🙏 Heavenly Father, Thank You for the opportunity to study Mark’s Gospel – another revelation of our Lord and Savior Jesus. Your Word is living and sharper than any two-edge sword. Open our eyes to see our Savior from a new perspective and open our hearts to accept any transformation and growth that You call us to. We ask this is the name of Jesus, Your son and our savior. Amen.
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Points to Ponder: Mark’s Gospel bursts through the gate with the announcement that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God… in fulfillment of the Scriptures. Both Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1 are referenced here as testimony to John the Baptist’s identity. His arrival on earth, at this point in time, was to announce Jesus and prepare the sinful Jewish nation to soften their hearts – repent of their history of rebellion and idolatry, their long-awaited savior is here!
The Baptism and Testing of Jesus
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
Points to Ponder: Our Christian faith is strengthened by the acknowledgement of God the Father, sending God the Spirit, to strengthen and recognize Jesus – the Son, for the earthly ministry that Jesus is beginning. No human ruler would begin their ‘earthly reign’ like this, yet Jesus does. As followers of Jesus, we must do the same. As faithful followers, we too have the Spirit and we are in Him as we walk the rest of our earthly days… we will be tempted and tested, if only to weaken our testimonies. Why would we expect to be exempt from this ‘wilderness’ difficulty – Jesus was not!
Jesus Announces the Good News
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Points to Ponder: Mark’s Gospel is focused on the Good News of God… the Time is now… The Kingdom of God is near… if you want in this Kingdom, REPENT and BELIEVE.
Notice, John the Baptist’s role is over already in this Gospel. It wasn’t an easy role, but he fulfilled it anyway. Mark’s Gospel won’t complicate this good news with details that make us overthink… his Gospel will just tell you to go… to do… to follow. He doesn’t even appeal to any sense of comfort; he just tells us to repent and believe. There is no ‘belief’ in Jesus as Savior unless you recognize your need for a Savior. Mark leaves no doubt – we need a savior, so repent and believe.
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Points to Ponder: Mark gives a sense of urgency to the events of Jesus’ ministry. Three years is not a lot of time. While the other gospels give us a chance to think about the signs, the wonders, the miracles, the places, and the people, associated with Jesus’ ministry… Mark reminds us, that Jesus was a wandering Rabbi with nowhere to lay His head. When He called His disciples, they had to leave everything, quickly, and go. Here we see how they left their livelihoods and their families.
Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit
21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
Points to Ponder: The people are amazed at Jesus. They recognize that He is teaching with authority. At this point they are more likely ‘fans’ of Jesus, not yet ‘followers’.
In James 2:19 we are asked about our faith, in the ‘faith without deeds’ section, where he says that even demons believe… and shudder. Here is an account where a demon does just that. (Elsewhere we know that James, Jesus’ brother, did not believe in Jesus as their Messiah, until after the resurrection… he then becomes the leader of the early church in Jerusalem.)
Jesus Heals Many
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.
32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.
Points to Ponder: What a whirlwind… Jesus begins by announcing the kingdom, casting out demons, and healing the sick. The community cannot help but respond to such a display of hope fulfilled. The curious note about Jesus not letting the demons speak about His identity is interesting. Jesus wants us to investigate for ourselves and to draw near to Him. We have saving faith when we willfully choose to trust Him and only Him for our lives.
Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Points to Ponder: At the height of His popularity with the people, He doesn’t capitalize on it, in any way. Instead, He leaves to repeat the preaching and the healing – exposing and inviting even more people to His Kingdom.
Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy
40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.
43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
Points to Ponder: Here we see a foreshadowing of why Jesus came. (1) to show us how to fulfill the Old Testament laws with both justice and mercy, giving respect and honor to the position of the priests and the sacrificial system that was in place to cleanse us, and (2) Jesus is the atoning, substitutionary, sacrifice for our sins – at the cross He takes our punishment and receives the death meant for us…
The leper, who could not enter town openly and had to stay outside in lonely places, finds out that Jesus was willing to clean him and exchange places with him.
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
2 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Points to Ponder: If you didn’t know the rest of the story, you would expect this event to catapult multitudes to saving faith. This paralyzed man had great friends, with great faith, and they brought him to Jesus. Not only does the man get healed, but he gets his sins forgiven! Jesus tells them all that He is the Son of Man and He has the authority to forgive sins. This is great news!
But there are the self-righteous people, that don’t think they need a savior. Their sins are covered by their legal observation of religious law. No need to change this… the only thing missing in their lives right now is a political savior – someone to overthrow Roman law and reestablish Israel as a mighty nation.
In this case and at this time, the teachers of the law, cannot see Jesus as God in the flesh – their rigid interpretation of the Old Testament, prevents them from seeing the truth right in front of them.
Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners
13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Points to Ponder: When you call yourself a Christian, you cannot do it with pride. You are admitting to everyone that you are a sinner in need of a savior. (Those that are religious but also adopt a posture of self-righteousness, resemble the Pharisees here.)
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”
19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.
21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”
Points to Ponder: Religious disciplines, such as fasting, serve a purpose. They help us draw nearer to God – they help us shake off a period of apathy – they help us mature. They are never meant to be religious duties – to be observed like tasks on a checklist. There are no 10-steps-to-salvation manuals – those would resemble the ‘self-help’ posture that prevents anyone from recognizing their need for a savior.
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”
27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
Points to Ponder: This is a difficult time to be a Pharisee. They want to honor God and be faithful to scripture. They want the Hebrew nation to be set apart from the surrounding culture – especially the Greek and Roman cultures. They cannot deny the miracles of Jesus, but His teachings and His selection of sinners as disciples are breaking all their categories!
As hard as life must be for them at this time in history, they find some comfort in their position as scholarly, educated, men of religious position. Their status in culture is above those sinners. Yet Jesus tells them ‘No!’… the Kingdom of God is here and this Kingdom does things differently.
Summary: Mark’s gospel moves fast! Right away we see Jesus choosing fishermen, lepers, the sick, the demon-possessed, tax-collectors and sinners. Jesus – with demonstrations of power and authority – is reaching out to people that society would cast out.
With the teachings about the old and new wineskins being included with Jesus’ claim to be Lord of the Sabbath and the Bridegroom – the presence of whom demands celebration, not fasting, Mark’s Gospel definitely introduces this good news as something new, something different. And something that God the Father, Himself, declares from heaven that He is well pleased! 💖
🙏 Heavenly Father, Thank You for Mark’s Gospel. Thank You that in two chapters, You remind us to check ourselves. You show us how Jesus reached out to help the lost. You remind us to reevaluate how we assign value or worthiness to other people. And You remind us that ‘religious tasks’ don’t make us righteous, but the substitutionary atonement of Jesus is the only way for sinners like us to be invited into Your presence.
And Father, when you open our eyes to see that this gift of salvation is different from what we were expecting, help us to embrace the truth with joy! Let us not be ashamed to let go of our misunderstandings and run to You for truth. Let us repent of our sinful, prideful ways, of thinking we knew better! Let us draw near to You and Your Word to bring us new life. Let us never forget the incomparable value of Your redeeming grace through our Lord and Savior Jesus – in whose mighty name we pray. Amen.