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Jesus, God's Servant A Survey of the Gospel of Mark INTRODUCTION by Massimo Lorenzini Mark is one of the four Gospels. Why four? Each gives a different aspect of Christ. Matthew shows us Jesus as the promised Messiah and King of the Jews. Matthew was written to the Jews and begins with a genealogy of Jesus (born ca. 4-6 B.C.) through King David (ca. 1000 B.C.) and back to Abraham (ca. 2000 B.C.), the father of the nation of Israel. Mark shows us Jesus as a Servant. As a servant, no genealogy is needed, because a servant makes no special claims for himself. Luke shows us Jesus as the perfect Man. It was written to the Greeks and traces Jesus genealogy all the way back to Adam, the first man. John shows us Jesus as God the Son. It was written to all who will believe, with the purpose of leading people to Christ as their personal Savior. It opens with the words "In the beginning" and shows us that Jesus is God. The word Gospel means "Good News." The four Gospels were written to tell us about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They tell us WHEN and HOW Christ came. The epistles or letters of the New Testament (NT), tell us WHY and FOR WHAT Christ came. Remember these four words to help you link together the whole of God's revelation in the Bible:
Authorship. According to tradition, Mark wrote his Gospel with information provided by the apostle Peter with whom he was associated. Writing in about A.D. 140, Papias, an early Church Father, wrote that the apostle John called Mark the interpreter of Peter. Writing about A.D. 150, Justin Martyr, another early church Father, called it "the memoirs of Peter." The author knew Palestine well, especially Jerusalem. He understood Jewish customs and the vividness of the narrative suggests close ties with an eyewitness (Peter). The outline of the book's contents even parallels Peter's sermon in Acts 10. In 14:51-52 there is mention of "a certain young man" who fled the scene of Jesus' arrest. This is likely Mark himself. The last supper was probably at his house and there is no other reason for him to mention this incident if it was not him. Date & Occasion. The best evidence indicates that Mark was written around A.D. 57-60 and that it was written to encourage Christians in Rome who were beginning to experience persecution under the Roman government. Those early Christians needed guidance as to how they should live in a hostile environment. Mark wanted to encourage those believers by giving them a close and personal look at the Savior. They could be assured that the faith that they were living for and even giving up their lives for was true and reliable. Today, we live in a secular culture with strongly anti-Christian values. In our pluralistic society, believers are often ridiculed for their faith and pressured to forsake Christ. True Christians have become a minority, and like the ancient Roman believers, we need to take a fresh look at the Savior. As we study the book of Mark, look at Jesus for who He is-- God in the flesh, the suffering Servant, your Savior, and model for how to live. Outline I. The Servant's Preparation (Mark 1:1-13) Key Verse
Themes Jesus Christ, Son of God. Jesus came to Earth as God in human flesh. He clearly claimed to be the Son of God to his followers, the crowds, the religious leaders, and his accusers. (see 14:60-65). He demonstrated this truth by forgiving sins (see 2:5-12), controlling the forces of nature (see 4:35-41), and overcoming disease, demons, and death (see 5:1-43). God the Father gave testimony to the divinity of Jesus by saying, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." He said this on two separate occasions: At Jesus' baptism (1:11) and at the transfiguration (9:2-10). Importance for Today. The truth that Jesus, the man, is also God means that Jesus has the authority to forgive sins and to change lives. It also means He is truth and Lord of the universe. Do you know Him as your personal Savior? Do you follow Him as your Lord? Jesus Christ, Servant. Jesus fulfilled the OT prophecies about the coming Messiah. Though the Jews expected a conquering King, He came as the suffering Servant of Isaiah chapters 42, 49, and 53. He will return at His second coming as the conquering King, but His first coming was "to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (10:35-45). Jesus served by teaching us about God, healing people, and then giving His life as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Importance for Today. Those who claim to know Christ as Savior and Lord should follow His example by serving God and others. Real greatness in the Kingdom of God is shown by service and sacrifice. What does it mean for you to be a servant? What can you do to serve God today, this week, and even the rest of your life? Discipleship. During Jesus' life on earth, the disciples had a difficult time understanding Jesus' teachings, miracles, and predictions concerning His death and resurrection. In fact, they never really grasped His true identity and why He had come to earth. Jesus knew that His disciples would not fully understand His identity and mission until after the resurrection. In fact, as we will see later, Jesus intentionally kept His identity and mission partially concealed during His public ministry. Yet He continued to teach the disciples about the cost of following Him (8:34-38), about humility and kingdom living (9:33-10:31), and about the importance of serving others (10:35-45). Importance for Today. We live in a time when we can read all about the meaning of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection through the Bible. But do we truly understand His identity as God and man, as Savior and Lord? And do we realize the cost of being His disciple? Following Jesus means dying to self, obeying Him, and serving others (8:34-35). What kind of disciple are you? Miracles. Mark records more of Jesus' miracles than His sermons. Mark's Roman readers could clearly see that Jesus was a man of power and action, not just words. Jesus performed miracles out of His compassion for people who were suffering (1:40-42), to convince the people about who He was, and to teach the disciples His true identity as God. Importance for Today. The more we become convinced that Jesus is God, the more we will see His power and love. Christ's miracles show us that He is able to save anyone, no matter what they have done. Christ's greatest miracle is His ability to save us from our sins and bring healing and wholeness to our hurting lives. Nothing is too big or too difficult for Christ to handle. We can give Him all our needs and tell Him all our problems. Are you struggling with doubts and fears? Trust Jesus. Are you hurting or suffering? Tell Jesus. Do you need a miracle in your life? Bring it to Jesus. Evangelism. Jesus spent his public ministry healing and preaching the good news. He challenged His followers to take His message into all the world, preaching the gospel of salvation (16:15). Importance for Today. Jesus crossed national, racial, social, and economic barriers to spread the gospel. His message of faith and forgiveness is for the whole world, not just the existing church. We must reach beyond our own people and needs to fulfill Christ's vision that people everywhere might hear this great message and be forgiven of their sins and receive eternal life. Who do you know that needs to hear about Christ? What keeps you from sharing the good news with them? What can you do this week to begin to reach out to someone with the gospel? 1. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New King James Version. Next lesson, Chapter One: The Servant's Preparation |
