WEEK 17: Titus, Mark 1-7
JESUS THE SERVANT | Axiom 7
The gospel of Mark focuses on the role of Jesus as a servant. In his fast-paced style, Mark highlights for us how Jesus came to serve and save people. As God, he could have come with the full regalia of royalty. But that was not Jesus’ mission. He came to serve and save people. How much more should we serve as we point others to Jesus?
WEEK 18: Mark 8-16
THE CROSS | Axioms 3 and 7
Notice how Mark’s Gospel always has the crucifixion in view. Why did Mark make the crucifixion so central to telling the story of Jesus? Because it is at the cross that Jesus took on our sins and paid the penalty we deserved. Salvation is only made possible through the cross.
Weeks 17-18 | Questions for Discussion
1. Read Mark 10:45. How do we see this lived out by Jesus in the gospels? Try to give specific examples.
2. Why do you think Jesus kept his identity hidden from the crowd for much of his ministry?
3. Is it difficult for you to look outward and serve those around you? How can you grow as a servant to others?
COMMENTARY
Titus 2:11
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. This little verse has a lot to tell us. It means that every person has received the grace of God in their lives to the point where they can either accept or reject the Gospel. God has revealed himself to all people to the point that they can either pursue God or reject the grace given to them and follow a god after their own desires. Paul makes a similar point in Romans 1 and 2.
Titus 3:4-7
This is a theologically rich passage because it highlights and summarizes two very important ideas. First it calls Jesus Christ, “our God and Savior.” Paul is teaching Titus that Jesus is not merely the Savior, but that He is God. This is one of Paul’s clearest declarations of the deity of Christ. Second, it reiterates that we have the hope of eternal life because we have been “justified by faith.” This is another one of many examples where the Bible clearly teaches that salvation is by faith alone.
Mark 2:1-11
The healing of the paralytic is a powerful picture of what happens to so many people today. We come to Christ in desperation because of a felt need: physical, emotional, financial. But when we encounter Christ, he offers us the solution for our deepest need, which is spiritual. He offers to forgive our sins!
Mark 3:1-5
Did those who opposed Jesus deliberately shut their eyes to the truth? If someone does not accept Christ and his claims, then they may come to oppose him more and more bitterly as the Pharisees and teachers of the law did. This is the negative side of the law of spiritual response to which Jesus often referred. The more we respond to truth, the more we will be able to grasp it. The less we respond to truth (by ignoring it or closing our eyes to it), the less we will be able to grasp it. This is a fundamental truth found in the parables of Jesus. (Carson, D. A. 1994. New Bible commentary : 21st century edition. Inter-Varsity Press: Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA)
Mark 3:29
“But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” Many people live in fear of the “unpardonable sin”. They wonder if they’ve ever crossed that line to the point that God will not forgive them. But God makes it clear in the Bible that He freely forgives anyone who asks and puts their trust in Jesus. The “eternal sin” is fully and finally rejecting Christ as Savior and Lord, failing to turn to Christ in this life. As long as you have air to breathe, you have an opportunity to put your faith in Christ to receive the promise of eternal life.
Mark 4:41
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” It’s interesting to note at this point that the disciples didn’t really understand who Jesus was. As we see in Mark 8:29, they understood that he was the Christ. But they didn’t appear to understand all that it meant. They definitely didn’t expect Jesus to die on the cross. And they didn’t even expect him to raise from the dead. Don’t worry if it takes you a while to really understand who Jesus is. The key is to keep pursuing him.
Mark 6:5-6
It was the people’s lack of faith, not Jesus’ lack of power that stopped Jesus from doing miracles in his hometown. He was without honor there because they lacked the faith to believe that the boy they grew up with was truly the Son of God.
Mark 7:8
One of the main problems with religion is that it tends to elevate man-made tradition and rules over the true heart of God found in the Bible. The Pharisees were notorious for their zealous obedience to man-made traditions, but missed the true heart of God. The best way to guard against this bad religion is to keep coming back to the Bible and allowing it alone to be the root of your faith and action.
Mark 7:27
Jesus was saying here that at this time, His message was first to be given to the Jewish nation. The Gentile heart was not ready for His message yet. Later, He would command that His message to out to the whole world, including the Gentiles.
Mark 8:29
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
This short passage reminds us of the central question in Christianity, “who is Jesus?” It took the disciples a long time to really understand who Jesus was, but in this passage we get this simple confession from Peter that Jesus is the Christ, that is the Jewish Messiah. There was much debate about Jesus. Was he a prophet from the OT or John the Baptist come back to life? But, Peter, even at this early point, understands that Jesus is God’s chosen one to save the world from sins. God asks us this same question. What do we believe about Jesus? The answer to this question has the weight of eternity behind it.
Mark 8:34
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Once we become Christians Jesus calls us to be radical followers of him. This life is characterized by following the example of Jesus who willingly gave up everything he had to honor God the Father. Jesus calls us to have this same willingness. We need to be willing to surrender everything we have: our possessions, our security, even our dreams to follow Jesus. This is what it means to deny ourselves.
Mark 9:2
There he was transfigured before them. In this unusual story, Peter, James, and John see Jesus in the fullness of his deity. They see Jesus as he is: God. He reveals to them that he is not only a man, but he is also God himself.
Mark 12:1-12
Jesus is telling a parable about himself and the Pharisees. God the Father is the owner of the vineyard, and the prophets in the Old Testament are the servants in the parable. The Father finally sends His Son, Jesus, but he too was rejected by the Pharisees.
Mark 12:25
When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. This passage seems to indicate that the institution of marriage will no longer be needed in heaven. Though this is hard to understand – since God has clearly blessed and ordained marriage – it should not be taken too far. Jesus does not teach that we won’t know each other in heaven. Relationships are good, and in eternity they will be perfected, not destroyed. But the marriage relationship will somehow be transformed. Read more.
Mark 13
This passage often confuses newcomers to the New Testament. Be sure to listen to the sermon listed above if you need help understanding it.
Mark 14:36
“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” We see here in the Garden of Gethsemane that Jesus prays to God the Father to not have to go through with the crucifixion. Jesus was fully aware of what he would have to do in order to make atonement for sins on the cross. We should not be so much amazed that Jesus would ask God to not make him go through with it, as much as we should be amazed that Jesus yielded to the will of the Father. As God, Jesus did not have to go through the pain of the cross. He could have avoided it. But he willingly accepted the Father’s plan so that many would be saved. This is a powerful example of Jesus’ love and the type of attitude we should have in yielding to God.
