Mark Lesson 3

MARK Lesson 3

In this lesson, we will study Chapters 2 and 3. Yes, two chapters! But, you can do it! Don't despair! So, let's begin!

Section 1

Get out your Bible or Scripture Work Pages, the map, and the chart of the Events, Miracles, & Deeds of Jesus. Your first assignment today is to read Chapters 2 and 3 and, as you read,

1. Look at your map and observe where each event or activity occurred

And

2. Fill in the information on the chart for each miracle and or healing that occurred. (There will be only two this time; the healing of the paralytic and the healing of the man with the shriveled hand).

Also

3. Keep a separate piece of paper handy and write down on it any important (key) words that you may notice. As before, don t do anything but write them down. We will deal with them later.

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As you were doing that assignment, did you notice any important words that need to be marked? Yes? Well, if so, now reread these 2 chapters again and mark them. Remember, mark no more than 4 words per reading if at all possible, and preferably only 2 or 3 or less per reading.

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For the rest of this lesson, we will look at these and other events in more detail. But that is enough for now.

Section 2

Let's begin by looking at the 2 miraculous healings that occurred in Chapters 2 & 3 and see more about their purpose and what they prove or demonstrate. Also, we'll consider the accusations that Jesus was doing these and other deeds by the power of Beelzebub.

First, let's look at the healing of the paralytic as recorded in Mark 2:1-12. Reread that passage, and as you read, if you haven't already marked the important word, SIN, do so as you read.

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Now read Mark 3:1-6 and Mark 3:20-30. As you read, if you see the word, SIN, be sure to mark it, if you haven t already.

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Great! Now that you have these passages in mind, let's consider the accusations from the teachers of the Law who had come to see what Jesus was doing. What, specifically were their 6 accusations? List them in the space below. Also cite the verse in which you found the accusation.

For your information, here is some important historical background information (which was known to Jews at that time, so you might as well know it too, as you do this study). In Jewish theology, the ONLY One who could forgive Sin was God. Therefore, if anyone other than God claimed to be able to forgive sin, this was considered to be blasphemy.

? Therefore, Since Jesus claimed to be able to forgive sin, what was Jesus actually saying about Himself? Ie. What was He claiming?

? Now look again at the accusations. Do you believe that the Teachers of the Law believed that Jesus was the Son of God?

.....................Circle your answer........................YES......................NO

? Do you believe the Teachers of the Law wanted to believe that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah? The Christ?

......................Circle your answer......................YES.......................NO

Explain why you answered as you did.

? Do you believe that the healings and miracles that Jesus had done up to this point could have been done by an ordinary person such as you or I using only their/ our own personal power and abilities?

.....................Circle your answer......................YES.......................NO

? Do you believe that the healings and miracles that Jesus had done up to this point could only have been done by God or by the power of God?

.....................Circle your answer......................YES.......................NO

? Do you believe that the devil (Beelzebub) or an evil spirit would have done these miracles?

.....................Circle your answer......................YES.......................NO

Explain why you answered this question as you did.

? Do you believe that the devil (Beelzebub) or an evil spirit could or would have forgiven sin? --even before the miracle or healing?

.....................Circle your answer......................YES.......................NO

Explain your answer.

? Do you believe that the devil (Beelzebub) or an evil spirit would have cast out demons? (As for example in the instances we have already seen in Mark 1:21-28 and 1:32-34)

.....................Circle your answer......................YES.......................NO

Explain your answer.

? So, we see then, that these teachers of the Law were not willing to accept Jesus as being God, the Son of God. Who then did they think Jesus was?

? Where did the teachers of the Law think Jesus was getting His power and authority?

? But where was Jesus getting His power and authority to forgive sin and to do these miracles?

Circle your answer:....................Beelzebub....................Evil spirits...................God

? What was Jesus point when He said: Which is easier ...to forgive sins ...or to heal?

? So then, by forgiving sin and by doing these miracles, Who was Jesus demonstrating Himself to be?

? In Mark 2:9-11 and 3:23-30, Jesus spoke to the teachers of the law and explained why and how He was able to forgive sin and do these (and other) miracles, healings, and cast out demons. What exactly did Jesus tell these teachers of the Law?

? So what was Jesus trying to tell these teachers of the law and everyone else concerning Who He is?

In Mark 3:28-29, Jesus made a very remarkable statement! Some people refer to this statement as The Unforgivable or Unpardonable Sin. This unforgivable sin is mentioned only 2 other times in the Bible, in Matthew 12:31-32 and in Luke 12:10. Your assignment now is to record, in the space provided, those two other passages along with the one in Mark so we can see all 3 at a glance.

Mark 3:28-29

Matthew 12:31-32

Luke 12:10

There are differing views among religious circles concerning exactly what the unforgivable / unpardonable sin is. Based on what you have read in these three passages and considering the context in which they are found, write what you believe Jesus is telling us that the Unforgivable / Unpardonable sin is. Also, explain why you believe this is what Jesus is saying.

? There are also people who believe that the Unforgivable / Unpardonable sin can NOT be committed today and was only possible during the days of Jesus. Based on what you have read, do you believe this sin can still be committed today?

........Circle your answer...................YES...........................NO

Explain your answer.

Well, as I said, there are differing views concerning what the Unforgivable/ Unpardonable sin is. Now that you have studied what the Bible says and have thought about it, you can look in your commentaries or other sources to see what the other views are. Do that now and, on a separate sheet of paper, make notes of what you discover. Then when you have finished assembling all your information, ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and confirm to you what He wants you to know. With that, we will be finished for now. Ponder on what you have learned. See ya in the next section..

Section 3

In Lesson 2 in our study, we read about Jesus calling His first 4 disciples. Now we are going to review their call and also look at the call of Levi. Then, we ll examine the appointing of the 12 apostles.

So, let's begin by reading the scriptures as recorded by Mark concerning the call of the first 5 disciples and several scriptures in the other gospels which add further details. As you read these scriptures, make a list of the disciples mentioned and write down what you learn about these men and their calls and responses. For example, look for such things as any 'nickname', father's name, occupation before being called, home town, how long it took the disciple to 'decide' to accept the call, etc. The scriptures to read as you fill in this chart are:

Mark 1:16-20 Matthew 4:18:22

Mark 2:13-17 Matthew 9:9-13

John 1:40-44 Luke 5:27-31

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Great! I see you have filled in the information concerning the first 5 disciples. Now, let's move forward in time to the event recorded in Mark 3:7-19, the appointing of the 12 Apostles. Jesus by this time had many disciples and now it was time for Him to appoint (ordain) 12 of these disciples and designate them to be Apostles. For your information, not all manuscripts use the phrase, designating them apostles , but the sense is there and since these 12 are commonly referred to as the 12 apostles, let's briefly examine the word Apostle before we look at who Christ selected to be His Apostles and why.

What is an APOSTLE?

For those of you who have the time and reference books (Vines, etc.), do feel free to look up this noun form of the word APOSTOLOS (Strongs # 652), and / or the verb form APOSTELLO (Strongs # 651). There is more information, of course, available. But, for those of you without the resources or the time, let me briefly give you some information on this important word so you will better understand the who and why of Christ s appointments.

Vines Dictionary says: "APOSTOLOS (The noun)...(Strongs #652) is literally One sent forth From APO = from and STELLO = send

"This word is used of the Lord Jesus to describe His relation to God, Heb 3:1; see John 17:3. The 12 disciples chosen by the Lord for special training were so called. ... ...

APOSTOLE (or APOSTELLO) the verb ..(Strongs # 651) ...a sending, a mission, signifies an a apostleship, Acts 1:25; Romans 1:5; Gal 2:8, etc.

AT Robertson says on p. 279 of his Word Pictures of the New Testament --Vol 1 Mark :

"The word (apostle) is applied in the NT to others besides as delegates or messengers of churches (2 Cor 8:23; Phil 2:25) and messenger (John 13:16). It is applied also to Paul on a par with the 12 (Gal 1:1, ... etc) and also to Barnabas (Acts 14:14), and perhaps also to Timothy and Silas (I Tim. 2:6f)... The very word APOSTOLOS is from APOSTELLO...(to send)"

So, we see that Apostle means messenger , one who is sent , a messenger with the authority of the one he is representing or by whom he is sent . So, in the case of the apostles of Jesus, these are Jesus authorized agents or representatives whom He intends to send to do His work and bidding.

With that understanding of the word, Apostle, in mind, it is time for another assignment! So, now read Mark 3:16-19, Matthew 10:2-4, Luke 6:14-16 and Acts 1:13 , 26. As you read, list the apostles as reported in these 4 passages. Your list should begin like this:

The 12 APOSTLES

Matt.10:2-4 Mark 3:16-19 Luke 6:14-16 Acts 1:13,26

Simon Peter...............Simon Peter................................Simon Peter.......................Peter

Andrew....................James, Son of Zebedee.................Andrew............................John

Great! You now have 4 lists of the apostles. Did you notice that the order in each account differed slightly in places and even a few of the names were different? Does this mean that there were more than 12 ? Is there some kind of error here? Why the slight differences in some of the names? , you ask. Well, I wondered about that, too, so I checked it out. And, to save you some time, FYI (for your information), here is the explanation as given in Halley s Bible Handbook for the differences in the names:

"Levi is another name for Matthew. Bartholomew (is) thought to be the surname of Nathaniel, who was of Cana. Thaddaeus (is) thought to be the same as Judas, son of James (also called Lebbaeus)."

Also while checking Halley s Bible Handbook, I read that "of the 12, four were fishermen (but we already knew that, didn t we?!). One (was) a publican (tax collector). (Well imagine that, we knew that, too!) One (was) as Zealot. (Well, we expected that from his name.) And the Handbook says we don t know what the others were. It also stated that all were Galileans except Judas the betrayer. He was from Kerioth, a town in Juda and was, therefore, the only non-Galilean apostle. Apparently there was not one professional religionist in the group ..."

Hmmmm. Very interesting. But, so much for the history lesson. Let s look now at WHY Jesus called these 12 men. Read Mark 3:14-15 and list, in the space below, the 3 reasons WHY Jesus called the 12 Apostles.

So, we see that these men really were intended to be Apostles in the sense of the meaning that we know of the Greek word. They were chosen with the purpose of being messengers, sent ones, authorized agents or representatives who would one day be sent with the authority of Jesus, the one they will be representing and with the purpose of doing what Jesus would do if He had gone Himself.

But, also, did you notice the FIRST reason that Jesus chose these 12 men? ! Yes! It was that they might be with Him ! WOW ! That was Jesus first purpose then and it is still the first thing that Jesus desires concerning His disciples today. He wants disciples who will be with Him -- to fellowship with Him, commune with Him, learn from Him, and do His bidding.

Read John 15:15 and write that passage in the space below:

Obviously this passage in John is a statement made by Christ to His disciples much later in His ministry. Indeed, He spoke these words to His apostles and disciples shortly before His sacrificial atoning and death and His victorious resurrection! Between this time of the appointing of the Apostles and the time of these words spoken in John 15:15, Jesus mainly was with them and teaching them. But, Jesus knew that the time was coming when they would be sent with His authority to be His representatives. Similarly, today, first and foremost, Christ wants His disciples (us) to be with Him .

So, as we bring this section of this study to a close, stop now and spend some personal one on one time just being with Jesus. Talk to Him. Tell Him what is on your mind and your heart. Tell Him about your joys, your concerns and your fears. Just talk to Him and be with Him. NOW.

Section 4

Hi! Welcome back! In this section, as we continue our study in Mark, we are going to examine 2 important concepts. First, we'll look at Mark 2:18-22, the passage where Jesus answers questions about why He and His disciples were not fasting. Then, we'll continue on and read Mark 2:23-28 and see what Jesus means when He says He is Lord of the Sabbath.

So, let's begin! Read Mark 2:18-22, and , as you read, mark the important (key) word fast / fasting.

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

? What was the specific question that some people asked Jesus?

? Why did they ask this question? (Ie. What prompted the question? What were Jesus and His disciples doing or not doing?)

? Who is this John to which they are referring?

? You are correct. It was John the Baptist to which they were referring. Now, what were John's disciples doing and why? (Hint: before you answer this, read Mark 1:14 and also consider the purpose of John the Baptist's ministry.)

? What were the Pharisees doing?

By the way, here is some more background historical information which was known to the people of that time so you might as well know it, also, as you consider these verses. According to the Law of Moses, the Jewish people were originally required to fast only on the Day of Atonement. (Lev 16:29,31; 23:27-32; Numbers 29:7). After the Babylonian exile, 4 other yearly fasts began to be observed by the Jews (Zech 7:5; 8:19). Since then, the rules and regulations concerning fasts and other laws continued to increase, as the religious leaders continually added to the religious rules, regulations, requirements and demands on the people, so that by the time of Jesus, the demands concerning fasting had increased to the point that the Pharisees fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12). This, then, was the frame of reference with which these questioners were confronting Jesus with their question.

With that in mind, now read Mark 2:19-20 and see how Jesus answered their question. Then continue reading in 2:21-22 to see how Jesus explained and illustrated His answer.

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? What was Jesus answer?

? Who is the Bridegroom?

.? Who are the guests of the Bridegroom ?

? Why would guests of the Bridegroom and a Bridegroom not fast? (In other words, what is a purpose of fasting and when should it be done as seen in the context being considered in this passage?)

? Why were John's disciples fasting? (I know you have answered this before, but repetition is good.)

? Why were the Pharisees fasting?

? So, is Jesus condemning all fasting? Circle your answer.............YES ...................NO

Explain your answer:

? Therefore, in this particular situation, what did Jesus say is a purpose of fasting?

? What were the 2 illustrations that Jesus used in Mark 2:21-22.

Re read Mark 2:21-22 and mark the important words, NEW and OLD in these 2 verses. (Hint: for our purposes, unshrunk can be considered a synonym for NEW, so mark UNSHRUNK also.)

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Jesus is, of course, speaking in Parables with His answer and illustrations and in Lesson 4, we will study more about Parables, their definition, their purposes, and etc. But, until then, just know that these are parables that Jesus is using to teach specific truths.

So, now it is time to put on your thinking cap again and, gasp, think!

? What is it that Jesus is trying to teach and illustrate by using these 2 illustrations / parables concerning the unshrunk cloth on an old garment and the new wine in old wineskins? Think about this and then give your answer in the space below. (If you don t feel comfortable with your answer, do as much as you can now. In Lesson 4, when we consider parables in more detail, you may gain new insights. If so, return to this question and continue or complete it.)

Ok, we have looked briefly at Mark 2:18-22. Now let's continue reading and see what Jesus means when He says He is Lord even of the Sabbath. So stop now and read Mark 2:23-28, and , as you read, circle the word SABBATH with a green circle (or any color of your choice). Then quickly reread Chapters 1, 2, and 3 looking for and circling every occurrence of the word Sabbath in those chapters. And, as we progress through the rest of this study in the coming weeks, continue to look for and circle the word, Sabbath , when you come across it in our future reading. This will remind you of the truths we are now going to learn about these verses.

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Ok, I see you have finished reading and circling. Now, let's think about what we've read.

? What did Jesus usually do on the Sabbath?

? By the way, as an aside, WHEN is the Jewish Sabbath as reckoned on our calendar?

(Circle the day that corresponds to the Jewish Sabbath as listed on our Roman calendar)

Sunday......Monday......Tuesday.......Wednesday.......Thursday......Friday......Saturday

? When did the Jewish Sabbath begin? (Circle your answer)

Sundown on Friday.................Midnight on Friday.............Dawn on Saturday

? When did the Jewish Sabbath end? (Circle your answer)

Sundown on Saturday........... Midnight on Saturday............Dawn on Sunday

So the Jewish Sabbath was a 24 hour period of time that

began at _______________ and ended at _________________________.

You are also aware, of course, that the Jews had very fixed rules concerning what they could and could not DO on the Sabbath. Some of these rules had been ordained by God and are recorded in the Old Testament. Others were man made and had been imposed through the centuries by the Scribes and Priests and scholars based on interpretations and etc. As a result, there were MANY limitations and rules concerning what could and could not be done on the Sabbath. Read Exodus 34:21 and write in the space below what the scripture says:

Exodus 34:21

? Obviously this rule as recorded in Exodus 34:21 was not a man made rule but an actual command from God Himself. Does this explain to you why the Pharisees were questioning Jesus (2:24) concerning His disciples picking some heads of grain (niv) / corn (kjv) on the Sabbath?

..............Circle your answer...............YES....................NO

By the way, FYI (for your information), the word corn (kjv) translated grain in some other versions is the Greek word SPORIMOS which refers to wheat or grain. So don t get disturbed over this detail. It is the principle being taught that is important.

? What were the Pharisees accusing the disciples of doing?.

? What was the real intent of the Pharisees in questioning this activity?.

When Jesus answered the Pharisees in Mark 2:25-26, He referred to an event that is recorded in the Old Testament. Let's read about that event. Turn now in your Bible to I Samuel 21:1-6, read that passage and briefly summarize what happened.

Again, FYI, and lest you panic. Yes, the passage in I Samuel says the priest's name was Ahimelech and Jesus called the priest, ABIATHAR. What s going on? , you ask. Why this difference? Well, A.T. Robertson explains this for us on page 273 of Word Pictures in the New Testament - Volume I - Mark . He says, as he explains this passage in I Samuel:

When Abiathar was high priest (epi Abiathar archierreos). ...There was a confusion in the Massoretic text and in the LXX about the difference between Ahimelech (Abimelech) and Abiathar (2 Sam. 8:17), Ahimelech s son and successor (I Sam 21:2; 22:20). Apparently Ahimelech, not Abiathar was high priest at this time. It is possible that both father and son bore both names (I Sam 22:20; 2 Sam 8:17; 1 Chron 18:16), Abiathar mentioned though both involved. Epi may so mean in the passage about Abiathar. Or we may leave it unexplained. They had the most elaborate rules for the preparation of the shewbread ..., the loaves of presentation, the loaves of the face or presence of God. It was renewed on the commencement of the Sabbath and the old bread deposited on the golden table in the porch of the Sanctuary. This old bread was eaten by the priests as they came and went. This is what David ate.

Therefore, regardless of the name of the High Priest, it is the point that Jesus is trying to get across which is important.

? What, then, is Jesus trying to explain by using this Old Testament illustration and then by adding, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

Think about this and then write your conclusion in the space below:

Now that you have finished thinking and writing, feel free to turn to your reference books and see if they add any further insights or information. Make notes of any additional background information or other insights that are important to you. Then, while your books are open, read also and take notes regarding Mark 2:18-22 and Jesus statements about fasting, the unshrunk cloth on an old garment, and the new wine in old wineskins. As always, however, read ONLY about these passages or passages you want to know more about up to this point. Do Not spoil your joy of being taught by the Holy Spirit by reading ahead.

Then, when you have finished checking your sources, call it quits for this section and meditate on what you have learned about these things.

Section 5

Well, we are almost at the end of Lesson 3. :et's look at one more important passage in Chapter 3 and then we ll be finished. OK? OK!

Doubtless you wondered about Jesus' seemingly uncaring response as recorded in Mark 3:30-35 when His mother and brothers came to see Him. Stop now and re-read that passage.

-------Pause while you do this assignment-------

Interestingly, this seemingly minor event is also reported in Matthew 12:46-50 and Luke 8:19-21. Therefore, it is apparently important and is recorded to teach us some very significant truths. So, let's look at it.

? What was Jesus doing when His mother and brothers came?

? Why do you think they came? (Hint: re-read Mark 3:20-21)

? What are your thoughts concerning why they did not go inside and instead sent someone to call Jesus, presumably expecting Jesus to leave what He was doing and to come out to them?

? Did Jesus stop what He was doing and go out to them?

..................................(Circle your answer)...................YES...................NO

? What did Jesus do?

? What did Jesus say?

? Why did Jesus NOT stop what He was doing and go out to them but instead make the statement concerning who His brothers and sisters and mother are.

? What is Jesus trying to tell the people then and us (you and me) today?

? What does it mean to do God s will ?

Stop now and read in your reference sources or commentaries what others have said concerning this passage. Take any pertinent notes.

-------Pause while you do this assignment-------

Did you gain any new insights to this passage or were your conclusions reinforced? Great!

Now, as we end lesson 3, let's reflect on some of the things we have learned and seen. Prayerfully reread Chapters 1, 2 and 3, and, as you read, as the Lord impresses upon you the various insights, conclusions, or reminders -- think about them. Ask yourself such questions as...

What is the application for me today?

What did I learn about Jesus?

Am I really doing God s will and obeying Jesus?

Am I responding to Jesus calls immediately or am I questioning His authority?

Am I trying to live a legalistic life and obey rules and regulations because they are there?

or am I free from rules as rules and instead am living a life of obedience because I love Jesus

and want to please Him?

Do I really believe that Jesus' way is best for me?

Do I understand the real purpose of the Sabbath?

Am I letting Jesus teach me? Or am I trying to do things my own way and in my own power?

Like the disciples and apostles, am I spending time with Jesus?

Will Jesus be able to send me as His messenger or am I resistant to or untrained (by Him)?

By whose power do I do deeds and works? Mine? Or the Holy Spirit's?

Do my actions show that I am obedient to God s will?

Can Jesus call me His brother, sister or mother based on how I respond to God s will?

Yes, these are tough questions. But they need to be confronted. Spend time now reflecting on these things and speak to God about whatever areas these scriptures reveal to you.

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