THE GOSPEL OF MARK

Lesson 2
A PERIOD OF PREPARATION, MIRACLES, AND CONFLICT
(Mark 1:1-3:6)
I. THE PERIOD OF PREPARATION FOR THE CHRIST

(Mark 1:1-13)

A. The Gospel has a beginning in its development when John the Baptist began to prepare
people for the Christ (Mark 1:1)
B. The New Testament says much about beginnings (Please see Matthew 4:17; Luke 3:23;
Acts 1:1; 10:37)
C. NOTICE that Mark begins the book with the GREAT CONFESSION that Jesus is
the SON OF GOD Please see Mark 3:11; 5:7; 9:7; 14:61, 62; 15:39)
D. The MINISTRY of John the Baptist

(Mark 1:2-8)

1. There are prophecies of John the Baptist both in ISAIAH and MALACHI
(Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1; 4:6). John is the Elijah who is to come!
See also Mark 9:11-13.
2. The word send in Mark 1:2 is apostello which is the root word of apostle.
Thus, John was one sent forth by the Lord even as were the apostles.
3. Johns WORK was to PREPARE the way for the Lord (Mark 1:2, 3). See
also Luke 1:17. The word Lord (Mark 1:3) is Jehovah in Isaiah 40:3.
Thus, the word Jehovah may refer to Jesus also.
4. Johns BAPTISM

(Mark 1:4, 5)

a. It was a baptism that demanded REPENTANCE (Matthew 3:7-9,

Luke 3:7-14)
b. Johns baptism was for (in order to obtain) FORGIVENESS. This is
the same Greek construction as Acts 2:38. See also Luke 3:3.
c. Johns baptism was done in the Jordan River, and was accompanied by
confession of sins.
5. Christ is GREATER than John

(Mark 1:7, 8). See also John 1:19-28.

6. Jesus BAPTISM and TEMPTATION

a. His BAPTISM

(Mark 1:9-13)

(Mark 1:9-11) See Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-23)

(1) John will learn the true identity of Jesus at Jesus baptism
(Note John 1:33)
(2) The FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT are present
(3) The DEATH of Jesus is a second immersion for Jesus, an
immersion in SUFFERING (Mark 10:38, 39)

b. His TEMPTATION

(Mark 1:12, 13)

(1) To turn stones into bread would be to use miraculous power

for personal benefit
(2) To jump from the temple would be to test God for public praise
(3) To worship Satan to obtain kingdoms would be to receive power
through COMPROMISE

II. The POWER of Jesus is seen in a SERIES of MIRACLES as He begins the Galilean
Ministry
(Mark 1:14-45)
A. When John was placed in prison, Jesus preached in Galilee that the TIME IS
FULFILLED (Mark 1:14, 15)
1. God had fulfilled His schedule. The kingdom of Old Testament prophecy
was NEAR
(See Daniel 2:44)
2. Matthew uses the term kingdom of heaven, but Mark will say kingdom
of God
(See Matthew 3:1, 2; 4:17, etc.)
B. The Calling of the FIRST Disciples

(Mark 1:16-20)

1. Jesus had met these disciples EARLIER in Judea

(John 1:35-42)

2. Later, these men, plus others, will be designated as apostles

3. Luke also records a miraculous catch of fish at this time
C. One SABBATH DAY and Jesus Healing

(Mark 3:14)

(Luke 5:1-11)

(Mark 1:21-34)

1. Healing of the DEMONIAC in the Capernaum synagogue

(Mark 1:21-28)

a. Jesus spoke with authority

(Mark 1:22; Matthew 7:28, 29)
b. The evil spirit KNEW who Jesus was
(Mark 1:23-26)
c. We begin to see the amazement of the people
(Mark 1:27, 28)
2. Healing of the MOTHER-IN-LAW of PETER

(Mark 1:29-31)

a. The word Bethsaida means fishing place.

b. The healing of the mother-in-law was immediate and complete. See
also Matthew 8:14, 15 and Luke 4:38, 39.
c. She began ministering to the people present. This is a form of the word
diakoneo meaning to serve. (See Matthew 20:28; I Timothy 4:6)
3. Jesus healed DISEASE and cast out DEMONS

(Mark 1:32-34)

a. The sun had set. This means that the Sabbath was now over.
b. Jesus made a clear distinction between SICKNESS and DEMON
POSSESSION (Note Matthew 4:24 and Luke 4:40, 41)
c. Luke states that Jesus HEALED EVERY ONE (Luke 4:40)
4. Jesus PRAYED and then traveled through Galilee

(Mark 1:35-39)

a. Jesus was a person of PRAYER (Read Luke 6:12; 9:18-22; 9:28-36)

b. Even though many were seeking Him, He needed to preach throughout
Galilee. Josephus, the Jewish historian, says there were 240 towns and
villages in Galilee.
5. Jesus HEALED a LEPER (Mark 1:40-45). Read Matthew 8:2-4; Luke 5:12-16.
a. It was the COMPASSION of Jesus that was the basis for healing. Note
Jesus compassion in Matthew 9:35-38
b. Jesus touched a leper!
c. The healed man must go to the priest and show himself (Leviticus 14:2-7)
d. The man published what Jesus had done, and Jesus was hindered in His
work

III. FIVE CONFLICTS, and OPPOSITION that began near Capernaum (Mark 2:1-3:6)
A. The Healing of the PARALYZED man

(Conflict Over AUTHORITY) (2:1-12)

1. People were pressing on Jesus (Note Mark 1:33). He was speaking in the
house, and they removed the tiles of the roof to bring the man to Jesus.
2. Jesus saw THEIR FAITH

(Mark 2:5)

3. Jesus forgave the SINS of the man

opponents were present

(Mark 2:5). Note that both friends and

4. The scribes were accusing Jesus of BLASPHEMY, for who can forgive
except God (Mark 2:7)
5. Jesus showed His AUTHORITY by healing the man. He showed His
invisible POWER to FORGIVE by the VISIBLE healing of this man
(Mark 2:8-12)
B. The Calling of LEVI

(Conflict Over Association With SINNERS)

(Mark 2:13-17)

1. Levi is MATTHEW, the tax collector (Matthew 9:9; 10:3; Luke 5:27)
2. He is Levi ... of Alphaeus. Note Mark 3:18 for a possible relationship to
James ..... of Alphaeus.
3. Levi gave a feast and invited his co-workers. The scribes of the Pharisees
criticized Jesus (Mark 2:15, 16)
4. Jesus pointed out that sick people need a doctor

(Mark 2:17)

C. A Conflict Over FASTING (2:18-22). Why do Johns disciples and the Pharisees
FAST, BUT Jesus disciples DID NOT?
1. The Pharisee in one parable fasted twice in the week
is abstaining from food.

(Luke 18:9-14). Fasting

2. There are many examples of fasting in the Old Testament (I Kings 21:4;

II Samuel 3:35; II Samuel 1:12, etc.)

3. The day of Atonement seems to be the only commanded fast (Note Acts 27:9)
4. The early church had voluntary fasting (Acts 13:2, 3; 14:23)
5. Jesus pointed out that it was not fitting for them to fast while the bridegroom
was with them (Mark 2:19). Then, He gave examples of the difficulty of
placing unlike things together (Mark 2:20-22)
D. The Conflict Concerning WORKING on the SABBATH

(Mark 2:23-28)

1. The disciples were plucking grain in the field on the Sabbath

2. This was not stealing, for the Law of Moses permitted it

(Deuteronomy 23:25)

3. The accusation was that they were working.

4. However, works of NEED were permitted on the Sabbath
priests worked on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:5-8)

(Mark 2:25). The

5. The Law is for the benefit of man, and the Lord is Lord of the Sabbath!
E. The Conflict Over HEALING on the SABBATH

(Mark 3:1-6)

1. Jesus healed a man with a withered hand

2. Luke records that this was on another Sabbath

(Luke 6:6)

3. The scribes believed that healing could be done on the Sabbath IF the disease
would be life-threatening.
4. Note that these Jews were not being honest with Jesus, for they wanted to find
a way to accuse Him
(Mark 3:2)
5. Note also that Jesus displayed a righteous anger which is NOT SIN
(Mark 3:5). Note Hebrews 4:14-16, etc. Jesus did NOT sin!
6. Therefore, Jesus showed that it was right to practice on the Sabbath that which
involved a NEED and that which showed MERCY.
7. The Pharisees, after this miracle, aligned themselves with the Herodians in an
attempt to destroy Jesus (Mark 3:6). The Herodians were a political party
promoting the Herodian family as kings.