These signs will follow those who believe: In my name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues,
16:17
— And these signs — Apart from the word “signs”, the New Testament uses two other terms: “wonders” and “miracles” (or, wonders). see 2Co 12:12; Hebrews 2:4; Ac 2:22. They are supernatural works. The word “sign” emphasizes the divine evidence that resides in the person doing the sign. The word “wonder” underlines the wonder that is caused in the person who observes the supernatural work. The word “miracle” emphasizes the power behind the work. These signs were to confirm (ver. twenty; Hebrews 2:1-18; Hebrews 3:1-19). When the Word was confirmed, then these signs ceased. Christ promised to help the apostles with these signs “everywhere” (ver. twenty); the gospel came to be preached “in all creation under heaven” (Col 1:23). By then the signs were already ceasing, since they had already confirmed the Word preached everywhere. When “that which is perfect” came (the completed revelation of the gospel), tongues ceased (1Co 13:8-10). With no new revelations today, there is no need for signs to confirm. This the Pentecostals and the neo-Pentecostals ignore completely. — will follow those who believe — To whom were these signs (miracles) promised? (The Pentecostals and Neo-Pentecostals apply this promise to themselves simply because they consider themselves “believers”). They were first promised to the apostles (verses 14,15,19,20). Christ was addressing them directly. He had rebuked them for his unbelief regarding his resurrection (verse 14). They would have to believe for God to work for them in the aforementioned signs. They were also promised to others, because Christ changes from the second person plural (you) to the third person plural (those who believe). Who are these believers? They are not every newly baptized believer. In Ac 8:12 we see that men and women of Samaria believed and were baptized, but had not received the Holy Spirit for a time (verses 15-17). They had received the “gift of the Holy Ghost” when they were baptized in water (Ac 2:38), but only by the laying on of hands to postolics “was the Holy Spirit given” (Ac 8:18). (The “gift of the Holy Spirit” is thus not the same thing as “spiritual gifts”). The phrase “those who believe” is limited to Christians upon whom the apostles laid their hands to impart gifts. see also Acts 19:1-6 Y 2Ti 1:6. This was for a limited time and according to the purpose of miracles; namely, the confirmation of the Word that was being revealed (16:20; Hebrews 2:3). Without the laying on of apostolic hands, the Samaritans, the Ephesians, and Timothy would never have received these signs. These signs were not promised to every believer for all time. The proof is in the simple observation that every believer today cannot do them. Not every Pentecost claims to do them all, and many of these do not profess to have any of the five signs; however, they claim to be believers. If one of these signs (speaking with new tongues) is for every believer for all time, then all of these signs are for him. Is the glossologist (the one who claims to speak in tongues unknown to him) fair to this passage? The glossologists have meetings to exercise the gift of “new languages”; why don’t they have them for the gift of “drinking deadly things”? — In my name — See 9:37,38,41, comments. Here the phrase means “by the authority of Christ.” In Luke 10:17 we see that the seventy performed miracles “in your name” because Jesus had given them authority (ver. 18). In Luke 9:1 we see that Jesus gave authority to the apostles to work miracles. Esther 2:2 it illustrates how to do something in a person’s name is to do it on his or her authority. — cast out demons — See 3:15, comments. The apostles had already exercised this gift and now Jesus promises them that this is one of the gifts that will follow them in their work of preaching the gospel in the Great Commission (ver. fifteen). We see a case of this in Acts 8:7
— will speak new tongues — See Acts 2:4; Acts 19:6. There are two Greek words for “new”: neos and kainos. Neos means “new” in the sense of time; it has little time, it is recent, young. Kainos means “new” in the sense of unaccustomed, or unused, or otherwise. This text here in Mark uses the word kainos. Some argue that the languages referred to here were new in the sense of not being human or used in past centuries. But the Greek text is against his claim. They were new in the sense that they were not languages to which the (Greek-speaking) apostles were accustomed. These would not be the first times that these tongues were spoken, but they were of a “new” quality for the apostles and for the other early Christians with the gift of speaking tongues, because they had never spoken them. The “new tongues” of this passage are the same as the “other tongues” of Acts 2:4. Acts chapter 2 is an inspired commentary on these new tongues.
Mar 16:17-18 It “proves” too much for Pentecostals and neo-Pentecostals, because it simply speaks of more than tongues. What about picking up snakes (compare Acts 28:3-5), and to drink deadly things, and to cast out devils (Acts 8:7). Many of the Pentecostals and charismatics want nothing from this passage except the tongues thing. Your test text proves too much! The reason why two of these five signs are more popular today, among gullible or uninformed people in the Scriptures, is that they can be more easily forged. The few Pentecostal groups, which from time to time have special meetings to handle snakes and take poison, do not convince the unbelieving world, because practitioners always suffer great harm, and sometimes death. But most of the Pentecostals are ignorant of these activities, content with something that can more easily impress (and deceive) people; that is, with the so-called healings and with tongues (which are not tongues, but pure ecstatic speech). Glossologists are content with their tongues because, of the five signs in this passage (ver. 17,18), speaking “new languages” is the one they can most easily pretend to do. It would not be easy to deceive people with their glossolalia if people were not so ignorant of the biblical teaching regarding these signs.
Source: Commentary on the New Testament by Partain
these signs. Joh 14:12.
In my name. Luke 10:17; Ac 5:16; Acts 8:7; Ac 16:18; Acts 19:12-16.
They will speak new languages. Acts 2:4-11, Ac 2:33; Ac 10:46; Acts 19:6; 1Co 12:10, 1Co 12:28, 1Co 12:30; 1Co 14:5-26.
Source: The Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
Five signs (gr. semeia) would give authenticity to the message proclaimed by Christians. Three of those signs were seen in the early church
(1) cast hell outexhibiting victory over Satan (Ac 16:18);
(2) talk new languagesthat is, languages known as in Acts 2:4-11; Y
(3) heal the sicklike in Acts 28:8. But the two signs of
(1) take in the hands snakes and
(2) drink deadly things without being harmed, it seems to express conditions to which they can force Christ’s followers, not a voluntary act they do. There is no Biblical command to pick up snakes and drink poison today.
Source: New Illustrated Caribbean Bible Commentary
ARTICLE
Signs of the believers
Mar 16:17-18 And these signs will follow those who believe: In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.
The Scriptures clearly teach that Christ wants his followers to perform miraculous signs as they announce the gospel of the kingdom of God (see Matt 10:1; Mark 3:14-15; Luke 9:2note; Luke 10:17; Joh 14:12note).
(1) Those signs (Gr. semeion) that true disciples do confirm that the gospel message is genuine, that the kingdom of God has come to earth with power (see ARTICLE THE KINGDOM OF GOD, P. 1302. ) and that the living and risen Christ accompanies his people and works through them (see Joh 10:25; Ac 10:38).
(2) All of these signs (except deadly drinking) occurred in early church history:
(a) speak in new tongues (see Acts 2:4; Ac 10:46; Acts 19:6; 1Co 12:30; 1Co 14:1-40; and ARTICLE SPEAKING IN TONGUES, P. 1511. );
(b) cast out demons (Acts 5:15-16; Ac 16:18; Acts 19:11-12);
(c) escape death from the bite of snakes (Acts 28:3-5); Y
(d) heal the sick (Acts 3:1-7; Acts 8:7; Acts 9:33-34; Acts 14:8-10; Acts 28:7-8).
(3) Those spiritual manifestations must continue in the churches until Jesus Christ returns. The Scriptures do not suggest that these signs were restricted to the period immediately following the ascension of Jesus Christ (see 1Co 1:7note; 1Co 12:28; Gal 3:5).
(4) The followers of Christ were not only to preach the gospel of the kingdom and bring salvation to those who believed (Matt 28:19-20; Mar 16:15-16; Luke 24:47), but also to make that kingdom a reality, as Jesus did (Ac 10:38), casting out demons, and healing the sick (see ARTICLE THE KINGDOM OF GOD, P. 1302. ).
(5) Jesus indicates in Tue 16:15-20 that these signs are not special gifts for a few, but would be given to all believers who, in obedience to Christ, bear witness to the gospel and appropriate its promises.
(6) The lack of these “signs” in the modern church does not indicate that Christ has failed to keep his promises. He states that the fault is in the hearts of his followers (see Matt 17:17note).
(7) Christ has promised that his authority, power and presence will accompany his people in their battle against the kingdom of Satan (Matt 28:18-20; Luke 24:47-49). People have to be delivered from their bondage through the preaching of the gospel, the life of righteousness (Matt 6:33; Romans 6:13; Romans 14:17) and the performance of signs and wonders by the power of the Holy Spirit (see Matt 10:1note; Mar 16:16-20; Acts 4:31-33; and ARTICLE POWER OVER SATAN AND DEMONS, P. 1354. ).
Source: Full Life Study Bible
THESE SIGNS WILL FOLLOW. See ARTICLE SIGNS OF BELIEVERS, P. 1380. .
Source: Full Life Study Bible
These signs were promised to the apostolic community (Matt 10:1; 2Co 12:12), and not to believers of all ages (cf. 1Co 12:29-30). All of these signs (with the exception of poisonous drinks) were experienced by the apostolic church and reported in the Scriptures (eg. Acts 28:5), but not later (cf. v. Tue 16:20).
Source: MacArthur Study Bible
16:17 — And these signs — Apart from the word “signs”, the New Testament uses two other terms: “wonders” and “miracles” (or, wonders). See 2Co 12:12; Hebrews 2:4; Acts 2:22. Are…