We’re the champions! We’re the greatest…the strongest…the prettiest! In our culture such daily proclamations boldly assert claims of supremacy. Everyone wants to be a winner; it’s definitely not cool to be a “looser”. But the fact is…such pompous claims are the exact opposite of Jesus’ teachings: “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. For even I, the Son of Man, came not to be served, but to serve others and give my life as a ransom for many.” (10:43-45)
The Gospel of Mark was written by John Mark, a follower of Jesus Christ, and Apostle Peter’s scribe and right-hand man. It was written to Christians in Rome (approximately 65-55 AD), and was intended to show Jesus as both a servant and the prophesied Messiah. And because Rome was a pagan city where many gods were worshiped, Mark boldly opened his Gospel by presenting the good news of Jesus, the Messiah. The Son of God was not the son of just any god, but the God Jehovah! Even though this is the shortest Gospel, it is action packed! Mark presented Jesus as an Evangelist on the move! Much more than dwelling on what Jesus said, Mark emphasized more what he did, such as casting out demons, healing the sick, and raising the dead. As you read this, I encourage you to follow along in your own Bible. This is only a structural outline, and is intended to peak your interest as I highlight the three sections of Mark’s Gospel by using selected Scriptures to accentuate each subsection.
Mark’s Gospel is in three parts. The first is THE PREPARATION OF JESUS, THE SERVANT, (1:1-12) but omits the birth of Jesus and begins with John the Baptist preparing the way. He refers to the proclamation of Isaiah to substantiate this fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy. 1A “Look, I am sending my messenger before you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: ‘Prepare a pathway for the Lord’s coming! Make a straight road for him.” (Isaiah 40:3, written 700 years before the birth of Jesus) For the past 400 years the Jews had been praying for and looking for a God-sent Prophet – or maybe even the anticipated Messiah. Could this be him? 1A “The whole Judean countryside and people from Jerusalem went out to see and hear John. When they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. But he also announced: ‘Someone is coming who is far greater than I am – so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”(1:5-8)
2A After Jesus’ temptation in the desert, and “after John was arrested by Herod Antipas, Jesus went to Galilee to preach God’s Good News. ‘At last the time has come! Turn from your sins and believe this Good News. (1:14-15) One day as Jesus was walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he called out to four fishermen, ‘Come, be my disciples, and I will make you fishers of men. They left their nets and went with him.” (1:16-18)
THE MESSAGE AND MINISTRY OF JESUS, THE SERVANT (1:14-13:37) 1B Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee: “Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum, and every Sabbath he went into the synagogue and taught the people. They were amazed at his teaching, for he taught as one who had real authority – quite unlike the teachers of religious law. A man possessed by an evil spirit was in the synagogue, and began shouting, ‘Why are you bothering us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One sent from God!’ Jesus cut him short, ‘Be silent! Come out of the man.’ At that, the evil spirit screamed and threw the man into a convulsion, but then left him. Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. ‘He has such authority. Even evil spirits obey him.’ The news of what he had done spread quickly through that entire area of Galilee.” (1:21-28) “Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. Would he heal the man’s hand on the Sabbath? If he did, they planned to condemn him. Jesus said to the man, ‘Come and stand in front of everyone.’ Then he turned to his critics and asked, ‘Is it legal to do good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing harm? Is this a day to save a life or destroy it?’ But they wouldn’t answer him. He looked around at them angrily, because he was deeply disturbed by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, ‘Reach out your hand.’ The man reached out his hand and immediately it became normal again. At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to discuss plans for killing Jesus.” (3:1-6) “A leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jarius, came and fell down before him (Jesus), pleading with him to heal his little daughter, ‘She is about to die,’ he said in desperation. ‘Please come and place your hands on her; heal her so she can live.’ But messengers from Jarius’s home arrived; ‘Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.’ But Jesus ignored their comments and said to Jarius, ‘Don’t be afraid. Just trust me.’ When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw commotion and weeping and wailing. He went inside and spoke to the people: ‘Why all this weeping and commotion? The child isn’t dead; she is only asleep.’ The crowd laughed at him, but he told them all to go outside. Then he took the father and mother and his three disciples and went into the room where the girl was lying. Holding her hand, he said, ‘Get up, little girl!’ Immediately the girl, who was twelve years old, stood up and walked around. Everyone was overwhelmed.” (5:21-23, 35-36, 38-42)
2B Jesus’ teaching outside Galilee: When Jesus left Galilee, he went into the region of Phoenicia to the large towns of Tyre and Sidon. By this time Jesus’ teaching was beginning to arouse the interest of the Gentiles, and a large crowd of 4000 followed him out to a remote area where he ministered to them for three days. Since they were out of food, Jesus called his disciples and said, “I have compassion for these people… If I send them away hungry, some will collapse on the way, because they have not eaten.’ His disciples answered, ‘But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?’ ‘How many loves do we have’, Jesus asked? ‘Seven’, they replied. He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketsful of broken pieces that were left over.” (8:1-8) That Jesus would compassionately minister to non-Jews was very reassuring to Mark’s primary Roman audience. “Six day later, Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before their very eyes. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice from the cloud proclaimed: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (9:1-4, 7) Peter, James and John, because they were Jesus’ closest apostles, were allowed to see him in his Glory; to witness his Divine nature, which was affirmed by the voice of God. (Notice God’s last directive: “Listen to him!”, again exalting Jesus) “When in Jericho, Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city when a man alongside the road cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. Jesus stopped and asked, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see.’ ‘Go’, Jesus said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” (10:46-48, 51-52)
3B Jesus Ministry in Jerusalem: “As they approached Jerusalem and came to the Mount of Olives, Jesus called two disciples, saying to them: “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘why are you doing this’, say ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.” Jesus mounted the colt and rode triumphantly into Jerusalem while crowds shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (11:1-3,9-10) The next day Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. He said, ‘Is it not written that My House will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves.” (11:15-16) Jesus warns his followers of future persecution: “Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever will be given to you at that time because it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit speaking for you.” (13:11) Jesus tells about his return: “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels to gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth and to the ends of the heavens. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (13:26-27, 31)
DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS, THE SERVANT (14-1-16:20) Here is an interesting verse for you to ponder. It appears only in this Gospel and can be found after the scene in the Garden when Jesus is betrayed by Judas and taken away. 14: 51: “A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.” “It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two rebels with him. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘So, you who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days; come down from the cross and save yourself.’ In the same way the Pharisees and chief priests mocked him among themselves. ‘Let the Messiah, this king of Israel, come down from the cross that we may see and believe.’ Those who crucified him also heaped insults on him.” (15:25-32) “Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and Joseph, and Salome.” (15:40-41) These women followed Jesus and helped support his ministry and cared for his needs.
The earliest manuscript of Mark ends at 16:8. Later manuscripts include vs. 9-20. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, and appeared (in a different form) to two men who were walking. He also appeared to his disciples, and he gave The Great Commission before he ascended into heaven where he is seated at the right hand of God. (These will be covered in more detail in the Gospels of Luke and John)
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May God Bless Ya…
Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)
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