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The Life of Christ in the Book of Mark:
by Brad Anderson
Introduction
This lesson begins our study of the Life of Christ
as it is recorded in the Book of Mark. The Gospel of Mark is a succinct,
unadorned yet vivid account of the ministry, suffering, death, and
resurrection of Jesus. Mark presents the narrative in an appealing
way, for he tells the Good News about Jesus Christ so simply that
a child can understand it. Nevertheless his Gospel, as Peter said
of Paul's letters, also contains "some things that are hard
to understand" (2 Peter 3:16). Like a pool of pure water, it
is far deeper than it looks. Therefore one ought to approach the
study of this book humbly and with due recognition of the need for
wisdom from almighty God and enlightenment from the Holy Spirit.
Because of the length of the book (16 chapters), we’ll not
study every detail in it
. Sources
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Zondervan, CD-ROM version)
Commentary on the New Testament by RCH Lenski (Hendrickson)
The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Victor, 1983)
Pat Griffiths’ curriculum from Inter-City Baptist Christian
Schools, Allen Park, MI
Ray Steadman’s notes on Mark
Calvin’s Harmony of the GospelsIndex
Introduction to Mark
[split the class into 3 groups and let them work on finding this
info. Provide various resource books—commentaries, dictionaries,
etc. Tell the groups to find more than just the basic info.]
GROUP 1 Author: Although the Gospel of Mark is anonymous, there
is a strong and clear early tradition that Mark was its author and
that he was closely associated with the apostle Peter, from whom
he obtained his information about Jesus.
Paul and Barnabas took John Mark on their first missionary journey,
traveling with them to the island of Cyprus. But, for some reason—we
are never told quite why—Mark refused to go with them when
they went on into the mainland of what today is Turkey. Instead
he went back home to his mother’s house. Paul was upset about
that, and evidently felt that Mark was a quitter. When it came time
for them to go out again, although Barnabas wanted to bring Mark,
Paul would not let him come. So they separated. Barnabas took Mark
with him to Cyprus and Paul and Silas went back to the areas where
they had gone before. Then Mark drops out of sight for a time. The
next we hear of him, he is an associate of the Apostle Peter, who
speaks very affectionately of this young man—calls him “Mark,
my son” in his first letter {c.f. 1 Pet 5:13}. Early church
tradition tells us that Mark became the companion of Peter. Eusebius,
a church father writing in the third century, says that the early
Christians were so entranced with all the things Peter told them
that they asked Mark to write them down. Perhaps that is how we
got The Gospel According to Mark, for it reflects much of Peter’s
memories and experiences with Jesus.
Date: Many scholars think that the Gospel of Mark is the
very earliest New Testament Scripture we have. It was probably written
sometime in the sixties of the first century, which would make it
very early, going back to the beginnings of the Christian story.
Scholars differ, however, as to whether Matthew or Mark wrote first,
because it is hard to tell who borrowed from whom—Matthew
from Mark, or Mark from Matthew. Certainly we know that Luke borrowed
from both Matthew and Mark. It is true that Mark’s gospel
is reproduced entirely in Matthew and Luke, except for a few verses.
So somebody had to borrow from somebody else—had to have someone
else’s account before him—as he wrote.
Origin: Early church tradition locates the writing of the
Gospel either "in the regions of Italy" (Anti-Marcionite
Prologue) or in Rome (Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria). These church
fathers also closely associate Mark's writing of the Gospel with
the apostle Peter.
Destination/audience: Here too all indicators point to
Roman or at least to Gentile readers. Mark explains Jewish customs
that would be unfamiliar to Gentile readers (7:2-4; 15:42); he translates
Aramaic words (3:17; 5:41; 7:11, 34; 15:22); he uses Latinisms and
Latin loan words, a practice that in itself is no evidence of Gentile
readership, but the large number of them (especially in comparison
with Matthew and Luke) seems to suggest such readership; he reveals
a special interest in persecution and martyrdom (8:34-38; 13:9-13),
subjects particularly relevant to Roman Christians; and, finally,
the immediate acceptance and widespread influence of his Gospel
(Matthew and Luke built their Gospels on it) suggests a powerful
church behind it. No church better fits the description than Rome.
GROUP 2 Purpose: The Roman church was experiencing the fires of
persecution. Even martyrdom was not unknown among its members. Mark
addresses himself to this situation. His purpose in writing was
not historical or biographical, but it was intensely practical.
He was writing a book for the guidance and support of his fellow
Christians in a situation of intense crisis. The way Mark prepares
his Christian readers for suffering is by placing before them the
passion experience of Jesus. The way of discipleship for Christians
is the way of the Cross. About one-third of Mark's Gospel is devoted
to the death of Jesus. And not only in the passion of Jesus is the
theme of suffering found. Many explicit and veiled references occur
elsewhere in the life of Jesus in Mark: in the temptation experience--he
was in the wilderness with wild beasts (1:12-13); in the misunderstanding
of his family (3:21, 31-35) and people generally (3:22, 30); in
his statements about the cost of discipleship (8:34-38); and in
his references to persecutions (10:30, 33-34, 45; 13:8, 11-13).
Literary Form: Mark’s book is a Gospel. It is not a biography.
A biography is an organized historical account of a person, usually
beginning with a description of his background and family and continuing
through each significant event or period of his life (birth, childhood,
education, marriage, career, etc.). But Mark has no genealogy, no
birth narrative, and says nothing of Jesus' boyhood or adolescence.
Mark starts right out, after quoting from the OT, with Jesus as
a full-grown man.
If the Gospel of Mark is not a biography of Jesus, what literary
classification does it fall into? It is "preaching materials,
designed to tell the story of God's saving action in the life, ministry
death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth" (Martin, Mark,
p. 21). Mark calls his work a Gospel because it contains the preached
gospel. Mark does not write as a disinterested historian. He writes
as a preacher conveying God's good news of salvation by emphasizing
Jesus' saving ministry (Mark devotes about one-third of his Gospel
to Jesus' death). Mark also writes as a theologian, arranging and
interpreting the tradition to meet the needs of his hearers.
Outline: (for a content outline, see Pat Griffiths’
work)
The Book of Mark has two main parts: (see Lenski’s intro)
1. Jesus proves himself to be the Christ, God’s Son, by his
mighty teaching and deeds (1:14-8:30).
2. Jesus proves himself to be the Christ, God’s Son, by teaching
and enduring the crucifixion and resurrection (8:31-16:20).
I. Prologue (1:1-13)
II. The Early Galilean Ministry (1:14-3:6)
III. The Later Galilean Ministry (3:7-6:13)
IV. Withdrawal From Galilee (6:14-8:30)
V. The Journey to Jerusalem (8:31-10:52)
VI. The Jerusalem Ministry (11:1-13:37)
VII. The Passion and Resurrection Narrative (14:1-16:9-20)
GROUP 3
New Testament Background Information Characters: (list some info on the following groups)
Chief Priests: very powerful religious officials, a position
of great prestige and power; was responsible to enter the Holy
of Holies on the Day of Atonement
Scribes: the religious teachers of Israel, often called
rabbis, lawyers and/or teachers; interpreted the Mosaic Law, taught
the Law, and judged matters of the Law
Elders: heads of ancient families; the principal men
of the city; active in management of public affairs
Pharisees: a strict, separatist religious sect who closely
followed the Law and the traditions; often extended the Law to
guard the breaking of it; viewed everything from a religious perspective;
the largest Jewish sect in NT times; many were sincere and godly
men
Sadducees: fewer in number than the Pharisees, yet more
influential; most were members of aristocratic families who supported
Roman rule; secular—did not believe in resurrection or angels
Herodians: a political party probably formed under Herod the Great;
an influential group of priests and others who supported the Herodian
dynasty and Roman rule over Palestine; greatly opposed to the
Pharisees, yet had a common animosity toward Jesus
The Sanhedrin: a council of 70 scribes, priests, and
elders who governed Israel; the highest court of appeal—their
word was binding; could not pass the death sentence (only Rome
could do that)
Herods: several men named Herod are mentioned in the
Gospels. Distinguish between them [see Herod's Family Tree —
from Gromaki’s NT Survey].
[Also study Map of Israel — point out primary geographical
data (e.g., Jerusalem, Sea of Galilee, Bethany, Mount of Olives,
Capernaum, etc.]
