Discussion Questions 9.2-13

Introduction

• Have you had any further thoughts this past week about what it means to follow Jesus in his suffering, death and resurrection?
• This next section serves to further emphasize Jesus’ authority to define both the role of the Christ, the Messiah, as well as to define the terms of discipleship.

The Text: Mark 9.2-13, Page 17.26-19.13

• Read the text aloud to each other.

Discussion Questions:

• What is the significance of Jesus having this conference with Moses and Elijah just after Jesus announces his immanent future: suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection? How might the appearance of Moses and Elijah, both ‘dead’ for centuries, impact the disciples understanding of the resurrection?
• Discuss all the reasons you can think of for Peter, James and John’s terror.
• Talk about the voice: When was the last time in Mark a voice spoke about Jesus, and what did it say then? What does it say now? How do we know who the voice is talking about? What might these words mean to Jesus? To the three disciples?
• Discuss the three disciples’ question about Elijah and Jesus answer to them. Apparently the scribes have a different understanding about Elijah’s return than does Jesus. What does Jesus say about Elijah’s return? How does this comment relate to Jesus’ comments about the Son of Man? 

Application reflections

• If Jesus is God’s beloved Son, why is God sending Jesus to suffering, rejection, death and resurrection? Why has God chosen to overcome evil and death by Jesus’ death and resurrection and not by reestablishing David’s kingdom on earth to overcome Roman and restore the Law?
• What does it mean to us to ‘listen to him’? Is there something that the Lord is saying to us that we would rather ignore?
• Do we, like the scribes and possible the disciples, have any understandings about Old Testament prophecy that we need to submit to Jesus’ authority?

Pray

The Best of Mark 7 & 8

Evangelical Free Church of Chico
February 14th, 2010:
Mark 7 & 8

The Best of Mark 7 & 8
Pastor Lou Diaz
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Discussion Questions Mark 8.27-9.1

Introduction

• This section is the turning point of Mark’s narrative. Jesus’ identity is proclaimed by Peter. But Jesus’ understanding of the Christ, the Messiah, is a shocking surprise to his disciples. The rest of Mark’s narrative unfolds the implications of following Jesus: suffering, rejection, death and resurrection. Jesus’ words should shock us just as much as they did the disciples, and the crowds.

The Text: Mark 8.1-26, Page 17.26-19.13

• Read the text aloud to each other.

Discussion Questions:

• Why does Jesus chose this time and place to discuss the disciples’ understanding of his identity?
• What do you think Peter meant by naming Jesus as the Christ?
• How did Jesus’ teaching about the Son of Man conflict with Peter’s, and other 1st century Jews’, understanding of the Messiah?
• Compare the role of Satan in the parable of the sower to Peter’s role here. Why does Jesus call Peter Satan?
• Why does Jesus address his comments about coming after him not only to the disciples, but to the crowds?
• How would you sum up Jesus’ comments about coming after him?
• Why might Jesus’ words here be considered something to be ashamed of?

Application reflections

• Who do people today say Jesus is? Who do we say Jesus is?
• Can we relate to Peter’s objection – that suffering, rejection, death and resurrection are central to the Christ’s purpose?
• Compare the idea that God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our life with Jesus’ description of discipleship. Are they the same? Is the message today different than the message then?
• How did Jesus model losing his life? What does it mean for us to lose our lives for his sake and the gospel?
• Can we follow Jesus without experiencing suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection ourselves?
• What is there to be ashamed of in Jesus’ model and description of discipleship? Are we expressing shame about Jesus’ lifestyle and description of discipleship?

Pray

 

OIA Mark 8.27-91

Observations

• Who: Jesus, disciples, Peter, Satan, crowd;
• When: During travels in Gentile region; the transition between Jesus’ public teaching and his focus on final training for the 12, and the beginning of final journey to Jerusalem
• Where: the villages of Caesarea Philippi
• What: Jesus’ question about identity; Peter’s argument and rebuke; Jesus’ comments about discipleship.
• Connections: command to silence; Son of Man; speculation about Jesus’ identity; the conflict with religious leaders is further described.
• Contrasts: people’s understanding of Christ/disciple’s view; Peter’s revelation/Jesus’ rebuke; disciples/crowds; save/lose; profit/forfeit; life/death; death/power.
• Responses to Jesus:
• Speculation about Jesus’ identity continues and includes historic figures already dead
• Peter proclaims Jesus’ true identity
• Peter rejects Jesus’ teaching about the role of the Christ
• The disciples and crowds listen to Jesus’ description of discipleship

Interpretation

• 1st century, or Second Temple (the period of return from the Babylonian exile and the beginning of Rabbinic teaching) Jewish expectations of the Christ or Messiah focused on the restoration of David’s kingdom, God’s justice (which meant punishing Israel’s enemies and the restoration of a political nation), and recovering Israel’s unique role as God’s holy and chosen people. Rome was to be overthrown, Israel’s nationhood restored, and Temple worship restored.
• At least part of Peter’s and the disciples’ expectations about the Messiah would have been similar to those of their culture. So Jesus’ explanation of his anticipated future would have come as a real shock. Rather than vindication from Rome’s oppression, Jesus paints a picture of a victim. Rather than a restored Temple worship Jesus foretells religious persecution. Rather than a victorious revolutionary who restores national pride, Jesus predicts a martyr’s death. We can see why Peter takes this opportunity to correct Jesus!
• The way to new life is not at all what Jesus’ contemporaries, including his disciples, expected, or wanted. Jesus not only proclaims his own rejection, suffering, death and resurrection, but he makes it clear that the same things will happen to those who want to come after him!
• God’s strategy for overcoming evil and restoring creation is shocking and makes absolutely no sense from a human perspective. Victorious political power like Rome exercised, heroic conquerors like Caesar, Alexander, even King David: these do not represent God’s means of restoring fallen creation. Rather God intends to conquer evil by delivering His own son to an ignoble death and the hands of both the ‘chosen’ religious nation as well as the ruling Roman Empire. God overcomes the evils of political oppression and religious hypocrisy by the sacrifice and resurrection of his own son.
• In the parable of the sower Satan is the one who takes the word away as soon as it is sown. Here Peter assumes the role of the birds: he immediately tries to remove the word Jesus has just sown.
• Jesus’ definition of what it means to follow is universal, not limited to the disciples; anyone who wants to come after Jesus will share his experience of self-denial, of gaining life by giving life in cooperation with God’s design for redemption.
• What is there to be ashamed of in Jesus’ words? Humility, submission to God’s methods, religious and nationalistic pride are of no value, victory comes from suffering and not from accomplishment, and God is the author of this.
• What does it mean that some who heard will see the kingdom come with power? Some ideas include: the transfiguration; the resurrection; the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

Application

• Are there ways that we share the religious and political expectations of 1st century religious thinkers? Is Jesus’ invitation to join him is his suffering and resurrection any less shocking today than it was 2000 years ago?
• Do we really believe that the hope for life, and for the world, comes through self denial, through giving our lives for Jesus sake? Both President Bush and Obama have spoken of the USA as the last, best hope for the world. Have we let this idea influence our understanding of discipleship?
• Who does the right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness compare and contrast to Jesus’ description of what is means to come after him? Do Jesus’ words still apply to us today?

 

Sent

Evangelical Free Church of Chico
February 7th, 2010:
Mark 6:7-12

Sent
Special Guest Speaker: Kenny Stone
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Mark 8.1-26; Page 17.6-19.13

Introduction

• Any more thoughts on Jesus’ priority on bringing light to those culturally distant from us? Any thoughts on a group response to the Nepal trip report?

The Text: Mark 8.1-26, Page 17.26-19.13

• Read the text aloud to each other.

Discussion Questions:

• This is again a fairly long text with several stories: 4000, Jesus’ sigh in response to the Pharisees, the disciples’ confusion, the healing. Feel free to focus your group discussion; you may want to save the healing of the blind man for next week; or, if you feel able, go for an overview of the key themes of these stories.
• Look for connections and contrasts to the first feeding miracle: how do the disciples act? What is Jesus’ motivation? How are the hungry people the same/different in these stories? Why do you think Mark records two similar, yet distinctly different bread-in-the-wilderness stories? Who in the OT gave bread in the wilderness, and why refer to that in Mark, and at this time in the narrative?
• Why do the Pharisees ask for a sign from Jesus at this time? What do you learn from Jesus’ reply to them?
• What was the leaven, or spirit, or motivation of Herod? Of the Pharisees? Just what is Jesus warning the disciples about? What is the connection between Jesus and the feeding miracles that seems to be eluding the disciples?
• Why does Jesus have to heal the blind man twice? How is this story a parable of the disciples’ experience with Jesus?

Application reflections

• What does it mean to us that Jesus is the bread of life, able to supply needs in impossible situations?
• How are we doing in our participation with Jesus in his mission?
• Are we, like the Pharisees, refusing to act on what we see because it does not fit within our presuppositions about God?
• Are we like the disciples, at least asking questions, and in the boat, but still a bit foggy?
• Are we like the blind man, requiring repeated intervention from the Lord?
• Are we suffering from double-mindedness?
• From arrogant self-satisfaction?
• From this-world’s nationalistic expectations?

Describe your experience of being in the boat with Jesus, with him in spite of confusion.

 

Pray

 

OIA 8.1-26

Observations

• Who: Jesus, 4000 hungry, disciples, Pharisees, some people, a blind man
• Where: Decapolis
• When: Following Jesus return from Tyre and Sidon, and another eye/ear miracle
• What: another bread miracle; more Pharisaical resistance; confused disciples; another blind man healed
• Connections: the second feeding miracle; again an ambiguous response by the disciples who are the agents of this miracle, even though they cannot see the bakery for the bread; hardening Jewish religious conflict;
• Responses to Jesus:
• The crowd is obedient, and blessed
• The disciples ask, and receive, and are still a bit clueless
• They Pharisees resist, question,
• The man is healed

Interpretation

• This section rounds off a cycle of bread in the wilderness, Jewish conflict/Gentile acceptance, disciples confusion, and miracles to restore the ability to see and hear. Part of the significance of this section has to do with the disciples continuing inability to see and understand; only by the touch, and second touch of Jesus do the disciples finally catch a glimpse of Jesus: yes, the Christ; but still they see only dimly: Jesus is not the messiah they are looking for; and the next several chapters focus on the values of Jesus’ kingdom in contrast to the expectations of not only the disciples but the entire Jewish religious culture.
• Jesus remains in Gentile regions. Again the response here is contrasted with the leaven of Israel’s political and religious leadership. The next story, the great confession, also occurs in Gentile areas, in fact in Herod’s brother’s city.
• Sight, including spiritual sight comes only by Jesus’ direct intervention.
• Jewish inability to recognize Jesus, like Gentile blindness, moves Jesus to sighs of exasperation. The Pharisee’s request for a sign may be in response to Jesus’ Moses-like miracle given freely to a non-Jewish audience. Jesus’ sigh may be an expression of frustration at the Jewish preoccupation with themselves, and continual rejection of their role as a light to the nations, and preoccupation with their own flawed understanding of God’s stated intent in His blessing, and plan for Abraham’s descendants.
• What was Herod’s leaven? Perhaps double-mindedness, and inability to respond. Herod heard John gladly but refused to respond in repentance. Instead his fear of looking weak and diluting his temporal power led Herod to kill God’s messenger, and reject God’s invitation to repent.
• What was the leaven of the Pharisees? They had God in a box of their own theological presuppositions, and refused to adjust their ideas to God’s. Their purity was ritualistic; their religion self- and nationally exclusive.
• Both double-mindedness, and nationalistic self-righteousness are to be avoided.

Application

• Jesus is the bread of life. Like Moses, Jesus gives bread in the wilderness.
• Our religious/nationalistic presuppositions can have the same impact on us as they did on the Pharisees and the disciples: we miss Jesus’ mission to the nations, provoking exasperation on Jesus’ part. We, like the Pharisees and disciples, risk becoming marginalized for God’s kingdom if we will not let go of our flawed understanding of God’s intentions and purposes.
• Deaf ears, and dumb tongues, can only be opened by Jesus’ special touch. He may have to touch us more than once, and bathe us in his bodily fluids, before we can catch even a glimpse of who he really is.