THE GOSPEL OF MARK

Lesson 3
POPULARITY AND OPPOSITION, SELECTING AND TEACHING
(Mark 3:7 - 4:34)
I. JESUS FAME SPREAD WIDELY

(Mark 3:7-12)

A. His REPUTATION spread to distant places such as IDUMEA (Edom), the home of
the Herod family, TYRE and SIDON in PHOENICIA, a Gentile area, as well as the
heart of JUDAISM, the City of Jerusalem
(Mark 3:7, 8)
B. The CROWDS were pressing on Jesus so greatly that He entered a little BOAT to teach.
(Mark 3:9, 10). This same practice is also seen in Mark 4:1 and Luke 5:1-3.
C. Jesus HEALED MANY (Mark 3:10). Note that people were trying to touch Him
D. The EVIL SPIRITS knew the identity of Jesus (Mark 3:11, 12). Were they trying to
control Jesus by speaking these confessions?

II. SELECTING THE TWELVE APOSTLES

A. An important point:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

(Mark 3:13-19)

Jesus PRAYED during, or BEFORE GREAT EVENTS

At the time of His BAPTISM, He prayed

(Luke 3:21)
Before selecting the TWELVE APOSTLES, He prayed all night (Luke 6:12)
At the time of Peters CONFESSION, He was praying
(Luke 9:18)
At His TRANSFIGURATION, He was praying
(Luke 9:28, 29)
Before the CRUCIFIXION, He was praying
(Luke 22:41-46)

B. The CHOOSING of the TWELVE APOSTLES

(Mark 3:14). The word for
appointed in this verse is literally made. He made apostles!
C. There are TWO NECESSARY ACTIVITIES involved in APOSTLESHIP
1. They would BE WITH the Lord
(Mark 3:14)
2. Then, He would SEND THEM FORTH. The phrase send forth is
apostelle from which the word apostle comes. They are sent forth men
They will be sent forth in Mark 6:12
D. The word for APOSTLE is the GENERAL WORD which is also translated
MESSENGERS
(Note II Corinthians 8:23)
E. The APOSTLES were given authority to cast out DEMONS (Read Matthew
10:8, and Luke 10:17, 18 also where 70 disciples are given this power).
F. The NAMES of the TWELVE are noted here

(Mark 3:16-19)

1. Simon to whom Jesus gave the name Peter. Cephas is the Aramaic word
for Peter
(John 1:42)
2. Earlier, ANDREW found his brother Peter and brought him to Jesus

(John 1:40-42)
3. JAMES and JOHN, the sons of Zebedee, who are called Boanerges which means
sons of thunder. This describes the early characteristics of these disciples.
4. PHILIP who also found NATHANAEL (John 1:43-51)
5. BARTHOLOMEW is commonly thought to be NATHANAEL. The Gospel of
John mentions Nathanael, but not Bartholomew.
6. MATTHEW or LEVI
(Mark 2:13)
7. THOMAS who was Didymus, a TWIN
(John 11:16; 20:24-28)
8. JAMES, the son of Alphaeus. He is called James the Less (Mark 15:40).
9. THADDAEUS, also called Lebbaeus. See Matthew 10:3 in the King James
Translation. He is also called Judas ... of James (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13).
10. SIMON who is called a ZEALOT, a member of a group that fiercely opposed
Roman dominion of the Jews. Read Luke 6:15.
11. JUDAS ISCARIOT the traitor. Iscariot means a man of Kerioth, a town
in the province of Judea.

III. OPPOSITION FROM WITHIN AND WITHOUT

A. From His FRIENDS

(Mark 3:20-30)

(Mark 3:20, 21)

1. The Crowds were PRESSING on Him

2. The friends that were with Him wanted to rescue Him, for they thought He
was beside Himself, out of His mind
3. The people involved here are literally those with Him, whether family or
friends
B. From the SCRIBES (Teachers of the Law of Moses in the synagogues)

(Mark 3:22-27)

1. They said He was possessed by Beelzebub and that He cast out demons by
the power of the prince of demons
(Mark 3:22)
2. Beelzebub was the god of the city of Ekron, the god of flies
(II Kings 1:2, 3, 6, 16)
3. The Jews would try to describe Satan in this way
4. JESUS ANSWERED THEM so that they had no response (Mark 3:23-27)
a. A divided house cannot stand!
b. Jesus was entering the domain of Satan and binding the strong man
C. The BLASPHEMY against the HOLY SPIRIT

(Mark 3:28-30)

1. All sins and blasphemies could be forgiven, but NOT this one. It would be an
eternal sin
2. NOTE this important point: This sin EXISTED, because they were saying
that He has an evil spirit
(Mark 3:30). This is an IMPORTANT idea!
3. It was the sin of making the PURE AND HOLY LIFE OF JESUS the WORK
OF SATAN! Please read Isaiah 5:20.
4. It is a CONDITION of HEART that is so PERVERTED, TWISTED and
CORRUPT that repentance and forgiveness are NOT POSSIBLE.
D. The FAMILY of Jesus desired to RESCUE Him
(Mark 3:31-36)
1. Jesus mother and His physical brothers desired to see Him (Read also
Luke 8:19-21 and Matthew 12:46-50)
2. Jesus was emphasizing that SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIPS are more
IMPORTANT than PHYSICAL RELATIONSHIPS.

3. Luke states that Gods SPIRITUAL FAMILY are those who (1) HEAR the
WORD of GOD, and (2) PUT IT INTO PRACTICE (Luke 8:21)

IV. JESUS TAUGHT IN PARABLES

(Mark 4:1-34)

A. Some thoughts about PARABLES

1. The word parable comes from two Greek words meaning to throw and
beside. A true to life story is told to emphasize a spiritual truth.
2. A Parable is based on a story that can happen, while a FABLE is a
story that cannot happen. Study the fable of the bramble and the
trees in Judges 9:7-15.
3. We suggest FOUR PURPOSES for speaking in PARABLES:
a.
b.
c.
d.

To REVEAL TRUTH to the person truly seeking (Mark 4:10, 11)

To CONCEAL TRUTH from those who do not seek it
To PRESERVE TRUTH for a long, long time
To obtain AGREEMENT concerning a TRUTH before the person
involved realizes that the parable is speaking of him. Read
II Samuel 12:1-7 and Matthew 21:33-46)

B. The Parable of the SOWER

(Mark 4:1-20)

1. The Seed is the Word of God

Matthew 13:19)

(Mark 4:14; Read also Luke 8:11 and

2. The FOUR KINDS of SOIL are the different kinds of HEARTS of people
(Study Luke 8:11-15)
a. The PATH is the HARD HEART, the cold, indifferent heart not
interested in truth. Compare the Pharisee of Jesus day
b. The ROCKY SOIL is the SHALLOW HEART. Emotion causes one to
respond, but in difficult times, he will turn away
c. The THORNY SOIL is the CROWDED HEART. This is a doubleminded heart, where there are concerns about physical things.
d. The GOOD SOIL that is the HONEST HEART that will accept and
produce good fruit.

C. The Parable of the LAMP ON THE STAND

(Mark 4:21-26)

1. The LIGHT of the GOOD NEWS must shine EVERYWHERE. Please read
the parallel account in Luke 8:16-18.
2. Gods PURPOSE for the world must be REVEALED

(mark 4:22)

3. Those who are HOSTILE and INDIFFERENT will REFUSE TO LEARN, but
Jesus solemnly warns, If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!
4. Those who are very diligent to learn will be given even more insight into the
Will of God
(Mark 4:24, 25)

D. The Parable of SEEDTIME and HARVEST

(Mark 4:26-29)

1. This parable of Jesus is not found in Matthew, Luke, or John, only in MARK
2. The topic of this parable, just like the parables of the LEAVEN and the
MUSTARD SEED, is talking about the GROWTH of the Lords kingdom
(Read also Matthew 13:31-33)
3. We can see from this parable that the GROWTH of the Lords kingdom is
(1) Gradual, (2) Orderly, and (3) God is involved in it.
4. Please note that Mark uses the phrase KINGDOM OF GOD several times
(Mark 4:26, also Mark 1:14, 15, 4:30; 9:1 etc.). Matthew will call it
the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN a number of times. Kingdom of heaven
means kingdom FROM heaven where God is.

E. The Parable of the MUSTARD SEED

(Mark 4:30-32)

1. The mustard seed was used as an example of something very small It was
used in proverbs. Read Jesus statement about FAITH that is as
small as a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6)
2. Some good lessons from this parable:
a. The great IMPORTANCE of little things
b. A small beginning may result in a GREAT ENDING!
c. From a small beginning the KINGDOM OF GOD would be victorious
and prevail over other kingdoms
(Daniel 2:31-44)

F. A CONCLUSION concerning PARABLES

(Mark 4:33, 34)

1. Mark only records SOME of the parables Jesus spoke at this time. Please
READ Matthew 13 carefully. At THIS time, Jesus USED ONLY
PARABLES as a teaching tool.
2. Jesus would speak in PARABLES AS the disciples could understand.
They needed to understand TRUTH CLEARLY.
3. Other people would hear the parables, but Jesus would GIVE ADDITIONAL
EXPLANATION to the disciples when He was ALONE with them. Please
read Matthew 13:10-17.