Join us at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Greenwood!
Gospel of Mark ~ Chapters 1-8
Emmanuel Men’s Bible Study – 22 March 2011
The Rev. Peter M. Carey, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Greenwood, VA
Some thoughts on the first half of Mark to guide your reading and our discussion. There is more here than we could ever get into in our time together, but some various jumping off points for your study:
First. If you can, read the first 8 chapters (or the entire 16) of Mark in one sitting – get a big cup of coffee and hanker down in the chair to read – front to back.
Then, consider these questions…
1) What is this book? What do the first few lines tell us about this book?
2) What kind of a book is this? Biography? Testimony? Essay? Sermon?
3) With what story does the book begin? What is “left out” (which is in other gospels)? Why?
4) Note how many times Mark uses the word “immediately”? Why…?
5) What is the description you would give to Jesus in this book? Exorcist? Mystic? Teacher? Liberator? Political Messiah? Healer? Leader? …
6) What is going on with all the sickness in Galilee and surrounding areas in this book? Any thoughts? What is going on with Jesus doing so much healing? What is the greater meaning of sickness and healing?
7) Who is Jesus hanging around with in Mark? Why? What message is he sending by these companions…?
8) How does Mark’s Jesus view the Sabbath (a central portion of the Jewish Law)? How does Mark’s Jesus view Jewish Law?
9) The parables that Jesus teaches in Mark are striking. What is the thrust of them? What is the challenge embedded in them? What one appeals to you, or challenges you?
10) Mark’s depiction of Jesus describing the “kingdom of God” has certain characteristics. How does Mark understand Jesus’ teaching of this concept?
11) The beginning of Mark 5 has a striking and famous story. What is behind this healing/exorcism story? What do you think Jesus is contending with? What kind of a battle is Jesus fighting? What kind of a mission does Jesus have?
12) Mark 6: “authority over unclean spirits.” How does Mark describe the authority of Jesus? What is this authority and how might the disciples embody and carry on this work? Also, what are these “unclean spirits”? How does Mark understand them – how might we?
13) In Mark 7, Jesus begins to turn up the heat on the Pharisees, and also on his own disciples. What is Jesus doing with these discussions of the Law and such? Why is he shining light on this issue in particular?
14) At the end of Mark 7, Jesus commands (as he does earlier) the healed not to “tell anyone,” but they do anyway. Why doe he want them to keep this “secret”? Theories?
15) Chapter 8 of Mark begins a transition, a turning “toward Jerusalem.” Things are still moving quickly, but here there is a pause, and Jesus asks “but who do you say I am?” (v. 29) What follows is the beginning of Jesus’ description of what his messiah-hood will look like, and what discipleship will look like. How do we understand, “take up their cross and follow me”?
0 comments:
Post a Comment