Mark Teaching Notes

Introduction - Slide 1
The Gospel of Mark is the Gospel of power and authority. Jesus’ power and authority are on
display to establish him to be the Great Son of Man, the Christ, come to preach the gospel of the
Kingdom of God. To follow Jesus is not only to accept him in all of his glory and humiliation,
but to follow him in those things. You cannot have Christ without suffering, without death,
without blood.

You probably noticed that Mark has very little of Jesus’ teaching, but rather focuses on where
Jesus goes and what he does when he’s there. By doing this, Mark is emphasizing that Jesus’
identity, the Christ, the Son of God, is revealed through his actions.

In the first sentence in the book, Mark tells his readers exactly who Jesus is (1.1, 11). For those
in the story, however, Jesus is just some guy from Nazareth, a town that no one cares about (1.9).
The rest of the book progresses, slowly revealing more and more of Jesus’ identity, until it is
clearly revealed by the Roman centurion at the foot of the cross.

Interpretive Clue
This gives us, the readers, more knowledge than those in the story, and thus we are supposed to
pay close attention to the various ways various people respond to Jesus and the kingdom he will
bring.

Mark, therefore, gives Jesus’ identity away in the first verse, and then works back from the
beginning to show how Jesus, a peasant from Galilee, is the Christ. Since Mark records almost
none of Jesus’ formal teachings, Mark focuses on how Jesus’ actions makes him the Christ. The
point of all of this is that if Mark’s readers understand Jesus as the Christ, then he alone is
worthy of their ultimate allegiance. In Mark, followers of Jesus are called to follow Jesus in
every way, Jesus’ glory and his shame. The question for the readers is whether or not they will
follow Jesus in his joy and in his agony, in his victory and in his suffering, in his acceptance by
the Father and the rejection of his earthly family. Will they follow Jesus?

Paradox In Mark - Slides 2 - 4

The Gospel of Mark is all about paradox; contrasting the ways and values of the world with the
ways and the values of the Kingdom of God.

In the kingdom of God, victory comes through suffering, the first are last and the last first, and
greatness is achieved only through denying one’s self, taking up one’s cross, and serving the
world, just like Jesus did when he became the ransom for many who would believe.
Jesus is the Christ (1.1), yet he’s a poor man from a town that no one cares about (1.9). The
crowds are amazed by Jesus (1.22), yet his family is embarrassed by him (3.21).

Jesus is the Son of Man, who will receive unending power over an everlasting kingdom (14.62;
cf. Dan. 7.13 - 14), yet he is tried as a criminal, beaten, spat on, and hung on a cross.

Some people make a big show of generous giving only so that they can be seen and praised, yet
Jesus praises the woman who by giving almost nothing, gave everything she had (14.41 - 44).

The Gospel of Mark, though full of stories that we all know, should shake us up with the force of
what Jesus does as he proclaims the necessity of repentance and faith in order to enter the
Kingdom of God.

BRI

Author
There is nothing at all about the author in the book of Mark, and the good thing is that, for Mark,
not knowing who the author is does not create a problem for us in regards to interpretation.

External Evidence
There is some incredibly helpful external evidence for us that virtually settles the question.

Slide 5 - Papias Quote

Papias (60AD - 130AD), who may have been a disciple of John, wrote, ““The Elder (maybe
John?) used to say this also: Mark became Peter’s interpreter and wrote down accurately, though
not in order, all that [Peter] remembered concerning the things both said and done by the Lord.”

Slide 6 - Conclusion: Mark (Acts 12.12, 25; 13.5, 12; Col. 4.10; 1 Pt.5.13; 2 Tim. 4.11).

Qualification
Yes, Mark wrote this down and structured it in his own way, but he had some help.

Mark wrote down everything that Peter remembered. This will explain why there are some
differences in similar stories between Matthew, Mark, and Luke. this could explain everything
from the date of an event, the place of a sermon or speech, the various details of a story. If I
remember that something happened, but I can’t remember if it was on a Tuesday or a Friday, in
September or October, does it mean that my memory is incorrect or untrustworthy?

I taught the gospel of Mark last year, and it was somewhere around the end of September or
early October, and everyone would take my word for it. We can apply the same thinking to
Peter’s memory.

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Date - Slide 7
There is nothing particular in Mark that gives any reference to the date of the book.

Most scholars will argue about whether Matthew or Mark was written first. If Matthe was first,
they say Mark borrowed from Matthew’s gospel account as well as incorporated Peter’s
teachings. If Mark was written first, Matthew and Luke borrowed from him, and Mark wrote
down primarily from Peter’s memory and from Q.

Since there is such similarity among Matthew, Mark, and Luke, many people assume that there
was some sort of source of Jesus traditions that each gospel author used. On the one hand, this
makes great sense and explains a lot of the similarities among the gospels. On the other hand,
this is nothing more than a good idea; there is no physical or historical body of Jesus traditions
called Q.

As with the authorship of the book, the date of the book’s writing has very little effect on the
book’s interpretation. People will assume that Mark wrote as early as the early/mid 60’s, while
Peter was still alive, and others believe that it was closer to 69 or even 70AD, after Peter’s death
and Jerusalem’s fall.

I’m happy to take a date anywhere between 62 and 70.

Given our reasoning for Mark’s authorship and the date, we can also assume that Mark wrote
from Rome, where Peter was imprisoned. 1 Peter 5.13 seals the deal for me.

Original Reader - Style Of Mark

On the one hand, Mark is traditionally assumed to have been written to persecuted Roman
Christians, which is why Mark seems to emphasize the themes of suffering and rejection. This
helps us to understand the constant use of “immediately” and “now,” that run throughout the
book. While these themes are present in Mark, they are also present in Matthew and Luke, and
thus are generally important.

On the other hand, regardless of who Mark’s first intended recipient was, this was a work that
was intended to be circulated among Christians throughout the Roman empire, rich and poor,
established and new believers, the church as a whole. Given the fact that the book circulated so
widely, it is rather unimportant to ask who the “original reader,” would have been.

How To Read Mark

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As we said before, Mark gives away Jesus’ identity in 1.1, so that the reader knows more than
everyone else in the story. Throughout Mark, Jesus’ identity as the Messiah is progressively
revealed, at times by demons, at times by the disciples, by Jesus himself (14.62), and finally by a
Roman centurion (15.39).

As readers who know exactly who Jesus is, we are to learn from the various ways the various
people respond to Jesus, his message, and the kingdom he established through his works, namely
his death on the cross and victorious resurrection.

Immediately - And - Slide 8

Mark uses the word immediately 40x, yet it is only used four other times in the rest of the whole
NT.

Mark will string together story after story using nothing but the word “and” to connect them
rather than giving smooth literary introduction to a story or highlighting the connection between
various stories.

The purpose of Mark in this is to keep the content action packed and fast paced, focusing on the
person and work of Jesus rather than on his teaching, compared to Matthew and Luke.

Sandwiches - Slide 9
Mark will often set one story in between to others, so that the two “outer” stories help to explain
the story in the middle, which is a much more effective teaching tool when read aloud than when
studied in private. See Mk. 3.20 - 35; 5.21 - 43; 6.1 - 30; 11.12 - 25, etc.

Historical Context
I’d like to suggest to us that we should keep a pretty general understanding of our historical
context.

Many people will look at Mark, being written from Peter’s perspective, and knowing that Peter
died during Nero’s reign. From these evidences, they will assume that Mark was written during
the great persecution that broke out under Nero, and thus Nero’s persecution is the historical
setting into which Mark writes the gospel.

I’ll give that a solid maybe. Let’s look at a few pieces of internal evidence from among the NT
books and letters. I’m working from some of my own observations as well as drawing heavily
from an essay called For Whom Were The Gospels Written by Richard Bauckham.

Circulated Letters + Books

Here we’ll begin with Luke-Acts. Luke-Acts is written to a person or group of people named
Theophilus, the most excellent (Lk. 1.3; Acts 1.1). Since the title “most excellent” is used with

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political officials in Acts, it is assumed that Theophilus was a well off man, connected to the
government in some way, and helped to fund the years Luke researched his works, and funded
the production of the book among the wealthy Gentiles.

There is great evidence in the 1st century for how books were made and copied (see Keener,
Acts, vol. 1), and there is every reason that Luke’s inclusion of Theophilus’ name is a sort of
dedication, much like we see in modern books today.

If Theophilus was an individual, it would have been his priority to produce and circulate Luke’s
books of Luke-Acts (Geldenhuys, NICNT, 41). The whole purpose of producing the books was
to spread them to gain notoriety for the author or to spread his ideas throughout the empire.

This practice is not unique to the gospels and Acts only, but is the basis for the book of
Revelation, being written to seven churches. We see an explicit command from Paul to the
Colossians to read Colossians, and after having read it, to send it to the church in Laodicea and
the church in Laodicea would send their letter to the church in Colossae (Col. 4.16).

Additionally, Ephesians was almost certainly a circular letter, intended to be copied and sent
throughout the churches there. First Peter is another perfect example of a book that is written to
multiple churches (1 Pt. 1.1 - 2).

The Mobility of Christian Leaders

Throughout the NT, we see Peter traveling from Jerusalem to Samaria, eating with Gentiles, and
finally ministering in Rome. We also see Barnabas, Mark, Silas, Apollos, Philip, Aquilla and
Prisca and Chloe all mentioned in different cities and provinces. In assuming that the four
gospel writers, two being direct apostles, were prominent authorities, should we assume that they
only intended their gospel account for one audience? That’s highly unlikely.

Relationships Among Churches

The relationship among various churches has implications on readers and interpretation. We
have noted how Paul urged the Colossians and Laodiceans to exchange letters. Determining
which church is the original reader is superfluous.

We can note at the end of Romans and Colossians Paul’s greetings to various people in the
churches.

We can note how Paul mentions the generosity of the Thessalonians in his letter to the
Corinthians.

We can note how Peter encourages his churches throughout Turkey that they are all experiencing
the same general kinds of suffering and spiritual attack (1 Pt. 5.9).

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We can see the Elder writing to one small church about how they and other churches should
handle traveling false teachers (2 Jn) and traveling true believers (3 Jn).

Revelation, though written to seven different churches, envisions the martyrs as one heavenly
community regardless of their church

All this goes to show that the churches not only passed letters around, but were often aware of
what was happening in other churches throughout the empire.

Implied in the sending of letters is that people are carrying letters from one church to another,
and at times, Paul writes that the person delivering the letter will give them more information
than what is written in the letter. This implies that the messengers are taking news and reports
from one church and delivering them to another, only to take news from that church back home
with them.

Conclusion
Thus, given the intent of circulation, the lack of knowledge of the date of the book, and no
internal clues regarding the recipient, we are left without much of a historical context.

Therefore, we must listen to the text itself to give us its own points of emphasis rather than try to
reconstruct a historical setting from a book that doesn’t seem keen to give any such details.

Structure - Slide 10
There are few things more important to understanding the book as a whole than the structure.
The structure helps you remember where you are and what you should be looking for/expecting
out of the book.

Mark begins with an introduction to Jesus as the Son of God come to proclaim the Kingdom (1.1
- 13), and then presents the rest of Jesus’ ministry in three geographical stages, progressively
moving closer towards Jerusalem.

Mark 1.14 - 8.21 will show Jesus’ ministry in and around Galilee. Mark 8.22 - 10.52 will focus
on Jesus’ ministry to the disciples and their difficulty in seeing who Jesus actually is. Mark 11 -
15 will focus on Jesus’ final week in Jerusalem, and 16.1 - 8 gives the book’s conclusion.

Big Picture Of Mark

As we said in the beginning, the gospel of Mark is intended to highlight the person and work of
Jesus, rather than his teaching (compared to Matthew and Luke), so that through what Jesus
does, we begin to see how an unimportant looking man from Galilee (Mk. 1.9; cf. Isa. 53.2),
could also be the Christ, the Son of God (1.11; 8.30; 9.7).

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Since Mark records Jesus as coming to announce the presence of the kingdom of God (1.14 -
15), then the kingdom of God is present, at hand, in the person and work of Jesus. That is, all
that was promised in the prophets about the kingdom is beginning to be fulfilled in Jesus’
incarnation.

Intro To 1.1 - 13 - Slide 11

I want to explain a few things about Mark’s introduction (1.1 - 13) to his account of the gospel.

Firstly, Mark emphasizes Jesus’ identity as the Son of God (1.1, 11). It’s important to observe,
especially in v. 11, that only Mark’s readers are aware of the true nature of Jesus’ identity. That
is, to everyone else in the story, Jesus is just some other guy. In v. 11, only Jesus hears the
words of affirmation. This is Mark’s way of showing the reader who Jesus is, and he expects us
to see how Jesus’ actions demonstrate his identity.

Mark emphasizes that Jesus is the Son of God, the promised Messiah of the OT, because in the
lives of his readers, Roman citizens, if Jesus is the Son of God, then Caesar is not. If Jesus is
God’s Messiah, then their allegiance belongs to him, not to Rome and not to their Jewish
religious system.

Paradox #1
Herein, therefore, is the first paradox. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and worthy of the full
allegiance of both his readers and hearers, yet all that Jesus’ hearers know about him is that he’s
just a guy from Nazareth, baptized by John.

This is the question of Mark, will Mark’s readers, and us, follow Jesus, this Jesus, the man from
a town that no one cared about, yet was the King of Kings, yet was arrested and crucified like a
thief, yet that cross was where the sins of all who would believe would be forgiven.

Will we follow Jesus?

Secondly, Mark couches Jesus incarnation in terms of God’s faithfulness.

John’s ministry (vv. 4 - 8) was the fulfillment of Isaiah 40.3 and Malachi 3.1, and John’s
ministry prepared the way for Jesus’ greater ministry.

Thus, Jesus’ ministry is a testimony to God’s faithfulness to his people and his commitment to
his plan of redemption, since both Malachi and Isaiah prophesied hundreds of years before John
was even born.

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Thirdly, Mark emphasizes the wilderness, in vv. 3, 4, 12, 13. Mark will not speak of the
wilderness as such in any other place in the book, which means we should pay attention here to
the introduction to Jesus’ message.

The wilderness was where Israel, God’s firstborn son (Ex. 4.22), was made into a people and
wed to her husband, Yahweh, through the covenant at Sinai, and thus was the place of her
honeymoon, of sorts, with Yahweh (Jer. 2.2 - 3).

In the wilderness, Israel experienced the glory of God’s great protection and provision and
demonstrations of love (Dt. 8.1 - 10).
Later, Israel would be defeated by both Assyria and Babylon, but her return from Babylon was
often described in terms of a second exodus. They now leave from Babylon, rather than Egypt,
to the same promised land, and along the way, there are promises of the Lord transforming the
wilderness into pools of water that give growth to beautiful flowers and trees and gardens.

Lastly, Yahweh, the faithful and forgiving husband, calls his wife into the desert to speak
tenderly to her (Hos. 2.14 - 20). In the desert, God would pour out water on dry ground which
was to be a symbol of how God would one day pour out his Holy Spirit (Isa. 44.3 - 5).

Therefore, since Jesus’ ministry is cast by Mark as beginning in the wilderness, all of God’s
promises to Israel are beginning to be fulfilled in Jesus’ person and work.

Finally, we get to Mark’s very short account of Jesus’ time in the desert. Jesus is driven into the
wilderness by God’s Holy Spirit. “Drove out” is the same Greek word Mark will use when Jesus
drives demons out of people. The same Spirit that descends on Jesus is the one that casts him out
into the wilderness.

Application
In our day and age, we want to pray for deliverance, for freedom, for healing, things which are
not bad in and of themselves. Stories like this, however, force us to consider that maybe our
difficult situation is something into which we have been led by the very Spirit of God. Let’s not
dismiss difficulty as something that needs to be avoided or removed from us.

1.14 - 15 - Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of
God, 15) and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and
believe in the gospel.”
Mark, having already introduced John as the one preparing Jesus’ coming, quickly moves him
out of the way now that Jesus has arrived.

Jesus begins his ministry under three propositions:

1. The time is fulfilled

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 a. Illustration: Hold up a big clock/countdown timer
2. The kingdom of God is at hand
a. Illustration: Put a crown on someone
3. Repent and believe in the gospel
a. Illustration: Get down on your knees and repent

The Time Is Fulfilled

According to passages like Romans 5.6, Galatians 4.4 and Eph. 1.10, there was a perfect time
that God had chosen for Jesus’ ministry to begin, and in Jesus’ incarnation, the time is fulfilled.
The countdown clock has finished.

All of what God had promised about how he would redeem and restore his people is now taking
place in Jesus’ arrival, through his person and ministry. That is, the time is now here would the
nations would come to the temple, the new temple built on Zion, to learn of God’s law.

The time is now, in Jesus’ person and work, when families would be restored, Jerusalem rebuilt,
forgiveness found, atonement made, when God’s glory would again dwell with his people and
everything, down to the frying pan, would be holy to the Lord since the whole city will be made
holy.

These are all prophecies made in the OT, and in Jesus’ person and work, they will begin to be
fulfilled, and will continue to be fulfilled until he returns, which means that these things are
being fulfilled in our day!

The Kingdom Of God Is At Hand - Slide 12

The kingdom of God is not as much a place as it is the rule or the kingship of God over his
creation. God has executed his rule through chosen servants throughout Israel’s history. God
first chose Adam and Eve to execute his rule, and when they failed, it later went through
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and eventually to Israel’s prophets, priests, and kings, and to Israel
as a whole.

The initial call, which never went away, was to be fruitful, that is, as God’s image bearers (Gen.
1.27), to bear others in our image (Gen. 5.1 - 5), and to take dominion over creation (Gen. 1.28).

Now, at this present time, at the fullness of time (Mk. 1.14 - 15; Gal. 4.4; Eph. 1.9 - 10), God is
executing his rule through Jesus, his own Son (Mk. 1.1, 11; 9.7; cf. Ps. 2.7 - 9), through his
perfect image of himself (Col. 1.15), the exact imprint of his nature and the radiance of his glory
(Heb. 1.3 - 4).

Through his Son, the Messiah, God will begin to restore Israel (Isa. 40.1), bring in the nations
(Isa. 66.18b - 20), create a new temple (Ezk. 40 - 48), pour out his Spirit (Isa. 44.3; Joel 2.28 -

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32), heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, and begin to write his law on the hearts of his
followers (Ezk. 36.26).

This means that in Jesus’ incarnation, God’s great promises of restoration begin to be fulfilled,
yet will also only be completed in the NHNE, which means that some aspects of the kingdom of
God have already begun to be fulfilled and are continuing to be fulfilled, but not yet complete.

Application
Bringing this into application, in the Great Commission, God is once again entrusting the work
of multiplying, filling, and subduing creation to his royal priests. This is seen when Jesus gives
his authority to the disciples to go and make disciples, bringing them under his kingly rule.

Repent and believe in the gospel

This is the third aspect of Jesus’ ministry that Mark lays out in the beginning, and its power is in
its absolute simplicity; repent and believe.

Repent
To repent is to turn away from one thing and to turn toward something else. You cannot believe
in two different methods of salvation while claiming to fully trust in God’s salvation through the
gospel. For Mark’s readers, and Jesus’s hearers, and for us as well, the gospel holds out hope for
salvation, but so too does money, or relationships, or families, or even missions, or anything else
in which we try to find our true value.

We can believe in the gospel fully or we can try to hedge our bets and put our hope for salvation
in different things, but if we do this, we don’t really have hope in anything because only in the
gospel is there sure grounding for our salvation.

Believe In The Gospel

Later, when Jesus is explaining the parable of the seed/sower/soil, he will say that those who
believe are those who both hear the Word and accept it and bear fruit (4.20). To believe is to
trust the truthfulness of what Jesus says, and to live according to it. Belief is evidenced by
submission to God’s word. When one submits to what God says, one begins to fall in line with
God’s plan of redemption and thus believes in the gospel.

Slide 13 - 1.16 - 45 - One Day In Capernaum - Put Up An Enhanced Map Of Capernaum

Jesus begins his ministry by simply picking four men of little to no significance, and asking them
to follow him and only giving them the incentive that, one day, he will make them fishers of men
(1.16 - 20).

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Mark gives no reason why these four were picked instead of any others whom Jesus passed by
that day, nor what they found compelling about Jesus’ command to follow, they simply obey.

Since Mark gives no reason for why they obey, only that they do, is, therefore, what belief in the
gospel looks like (cf. 1.15).

Slide 14
Next we have four healing stories (1.21 - 28, 29 - 31, 32 - 34, 40 - 45), and one summary of
Jesus’ understanding of his mission, all of which makes up one day, or a day and a half in Jesus’
life during his ministry in Capernaum.

1.21 - 28 - Preaching in Capernaum - Slide 14

Jesus is preaching in Capernaum (1.21), with an authority greater than that of the scribes, and his
teaching is both formal teaching as well as demonstrations of the power of the Holy Spirit over
demons, such that even demons submit to Jesus (1.24 - 26), and this kind of authoritative
teaching had never been seen in the scribes (1.22, 27), all with the result that Jesus’ fame begins
spreading (1.28).
How Is Jesus’ Authority Different?
Of course, we know that Jesus is now empowered by the Holy Spirit to perform his ministry,
giving power and authority to both his teaching and his power to confront and cast out
demons.

Jesus’ preaching and teaching and acts of power were nothing new, as if they’ve never been seen
before, they were very prominent in the OT. Rather, Jesus’ preaching and teaching and power
are fresh, not just the stuff of the rabbi’s and scribes who quote, eternally, what this or that rabbi
said.

Observe that the demon possessed man identifies Jesus accurately, and Jesus immediately
silences him (1.24 - 26). We’ll talk more about Jesus’ secrecy when we get to ch. 8.

1.29 - 34 - Specific + General Healing - Slide 14

In vv. 29 - 34, Mark gives a story of Jesus healing Peter’s mom’s fever (vv. 29 - 31), and then
goes on to give a general description of the rest of that day (all who were sick...whole city...many
who were sick...various diseases, etc), how people are bringing their sick and possessed loved
ones to Jesus, and he heals them (vv. 32 - 34).

The specific and general descriptions of Jesus’ healing and the obedience of the spirits (v. 34) are
ways that Mark further illustrates the scope of Jesus’ authority (1.22, 27), and the spread of his
fame (1.28).

Intro Comments On Healing

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Miraculous healing can be a place of debate. Some say healing still happens, some say it
doesn’t. Some say that healing happens today but it’s not a spiritual gift, it’s just how God
chooses to respond to some prayers, or not respond. I’m going to assume that healing still
happens, and take it a step further to think about why people don’t get healed and how we should
lead people.

First, there is no promise that anyone will be healed every time they ask for healing. Sometimes
God heals, other times he doesn’t.

Second, healing happens throughout the bible. Sometimes, healing is physical, and sometimes
healing is a metaphor for having one’s sins forgiven (Ps. 41.1 - 4). We need to make sure we
understand each healing passage when we teach it, and not just assume it’s always the same
thing.

Third, healing is an act of God’s goodness, not something that anyone deserves. Conversely, if
God does not heal, God’s goodness is not questioned. God is good on your best day and your
worst day. My circumstances are not a reflection of God’s goodness one way or the other.

Fourth, the God who heals and raises to life is the same God who gives sicknesses that don’t
heal and the God who kills. Deuteronomy 28 is a chapter full of God saying how he will inflict
diseases on his own people, and if that’s just a random OT thing, we shouldn’t forget that God is
behind Ananias’ and Saphira’s death in Acts 5, and who knows how many more irreverent
Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 11.

Slide 15
Fifth, God has good purposes for your suffering, whether it’s sickness, persecution, or any other
kind of suffering. At times, God will ordain such things in your life. We can see this at work in
the life of many people in both the OT and NT, including Jesus. My friend, Daniel Harris, was
born with a disease that has kept him crippled for his whole life and though he battles times of
depression from time to time, Daniel believes 100% he was born with this disease so that in it he
may glorify God with his disease.

Healing + The Kingdom of God

Throughout the OT, especially in the prophets, there are promises that when the Messiah comes,
he will bring about the Kingdom of God. One aspect of the Kingdom of God is that it will be a
place where there is no sickness, no death, no suffering, no pain.

We’ve seen that Jesus is the Messiah and that the time is fulfilled for him to inaugurate the
kingdom. In Jesus’ ministry, healings are, therefore, a sign that the kingdom of heaven is
breaking into the kingdom of man, the kingdom of the world.

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Healings are a sign that one day, in the NHNE, disease will be eradicated, death will be no more;
everyone will be whole.

Application
For today then, yes, we should seek healing, but we shouldn’t demand it.

Is it God’s will that everyone be healed? Yes, in the sense that in the NHNE, which is God’s
will, will have no sickness.

Is it God’s will that everyone be healed? No. Some sicknesses and diseases are given for the
glory of God. Some hardships are given by God as gifts to sanctify the believer. God said no to
Jesus when he asked to not go to the cross and God said no to Paul when Paul asked for the thorn
to be removed.
If you pray for healing, and you don’t get healed, so what? Fix your eyes on Jesus and the
kingdom he is bringing about. One day, you will never ever be sick again. Healing is not your
hope, the Kingdom of God is your hope.

Seek healing, but do it biblically, and be able to explain to people how they should think about it.

1.35 - 45 - That I May Preach…Slide 16

Jesus’ authority is immediately seen, and it is a greater authority than that of the scribes (1.22,
27). Jesus has authority:
- To teach (1.21 - 22, 27)
- To heal (1.29 - 31, 32, 34a)
- Over unclean spirits (1.24 - 26, 34b)
- And his fame is spreading (1.28)

Remember The Tension As Readers

Mark’s readers know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (1.1, 11), but to Jesus’ hearers,
those in the story, all they know is that this guy from Nazareth (1.9) is something special.

Jesus has chosen four men to follow him (1.16 - 20), and vv. 35 - 39 is the first time, of many,
where we will see Jesus’ plans and expectations at odds with those of his disciples.

The boys are enjoying the fame and ready to pick up that day where they left off the night before
(vv. 32 - 34), but Jesus, taking his time to pray alone in the morning (v. 35), is ready to go preach
in other towns, since preaching is the purpose for which he came (1.38, cf. 1.15).

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Having said that, Jesus and the boys leave and go preaching throughout Galilee, and Mark gives
us one story that is descriptive of what happened on that preaching circuit (v. 39). In vv. 40 - 45,
Jesus sees a leper and heals him (vv. 40 - 42), yet Jesus sternly charges him to tell no one what
happened, but to first present himself to the priests according to the Law (Lev. 13 - 14).

The man, however, goes and tells everyone he can, which is great, kind of, but it’s also
disobedience and as a result Jesus is no longer able to enter that town since everyone was coming
to him from everywhere (v. 45).

What does 1.39 - 45 mean? Why is it here?

Jesus’ ministry is more than about healing and casting out demons. There is a kingdom to
preach, and while healings and exorcism are signs of the kingdom’s presence, Jesus’ ministry is
far greater than healing, and being healed does not mean that one has repented and believed in
the gospel. No one gets បាយសាច់ជ្រូក and fills up first on miso soup. No one goes to the movies and
leaves as soon as the previews are done. Enjoy those things, but get filled up by the main thing.

Slide 17 - 2.1 - 3.6 - The First Confrontations With Jewish Religious Leadership
In Mark 1, Jesus’ ministry is powerful and authoritative. The sick are healed, demons are being
driven out, and he’s going all around Galilee proclaiming the presence of the kingdom. Jesus’
fame is spreading (1.28, 32 - 34, 45), and a significant reason for Jesus’ fame is that his authority
is superior to that of the religious leaders of the time, specifically the scribes (1.22, 27).
Slides 18 - 19
Having described Jesus in such positive terms, Mark now returns to the scribes, and here we’ll
see Jesus’ first confrontations with the leadership. Jesus forgives sins, against charges of
blasphemy (2.1 - 12), hangs out with sinners and tax-collectors over against the righteous (2.13 -
17), rejects the common understanding of fasting (2.18 - 22), and redefines the purpose of the
Sabbath (2.23 - 3.5), and it all ends with the Pharisees plotting Jesus’ destruction (3.6).

This is the beginning of what we will see in how Jesus’ proclamation of the gospel and the
presence of the kingdom are opposite from what was simply assumed in his culture, and while
we live thousands of years later, very few things have changed. If Jesus came in our day, he
would likely be just as shocking now as he was then.

We should all feel challenged by the way Jesus cuts through the common and religious
expectations of his time, and ours. For example, when was the last time any of us were invited to
a house party by those would be classed as “known sinners?”

2.1 - 12 - The Paralytic Forgiven + Healed

Here we have the famous story of the paralytic man being brought to Jesus by his friends and let
down through the roof since there was no room to get in through the front door.

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This all happens when Jesus is teaching, and Jesus sees “their faith,” (v. 5), and on account of
“their faith,” the sins of the paralytic man are forgiven (v. 5).

Since Mark makes the distinction between the friends and the paralytic man in 2.1 - 4, it’s most
likely that Jesus refers to the faith of the man’s friends. That said, it’s just as likely that “their”
could refer to all of them.

What’s really interesting is that the friends lower the paralytic down to be healed of his paralysis,
yet Jesus ignores that and forgives the man’s sin (v. 5).

It’s likely that healing and sin are synonymous in Jewish thinking (cf. Ps. 41.4; Ps. 103.2, 3), but
since the Pharisees focus on Jesus’ forgiveness of the man’s sin (2.6 - 7), and Jesus’ defense of it
(2.8 - 12), Mark is using this story to establish Jesus’ authority to forgive sins, which is what
only God can do (2.7), and thus, Jesus, the Son of God, the Christ (1.1, 11), is now equal with
God. If Jesus forgives sins, not just pronounces, as a priest would do, that sins are forgiven, then
Jesus is implying that he, just some guy from Nazareth, was the one sinned against.

In vv. 8 - 11, Jesus, knowing the thoughts of the scribes, throws out the logical/rhetorical
question, whether it is harder to forgive sins, which requires no demonstration of proof, or to
heal, which requires a demonstration of proof. On that set up, Jesus, while still keeping eye
contact with the scribes, commands the man to get off of his mat and walk, which is exactly what
he does, to the amazement of all who watched it (2.12).

The Son of Man

Jesus uses the title “Son of Man,” which is an incredibly important title taken from Daniel 7.13 -
14. In Daniel 7, four beasts are presented, each one representing a different world empire, and
thus symbolizing all world empires. These beasts smash and demolish each other and speak
blasphemous things. Daniel stops in his descriptions of the beasts and describes the vision he
has of the Ancient of Days, who is Yahweh, God the Father, sitting on a flaming chariot/throne
with books of judgment open before him.

In the very next scene, the beasts are all dead, and then, in 7.13 - 14, the Son of Man comes
riding on the clouds to the Ancient of Days, and from him receives an indestructible kingdom
with everlasting power and rule over that eternal kingdom.

When Jesus takes up this title in the context of the forgiveness of sin, one not as common in the
first century as the Christ/Messiah, he is saying that he is the Son of Man of Daniel 7, and part of
his unending power includes the power to forgive sins!

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2.15 - 16 - And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were
reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16) And the
scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors,
said to the disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
The scribes obviously are aware of Jesus’ authority (1.22, 27; 2.10) and his spreading fame
(1.28, 32 - 34, 45), but they cannot understand why such a teacher would take such unimportant
men as fishermen (1.16 - 20), and such hated men as tax collectors (2.13 - 14), to be his
followers, and to eat with tax collectors and sinners, who are also his followers (2.15).

The scribes, who are the elite of the elite in religious culture, cannot figure out why Jesus eats
with such a crowd (2x in v. 16), since eating with people is to endorse their general character.

Why wouldn’t Jesus take the scribes??? It doesn’t make any sense what Jesus is doing.

The scribes ask Jesus’ disciples, but Jesus overhears it and offers one of his most famous
sayings.

2.17 - And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a
physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
In this one statement, Jesus makes his mission public. Jesus did not come to associate with the
righteous, represented here by the scribes, who were the elite of the elite, but rather, his mission
is to call to himself the sick, sinners, poor fishermen and traitorous tax collectors.

If Jesus calls the sinners, yet expects righteousness (cf. Mt. 5.20), then the question is left
hanging, and the scribes for sure would have asked it, “How will the sick be made well?” That
is, how will the sinners become righteous?

If the scribes are the righteous ones, made righteous through their observance of the Law (cf. Dt.
6.25), yet Jesus calls the sinners and not the righteousness, it is as if there is a righteousness that
does not come from the law (cf. Rom. 3.21; Php. 3.9).

2.18 - 22 - Wineskins + New Things

Here we have John’s disciples and the Pharisees, and all of them are fasting (v. 18). There is no
specific context or occasion for their fasting, which suggests that their fasting is of some sort of
ritual. This is not to say that it’s some sort of self-righteous act, only that they are not
intentionally following some specific OT practice of prescribed fasting.

Jesus’ disciples, however, are not fasting, and that’s what sets the whole thing off.

The Pharisees’ disciples ask why Jesus’ boys aren’t, and Jesus responds in three metaphors that
seem unrelated, but each one carries its own point.

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Firstly, why fast when it’s time to feast? Who turns down a provided wedding meal when the
groom is giving it to you? When the groom, Jesus, has left, then will be the time for fasting.

This answers the initial question regarding why Jesus’ boys aren’t fasting.

Secondly, is the truth that no one takes a piece of unshrunk cloth on a new piece of clothing. If
that happens, the unshrunk piece will shrink and create a greater tear than before.

The point here is that Jesus is bringing a new method of ministry that is incompatible with the
method of ministry held by the scribes and Pharisees, and even those of John the Baptist.

For the scribes and Pharisees, the problem is that some people just don’t observe the law, and
thus the solution is more obedience. For Jesus, the problem is sin that is lodged deep in the
human heart. For Jesus, the solution is denial of one’s self and taking up the cross in loving
submission to God the Father.

The problem and the solution are completely opposite, and Jesus is saying their way and his
ways are impossible to combine together, and to try to is to create catastrophe.
Thirdly, the wineskins, and the same idea is present here as was in the cloth. New wine will
burst old wineskins, the two cannot be combined.

Slide 20 - 2.23 - 3.6 - The Sabbath

These two final stories revolve around the Sabbath and they conclude with the ominous plotting
of the Pharisees and Herodians to destroy Jesus (3.6).

Jesus is accused by the Pharisees of breaking the Sabbath laws (2.23 - 24), but Jesus appeals to
David’s precedent when he took the Holy Bread from Abiathar (2.26; cf. 1 Sm. 21.1 - 6).

Jesus is saying that if David, anointed to be king but not yet king, can eat of the holy bread,
reserved only for the high priest, in an emergency situation, then can’t his disciples pick and eat
some of the good grain that God caused to grow?

Here, Jesus declares that the Sabbath was made for man’s rest, not man’s submission to the
Sabbath (2.27 - 28).

Again, on the Sabbath (3.1 - 5), Jesus is in the synagogue and the Pharisees (3.2, 6) are watching
to see what he will do, and of course, there’s a man with a withered hand. This feels like a set
up.

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Jesus sees the man and calls him to the front and, with the man standing next to him, backs the
Pharisees into a corner with his question about whether it’s lawful to do good or harm on the
Sabbath, to kill or save.

The Pharisees, having the hardness of their hearts held up in front of them, remain silent, which
enrages Jesus while also breaking his heart.

With his eyes locked on the Pharisees, Jesus tells the man to hold out his hand, showing the hard
hearted Pharisees that he had been healed in the synagogue on the Sabbath, by Jesus, the Son of
Man.

This is one of those “line in the sand” moments where Jesus basically declares war, knowing that
this is the beginning of the end.

Summary of Mark 1.14 - 3.6

Mark has given away Jesus’ identity (1.1, 9), and set his mission, the proclamation of the gospel
of God and the presence of the Kingdom (1.14 - 15), and it’s not limited to one place (1.38).

Jesus ministers to the crowds through his teaching and healings and his fame spreads, which
draws in more people who want to be healed (1.28, 32 - 34, 39, 45), as well as gets the attention
of the scribes and Pharisees because Jesus is not playing by their rules, yet his authority is greater
than theirs (1.22, 27; 2.27 - 29; 3.4 - 5).
Jesus calls the most unexpected of men to be his followers, four fishermen, some rich and some
poor (1.16 - 20), and a tax collector (2.13 - 14), all of which are a display of his general method
of ministry of calling the sinners rather than the righteous (2.17). Indeed, Jesus’ ministry, and
thus God’s kingdom, is at complete odds with the conventional means of ministry and
understanding of religion and righteousness.

In these stories, Mark is telling us that following Jesus, according to the world, just doesn’t make
sense. People want fame, Jesus wants to leave and preach where he’s not known.

People typically gather the best and most talented, Jesus gathers the most unexpected people that
no one knows.

Most people want to earn the favor of the higher ups, Jesus does nothing but upset them so that
they’re ready to kill him as soon as he starts his ministry.

They know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and therefore is worthy of their full
allegiance. If Jesus is willing to accept confrontation with the ruling classes, so too must they if
they are to follow him.

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In this dark foreshadow of the higher ups plotting Jesus’ death, we start hearing overtones from
Zechariah about how the Savior’s own people will pierce him, about how the Messiah will be
beaten and mocked, but also about how in his wounds and stripes will redemption be purchased.

There is hope and glory, but it will only come through suffering. Will Jesus’ followers follow
him in their suffering as well as in their glory?

Section Two - 3.7 - 6.6 - Jesus Accepted By Some, Rejected By Others - Slide 21
This second section begins with the widening of Jesus’ audience, the enlarging of the scope of
Jesus’ ministry throughout Israel (3.7 - 8), yet also his rejection by both the religious
establishment (3.22 - 30), but also by his family and those in his hometown (3.20 - 21; 6.1 - 6).

Jesus has people from all over Israel chasing him down (3.7 - 12), and he’s selecting 12 to be his
disciples out of all those who follow him (3.13 - 19), yet his family is embarrassed of him (3.20),
and those in his hometown reject him in (6.1 - 6). Jesus’ ministry of parables is meant to divide
people (ch. 4), while ch. 5 displays how Jesus’ acts as the Son of God, establishing the Kingdom
of God, will cause some to worship and follow (5.18 - 20) while others will reject him and beg
him to leave (5.17).

3.7 - 12 - An Expanding Scope Of Ministry - Slide 22

The purpose of vv. 7 - 12 is to create the contrast between Jesus widening acceptance (vv. 7 - 8)
with his rejection by family and the religious elite (3.20 - 35; 6.1 - 6).
In 3.7 - 12, we have a great crowd (3.7), which is nothing new (1.28, 32 - 34, 39, 45; 2.12), but
the scope of Jesus’ ministry is enlarged here, expanding south (Judea), east (Idumea and beyond
the Jordan), and north (Tyre/Sidon).

As Jesus’ ministry grows, the crowds continue to come, and they all bring to Jesus their sick and
possessed friends and family members. Rather than spend his time gaining more popularity with
the crowds, Jesus heals and then quickly gets away from them.

Jesus’ mission is not only to heal people, but to call people to their own death that they might
live (8.34 - 38).

3.13 - 19 - Calling The Twelve

From the crowds, Jesus chooses the remainder of his twelve men whom he appoints as his
apostles (vv. 13 - 19), and, in so doing, gives them authority to preach and cast out demons (vv.
14 - 15).

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These 12 are the apostles who have the unique privilege of spending these years with Jesus, and
on whose backs the church will be built.

While it is easy to think of how “wonderful” it was for the disciples to spend this time with
Jesus, Mark constantly presents the disciples as failing to understand Jesus and his mission, even
though they are the ones who should understand everything the best.

Application
In narrative terms, we find our lives in the lives of the disciples; that is, what Jesus says to them,
he says to us, whether encouragement or rebuke. This should be the beginning of how we apply
the book of Mark to our lives.

Slide 23 - 3.20 - 35 - Jesus Rejected

In 3.7 - 19, Mark showed the widening scope of Jesus’ fame and how he has gathered a group of
12 followers, and now, in these stories, Mark shows us how Jesus is rejected by those closest to
him, his family, and those who should most clearly understand him, the religious elite.

Slide 24 - Markan Sandwich

Mark has a unique way of structuring this little section, Jesus’ rejection by his family (3.20 - 21,
31 - 35) sandwiches Jesus’ rejection by the scribes from Jerusalem (3.22 - 30). The effect of this
“sandwich” technique is to make the reader feel weighed down with all of Jesus’ rejection.

If Jesus can’t rely on his family or the religious scholars of the day, on whom can he rely?

It’s also worth observing that in 3.22, these scribes are the ones from Jerusalem, which is an
ominous foreshadow of what will happen in Jerusalem, and an ominous development of 3.6,
where the scribes were plotting with the Herodians, the political rulers, on how to destroy Jesus.
3.20 - 21 - Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even
eat. 21) And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He
is out of his mind.”
Firstly, imagine the impact of this story on the early church where persecution and family
rejection was so common.

Secondly, how crazy is it that Mary, impregnated by the Holy Spirit before she was even
married, selected to give birth to the Christ, is saying that Jesus, her son, is the crazy one?

3.22 - 30 - Blaspheming The Holy Spirit

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Scribes come from Jerusalem and start spreading word (3.22) around town that Jesus is using the
power of demons to cast out demons, and therefore trying to discredit Jesus’ healing ministry and
to convince people to no longer give him audience.

Jesus, in his first outright confrontation with the scribes, tells them a parable that will subvert
both the logic of the scribes, as well as their own righteousness and credibility.

How can Satan give power to someone that will result in Satan’s destruction? That doesn’t make
sense.

Similarly, a robber can’t break into someone’s house and steal all their stuff unless they subdue
the strong man who owns the house. However, once the strong man is subdued, the thief can do
whatever he wants.

What Is Jesus Saying?

Ever since Jesus’ baptism and triumph in the desert (1.9 - 13), his proclamation of the gospel and
the kingdom (1.14 - 15) every unclean spirit has known exactly who Jesus is, and each of them
have obeyed Jesus’ orders over them (1.24 - 26, 32 - 34; 3.11 - 12; 5.7 - 13).

In Jesus’ incarnation, Satan was bound, and Jesus, having superior authority, gives others the
authority over demons (3.14 - 15). Satan’s binding does not mean that Satan does nothing,
indeed Satan is still active in persecuting the church and drawing others away from God.

Satan is bound in that his days are numbered and his power limited. Satan will be destroyed one
day, and in Jesus’ incarnation, that destruction has begun.

Blaspheming The Holy Spirit

In vv. 28 - 29, Jesus accuses the Jerusalem scribes as blaspheming the Holy Spirit, which is a sin
that will never be forgiven, but it’s not clear what exactly this means.

Mark 3.30 makes it clear that the unforgivable sin is accrediting Jesus’ healing ministry,
representative of the inbreaking of the kingdom of God as a whole, is done by the power of
Satan, rather than by the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is likely that Jesus is not condemning a specific verbal articulation that Jesus works by the
power of the devil, but rather, by a hard hearted rejection of the truth without even the
assumption that one might be wrong, and thus have no reason to confess.

If one’s heart is so hard that one never confesses, of course he will never be forgiven!

3.31 - 35 - Who is my family?

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Here, Jesus’ family is brought around again (cf. 3.20 - 21), and they are now, as they were then,
on the outside looking in (3.21, 31), even though Jesus is inside with another group (3.20) who
he now calls his family (3.34 - 35) over against his own family (3.31, 32).
It’s worth noting that Jesus’ family send others to go in and get Jesus, they won’t go in
themselves; they are on the outside.

It’s worth noting that Jesus’ family calls Jesus, but he rejects their call, and rather calls his new
family those who do the will of God.

In this story, family is redefined, and it likely would have great significance for those persecuted
readers in Rome, many of whom likely experienced some sort of rejection by their family and
could find “family” in one another, so that if they are on the run, they will likely have family to
stay with when they get there.

In regards to the Markan sandwich, Mark shows how Jesus, while accepted by many (3.7 - 8),
has also been rejected by those who know him the most (i.e. family), and those who should have
known to accept him (i.e., scribes). Do you think Mark’s readers need to know that Jesus
experienced this kind of rejection?

Slide 25 - Mark 4.1 - 34 - Parables

As we get into Mk. 4, the commands to listen and hear dominate the chapter, appearing 12x
throughout the text (4.2, 9[2x], 12, 15, 16, 18, 20, 24, 33). Ask the students if they saw this

One man (France, NIGTC, 183) described parables as a kind of saying whose meaning is not
found on the surface, but will only be found when the hearer wants to consider the saying and
figure out what it may move him to, whether to understanding or to action. Parables are not
meant to implant a truth in the hearer’s mind, but rather, parables are meant to change a
person’s character, attitude, and desires.

Since Jesus is proclaiming the kingdom of God, and since it is at such odds with the conventional
way of doing things, as was seen so clearly in ch. 2, it makes perfect sense that Jesus will teach
in parables, which will draw some in while push others out.

Slide 26 - Parable Interpretation Tips

Next week, in Luke, we will go into more detail on how to interpret parables, but for now, I want
to give a few helpful tips.

Firstly, do not assign meaning to everything in the parable. When this happens, you’re likely
saying far more than Jesus ever did, and you’re interpreting your own thoughts, not Jesus’.

Secondly, if the text provides an interpretation to the riddle (4.3 - 9, 13 - 20), let that guide you.

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Third, where there is no interpretation given (Mk. 4.26 - 29, 30 - 32), start with what is called
Occam’s Razor, which is “the simplest explanation is usually the best.” Don’t make it
complicated.

4.1 - 9 - The Parable of the Seed/Sower/Soil - Slide 27

We can follow the structure here as follows:
4.1 - 9 Parable
4.10 - 12 Purpose of parables
4.13 - 20 Explanation
4.21ff Various parables

This parable is straightforward enough, a man is scattering seed in various places, along the path,
on rocky ground, among thorns, and in good soil. Each place where the seed is scattered yields a
different result, but only one of them is good.

4.10 - 12 - A Detour Through Isaiah - Slide 28

The boys don’t understand the parable right away and Jesus takes the opportunity to explain his
ministry of parables, in general, by quoting from Isaiah 6. Therefore, if we want to understand
Jesus’ purpose for parables, we need to understand at least something about Israel during Isaiah’s
ministry.

During Isaiah’s time, Israel was outwardly prosperous while inwardly grotesquely sinful. The
Law didn’t really matter as long as the right sacrifices were made at the right times, and since
God was protecting them from their enemies, he must not care all that much about the rest of
their lives, and therefore, there was no need to listen to the prophets who kept speaking of God’s
judgment on their sin.

Isaiah’s ministry was to preach a message of destruction that would harden the hearts of his
hearers, blind their eyes and stop their ears. God had to do, through Isaiah, to Israel, what he had
never done before, because Israel had so thoroughly rejected God and all the prophets he sent.
Were Isaiah to do and say the same things as all the prophets before him, what would change?
Nothing.

When Jesus looks to Isa. 6.9 - 10 to describe his ministry of parables, he is making an outright
condemnation on the religious state of Israel, making himself an Isaiah for his day.

If Jesus simply does what the prophets did who preceded him, Israel will surely see and
understand, and they’ll confess and be healed, and be back into their sin before the day’s done.

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Something new is needed, and Jesus’ parables are the way forward, which is why he speaks
exclusively in parables (Mk. 4.33 - 34).

4.13 - 20 - The Parable of the Seed/Sower/Soil Explained - Slide 29

Remember, Jesus gave the parable (4.1 - 9), gave the purpose for parables (vv. 10 - 12), and now
interprets the parable of the sower (vv. 13 - 20).

Having described in general the purpose of the parables, Jesus now explains vv. 3 - 9, and each
place the seed is sown represents a different kind of person who hears the word/seed (4.14).

4.15 cf. 4.4

4.16 - 17 cf. 4.5 - 6
4.18 - 19 cf. 4.7
4.20 cf. 4.8

The parable is about how the different “soil/people” respond to the “seed/word of God,” and it
forces the person to consider what kind of soil they are, which forces them to look at their lives
and evaluate how they live based on what the word of God is.

Observe that each person hears the word, but the soil that bears fruit is the soil/person that hears
and accepts the word, which means they trust the teacher and live according to his teachings.

In opening with this parable, Jesus is saying that some people will hear and accept his word and
some will reject it or find other things more important. How one responds to his Word, which is
the proclamation of the gospel and the presence of the kingdom, is the fundamental issue in the
book of Mark.

4.21 - 32 - Various Parables

Having given a good explanation of the purpose of parables, and a solid explanation on the most
fundamental parable, Mark now lists off several other parables, though without explanation, and
we immediately see the vague nature of parables and the way they either draw people in or push
them away.

4.21 - 23 - The Lamp On Its Stand

The boys have been given the “secret of the kingdom of God” (4.11), and the purpose of a secret
is that it is eventually supposed to come to light, just in the same way that a lamp is meant to
provide sight in a dark place.

How should the boys live? What should their life expectations be?

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4.24 - 25 - How Do You Hear?
The emphasis is on hearing (v. 24), and using what is heard, and hearing means that one has
heard and accepted and begun to live according to the truth taught by the teacher.

We can explain this parable as follows. “For the one who has the capacity to 1) hear all that
Jesus has said, 2) accept both Jesus’ teaching and Jesus himself, and 3) live according to what
has been heard and accepted, 4) God will grant more benefit from living according to the
kingdom.

For those who do not have the capacity to hear and accept Jesus’ teachings or his person, they
will eventually lose the capacity to hear Jesus at all.

Conclusion
Thus, the parables function to be a display to who is in and outside of the kingdom, while also
emphasizing that those inside are to make known its secrets to those who are outside, all while
expecting varying degrees of failure since some seed will be taken by Satan, uprooted by
difficulty, and choked out by competing objects of worship.

Moving On To 4.35 - 6.6 - Slide 30

We’ve formally broken from hearing Jesus’ parables here, and Mark, having shown that Jesus’
parables, and the nature of the kingdom he proclaims, will draw some and repel others, now gets
around to showing how that happens.

Jesus is misunderstood by his disciples (4.35 - 41), identified by the demon (5.7), praised by the
man (5.18, 20), rejected by the townspeople (5.17), heals the outcast (5.24b - 34), and raises the
dead (5.21 - 24a, 35 - 43), only to be rejected by those in his hometown (6.1 - 6).

The parable of the seed/soil/sower is paradigmatic and helps us to understand all the different
responses that people have to Jesus and the kingdom he proclaims.

Slide 31 - 4.31 - 35 - The Boys’ Fear

Here, Mark begins to show us the distance between what the disciples are taught (4.10 - 12, 34)
and what they understand. In Mark, the disciples are seen as struggling to understand, and often
failing to get the point at all. Observe how the disciples are contrasted with the other unnamed
characters throughout the story.

Here, Jesus and the boys are crossing the sea and a storm hits. The boys are terrified, certain of
their death, yet Jesus is sound asleep. The boys accuse Jesus of not caring for them, and Jesus, in
a display of his power and authority as the Son of Man, the Christ, the Son of God, commands
the storm to be at peace, and immediately, the sea is smooth as class.

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The wind and storm is stopped, but the fear of the disciples continues (v. 41), and now their fear
is given to that which should be feared, God himself. This is a sobering fear that both terrorizes
(ἐφοβήθησαν φόβον μέγαν) and humbles. The disciples’ fear of Jesus is appropriate whereas
their fear, more like cowardice (France, 225), is sinful.

Though the disciples had been given the secret of the kingdom of God (4.11), they still
misunderstand (4.13) and lack in faith (4.40). Simply knowing the secrets is not enough and
does not result in faith. The woman with the issue of blood knows very little of the actual secrets
that were given to the disciples, yet her faith is commended (5.36), where the disciples are
rebuked for their lack of faith (4.40).

Faith, therefore, is not merely an understanding of Christian beliefs, but an active trust in
the person and work and active obedience of Jesus, around which one orients one’s life.

The focus on this story, judged by the amount of words given to it, is not Jesus’ calming of the
storm, but rather the way fear outweighs faith in the hearts of the disciples. Jesus rebukes them
for their fear and lack of faith and leaves them terrified, wondering who this Jesus must be.
Whereas the disciples fear Jesus and do not yet understand his identity, Mark’s readers already
know what is happening here (cf. 1.1 - 13).

Slide 32 - 5.1 - 20 - The Demoniac Of Gadara

There are several notable features in this story.

This is the first time Jesus has crossed the sea of Galilee and ministered in Gentile territory (5.1).

Previously, Mark would just record that Jesus cast a demon from someone, but here, we are
given lots of detail about the person (5.3 - 5), and about the conversation that goes down between
Jesus and the unclean spirit (5.6 - 12).

Here, the spirit tries to assert authority over Jesus (5.7), only to wind up begging Jesus for things,
and only moving once given permission by Jesus (5.7, 12 - 13).

For the first time, a person healed by Jesus asks to follow him (5.18), yet is turned down (5.19),
but told to go throughout that region to proclaim Jesus’ work (5.20).

The man’s gratitude (5.18) is directly contrasted with the crowd’s frustration (5.17), which
highlights, again, the difference in values of the kingdom of God and the values of the “world.”

Untangling A Few Things

First, it’s not clear, nor important, to know how many demons made up a “legion” of demons.
It’s enough to say that there are “many.”

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Secondly, observe that v. 8 says that Jesus “was saying” (កំពុងតែមានព្រះបន្ទលូ ថា), which means that Jesus
had to repeat the rebuke more than once, which is different than what we saw back in 1.24 - 25.
Sometimes it’s a one and done thing, and sometimes it’s not.

Thirdly, Mark doesn’t give us much to go on as to why the demons wanted to go into the pigs,
but he does emphasize that they go when Jesus gives them permission to do so. Therefore, let’s
not focus on what Mark doesn’t care enough about. Rather, let’s focus on Jesus’ power and
authority and the role that has in the story.

Slide 33 - 5.21 - 43 - Jairus + The Woman With An Issue Of Blood

Here again Mark gives us two stories that are sandwiched together.

Jairus approaches Jesus and begs him to heal his dying daughter, and Jesus agrees (5.21 - 24a),
but on the way there, Jesus is stopped and heals a woman who has had an issue of blood for
twelve years (5.24b - 34). By the time Jesus heals the woman, Jairus receives word that his
daughter has died and that Jesus’ services are no longer needed (5.35). Jesus commands Jairus to
believe and then raises his daughter from the dead (5.36 - 43).

While Mark clearly puts these stories together, it’s not clear what his goal is in it. These stories
of faith replacing fear, and the miracles that follow, are meant to contrast with 6.1 - 6, where no
mighty works can be done in Nazareth because no one there believes that Jesus is anything else
than the son of a carpenter who they saw grow up.

5.21 - 24a
The scene is set when Jairus asks Jesus to come to his house and heal his dying daughter. It’s
not clear how sick the girl is or how far the house is, but she’s nearly dead and the house can’t be
that far if Jairus runs to go ask Jesus when he sees him.

This is a terrifying situation. My little girl is one month old right now and I can’t imagine what
I’d feel like if she were near death and Jesus walked by my house. Nothing would stop me from
getting to him.

5.24b - 34
Jairus is trying to hurry Jesus through the huge crowd that developed, and out of nowhere, Mark
spends vv. 25 - 28 describing one particular woman who has lost all of her money trying to get
doctors to heal her, all to only wind up worse than she was before!

Mark intends to build up our compassion for this woman since it’s three verses of detail before
she speaks a word.

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The woman touches Jesus’ robe and is immediately healed (v. 29), and we’re finally able to get
back to Jairus, did his daughter die? Did Jesus get there in time?

Mark, however, spends vv. 30 - 34 giving detail about how Jesus responded to the woman, all
the while Jairus stands in the back, hardly able to contain himself. He can probably see his house
from there and he knows that if Jesus just gets there in time, he can heal his daughter!

Mark emphasizes the disciples’ confusion (vv. 30 - 31), the woman’s fear (v. 33), and Jesus’
commendation of her faith (v. 34), which is that which made her well.

Brief Aside On Faith + Healing

Briefly, I want to make the point that we should be very careful to say that any kind of healing
done today has to take the form of any one of Jesus’ healings.

Sometimes Jesus rebukes the demon and the demon leaves right away (1.24 - 26), and sometimes
it takes several rebukes (5.8).

Sometimes a person’s faith is mentioned in a healing (5.34), and other times it’s not mentioned at
all (1.29 - 31).

Back To Jairus
Now we finally get back to Jairus, but it’s too late!

Jairus doesn’t have any time to speak before Jesus hears the conversation and reassures Jairus
not to fear but only to believe (v. 36). The girl was sick and near death (v. 23), but now has died
(v. 35), yet Jesus’ command to not fear but believe seems to imply that death is not too much for
Jesus to heal.

This may be why Jairus is silent for the rest of the narrative, how do you respond when your
healer says, with complete confidence, “trust me” when your daughter lays dead upstairs?

Yet Jesus, despite the fact that everyone is convinced that she’s dead, raises Talitha from the
dead, displaying now his power over death itself!

Summary
The woman’s fear (5.33) and Jairus’ (5.36) should relate to the boys’ fear back in 4.40, while
their faith (5.33, 36, 42 - 43) is held up as that which enables Jesus’ miracles.

Their faith in spite of their real fear highlights the boys’ failure in the preceding story, and also
makes the sting of rejection that much more painful in 6.1 - 6.

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Slide 34 - 6.1 - 6 - Jesus’ Rejection
We all know this story, but for simplicity’s sake, we’ll outline the major observations.

Jesus comes back to his hometown (6.1; cf. 1.9), for which Mark gives no reason, and while
teaching (v. 2), many are astonished (v. 2) but rather than marveling (cf. 1.22, 27), they question
(vv. 2 - 3a), and take offense (v. 3b), which implies that they didn’t think that Jesus had any
reason to think himself better than them or having anything that they needed to hear. Observe
that rather than Jesus being teacher or Lord, as he has often been called, here, observe that in his
hometown, Jesus is just this man (6.2b).

In response to this, Jesus quotes from Jer. 11.21; 12.6 (ESV cross-references), saying that the
only place he, as a prophet, is dishonored is among those whom he grew up with. The result is
that because of the great unbelief there (v. 6a) Jesus can do no mighty works there, aside from
healing a “few” sick people (v. 5), and then goes on from there, preaching among the villages
(6.6b).

Review Of The Section - Acceptance + Rejection - 3.7 - 6.6

In this section, 3.7 - 6.6, Mark begins with stories that contrast Jesus’ acceptance by those from
all over the region (3.7 - 12) and rejection by his family (3.20 - 21, 31 - 35). Next, Mark shows
how Jesus’ ministry both draws people in and repels (4.1 - 34). Next, we have demonstrations of
Jesus’ power (4.35 - 5.43), and finally Jesus’ rejection by his family (6.1 - 6b).

In this section, Mark is highlighting Jesus wide acceptance among those from every social class
and his rejection by those to whom Jesus is closest, as well as by those who should be able to
accept Jesus (scribes and Pharisees) based on the OT prophecies that spoke of the coming
Messiah.

Mark will be doing this throughout the book because this fits the overall theme of the “upside
down” or “unexpected kingdom.” Mark is trying to show that those who we may think are on
the “inside” may actually be on the “outside.” However, what makes one an “insider,” is one’s
trust in the person and work of Jesus.

Slide 35 - 6.6b - 30 - The Disciples + The Baptist

Mark has again sandwiched two stories together, and it’s important to see why.

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Mark 6.7 - 13 tells of when Jesus sent the boys out, two by two, on their first preaching tour. We
don’t know how long it lasted, but from v. 13, we know it was a success. In fact, it was so
successful that even Herod heard of it (6.14).

Now, when we read Herod’s name, we should remember that in 3.6, the Pharisees were plotting
with the Herodians about how to destroy Jesus. Therefore, we should feel nervous about what is
going to happen next.

Herod heard of the boys’ ministry and the name of Jesus and gets nervous, thinking that John the
Baptist, whom Herod sinfully put to death. Herod knew that what he did was wrong and that
John was innocent, yet he did it anyway so that his wife and his people would stay happy with
him.

Then, after that story, Mark returns to the the apostles returning to Jesus, telling him of all that
happened on their preaching tour.

Why weave these stories together?

While the disciples have success in their ministry, as did John the Baptist, the disciples, and
especially the readers, should know that there is always the possibility of the loss of life.

Herod was a happily married man. One time, however, on a trip to Rome, he stopped at his
brother’s house and fell in love with his wife, Herodias (6.22). Herodias convinced Herod to
divorce his wife, the daughter of the king of a neighboring kingdom, and to marry her, even
though she’s married to Herod’s own brother! And Herod does it!

John the Baptist finds out about it, calls Herod out for it, and Herod knows that John is right, and
Herodias hates the whole thing. Herodias plots for John’s destruction, and succeeds. The
Pharisees and Herodians are plotting for Jesus’ destruction, what do you think will happen?

What should Jesus’ disciples expect?

6.31 - 56 - The Boys Still Struggle To Get It

The crowds are huge and Jesus wants to get away with the boys, but they are unsuccessful since
the crowds follow them and new ones appear when the boys dock the boat.

Mark emphasizes Jesus as a compassionate shepherd here (v. 34; cf. Ezk. 34.14 - 15, 23 - 24),
which is made especially clear when Jesus rebukes the boys for even thinking that it’s better for
the people to go find their own food (v. 37). What kind of shepherd makes his sheep go look for
food? A good shepherd is one who provides for his sheep, and when Jesus calls on the boys to

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find food for the people, and to pass it out, it shows that Jesus is inviting his boys into this
shepherding aspect of ministry.

The people gathered in groups on the green grass recalls Ps. 23.2 - 3, the shepherd making his
sheep lie down in green pastures that he may restore their soul for his name’s sake.

As soon as the miracle is explained (vv. 38 - 41), and the details are given (vv. 42 - 44), the story
is over and the boys are leaving (v. 45).

Slide 36 - 6.45 - 52
Jesus has his boys get in the boat and start heading back to the other side (cf. 6.30), while he
goes and prays (v. 46). We have zero idea what Jesus is praying for but it’s interrupted when
Jesus sees the boys struggling against strong winds (vv. 47 - 48a). The scene shifts to the boat,
and it’s now somewhere early in the morning, between 3am and 6am, and the boys see Jesus
walking as if he’s going to pass them (v. 48b), which terrifies them since they think Jesus is a
ghost (v. 49). Jesus calms their fears (vv. 50 - 51), but they are astounded because they didn’t
understand what happened at dinner, and their hearts were hardened (v. 52).

Since the story would have been complete at the end of v. 51, yet Mark gives us the extra detail
about the boys not understanding the loaves and the boys’ hardened hearts (v. 52), it shows us
that we have to focus on the connection between how the loaves should have prevented the boys
from fear.

Mark tells the story of feeding the 5,000 so that Jesus can be presented as the Good Shepherd of
Ezekiel 34 and Psalm 23. The boys should have known that if Jesus can feed the 5,000 with just
a few loaves of bread and some fish, then he can certainly protect them in this storm.

The boys are as “inside” as any insider can get (4.10 - 12, 34) and therefore, out of all people,
they should be the ones who understand about the loaves, but in their inability to understand,
they are hearts are hardened, which is exactly how Jesus described the Pharisees who waited to
see if Jesus would heal a leper on the Sabbath rather than actually caring about him (3.5), and
thus are described in terms of the outsiders.

6.53 - 56 - Healing The Masses

The boys, who have become as outsiders, are contrasted with the masses who immediately
recognize Jesus (v. 54) and bring to him anyone they know that is sick in some way, even if they
could just the end of Jesus’ clothes (vv. 55 - 56; cf. 5.27 - 30, 34).

The point of this, if this is what Mark is teaching, is there to almost be even more evidence in the
witness against the disciples. That is, if people are clamoring just to touch Jesus’ robe, they

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certainly aren’t in any fear of him, and it certainly displays that they know and understand Jesus
to be a healer. The boys, despite their closeness to Jesus, despite having everything revealed to
them, do not yet know Jesus as well as these unnamed people from around Gennesaret.

This short summary (vv. 53 - 56) does not give the names of any of those who recognized Jesus
nor were healed by him, yet it is their faith that Mark holds up as true faith, true belief.

Slide 37 - Mark 7.1 - 30 - Breaking Traditions

Jesus’ ministry is defined as proclaiming the gospel of God, which means that the kingdom of
God is now present in the person and work of Jesus. God’s plans of redemption, the stuff of
prophecies in the OT, are now present realities that are beginning to be fulfilled.
With the announcement of the presence of God’s kingdom, Jesus seems to be breaking all the
conventionally held beliefs. Jesus takes the poor fishermen and the traitorous tax collectors, and
in general has come for the sinners, not the righteous.

The religious establishment wants to destroy Jesus (3.6), his family thinks he’s crazy (3.20 - 21,
31 - 35) and his own disciples, to whom he explains everything (4.10 - 12, 34), don’t understand
who he is (4.40; 6.51 - 53) and are described as hard hearted, just like the Pharisees were (6.53;
3.5).

As we start working through ch. 7, we should pay attention to the repetition of “traditions” (7.3,
4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13).

We can break Mark 7 down as follows:

7.1 - 23
7.24 - 30
7.31 - 37

7.1 - 24 - Traditions of Men - Commandments of God

In vv. 1 - 13, Jesus is met by the Jerusalem Pharisees, which is Mark’s subtle way of saying that
ominous things are afoot.

The Pharisees can’t understand why Jesus won’t follow their man made traditions (vv. 1 - 5), and
Jesus bursts out at them for their hypocrisy, using Isaiah 29.13 for his back up.

The Pharisees are holding up their own traditions, yet providing ways for people to get out of
following God’s clear commands (7.6 - 13).

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Jesus brings up the issue of Corban (7.11), which was a loophole that allowed people to dedicate
money or property or anything of value to the temple. If you’re going to die soon, and part of
your money/valuables will go to a cousin you don’t like, you can declare those things as Corban,
which means you’re dedicating them, out of your free will, to the temple.

If a child didn’t want to set aside money for their parents, it could be given to the temple.

When something was given, however, it was not possible to get back, so that even if someone
dedicated to the temple certain funds or property, and needed to get it back, they were unable to
and were, therefore, unable to fulfill whatever laws that Moses gave.

Here, the Pharisees are guilty of upholding their own laws over the ones given by Moses, which
were written by the very finger of God (Ex. 31.18).

In 7.1 - 13, Jesus tears down the worldview of the Pharisees, and in vv. 14 - 23, he builds up the
kingdom of God worldview. In the kingdom of God, you are not defiled by what goes in, but by
what comes out (vv. 14 - 17, 18 - 23). The point is not that outside things have no impact on
you, but rather that you are defiled by what is already inside of you (v. 23).

You don’t become sinful because of what you watch or listen to or read or look at on the
internet; you are sinful because of what’s in your heart regardless of all of those things.

7.24 - 30 - The Syrophoenician Woman

Jesus just blew up the worldview of the Pharisees, and now, leaving from there, he goes to Tyre
and Sidon (Gentile country), for the first time, and tries hiding out in a house with his boys, and
in this house, their worldviews will be blown up.

Gentiles were the dogs, the sinful outsiders whom God did not choose to give the law, and
therefore, they were beneath the Jews.

The woman throws herself at Jesus’ feet, begging him to heal her daughter, and even plays Jesus’
game when he tells her that it’s not his duty to feed the children’s food to dogs (7.26 - 28).
It’s not readily clear why Jesus compares this woman to a dog, especially in a section where
Jesus is breaking down various traditions. Jesus may be using this as a teaching point for his
disciples, showing them that if they thought the gospel and kingdom excluded such people as a
woman from Gentile territory, they were terribly wrong.

That indeed is very likely why Jesus goes all the way up there, but it doesn’t really explain why
he compares the woman or Gentiles in general to dogs.

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The woman, however, doesn’t care about what she has to say or do to get her daughter healed,
and she responds brilliantly to Jesus, saying that even the little puppy dogs get the leftovers.

In this statement, Jesus finds great faith, and without even standing up, he heals her daughter.

7.31 - 37 - The Deaf Are Healed

Jesus passes from Tyre and Sidon to the Decapolis (cf. 5.1 - 20, 6.53 - 55) where a deaf man is
healed (vv. 32 - 35), likely in fulfillment of what Isaiah spoke of in how the Messiah would open
the ears of the deaf (Isa. 33.5).

Jesus commands their silence and ends up arguing with them since the more he commands them,
the more they talk about him (7.36 - 37).

While Mark records the strange details of this particular healing, the main point is that Jesus is
gaining a further following in Gentile territory, which should be contrasted with Jesus’ rejection
of the Jerusalem Pharisees at the beginning of the chapter.

Slide 38 - 8.1 - 21 - Rounding Out Act One

Here we have another “Markan sandwich” where the feeding of the four thousand comes before
and after Jesus’ run in with the Pharisees, so that we need to understand how they all relate if we
want to see Mark’s point.

The feedings of the 4,000 and 5,000 are nearly identical. Both miracles happen quickly, and then
Jesus and the boys are off. Once they’re gone, the boys, in the boat with Jesus, fail to understand
the lesson of the loaves (6.52 - 53, 8.16 - 21).

In the boys’ failure to understand Jesus at this point, they are not that different from the Pharisees
who, though they’ve seen Jesus’ signs, heard his teaching, still demand a sign, as if one more
sign will convince them to believe.

In this section, you’ll want to observe the Pharisees’ intent to trap Jesus (8.11), the boys
dismissal of Jesus’ warning (8.14 - 16).

Slide 39 - 8.22 - 10.52 - Discipleship On The Road To Jerusalem

Firstly, I think we could break the book just as easily at 8.22, 27, and 8.31.

I’m breaking it at 8.21 because I think that the healings of blind men (8.22 - 26; 10.46 - 52)
highlight the fact that the boys still have such a hard time seeing and understanding Jesus.

Secondly, we want to observe in this section that Jesus is teaching the boys about his true identity
as he steadily moves closer and closer to Jerusalem (8.34 - 38; 9.35; 10.29 - 31, 43 - 44).

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Thirdly, we want to observe that Jesus’ identity is finally revealed in explicit terms, but only to
the disciples (8.29; 9.7), and in connection with his death and resurrection in Jerusalem (8.31;
9.31; 10.33 - 34).

Lastly, we want to observe the overall geographical progression in this section as Jesus moves
slowly towards Jerusalem. We need to keep in mind here that Mark has spoken of Jerusalem in
only negative terms, and thus is the locus of hostility against Jesus and the kingdom he has
brought about.

8.22 - 30 - The Blind Man + Peter’s Confession

Jesus heals a blind man in a rather bizarre fashion (8.22 - 26), and the blind man represents the
state of Jesus’ disciples He can see, but it’s not clear yet, and thus needs Jesus to lay his hands
on the man twice.

This is a good place to point out how not to interpret. In the context of the narrative, Mark is not
turning aside to give us a short teaching on healing, where the point is that sometimes you have
to pray more than once for healing. Now, that does happen in the story, but that would not fit the
narrative context. Thus, Mark is not intending to teach about healing here.

In vv. 27 - 30, Jesus and his boys go from Bethsaida (8.22), quite a ways north to Caesarea
Philippi (v. 27), presumably to get away from the crowds.

While there, Jesus asks the boys what the word on the street is about his identity, and the boys
tell him that most people consider Jesus to be one of the prophets from of old, now appearing
again.

Jesus turns the question on them and asks who they, his own disciples, think Jesus is. Peter
stands up and speaks for the whole group when he nails it, that Jesus is the Christ (8.29), and
Jesus immediately silences him (v. 30).

Secrecy In Mark
Thus far, it has only been unclean spirits who have known Jesus’ true identity (1.24 - 26; 3.11 -
12; 5.7 - 13), as well as individuals who have been healed (1.44 - 45; 5.43; 7.36 - 37).

So then, why is Jesus being so secretive about his identity?

My answer may not be right, but I think it’s at least pretty good. Jesus silences Peter here
because of all the inadequate views that many Jews held about what the Messiah would do when
he came.

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According to a Jewish text written between the OT and NT, based on much of what was revealed
in the OT, the Messiah would be a king, a son of David, raised up by God to rule over Israel in
God’s appointed time. The Messiah would be given strength by God to destroy unrighteous
rulers, purge Gentiles from Jerusalem, drive sinners away from the land given to Abraham, and
to shatter them to pieces like a pot.

This is what was expected of the Messiah, and it’s no wonder why, after Jesus talks about his
suffering, rejection, and death (8.31), Peter cannot hold the two things in tension and rebukes
Jesus for saying such horrible things (v. 32). Peter however, in rebuking Jesus for speaking
about his suffering and death (8.31), is to adopt the world’s stance on issues of power and
success, and there is no room in the world’s thinking for gaining victory through death. To think
like this is to be molded by the kingdom of Satan rather than the kingdom of God.

Jesus will come to be the king of a new kingdom, but it will be established by means of his death
rejection, betrayal, unjust trials, and his murder, all of which will be followed by his victorious
resurrection. Jesus’ enemies will be destroyed, some by his wrath and some by his sacrificial
work on the cross.

Slide 40 - 8.34 - 35 - And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If
anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35)
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the
gospel’s will save it.
To follow Jesus, one must deny himself, what does that mean?

Interestingly, the only other places in the NT that this verb is used is when Peter denies Jesus in
Mark 14.30, 31, 72. Peter denied Jesus in that Peter said that he had no formal association with
Jesus, there was no relationship between them.

To deny one’s self is to declare no formal association for one’s self. To follow Jesus, one must
not live for one’s self any longer, but rather, one must submit one’s self to the mission of Jesus,
which is his commitment to submission to the Father’s will, chiefly in his sacrificial death on the
cross, giving his life, his soul, as a ransom for many. In the garden, Jesus will deny himself, take
up the cross, and follow the will of his Father.

Mis-Application + Proper Application

It’s way too easy to look at these statements and ask the question, “Are we living for ourselves or
for Jesus?” which only gives two possible outcomes, and tends to operate on a level of guilt since
no one will ever live one day of their life perfectly for Jesus.

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The call of God on our lives requires parents to provide for their children and grandchildren, this
means you’re going to have to save money, provide the best things you can, etc. Christians who
are millionaires deny themselves by the wise spending of their money.

To deny yourself and follow Jesus means that you are committed to obedience, even if it means
that it will have some sort of cost to you, whether financial, physical, relational, or any other
way.

8.35 - 37 - For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake
and the gospel’s will save it. 36) For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and
forfeit his soul? 37) For what can man give in return for his soul?
This is the character of Gollum in the Lord of the Rings. Gollum has his ring, his precious, all
that he has desired, that for which he has killed and given up all things, yet he is ugly, nearly
dead, deformed, disfigured, and a horrible creature, not human but not animal.

What does it profit a man to gain everything at the cost of his soul? Nothing.

What can a man give in return for his own soul? Nothing.

Connecting The Dots

Since these rhetorical questions follow on the heels of living either for one’s own sake or for
Jesus’ sake and the gospel’s, they, therefore, add a new dimension to what Jesus said in v. 35.

To live for one’s own sake is to gain everything, but to lose one’s soul, which implies that the
soul is dedicated to Jesus and the gospel.

The ultimate worth of the soul is addressed when Jesus asks what one could exchange for one’s
own soul. Since the negative answer is implied, the idea is that nothing is worth as much as the
soul.

8.38 - 9.1 - For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful
generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his
Father with the holy angels.” 1) And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some
standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come
with power.”
The adulterous generation (cf. 8.12; 9.19), refers to the general nature of people to not believe in
Jesus as the Son of God, or at least to be ashamed of him rather than follow him in his mission of
redemption.

The reality is that Jesus will be presented to the Father, who is the Judge, and those who are
ashamed of the Son are those of whom the Son, in his glory, will also be ashamed (8.38).

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Since v. 38 is both heavy but also vague, we need help in understanding when Jesus will come in
the glory of the Father with angels (8.38b), which will be when the kingdom of God comes with
power (9.1).
It’s really easy for us to jump to a second coming interpretation here because of the language of
“coming in the glory of the Father”, and the kingdom of God being established with power (9.1),
but if we say that Jesus is here referring to the second coming, then Jesus must be a liar since the
people to whom Jesus is speaking died before Jesus’ second coming.

Slide 41 - Enter Daniel 7.13 - 14

When Mark uses these words, he is drawing on imagery from Daniel 7.13 - 14 which is the
prophecy about the Son of Man who will come to his Father, and from his Father, receive
everlasting dominion, glory and an eternal kingdom, in which all peoples, nations and languages
will serve him.

When does Jesus, therefore, come to the Father and receive these things? In his death and
resurrection. This is why Jesus can say to the disciples that he gives them all authority, it’s
because he has received all authority from his Father in his death and resurrection.

Therefore, in 8.38 - 9.1, Jesus is saying that if anyone to whom he speaks is ashamed of him and
his words now, of those people Jesus, the Son of Man, will be ashamed in his death and
resurrection. That’s 8.38. Then, in 9.1, Jesus strengthens his point by saying that some of the
people to whom he is talking will still be alive when the kingdom comes in power, which is in
reference to Jesus giving all authority to the disciples, and power from the Holy Spirit.

The point is this, “Don’t be ashamed of me now. Just wait, you will see the Son of Man receive
power and you will see the kingdom in its glory before you die!.”

9.2 - 13 - The Transfiguration + Elijah - Slide 42

Having laid out his mind-blow teaching of how the Son of man will suffer, be rejected and
killed, yet will rise three days later, Jesus, six days later (9.2) takes Peter, James, and John up the
mountain where he is transfigured and shown to be the Son of God, but now publically.

In Jesus’ baptism, the Father’s affirmation was private (1.11), but here, the Father’s affirmation
is public, and comes with a command, that they are to listen to him.

In Jesus’ transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appear, which is a symbolic development from the
prophetic hope held out in the OT.

Slide 43

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In Deuteronomy 34, Moses’ death is recorded and there is a line in there that says that since
Moses, there has never been a prophet like Moses. Earlier, however, in Deuteronomy 18, there
is the promise that one day a prophet like Moses will come, and to him Israel should listen (Dt.
18.15). Now Jesus is shown to be the Son of God, with Moses, and to Jesus should the disciples,
12 of them representing a re-constituted Israel, should listen!

In Malachi 4.5 - 6, one day a new Elijah will come and he will come and God’s eschatological
redemptive work will begin.
Thus, when Jesus appears in his glory with these two men, keyes for the eschatological hope of
the OT, God is showing the boys that his grand plans of world redemption are already beginning!

Peter wants to make tens because he doesn’t know what else to do, but apparently he things that
Mo and Elijah are men worthy of worship, which makes sense given his Jewish upbringing, but
flawed in light of what is being revealed in front of his face.

Regarding the talk of Elijah in vv. 9 - 13, the boys are told to keep silent about Jesus’
transfiguration (v. 9), which was fine since they were still confused about the resurrection talk
(8.31).

The boys change the topic and ask about the current scribal teaching that when Elijah comes,
God’s end time restoration will begin. Jesus affirms this teaching in general when he says that
Elijah did come (i.e. John the Baptist), but implies that the boys’ understanding of how God’s
restoration will be executed is flawed. Elijah’s ministry introduced Jesus, and in Jesus’ ministry,
the kingdom of God, with all of its redemption, is present and slowly being worked out, like
leaven in a lump of dough, but its ultimate victory is only possible through Jesus’ gruesome and
unjust death. This is what the boys don’t understand.

9.14 - 29 - The Disciples’ Failure - Slide 44

As Jesus comes down the mountain with the boys, they find a crowd arguing together because
Jesus’ other disciples are unable to cast a demon out of a young man (9.14 - 18). Jesus again
addresses the faithless generation (v. 19), has the boy and his father brought to him (vv. 20 - 24),
and Jesus casts out the unclean spirit (vv. 25 - 27), and then takes the boys home to explain what
happened (vv. 28 - 29), namely, the boys’ lack of prayer, or prayerfulness is why they were
unable to expel the demon.

When Jesus says that “this kind” can only be driven out by prayer, we probably shouldn’t put in
too much thought about whether certain kinds of demons can come out by prayer and others not
by prayer.

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Also, since Mark doesn’t record anything that Jesus actually prays in v. 25, we shouldn’t expect
that there is a certain style of prayer or certain words that must be used in order to cast out a
demon.

Since the boys had previously been given authority over unclean spirits (3.14 - 15) and been
successful in that kind of ministry (6.12 - 13, 30), yet here no actual prayer is recorded, it
probably means that the authority to cast out demons is a result of one’s consistency in prayer.

That is, being prayerful as a natural characteristic of life is what is in view here.

“The disciples’ problem...has been a loss of the sense of dependence on Jesus’ unique έζουσἰα
which had undergirded their earlier exorcistic success. Their public humiliation has been a
necessary part of their re-education to the principles of the kingdom of God.” France, 370

While the disciples display a stunning lack of faith and prayer, the father is held up as a model of
prayer, confessing both unbelief, lumping him into the faithless generation, but also confessing a
desire to believe, and thus making him the model of faith in this story. In this way, faith and
belief aren’t a matter of the strength or quality of that faith or belief, but the object of faith/belief.

9.30 - 32
See 8.31 in general.

In 9.30 - 32, Mark says that this is what Jesus was teaching as he was going with the boys
through Galilee, which means that though this is the second of three times Mark records this,
Jesus was talking about this throughout the whole journey.

9.33 - 50 - The Boys’ Failure To Understand

Remember, in this section, Jesus is teaching the boys as they walk along the road toward
Jerusalem. It is in this context of discipleship that the boys’ failures must be understood.

In vv. 33 - 36, the boys wonder which of them is the greatest, and Jesus turns it upside down by
saying that greatness will be achieved through service, and that they should be more like
children. Children don’t care who’s greatest, they just want to be with Jesus. Status is
unimportant in the kingdom of God.

In vv. 38 - 41, the boys like playing for Team Jesus and don’t want to let others in on the fun (v.
38). Jesus counters by saying that all people should be working for the kingdom of God, and
casting out demons is no greater than giving a cup of cold water to a traveling saint (vv. 39 - 41),
since everyone is on Team Jesus.

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Observe the irony that the boys are mad here because the man is casting out demons (v. 38),
though they were all previously unable to that very thing (9.18).

In vv. 42 - 50, Jesus gets to the heart of the matter, sin. Sin is awful and will take people away
from the kingdom of God, and since sin is so destructive, it would be better to go as far as
removing body parts in order to stop sinning in those ways than it would be better to go into
heaven without a hand or food or eye than it would be to go into hell with all appendages in tact.

Mark 10 - Approaching Jerusalem

In Mark 10, we have four final thematic developments.

First, this section begins and ends with stories of the blind, who are not able to physically see
him, but know his identity as the Son of David (8.22 - 26; 10.46 - 52). Sandwiched between
these stories are the disciples and Pharisees, those who should be able to see Jesus, but are not
able.

Second, in terms of geography, Jesus has been making his way slowly but surely towards
Jerusalem, and ch. 11 will begin with Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem (11.1 - 11). This signals to
us another literary development. Mark has portrayed Jerusalem as a place hostile to Jesus (3.22;
7.1), and will be the place where Jesus’ suffering and death will take place (10.33). This is why
Mark 1 - 10 can describe three years of Jesus’ ministry, while Mark 11 - 16 slows down and
focuses on one week.

In regards to Jesus’ teaching in chs. 8 - 10, we can understand them all in light of taking up one’s
cross and following him. The values and practices of the kingdom of God have been at odds
with the values and practices of the world, even for those whose worldviews are formed by the
Mosaic covenant. Throughout chs. 8 - 10, Jesus is telling the boys that if they are to follow him,
they must deny their prior ways of thinking and take up these new values that give substance and
form to the kingdom of God.

The first are last, greatness is achieved through sacrificial serving, and death is the gateway into
life and victory. Follow me!

10.1 - 12 - Divorce
Here Jesus is approached by Pharisees who were looking to test Jesus (10.2) and they use the
issue of divorce for their test.

In Judaism at this time, there were two schools of thought about divorce. In Deuteronomy 24.1 -
4, a man may divorce his wife if she commits some act of “indecency” and he finds her now

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unfavorable. Since the “indecency” is not explicitly defined by Moses, two Jewish schools of
thought had been formed regarding divorce.

Some said that a woman’s “indecency” could be anything from having a bad hair day, to cooking
a meal that’s not just right, or simply a husband seeing a woman prettier than his wife that he’d
like to marry.

The other school of thought taught that a woman’s indecency would only be related to her
sleeping with another man.

The Pharisees are testing Jesus to see which side he’s on, and Jesus dismisses the question at all
and attacks the Pharisees’ hearts since divorce was only a result of sin, not the plan of God, and
therefore to use divorce as a test case for whether someone is on their side or not, is to reveal an
astonishing hardness of heart.

Can Christians Divorce Today?

This is a very sensitive topic today since divorce is so common and hurtful to everyone involved,
whether children or parents. I think there are reasons for divorce, it should only be the very very
very very very last option.

As a Christian man, created to love my wife like Christ loved the church, I cannot imagine how I
could ever divorce my wife. If God has, in Christ, forgiven me for the most heinous of sins, how
could I reflect the love of Christ to my wife by calling for a divorce if I was sinned against?

Whether or not divorced Christians should remarry is also a sensitive topic, and there isn’t one
Christian answer. I don’t think I could, right now, condone or endorse a Christian who has been
divorced to marry someone else, but I also have several friends who are Christians and have been
divorced and later married others and things are great, and some, life is better than it ever was
when they were married the first time.

10.13 - 16 - Jesus Loves The Little Children

See 9.38 - 41.

Slide 46 - 10.17 - 31 - The Rich + The Kingdom

Jesus, beginning his journey, is interrupted by a man asking about what he must do to get eternal
life. This man has lived righteously, upholding the decalogue (vv. 18 - 20), yet was unwilling to
part with his riches, and rather than receiving eternal life, or at least commendation from Jesus,
he leaves sorrowful (vv. 21 - 22), and Mark turns his attention to Jesus with the disciples (vv. 23
- 31).

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To enter eternal life (10.17) is parallel with entering the kingdom of God (vv. 23, 24, 25), which
is impossible for man on his own, but more than possible with God (vv. 23 - 27).

The point of this story is similar to that which came before it with the children (10.13 - 16),
namely that status means nothing if one us unwilling to receive the kingdom of God like a child
would, not even a rich person.

Since Jesus told the man to give up his riches, which the man could not do, the man was
unwilling to deny himself (8.34) and lose his life (8.35). This man may have gained a world of
riches (8.36), but at the cost of his own soul (8.37).

Therefore, what Jesus says in 10.17 - 31 is talking about discipleship, denying one’s self, losing
one’s life, all for the sake of gaining eternal life, the kingdom of God, and treasure in heaven.

Application In YWAM
People often ask whether or not people today need to go and sell all that they have and give it to
the poor like Jesus told this man to do (10.21).

In one sense, no, we do not need to sell anything in order to be saved and enter the kingdom of
God. We are justified by our faith, not by any amount of selling and giving.

Our own experience can teach this. Many of us, like Peter, have left everything to be here.
However, also, like Peter, we still struggle daily with sin. Therefore giving up everything,
selling it all and giving to the poor does nothing to stop you from sinning.

In another sense, however, yes, we do need to sell all that we have and give to the poor. This
man’s possessions were the one thing he could not part with, and thus was unable to deny
himself and take up his cross and follow Jesus. There are few things that provide more security
than money, whether for millionaires or to the poorest of the poor. Money provides security, and
if we’re not willing to part with it for the sake of the kingdom, we will never see the full
goodness of the kingdom and the provision therein.

10.32 - 34 - Jesus’ Final Passion Description

This is Jesus’ third and final passion prediction, and this has been the drum beat of this section,
all the way from Caesarea Philippi (8.27, 31), through Galilee (9.30 - 31), and now as they go up
to Jerusalem (10.32).

Now that they are so close to Jerusalem, it makes sense that Jesus’ prediction here is more
substantial than before.

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No longer will Jesus suffer, be rejected and killed, but here Jesus emphasizes the shame of it all.
The Son of Man will be mocked, spit on, and flogged, and all of that will be done at the hands of
the Gentiles!

This is what is so amazing about Jesus’ approach towards Jerusalem (v. 32). Jesus knows that all
of these things will happen to him there, yet he goes no matter what.

Therefore, in Jesus’ approach towards Jerusalem, denying one’s self and taking up one’s cross is
on perfect display. Jesus lives out what he teaches. Jesus could have the whole world, but he
would rather have his soul.

10.35 - 45 - Greatness In The Kingdom of God

Jesus just finishes laying out his most thorough passion prediction (10.32 - 34), and now James
and John (v. 35) ask Jesus to do for them whatever they ask of him (v. 35). They ask to sit at
Jesus’ left and right hand when he is glorified (v. 37). Jesus tells them that there’s more to the
story than what they understand (v. 38), yet the boys feel up to the challenge (v. 39). The boys
will join Jesus in his cup and baptism (v. 39), but Jesus does not get to grant who will sit on his
left and right side in glory, though someone will (v. 40).

The other disciples overhear the conversation at this point and are furious (v. 41), probably
because James and John got the question in first, and thus we’re not really that far removed from
when the boys were arguing about which one of them was greatest (9.33 - 37).

Jesus puts their status seeking in place, telling the boys that they are acting just like the Gentile
rulers when they debate such things. Rather than define greatness in Gentile standards, Jesus
defines greatness in one’s capacity to serve others, Jesus himself being the supreme example,
since his life will be a ransom for many.

Since Jesus’ life is a ransom for many, his life will be paid for the release of others, which the
boys need to get if they are to understand mission and what Jesus has just talked about (cf. 10.32
- 34).
The cup as an image for Jesus’ suffering is used again in 14.36 (cf. Jn. 18.11). The OT speaks
overwhelmingly as the cup as a symbol of judgment (Ps. 75.8; Jer. 25.15 - 29; 49.12; Ezk. 23.31
- 34; Hab. 2.16; cf. Rev. 14.10; 16.19), and only sometimes an image of blessing (Pss. 16.5;
23.5; 116.13).

Ps. 75.8 - For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours
out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.

Jer. 25.15 - 29 - Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to
whom I send you drink it...So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to

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whom the Lord sent me drink it: Jerusalem and the cities of Judah...Pharaoh king of Egypt...and
all the mixed tribes among them...Then you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord of Hosts, the
God of Israel: ‘Drink, be drunk and vomit, fall and rise no more, because of the sword that I am
sending among you…

Ezk. 23.31 - You have gone the way of your sister, therefore I will give her cup into your
hand...You shall drink your sister’s cup that is deep and large...a cup of horror and desolation,
the cup of your sister Samaria.”

10.45 - A Ransom For Many - Isaiah’s Suffering Servant

France (NIGTC, 421) finds compelling echoes of Isa. 53.10 - 12 in Mk. 10.45, namely that the
suffering servant offers himself as a sacrifice in the same way that an animal was sacrificed in
order to remove the guilt of the one making the sacrifice (cf. Lv. 5.17 - 19). “The whole thrust of
Isa. 53 is to present the servant as one who suffers and dies for the redemption of his people,
whose life is offered as a substitute for their guilt.”

Much like Jesus has come for sinners (Mk. 2.17), so too was the Suffering Servant concerned
with others’ sins (Isa. 53.5, 6, 8, 10 - 12). “Even though sin is not specifically mentioned [in
10.45], when seen against its Isaianic background this verse fills out what the calling of sinners
in 2.17 implied. This, then, is the stated purpose of Jesus’ mission. His many acts of mercy,
healing, teaching, challenging the norms of society, and all the elements of Mark’s story must be
seen in the light of this one purpose, [to give his life as a ransom for many].” France, 421

10.46 - 52 - Blind Bartimaeus Sees Jesus

The healing story here is given very few details, and the healing is over as soon as it begins, yet
the new title for Jesus, the Son of David, is used twice, and this is likely Mark’s point of the
story.

Jesus as Son of David

When Bartimaeus calls Jesus the Son of David, this is a very loaded theological word for the
Jews, namely because of 2 samuel 7.13 - 14.

“Whether we should think of Bartimaeus as having unusual spiritual insight or as simply aiming
to gain attention by the most flattering address he can think of, his words open up a new phase in
the gradual disclosure of Jesus in Mark...The secrecy enjoined at Caesarea Philippi is beginning
to weaken and the way is being prepared for Jesus’ eventual open declaration of his Messiaship.”
France, 423

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What is amazing about Bartimaeus is that he is seen to follow Jesus immediately. Bartimaeus
stands in contrast to everyone between 8.22 and now in that he clearly “sees” Jesus’ true identity
and willingly follows him, no matter what it may or may not cost him.
“Bartimaeus, now set free from his blindness, represents all those who have found enlightenment
and follow the Master. So as the pilgrim group sets off again up the Jerusalem road, with one
additional member, the reader is prepared to witness the coming of the Son of David to his city,
and challenged to join him on the road.” Awesome quote! France, 425

Slide - 46 - 49 - Introduction To Mark 11 - 16

This is the final division in the book, and here is where Mark slows things down.

In chs. 1 - 10, “immediately” is used 32x; in chs. 11 - 16, it’s used 4x.

In chs. 1 - 10, there are miracles and healings, in chs. 11 - 16, there are none.

In chs. 8 - 10, Jesus’ ministry was largely private and directed almost exclusively to the
disciples. In chs. 11 - 13, Jesus’ ministry is largely public again.

In chs. 1 - 10, three years went by, in chs. 11 - 16, seven days are described.

In chs. 1 - 10, Jesus is calm, steady, unshakeable in his commitment to his mission, in ch. 14, we
will see Jesus in great distress and unimaginable pain as he contemplates the cross, asking God
three times that it not happen.

Slide 50 - Sunday - 11.1 - 11

Mark writes that “they” are drawing near to Jerusalem, and the “they” of 11.1 will refer to those
who had begun following Jesus as early as 10.1 or earlier.

Observe that Jesus’ “triumphal entry” doesn’t actually happen in Jerusalem, but in a village near
the Mount of Olives (11.1, 2, 11).

Therefore, the crowd that waves the branches are those who had been following Jesus since 10.1.
This means that the crowd is not made up of a bunch of Jews in Jerusalem. This means, much to
my dismay as I studied this, that the crowd calling out for Jesus’ crucifixion in 15.6 - 15 is not
the crowd that waved the branches in Mark 11.

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Jesus sends the boys into town to get him a colt (11.1 - 3), which the boys do (11.4 - 6), and
Jesus rides forward on the colt as his followers sing and chant from Psalm 118.25 - 26, which
was typically used to greet Jews outside of Jerusalem as they came into the city for various
festivals and feasts, much like the Passover, one of three yearly feasts all Jews must attend.

Now, when this phrase from Ps. 118.25 - 26 is applied to Jesus as the Son of David, and when
Jesus, as the Son of David, goes into the Jerusalem temple (11.11), it is Mark’s subtle but
symbolic way of establishing Jesus’ enthronement as Israel’s true king.

This interpretation is made especially clear when we see Jesus’ riding on a colt as a fulfillment of
Zechariah 9.9 - 10, where Israel would shout in praise as their humble and righteous king would
ride to them, bringing salvation with him.

Though the crowd makes a big deal of Jesus’ entrance, which Jesus neither outwardly accepts
nor denies, when Jesus goes into the temple, he simply checks it all out and goes back home.

Slide 51 - Monday - 11.12 - 19 - Tree Cursing + Table Flipping

The next morning, Jesus and the boys start making their way to Jerusalem and Jesus gets hungry
and stops at a fig tree in leaf hoping for a snack, even though it’s not the season for figs (11.13),
and curses the fig tree for not having any figs (11.14).

This is one of the more bizarre and most confusing stories in the gospels.

Mark clearly tells us that there is no reason that the tree should have figs, which means that there
is something deeper happening here.

In many OT passages, Israel is described as a fig tree:

Jer. 8.13 - “When I would gather them, declares the Lord, there are no grapes on the vine, nor
figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered, and what I gave them has passed away from
them.”

Jer. 24.1 - 10 - “...behold, two baskets of figs placed before the temple of the Lord. 2) One
basket had very good figs, like first-ripe figs, but the other basket had very bad figs, so bad that
they could not be eaten...5) Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will
regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away...to the land of the Chaldeans. 6) I
will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land...8) But...like the bad
figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, so will I treat Zedekiah...

Most importantly for this section, however, is Micah 7.1:

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Mic. 7.1 - Woe is me! For I have become as when the summer fruit has been gathered, as when
the grapes have been gleaned: there is no cluster to eat, no first-ripe fig that my soul desires.

When Jesus approaches the fig tree, since leaves imply fruit, out of hunger (11.12, 13) yet the
tree is fruitless, and then curses the tree, he does so as a prophetic judgment against Jerusalem
since they appear to have fruit, yet are fruitless. Since Jesus builds on Micah 7.1, the rest of
Micah’s vision there is assumed, namely, that Jerusalem is corrupt and will soon be judged by
God.

Why I Struggle With This Interpretation

I think this is a good interpretation that respects the context of the NT and the OT, but I struggle
with it because I have no idea why Jesus would say nothing about this in 11.22 - 25 when he
explains the tree, but rather, there, speaks only of the necessity of faith in prayer.

I do not yet know how to best reconcile this passages.

Table Flipping
After cursing the fig tree, Jesus and the boys roll into Jerusalem (11.15), and Jesus drives out
both buyers and sellers (11.15a), flips the tables of the money changers (11.15b) and those
selling pigeons (11.15c), and not allowing anyone to pass through the temple or carry anything.

Since Jesus is driving out buyers and sellers, money changers and pigeon sellers, Jesus is
condemning everything that the temple stands for. This is no mere temple cleansing; this is
Jesus’ complete rejection of the temple, the priesthood, the sacrifices, and the fundamental way
that the Jews approach Yahweh.

Jesus quotes from Isa. 56.7 and Jer. 7.11 when he says that the temple was meant to be a place
where the nations could come to pray, yet the present state of Judaism had turned the temple into
a place where thieves and robbers can come to hide for safety.

Given that this is happening just days before Passover, it is no wonder that they priests and
scribes want to destroy Jesus; he is tearing apart all that they stand for, the very foundations of
the respect and status that they love so much!

Slide 52 - Tuesday - Jesus’ Long Day - 11.20 - 13.37

Before we get into the content, I want to lay out for you how this is all one day.

Slide 53
In 11.20, it’s in the morning and Jesus explains the fig tree.

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Starting in 11.27, we are in the temple, and the temple is the location for everything from 11.27 -
12.44.

In 13.1, Jesus and the boys leave the temple and go to the Mount of Olives where Mark records
Jesus’ final block of teaching (13.1 - 37), and in 14.1, a new time reference is given.

Therefore, 11.20 - 13.37 is one long day in Jesus’ life and it’s a day that is full of confrontation
and denunciation. Because of the complexity of ch. 13, we will focus most of our time there.

11.20 - 25/6 - Faith In Prayer

The next morning comes (v. 20), and the fig tree has withered and died (v. 21), and Jesus
launches in on a teaching about the importance of faith in God in prayer.

Since having a mountain thrown into sea (vv. 22 - 23) is a nonsensical act, it is meant to be a
statement about the efficacy of prayer when people put their faith in God’s ability to answer
prayer. Jesus is speaking in a manner that is very common to the Proverbs, and the Proverbs are
general truths, not absolute truths.

In v. 24, faith in prayer is taught from the angle of believing that God will answer the prayer, that
if one believes that they have received it, they will receive what they ask for in prayer.

This also needs to be qualified lest people constantly live in fear that they have no faith if they do
not receive that for which they pray. Additionally, we have to be careful with this because this
can easily be turned a teaching that puts all the blame on the believer’s lack of faith.

We know that this statement is both proverbial and not a prosperity gospel passage because Jesus
and Paul both pray for God to remove pain from them, and God tells them no.

Ruen. Gone for a year. God has not brought him back and I don’t know if he will. Ruen not
coming back is not a lack of my family’s faith.

Slide 54 - 11.27 - 12.37 - Confrontation In The Temple

What we’re going to see here is Jesus having various confrontations with all of the main leaders
within the Jewih world, chief priests, pharisees, sadducees, and the scribes.

As we read these stories, we want to remember a few things.

First, these are the very people that Jesus talked about who would be those that arrest him,
condemn him to death, mock him and spit on him and kill him.

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Second, we want to remember, these are exactly the people who should know exactly who Jesus
is. These are the professional Christians.

12.13 - 40 - Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes! Oh my!

12.13 - 17 - Pharisees - Taxes To Rome?

The higher ups (11.27) got played by Jesus (12.12) and plot how to kill Jesus (14.1 - 2), and
while they move into the background in the story, it is the higher ups who send the Pharisees and
Herodians (cf. 3.6) to Jesus to try to trap him (12.13), and the trap revolves around whether or
not Jews should pay taxes to Rome (12.14).
The tax to be paid was a small yearly tax that was the equivalent of one day’s wage. Since Judea
was a Roman colony, they were required to pay the tax. The price of the tax was not what so
angered people, but rather, the tax was yet one more reminder to the Jews that they were under
foreign domination and were not yet a free people.

Jesus, however, is not a Judean. Jesus is from Galilee, and Galileans were not required to pay
that tax.

The trap is this, if Jesus, a sensible and objective and respectable Galilean says that Jews should
pay taxes to Rome, then the Pharisees and higher ups can brand Jesus as a sell out, but if he says
that Jews shouldn’t pay taxes to Rome, then they can label him as a rebel, just like one of the
many who had come out of Galilee around that time, and have him arrested and discredited.

Jesus side-steps the trap by not having any money on him, and therefore makes one of the
Pharisees bring him a coin, one that bore the face of Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Since
Rome provided so many benefits that Judean citizens were able to enjoy, Jesus says it’s good and
right to give to Caesar what is his, and everyone know what that meant.

What Jesus meant by giving to God that which he is due, however, is left hanging, almost as if
Jesus intends his listeners to consider what God is worth? If Caesar is worth one day’s wage for
the benefits he gives them, then what is enough to give to God for the benefits he provides?

12.18 - 27 - Sadducees - The Resurrection

Jesus shut down the higher ups (11.27; 12.12), and now the Pharisees (12.17), and now the
Sadducees step up in their attempt to discredit Jesus (12.18 - 27).

The Sadducees, who did not believe in any books beyond the Pentateuch, did not believe in the
resurrection, and therefore they concoct a ridiculous question about marriage practices at the
time and the doctrine of the resurrection. Their idea is that if they an get Jesus to answer an
absurd question, it will make him look absurd and people will stop following him.

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Jesus again sidesteps the entire question that revolved around marriage (12.18 - 23) and gets
straight to the heart of the matter, quoting God himself when he spoke to Moses, saying that he
was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (cf. Ex. 3.6), with the emphasis that when God spoke
to Moses, he was presently the God of the present Abraham, implying that he is alive, and not
dead!

Jesus takes the question that the Sadducees used to discredit him and uses it them to discredit
them since they aren’t even faithful to their own scriptures!

12.28 - 34 - The One Good Scribe

After the higher ups (11.27), Pharisees (12.13), and Sadducees (12.18) all get completely shut
down by Jesus, one last scribe, a good one, approaches Jesus, asking for a summary of the entire
body of Jewish laws.

This was a common part of Jewish scribal life, and one scribe, born before Jesus, was asked to
summarize the whole teaching of the law while standing on one leg, and his response was,
famously, “Do not do to your neighbor what you would consider hateful if done to you. This is
the Torah; the rest is commentary.”

Jesus’ answer comes down from Deuteronomy 6 and Leviticus 19 and says that God is to be
loved first, and neighbors second.

The scribe affirms Jesus’ answer (12.32) and Jesus says that he isn’t far from the kingdom of
God.

This implies that you can believe all the right things about the moral teaching of the bible but
still not yet be in God’s kingdom.

12.35 - 44 - Attack On The Present Order

When Jesus answers the scribe, the whole crowd is silenced and Jesus has gotten the victory over
all those who came to undermine and discredit him. Having gotten that victory, Jesus turns and
attacks the teachings and character of the scribes.

12.35 - 37 - The Messiah

Jesus, aware of the scribal teachings of the nature of the Messiah, namely that the Christ, the
Messiah, is a son of David.

While Jesus did subtly accept the title Son of David in 10.46 - 52, here he is not talking so much
about the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant, but talking merely about a son.

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Jesus turns to Psalm 110.1 to show that the scribal teaching is insufficient. In this quotation,
Jesus is saying that David, as a prophet, spoke of the relationship between Jesus, God the Son,
and God the Father. For ease of interpretation, I’ll plug words into Ps. 110.1 for us.

“God the Father said to God the Son, ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your
feet.”

Jesus interprets Ps. 110.1 as God the Father calling on God the Son (cf. Mk. 1.1, 9; 9.7) to sit at
his right hand, and therefore, the Messiah is far greater than just a son of David.

12.38 - 40 - Attacking The Scribes’ Character

Jesus shares his views on the scribes.

12.41 - 44 - The Poor Widow’s Gift

Ever since Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, he has done nothing but flip over tables and common
understandings of greatness. This day in Jesus’ life can be described as his complete rejection
of everything that the temple stands for, which is made especially clear when he talks about how
the whole thing will be torn down soon.

If we forget about that context and look at these verses, we simply see a little and moral teaching
on how much of an offering you should give, which completely misses the point.

Rather, Jesus rejects the notion that God considers best those who give the most, and makes the
whole matter about the heart behind the giving. No one cares how little or how much you give,
this is not what makes one great in the kingdom of God. In God’s kingdom, the first are last and
the last first. To be great you must serve and to live well you must die daily.

Slide 55 - Mark 13 - The Olivet Discourse

While Mark 13 needs to be treated on its own, it also needs to be understood in the context of
Mark 11 - 16.

In Mark 11.1 - 11, Jesus rides into Jerusalem, checks out the temple and then goes home for the
night.

The next day (11.12 - 19), Jesus curses the fig tree and announces his rejection of all that the
temple represents.

Here on Wednesday, Jesus has been in the temple, and has completely undermined all of the
values that are represented by the values, and as he leaves the temple with the disciples, the turn
and see the temple and praise its beauty! There’s clearly a lot left to learn.

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Slide 56 - 13.3 - 4 - Two Questions
The boys praised the temple’s beauty and Jesus told them that the whole thing would be
destroyed, and here, the boys ask Jesus two questions, 1) When will the temple fall, and 2) what
will be the signs that let us know that it’s going to happen?

Slide 57 - Overview Of Jesus’ Answer

There are three basic ways this passage is interpreted. There is one interpretation that says that
everything Jesus talks about here is referring to Jerusalem’s destruction in 70AD, and none of
Mark 13 is about the second coming.

There is another view that looks at Mark 13 and says that all of Mark 13 is about only the second
coming, and not at all about 70AD.

The third view says that some of Mark 13 is about 70AD and some parts are about the second
coming. This is my view, but even within this view, there are variations.

Slide 58
I’m going to teach this as follows:

13.3 - 31 70AD
13.32 - 36 Second Coming

Why?
1. When we look through vv. 5 - 31, we are talking about certain days that are coming
(13.17, 19, 20, 24), but in vv. 32 - 36, we’re talking about one specific day. There is a
difference there and it’s important
a. Note here that in 13.17 and 19, the Khmer has នៅគ្រានោះ
b. In 13.20, the Khmer reads ច្ងៃទាំងនោះ
c. In 13.24, the Khmer reads នៅគ្រាក្រោយសេចក្តវេី ទនានោះ
d. In 13.32, the Khmer reads ឯត្រង់ថ្ងៃ which is quite helpful here
2. In answer to the boys’ questions about when the temple will be destroyed and the signs
that show that it will happen soon, Jesus shares with them signs that they can expect to
see before they die, including the Son of Man coming in the clouds, which is a reference
to Daniel 7.13 - 14, which is not talking about Jesus’ second coming, but about his
enthronement, receiving eternal dominion over an everlasting kingdom, accomplished in
his resurrection and exaltation..

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Slide 59 - 13.5 - 13 - The First Signs
In these verses, Jesus gives the boys several different signs that would make people think that the
end is near, but these are only the first stages of birth, not the final.

These signs include false Christs (13.6), wars and rumors of wars (v. 7), nations rising against
other nations (v. 8a), and earthquakes (v. 8b).

These are all things that they will see, but the end is not yet (v. 7), these are only the beginning of
birth pains (v. 8).

The disciples will be delivered to councils, beaten, and put on trial (v. 9, sold out by family (v.
12), and hated (v. 13a).

Through all of this, however, the gospel will be preached to all nations (13.10), which is not a
reference to the Great Commission in our day, but rather was fulfilled already by Paul’s day
when the gospel had been preached to all creation (Col. 1.6, 23), so that Paul had nowhere left to
work in the known world since he’d preached from Jerusalem to Illyricum, which is almost to
Spain at that time (Rom. 15.18 - 20).

Since all the world will have the gospel preached to it within the first century, the disciples, and
all believers, will need endurance in those days (Mk. 13.13).

Summarizing Mk. 13.5 - 13

Jesus told the boys that the temple would be completely destroyed (13.1 - 2), and they asked
when it would happen and what signs would accompany its coming (13.3 - 4).

In vv. 5 - 13, Jesus gave them many signs and expectations that will not signal the temple’s
destruction, but rather, telling them what they can expect in their near futures.

Slide 60 - 13.14 - 23 - The Abomination of Desolation

Now Jesus starts to give them something that they can look for, but it’s not altogether clear what
the readers should expect to see.

Jesus tells them that when the see the abomination of desolation (សេចក្តីស្អប់ខ្ពមើ ដែលបង្ខូចបំផ្លា ញ), they should
start running from Judea into the mountains.

The abomination of desolation is a phrase taken from Daniel 9.27; 11.31; 12.1, where that event
is a prophecy of the time when a particular Greek ruler would bring a statue of Zeus into the holy
of holies and sacrifice a pig in the holy of holies to Zeus.

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There are various theories out there as to exactly what the abomination may have been in the
context of the first century.

1. Caligula, a Roman Emperor, declared that a statue of him be placed in the Jerusalem
temple, which is close to what AE IV did back in the day, but that was back in 40AD,
well before 70AD, and it never actually happened.
2. Some say that when the Roman army, led by Vespasian, surrounded Jerusalem, this was
the abomination, which is a great possibility, but it would make it hard for the Judeans to
have time to flee into the mountains if they city was already surrounded by Roman
troops.
3. Some historical sources cite a few rebellions in 67 and 68AD, revolts that were held by a
group called the Zealots who were trying to overthrow Roman rule. During these revolts,
lots of blood was shed in the temple, which is what caused Rome to send their troops in
order to shut down this little revolts.

The third option seems the best that I’ve heard of.

In this way, vv. 13 - 18 are talking about the signs that will lead up to the Roman invasion, and
vv. 19 - 23 refer to the actual time when Rome comes in and destroys Jerusalem, killing many
and completely destroying the temple, finally done in 70AD.

Important OT Texts In 13.24 - 27

Now, in reading these verses, it is important that we understand the OT passages Jesus pulls
from.

First, in vv. 24 - 25, Jesus language about stars falling out of the sky and the sun and moon
losing their light is all taken from Isaiah 13, which is talking about the fall of Babylon, not the
end of the world.

In the time Isaiah is prophesying this, Babylon isn’t even a big threat, Assyria is. WHat will
happen in history, however, is that the Babylonians will overthrow Assyria and become one of
the world’s most powerful kingdoms in all of history. In that sense, the end of Babylon would be
so shocking that it would be as if the world were falling apart.

Thus, when Jesus quotes from Isa. 13, he is saying that after the days of tribulation in 70AD,
when the temple in Jerusalem is destroyed, for the Jews, it will also be as if the world is coming
undone.

Secondly, in Mk. 13.26, this phrase about the Son of Man comes straight from Daniel 7.13 - 14.
This verse is what most often cause people to interpret Jesus’ words incorrectly. People read
about the Son of Man coming in the clouds with power, and assume that Jesus is talking about

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the second coming. If we look at Daniel 7.13 - 14, however, I think we get a very different
picture.

In Daniel 7.13 - 14, the Son of Man comes to the Ancient of Days, and receives, from him,
dominion and glory and a kingdom.

So, what is Jesus saying here?

In those days (the days of 70AD when the temple is destroyed), it will be as if the whole world is
coming undone. The temple will be burned down and the city will be destroyed. But at that
time, those in Jerusalem will see that the son of man had received great power from the Ancient
of Days. Then, the Son of Man will send out his followers to gather his elect from across the
world.

That is, when the temple is destroyed, it will be the sign that Jerusalem and the temple are no
longer the geographical “center” of Yahweh’s world. It is for this reason that the Son of Man
will invest his disciples with authority and send them out to gather the elect.

When do we see this happen? When does Jesus give authority to his disciples? In the great
commission. That means that in Jesus’ death and resurrection, he had gone to the Ancient of
Days, received his kingdom and sent out his angels.

Next, when we look at vv. 28 - 29, Jesus is summarizing all that he said in vv. 14 - 23. Since vv.
28 - 29 are a summary of vv. 14 - 23, how then should we understand vv. 30 - 31?

“This generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” What is this talking about?
What are all these things? This has to be talking about 70AD.

This is often interpreted as the second coming, but that is a serious problem in light of vv. 30 -
31. If “these things” are the second coming, then Jesus lied to those people on the mountain with
him since they died long before the second coming.

Start Review Again Here - Aug. 22/2019

This then is talking about how Jerusalem will fall, which is even more terrifying of an idea, in
just the same way that pagan Babylon fell. This language is about political upheaval, not the end
of the universe.

Mark 13.24 - 25, from what I’m saying, is referring to how Jerusalem and her temple will be
destroyed by Rome in 70AD. Jerusalem will fall and the temple, her means of meeting with
God, the intersection of heaven and earth, will be destroyed, and to the Jews, it will be as if the
very fabric of the world has become undone.

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The flow of vv. 24 - 26 is such that the falling of the temple will be one of the signs that Jesus
has ascended to the Father, the Ancient of Days, to receive his power and glory.

From that place of power and glory (v. 26), Jesus will immediately send out his angels, here
referring, probably, to humans on whom Jesus will pour out his Spirit on the day of Pentecost
(Acts 2.32 - 33), who will go to the ends of the earth in order to gather God’s elect.

The Fig Tree’s Lesson - 13.28 - 31

Having laid out the temple’s destruction and the Son’s victory (13.24 - 27), Jesus now returns to
the events around the abomination of desolation, which is that to which “these things” refers.

When the events of the Zealot revolts of 67/68AD start to happen, Jesus’ followers in Judea
should take note and start running to the hills since Rome’s troops (= his, v. 29) are close.

All of what has been said in vv. 5 - 31, as I understand it, has been referring to the events that
would lead up to and culminate in 70AD.
13.32 - 37 - The End of Days
For Jesus’ boys, the destruction of Jerusalem and especially her temple was so unthinkable that
they simply assumed that the day the Jerusalem temple fell would be the day the world ended.

This is the idea that Jesus addresses in vv. 32 - 36, and he simply says that he doesn’t even know
when the Last Day will be; only God the Father knows something like that.

Since the day cannot be known, all of Jesus’ followers should live as if Jesus’ return were going
to be that day, not putting it off until later (vv. 32 - 37).

Mark 14 - 16 - Jesus’ Final Days

Slide 61 - 14.1 - 11 - Wednesday

So, on Sunday, Jesus went into Jerusalem and checked out the temple (11.1 - 11), and then on
Monday he flipped temples (11.12 - 19). On Tuesday, Jesus spent his day denouncing the temple
and announcing its destruction (11.27 - 13.37), and now we’re on Wednesday, two days before
Passover, and the higher ups are finding out when to best kill Jesus but not interrupt the Passover
festivities (14.1 - 2).

On Thursday, Jesus is at a friends house when a woman comes to anoint him with oil, which
Jesus takes as her act of love, anointing Jesus for his burial (14.3 - 6, 8), and stops the boys from
rebuking her since they can help the poor whenever they want, while Jesus only has these
remaining days with them (14.7).

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Shortly after this, Judas sneaks away to meet with the higher ups in order to betray Jesus (vv. 10
- 11).

Slide 62 - Thursday - Passover Preparation - 14.12 - 16

Mark picks up the story on the day that the Passover lamb was sacrificed, and Jesus has the boys
go into Jerusalem, since the Passover meal could only be eaten inside Jerusalem proper, to
prepare the place for dinner (vv. 14 - 16).

Quickly, 14.1 states that we’re two days away from the Feast of Unleavened Bread and 14.12
has it as the first day of unleavened bread, which is also the day of Passover lamb is sacrificed.

The short answer is that the Feast of Unleavened Bread began immediately after Passover
finished, so that the two are often spoken of in interchangeable terms, since they’re basically the
same thing.

Slide 63 - Friday - Passover - 14.17 - 15.47

While this is all one continuous narrative, I have broken the narrative down into smaller scenes
that help us follow the plot.

14.17 - 31 - Passover Dinner

- 14.17 - 21 - Betrayal Announced

- 14.22 - 25 - The New Covenant

- 14.26 - 31 - The Disciples Will Fall Away

14.32 - 42 - Jesus’ Prayers In The Garden

14.43 - 52 - Jesus Arrested

14.53 - 15.20 - Jesus’ Trials

15.21 - 41 - Crucifixion

15.42 - 47 - Burial

14.17 - 21 - Betrayal Announced

Mark skips over the details of the dinner and while Jesus and the boys are eating and celebrating,
Jesus makes the announcement that one of them, one in the room, will betray him (v. 18), and the

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resulting silence is deafening and it probably feels like an eternity before Jesus finally speaks
again in v. 20.

The disciples have to remember how Jesus has talked to them about how he will be delivered
into the hands of men. Could it possibly be that one of them in the room would be the one who
would hand Jesus over into the hands of men?

Slide 49 - 14.22 - 25 - The New Covenant

As the boys remain stunned, trying to find a way to eat after such a heavy moment, Jesus makes
it even more thick by showing them that the broken bread represents how his body will be
broken, and the wine his blood, the blood that brings about the New Covenant.

Since the disciples are to eat the bread and drink the wine, symbols of Jesus broken body and
shed blood, it means that as they receive the benefits of food and wine, so too will they partake
in and benefit from Jesus’ death on the cross.

The first time a blood covenant is made is back in Exodus 24.7 - 8, where the blood is sprinkled
to show that the covenant is agreed upon by Israel. This covenant, the Sinai Covenant, is what
establishes Israel as a people, indeed as God’s people, after they had been delivered, by God,
from Egypt.

Says France (NIGTC, 570), “As God first rescued his people from Egypt and made his covenant
with them at Sinai, so now there is a new beginning for the people of God, and it finds its focus
not in the ritual of animal sacrifice but through the imminent death of Jesus.”
As you chart this, I’d encourage you to reflect on the imagery Jesus borrows from such passages
as Isaiah 53.10 - 12, Jeremiah 31.31 - 37, Ezekiel 36.25 - 27 and Zechariah 9.9 - 17.

14.26 - 31 - The Disciples Will Fall Away

Jesus and the boys sing their hymn and then go out to the Mount of Olives where Jesus, drawing
on Zechariah 13, tells the boys that they will all fall away, like sheep scattering when the
shepherd is struck. Peter again says he won’t, but we all know how this will go.

Slide 50 - 14.32 - 42 - Jesus’ Prayer In The Garden

Here Jesus’ weakness is seen in a way that we’ve never seen before.

Jesus is sorrowful, greatly distressed, falling on the ground, and three times prays that God
would remove this cup of wrath, and each time he sees his friends, they fall asleep on him. Jesus
is already left completely alone!

This is an amazing reflection on Jesus’ humanity. Jesus knows exactly what will happen to him;
it is the whole purpose he has come and he has been talking with the boys about it for so long

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now. Yet now, here in the garden, Jesus is beginning to experience what it will be like to
experience the pain of the cross, and the greater pain of standing under the active judgment of
God for the sins of the world.

The cup is often an image of God’s wrath in the OT:

Psalm 75.8 - For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he
pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs

Isaiah 51.17, 22 - Wake yourself...O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord
the cup of his wrath...Thus says the Lord, your God...Behold, I have taken...the cup of
staggering; the bowl of wrath...

Jer. 25.15 - Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath…

Ezk. 23.32 - 33 - You shall drink your sisters cup that is deep and large; you shall be laughed at
and held in derision...a cup of horror and desolation…

Regarding Jesus’ recognition of the Father’s ability to do all things (v. 36a) Jesus, in all of his
humanity and divinity, in this prayer, aligns himself with God’s will rather than pleading the case
for his own.

In prayer, one’s will can be legitimate and biblical, yet not in line with what God the Father has
willed. Consider the implications if God had given Jesus the answer he was looking for in this
moment???

“Prayer...consists not in changing God’s mind but in finding our own alignment with God’s will.
Where our desire is not in line with God’s purpose, it is the former which must give way, “Not
my will, but that which is yours.” If that is true for ὀ υἰος ὀ ἀγαπητός (1.11; 9.7), how much
more for the rest of us.” France, 585

14.43 - 52 - Jesus’ Arrest

As Jesus finishes his final prayer, he sees, in the distance, a band of soldiers, led by chief priests
and scribes, and Judas!

Judas sells Jesus out with a kiss, and Jesus is arrested. Jesus knew that this was coming, and
rather than trying to incite a small revolt, he voices his frustration that the higher ups would bring
out such a display of force.

Jesus isn’t trying to get out of anything here, but rather, Jesus is willingly submitting himself to
the fulfillment of the Scriptures.

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Some people say that the young man fleeing naked is a subtle way that Mark refers to himself
since it is consistent with what we know about Mark, namely that he later ran away from Paul
and Barnabas when he got older. While this gives a decent explanation to these verses, it also
depends fully on reading Acts 13 into Mark 14.51 - 52 rather than letting Mark 14.51 - 52 speak
for itself. It’s just as likely that the young man here is a sympathetic bystander, watching in the
distance, and his terrified flight underscores how everyone has now fled from Jesus.

14.53 - 14.72 - Jesus’ Trials

First off, since these trials are being held at night, they are, by nature, illegal trials.

Secondly, since this is just hours after the Passover meal was eaten, everyone involved in this
trial would be guilty of so many laws!

Thirdly, you want to observe how Mark weaves together Jesus’ testimony about himself with
Peter’s denials of Jesus.

In this section, the key thing to get is how Jesus finally gives full revelation of himself and his
true identity in 14.62 when he’s asked whether or not he is the Christ.

Let’s back up and see how we got there.

Jesus is on trial, but the higher ups are all getting their story together first (v. 53), since they are
figuring out which people will tell which made up stories first (v. 55), which fails since none of
the stories add up (vv. 56, 59), even though some of the stories told are actually true stories (vv.
57 - 58).

The high priest, trying to keep some semblance of order gets everyone to quiet down since
nothing is making any coherent sense and asks Jesus the million dollar question, whether or not
he is the Christ (v. 61).

In 14.62, Jesus affirms that he is the Christ, the Messiah, and then reverts back to Daniel 7.13 -
14, saying that they, the very ones accusing and trying him, will see Jesus as the Son of Man
riding on clouds to the Father, the Ancient of Days, and from him receiving eternal dominion
over an everlasting kingdom, full of worshipers from every nation, tribe and tongue.

Development Of Jesus’ Identity

Remember, Mark tells his readers exactly who Jesus is in 1.1 and 1.11. For everyone else in
Jesus’ day, he was just Jesus from Nazareth (1.9). Jesus’ identity had been revealed by demons
(1.24 - 26; 3.11 - 12; 5.7, etc), and eventually by Peter (8.29), and then most clearly, up to that
point, by God in the transfiguration (9.7).

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In every occasion, whenever Jesus’ identity was made known, Jesus immediately silenced it
because the Jewish understanding of the Messiah would do were radically different than what
Jesus, the Messiah, would actually do.

Here, as Jesus stands on trial, arrested and with the higher ups having people make up stories
about Jesus’ guilt, having the death sentence thrown at him (14.64 - 65), he publicly reveals that
he is the Christ.

The way that Jesus will now submit himself to the unjust decisions of the priests scribes and
Gentiles, all in fulfillment of his own predictions in 8.31; 9.31; 10.33 - 34, will all go to show the
work of the true Messiah.

15.1 - 20 - Trial Before Pilate

It’s now morning (15.1), but still on Friday since each day begins at sundown, not sun up. The
trial moves to Pilate, who Rome appointed to be governor in Judea.

The chief priests and scribes were not allowed to give the official call to put someone to death;
only Pilate could do that, but Pilate can’t seem to find anything wrong with Jesus. In fact, the
more Pilate hears, the more he sees that the priests and scribes are simply trying to find a
political way to have Jesus killed because they’re jealous that he’s stealing their thunder (15.10)!

You’ll want to observe here how the scribes are stirring people up and basically forcing Pilate’s
hand.

You’ll also want to observe Pilate’s sympathy for Jesus, yet, like Herod who had John the
Baptist put to death on account of the fear of man, Pilate also capitulates to the will of the crowd
(15.15).

Slide 51 - 15.16 - 38 - The Humiliation of The Cross

Jesus is taken away to be beaten with a whip 39 times. The number 39 was chosen because 40
was enough to guarantee that the person would die. Therefore, 39 was considered gracious since
it was one less, even though many people died from that alone.

After having his back flayed, Jesus is mocked when the Roman soldiers (cf. 10.33 - 34) perform
a mock enthronement ceremony for him (15.16 - 20).

Mark emphasizes the shame and mockery that Jesus endures by showing that Jesus can’t even
carry the cross because he’s so beaten down. Jesus is crucified and the soldiers beneath him
gamble over his clothes.

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Jesus is hung on the cross, between two thieves, making Jesus’ movement look so petty, with a
sign above him that says “King Of The Jews,” big enough for everyone walking by to see and
mock Jesus. The higher ups walk by, gloating in their apparent victory, mocking Jesus, and to
make things even worse, Jesus is mocked even by the thieves on his left and right!

Jesus is hung on the cross at 9am, and three hours later, at noon, darkness covers the land for
three hours, until 3pm, at which point Jesus screams out from Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why
have you forsaken me?”

15.39 - The Centurion Gets It

Jesus dies and the curtain in the temple, whether the curtain of the Holy of Holies or the Court of
the Gentiles, is torn, which is a symbol of the end of the temple as the meeting place of God.
Jesus’ death is the beginning of the temple’s destruction.

When Jesus dies, in keeping with the theme of the seemingly upside down values of the kingdom
of God, a Roman centurion, a Gentile, with zero previous theological training, no previous time
spent with Jesus, makes the most important theological observation of the entire day, and one of
the most important in the book, that Jesus, in his shame and humiliation and death on a cross, is
revealed to be the Son of God!

Indeed, the first are last and the last first. Greatness is measured through serving and status
means nothing. Where else should we expect to find this kind of statement than on the lips of a
Gentile!

15.42 - 47 - Jesus’ Burial

Since it is nearly time for the Sabbath, Jesus is taken down from the cross by a member of the
Sanhedrin, part of the ruling body who got Jesus crucified, and lays him in a tomb and rolls the
stone in front of it so that no one could get in or out.

16.1 - 8 - The Resurrection + A Strange Ending

Mark brings his account of the gospel to a close with the women coming to the tomb in order to
take care of Jesus’ body, but when they get there, the rock is rolled away, the body is gone and
there is only an angel inside telling the women that Jesus has gone ahead to Galilee, just like he
said he would (16.7; cf. 14.28). The women are to tell the disciples in general and Peter
specifically, but the women are too scared and don’t tell anyone (v. 8), and then the gospel ends.

Slide 52 - What Do We Do With 16.9 - 20?

Where and how Mark was supposed to end is a complex matter of debate.

Here’s the debate, when we look at the internal and external evidence of vv. 9 - 20, it’s easy to
see that this was not written by Mark.

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External Evidence
Our earliest and most reliable copies of Mark do not have vv. 9 - 20.

The earliest church fathers either did not know about the “long ending” of Mark, or they did and
they said that it was not part of the original.

The long ending of Mark did not start showing up in most manuscripts until the 7th century,
hundreds of years after Mark was written.

Internal Evidence
There is no use of the Greek words for “immediately” or “and.”

There is no mention of Galilee in vv. 9 - 20, and we would assume that there would be given the
angel’s statement in v. 7, just as Matthew laid out in his resurrection account.

The details about snake handling, speaking in tongues, drinking poison have no precedent
anywhere else in Mark.

Mark 1.1 - 16.8 is in clunky and awkward Greek, but vv. 9 - 20 are in beautiful and flowing
Greek.

Proposals For What To Do With vv. 9 - 20

1. Mark intended to end his gospel at 16.8, ending it as abruptly as he started it, and the
tension in the ending calls the readers to consider whether or not they too will be bound
by fear or will the take up their cross and follow Jesus by proclaiming the kingdom just
like he did, even if it means suffering.
2. Mark wrote a full ending that went beyond v. 8, but it was lost or destroyed, and since it
was missing, scribes took various bits and pieces from the other gospels and Acts and
gave what they considered to be a more complete and “proper” ending to Mark’s account
of the gospel.

My Position
Here’s my position. I think the internal and external evidence makes it crystal clear that Mark
16.9 - 20 was not written by Mark, and therefore I would not teach it as scripture.

I do not feel at a loss with this because if we do not have 16.9 - 20, we do not miss out on
anything in the NT since it is made up of so many quotes from the gospels and Acts.

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If I were going to preach or teach on the Great Commission, I would do it from the other gospels
until I felt persuaded that 16.9 - 20 was original.

Conclusion For The Book

Since the ending of the book is in dispute, I want to emphasize what Mark clearly emphasizes
throughout his account of the gospel, and how he seeks to use his story of Jesus’ life to disciple
his readers.

Jesus came to proclaim the gospel, and the gospel according to Mark is that in the person and
work of Jesus, the Kingdom of God has finally appeared.

The Kingdom of God is not so much about the place of his reign or the people over whom he
reigns, but rather the sovereign authority he has to reign over all of his creation.

Mark has given this book to his readers so that they may live out their lives under the sovereign
and gracious rule of God the Father, the King of the Universe. God exercised his rule and
authority through Jesus’ incarnation, and in Jesus’ incarnation, he has given authority to his
followers, provided that they will deny themselves, to no longer live for their own gain, but to
carry their cross, giving up everything to serve everyone.

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