Mark Lesson 2

©Yes Lord Ministries 1996

Mark Lesson 2

In Lesson 1, we looked at the entire Gospel of Mark, all 16 Chapters, to determine the Big Picture of this, the shortest of the 4 Gospels. Among other things, we discovered who wrote it, to whom it was written, why it was written and its main emphasis. We learned that Mark, the writer of this Gospel, is portraying Jesus to mainly gentile readers as being not only God but also a Servant of God and that Mark 10:45 is the Key verse of the book.

During the remainder of this course, we will build upon that foundation, looking in more detail at many of the servant-type events, miracles, and activities that occurred in the life of Jesus and recorded by John Mark, who had himself viewed them mainly through the eyes of Simon Peter.

Mark tells us about Jesus by recording events which illustrate that Jesus is both the Son of God and the Son of Man who did indeed come as a servant of God, not to be ministered unto, but to minster and to give His life a ransom for many. Mark 10:45 In so doing, Mark describes Jesus Christ as the SERVANT of God. Therefore the emphasis in this gospel is more on deeds than it is on Jesus words. Yes, some words of Jesus are included, but Mark mainly reports the deeds of Jesus with the intention of proving by these deeds that Jesus is not only the servant of God but is indeed God! Mark's focus is to show that Jesus is both God and Servant by emphasizing what Jesus DID rather than by what He said.

Of course, this gospel does not include all that Jesus did, but it does present a representative sampling, including some facts that the other 3 gospels leave out while sometimes leaving out information which is detailed in the other 3. But remember, Mark is presenting the Lord Jesus Christ as the Servant of God. Therefore, he selected events, words, and actions that illustrate the Servanthood of Christ!

Therefore, in this lesson and for the remainder of this course, we will be mainly looking at many of Jesus' deeds, actions, miracles, and activities as related in the Gospel of Mark. So, with that said, are you ready to continue? Yes? Then, let's continue!.

Section 1

In all of the sections in lesson 2, we will be studying Chapter 1 of the Gospel of Mark. So your first assignment is to read Chapter 1 and ONLY Chapter 1 of Mark. As you read, summarize what happens in each paragraph and write the summary either above or to the side of each paragraph in your Bible or on your Scripture Work Pages.

For example, just above or beside verse one of the segment of 1:1-8 you could write John the Baptist is the forerunner of Jesus. Or you could write John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus or whatever phrase or summary statement best describes for you what this paragraph is about. As another example, for verses 1:9-11, you could write Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist or whatever phrase best describes this for you.

If you see other divisions or want to group your paragraphs differently, feel free to do so. These are just the breakdowns I used. Oh, and I wrote my summary statements in RED so they would jump out at me and help me see what is in this chapter. But again, you may use whatever color you desire. Also, I know you did some of these last week, but now we want a more detailed summary of what is in Chapter One. So, if you want to change any of your descriptions from what you wrote last week, feel free to do so.

Also, as you read, keep a separate piece of paper at your side to write down any words that seem to be very important (key words). Don't do anything at this time except write them down on your paper as you notice them and then continue reading Chapter 1 and titling (summarizing) each paragraph. Remember, this assignment of reading, summarizing, and discovering possible important (key) words is ONLY for chapter one.

Well, you have the idea. Now read and summarize the following sections (paragraphs):

1:1-8.......John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus

1:9-11.... Jesus is baptized

1:12-13

1:14-20

1:21-28

1:29-31

1:32-34

1:35-39

1:40-45

--------- pause while you do this assignment ----------

Finished? Great ! And that is enough for now. We'll continue in the next section.

Section 2

Hi, welcome back! Let's continue our study of Mark Chapter 1. Do you remember that list of possible important (key) words that you made yesterday? Well, get it out and we'll begin today with them. Look at your list and choose 3 or 4 of the words that seem to be the most important, either because they were repeated a lot or because, even though they occurred only 1 or 2 times, they really are very important in describing or indicating what is in this chapter. Even if only used one or two times, a word can be KEY if it, like a key, unlocks or opens to us what is in a verse, paragraph, chapter, or book. So select 3 or 4 of these important (key) words from your list and go back and re-read Chapter 1 marking those key words. It is really best to read one time per word, but, if you don't have the time or have several that you want to mark, then read one time for every 2 or 3 words. But, you ask, how do I MARK these words? Good question. Well, you can do such things as circle the word with some particular significant color, or perhaps put a colored box or rectangle around the word, or, if you have artistic ability, you could draw a little symbol on the word. For example, for the important (key) word, sin , I put a black circle around the word and placed a black X in the center of the circle (kinda like the international NO sign only with an X instead of the slash). But, however you decide to mark a particular word, don t get hung up on selecting a symbol or deciding how to mark the word. (If it takes more than a minute to choose your symbol , you are getting hung up !!!) Relax! Choose a color and a box or rectangle or a circle or underline it or shade it in or whatever and go with that. You are NOT being graded on originality. In fact you are not even begin graded. The purpose of doing this is just to make certain words stand out because they are important and significant and are helping you to better see the truths in this (or any) chapter, paragraph, or book. You will find this to be easy and a very helpful way to interact with what you are reading and to remember what is in the book or chapter or paragraph or verse. In fact, you can read anything this way -- textbooks, journal articles, whatever -- and will find this to be a real aid to learning and recalling what is in a book, article, etc. But, enough of this explanation and exhortation. You are eager to get into your assignment. So go to it Choose 3 or 4 of your important (key) words (more if you have time) and mark them.

--------- pause while you do this assignment ----------

Finished? Great !

If you will recall, in Section 1 of this lesson, you read Chapter 1 and gave a title (summary statement) to each paragraph. Well, now, I want you to list these summary statements in the space below so that you will be able to see at a glance what is in Chapter 1 of Mark. And, as you do this, if you have a Map in your Bible or in a reference book, look at that MAP and locate on it (if possible) where each event occurred. By the way, EVERY time a location changes, locate it on your map. This is a standing assignment (IF you have a map) for the whole course so it will not be repeated every time a location changes. Just do it !

Summary Statements for Mark Chapter 1

1:1-8

1:9-11

1:12-13

1:14-20

1:21-28

1:29-31

1:32-34

1:35-39

1:40-45

Finished again? Great! Now, take a break. This is enough for now. We will continue in section 3.

Section 3

Well, we've looked at Chapter 1 quite a bit. We know what events occurred and have even located where most of them occurred on our map. If you haven t precisely located the site of the baptism of Jesus, don t worry, you will discover the location as we go through our study today.

Now let's begin to examine some of these events in more detail and see their significance for the people then and for us today. Let's begin, of course, with the first event as recorded in Mark 1:1-8. Stop now and read Mark 1: 1-8 which is the section concerning John the Baptist and how he prepares the way for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

--------- pause while you read Mark 1:1-8 ----------

Hmmmm. Interesting. But, who is this man, John the Baptist, you say. Good question! So, let's find out who this person is. And we can do this easily by reading some other passages in the Bible (Cross-References) which will shed much light on who this man is and what his mission in life was.

Read the following passages and then you'll be able to answer these and some other questions which I ll ask you at the conclusion of your reading. As you read, take notes and briefly summarize what you learn about John the Baptist. The passages for you to read are:

Luke 1:5-45 and 1:57-80 (if you have time also read the intervening verses of 1:46-56)

John 1:5-9 and 1:15-34.

Malachi 3:1

Isaiah 40:3

-------- pause while you do this assignment ---------

Now, based on what you have just read, answer the following questions:

? Who was John the Baptist?

? Who were his parents? (Names of father and mother)

? What did his (John the Baptist) father do for a living?

? How did his father learn of John the Baptist s birth to be? (Briefly describe the events that occurred in the temple when the angel appeared to his father).

? What happened when Mary (mother of Jesus) went to see Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist) when both were pregnant (with Jesus and John the Baptist, respectively) and both babies were still in their mother s wombs. (Hint: read Luke 1:41-44 )

? What amazing thing happened at the time of the circumcision of John the Baptist (8 days after his birth)? (Hint: read Luke 1:59-66+ )

? What did Zechariah, John the Baptist s father prophesy concerning John the Baptist?

(Hint: read Luke 1:69-79 )

? Who was king of Judea at the time of his birth?

? Where was John the Baptist Born?

? Is John the Baptist older or younger than Jesus? (Circle your answer) .....Older .........Younger

? Is he related to Jesus? And, if so, how?

? Did he and Jesus know each other while growing up?

.....(Circle your answer)................. Yes................ No..............Probably.............Can't tell

Explain why you answered as you did:

? What did you learn about John the Baptist s childhood and life prior to the time we encounter him here in the book of Mark? (Hint: Read Luke 1:80 )

? What was the Purpose / ministry of John the Baptist s life? (Hint: read John 1:6-8 )

? How long did he know what his ministry in life was to be? Explain your answer.

Great ! Super ! Look how much you have already discovered on your own, simply by reading the Bible itself and letting it be its own commentary on itself. Isn t it great to let the Holy Spirit teach you these things! Wow! Yes! And He will if we will let Him.

So, want to learn some more? Sure you do ! So, now, based on ALL you have read, the cross references and Mark 1:1-8, summarize or list in the space below exactly what it was that John the Baptist was doing, saying and teaching.

Now, hold those thoughts. We ll return to them in the next section, when we study about Jesus baptism and ministry and compare the teachings of Jesus and John the Baptist.

? Where was John the Baptist doing much of his baptizing and teaching? (Hint: see John 1:28 )

? Locate this site on your map. (See, I told you you d find out where in this lesson!. Aren t cross references fun and informative? Yes!)

As you marked your important Key words and read about John the Baptist s ministry and teachings, did you wonder about the meanings of some of the words such as Baptism, Repentance, Sin, and Powerful ? Yes?

If so, then, let's do some word studies now and find out what these words really mean. (Note: this will be an OPTIONAL assignment. If you don t have the time or don t have the necessary resources such as a Vines Dictionary of New Testament Words or other similar reference to give you the definitions of these words, then just skip this assignment.)

But, if you do have the time and the resources, read on, for your next assignment is to look up those words, and in the space provided, summarize what you learn concerning the definition of each word.

English Word.........Greek Word & Strong's # .........Definition

BAPTISM............................ BAPTIZO (#907)

REPENTANCE ....................METANOIA (#3340,3341)

SIN....................................... HAMARTIA (#266)

POWERFUL......................... ISCHUROTERO (#2478)

Finally, as we wind up our study for this section, let me ask you a question. So put on your thinking cap .

? Based on what you now know about the purpose of Mark, (which is to portray Jesus as Servant of God), and the Key Verse, Mark 10:45, explain Mark's reasoning for beginning his gospel by telling about the ministry of John the Baptist and the Baptism and Temptation of Jesus instead of by telling about Jesus birth and genealogy (as was the manner of beginning the Gospels of Matthew and Luke). Think about this and then write your answer in the space below:

Hmmmmm. Very interesting. And with that we will close for today.

Section 4

In this Section, we are going to look at Jesus Baptism and Temptation and the calling of His first 4 disciples. Since Mark touched only briefly on these events and did not go into great detail, we will follow his pattern and do the same. (Do I see a quizzical smile on your face? Brief? Has anything been brief in this Bible study so far? Oh well, we ll try ! )

So, get out your Bible or scripture work sheets and let's begin by reading Mark 1:9-13.

--------- pause while you read Mark 1:9-13 ----------

Now based on what you have just read as well as what you learned previously, answer the following questions:

? Where had Jesus been before coming to be baptized?

? Where did Jesus' baptism occur ? (Hint: remember John 1:28 )

? Hmmmm, but, didn t we read previously that John's baptism was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And we know that Jesus was and is sinless. Why, then, did Jesus come to John to be baptized with John s baptism? (Hint: read Matthew 3:13-15 before you answer.)

Yes, you are correct if you understood that Jesus was baptized with John s baptism to be obedient to all that is appointed / to fulfill all Righteousness (niv, kjv, nas)

Henrietta Mears explained this well in her classic book,"What the Bible is All About." She said:

John and Jesus met one day. John recognized immediately that this Man was not a subject for the baptism of repentance that he was preaching. There was in this face a purity and majesty which smote John's heart with a sense of his own unworthiness. He was the Son of God. John hesitated, and said, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me (Matthew 3:14)?

Jesus was baptized with John s baptism in obedience to an appointed ordinance. Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). He set a seal of approval on John s message and work, and acknowledged him as the true fore-runner of Christ. The baptism by John was ordained of God and therefore was binding on all those that acknowledged God and meant to keep His commandments.Christ was the standard and example of righteousness. He would fulfill every duty He required of others (I Cor. 10:13).

? What happened when Jesus was baptized?

? Then, after the baptism, what happened?

? Why did Mark make these reports concerning the Baptism and the Temptation of Jesus so brief? Indeed, why did he report them at all? Ie. What is he trying to show / tell us by including these events in his gospel? (Hint: read Acts 10:34-38 before answering. In fact, for your information, some people have called Acts 10:38 Mark s Gospel in a nutshell. )

Hmmm. All this is thought provoking, isn t it? And, while you are meditating on what you are learning, let's find out what it was that Jesus preached and see how it compared with or related to John the Baptist s message. Read Mark 1:14-15. Then in the space below, list what you learn about Jesus message. (Ie. What, specifically, was Jesus proclaiming ?)

Now, look back at the list you made yesterday of what John the Baptist was doing, saying, and teaching.. Do you see any similarities? Yes. What?

Do you see any differences? What?

Before we draw our final conclusions between the messages of John the Baptist and Jesus, let's look up some more word definitions (again, this is an OPTIONAL assignment) and see if they can shed any further insight or confirmation on what you are learning. Using your word study resources, look up and briefly define these words:

English Word..........Greek Word & Strong's #..........Definition

PROCLAIMING ...............KERUSSO (#2784)

REPENT........................... METANOIA (#3340)

BELIEVE ..........................PISTUEO (#4100)

GOOD................................ NEWS EUANGELION (#2098)

So, we see that the messages of both John the Baptist and Jesus were similar. But, they are also different. In your own words, explain how they differ yet complement each other by explaining the purpose of each message and of each baptism (water vs. Spirit). Specifically, show how Christ s message and baptism builds upon and completes John the Baptist's message and baptism.

Whew! Is your mind hurting yet? Isn t this exciting? Is the Holy Spirit teaching you a lot?! Yes, yes and yes. So, let s go on to something easier and then we´ ll stop for the day.

Continue reading. Now read Mark 1:16-20. List the First 4 disciples that Jesus called.

_______________ , ________________ , _______________ , ________________

Indicate which were brothers:

______________________ and _________________________

______________________ and __________________________

? What were their careers before becoming Christ s disciples?

? How LONG did they wait before deciding to follow Jesus after they were called?

? As an aside, how long do YOU wait before obeying Jesus when He calls you to a specific task?

With that thought ringing in your mind, let's call it quits for now. You might want to spend some time talking to God about your answer to that last question.

Section 5

In this section, we will look at several of the many miracles, healings and activities of Jesus which are recorded in the gospel of Mark. As we examine these events, we want to determine such things as what Jesus did, where, why, how, what it teaches us about Jesus, what it accomplished, and what it can and should mean for you and me today. To record this information, we will today begin a chart of these events. We will add to this chart as we continue though this course and study the many other events, healings, miracles, etc. Every column on the chart will not necessarily always be filled in for every event because not every event will be completely described in all specifics. But, as we go through this course, be as thorough in your observations and conclusion as possible. Then, when you have finished, your chart will enable you to view all the events as detailed in Mark in once concise summary.

Sound like fun? OK, let's begin. And, by way of illustration, I ll do the first event for you. So read Mark 1:21-28. Then find and look at the chart and see what I have entered in each column. (The chart is located at the end of this lesson and is titled: Events, Miracles, Healings, etc. of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark.

--------- pause while you locate the chart and Read Mark 1:21-26 ----------

Ok. You have the idea. Your assignment now is to read and record the other 3 events in Chapter 1 on the chart.

--------- pause while you do this assignment ----------

Finished? Great! I assume you did not record anything about verses 1:35-39 since they did not contain a miracle or healing. However, this brief insight into Jesus prayer life as recorded in these 5 verses is very significant! So, let's think about it. First of all, let's think of the day that had preceded this time of prayer.

? On what day had most of these events in the Synagogue and at Peter s house occurred?

Correct! These events occured on the Jewish Sabbath and continued on the first day of the week, which for Jews began at sundown at the end of the Sabbath. So, as was noted in 1:32, when the Sabbath officially ended and the people were able to get out and about and carry burdens and etc, the people began to assemble at Peter s house, bringing the sick and demon possessed. And Jesus healed many and drove out many demons!

? You might say, then, that Jesus had just completed a really busy day of teaching and healing and surely was tired when he went to sleep that night. Yet, what does Mark 1:35 tell us?

Yes! While it was still dark !!! (Ie. Before dawn!!!), Jesus got up...and went off to a solitary place to pray !

? Pray to whom?

? Why? Isn't Jesus God? Why does He get up and pray? Why doesn't He just sleep and rest after a hard day? Hmmm. So, why did He pray?

? What does this tell you about the fact that Jesus is the Servant of God?

? What does this tell you about Jesus opinion of prayer?

? What does this tell you about the Purposes of prayer?

? What does this tell you and me concerning the necessity of prayer even and especially when are very tired and very busy and don t have time to pray?

Well, friend, we have come to the end of this lesson. And as you think on these things, close this time now in prayer to your Father in heaven and just fellowship with Him. Talk with Him about whatever is on your heart. We ll continue next when we begin Lesson 3. See 'ya then.

Below is a very condensed form of the Chart. Because of the way browsers work, I can only give you a 'wierd' looking chart. The titles of the 12 columns are listed. Obviously, you should put these on a bigger piece of paper... 2 or more pages...so you will have room to write). Then, after you have made the 12 colums.... you can fill in what I wrote under each of the 12 colums for the 1:21-38 passage. This looks confusing. But, you are smart and can figure it out. Trust me. And it will be worth the effort.

Title of the Chart:

Events, Miracles, Healings, etc. of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark

Titles of the 12 Columns:

Scripture........What happened......Where......When.........Why did Jesus do this.....How long did it take......

...List any specific instructions to demons....why the instructions? .....List any specific instructions to person....

...was instruction obeyed?....what did this teach about Jesus?.....what is the application for me today

This is what I filled in for each of the 12 columns for the passage 1:21-38

1:21-38........Jesus drives out evil spirit from a man.....in synagogue in Capernaum.....On Sabbath.....

because the man was possessed by evil spirit & crying out.... immediately.....1.be quiet 2.come out ......

Jesus did not want demons to speak about Him...... none given....N.A.....

That Jesus had authority over Evil spirits (demons) and they obey His commands/orders.....

Jesus has AUTHORITY even over evil spirits. So what am I worrying about? Jesus can help me resist them.

End of chart information....and end of lesson 2.

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