Welcome to Making Your Mark. On this site you will find study notes (OIA) and small group discussion guidelines for each of the stories in Mark’s Gospel. You will also find some valuable tools in the Resources archive. And you will find links to sermons by Dr. Lou Diaz and others given as part of a yearlong preaching series to the Evangelical Free Church of Chico, California.
We hope these materials help you respond to the good news of Jesus. Your comments are welcome.
Blessings,
ka
Sunday, October 10, 2010
What is a Gospel?
What is a Gospel? And How Should We Read A Gospel?
A Gospel is a book that narrates the career of Jesus: his public life and teaching, his death, and his resurrection. In some ways the four Gospels represent the memoirs of the Apostles. But these memoirs are far more than a re-telling of the facts of Jesus’ career: they are the proclamation of Jesus in written form. The Gospel writers intend to tell the story of Jesus in such a way that invites a faith response to Jesus. The Gospels are far more than just factual accounts of Jesus life, death and resurrection: they invite a response to Jesus, both as a historical person and as a person who is still alive today.
Gospels are a bit like biographies, especially the biographies that were written in the centuries just before and after Jesus’ years in Palestine. Those ancient biographies tended to focus on the significance or meaning of a person’s life and career. As such they often consider small events or conversations, things that reveal character or express the inner person, and sometimes don’t look so much at major world news events. When we read a modern biography we expect to find emphasis on historic ‘facts’: date of birth, childhood influences, schooling, major accomplishments, physical appearance, and so on. The Gospels follow more closely the ancient biographical approach than they do a more modern understanding of biography. So it is not surprising that we have stories about what Jesus said and did told in ways that reveal who Jesus is and only a few references to the major political events of those days.
Gospels are crafted to invite a response to a living historical figure. They are far more than ‘just the facts’. Rather they are intentionally designed by each individual author to tell the stories of Jesus’ career from a specific viewpoint, and for a specific purpose, and sometimes for specific theological impact. That is why each of the Gospels narrates the events of Jesus life in a little bit different way.
So a Gospel should be read on its own terms and allowed to have the impact intended by the author. Each Gospel is a stand-alone book in and of itself: it tells the good news of Jesus in a comprehensive and holistic way that expresses the intent of the author. That is why it is extremely important to let the text speak for itself first and foremost, and only then consider other texts, other Gospels of Letters or Old Testament writings. First: let the text speak for itself in order to understand and respond to the intentional design of the author.
How do you allow the text to speak for itself? By careful study of the text! Things like repeated ideas, internal definition, developing themes, contrasts, and other literary study tools enable careful textual study. Careful study of the text also includes looking for how people in the story understood and responded to the narrative.
Careful study of a Gospel also includes something unique: response is invited, in fact response is essential to really understanding a Gospel, and the gospel. So in the final analysis, the way we should read a Gospel is with willingness to both understand the author’s meaning, and accept the gospel author’s invitation to interact with Jesus Christ, the living historical figure who today, like two thousand years ago, invites us to follow him and capture men and women.
A Gospel is a book that narrates the career of Jesus: his public life and teaching, his death, and his resurrection. In some ways the four Gospels represent the memoirs of the Apostles. But these memoirs are far more than a re-telling of the facts of Jesus’ career: they are the proclamation of Jesus in written form. The Gospel writers intend to tell the story of Jesus in such a way that invites a faith response to Jesus. The Gospels are far more than just factual accounts of Jesus life, death and resurrection: they invite a response to Jesus, both as a historical person and as a person who is still alive today.
Gospels are a bit like biographies, especially the biographies that were written in the centuries just before and after Jesus’ years in Palestine. Those ancient biographies tended to focus on the significance or meaning of a person’s life and career. As such they often consider small events or conversations, things that reveal character or express the inner person, and sometimes don’t look so much at major world news events. When we read a modern biography we expect to find emphasis on historic ‘facts’: date of birth, childhood influences, schooling, major accomplishments, physical appearance, and so on. The Gospels follow more closely the ancient biographical approach than they do a more modern understanding of biography. So it is not surprising that we have stories about what Jesus said and did told in ways that reveal who Jesus is and only a few references to the major political events of those days.
Gospels are crafted to invite a response to a living historical figure. They are far more than ‘just the facts’. Rather they are intentionally designed by each individual author to tell the stories of Jesus’ career from a specific viewpoint, and for a specific purpose, and sometimes for specific theological impact. That is why each of the Gospels narrates the events of Jesus life in a little bit different way.
So a Gospel should be read on its own terms and allowed to have the impact intended by the author. Each Gospel is a stand-alone book in and of itself: it tells the good news of Jesus in a comprehensive and holistic way that expresses the intent of the author. That is why it is extremely important to let the text speak for itself first and foremost, and only then consider other texts, other Gospels of Letters or Old Testament writings. First: let the text speak for itself in order to understand and respond to the intentional design of the author.
How do you allow the text to speak for itself? By careful study of the text! Things like repeated ideas, internal definition, developing themes, contrasts, and other literary study tools enable careful textual study. Careful study of the text also includes looking for how people in the story understood and responded to the narrative.
Careful study of a Gospel also includes something unique: response is invited, in fact response is essential to really understanding a Gospel, and the gospel. So in the final analysis, the way we should read a Gospel is with willingness to both understand the author’s meaning, and accept the gospel author’s invitation to interact with Jesus Christ, the living historical figure who today, like two thousand years ago, invites us to follow him and capture men and women.
Mark 1.1-13
Community Building
The Text: Mark 1.1-13
- Make sure everyone knows one another. Be as creative as you like: pictures, games….
- State your enthusiasm, hopes and dreams for the group, using the themes of Marking Your Mark (see website: http://make-your-mark-study.blogspot.com)
- Agree on any group guidelines: discussion, not lecture; when, where, and duration of weekly gatherings; childcare; external focus activity….
- Pray for your group in the coming weeks
- Ask some who enjoys reading aloud to read these verses to the group.
- Discuss all the things you can learn about Jesus from these verses:
- Mark says he is God’s son
- He is linked to the good news: it is about him
- He is prepared for: in Isaiah, by John
- He is baptized
- He hears God speak
- He is responsive to the Spirit’s direction
- He was tempted directly by Satan
- Other observations…..
- What is the most important thing you think Mark wants us to understand about Jesus?
- John preaches a “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”.
- If you were using only this text, and forgetting all your theological/church knowledge: how would you define ‘repentance’ from this text alone?
- From what you know of Old Testament law and the temple sacrificial system, how is John’s message about ‘forgiveness of sin’ different from Jewish understanding of how sin was forgiven?
- How does John fulfill the Isaiah prophecy? How is repentance and baptism a preparation for ‘he who is mightier than I’?
- Why is Jesus baptized?
- Why does the Spirit drive Jesus into the wilderness?
- Do you think our group discussion of Mark these coming weeks can help you in your spiritual life? How?
- What is your own experience of baptism and repentance, of confessing your sins? Have you been baptized? What was that experience like?
- How might be practice public repentance in the coming weeks?
- How can we pray for each other this coming week?
- Pray together.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
OIA 15.42-16.8
Observations
• Who: Joseph of Arimathea; Pilate; centurion; two Marys, Salome, young man, Jesus of Nazareth
• When: Friday after Jesus’ death; Sunday morning
• Where: before Pilate, at the tomb
• What: Joseph buries Jesus; women visit the empty tomb
• Repeated words: dead; tomb; body; stone; linen; amazed;
• Contrasts: laid in the tomb/not here; tell/said nothing; graveyard/Galilee; council’s murder/Joseph’s courage
• Connections: centurion confirms Jesus’ death; women who watched crucifixion; disciples are still absent; Jesus of Nazareth (1.24 by the cast out demon; 10.47 where Bartimaeus heard…)
• Responses to Jesus: Joseph risks his life to honor Jesus’ body; women honor Jesus’; young man relays Jesus’ instructions to meet in Galilee
Interpretation
• The repetition of dead/tomb, Pilate’s question, the centurion’s testimony, and the women’s visit to anoint give overwhelming evidence that Jesus is really dead. This sets the stage for the empty tomb and Jesus’ return to his mission to proclaim the kingdom of God post-resurrection.
• Mark gives us evidence of faith even after Jesus’ seeming failure. Joseph intentionally declares his commitment to Jesus by his request to Pilate. This visit took some time – Joseph had to wait while Pilate questioned the centurion. And the women, whose discipleship was highlighted in 15.40-41, are again demonstrating their understanding of servanthood. And it is worth noting that again Mark seems to define discipleship and faith as proximity to Jesus.
• Mark seems almost to skip over the resurrection itself. The emphasis of this section is on Jesus’ invitation to follow him and on the interplay between faith and fear.
• The young man specifically mentions Peter. Jesus has not abandoned Peter even though Peter denied him. The raised Jesus offers forgiveness and renewed relationship and purpose to Peter and to the disciples.
• Women are the ones given the full gospel, the good news of God having raised Jesus, and that continued servanthood and faithfulness is invited. Why are these women chosen as the first to proclaim this full message of the kingdom of God? In their cultural context women were not considered legal witnesses and could not testify in court. Why then are they given the mandate to proclaim Jesus’ resurrection to the disciples and Peter? To those who have, more is given; these women have demonstrated faithful ministry to Jesus for several years, and are here at the tomb to honor him. They represent the least of these, the last who have become first.
• And yet they are terrified, flee, and disobey the young man’s instructions. Jesus’ resurrection invitation requires the same faith, and the same battle with fear as has been seen all through Mark’s narrative.
• Mark intentionally ends his narrative with amazement and fear. This ending fits perfectly with Mark’s depiction of Jesus’ invitation to follow him in faith. Mark’s Gospel concludes with an invitation to respond to Jesus. Jesus has returned to Galilee to continue proclaiming God’s kingdom. Will you follow him?
Application
• Meet Jesus in Galilee and follow him.
• Who: Joseph of Arimathea; Pilate; centurion; two Marys, Salome, young man, Jesus of Nazareth
• When: Friday after Jesus’ death; Sunday morning
• Where: before Pilate, at the tomb
• What: Joseph buries Jesus; women visit the empty tomb
• Repeated words: dead; tomb; body; stone; linen; amazed;
• Contrasts: laid in the tomb/not here; tell/said nothing; graveyard/Galilee; council’s murder/Joseph’s courage
• Connections: centurion confirms Jesus’ death; women who watched crucifixion; disciples are still absent; Jesus of Nazareth (1.24 by the cast out demon; 10.47 where Bartimaeus heard…)
• Responses to Jesus: Joseph risks his life to honor Jesus’ body; women honor Jesus’; young man relays Jesus’ instructions to meet in Galilee
Interpretation
• The repetition of dead/tomb, Pilate’s question, the centurion’s testimony, and the women’s visit to anoint give overwhelming evidence that Jesus is really dead. This sets the stage for the empty tomb and Jesus’ return to his mission to proclaim the kingdom of God post-resurrection.
• Mark gives us evidence of faith even after Jesus’ seeming failure. Joseph intentionally declares his commitment to Jesus by his request to Pilate. This visit took some time – Joseph had to wait while Pilate questioned the centurion. And the women, whose discipleship was highlighted in 15.40-41, are again demonstrating their understanding of servanthood. And it is worth noting that again Mark seems to define discipleship and faith as proximity to Jesus.
• Mark seems almost to skip over the resurrection itself. The emphasis of this section is on Jesus’ invitation to follow him and on the interplay between faith and fear.
• The young man specifically mentions Peter. Jesus has not abandoned Peter even though Peter denied him. The raised Jesus offers forgiveness and renewed relationship and purpose to Peter and to the disciples.
• Women are the ones given the full gospel, the good news of God having raised Jesus, and that continued servanthood and faithfulness is invited. Why are these women chosen as the first to proclaim this full message of the kingdom of God? In their cultural context women were not considered legal witnesses and could not testify in court. Why then are they given the mandate to proclaim Jesus’ resurrection to the disciples and Peter? To those who have, more is given; these women have demonstrated faithful ministry to Jesus for several years, and are here at the tomb to honor him. They represent the least of these, the last who have become first.
• And yet they are terrified, flee, and disobey the young man’s instructions. Jesus’ resurrection invitation requires the same faith, and the same battle with fear as has been seen all through Mark’s narrative.
• Mark intentionally ends his narrative with amazement and fear. This ending fits perfectly with Mark’s depiction of Jesus’ invitation to follow him in faith. Mark’s Gospel concludes with an invitation to respond to Jesus. Jesus has returned to Galilee to continue proclaiming God’s kingdom. Will you follow him?
Application
• Meet Jesus in Galilee and follow him.
Discussion Prompts 15.42-16.8
The Text: Page 39.26-40.24 Chapter 15.42-16.8
• Read the text aloud to each other.
Discussion Questions:
• Discuss Joseph of Arimathea. Who is he? What does he risk by asking for Jesus’ body? How do Joseph’s actions demonstrate what it means to be ‘looking for the kingdom of God’?
• Discuss the women. How are they models of faithful servants? What about their fear, and fleeing, and silence? What does Mark want us to learn about faith and fear.
• Why do you think Mark is so brief in his comments about Jesus’ resurrection? What do you think is Mark’s main point in this section, the main thing he hopes his listeners will understand or learn?
• Discuss Jesus’ return to Galilee and his invitation to the disciples and Peter to meet him there. How is this fitting ending to Mark’s gospel narrative?
Application reflections
• What is our experience with faith and fear when confronted by the power of the gospel?
• Where are we to meet Jesus and follow him in his proclamation of the kingdom of God?
Pray
• Read the text aloud to each other.
Discussion Questions:
• Discuss Joseph of Arimathea. Who is he? What does he risk by asking for Jesus’ body? How do Joseph’s actions demonstrate what it means to be ‘looking for the kingdom of God’?
• Discuss the women. How are they models of faithful servants? What about their fear, and fleeing, and silence? What does Mark want us to learn about faith and fear.
• Why do you think Mark is so brief in his comments about Jesus’ resurrection? What do you think is Mark’s main point in this section, the main thing he hopes his listeners will understand or learn?
• Discuss Jesus’ return to Galilee and his invitation to the disciples and Peter to meet him there. How is this fitting ending to Mark’s gospel narrative?
Application reflections
• What is our experience with faith and fear when confronted by the power of the gospel?
• Where are we to meet Jesus and follow him in his proclamation of the kingdom of God?
Pray
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
OIA 15.21-41
Observations
• Who: Simon of Cyrene, Jesus, soldiers, two robbers, passersby, chief priests and lawyers, some standing near, Elijah, man offering vinegar, centurion, some women including Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James and Joses, and Salome
• Names for Jesus: Jesus, King of Jews, temple destroyer, Christ, King of Israel, Son of god
• When: Friday of Passover, 3rd hour, 6th hour, 9th hour
• Where: on the road to Golgotha, at Golgotha, at the Temple
• What: Jesus is crucified
• Repeated words: Crucify, cross; come down; Temple; save; loud cry; mocking/insults; women
• Contrasts: Jesus’ suffering/mockers insults; Jesus’ suffering/God’s abandonment; human activity/divine activity (darkness, curtain torn); religious leaders blindness/centurion’s sight; unbelief/belief; women’s presence/disciples absence
• Connections: death predictions/fulfilled; unexpected people recognize Jesus (Centurion, possibly Simon); Son of God (1.1, 3.11, 5.7); believe (1.15, 5.36, 9.23,24,32, 11.23, 24); on his right and left (10.37); save (Strong’s #4982: 3.4; 5.23,28,34; 6.36; 8.35; 10.26, 52; 13.13, 20; 15.30, 31); serve (Strong’s #1247: diakoneo, to serve or minister; used angels in 1.13, of Simon’s mother in law in 1.31, of Jesus in 10.45);
• Responses to Jesus: compelled service (Simon); offered an escape from full suffering (wine w/ myrrh); crucifixion; plundered; mocking; confession of Jesus’ identity (centurion); following – the women.
Interpretation
• Jesus’ crucifixion is the apex of Mark’s gospel. Announced in 1.1 as the Son of God, here we see the full gospel meaning of Jesus’ sonship: delivered by the Father into the hands of mockers, rejected, and cruelly executed. But even here, at the seeming moment of utter abandonment and defeat, some have eyes to see and willingness to respond positively to Jesus.
• Human religious and political power do their worst to the King of Israel; but god is also at work seen in bringing darkness and in tearing open the Temple veil. Just as the sons of evil triumph by destroying the anointed one, just then God provides unrestricted accces into His presence.
• Mark continues to give us unexpected characters. Simon, a father from a distant land whose sons are known to Mark’s audience (cf Rm 13.16), is pressed into service to Jesus who came not to be served but to serve. Rome is oppressing Simon who, perhaps unwittingly, serves the King of all with the result that his sons enter life. Perhaps Simon was pressed because Jesus was so damaged by torture that he was unable to carry his own cross.
• The centurion is another unexpected character, one who has eyes to see. What a contrast between the chief priests and law experts’ rejection and the centurion’s spiritual insight. What was it about Jesus’ death that prompted this spiritual insight and response? Crucifixion involved asphyxiation; Jesus’ loud cries were very unusual, and perhaps the centurion perceived that Jesus volitionally breathed his last. It is also important to note that the text does not include the preposition ‘the’ son. Yet in Mark’s context this confession mirrors the initial announcement in 1.1.
• In 10.45 Jesus said he came to serve, not to be served. Does anyone understand this? Yes, these women who we now learn had been serving Jesus for years by providing for his needs. It is no accident that those who understood Jesus’ core value of servanthood are here, following him during his crucifixion. The disciples, with their focus on power, position, and prestige, are absent.
Application
• The Son of God gives his life as a ransom for many.
• Those with eyes to see respond by confessing Jesus, and serving him.
• Who: Simon of Cyrene, Jesus, soldiers, two robbers, passersby, chief priests and lawyers, some standing near, Elijah, man offering vinegar, centurion, some women including Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James and Joses, and Salome
• Names for Jesus: Jesus, King of Jews, temple destroyer, Christ, King of Israel, Son of god
• When: Friday of Passover, 3rd hour, 6th hour, 9th hour
• Where: on the road to Golgotha, at Golgotha, at the Temple
• What: Jesus is crucified
• Repeated words: Crucify, cross; come down; Temple; save; loud cry; mocking/insults; women
• Contrasts: Jesus’ suffering/mockers insults; Jesus’ suffering/God’s abandonment; human activity/divine activity (darkness, curtain torn); religious leaders blindness/centurion’s sight; unbelief/belief; women’s presence/disciples absence
• Connections: death predictions/fulfilled; unexpected people recognize Jesus (Centurion, possibly Simon); Son of God (1.1, 3.11, 5.7); believe (1.15, 5.36, 9.23,24,32, 11.23, 24); on his right and left (10.37); save (Strong’s #4982: 3.4; 5.23,28,34; 6.36; 8.35; 10.26, 52; 13.13, 20; 15.30, 31); serve (Strong’s #1247: diakoneo, to serve or minister; used angels in 1.13, of Simon’s mother in law in 1.31, of Jesus in 10.45);
• Responses to Jesus: compelled service (Simon); offered an escape from full suffering (wine w/ myrrh); crucifixion; plundered; mocking; confession of Jesus’ identity (centurion); following – the women.
Interpretation
• Jesus’ crucifixion is the apex of Mark’s gospel. Announced in 1.1 as the Son of God, here we see the full gospel meaning of Jesus’ sonship: delivered by the Father into the hands of mockers, rejected, and cruelly executed. But even here, at the seeming moment of utter abandonment and defeat, some have eyes to see and willingness to respond positively to Jesus.
• Human religious and political power do their worst to the King of Israel; but god is also at work seen in bringing darkness and in tearing open the Temple veil. Just as the sons of evil triumph by destroying the anointed one, just then God provides unrestricted accces into His presence.
• Mark continues to give us unexpected characters. Simon, a father from a distant land whose sons are known to Mark’s audience (cf Rm 13.16), is pressed into service to Jesus who came not to be served but to serve. Rome is oppressing Simon who, perhaps unwittingly, serves the King of all with the result that his sons enter life. Perhaps Simon was pressed because Jesus was so damaged by torture that he was unable to carry his own cross.
• The centurion is another unexpected character, one who has eyes to see. What a contrast between the chief priests and law experts’ rejection and the centurion’s spiritual insight. What was it about Jesus’ death that prompted this spiritual insight and response? Crucifixion involved asphyxiation; Jesus’ loud cries were very unusual, and perhaps the centurion perceived that Jesus volitionally breathed his last. It is also important to note that the text does not include the preposition ‘the’ son. Yet in Mark’s context this confession mirrors the initial announcement in 1.1.
• In 10.45 Jesus said he came to serve, not to be served. Does anyone understand this? Yes, these women who we now learn had been serving Jesus for years by providing for his needs. It is no accident that those who understood Jesus’ core value of servanthood are here, following him during his crucifixion. The disciples, with their focus on power, position, and prestige, are absent.
Application
• The Son of God gives his life as a ransom for many.
• Those with eyes to see respond by confessing Jesus, and serving him.
Discussion Prompts 15.21-41
The Text: Page 38.21-39.26 Chapter 15.21-41
• Read the text aloud to each other.
• This text is the apex of Mark’s narrative. You may want to simply read this text from two or three different translations and spend the rest of you time together in prayer.
Discussion Questions:
• Discuss all Mark wants us to know about the characters in this account:
o Simon and his sons
o The mockers: soldiers, passersby, religious leaders
o The centurion
o The women
• Discuss all we can learn about Jesus:
o Why was he unable to carry his own cross?
o Why did he refuse the wine/myrrh?
o Why is he silent for so long?
o Why cry out in the loud voice to God, and at his last breath?
• Why do you think Mark has waited until now to tell his listeners about the women who followed and served Jesus when he was in Galilee? Compare the other times the word ‘serve’ is used in Mark: 1.13 of the angels, and 10.45 when Jesus says his purpose is to serve and not be served. How does the absence of the male disciples emphasize Mark’s depiction of these women who understand following and serving?
Application reflections
• Have we ever, like Simon, been compelled to serve Jesus? What was that like and what happened?
• Are we following the example of Jesus, and of these women, by following and by serving?
Pray
• Read the text aloud to each other.
• This text is the apex of Mark’s narrative. You may want to simply read this text from two or three different translations and spend the rest of you time together in prayer.
Discussion Questions:
• Discuss all Mark wants us to know about the characters in this account:
o Simon and his sons
o The mockers: soldiers, passersby, religious leaders
o The centurion
o The women
• Discuss all we can learn about Jesus:
o Why was he unable to carry his own cross?
o Why did he refuse the wine/myrrh?
o Why is he silent for so long?
o Why cry out in the loud voice to God, and at his last breath?
• Why do you think Mark has waited until now to tell his listeners about the women who followed and served Jesus when he was in Galilee? Compare the other times the word ‘serve’ is used in Mark: 1.13 of the angels, and 10.45 when Jesus says his purpose is to serve and not be served. How does the absence of the male disciples emphasize Mark’s depiction of these women who understand following and serving?
Application reflections
• Have we ever, like Simon, been compelled to serve Jesus? What was that like and what happened?
• Are we following the example of Jesus, and of these women, by following and by serving?
Pray
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