The Gospel according to Mark

Studies in The Gospel according to Mark The Life and Death of the Servant King 1

Before we begin Introduction Ever since some wise men from the East told Herod that a king had been born, Jesus has divided people. Over the last 2000 years there have been a myriad of opinions about who Jesus is and what he came to do. What opinions have you heard from friends, the media or in society more generally? What do people base these opinions on? What about you. Who do you say Jesus is? Can you boil your opinion of Jesus down to three words? How familiar is Mark to you? Mark is a familiar book to many of us, but I wonder how well we really know the whole story! Try this short quiz to see how well you know Mark s story: 1. Where was Jesus when Peter first called him the Christ? 2. How many times in Mark does a voice of heaven call Jesus Son 3. What is the first miracle Jesus does? 4. How many people does Jesus raise from the dead in Mark? 5. What is the official charge at Jesus trial? 6. Put these events in order: feeding the 4000, feeding the 5000, raising Jairus daughter, Jesus predicts his death the first time, the religious leaders plot to kill Jesus, Jesus walks on water, Jesus preaches the parable of the four soils 7. Who sees Jesus alive after the crucifixion? Approaching Mark In the accompanying document called Mark UNCUT read the section on What is Mark. Read the section on How to Study the Gospel. Discuss what you can do as a group to get the most out of Mark. How to get the most out of Mark Set yourself some aims for the series: 1. Read the whole Gospel in 1 sitting 2. Learn the sequence of events in Mark s Gospel from beginning to end 3. Memorise an entire chapter or two of the Gospel 4. Buy a commentary to use alongside these studies 5. Read each section aloud 6. Print out a copy of the Gospel with wide margine so you can make comments as you go. 7. Pray for the themes that come up 8. Expect to find some treasures and meet God s Son face to face 2

About these studies These will be fairly full studies, if you don t cover everything each week work through the unfinished sections at home. Symbols Through the studies we will use different symbols to indicate different ideas, themes and insights. Look out for them and take note of what is being indicated: The symbol of a book will indicate something to do with the structure of Mark. The symbol of a scroll will indicate something to do with the Old Testament. Narrative Bible Note This picture will indicate a note about how the narrative works in Mark, especially themes or threads that recur throughout the book. These are connections within Mark itself. This picture will indicate a connection from Mark to another part of the Bible...Connection C The big C in a box will indicate a note to do with the culture of the day, giving a little insight into some of the things we may miss as hearers 2000 years later. Let s begin The opening announcement of Mark s Gospel awaits, let s begin our study on the Life and Death of the Servant King. 3

Mark 1:1-15 The Beginning of the Gospel about Jesus Christ Read Mark 1:1-15. Have different people read the following divisions: 1:1, 1:2-4, 1:5-9, 1:10-11, 1:12-13, 1:14-15 The Beginning of the Gospel: Announcement The opening sentence announces what this book is all about and these 12 words are packed full of depth and meaning. The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ the Son of God What part of the Bible does the first phrase remind us of? How is this a new beginning? A Gospel is an official proclamation, usually concerning the Emperor or some joyous announcement. Why, then, would this sentence astound Roman listeners? Jesus is the Greek name for Joshua, what do both names mean? Christ is the Greek word for anointed (English) and Messiah (Hebrew). What expectations are raised by this title? Not only is Jesus the Christ (Messiah) he is also the Son of God. At this stage in the Gospel Mark has simply attached this title to Jesus, but hasn t filed out what it means however what expectations are raised? (In the OT, the title son of God was given to kings of Israel, so there is some overlap with Christ ). As you read through the Gospel we see that these two titles (Christ, Son of God) are fundamental to the very structure of the book. The diagram below shows how Mark neatly falls in half after Chapter 8. Near the close of each half are two great declarations about Jesus identify. Note down what they are: Mark 1-8 Mark 9-16 Peter 8:29 Centurion 15:39 One step further! Peter is Jewish, why is his realisaiton significant? The centurion is Roman, why is his realization significant (hint: the title son of God was often bestowed on Roman Emperors as well) The entire book hangs on these two realizations about Jesus identity. The Beginning of the Gospel: Preparing the way Old Testament context for John the Baptist Surprisingly the beginning of the Gospel is about John the Baptist rather than Jesus. This is because in many ways Israel were still in exile since their sin had not been properly dealt with. Scan Malachi 3:1-5, note what will happen first, then after that. Scan Isaiah 40:1-11, note what will happen first, then after that. Summarise how John fits into the big picture of God s history of salvation: Write out Mark 1:2 replacing the words I, messenger and the Lord with who they refer to: 4

In preparing Israel for Jesus, John s ministry contained two demands: Repent! Read 2 Kings 1:8, who did John dress like? At a time of national disobedience Elijah called the nation to repent. This is now John s role. What does repenting involve? Be baptized! Until this point, baptism was used for non-jewish people as a sign of converting and becoming one of God s people. Why would it have been humiliating for Jews to be called to baptism? Did this humiliation hinder the response to John s ministry? Narrative Note As important as John was, his entire ministry pointed to someone more powerful, more majestic and with a baptism of the Holy Spirit (1:7-8). This creates a narrative expectation as we await demonstrations of Jesus power, majesty and Holy Spirit baptism. As early as 3:20-30 Jesus describes himself as a stronger man and teaches that casting out demons are proof of this power. Bible John s baptism took place in the River Jordan very near to a significant time in Israel s history (Joshua 3). Why is this connection important?..connection The Beginning of the Gospel: Jesus Commissioning as Amongst the crowds from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem came one from Nazareth (1:9). If baptism was for repentance and forgiveness (1:4), why was Jesus baptized? When Jesus was baptized two extraordinary things happened. God anoints Jesus with the Holy Spirit and then declares You are my Son whom I love, with you I am well pleased (1:10-11). Each of these have rich Old Testament connections which deeply embed Jesus identity within ancient prophecy. Discuss the diagram below. Spirit The heavens were torn open and the Spirit descended on him like a dove. (1:10) Isaiah 42:1 Servant of the Lord passages: Isaiah 42:1-7, 29:1-6, 50:4-9. 52:13-53:12 Voice from Heaven You are my Son whom I love; with you I am well pleased. (1:11) Psalm 2:7 Isaiah 42:1 Messiah/Christ passages: 2 Samuel 7, Psalm 2 and others The Old Testament contained many prophecies about coming figures who would rescue Israel. One major set of prophecies paints the picture of the Messiah God s eternal king who will rule forever, putting down his enemies and ushering in an age of peace and prosperity (let s call these the Messianic texts). Another set of prophecies depicts a humble figure, a Servant, who will give his life as a ransom for many (these are known as the Servant Songs). While there are hints within the OT that these prophecies refer both to the ONE person, Jesus baptism finally makes things clear. The heavenly voice blends BOTH sets of prophecies with the giving of the Spirit (also a sign of the Servant), thus at his baptism the Father commissions Jesus for both roles at once: Kingly Messiah and Suffering Servant. Understanding that Jesus must fulfill BOTH roles is THE major tension for followers of Jesus in the story (eg Mark 8:32)! If you have time read Psalm 2, what will happen when God s Son is established on the throne? Read Isaiah 42:1-4 what happens after the Servant arrives? Narrative Note With this in mind, what is the main message of Mark s Gospel? At the transfiguration God again declares Jesus to be his beloved Son (9:7). Thus each half of the book (Mark 1-8, Mark 9-16) begin with a declaration from God about who Jesus is. And as we noted above, each half of the book closes with a declaration from a human about who Jesus is (Mark 8:29, 15:39). Mark 1-8 God: You are my Son (1:11) Peter: You are the Christ 8:29 Mark 9-16 God: This is my Son (9:7) Centurion: Surely this man was the Son of God (15:39) 5

The Beginning of the Gospel: Temptation The first thing the Spirit does is to send Jesus into the desert to be tempted. The pace and energy of Mark s story prevents him from detailing these events, except to make the point that Jesus was victorious. What expectations from earlier in Mark 1 are beginning to be fulfilled? If the story of Jesus is a new beginning (like Genesis 1) why is it important for Jesus to be tempted yet remain faithful? The beginning of the Gospel: Jesus gospel Mark has used Old Testament quotations, the character of John the Baptist and God s own voice from heaven to declare who Jesus is, now Jesus begins to proclaim and announce his message his gospel (1:14-15). What gives a sense of urgency to Jesus message? What two things will happen now that Jesus has arrived? What is the only right response to Jesus coming? The Beginning of the Gospel: Summary (if you have time) Mark 1:1-15 serves to introduce the entire Gospel by introducing Jesus. From your knowledge of the rest of Mark, discuss how the following themes introduced in Mark 1:1-15 are important for the rest of the Gospel (choose one or two if you are short on time). The Gospel The way Jesus as the suffering servant Jesus as the Christ One more powerful Not worthy to untie his shoes Baptism with the Holy Spirit Jesus being tempted Repent and believe The kingdom of God is near The Beginning of the Gospel: Relevance How has this study helped to sharpen your response to the question, who is Jesus? If you were sharing the Gospel with someone, how does Mark 1:1-15 help you do this? What application can you make to our lives that John the Baptist came and fulfilled prophecy What application can we make for ourselves from the fact Jesus was filled with the Spirit, yet still tempted but was able to resist temptation? Prayer Praise God for fulfilling hundreds of years of prophecy in the coming of John the Baptist, then Jesus Thank God that he established His Kingdom through his Son Thank God that Jesus was the kingly Messiah and also the Servant who died for our sins Ask God to bring you face to face with Jesus afresh through the Gospel of Mark Ask God to help you repent and believe the good news Ask God to equip you to share this Gospel with others 6

Mark 2:1-17 One with authority Part 1: Authority to forgive Authority to forgive: Episode 1 Tonight we are going to try a different way of conducting a Biblestudy. This is a method I have used many times before and I often use it in preparation to help me get the most out of a Bible passage. I often find it helpful when I come to a familiar passage or a passage I feel I have learnt everything about. The method is simple. First you approach the passage as if you are an absolute first time reader, as though you find this snippet of story on the ground and have no idea where it came from. Then you generate as many questions as the text throws up. The questions are on every level: factual, contextual, cultural, theological everything. The value of this study depends on throwing up questions regarding seemingly the most basic or unimportant pieces of information as well as the big ticket items. Third, we set about trying to answer these questions from other parts of the Bible (then other sources). Provided with this study are is a list of questions that I generated in preparation (I got to 45). Don t look at these until you have worked over the passage first! There is also a list of answers but don t look there until you have tried to discover answers yourself first! The worth of this approach is in the question generating phase (the journey). At that point don t try to find any answers, don t worry about whether answers are even possible. This method of approaching the text is guaranteed to help you dig deeper than you have been before Step 1: Read Mark 2:1-12 Step 2: Begin the question list. Here is the first one to kick you off... A few days later than what? 7

Step 3 Finding some answers The first place to look for answers is in what has already been written in Mark. Begin by scanning Mark 1:1-15 to see what answers are provided here Read Mark 1:29-45 see what else is answered here The next place to look is the rest of the Gospel, so answer what you can from your knowledge of how Mark unfolds from here on. You could also check other accounts of the same story in Matthew and Luke.. Authority to forgive: Episode 2 (Read Mark 2:13-17) What is similar about the opening of this story and the story in 2:1-12? What is similar about the response of Levi and the paralytic to Jesus command? (in Greek it is exactly the same word) What is different? What is similar about the response of the Pharisees? What is similar about the closing statement (2:17) and the climactic statement in the previous story (2:10)? Match 2:17 and 1:38. These are the two explicit statements we have so far about why Jesus came. What combined picture do we get? Putting the episodes together: These stories, side by side, are a double episode on the theme of forgiveness of sins. Together they provide a fairly full picture of what it means to find forgiveness in Jesus. Complete the table below by filling in the corresponding sections: Forgiveness of Sins Paralytic Levi was brought to Jesus emphasis on emphasis on repentance a sinner as demonstrated by the physical a sinner as demonstrated by the. emphasis on. emphasis on Jesus fellowship with sinners immediately healed immediately. General statement: General statement: Discuss the table above. How has your life reflected some of these elements of coming to know Jesus? Authority to forgive: Relevance Put yourself in the shoes of the paralytic before he came to Jesus. Describe the way in which the news about Jesus must have been conveyed to him to make him so desperate and confident to get to Jesus. How can we share the news about Jesus in a similar way so that the people we tell are just as eager to rush to Jesus? Jesus forged a ministry of forgiveness in a way the world had never known. What fresh insight have you learnt for your life about the forgiveness that Jesus brought? We dare to call ourselves God s children only by the grace of God. If Jesus was not the kind of Messiah who shared meals with tax collectors and sinners none of us would have a hope of ever earning an audience with Jesus. Discuss how we can remain humbled by God s grace towards us. Thank God for sending his Son to call sinners Prayer Thank God he gave his Son the authority to declare sins forgiven Pray we will never underestimate the seriousness of our sin Pray we will never underestimate the totality of Jesus forgiveness won on the cross Share other things to pray for 8

Resource: List of questions generated from Mark 2:1-12 1. A few days later than what? 2. Who is Jesus? 3. When was Jesus last in Capernaum? 4. Where is his home? 5. How did news spread that Jesus came home? 6. How many could there have been? 7. What is the word? 8. Why did he preach it to them? 9. Why did he preach in a home and not the synagogue as in chapter 1? 10. Why would people bring a paralytic to Jesus? 11. Why was this person not healed with the whole town who turned up at Simon s door (1:33)? 12. How did they carry him? 13. Is this the usual way paralytics got about? 14. Why were they so desperate to get to Jesus? 15. How did they try to get to Jesus? 16. How did they get onto the roof with the paralytic? 17. How did they make an opening? 18. What was the roof made of? 19. How big was the hole? 20. How long did it take to dig the hole? 21. What is going on inside while the hole is being dug? 22. Was the paralytic lowered horizontally or vertically? 23. How did they know where to dig the hole so the man was lowered right in front of Jesus? 24. If it is so crowded how do they make room for the man to be lowered down? 25. How high was the roof? 26. How did Jesus see their faith? 27. Whose faith does Jesus see? 28. What are sins? 29. What is forgiveness? 30. Why would Jesus forgive the paralytic? 31. Why does Jesus call him son? 32. Who are the teachers of the law? 33. Why were the teachers of the law there? 34. If it is so crowded why are they sitting there? 35. What is blaspheming? 36. How does Jesus know this is what they are thinking? 37. How can you think in your heart (and not brain)? 38. Why is it easier to say your sins are forgiven? 39. Who is the Son of Man? 40. Who gave him authority on earth? 41. What is the connection between sickness and sin? 42. Where did the man go? 43. Were the teachers of the law amazed as well? 44. Why did they praise God if Jesus did the miracle? 45. What happens to the hole at the end of the story? 9

Resource: Some preliminary answers to questions generated from Mark 2:1-12 1. A few days later than what? A few days earlier Jesus healed a leper and told him to remain quiet. However the leper spread the news in such a way that Jesus was no longer able to move openly in public places. For a few days he retired to a lonely location with his disciples (see Mark 1:45). 2. Who is Jesus? Information so far about Jesus. Jesus is: The Christ (Messiah) (Mark 1:1) The Son of God (Mark 1:1) More powerful than John the Baptist (1:7) Will baptize with the Holy Spirit (1:7) The Spirit endowed Servant of the Lord (1:11) The one who brings the kingdom of God near (1:15) He teaches with authority (1:22, 27) He is the Holy one of God (1:24) He heals the sick (1:29-32) He has authority over demons (1:25) THINK: what expectations are created now when Jesus arrives back again in Chapter 2? 3. When was Jesus last in Capernaum? The last time Jesus went to Capernaum he taught with authority in the synagogue. He cast out a demon and the crowds were astounded. They were amazed at BOTH his authoritative teaching and his authority over evil spirits (1:27). Immediately upon leaving the synagogue of Capernaum Jesus healed Simon s mother in law, that evening the whole town gathered at the door and Jesus healed them. Yet Jesus left early in the morning, while it was still dark, in order to escape the crowds (1:35). 4. Where is his home? Most scholars agree this is probably Simon Peter s home from 1:29. 5. How did news spread that Jesus came home? News spread through word of mouth all over the region of Galilee (1:28). Huge crowds had already been draw to Jesus on account of his healings (1:33. 1:45). Having left so suddenly (1:35) it is no surprise Jesus return is greeted with expectant crowds. 6. How many could there have been? It is hard to tell how big the crowd would have been, as we don t really know how big Capernaum was at the time of Jesus. By the 5 th C AD Capernaum had a population of about 1500. For more information have a look at http://www.biblewalks.com/sites/capernaum.html. Today an octagonal church stands on the site of Simon Peter s house. 7. What is the word? Jesus first words in the Gospel are preaching. He preaches The time has come, the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news! (1:14-15). This message was probably being explained in Chapter 2 as well. 8. Why did he preach it to them? Jesus came, not to heal or cast out demons, but to preach (1:38). Literally this means to speak. Most probably Jesus taught in parables (like in 4:33, 34). It seems that in public Jesus taught in parables and in the synagogues he usually taught from the Old Testament prophets. 9. Why did he preach in a home and not the synagogue as in chapter 1? Jesus teaches in synagogues in Capernaum (1:21), then in synagogues throughout Galilee (1:39). Yet he has also taught outside of synagogues (1:14-15). Perhaps the focus of the enormous crowds on Jesus healings had prevented Jesus from conducting effective preaching ministry in open public places (1:38, 45). And so now Jesus teaches in a private home. 10. Why would people bring a paralytic to Jesus? Jesus fame from repeated healing miracles in Chapter 1 had spread far and wide (1:28, 34, 37, 45). 11. Why was this person not healed with the whole town who turned up at Simon s door (1:33)? Perhaps this indicates that the paralytic lives further away than local Capernaum. Maybe he is from further out in Galilee and later heard of Jesus power to heal. OR maybe this man lived in Capernaum, but because he was paralysed was not able to get out after dark with the rest of the town and get to Jesus. Now that Jesus has come back, his four friends make sure he doesn t miss out again. 10

12. How did they carry him? On a stretcher like mat? We don t have a lot of information. 13. Is this the usual way paralytics got about? In Acts 3:3 we read of another paralytic who was carried every day to the Temple to beg. 14. Why were they so desperate to get to Jesus? The news they were told about Jesus must have been so impressive that they became determined to stop at nothing. See application/relevance questions on this idea. 15. How did they try to get to Jesus? Perhaps they tried to push through the crowd or call out and interrupt, either way it didn t seem to be working. 16. How did they get onto the roof with the paralytic? Houses usually had outside steps to flat open roofs. 17. How did they make an opening? Mark tells us they dug into the roof (2:4), however in Luke s version we are told the roof was made of tiles (Luke 5:19). 18. What was the roof made of? Luke 5:19 tiles. 19. How big was the hole? Probably long enough for the man to be lowered horizontally whilst still laying on the mat. 20. How long did it take to dig the hole? Not quick! 21. What is going on inside while the hole is being dug? Who knows? Did Jesus pause and stop preaching the word? did people look up? If they realized someone was coming in through the roof, why didn t they make way for them to come down then come in the door! 22. Was the paralytic lowered horizontally or vertically? He was still lying on the matt, so probably horizontally. 23. How did they know where to dig the hole so the man was lowered right in front of Jesus? They may have dug a little of the hole, seen where Jesus was standing, then continued to dig. Or had a fairly good idea of where Jesus was positioned. 24. If it is so crowded how do they make room for the man to be lowered down? They must have drawn back a bit to allow the man room to be laid on the ground. Once again, though, at this point surely they could have made more room for the man to be brought in through the door! 25. How high was the roof? Not all that high. Probably within arms reach so the man could have been lowered directly onto outstretched hands of the crowd, a little like crowd surfing. 26. How did Jesus see their faith? Faith is always demonstrated in actions (lack of faith often demonstrated in lack of actions) (Gen 12:4; Rom 4; James 2:17). So in seeing the extent these men had gone to, Jesus was able to perceive their deep confident trust in him and his ability to meet their needs. Their faith is obviously characterized by determination, dependence and desperation. However Jesus also has an ability to perceive men s hearts and motivations in a way that other humans cannot (this means we are not always in a position to judge someone s faith purely by what we see in their lives). At other times in the Gospels Jesus observes actions, then commends people for their faith or lack of faith (4:40; 5:34). Later in the story we see Jesus supernatural insight into the grumblings of the teachers of the law that the rest of the crowd may not have been able to perceive. 27. Whose faith does Jesus see? Mark 2:5 says that Jesus saw their faith. Often this is interpreted as referring to the four men but not the paralytic himself. Then this passage is used to show that it is possible for someone to be saved by the faith of others (for example the faith of a parent may be sufficient to save a child). However the word their does not necessarily exclude the faith of the paralytic as well. I believe the faith of all five men is being commended by Jesus. What is important is that the healing occurs in the context of this faith and that this faith is in Jesus. At times where there is no faith, Jesus curtails his healing (see Mark 6:2-6). 11

Within the Gospel, this is the first mention of faith and it is significant that the reward for faith is forgiveness of sins. Later faith will save a sick woman (Mark 5:34). 28. What are sins? Sin is putting oneself in God s position. This expresses itself in disobedience to God and results in a broken relationship with God, the consequence of which is punishment and death. We need to remember that sin is a personal attack on the living, relational Creator and not just a general plight or character flaw of humanity. Sin is essentially relational as those who are creatures ignore and rebel against the Creator. The first reference to sins in Mark is in 1:4 where John came preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus now is clearly continuing John s ministry, however where John baptized people for repentance, Jesus openly declares people to be forgiven. In forgiving sins Jesus does nothing less than declare the relationship between the paralytic and the Creator God now restored. 29. What is forgiveness? Forgiveness is the restoration of the relationship between God and humans. It can come only from the wronged party (God himself). God s forgiveness, declared by Jesus, is made possible by Jesus death on the cross. Thus, forgiveness is once for all because his death is a once off event AND forgiveness is total because his death was sufficient to pay for all sin. 30. Why would Jesus forgive the paralytic? At least 3 things are going on here: 1) Jesus is showing his primary mission is to achieve and declare forgiveness, NOT healings 2) Jesus is showing that sin is the man s biggest problem. The man s paralysis is a symptom of the disease called sin. By declaring the man forgiven (in light of his faith) Jesus demonstrates which is the larger problem. 3) Jesus is showing (for those with eyes to see) that he is God. Only the one who has been wronged is in a position to forgive. Not only is Jesus showing us that he is God. He is also showing us what kind of God he is a God who is willing to forgive. Thus, by Jesus declaration of forgiveness, he is showing that he IS the wronged party, he is God, come down to earth, God with us Immanuel (Matt 1:23). 31. Why does Jesus call him son? Not sure. It seems to be a title of affection. 32. Who are the teachers of the law? The teachers of the law were religious leaders, in other places they are referred to as scribes. They read, interpreted and taught the Old Testament (the Law of Moses) in synagogues and the temple. 33. Why were the teachers of the law there? In light of their role (see answer above) they were probably here to assess and approve Jesus teaching and Jesus interpretation of the Scriptures. In Luke, we are told they had come from every village in Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem (Luke 5:17). This indicates that the authorities were beginning to take notice of Jesus and were traveling an extremely long way to hear what he had to say and perhaps see some of his healing power. 34. If it is so crowded why are they sitting there? As religious leaders they took prime position seating themselves probably at the front of the crowd, not being too bothered by the surging crowd behind them. 35. What is blaspheming? In this situation the charge of blasphemy was laid because the teachers of the law perceived Jesus to be claiming prerogatives that belonged to God alone. In declaring forgiveness, Jesus was performing something which they believed only God could do. Their referral of him as this fellow was a derogatory term showing their distain towards Jesus claims. It is interesting to note that this is the attitude of religious leaders to Jesus at the beginning of the Gospel. Blasphemy is the official charge at Jesus trial (14:64) showing that their attitude towards Jesus is unchanged at the end of the Gospel. It also shows the narrative thread of opposition to Jesus begins in Chapter 2 and weaves its way throughout the entire book. This charge of blasphemy will loom large in Mark 3, so we will look at it in more detail there. 12

36. How does Jesus know this is what they are thinking? Their grumbling and disgust is probably written all over their faces so to speak, however Jesus is able to perceive thoughts and motivations of humans beyond the outward exterior. 37. How can you think in your heart (and not brain)? Biblically, the heart is the seat of deep decisions (If you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord you will be saved Romans 10:9), although the mind is also key in deciding how to live (Romans 12:1-3). The distinction is probably not important here. 38. Why is it easier to say your sins are forgiven? It is easier in the sense that it cannot be proved or disproved. To the human eye it is an unverifiable statement. For Jesus to declare the man healed is to put himself in a position where his claims may be tested. Of course the scores of healings in Chapter 1 already stand as proof for the reader/listener, but we must remember that the reader/listener is in a different position to the characters in the story. Presumably the religious leaders had not yet witnessed Jesus healing power and more importantly what the healing power stood for (authority to forgive sins). In this story, the implication is that BOTH are equally doable for Jesus. In the bigger story of the Bible, both are symbols of the arrival of the Messiah who brings the Kingdom of God (see Jeremiah 31:31-34, Isaiah 29:18, Isaiah 35) 39. Who is the Son of Man? The Son of Man is Jesus characteristic way of referring to himself. In some ways it appears to be his way of saying I. Jesus uses the title Son of Man 13 times in Mark (11 in the second half of the book!) and the title is always used by Jesus about himself. Throughout Mark, there are 3 ways in which the title is used: To do with his present authority (2:10, 28) To do with his suffering, death and resurrection (8:31, 9:9, 12, 31, 10:33, 45, 14:21, 41) To do with his future glory and vindication (8:38, 13:26, 14:62) Thus this reference is one of those referring to Jesus authority while he is on earth. But this title is not just a way of referring to Jesus. It is also laden with Old Testament expectation arising from Daniel 7:13-14. The context of this chapter is ungoldly human power symbolized by beastly rule (Dan 7:1-8). Then there is a judgment scene (7:9-12, 22, 26), then one like a Son of Man comes to God (7:13), receives the Kingdom of God (7:14) then shares the Kingdom with the saints (7:18, 22, 26-7). 1 Thus, the Son of Man is a human agent who would execute God s saving purposes on earth as God s representative. 2 Paul Barnett suggests that Jesus uses this title to refer to himself because it is quite enigmatic. Jesus did not want to fuel the messianic fires and create hysteria and wrong expectations by declaring from the beginning who he really was. 40. Who gave him authority on earth? God handed Jesus, as the Son of Man, authority to forgive and judge. See John 5 for more detail. 41. What is the connection between sickness and sin? There is a general connection between sickness and sin in that sickness is present in the world because sin is present in the world. While there are some Biblical cases of sickness being a direct result of sin (Num 25; Acts 5:1-10), there are other occasions where Jesus teaches that this direct 1-1 correlation does not exist in all instances (John 9:1-3, Luke 13:1-8). 42. Where did the man go? Who knows? Back home? Maybe for a jog. 43. Were the teachers of the law amazed as well? We are not told in this story. Even if they were amazed, subsequent events will show they didn t share the faith of he paralytic. Jesus demands more than amazement alone. 44. Why did they praise God if Jesus did the miracle? The crowd attributed this miracle to God, the source of life, healing and forgiveness. Again, Mark is giving us a muted indication that Jesus himself is God, however the crowd are not yet able to make this connection. 1 See New Testament 1, PTC course p28 for more info. 2 From Paul Barnett s commentary on Mark s Gospel The Servant King, p46. 13

45. What happens to the hole at the end of the story? Extra Biblical sources indicate that the owner of the house claimed repairs for the damage on home insurance. 3 3 This answer is purely to test whether you have managed to read this far 14

Mark 2:18-3:35 One with Authority Part 2 Authority challenged Share about a time when two people have looked at exactly the same situation but have drawn different conclusions about what is happening? Read Mark 2:18-3:6 Jesus and Fasting SITUATION: At 4 the time of Jesus, it was customary for Jews to fast for two days every week in addition to the Day of Atonement. John s disciples and the C Pharisees were observing these fasts, while Jesus were not (2:18). By now Jesus disciples are not just the five he has specifically called, but a much wider group as well. At this time, fasting was seen as a way of hastening the coming of the Messiah and God s kingdom 5. How, then would not fasting have been viewed? QUESTION: Who asks the question? What is the question? ANSWER: Jesus answer comes in two parables the first to do with his identity, the second to do with the kingdom he brings. Jesus answer Identity Who is Jesus identifying with (check Isaiah 62:5)? Kingdom (2 parables) What is Jesus saying about the kingdom he brings? IMPLICATION: The Messianic age had come! The time of Jesus ministry is like a wedding banquet there was no need for fasting! He is the bridegroom of Israel! Narrative What is Mark 2:20 a reference to? Why would Jesus speak of this so early in his ministry? Jesus and the Sabbath SITUATION #1: Normally plucking the ears of corn from your neighbor was allowed as long as a sickle was not used (Deut 23:25), however on the Sabbath it C Note was considered reaping and was one of the 39 activities forbidden by Jewish custom. In Jesus day some writings declared If Israel were to keep two Sabbaths according to the rules, they would immediately be redeemed (Talmud, bshab, 118b). 6 In this light, how would breaking the Sabbath have been viewed? (perhaps this is why deliberate Sabbath breaking meant death by stoning) QUESTION: Who asks the question? What is the question? ANSWER: Jesus refers to a time when David and the highpriest allowed the fighting men to eat consecrated bread (1 Sam 21:1-6). The point is that the Pharisees are more strict that David and the high priest! Why was the Sabbath made? (Gen 2:2-3, Ex 20:8-11) How had the Pharisees reversed this purpose? 4 The box with a big C indicates a note about the Culture of the day 5 For more on this see Lane, p109-112. 6 See Barnett s commentary p54 15

IMPLICATION: Since God made the Sabbath (Gen 1, 2), what is being implied by Jesus statement: the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. C SITUATION #2: Another Sabbath another tradition. It was unlawful for a doctor to heal on the Sabbath unless the case was life-threatening. QUESTION: This question is unvoiced but the trap is set. What is the trap? ANSWER: Jesus is totally aware of their scheming and so he exposes their hypocrisy with his statement in 2:4. How does this expose their hypocrisy? What is Jesus response to their silence? (three things) 1) 2) 3) C Implication: The Herodians and the Pharisees were not groups that naturally associated with each other. The Herodians were a political party who supported the rule of Herod Antipas. The Pharisees, however, were a religious group and they despised Roman rule, hoping that God s Messiah would destroy the Romans and restore the Kingdom of Israel. What is significant, then, about them joining forces to destroy Jesus? What prophecy of Jesus is beginning to come true? Summary/transition Read Mark 3:7-12. This is a summary provided by Mark of Jesus ministry so far When was the last time Jesus withdrew? What was the reason then, what is the reason now? Despite the plot to kill Jesus why is he still so popular? On the map, draw arrows pointing towards Galilee from the places the crowd had come? (Idumea is near Jerusalem, across the Jordan means on the East of the Jordan) Compare this area to the crowds who gathered to see John the Baptist (1:5) According to the summary: what are the key elements of Jesus ministry so far? What is missing?? What is revealed about Jesus? Why are the spirits commanded to stay quiet? (We will discuss this idea much more in further studies) If you were a lawyer for the Pharisees gathering evidence against Jesus, what could you gather? Read Mark 3:20-35: Jesus new family The next 5 units in the story are arranged in a sandwich structure, which is a technique Mark uses throughout his Gospel. It draws attention to the middle piece which often helps to interpret the outer layers The 12 Jesus family arrives Belzeebub Jesus family come in Jesus real family Narrative Note 16

Jesus calls his disciples: Mark s story has begun at a frenetic pace. Crowds have repeatedly mobbed Jesus and many are following him. Now he stands on a mountain with only 12 men whom he calls to be his apostles. What is significant about the number 12? What then, is Jesus doing by constituting 12 to be his disciples? What other elements in the story so far have indicated that a new Israel is being formed around Jesus ministry? These 12 men seem like a small beginning, but what does Mark 4:30-32 say will become of this tiny seed? Apostles literally means sent ones or official representatives (see also Mark 6:30, 9:37). What two roles were these apostles to fulfill? NOTI CE: the connection between preaching and casting out demons this is important for the nex t episode Discuss this table: Peter James and John Andrew Philip Bartholomew Thomas Thaddaeus Meet the 12 ROCK Zebedee brothers. Named Boanerges sons of thunders (see Lk 9:54 for their explosive character) Peter s brother These are the four fishermen These four Mark doesn t tell anything else about Matthew a tax collector (Matthew 10:3) possibly another name for Levi James son of Alphaeus possibly Levi s brother (see 2:14) This would make three sets of brothers Simon the Zealot Zealot is a political designation, he seemingly had a reputation of extreme Jewish nationalism (anti-roman!), imagine the combination he would have made with Matthew Judas who would betray Jesus An unambiguous referral to Jesus death in chapter 3 this is the second reference to Jesus death here. If Mark is such a skilled story-teller why is he giving away the climax of the story? Jesus accused of being possessed This episode begins with two groups of people being drawn to Jesus with different opinions He s out of his mind Jesus He is possessed by an evil spirit Mother and brothers Pharisees from Jerusalem What other opinions of Jesus have we had so far in Mark? What is the irony about what the evil spirits themselves say about Jesus? 17

In the table below fill out the thought process behind the accusation of the Pharisees (3:22), then the logic behind Jesus response (3:23-27) LOGIC Pharisees Jesus Who is the strong man? Who is the one who ties him up? How does this relate to Mark 1:7? How is the robbing of Satan s house expressed in Jesus ministry? Read 3:28. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is looking at the ministry of the Spirit and concluding or deciding that it is evil and has come from an evil source. Why is this comment relevant here? (see 1:10 as well) What is the warning for us as readers of Mark? Rewrite 3:28 is your own words: Jesus real family The story of Jesus being accused of being possessed by an evil Spirit (3:22-30) is sandwiched between Jesus family coming to him (3:20-22), then actually calling him outside (3:31-32). These events are between Jesus calling the 12 (3:13-19), then describing who his real family is (3:33-35) We can describe the structure like this Calling the 12 Jesus family arrive Jesus accused of being possessed Jesus family call him outside Jesus real family This is sandwich technique is one that Mark uses repeatedly throughout his Gospel. He does it to show there is a connection between the outer layers and the inside of the sandwich. What is the connection between Jesus being accused and the surrounding layers? What is the connection between Calling the 12 (3:13-19) and Jesus real family (3:33-35)? Read 3:35. What is Jesus saying about his identity? What is he saying about the right way to respond to him? Relevance Do we display the characteristics of Jesus brothers and sisters? How can we work on that in our lives? How can we encourage each other to respond properly to Jesus? Prayer Thank God that Jesus is the bridegroom of Israel bring God s new kingdom Thank God that Jesus bound Satan and ransacked his house of those that Satan had captive Ask God to help us respond properly to Jesus and display the characteristics of being Jesus brothers and sisters Share anything else to pray for 18