truth and power of Paul’s God.
I’ve listed some other scriptures in your handouts that also show that the sign of the healing of the sick accompanied the disciples of the early church for the purpose of furthering the Kingdom of God on earth. (Acts 3:1-10, Acts 8:7, Acts 9:33-34, Acts 14:8-10)
3. Speaking in New Tongues
Speaking in new tongues was another of the signs that was literally fulfilled. Perhaps the best example was at Pentecost. Look with me at this passage in Acts 2:1-12. “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. [2] Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. [3] They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. [4] All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
[5] Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. [6] When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. [7] Utterly amazed, the asked: ‘Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? [8] Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? [9] Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [10] Phrygia and Pamphylia, Eygpt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome [11] (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs – we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!’ [12] Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, ‘What does this mean?’”
Now, just an aside here. I want you to understand exactly what the Bible means when it talks about speaking in tongues. It does not mean being overcome, or “slayed in the spirit” and speaking gibberish. Look at what this passage says. The apostles weren’t babbling in a language that no one understood. They were speaking the native languages of the people who were present so that they could understand the wonders of God. They hadn’t been trained in these languages to know how to speak them. They Spirit of God gave them the ability to speak and understand languages that they did not know in order to spread the Gospel. That is what speaking in tongues means.
It would be like me coming across someone who speaks and understands only Russian where as I only speak and understand English. And I wanted to talk to this person about the love of God. So I start speaking in the only language I know, English. But this person who only understands Russian is hearing my words spoken to them in Russian so that they understand what I am saying. I would not be speaking gibberish, I would be speaking Russian, that would be a new tongue for me. Speaking gibberish is pointless.
The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:9, 19 concerning this very thing, “…Unless you speak in intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying. You will just be speaking into the air….[19] But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousands words in a tongue.”
Again the purpose of this sign as well as all of the others is to spread the Gospel and further God’s kingdom, not to prove one’s spirituality. Other scriptures which talk about the sign of speaking in tongues are found in your handouts as well. (Acts 10:46, 19:6, 1 Corinthians 14).
As I said earlier, all of these signs have been fulfilled in Scripture except one, the drinking of poison. And I’ve included those Scripture verses for you as well. Expelling demons: (Acts 5:15-16, Acts 16:18, Acts 19:11-12).
D. Encompasses All Miraculous Signs
Acts 19:11-12, 20, “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, [12] so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them…[20] In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.”
That last sentence in verse 20 is the important one that we need to keep in mind. These signs were and are for the purpose of spreading the Word of God. The disciples’ purpose and ours today is to tell the good news, encourage other believers, live as examples of Christ. All these things further God’s Kingdom on earth. Now in the course of doing these things, should we come across such dangerous situations as demon possessed people, snake bites, or accidental ingestion of poison then these signs can occur today much as they did in the infancy of the church.
Now in a larger sense I believe these signs listed in Mark 16:17-18 are examples of all the miraculous things which believers in Christ may do to show God’s kingdom and power on earth. I believe that they can still happen today, because God is still furthering His kingdom on earth. He is still in the business of seeking the lost.
If none of these things have happened to you, do not be discouraged. It does not mean that you are not a believer, or that you aren’t spiritual enough or have enough faith. There is probably one of two reasons why you may not have seen one of these signs in your own life. It is either because you aren’t doing any work to further God’s Kingdom, which would necessitate these signs being true in your life. Or it could be because you have never been in a situation in which these signs would be needed.
Myself, I’ve never been bitten by a snake or even been around one that could possibly bite me. To my knowledge I’ve never been exposed to poison or even had the possibility of accidentally ingesting it. I’ve never encountered a person who was possessed by a demon, though I’ve felt the enemy’s oppression in my life and the lives of others and have seen what prayer in the name of Jesus Christ can do to rid myself and others of this evil presence.
I’ve had the opportunity to pray for many who have been sick and have heard testimonies of healing and answered prayer. I have not had the opportunity to lay hands on anyone for the purpose of healing and furthering God’s kingdom, nor have I spoke in a foreign tongue, but I am eagerly awaiting the moment in which God uses me in such ways. And I pray that you feel the same way.
I hope that I have cleared up some of the confusion that tends to surround this passage of Scripture. I have made copies of this teaching so that you can review and study it in your own time and meditate on it with the help of the Holy Spirit. If you still have questions or concerns please feel free to contact me in some way and I’ll do my best to help you find answers.
Sermon Sources:
“A Biblical Theology of the New Testament.” Copyright © 1994 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 1997, Parsons Technology, Inc.
“The Believer’s Study Bible.” Copyright © 1991 by the Criswell Center for Biblical Studies Special Study Helps, Copyright © 1991, 1990, 1985, 1983, 1975 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 1998, Parsons Technology, Inc.
“Life Application Bible Commentary: Mark.” Copyright © 1994 by The Livingstone Corporation. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois. All rights reserved. Life Application is a registered trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 2002, Findex.com, Inc.
