Abby Dorman

CPO 612
BITH 213
Dr. Green

The Gospel of Mark

Marks Gospel begins and ends with Jesus ministry on earth.

While some of the other gospels describe Jesus childhood and the

work of the disciples after his resurrection, Mark focuses solely on the

life and acts of Christ. In every chapter, we can see instances where

Jesus ministry was highlighted by and centered around discipleship.

After Jesus was baptized by John in chapter 1, his first act of

ministry was to find the twelve disciples (1:17). From the beginning,

they are always with Jesus as he travels and speaks. They sometimes

act as teachers to the crowds, but sometimes they are the ones being

taught by Jesus. The whole book of Mark shows the process of the

disciples journey with Jesus. Chapter 3:14-15 is when Jesus states his

purpose for them, which is that they might be with him and he might

send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. In

chapter 6, Jesus sends out his disciples to preach and cast out demons

with His authority (6:7). However, it is important to note that although

Jesus gave them authority to do these things, they were not equal to

Him in power. The commands He gave to his disciples resonate with us

today as followers of Jesus.

Also, in the book of Mark we see how Jesus relation to his

disciples was central to his ministry on earth. He often shared deeper

things with them than with the multitudes he preached to, and made

an effort to implant the truth on their hearts. Jesus tells them this in

chapter 4:11- To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of

God, but for those outside everything is in parables. Every miracle

and sermon was also a learning opportunity for the disciples because

they were with him all the time. Its amazing how often they doubted

his commands even though they saw his miracles all the time. For

example, in chapter 8 they questioned how Jesus could possibly feed

the multitudes, even though He had already done it by multiplying the

loaves in chapter 7 (8:4).

Finally, Jesus specifically spent time forewarning the disciples of

his death and resurrection. He told them about in on multiple

occasions, like when He took Peter, James, and John to the mount of

transfiguration with Him. This powerful experience was meant to

personally prepare them for his death, not as something to bring public

attention to Him (9:9). The disciples were also with Jesus in his final

and most critical hours on earth. At the Last Supper, He told them of

his coming death and also declared that they would all deny him but

then go on to preach the Gospel. (14:24, 27-28) They didnt think they

would ever fail Him, but their humanity was proven as they could not

even stay awake to share in His sorrow at the Garden of Gethsemane.

(14:37). After his resurrection, the disciples still didnt believe it until

they saw it, and Mark describes Christs last act as a commission to the
disciples to continue on His ministry of preaching the Gospel. (16:15-

16). By finishing his Gospel with this, Mark emphasizes that this

commission carries over to us today, and shows how Christs mission

on earth was to begin a chain of discipleship that would carry on for

generations.

Mark- the nature of discipleship. How does Mark connect the

teaching on discipleship with his understanding of the ministry
of Jesus?

Ch. 1
-Jesus baptized by John
--John was making disciples thru his ministry
-Angels ministered to Jesus in his temptation
-Jesus beginning his ministry=gathering his disciples (1:17-fishers of
men)
-v.34 and he would not permit the demons to speak because they
knew him ???
-Jesus ocassionally has to be alone in prayer to refresh (v.35)

Ch. 2
-People crowded wherever Jesus was for teaching and healing
-Discipleship= leading by example
--Jesus eats with the sinners (2:15,17)
-V.18- Johns disciples fasted while Jesus didnt
--Differentiated his followers from the Pharisees

Ch. 3
-Discipleship of the Pharisees: Jesus tries to teach them on many
occasions
--Discouraged by their hard hearts (3:5)
-Demons fell at the mere sight of Jesus
-Jesus called a select few to the mountain and then narrowed down to
12 disciples-preached to all but disciple a few
--The purpose: so that they might be with him and he might send
them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons (3:14-15)
-Brothers and sisters of Christ=those who do the will of God (3:35)
Ch. 4
-sower of the seed-sowing seeds of discipleship (4:9)
-Jesus gave more direct information to his disciples-didnt water it
down in parables (4:11-12, 34))
-to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has
not, even what he has will be taken away. (4:25)
-we dont know where the seeds will fall (4:27)

Ch.5
-makes a disciple of one previously possessed man- (5:19-20)
*there is a difference between the crowds that followed him and his
disciples

Ch. 6
-sending of the disciples (6:7)
--they cast out demons and healed the sick and called people to
repent-same as Jesus (6:12-13)
-disciples=apostles (6:30)
-they needed rest and rejuvenation after ministry (6:31)
-Jesus challenges his disciples to do the impossible in faith-loaves and
fish (6:36-37)

Ch. 7
-Jesus charged people not to tell others about his miracles because
they would not tell the whole gospel but just the miracle (7:36-37)

Ch. 8
-even after seeing him perform the loaves and fish once, the disciples
still didnt believe their eyes (8:4)
-Jesus challenged his disciples with discussion-sharpening each other
and learning from Him (8:27-29)

Ch. 9
-Peter, James, and John saw Jesus transfigured with Elijah and Moses as
a sign of Jesus death and resurrection (9:9)
*Jesus often shows rather than tells
-no matter how much authority the disciples have, they are still not
equal to Jesus (9:29)
-a true disciple is a servant first and foremost-spirit of a child (9:35-36)

Ch. 10
-the disciples often were not on the same page as Jesus- (rebuking the
little children-10:10-11)
-true disciples sacrifice all to follow Christ (10:31)
-Jesus makes a special effort to warn the disciples of his death (10:32)
Ch. 12
-Jesus parables taught the people and were timely with his mission-
kept him from being arrested (12:12)
-the kingdom of God is simple- knowing/loving God and others (12:34)

Ch. 13
-Jesus interactions w/ his disciples were to prepare them for after his
death (13:2)
-He warns his disciples to watch for false teachers (13:9)
-Lesson of the fig tree
1. The leaves looked good but didnt produce fruit
2. Leaves=signs of summer. Watch for signs that point to the
second coming. (13:33)
Ch. 14
-woman w/alabaster jar embodies the gospel-it is for anyone who gives
their all for Him (14:9)
-call to communion- remember and identify w Christ (14:22-23)
-the disciples insisted they wouldnt fall away (14:27-29)
-the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (14:38)
-Jesus was denied by his closest disciples and still was crucified for us
(14:72)

Ch. 15
*the crowds were fickle-had followed Jesus miracles now demanded
his death (15:11)
-some mocked his death, others recognized his Godliness (15:31, 39)

Ch. 16
-loyalty of the women at the tomb (16:6)
-Jesus final interaction was with his disciples- GREAT COMMISSION!!
(16:15-18)
-disciples final act was of obedience-the Lord was still with them
(16:20)