Mark Lesson #03

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
MARK 1:14-45
LESSON #03
THE BURDEN-BEARER BEGINS TO RELIEVE THE PEOPLE OF THEIR BURDENS

• MEMORY VERSE: MARK 1:17
• READ MAR 1:14-15
• THE BEGINNING OF JESUS’ EARTHLY MINISTRY BEGINS WITH THE IMPRISONMENT OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.
• ACCORDING TO JOHN 3:22-24 JESUS AND JOHN THE BAPTIST SHARED A MINISTRY FOR A SHORT TIME. HOWEVER, WHEN JOHN WAS ARRESTED, THE SPOTLIGHT WAS ON JESUS ALONE.
• WHAT DID JOHN MEAN WHEN HE SAID, “THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND”? (15)
• MATTHEW USED THE PHRASE, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. ARE THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN THE SAME THING? NO. THERE IS A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE.
• THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN REFERS TO GOD’S RULERSHIP OVER THE WHOLE EARTH. IT OCCURS IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW BECAUSE GOD PROMISED THE JEWS THAT A DESCENDANT OF DAVID WOULD RULE OVER AN EARTHLY KINGDOM.
• REMEMBER THE MODEL PRAYER JESUS TAUGHT THE DISCIPLES:
• THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE AS IN HEAVEN SO IN EARTH.” (LUK 11:2)
• THE KINGDOM OF GOD REFERS TO A BROADER RULERSHIP OF GOD OVER THE WHOLE UNIVERSE.
• THE WORD FOR “KINGDOM” MEANS = A KINGLY RULE; SOVEREIGNTY; OR REIGN.
• THE FOCUS OF THE WORD, KINGDOM, IS ON THE RULER RATHER THAN ANY PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OF THE KINGDOM.
• THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAS SEVERAL ASPECTS:
• THERE IS AN INTERNAL REIGN OF CHRIST AS THE NON-BELIEVER INVITES CHRIST INTO HIS HEART TO BE HIS LORD AND SAVIOR. CHRIST REIGNS IN EACH BELIEVER’S HEART AND LIFE.
• THIS ASPECT OF THE KINGDOM IS CURRENTLY PRESENT.
• THERE IS AN EXTERNAL REIGN OF CHRIST THAT BEGINS AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. HE WILL ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM ON EARTH.
• THIS ASPECT OF THE KINGDOM IS STILL FUTURE.
• THEN THERE IS THE ETERNAL REIGN OF CHRIST THROUGH ALL ETERNITY FUTURE IN A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH
• THIS ASPECT OF THE KINGDOM IS ALSO DISTANT FUTURE.
• THE PHRASE “AT HAND” HAS CAUSED MUCH DISAGREEMENT AS TO WHAT JOHN MEANT.
• GOD’S KINGDOM HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN EXISTENCE EVER SINCE CREATION. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT EASILY SEEN. THEREFORE, WHEN JOHN SAYS “AT HAND”, IT REFERS TO JESUS’ MINISTRY ON EARTH THAT PEOPLE COULD EASILY SEE.
• JESUS SAID, “HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER.” (JOH 14:9)
• THE PHRASE “AT HAND” REFERS TO THE FACT THAT THE FULLNESS OF TIME HAD COME. THE PROPHETS PREDICTED THE COMING OF JESUS. GOD’S PLAN BROUGHT EVERYTHING TOGETHER AT THE PERFECT MOMENT.
• READ MAR 1:16-20 JESUS CALLS HIS DISCIPLES
• AFTER THE MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE AND BELIEVING, THERE NEEDS TO BE A RESPONSE BY THE REPENTANT BELIEVER. THE RESPONSE IS A COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW.
• THEREFORE, MARK FOLLOWS THE MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE WITH THE CALL OF THE DISCIPLES TO COMMIT TO FOLLOW JESUS.
• WHEN YOU READ ONLY ONE GOSPEL, IT APPEARS THAT MEN SAW JESUS AND SUDDENLY LEFT EVERYTHING IN THEIR LIFE AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED HIM WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT.
• HOWEVER, WHEN YOU PUT THE GOSPELS TOGETHER, THERE WERE 3 DISTINCT CALLS MADE TO THE MEN WHO WOULD BE JESUS’ DISCIPLES.
• =1= IN JOHN 1:35-51 IS A GENERAL AND CASUAL CALL MADE TO THESE MEN. THEN THESE MEN RETURNED TO THEIR EVERY DAY LIFE STYLE.
• =2= IN MARK 1:16-20 THERE IS A MORE SPECIFIC CALL MADE TO THESE MEN.
• THEY ARE NOW TOLD THE PURPOSE OF THEIR CALLING. THEY ARE TO BE FISHERS OF MEN. HOWEVER, THEY AGAIN RETURNED TO THEIR OLD LIFESTYLE.
• =3= IN MATTHEW 10, MARK 3, AND LUKE 6, THERE IS A FINAL CALL TO BE APOSTLES.
• READ MAR 1:21-34 THE BEGINNING OF JESUS’ MINISTRY OF PREACHING AND HEALING
• JESUS TAUGHT AS ONE HAVING AUTHORITY.
• NOTICE IT DOES NOT TELL US EVERYTHING THAT JESUS TAUGHT.
• JESUS HAD GREATER COMPREHENSION OF THE WORD OF GOD THAN THE SCRIBES, WHO SPENT A LIFETIME LEARNING THE SCRIPTURES.
• THE HEALING OF A MAN WITH AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT (23)
• WHAT IS AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT?
• THESE ARE DEMONS THAT POSSESSED THIS MAN’S HUMAN SPIRIT.
• DEMON POSSESSION WAS VERY COMMON DURING THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
• MARK TELLS US WHY JESUS PERFORMED MIRACLES OF HEALING. (27-28)
• THEY ADVERTISED THE GOSPEL BY GETTING PEOPLE’S ATTENTION.
• THEY VALIDATED JESUS’ AUTHORITY IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
• NOTICE THAT THE DEMONS KNEW WHO JESUS WAS. THEY SAID,”WHAT HAVE WE TO DO WITH THEE…THE HOLY ONE OF GOD” (24)
• HOWEVER, JESUS DID NOT WANT THE TESTIMONY OF DEMONS.
• THE PEOPLE OF THAT TIME WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CASTING OUT OF DEMONS. IT WAS USUALLY DONE BY A LENGTHY, PRESCRIBED RITUAL. HOWEVER, JESUS DID NOT DO IT IN THE EXPECTED WAY. THEREFORE, THEY SAW HIS SUPERNATURAL AUTHORITY IN ACTION.
• THE HEALING OF PETER’S MOTHER-IN-LAW. (29-31)
• VARIOUS MISC. HEALINGS (32-34)
• JESUS HEALED MANY MORE PEOPLE THAN THOSE INDIVIDUAL HEALINGS THAT APPEAR IN THE 4 GOSPELS.
• IF YOU COUNT THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL HEALINGS IN ALL THE GOSPELS, THERE ARE 39.
• ISA 53:5 AND 1PET 2:24 TELL US THAT BY HIS (JESUS’) STRIPES WE ARE HEALED. JESUS WAS BEATEN WITH A CAT-O-NINE TAILS ACCORDING TO THE ROMAN LAW THAT LEFT STRIPES ON HIS BACK. THE ROMAN LAW SAID THAT A PERSON COULD BE WHIPPED 40 TIMES BUT NO MORE. IN ORDER TO BE SURE A PRISON OFFICIAL DID NOT VIOLATE THE LAW, IN PRACTICE 39 STRIPES WERE GIVEN.
• THE NUMBER 39 IN THE BIBLE IS A SYMBOLIC NUMBER FOR DISEASE.
• MEDICAL SCIENCE HAS DIVIDED DISEASES INTO 39 MAJOR CATEGORIES.
• READ MAR 1:35-39
• JESUS PRAYED (35)
• DISCUSSION:

SINCE JESUS WAS THE SON OF GOD, THE SECOND MEMBER OF THE TRINITY, WHY WAS IT NECESSARY FOR HIM TO PRAY?

• JESUS MOVED FROM TOWN TO TOWN IN THE AREA CALLED GALILEE. WHY GALILEE?
• GALILEE WAS A BUSTLING CENTER FOR COMMERCIAL TRADE AND POLITICS. IT WAS THE CROSSROADS OF THE TRADING ROUTES. IT WAS VERY COSMOPOLITAN WITH PEOPLE OF ALL LANGUAGES, CULTURES, AND RELIGIONS MOVING THROUGH THAT AREA IN THE PURSUIT OF TRADE.
• THE PEOPLE OF THAT AREA DRESSED DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHER AREAS OF ISRAEL.
• THE PEOPLE HAD A UNIQUE DIALECT IN THEIR SPEECH THAT WAS EASILY DISTINGUISHABLE BY OTHER PEOPLE IN ISRAEL.
• THE PROGRESSIVE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THAT AREA WERE OFFENSIVE TO THE PEOPLE IN OTHER PARTS OF ISRAEL.
• JESUS PROBABLY PICKED THAT AREA FOR 2 REASONS:
• THE GOSPEL WOULD SPREAD EASILY FROM THAT AREA TO OTHER PARTS OF THE ROMAN WORLD BY TRADERS AND TRAVELERS.
• JESUS’ MESSAGE WOULD RECEIVE A GREATER RECEPTION IN GALILEE THAN IN AND AROUND JERUSALEM WHICH WAS CONTROLLED BY THE JEWISH LEADERS WHO HAD A HARDENED HEART TO ANYTHING NEW FROM GOD.
• READ MAR 1:40-45 THE HEALING OF THE LEPER
• LEPROSY, A GENERIC TERM RELATING TO VARIOUS SKIN CONDITIONS:
• WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LEPROSY AND THE IMPACT IT MADE ON LIFE IN THOSE DAYS.
• IN THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS, THERE IS A LOT OF SCRIPTURE ABOUT LEPROSY OF VARIOUS KINDS (THREE LONG CHAPTERS, 13-15). SOME LEPROSY DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS SEEMS VERY STRANGE TO US. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS EVEN THE DESCRIPTION OF A HOUSE THAT WAS INFESTED WITH LEPROSY. (LEV 14:33-53)
• WHAT IS KNOWN TODAY AS LEPROSY IS NOT WHAT IS DESCRIBED IN LEVITICUS. LEVITICUS SEEMS TO DESCRIBE VARIOUS DIFFERENT TYPES OF SKIN DISEASES FROM VERY SIMPLE RASHES TO ERUPTIONS OF RUNNING SORES THAT CAUSED DEATH. ALL OF THIS WAS CALLED LEPROSY IN BIBLE TIMES.
• WHEN A PERSON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LEPROSY, HE WAS BANNED FROM CONTACT WITH FAMILY AND SOCIETY. IT MEANT A LONELY EXISTENCE OFTEN WITHOUT A ROOF OVER THE HEAD OR ADEQUATE FOOD.
• GROUPS OF LEPROUS PEOPLE OFTEN BANDED TOGETHER ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF CITIES TO RAID THE GARBAGE DUMPS AND SHELTER THEMSELVES IN CEMETERIES.
• WHEN A PERSON WAS HEALED OF HIS SKIN CONDITION, THERE WAS A PRESCRIBED PROCEDURE THAT HE HAD TO FOLLOW BEFORE HE WAS ALLOWED TO ENTER SOCIETY ONCE AGAIN.
• HE HAD TO BE INSPECTED BY THE PRIESTS.
• HE HAD TO PERFORM A RITUALISTIC CLEANSING CEREMONY IN THE TEMPLE..(LEV 14:1-32)

• LEPROSY IN THE BIBLE IS A TYPE OR ILLUSTRATION FOR SIN

LEPROSY	SIN
LEPROSY AFFECTS THE WHOLE MAN, BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT	SIN AFFECTS THE WHOLE MAN, BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT
LEPROSY SEPARATES AND ALIENATES MAN FROM SOCIETY	SIN SEPARATES AND ALIENATES MAN FROM GOD
LEPROSY DEFILES (IS UNCLEAN) AND IS COMMUNICABLE	SIN DEFILES (MAKES MAN UNCLEAN BEFORE GOD) AND IS COMMUNICABLE, WE LEARN IT OR TEMPTED TO IT BY OTHERS.
LEPROSY IN BIBLE TIMES WAS INCURABLE	SIN IN BIBLE TIMES WAS INCURABLE UNTIL THE CRUCIFIXION
LEPROSY CANNOT BE HIDDEN BUT EVENTUALLY BECOMES OBSERVABLE	SIN CANNOT BE TOTALLY HIDDEN BUT EVENTUALLY BECOMES OBSERVABLE
LEPROSY WAS JUDGED BY THE PRIEST	SIN IS JUDGED BY GOD
LEPROSY STARTS SMALL AND GROWS	SIN STARTS SMALL AND GROWS

• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF JESUS FROM THIS PASSAGE?
• WE SEE HIS AUTHORITY.
• HE IS ALWAYS IN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION. HE IS NEVER RUSHED, CAUGHT BY SURPRISE, FRUSTRATED, OR IMPATIENT.
• WE SEE HIS COMPASSION.
• HE WAS WILLING TO SPEND THE TIME TO MINISTER TO THE PEOPLE.
• HE KNEW GOD’S PERFECT TIMING.
• THERE WAS A PLAN IN THE MIND OF GOD, THE FATHER, THAT HE FOLLOWED.
• WHY DID JESUS TELL PEOPLE NOT TO TELL ANYONE ABOUT THEIR MIRACLES OF HEALING?
• HE KNEW GOD’S PERFECT TIMING. HE DID NOT WANT OPPOSITION TO HIM TO GROW TOO RAPIDLY AMONG THE JEWS AND BECOME TOO ORGANIZED BEFORE THE PERFECT TIMING OF THE CRUCIFIXION.
• JESUS USUALLY USES THIS ADMONITION OF RESTRAINT WHEN HE MINISTERS TO JEWS OR WHEN HE IS IN AREAS HEAVILY POPULATED WITH JEWS.

• HOMEWORK
  MARK 2
  THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

• APPLICATION FOR MAR 1:14-45
• GOD HAS CALLED US TO BE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST JUST AS THE FIRST 12 WERE CALLED. .
• READ 11TIM 1:9
• WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS THE PURPOSE FOR GOD’S CALLING YOU?
• PREPARATION FOR MAR 2
• READ MAR 2:1-28
• WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MEANING OF THE PARABLE OF THE UNSHRUNK CLOTH AND THE PARABLE OF THE OLD AND NEW WINESKINS IN VERSES 18-22?
• WHAT POINT IS JESUS MAKING ABOUT THE SABBATH? (23-28)
• WHAT STATEMENTS OF SELF-REVELATION DOES JESUS MAKE IN THIS CHAPTER TO TELL US WHO HE IS?
• MEMORY VERSE: MARK 2:27