The Song of Mark, Chapter 7
Epic poem retelling the seventh chapter of Mark's gospel, with dramatic background music.
Dramatic presentation of epic poems on the life of Jesus.
Spirit Song Text presents original poetic paraphrases of the four new testament gospels with dramatic musical background to enhance understanding of the stories. Each song is an entire chapter from the biblical book. Writing and production of these gospel epics is by Jabez Van Cleef, a poet living in Madison, NJ (USA).
Story behind the song
To allow singing of the gospel story. I offer a liberal use policy for composers who would like to use these lyrics in their own songs. Please contact me directly.
Lyrics
7.
Some authorities came and saw
They broke the dietary law.
And yet when they would criticize,
He said, Isaiah prophesies,
‘They honor me with holy speech
And still their hearts are out of reach,’
Earthly traditions hold you fast,
And so God’s word you leave for last.
The laws of God you would so prune
To make them fit the ways of men.
Then Jesus called upon the crowd
And spoke this sentence clear and loud:
Mark not the evils from without,
That folk inside themselves will put.
But watch instead what issues forth,
For this is how they show their worth.
The food they eat cannot defile,
But passes through them as it will;
They may eat good and wholesome things,
But from their hearts all evil springs:
Fornication, theft and murder,
Pride and foolishness and slander,
The secret ways of mortal sin,
Follow a path from down within.
There came a woman to be blessed
Whose little daughter was possessed.
The woman fell down at his feet,
And begged him, cast the devil out.
This woman, she was not a Jew;
He wondered what he ought to do,
And said, My children must be fed,
Before I’d throw the dogs their bread.
She answered, This is true, and yet
Even the dogs some crumbs will get.
So Jesus drove the devil out.
Again as Jesus turned toward home,
A man came who was deaf and dumb,
Jesus took him away, alone,
Spat in his hand, and touched his tongue,
Upon his ears two fingers laid,
Sighed, and then up to heaven said,
Be opened, and the man could hear,
And spoke with words both plain and clear.
And Jesus asked folk not to tell
How he had made the deaf man well.
But the more he would have it so
The more they would proclaiming go.
They were amazed beyond all thought
At all the healing deeds he wrought.
