Introduction & Mark 1:1-13
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Introduction & Mark 1:1-13 Class Discussion for September 23, 2020 Trinity Lutheran, Zanesville, OH Opening Prayer As We Begin As we begin our study of Mark’s gospel what do you know about it already? Feel free to list or share as many things as you can think of. What do you hope to learn as we read through this account together over the next several weeks? About the Author (From CPH’s Mark Study Questions) The Gospel of Mark was written c. AD 50-60 by John Mark. John Mark was a youth during Jesus’ ministry and yet he likely was present at certain events in the early church. His mother’s house served as a meeting place for the early Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12), and some Bible scholars believe that Jesus celebrated the Last Supper at Mark’s house. Other scholars suggest that Mark was the young man who appeared in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:51-52). One might wonder though how Mark was able to provide the eyewitness account of Jesus’ ministry in this gospel if he was only a youth at the time. Here’s the rest of the story… Mark was a cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10) and accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey but then he abandoned the mission at Pamphylia. When Paul brought up the idea of returning to those churches, Barnabas wanted to give Mark a second chance and bring him along. But Paul did not think that would be a good idea. So Barnabas took Mark along to Cyprus while Paul took Silas on his second journey (Acts 15:36–40). Eventually, Mark found his way to Rome, where he met up with Peter and became his helper. Early church historians tell us Mark composed this Gospel from his recollections of sermons he had heard Peter preach while in Rome. Around AD 130, Bishop Papias of Hierapolis wrote, “Mark, having become Peter’s interpreter, wrote down accurately, though not in order, as many as he remembered of the things said or done by the Lord. For he neither had heard the Lord nor followed Him, but at a later time, as I said, [he followed] Peter, who delivered his instructions according to the needs [of the occasion].” So Peter’s eye witness accounts of the words and works of Jesus are the source material for the Gospel of Mark. The Purpose of the Gospel We remember that the synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were all written from slightly different points of view and different purposes. Matthew being a Jew, wrote his gospel to appeal to the Jewish people to show them that this Jesus was the long-promised Messiah of the Old Testament- the One that they had been waiting for. Meanwhile, Luke, the doctor, wrote his gospel with precision and exacting details to show his hearers how Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection fit into the landscape of human history. Mark’s gospel account was written to convince Peter’s Roman readers that Jesus was who He said He was- God’s Son and the Savior of the world. Mark’s Favorite Sport What is your favorite sport to watch? What is your least favorite? Why do you feel that way? Feel free to share with the group. Based on the style of writing in Mark’s gospel, perhaps we could say that his favorite sport was basketball- because his gospel is written like he is on a fast break. The Greek word euthus is used 51 times throughout the New Testament, with 41 of those occurrences in the Gospel of Mark. Euthus is translated in English as “immediately.” Time and time again Mark uses this word to transition from one event of Jesus’ ministry to another. Other than two discourses in chapters 4 and 13, the Gospel of Mark is all about the actions of Jesus- immediately coming one after another after another. In this way Mark seeks to remove all doubt from his readers of who this Jesus truly is through an ever-increasing onslaught of His works that happen immediately on top of each other throughout the gospel. Do you think this is an effective technique? What type of people might it appeal to most? What type of people might it not appeal to? Because of Mark’s focus on the events and actions of Jesus’ ministry, Mark is the lone synoptic gospel that doesn’t include a genealogy or an account of Jesus’ birth. What do you think this conveys to his readers? The Gospel’s Great Secret In addition to his supposed love of basketball, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mark enjoyed a good mystery novel too. I say that because his writing of this gospel carries a great secret with it throughout. The secret is who Jesus is- that is the underlying tension throughout the entire gospel. Mark opens in the very first verse with a narrative introduction of who Jesus is, but it is clear throughout that almost everyone encountering Jesus’ ministry is still in the dark about that truth. Four times in the gospel, Mark shares testimonies of who Jesus is. Early on God Himself testifies to Jesus’ identity. Then later a demon does. Still later a disciple comes around to make the confession. And in the climatic peak of the book, even someone who was not a follower of Jesus does too. When we get to the end of the book, there is a long-held debate if the final 12 verses of the gospel (Mark 16:9-20) were original to Mark or if they were added later. Without them the gospel seems to end abruptly without a clear summation from the author of who Jesus is. But perhaps that fits into Mark’s mystery novel style too. He shared the events and actions of Jesus’ life again and again throughout his gospel. He dropped the testimonies of who certain people believed Jesus to be too, but then he leaves his readers with the responsibility of making their own confession based off what they read that Jesus had done. As we read through the gospel together over the next few weeks, be on the lookout for the people who testify to who Jesus is and take note of what Jesus’ actions say about who He is too. John Baptizes Jesus + Read Mark 1:1-13 It only takes ten verses for Mark to break out his favorite word. Re-read Mark 1:10 without the word immediately, then read it one more time with that word. What does the word add to the account of Jesus’ Baptism? What do you think is the significance of the violent opening of the heavens in verse 10? Lookup Isaiah 64:1 and Mark 15:37-38. In verse 11, Mark drops the first testimony to who this Jesus is. Adding to the mystery, Mark doesn’t spell out who speaks these words- what does he say instead? Who does the voice testify that Jesus is? What happened immediately after Jesus’ baptism? Why do you think the devil seeks to tempt Jesus? Prayer Requests and Closing Prayer Sources + The Lutheran Study Bible (ESV), Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, 2009. + Books of the Bible Study Questions: Mark from Concordia Publishing House. + Concordia Commentary: Mark 1:1-8:26, James W. Voelz, CPH, St. Louis, 2013. .