The Gospel of Mark in Review

Knowing the Scriptures

STUDIES IN MARK'S GOSPEL            

As we have discovered over this season, Mark isn't the comic book/Reader's Digest Gospel it appeared on the surface.  Certainly, his Greek language wasn't as skilled as some other writers, but we saw that it was carefully crafted to minister to the needs of his Roman readers.  The historical background of the time into which Jesus came served Him to reach Jew and Gentile alike.  As we saw, Israel's commission from the beginning was to be a light to the Gentiles. After the Babylonian captivity, they had become withdrawn from the world and had begun replacing the Word of God with man's opinions and interpretations, actually corrupting its meaning.  But the world was also at the perfect place for the easy spread of Christianity due to common language and familiar culture (Greek), well constructed roads, easy travel, and so on.  It was the right time for God to make available a new relationship with Him: 

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"  Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:4-7, nkjv).

THE LESSONS OF THE GOSPEL OF MARK

Think back through the many lessons we have learned through this Gospel.  Like the disciples, we learned the importance of becoming fishers of men.  We saw in John the Baptist a life of commitment and dedication, of standing up for the truth and putting Jesus first no matter the cost.  We saw the dangers of legalism and substituting our opinions for the revealed Word of God.  We read of the importance of facing the peaks and valleys of the Christian life, and making the choice of preparing the soil of our hearts to be receptive of the work He is doing in and through us.  We saw that Jesus is there even for the hopeless and utterly destitute, and works beyond our human limitations.  We've learned in such times that it is all right to admit our weaknesses, and like the father of the demon-possessed boy cry out to Him, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24, nkjv).  We went through the time of transition with the Lord and His men, trusting that He knows what He is doing even when we can't believe it.  We saw that Jesus' two most important questions for us are:  "Who do you say that I am?" and "What are you going to do in view of it?"  We read of Jesus' important teachings on the family, on salvation, and of His power to transform even the most unlikely life.