Mark 5 & 6

1. 5:1-20 In this incident, what do both the demons and Jesus do that you might not expect of them?
2. 5:21-24, 35-43 What is the significance of Jesus’ command to the girl? What other orders did He give?
3. 5:25-34 Why was the woman with the issue of blood healed?
4. 6:1-6 What was stronger than the evidence Jesus’ hometown people saw with their own eyes? What was Jesus’ reaction?
5. 6:7-13 When Jesus sent out the Twelve, what were they to take with them?
6. 6:14-29 What was Herod’s attitude toward John before John’s death? What about after his death? (Also see Matthew 14:1-12.)
7. 6:30-44 What had Jesus’ planned to do when He and the apostles sailed to the other side of the lake? What was His attitude when His plans were changed?
8. 6:45-52 At least two miracles are recorded in this passage. How are they different from other miracles that Jesus did, which usually involved healing people?
9. 6:53-56 Identify words in this section that indicate how desperate the crowds were for healing.

Mark 3 & 4 Class Comments

1. 3:1-6 In this account of a Sabbath healing, how does Jesus respond emotionally to the hardness of the Pharisees’ hearts? How does He respond physically? Comments: He is both angry and grieved at the hardness of their hearts, but He still heals the man’s hand. It is amazing that after seeing this miracle, the Pharisees and Herodians plot against Jesus to destroy Him.
2. 3:7-12 From what parts of Israel did the multitude come? Find the places on the map. Comments: The multitude came from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea (the southernmost region shown on our map), beyond the Jordan (probably Perea), Tyre, and Sidon (the northernmost city on the map.) According to our calculations, from Sidon to Idumea was about 160 miles. Sidon would be about 40 miles northwest of Capernaum; Jerusalem about 80 miles south.
3. 3:13-19 What did Jesus call the apostles to do? Which ones had He already called (as recorded in Mark 1:16-20 and 2:13-14)? Comments: Jesus called the apostles 1) to be with Him; 2) to preach; 3) to have power to heal sickness and to cast out demons. Mark 1:16-20 records His calling Simon, Andrew, James and John. Mark 2:13-14 records His calling Levi, the son of Alphaeus. Levi is called Matthew in Matthew 10:3. Coincidentally, in that list and here, James is called the son of Alphaeus. We concluded that their fathers had the same name. If they had been brothers, they would have been identified as such, like Peter and Andrew and James and John.
4. 3:20-30 Had the scribes blasphemed against the Holy Spirit? How? Comments: Yes. Jesus gives the warning about blasphemy because they had ascribed his casting out demons to Beelzebub rather than to the Holy Spirit. One of the definitions of blasphemy is “the act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God.” We also noticed verse 21 in this section: “When his own people [family] heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, ‘He is out of His mind.’” We likened this to Jesus’ experience in his hometown (Mark 6:1-6), where they couldn’t recognize Him as being remarkable.
5. 3:31-35 What relationship do we have with Jesus when we do God’s will? Comments: We are His family – His mother, brothers and sisters. Note that He did not include a father here.  (Of course, his earthly father Joseph was not among those seeking him, either.) Hebrews 2:10-13 goes into detail about Christ as the captain of our salvation, One who is not ashamed to call us “brethren.” Another observation about this passage: Verse 21 indicates that Jesus’ family was concerned about His mental health (“He is beside himself,” or “He is out of His mind!”). In verse 31 His mother and brothers came to see Him. Might there be a connection between the two incidents?
6. 4:1-20 What keeps us from bearing fruit? Comments: We saw this from two different views: 1) We don’t bear fruit, because we don’t sow the seed. 2) We don’t bear fruit, because, as mentioned in verse 12, we see and hear but don’t perceive. Also noted was that like the rocky ground, we are too shallow, and like the thorny ground, we permit the cares of this world to keep us from bearing fruit. We may not die, but as Christians, we’re barren.
7. 4:21-25 What is the “lamp”? Comments: Several answers here, all connected. 1) The lamp is the Christian, because in Matthew 5:14 Jesus tells His disciples they are the “light of the world.” We are not to hide our lights. 2) The lamp are the actions that show we are Christians. 3) The lamp is the word of God, the lamp for our feet and the light for our paths (Psalm 119:105).
8. 4:26-29 What is the lesson of the Parable of the Growing Seed? How does it complement the Parable of the Sower? Comments: Again, several different but related thoughts. 1) Both parables show that the gospel contains its own power. Sometimes it grows in unexpected places, like a flower growing out of a rock. 2) Planting (and watering) is what we do; growing is what God does. 3) The Parable of the Sower describes what happens on earth as Christians sow the seed and produce fruit; the Growing Seed describes the final harvest, which is heaven.
9. 4:30-34 How do we plant the seed of the kingdom? How does it grow? (See also 1 Corinthians 3:5-7.) Comments: We teach the gospel to people, which, according to 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 3, to discourage sectarianism, Paul teaches that while he and Apollos may have sown and watered, God gave the increase.
10. 4:35-41 In this incident, how does Jesus both calm and cause fear? Comments: The disciples feared what the wind would do to them. Then – after Jesus calmed the sea, they saw that Jesus had more power than even the wind, and they “feared exceedingly,” asking “Who can this be?”

Mark 3 and 4

1. 3:1-6 In this account of a Sabbath healing, how does Jesus respond emotionally to the hardness of the Pharisees’ hearts? How does He respond physically?
2. 3:7-12 From what parts of Israel did the multitude come? Find the places on the map.
3. 3:13-19 What did Jesus call the apostles to do? Which ones had He already called (as recorded in Mark 1:16-20 and 2:13-14)?
4. 3:20-30 Had the scribes blasphemed against the Holy Spirit? How?
5. 3:31-35 What relationship do we have with Jesus when we do God’s will?
6. 4:1-20 What keeps us from bearing fruit?
7. 4:21-25 What is the “lamp”?
8. 4:26-29 What is the lesson of the Parable of the Growing Seed? How does it complement the Parable of the Sower?
9. 4:30-34 How do we plant the seed of the kingdom? How does it grow? (See also 1 Corinthians 3:5-7.)
10. 4:35-41 In this incident, how does Jesus both calm and cause fear?

Mark 1 & 2 Class Comments

1. 1:1-8 What was John’s purpose? What do you think is meant by “Make straight paths for Him”? Comments: John’s purpose was to be a messenger, to prepare the way of the Lord, to not get in the way of His message, but to make His path straighter – easier – than it might have been otherwise.
   
2. 1:9-13 Describe Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. Comments: John baptized (immersed) Him. As Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens parted (tore apart), and the Spirit descended like a dove. A voice from heaven said, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” According to Luke 3:22, the Spirit descended in “bodily form like a dove.” The class wasn’t sure exactly what it means for the heavens to part. Was it just a vision Jesus had, did it refer to clouds, or did Jesus see beyond the sky?
   
3. 1:14-20 What did Jesus call Simon and Andrew to do? What does this mean? Comments: Jesus called Simon and Andrew to follow him so they could become fishers of men. It meant that they would spread the gospel like a fisherman spreads his net, gathering the souls of men into God’s kingdom. Men would be gathered in not to eat fish, but to eat food of a spiritual nature.
   
4. 1:21-28 In verse 27, what new doctrine, or teaching, are the people referring to? Comments: This refers not only to the authority He demonstrated in casting out the unclean spirit, but to all the other new things they had witnessed: His miracles, a baptism of repentance, the appeal He had not to a mass of people, but to individuals. All of this made His teaching, mentioned in verses 21 and 22, even more astonishing. Jesus taught from His own authority. He didn’t just expound on the scriptures, as their rabbis and priests did.
   
5. 1:29-39 Why did Jesus leave Capernaum even though everyone was looking for Him? Comments: They were looking for healing, or to be rid of unclean spirits, but that was not Jesus’ mission. His purpose was to preach. Another consideration is that He realized that with the multitudes that came, the authorities also might come. [Cheryl’s post-class observation: He stated that focus  of purpose after He had gone off by Himself to pray.]
   
6. 1:40-44 How did the leper inhibit Jesus’ desire to fulfill His purpose? Comments: Because the leper could not keep quiet about his healing, Jesus was not able to go openly into the cities – because of the commotion it would cause – so he preached outside in the desert places. Still, they came to Him “from every direction.”
   
7. 2:1-12 What are the three manifestations of Jesus’ Godhood in this incident? [Consider verse 9. Which is easier?] Comments: 1) He forgave the sins of the paralytic (which only God can do); 2) He perceived in His spirit what the scribes were thinking; and 3) He healed the man’s paralysis (as the Son of Man). Regarding verse 9: For man, it would be easier just to say “Your sins are forgiven,” whether he could do it or not. In actuality, both are impossible for man. But with God, there is no difference; He has the power to do both.
   
8. 2:13-17 In verse 16, how do you think the Pharisees would want to answer their own question? [Consider: What would your reaction be if you saw a religious leader eating with someone who had taken advantage of you financially?] Comments: They would suppose that He was just like them. Good people don’t hang out with unscrupulous people. The lesson for us is that we shouldn’t jump to conclusions when we either see or hear things we can’t explain. We don’t always know the whole story.
   
9. 2:18-22 Read John 3:29. Is it a coincidence that Jesus speaks of a bridegroom? Comments: In John 3:29, when questioned by his own disciples, John refers to Jesus as the bridegroom and himself as merely the friend of the bridegroom. So in this answer – also to John’s disciples after John had been put into prison – Jesus makes the same reference. The presence of the bridegroom indicates a celebration, not a time to fast.
   
10. 2:23-28 How does the story about David apply to Jesus’ actions on the Sabbath? (See 1 Samuel 21:1-6.) Comments: In David’s case, the hunger for bread, for sustenance, was more important than a ceremonial tradition which stated that only the priests could eat leftover showbread. In Jesus’ case, He knew the purpose of the Sabbath – which was to give men a day of rest, a special day set apart. In the discussion of Matthew 11-13 (#4), we also determined that Jesus and His disciples were not actually breaking the Sabbath, according to the Law.

Mark 1 and 2

1. 1:1-8 What was John’s purpose? What do you think is meant by “Make straight paths for Him”?
   
2. 1:9-13 Describe Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River.
   
3. 1:14-20 What did Jesus call Simon and Andrew to do? What does this mean?
   
4. 1:21-28 In verse 27, what new doctrine, or teaching, are the people referring to?
   
5. 1:29-39 Why did Jesus leave Capernaum even though everyone was looking for Him?
   
6. 1:40-44 How did the leper inhibit Jesus’ desire to fulfill His purpose?
   
7. 2:1-12 What are the three manifestations of Jesus’ godhood in this incident? [Consider verse 9. Which is easier?]
   
8. 2:13-17 In verse 16, how do you think the Pharisees would want to answer their own question? [Consider: What would your reaction be if you saw a religious leader eating with someone who had taken advantage of you financially?]
   
9. 2:18-22 Read John 3:29. Is it a coincidence that Jesus speaks of a bridegroom?
   
10. 2:23-28 How does the story about David apply to Jesus’ actions on the Sabbath? (See 1 Samuel 21:1-6.)

Introduction to Mark

Author: Mark was the son of Mary (Acts 12:12) and a relative of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). He is the John Mark who traveled with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Acts 12:25), but who, in Paul’s eyes, deserted them in Pamphyllia, causing a rift between Paul and Barnabas (15:36-41). He spent a lot of time with Peter, who called him “my son” (1 Peter 5:13).

Date: Mark was probably the first Gospel to be written. Sources differ about the exact date, one estimating between 55 and 65 A.D. and another between 65 and 68, but they agree it was before the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

Place and Occasion: The book is associated with Rome, home of a sizable Christian community, and written primarily for Gentiles, especially Roman believers. It may have been motivated by the fire in Rome in 64 AD, believed to have been set by Nero and blamed on Christians, which led to an outbreak of severe persecution (alluded to in Mark 13:9-13). It records more miracles than any of the other Gospels, which would have helped believers see Jesus’ power over all types of opposing forces.

Characteristics: Mark is a book of action. “Immediately”  (or “straightway”) introduces most of its section divisions. It often presents in a few verses what other gospels describe in a chapter. The messages of his teaching are presented more through what he did than what he said. Without any introduction or mention of his infancy or childhood, Jesus appears on the scene as a man. The first ten chapters cover three years of Jesus’ ministry; the last five cover His final week.

Sources: About.com – Christianity; Introductory Notes from The Women’s Study Bible and Serendipity Bible

Matthew 26-28 Class Comments

1. 26:1-16 What did the woman understand that the disciples did not? For whose benefit did Jesus make the statement in verse 11? [Consider: Did Judas's action here have anything to do with what had transpired with the woman? (See also John 12:3-8.)] Comments: She seemed to understand that Jesus’ death was imminent, something the disciples didn’t seem to realize until it actually happened. Judas’s action may have stemmed from his greed. Part of the money spent on this oil could have gone into his own pocket. In John 12, it is Judas who voices the objection.
2. 26:17-35 Who was with Jesus at this Passover meal? What announcement did Jesus make while they were eating? How did the others react? Comments: The Twelve ate this Passover meal with Jesus (verse 20). There’s no indication that other disciples were present (Mark 14:17; Luke 22:14). Jesus made two announcements: 1) that one would betray Him, and 2) that they would all fall away. Their reaction to the first was “Surely it’s not I, Lord?” and to the second, “I will never disown you.”
3. 26:36-50 What was Jesus’ prayer? How many times did He pray it? Why did Jesus want the three men to stay awake with Him? Comments: Three times Jesus prayed, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me, nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” In verse 41, he urges them to stay awake and pray to prevent them falling into temptation. He also wanted them to “watch” with Him, possibly indicating He needed their companionship in His anxiety. But they were exhausted and not aware of the imminence of His death.
4. 26:51-56 Which of the disciples here was fulfilling God's plan? Which one attempted to thwart it? (See also John 18:10.) Comments: Ironically, Judas was fulfilling God’s plan, while Peter tried to thwart it by striking the servant of the high priest.
5. 26:57-68 What was ironic about the high priest putting Jesus "under oath"? Comments: For one thing, verse 59 states that moments before, they had been seeking false witnesses. Second, they were asking the Son of God to take an oath before God. Third, they knew He wouldn’t lie about His identity; the evidence they could not get from false witnesses they sought to get from His telling them the truth.
6. 26:69-75 Why was Peter so adamant in his denials? Describe his distress. Comments: He was afraid, and also somewhat in a state of shock. Jesus had suddenly become vulnerable. This man with power over sickness, winds and water had always escaped arrest before. When Peter realized he had fulfilled Jesus’ prediction, he wept bitterly.
7. 27:1-10 What caused Judas to repent? [Consider: What did Judas expect to happen when he betrayed Jesus?] Comments: He saw Jesus had been condemned. Like Peter, he apparently believed that Jesus would miraculously escape. That’s always what had happened before. While the KJV and ASV render this “repented himself,” others translate if “remorseful” or “full of remorse,” indicating that this was not the kind of repentance that brought about a change in Judas’s life.
8. 27:11-26 In Pilate’s mind, why had the chief priests and elders brought Jesus before him? [Consider: Was Pilate's hand washing an act of courage or weakness?] Comments: Because of envy. A sign of weakness. He was passing the buck. In John 19:12, the Jews remind Pilate that if he releases Jesus he is no friend of Caesar, so Pilate also fears loss of political power.
9. 27:27-44 What added to the physical cruelty of the cross? What groups participated in this cruelty? Comments: Taunting and insults. The governor’s soldiers (27-31); passersby (39-40); chief priests, scribes, and elders (41-43); and the robbers crucified with him (44) also reviled him.
10. 27:45-56 Describe the events that occurred when Jesus died. [Consider: Before He died, what may have been even worse than His physical pain? (verse 46)] Comments: He cried out (45); they offered Him vinegar (47); He “yielded up His spirit” (50); the temple veil tore from top to bottom, the earth quaked, graves opened, and some were resurrected (51-53); guards confessed (54); while the women looked on (55). Even worse than His physical pain was being forsaken by His Father as Jesus took on the sins of all the world for all time.
11. 27:57-66 Who buried Jesus’ body? What was the next demand made of Pilate by the chief priests and Pharisees? Comments: Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy disciple. The chief priests and Pharisees asked that the tomb be secured and guarded so the disciples wouldn’t steal the body and claim that Jesus had risen from the dead.
12. 28:1-10 When they saw the angel, how did the guards react? How did the angel calm the women? Who else appeared to them? Comments: They fainted away as if dead. The angel calmed the women with “Do not be afraid. I know you seek Jesus.” The risen Jesus also appeared to them with “Do not be afraid.”
13. 28:11-15 After recovering from their shock, to whom did the guards immediately go? Whose guards were they? (27:65) Comments: The guards immediately went to the chief priests, even though they were responsible to the governor.
14. 28:16-18 Who has all authority? [Consider: What significance does that hold for us?] Comments: Jesus has all authority – on heaven and on earth. This means that he is the primary authority for what we believe, teach, and do.
15. 28:19-20 What command did Jesus give in these verses? What promise? Comments: He told the apostles to make disciples of all nations, baptize them, and teach the disciples what they had been taught by him. Question raised in class: Since not all of us are able to go abroad, does this mean the first commandment applies only to the apostles? His promise was that we don’t have to do this alone. He will be with us to the end.

Matthew 26-28

1. 26:1-16 What did the woman understand that the disciples did not? For whose benefit did Jesus make the statement in verse 11? [Consider: Did Judas's action here have anything to do with what had transpired with the woman? (See also John 12:3-8.)]
2. 26:17-35 Who was with Jesus at this Passover meal? What announcement did Jesus make while they were eating? How did the others react?
3. 26:36-50 What was Jesus’ prayer? How many times did He pray it? Why did Jesus want the three men to stay awake with Him?
4. 26:51-56 Which of the disciples here was fulfilling God's plan? Which one attempted to thwart it? (See also John 18:10.)
5. 26:57-68 What was ironic about the high priest putting Jesus "under oath"?
6. 26:69-75 Why was Peter so adamant in his denials? Describe his distress.
7. 27:1-10 What caused Judas to repent? [Consider: What did Judas expect to happen when he betrayed Jesus?]
8. 27:11-26 In Pilate’s mind, why had the chief priests and elders brought Jesus before him? [Consider: Was Pilate's hand washing an act of courage or weakness?]
9. 27:27-44 What added to the physical cruelty of the cross? What groups participated in this cruelty?
10. 27:45-56 Describe the events that occurred when Jesus died. [Consider: Before He died, what may have been even worse than His physical pain? (verse 46)]
11. 27:57-66 Who buried Jesus’ body? What was the next demand made of Pilate by the chief priests and Pharisees?
12. 28:1-10 When they saw the angel, how did the guards react? How did the angel calm the women? Who else appeared to them?
13. 28:11-15 After recovering from their shock, to whom did the guards immediately go? Whose guards were they? (27:65)
14. 28:16-18 Who has all authority? [Consider: What significance does that hold for us?]
15. 28:19-20 What command did Jesus give in these verses? What promise?

Matthew 23-25 Class Comments

1. 23:1-12 Besides a condemnation of the attitude of the Pharisees, what is Jesus cautioning against? [Consider: Were the Pharisees evil, or just human, and showing a human tendency?] Comments: He’s cautioning his followers not to be hypocritical nor to follow a natural desire to feel important when compared to others. The Pharisees certainly displayed a human tendency for self-service, and they had let it harden their hearts to the point they had become malicious.
   
2. 23:13-36 In your own words, list at least three ways in which the scribes and Pharisee were hypocrites. Comments: 1) they were false teachers; they took advantage of widows while praying long prayers for show; they proselytized men then corrupted them; they needed to make oaths in order to be believed; they appeared to be one thing when they were really another.
   
3. 23:37-39 How does Jesus’ lament in this passage relate to what He has just said to the scribes and Pharisees? Comments: His heart aches at the way they have rejected them, much as we would feel if we were rejected by our children. One important difference is that He had the power to make them do what He wanted, but He didn’t use it.
   
4. 24:1-14 What does Jesus prophesy in this passage? What does He promise? Comments: Jerusalem would be destroyed; deceivers would come, claiming to be Christ; there would be many tribulations – both manmade and natural; the apostles would be persecuted; the love of some would grow cold; the gospel would be preached to all nations. [Paul, writing in Colossians (AD 60-63), states in 1:6 that the truth of the gospel had come to the whole world. In 1:13, he states that the gospel has been preached to every creature in heaven. Apparently, this is talking about the world as they knew it, the Mediterranean region.]
   
5. 24:15-24 *When the disciples see the “desolating sacrilege” (“abomination of desolation”) coming, who is to flee into the mountains? What instructions and desire are expressed here? Comments: Those in Judea were to flee to the mountains. They weren’t to go back to get anything to take with them. His desire was that none of the women would be pregnant nor nursing, and that the flight would be neither in the winter nor on the Sabbath. This answers the disciples’ first question in verse 3: When will these things be?
   
6. 24:25-31 Is this speaking of the second (and final) coming of Christ, or of something else? (Read Isaiah 13:10 and Ezekiel 32:7 for similar language. To what does the same expression refer to in those passages?) Comments: In context, Isaiah 13:10 is speaking of the destruction of Babylon. In context, Ezekiel 32:7 is speaking of the destruction of Egypt. In light of the language that is used here, and the fact that they would see it coming, it seems that he is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. It essentially marked the end of Old Testament Judaism as well, for without the temple, there could be no worship, no genealogies that would support a Levitical priesthood. This answers the disciples’ second question in verse 3: What will be the sign of your coming? The destruction of Jerusalem was the sign that the Son of Man was ruling in heaven.
   
7. 24:32-35 In what generation would these things happen? Would there be a warning? Comments: These things would happen in the generation of that time. Yes, as the fig tree foretells summer, so the coming of the armies of destruction would foretell the end of Jerusalem.
   
8. 24:36-51 When "that day and hour” come, will there be a warning? [Consider: How is Jesus referring back to the disciples' question in verse 3?] Comments: Jesus compares “that day and hour” to the coming of the flood. There would be no way to know the exact day. The important thing is to be prepared.  Because they were looking for a Messiah who would set up an earthly kingdom, the questions the disciples asked in verse 3 referred to the same event. The destruction of the temple, the coming of the Son of Man, and the end of the age were all the same to them. This is the answer to the disciples’ question in verse 3 about the “end of the age.” This is not a “sign” of the Son of Man, but the “coming” of the Son of Man at the final judgment.
   
9. 25:1-13 What is the difference between the foolish bridesmaids (virgins) and the wise bridesmaids? How does Jesus apply this parable (verse 13)? Comments: Preparation. The foolish took no extra oil, whereas the wise ones did. The application? Watch! For you don’t know the hour when the Son of Man will come.
   
10. 25:14-30 Why did the one-talent slave (servant) hide his talent in the ground? What would his master have done with it? Comments: He was afraid he would lose it and be punished. His master would have at least put it into a bank to gain interest. [True service involves risk, doing things that might be uncomfortable for us to do. ]
    
11. 25:31-46 What is the difference between those on the Lord’s right hand and those on the left? Comments: The righteous – those on the right – obeyed the second greatest commandment to love their neighbors as themselves by helping others and taking care of their needs. The unrighteous – those on the left – thought they could serve Jesus only if He was standing in front of them. To serve others is to serve God.