Mark 5 and 6 Class Comments

1. 5:1-20 In this incident, what do both the demons and Jesus do that you might not expect of them? Comments: The demons worshipped Jesus through the man. (See James 2:19.) Jesus 1) negotiated with the demons and granted their wish, 2) put them into something else, in this case, swine.
2. 5:21-24, 35-43 What is the significance of Jesus’ command to the girl? What other orders did He give? Comments: 1) In verse 41, he doesn’t tell her to “wake up,” or “arise from the dead.” He tells her to stand up, like she was already alive. When He told the mourners she wasn’t dead, but just sleeping, had He already raised her ? 2) It was instantaneous. The moment He touched her hand, she was fully awake, mobile, and hungry.
   
   Other orders?  1) He told the ruler not to be afraid, but to believe; 2) He told those following Him to stay behind, except for Peter, James and John; 3) He told everyone to leave the room (except for the parents and the three apostles); 4) He commanded them not to tell anyone; 5) He told them to give the girl something to eat. [It just occurred to me that the reason Jesus told the crowd that she was just sleeping was so they wouldn’t know that He had actually raised her from the dead.]
3. 5:25-34 Why was the woman with the issue of blood healed? Comments: Because of her faith. She not only had faith, she acted on her faith, by touching the hem of His garment.
4. 6:1-6 What was stronger than the evidence Jesus’ hometown people saw with their own eyes? What was Jesus’ reaction? Comments: Prejudice. They were too familiar with Him as a child growing among them. They saw only what they were pre-disposed to see.
5. 6:7-13 When Jesus sent out the Twelve, what were they to take with them? Comments: A staff, sandals, and only one tunic (no changes of clothing). They were to rely on God’s providence and the generosity of their neighbors. (Also see 1 Corinthians 9:14.)
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.) Comments: He feared John, because he was a just and holy man; in Matthew it says he also feared the multitude. But apparently he had a greater fear of Herodias and her daughter Salome. Afterwards he thought that Jesus might be John risen from the dead. Coming back to haunt him, perhaps? (Burton Coffman’s comment on Mark 6:17 provides background on the Herods in the New Testament. A particularly critical sentence: The Herods’ names in the New Testament recur “like a sour note in a symphony.”
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? Comments: He had planned to rest a while with the apostles. When people followed Him, He had compassion on them because of their need for leadership, for teaching, because they were ignorant of God’s will. Jesus’ compassion always led to action.
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? Comments: 1) He walked on water; 2) The wind ceased when He entered the boat. Neither of these miracles had anything to do with people. And both seemed to happen in the natural course of events. The ability to walk on water and calm the sea was just a part of who Jesus was.
9. 6:53-56 Identify words in this section that indicate how desperate the crowds were for healing. Comments: Ran – wherever – begged – began to carry on beds.