This week we will
start the book of Mark.
Mark focuses on the deeds, rather than the teachings of Jesus, putting the emphasis on Jesus being the “servant” of the Lord. You may want to consult your study Bible or any of the many fine commentaries. It suffices to say here that Mark writes possibly from Rome to the persecuted Italian new believers, giving them perhaps the earliest written account of the gospel. He writes with many vivid words (like immediately) that engage the readers with the emotion and tension of the gospel account.
(1) Imagine this as the first ever written account of the gospel. If you were a non-believer, especially in Rome, what impact might the first line of this gospel have on you?
(2) Mark does not begin with the birth of Jesus, but with the beginning of His ministry. What does this tell you about the purpose of his writing, as inspired by the Holy Spirit?
(3) Mark appeals to Isaiah 40:3 to portray John the Baptist as the one foretold to prepare the way for Jesus. What was the significance of John’s ministry? Why was it so necessary? What if there weren’t any preparatory ministry by John to precede Jesus’ own ministry?
(4) What does John testify about Jesus in concrete terms?
(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
The Four Gospels not only mention the ministry of John the Baptist, but they also point out that he and his ministry had already been foretold by the prophet Isaiah. In other words, his ministry was not to be taken likely for he would play an important part in the plan of salvation in Jesus Christ.
In the Four Gospels, we see the immediate impact of his ministry as he boldly pointed out the sins of the religious leaders and called them and the people to repentance. His ministry was greeted with great success, as even many of the religious leaders came to receive his baptism of repentance.
But his ministry was meant to be preparatory in that should these repenting Jews not subsequently listen to his testimony about who Jesus is, their baptism of repentance would be totally meaningless.
As it happened, some of those who received John's baptism of repentance did believe in his testimony and went on to follow Jesus. These included Peter and Andrew.
When we leave the Four Gospels and read about the post-resurrection accounts in the Book of Acts, we come to realize that while many of the Apostles stayed in Jerusalem, many of John’s disciples spread throughout Asia Minor and beyond, carrying the gospel with them. As a result, they played no small part in the spread of the gospel beyond Jerusalem. All these were a result of the bold ministry of John the Baptist.
As much as we do understand that no one is indispensable when it comes to the ministry of the church, one has to wonder what if—what if John did not faithfully carry out his role as the one who prepared the way of the Lord?
(1) Mark gives only a summary of Jesus’ baptism, but in a summary, Mark purposely highlights several important truths about Jesus. What are they?
(2) Consult John 1:32-34. For whom was this baptism meant, at least in part?
(3) Again, Mark gives a summary account of Jesus’ temptation in the desert. What is he trying to highlight and how are they significant?
(4) Mark then jumps to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee after John the Baptist was jailed. Again, he gives an extremely brief summary of the message of Jesus, highlighting the essence of Jesus’ message. What is he trying to highlight and what is their significance?
(5) What follows is the account of calling of the first disciples. Can you catch some of the special words Mark uses to give a vivid account of what happened? What is Mark trying to tell us?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Mark is known to employ words like “immediately” to engage the emotion of his readers and to paint a very vivid picture of the event he describes. And, in the account of the calling of the first disciples of Jesus, he describes Peter and Andrew as leaving their nets “immediately” to follow Jesus.
The account might give us the impression that Peter and Andrew made such an important decision in life in a hasty manner. But the gospel of John tells us otherwise. The truth of the matter is that the brothers met Jesus earlier when John the Baptist pointed them to Jesus, saying He is the Lamb of God (Jn. 1:36). Peter and Andrew spent at least a day with Jesus, learning more about Him on a one-on-one basis.
So, it appears that when they went back to their own profession as fishermen, they had more time to digest and mull over Who Jesus is and whether to follow Him. Then Jesus showed up along the shore of Galilee and called them to follow Him. At this time, they would have thought over their decision, and were ready to make an immediate commitment.
Yes, there are those who use “haste” as an excuse not to make a decision to follow Christ, and there are also those who appear to make a decision to follow without much hesitation. Since following Christ is such a personal matter, it is not wise for us to judge in this respect.
The key is always whether the one making the decision has been “convicted” by the Holy Spirit. If this person is convicted by the Holy Spirit of his sins and the love of Christ, who are we to say that he is not ready to make a decision to follow Christ? The worst is when a person has no conviction of his sin and yet makes a decision to follow Christ; it is at best a rational choice, but not necessarily one that is “in spirit and in truth”.
(1) Where did Jesus meet the man possessed by an evil spirit? What does it say about the spiritual condition of the time?
(2) As this marks the early period of Jesus’ ministry, why would Jesus stop the evil spirit who appeared to be testifying for him, calling him “the Holy One of God”?
(3) Read a similar account in Acts 16:16-18 where Paul also refused to be associated with the demon and would not accept their testimony. What can you learn from both accounts? (Refer to 2 Co. 6:14-18.)
(4) The people hearing his preaching and witnessing the driving out of the demon, said, “A new teaching”. In what sense was the teaching “new”? Is it “new” also to today’s generation?
(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
The incident about Jesus’ stopping the “testimony” of the evil spirit in Mark 1:25 reminds me of a similar incident in Acts 16:16-18. Allow me to simply repeat the article I wrote at the time:
I have come across incidents where Buddhist monks or nuns attempted to reach out to Christian churches, with the notion that we are really the same and all religions somehow lead to the same God. Some Christian leaders appeared also to welcome them with open arms.
Paul’s treatment of the slave girl in Acts 16 should help us guard against such misguided enthusiasm.
When you think about it, the slave girl was actually doing Paul and Silas a great favor on the surface. The two were foreigners introducing a brand new faith to this pagan city. The slave girl was not only known locally, but quite sought after too. Therefore, it would not seem to hurt Paul’s cause when the slave girl (or rather the demon or evil spirit within her) testified to who Paul and Silas was. She told the people, “The men are servants of the Most High God.” Not only that, she appeared to give credence to their message: “(they) are telling you the way to be saved.” (16:17)
The hearers who revered the slave girl and her spirit would have no problem welcoming Paul and Silas and their message because of her testimony. But Paul would have none of that. In the name of Jesus, he drove out the evil spirit from the slave girl. One might wonder why Paul would choose to do this. The reason, in fact, is not hard to understand.
In 2 Corinthians 6:15, Paul strongly preached against the unequal yoke between believers and the world, and in so doing he said, “What harmony is there between Christ and Belial (i.e. demon)?”
In testifying about who Paul and Silas were and what their message is, the evil spirit was hoping that the people would not only believe the gospel message, but would also remain loyal to him. In other words, the evil spirit was trying to elevate himself to the level of God, and was hoping that the people would not take Christ as the only way to salvation.
But God would have none of that. There is no room for coexistence between God and demons or idols. By driving the evil spirit out of the slave girl in the name of Jesus, Paul proved to the people that there is only one true God, and there is also only one true way to salvation, which is through Jesus Christ.
I do understand that even Buddhist monks need to hear the gospel, but we should guard against being manipulated into sending a wrong message to the people that Christ and Belial can be in harmony!
(1) Compare this miracle of the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law with the driving out of the demon. Which is the more spectacular? Which is a greater miracle? Why?
(2) Of all the disciples, we know at least Peter was married. 1:18 says, he “at once” left his nets and followed Jesus. Refer to Mark 10:28. What really has Peter left behind? What did he think of his decision? What did this “small” miracle mean to his family?
(3) Mark paints a very human picture of a small working-class town where people all had to work in the daytime. That evening, they all flocked to Jesus at Peter’s house with their lanterns or lamps. Read Isaiah 9:1-2 and soak in what was happening that night.
(4) 1:35 gives us a picture of Jesus’ “devotional life”. How does Mark, in a few words, give us Jesus’ example of what prayer-life should be?
(5) When everyone was looking for Jesus, He decided to go somewhere else. Why? What can we learn about the priority of Jesus’ ministry?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
I am greatly bothered by some of the devotional books that promote a few minutes of devotional time a day. Such shallowness is alarming. Some even use Brother Lawrence’s famous term of “practicing the presence of God” to imply that it is sufficient to “sense” God’s presence in everything we do, without cutting out an extended time of solitude in prayers and scriptural reflection.
They have obviously overlooked that Brother Lawrence grounded his practice of the presence of God in his own extended time of fellowship with God on a daily basis.
Even worse is that such teaching simply “uses” God to give us a sense of peace to carry us through the day. But our relationship with God is not based on utility, but one that is based on love—the cultivation of intimacy between two people in love.
As a result, we see in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ that in the midst of the demand of ministry, He intentionally cuts off an extended period of time to be alone with Father God. So we read in Mark 1:35, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.”
Jesus, indeed, leaves us the best example for how to spend time with God:
- When: To be able to get up early in the morning takes preparation the night before, without which we will not be able to wake up to meet with God.
- Where: If there is anyone who can genuinely practice the presence of God anywhere, it has to be the Son of God, and yet He finds it absolutely necessary to be away from the crowd and his usual environment to meet with His Father, without any distraction.
- What: And in solitude, He talks to His Father.
- How often: The Four Gospel undoubtedly gives us the impression that this is His habit throughout the life of Jesus on earth, and often He would pray the entire night.
If the Son of God “needs” to cut out so much time, often to meet with His Father God, how much more do we need to do so in order that we may grow in our knowledge of Him and His will for us, to receive strength to do His will, to be able to recognize our sins and repent, and to grow in our love for Him and men?
(1) How did the leper come to ask Jesus for healing? What does this tell you about him?
(2) Did the leper have faith when he said, “If you are willing”? What should faith in God entail?
(3) What options can you think of that Jesus could use to heal him? What method did He choose and why?
(4) As a leper, what kind of a plight would he have gone through in life? What kinds of healing did this touch accomplish?
(5) Jesus asked the man to comply with Mosaic Law after cleansing. What does such a ceremony aim to accomplish?
(6) Was it not natural for the man to spread such good news? What did his disobedience accomplish?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Although Mark always records his stories in a very short and concise manner, it does not take away the precious message behind each incident. The healing of the leper in Mark 1:40-45 is a case in point.
Mark simply tells us that there is leper. Beyond that, there is not much information of who he is. But the fact that he kneels before Jesus, someone he has only heard of, fully shows his desperation and the plight of his situation—the loneliness, the hopelessness and pain, both physical and emotional.
Mark also records a very simple plea, “If you are willing.” This is such a vivid depiction of the struggle among believers. We have no doubt about God’s mighty power to heal, but we often struggle with whether He cares enough to heal!
I sense that God is not so much disappointed with our lack of faith in His power than His hurt by of our lack of trust in His love that He cares! And so, He wishes to demonstrate to this leper that He does care, not by simply commanding the disease to go away (which He certainly could do), but by touching him with His bare hand. Who knows for how long that anyone has touched this leper especially since he contracted the disease. No one even wanted to come close to him. This touch has to be so unexpected, and yet so powerful. It must have touched him to the core of his inner being!
Frankly, even if he were not healed, he would have worshipped Him as God, because only God would care enough to touch a leper like him. But the fact is that he is healed! I know he did not obey Jesus’ command to keep quiet, but how can one keep silent! If he kept quiet, as Jesus said in another occasion, the stones would cry out! This is the kind of God we have in Jesus Christ. A God who cares!
The early fathers told us that Mark was writing this gospel exactly as he heard from Peter. Therefore, it is natural that much of the early accounts center around Peter’s hometown and his home.
(1) “Jesus saw their faith” (2:5). Whose faith did He see? How did they demonstrate their faith? How special was it?
(2) Instead of saying “be clean” like He said to the leper in chapter one, why did He say, “your sins are forgiven”? What is the basis for forgiveness of sin according to the Bible? (I John 1:9)
(3) Jesus asked, “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’, or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'?”. What do you think the answer should be? Can Jesus say to all the sinners in the world, your sins are forgiven? Why not?
(4) What does Mark aim to tell us about Jesus in this miracle?
(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
One of the common heresies in Christianity is the notion that since God is so loving that He will not really condemn everyone to hell, but all will somehow be saved.
But this is certainly not the message of the gospel.
It is true that “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:17) But this is not the whole truth. John continues to say that “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (Jn. 3:18)
The truth is there is really one thing that God cannot do, and that is to forgive us irrespective of whether we repent of our sins or not. This is simply contrary to His character. It is with this thought that Jesus challenges the scribes by asking, “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’, or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?” (Mk. 2:9).
For one, Jesus wants to convince them of Who He is, the only One who can forgive. The evil spirits, as we know, may be able to perform miracles, but they can never forgive sins, because they themselves are sinners. Only God can and that is Who Jesus is.
But if the paralytic does not have the faith of repentance, there is nothing God can do. This is what happens to the rich young ruler in Mark 10, as he leaves in sadness without the faith of repentance, although Jesus clearly loves him. (Mk. 10:21)
(1) From this brief account about Levi, can you describe the kind of life a tax collector might have? Take time to think of someone that you know who might live a life quite similar to that of Levi (who is Matthew). How hard might it be for that person to become a Christian? Why?
(2) Why then would Levi follow Jesus immediately upon being called?
(3) What did Levi do right after he became Jesus’ disciple? Why did he not cut off all ties with his former circle? (Many commentators tell us that the term, sinners, refers to prostitutes.)
(4) Ask yourself, if you were one of the Pharisees, would you feel comfortable about Levi and his circle of friends and their lifestyle? Would you also wonder why Jesus would willingly be part of such a dinner?
(5) As a Christian, what might be the kind of people that would make you uncomfortable in associating with?
(6) Mull over the reply Jesus gave in v.17. How should it affect your attitude toward reaching people who might make Christians uncomfortable?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
I think you would agree with me that the longer we have become Christians, the fewer non-Christian friends we have.
On the one hand, it is natural.
As we become a Christian, we enter into a brand new family, the family of God. And as a new baby in Christ, we desperately need nurture and growth, and growth in Christ is definitely relational. Therefore, it is a must that we devote much time, not only in personal devotion, but in corporate worship and fellowship. And as we grow and acquire gifts of service from the Holy Spirit, it is also natural that we are willing to exercise our spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ. All these, together with our need to care for our family and to work for a living, have meant that we rarely have time to maintain our existing friendships with our secular friends, let alone building new ones.
So the question remains: How can we truly accomplish the Great Commission (not as a full-time missionary) with a depleting pool of non-Christian friends?
This is the reason that the example of Levi is so important to us.
He did not cut off his circle of friends once he became a follower of Christ. You have to understand what his friends were—the most secular and worldly bunch that the Pharisees of his time frowned upon. And the company these friends kept was not really the purest—they were prostitutes. If I were his counselor, I would have advised Levi to cut off his ties completely with his former friends.
To our surprise, not only did he not shun his worldly friends, he threw a dinner for them in his home, allowing his friends to bring their companions, the sinners (i.e. prostitutes along). But he did it for one reason only—so that they may meet Jesus. By hosting his friends, he was not condoning their sinful lifestyle, nor was he re-living his former life. Rather, he was using whatever influence he still had with them, to bear testimony to his newly transformed life—by introducing to them his new Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
It is
also with this in mind that Paul says,
“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people — not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.” (1 Co. 5:9-10)
I believe we need to intentionally maintain or re-cultivate a circle of secular friends for the sake of introducing our Lord Jesus to them.