The Gospel According to Mark - Gospel Lessons

The Gospel According to Mark Notes and Commentary

Siege of Jerusalem (70) The destruction date according to the Hebrew calendar was the 9th of Av, also known as Tisha B'Av (29 or 30 July 70). Wikipedia Public Domain

By Jim Wilsford

All scriptures are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted. You may reproduce these materials free of charge for personal or Bible class study. However,

you may not reproduce these materials in any form for commercial purposes. ? 2006-2011 James A. Wilsford

Email: jwilsford@sc. Phone: 803 534-4759

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Gospel according to Mark

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Mark 1: The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

3

Mark 2: Jesus Demonstrates Power over Sin and Calls Sinners

10

Mark 3: Jesus Demonstrates Power and Contends with the Pharisees

15

Mark 4: Jesus Begins Teaching Many Things by Parables

21

Mark 5: Jesus Continues His Miracles and Raises Jarius' Daughter: Mark 5

26

Mark 6: Jesus in His Hometown, the Limited Commission, the Death of John,

the Loaves and Fishes, and Walking on Water

30

Mark 7: Holding on to the Traditions of Men, What Is Clean and Unclean,

Visit to Tyre and Return to Galilee

36

Mark 8: More Loaves and Fish, Yeast of the Pharisees, His Impending

Rejection, and

"Take up My Cross"

40

Mark 9: The Coming of the Kingdom and the Impending Betrayal of the Lord

45

Mark 10: Jesus Teaches in Judea, across the Jordan, and up to Jerusalem

52

Mark 11: Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem and His First Encounters

62

Mark 12: Jesus Teaches in Jerusalem

67

Mark 13: Coming Events of Greatest Importance

72

Mark 14: Institution of the Lord's Supper, Betrayal of Jesus, and First Trial of Jesus 79

Mark 15: The Final Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus

87

Mark 16: The Resurrection and the Great Commission

92

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Introduction to the Gospel according to Mark

Luke first introduces Mark with Barnabas and Paul, as they leave from Jerusalem on their return to Antioch, after distributing financial assistance from Antioch to the famine-stricken churches of Judea in Acts 12:25: "25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark."

Earlier in Acts 12:12-15, an angel delivered from prison by an angel, appeared at the house of mother of John Mark:

12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!"

15 "You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."

This passage shows us that John Mark's family was wealthy, with both Jewish and Roman histories, by his name John, Jewish and Mark, Roman. The house had a large gathering room, and an outer entrance, implying a courtyard. A servant answered the door. Mark's family as wealthy Jews with Roman history is consistent with the status of Mark's cousin, Barnabas. According to Col 4:10, He was Mark's cousin: "10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)" And according to Acts 4:36-37, Barnabas, himself, was wealthy enough to have and sell property for the good of the saints in:

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.

Peter, by tradition, deeply influenced Mark, calling him in 1 Peter 5:13-14: "My Son":

"13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love."

Many believe that Mark, who was not an eyewitness to the Lord, recorded many of the incidents in his Gospel from conversations with Peter while together in Babylon. Some incidents in Mark's gospel , however, seem to come from other eyewitnesses; such as the following personal account told to him perhaps by James, brother of the Lord. Only an eyewitness, family member could give some of the details found in Mark 3:21-22

21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."

And concluded in Mark 3:31-32:

31 Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."

Luke first noted John Mark's work with Paul in Acts 13:5: "When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper." Described as helper here, John quits the group in Acts 13:13, "13 From Paphos, Paul

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and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem." Although we do not know, the dispute was probably a disagreement with Paul on the issue of the obligation of Gentiles to keep the Law of Moses. Mark, known by his Jewish name John turned back. We also learn that Barnabas also had reservation on the issue of how binding is the Law of Moses. In Gal 2:13, Paul said, "13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray." The issue of circumcision and the Law of Moses boiled over; and in Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas took the issue to the elders and apostles in Jerusalem. It is interesting that Luke last called Paul by his Jewish name in Acts 13. In Acts 15:12-13, Luke records, "12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them." After the issues were resolved and a letter written to the Gentile churches, Paul Barnabas prepare for another missionary journey at express wishes of those in Jerusalem in Acts 15:2526:

25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul-- 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Mark once again desires to go. Paul resisted in Acts 15:37-39 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus. By Col 4:10, Paul mentions Mark directly: "10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) Paul's endorsement of Mark included paving the way for him with the Gentile churches. In Philem 24, Mark is a fellow worker with Paul, right there with Luke: "24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers." The conclusion of the story of Paul and Mark is happy and encouraging, recorded in 2 Tim 4:11-13: 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. However, Mark's association with Peter most probably resulted in the Gospel According to Mark. 1 Peter 5:13-14, concludes what we already know. 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love.

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Mark 1: The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

The Beginning of the Gospel about Jesus Christ

Mark 1:1-3 1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way"-- 3 "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"

The Gospel by Mark begins with Jesus and John the Baptist. Matthew and Luke cover much more of the Lord's early life and matters of importance to many of their readers: genealogies, the virgin birth, the nativity, and days in the temple. Mark's narrative starts at the beginning of the Gospel, focusing on Jesus life as one who demonstrates the power of God and one who teaches the will of God. Mark chooses two prophecies foretelling the coming of John the Baptist. The first in verse 2 is from Mal. 3:1, and the second in verse 3 is from Isa 40:3. Both Matthew and Luke quote the Isaiah passage, but much later in their gospels (Matt 3:3 and Luke 3:4-6). Luke's reference includes the follow-up verses, which illuminate the great importance of John's message and the coming of the messiah:

"A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.

5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low.

The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.

6 And all mankind will see God's salvation.'" [Emphasis added.] Mark 1:4 4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John came immersing--the proper English word for baptism. Strong gives the meaning:

baptizo (bap-tid'-zo); from a derivative of NT:911; to immerse, submerge; to make overwhelmed (i.e. fully wet); used only (in the N. T.) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism: Baptist, baptize, wash.

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