The Gospel of Mark Bible Study

I publish my Bible Studies on my blog to so that I can find them for use later. I also publish them to be used by others. The Bible Studies I create are very contextual to my particular congregation and setting. I invite anyone to use this Bible Study for Church, Small Group, or Personal use. I just ask that if you choose to use it, you leave a comment letting me know that you are using it and how it is working (or not working) for you. Let me know of any improvements that could be made.  Again, keep in mind that when I create a Study, I create it for a specific group of people, so adapt as needed. 

The Gospel of Mark Bible Study

Background Information:

            The Gospel can never be fully written.  The Gospel is not a book, but it is Jesus Christ.  As far as written Gospels go, scholars believe the Gospel of Mark was the first written Gospel.  At that time in history, being able to read was not normal, so stories and news were passed orally.  Though the story of Jesus was first written in Mark, the Gospel existed long before that.  Mark was probably written around the year 70 AD.

            Mark is one of the 3 Synoptic Gospels.  The Synoptic Gospels are Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  They are called Synoptic Gospels because most of the information is the same in all 3 (or 2 out of the 3 depending on the story being told).  Often the wording is almost “word for word.”  John is not a Synoptic Gospel.  John’s wording and emphasis is much different from the other 3. 

            Scholars say that Mark was written first because most if its information is in Luke and Matthew.  Scholars also say that Luke and Matthew got some of their information from a source that hasn’t been discovered.  They call that source “Q” (from “quelle”- a German word meaning “source).  Whether or not “Q” existed is unknown, but it would explain information in Luke and Matthew that is not in Mark.

            No one really knows who wrote Mark.  Names were not given to the Gospels until the 2^nd Century (101-200 AD).  Traditionally, the story says that Peter’s interpreter (John Mark) wrote Mark.  This may be the case, but it’s difficult, and probably impossible to prove now. 

            It’s also important to remember that just like every book in the Bible, each Gospel was written for a particular reason.  First, the reason was to give the story of Jesus Christ and to make believers.  But, each book was originally written to a specific group of people.

            Scholars believe that Mark was written to a community of people who were going through persecution and suffering.  As we read, we will see evidence of that.  Luke was probably written to a non-Jewish group, and Matthew was probably written for a “lower class” of Roman Citizens (Remember, Rome had control of the whole “known world” at that time, so this doesn’t mean that the people lived in Rome). 

            There are many ways to read the Bible.  We can read it for the story.  We can read it for a deeper meaning.  We can read it to see how it speaks to our situation.  As we do this study, we will see how Mark speaks to us today.  It is important, however, to remember that Mark did not write this Gospel for us.  In fact, Mark probably didn’t think the Gospel would last as long as it has.  It was written to a specific group of people for a specific purpose. 

            The beauty of the Bible is that even though the books were written to specific groups, they speak to all generations.

Schedule:

Week 1:  Introduction and questions.  Chapter 16 (Read together)

            Notice there are 2 Endings—why is that?

            Why would we start at the end?

            What does the resurrection mean for you?

            Why were the appearances added in the Longer Ending?  How do they speak                                     to us today?

            How does Jesus still speak to us today?  Personal examples you are willing to                                     share?

Week 2:  Read Chapters 1 and 2 and think about the following questions:

            Why didn’t Mark include a birth narrative (Christmas Story)?

            Why is John the Baptist so important?

            Why does Jesus tell the leper not to tell anyone who healed him?

            Why does Jesus do so many healings?

           

            How does the calling of disciples speak to us today?  What does it mean to be                                     “fishers of people?”

            How have you had an “unclean spirit” (vs. 21-34) and how has Jesus healed                                     you?  What do you think Mark meant by “unclean spirit?”

            Look at Chapter 2 vs. 17.  What does that mean for you? For the church?

            What is the importance of Sabbath to you?

Week 3:  Read Chapters 3 and 4

            Why did Jesus choose 12 apostles?  Why not another number?

            Why does Jesus sound so harsh in 3:31-35?

            What is a parable?  Why are they important?

            Why does Mark discuss Jesus stopping a storm?  What is the deeper                                                 meaning?

            3:13-19- Picture yourself as one of the apostles.  What would it take for Jesus                                     to convince you to be one?

            3:20-30-  Think about “a house divided against itself…will not be able to                                     stand.”  Do you see that in today’s world? In your life?  In the Church?

            3:31-35-  How has being a “family in Christ” affected you?  What more (or                                     less) would you like to see?

            4:30-32-  What does it mean that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard                                     seed?  How do you see it today?

            4:35-41-  Does Jesus stop storms today?  If so, how? If not, why not? 

Week 4: Read Chapters 5 and 6

            What is the Demoniac?  How might we describe him if he were alive today?

            What does the restoration of life to Jarius’ Daughter and healing the woman                                     with hemorrhages say about Jesus?  Does it apply today?

            Why does Jesus call the older lady “Daughter” and the young girl “Little Girl?” What would Jesus call you?

            Why would Jesus’ hometown reject him?  How does this happen today? (to                                     Jesus and people of this community)?

            If Jesus fed 5000 one day, what does that say about Jesus in today’s world?

            Does Jesus’ walking on water hold significance for you?  Why/Why not?

Week 5:  Read Chapter 9:1-13, 9:33-37, 10:17-31, 10:32-34

            Picture the Transfiguration.  What does it look like? Why is it important?  If                                     you were there, how would you have reacted?

            What does it mean to be the Greatest in the Kingdom?  Can we name people                                    who are/will be greatest?

            Why does Jesus tell this Rich Man to sell all he owns and give it to the poor?                                      He didn’t say that to everyone.  How does this speak to you and your situation?

            If you were with Jesus when he foretold his death, how would you have                                     reacted? Go back and read 8:31-38.  Was Jesus too harsh on Peter? Why didn’t Peter understand?  Do we understand?

Week 6: Read Chapter 11:1-11, 11:15-19, 12:18-40, 12:41-44

            Describe how the Triumphal Entry must have felt and looked.

            Would Jesus act the same way if he came to modern churches as he did in the                                     Temple?  What would he cleanse (if anything)?

            In 12:18-40, what do we learn of Jesus’ identity?

            How are we like/unlike the widow?

Week 7: Read Chapter 13

            Describe the significance of the Temple being destroyed.  Is he just talking                                     about the Jerusalem Temple?

            How do you feel about persecution?

            Did Jesus’ Death/Resurrection bring on the Kingdom of God?  Why would he                                     Return?

Week 8: Read Chapters 14-16

            Look at the details.  Why are they significant?  Which ones are most significant?

The Sermon I Did Not Want To Preach

For the Second Sunday of Lent, the Lectionary - that is the suggested Scripture Readings for that particular Sunday - included Mark 8:31-38.  This is the passage where Jesus is openly telling others that he will be killed and then rise on the 3rd day.  The Apostle Peter, trying to be a "good guy" comes up to Jesus and (in my own words) tells him that it doesn't have to be that way - they'd protect him (yes, I'm taking some liberties with the text, but the point is that he didn't want Jesus to suffer).  Jesus then oddly says to Peter "Get behind me, Satan!"  After saying that, Jesus then tells the people who are gathered there how to have eternal life.  He says they have to give up their lives to keep them.  He says that to be a follower people have to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him.

"Woah," I thought "No more Mr. Nice Jesus."
No more 6 lb. 7 oz. Baby Jesus (OK, if you're a Ricky Bobby Fan from the movie Talledega Nights, I probably butchered that reference, but that's beside the point).

This Jesus is making us choose between life and death.  Not his life and death, but our own.  And if it's not life and death, it's at least going to seriously affect our comfort!  I HAD to choose a different passage to preach from.  The lectionary is, after all, a guide, not a rule.  The church police wouldn't arrest me for not using the lectionary.  Well, we don't have church police, but if we did, it would probably only be a misdemeanor anyway.

But, the more I thought about it, I realized I HAD to preach from this text.  Not just for my congregation, but also for me.  I needed this.  I needed to be reminded how to follow Jesus.  I needed to be taken out of my comfort zone.

So, I sat down to write my sermon.  Actually, that's not entirely accurate.  Rarely do I "write" a sermon.  I'm too random for that.  I only "write" sermons for very formal occasions such as funerals, weddings, or high holidays, and even then, I'll deviate from what I have written.  For the normal Sunday service, I write out notes or prepare "notes" in my head depending on how familiar I am with the Scripture and where I feel I am led to preach.  Well, as I tried to write my notes out, I just couldn't do it.  It was too intrusive, too "hardcore."  This sermon would step on too many toes.  Heck, it was crushing mine, and I hadn't even put a word on paper yet.

This went on for several days, and finally by Saturday Night, I realized that something had to be done.  I am expected to deliver a sermon on Sunday, and I only had a few hours until Sunday was to come.  So, I reread the Scripture for the millionth time and then put down a few notes.  I wasn't sure where this was going to go, but I figured I had God in a trap.  "I'll stand up there," I said, "but You have to give me the words."

Sunday came.  Time for the sermon.  I was nervous.  That's a lie....I was terrified.  I rarely get that nervous before anything anymore.

I started off by making my confession that I did not want to preach this sermon.  This was the hardest sermon I've ever preached.  I didn't even know where it would end up.  I apologized that I knew I'd be stepping on toes, but told them that if their toes got stepped on, they should know that in the process, I'd been run over by a steam roller!  Then I jumped in.

First I addressed Jesus saying "Get behind me, Satan." Jesus isn't saying Peter was indwelled by the devil, but rather that Peter was focussing on fleshly answers and not Godly answers.  That's explained in the Scripture.  Ok, so far, so good.

Then, I had to explain what it mean to follow Jesus.  And in this Scripture there was a 3-part formula:
1. Deny yourself
2. Take up your cross
3. Follow Jesus

Deny Yourself
This may be one of the hardest things for anyone to do.  It is for me.  I don't like to deny myself.   When I'm tired, I like to rest.  When I'm hungry, I like to eat.  That's why I preach facing the congregation and don't give them a profile view (insert chuckle).  But, this denial is not something we do to look more pious or holy.  We don't deny ourselves lunch so that we look pale so others can see we are suffering for Christ.  This denial is saying that we are not the most important creation ever.  We are not the center of the universe.  Our plan is not central, but God's is.  So, I told my congregation, it's ok to buy new clothes from time to time - heck, I don't want to see them in loin-cloths, and they CERTAINLY don't want to see me in a loin-cloth!

Take Up Your Cross
We use Crosses as jewelry and decorations.  In modern times, that's fine because it reminds us of Christ, but to a citizen of the first century Roman Empire, they would think we are sadistic!  It would be like wearing jewelry shaped like the electric chair...but worse.  We don't really have public executions, at least in this part of the world.  Most of us have never seen an execution on the electric chair, though we know what it's used for if we see one.  We may know some of the horror, but having not seen the actual execution, we don't know the entire horror of the electric chair.

The Cross was an instrument of death.  And Jesus is telling us to pick one up?  He's not talking about jewelry. He's talking about taking something that may kill us.  What he's saying is that if we're going to be disciples, our lives are secondary to the service of God.  We may die serving God.  To humans that sounds awful.  But to God, that's a smooth transition.  We see death as a finality.  God sees death as a mere transition because Christ defeated death.  Jesus is saying that if we're serving God, we don't have to be afraid, even if we have to face the possibility of our own death.

Follow Me
Only then can we follow Jesus.  Only after we put ourselves in our proper place can we follow Jesus.  Following Jesus is difficult and dangerous, but we are not alone.  We may suffer, but we are not without a comforter.  We may experience difficulties, but never without help.  We may be hated, but never without ultimate love.


What If We Took This Seriously - This is where toes will get stepped on
We can change the world with God if we just follow Jesus.  What would happen to poverty if just the Christians took their call seriously?  We'd eliminate it, that's what would happen.  We wouldn't worry about who "deserves" help and who "doesn't deserve" help because God never tells us which poor deserve our ministry, but it's clear that we are to minister to the poor.  Yes, some are poor because of sinful and bad and stupid choices...But, it's not our place to judge.  That's God's job.

The sick wouldn't have to worry about being insured or not if the Christians would do what we are called to do.  There simply wouldn't be a national debate about insurance.  Medical bills would simply be covered for all who need it if we took our call as Christians seriously to love God and neighbor.  There would be no "us" and "them."  There would be no "mine" and "yours."  And this is just if the Christians lived our faith...I haven't even taken into consideration if we evangelized and converted others.

Criminals would be rehabilitated.  Prisons would not be places to make criminals more hardened, they would be places to reconcile those who have done wrong back to society.  Of course all could not be saved, but many would.  Of course, crimes need to be punished, but it does no good to punish someone without teaching them how to do something right.  If just the Christians did this, our crime rate could exponentially decrease.

These are just a few of the issues that we could fix if Christians took Jesus seriously.  Are we willing to do it?  Most Christians would say "Yes, go get them!"  Few would say "Yes, let me at them."  But, we need to answer both ways.  One person cannot do it alone.  We must do it as Christ's Body led by the Holy Spirit.