We are living in the day of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the day of grace when the Spirit of God takes the things of Christ and reveals them to us. Before you start each lesson, pray that our Lord will use it to grow you in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as He is revealed in each section.
Why is the Gospel according to Mark called the Gospel of Action?
The Gospel according to Mark is popularly known as the Gospel of Action because it is all about believing everything that Jesus said and did. The Gospel does not simply record what Jesus said; it directs us to live it out, acting on His words by His power. The Lord made it clear that if we say we believe but do nothing, we do not yet fully believe what He has said in His Word.
What were the sources of authentic information for Mark?
The Gospel of Mark was one of the first New Testament books to be written. Though John Mark, his full name, was not one of the twelve apostles, he travelled with Paul and his uncle, Barnabas, on their first missionary journey. His closest relationship, however, was with Simon Peter, and this Gospel has long been considered Peter’s own account, as told to Mark. Some have suggested that the facts of the Gospel come from Peter, and the explanations from Paul.
With whom in mind did Mark write the Gospel?
Mark wrote this Gospel specifically with the Romans in mind. The Romans had brought a kind of forced peace to the world - often called the Pax Romana - through their military strength and firm rule, and with it came justice, good roads, law and order, and protection. Those were the days when the Caesars ruled that part of the world.
What differences exist in the Gospel according to Matthew and Mark?
Considering Peter as its source, it is no wonder the Gospel of Mark is a Gospel of action - Peter was that kind of man. Here, the Lord Jesus lays aside the robes of royalty we saw in Matthew and girds Himself with the towel of service. Jesus is the King in Matthew, but the Servant, or Servant King, in Mark. Mark goes straight to the point, to the action and accomplishment of Jesus Christ.
What does the first chapter of the Gospel according to Mark cover?
As we begin the first chapter of the Gospel, we see the intensity of Jesus’ ministry. There is probably more content in this first chapter of Mark than in any other chapter in the Bible. It begins with the ministry of John the Baptist, showing how he fulfilled the prophecies of Isaiah and Malachi. It follows Jesus through a busy Sabbath, demonstrates His authority over the demonic realm, and concludes with a mighty work of cleansing a leper. Yet, despite the pressure of a busy life, Jesus still took time to pray, getting up before dawn to be alone with His Father. Mark wrote of the facts of the Gospel: the coming of Jesus Christ into the world, and His experience here for three and a half years in public ministry.
What did Mark write about John the Baptist, and why?
First, Mark tells us of the messenger, John the Baptist, a voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. John preached “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4). John did not baptise people in order to forgive their sins; rather, his ministry was about preparing the way for people to receive Jesus Christ. God called John to be a prophet in the wilderness, and it was to him that the crowds went out. He stirred them with his preaching, but John knew who he was, and he knew to whom he was to point people. He preached, saying, “There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose” (Mark 1:7).
What did John say about baptism?
John preached, “I indeed have baptised you with water: but he shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost” (Mark 1:8). Mark then tells us that when Jesus - the second person of the Godhead - is baptised and comes up out of the water, the Spirit of God, the third person, descends upon Him like a dove, and a voice out of heaven, God the Father, says, “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). The Trinity is brought out here by inference rather than by direct statement, and the moment affirms Jesus both as God’s Son and as the Man now ready for ministry.
What was the ministry of Jesus reported in the first section of the Gospel according to Mark?
Immediately after His baptism, Jesus did not begin His ministry. The Spirit of God drives Jesus into the wilderness for a time of testing. During forty days of intense prayer and fasting - which we emulate during the season of Lent - Satan tempts Jesus, but He does not fail; rather, He asserts the authority of God over everything. We will never know the depth of the pain He suffered in this wilderness. After the temptation, the Lord moves into His ministry, specifically with works and words that illustrate the work of a Servant King. He preached the Gospel of God, saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
What did Jesus do first as He began His ministry?
As Jesus begins His ministry in Galilee, He calls His disciples to follow Him. The first disciples, who were fishermen, leave their nets and follow Him into a busy life of ministry. This first section also tells us about a typical day with Jesus. It happened to be the Sabbath, and Jesus and His disciples were in Capernaum, Jesus’ ministry headquarters (since He had been rejected in Nazareth). That Sabbath morning, Jesus went into the synagogue and taught. The locals were “astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes” (Mark 1:22). There was nothing unusual about that day in the synagogue, but when our Lord came, His message startled everyone. Something was clearly different about this Teacher, and they all agreed on it.
What were two highlights of that Sabbath day?
- Jesus orders the demons around:
Interrupting Jesus as He taught, a man controlled by an unclean spirit cried out, “Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God” (Mark 1:24). Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Hold thy peace, and come out of him” (Mark 1:25). After this miracle, Jesus’ fame spread throughout the whole region around Galilee. The people were amazed both by the authority of His teaching and by this demonstration of a power only God has - yet even then, it was the demons, not the people, who recognised Jesus at once for who He was.
- He heals the sick:
Later that same day, Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law, as well as many more people: “he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils” (Mark 1:34). This is the beginning of Jesus’ healing ministry. Through His teaching and His healing alike, Jesus was preparing people for the salvation that would come through His death and resurrection - for only by His death for us on the cross can we be saved.
What was the last miracle healing Jesus performed reported in this chapter?
The last miracle in this chapter was a difficult case of leprosy. This disease was a killer, both physically, psychologically, and spiritually, since a leper was cut off from family, worship, and community, as well as from health. This leper came to Jesus, pleading for Him to heal him: “If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean” (Mark 1:40). Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand, touched him, and said, “I will; be thou clean” (Mark 1:41). The miracle was immediate: the man was completely healed. Jesus then had to leave the towns and go into the countryside, because of the crowds that began to gather around Him from every direction.
FOR DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION
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Mark’s Gospel answers the question, “Can Jesus do the job?” Looking at chapter 1 - His authority in teaching, over demons, and over sickness and disease - which moment convinces you most that Jesus really can do what He claims? Explain why that moment stands out to you.
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Jesus faced forty days of testing in the wilderness before He began His public ministry. Think of a time you faced pressure or temptation before an important moment in your own life - a hard decision, a new responsibility, a chance to stand up for what is right. What does Jesus’ example in the wilderness teach you about how to face your own testing?
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Jesus healed people’s bodies, but His deeper purpose was to bring people to repentance and faith in Him. Is there a “leprosy” in your own life - a habit, a hurt, or something you are ashamed of - that you need Jesus to reach out and touch? What makes it hard to bring that to Him, the way the leper did?
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John the Baptist was content to say, “There cometh one mightier than I after me.” He pointed people to Jesus rather than to himself. Where in your own life - with friends, on social media, in your family - could you take John’s attitude, and point others to Jesus rather than seeking attention for yourself?
—End of Lesson 1—