Christ Through the Bible- Mark

Text: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; MARK 1:1

INTRODUCTION
The gospel begins with a definitive statement concerning Jesus’ identity in Mark 1:1.  Mark states this is the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  He ends his introduction with the divine affirmation from God the Father, who states Jesus is His beloved son, and He is well pleased with Him.  All through the gospel, Mark addresses the identity of Jesus.   The debate among the people of who Jesus was brought about the question from Jesus to His disciple as who the people thought He was?  Then Jesus asked His disciple who they thought He was, to which Peter replies, Thou art the Christ.  The identity of Jesus is revealed by God the Father or demons, but Jesus himself tries to conceal it.  Even after the confession of Peter Jesus command His disciple not to reveal to anyone His identity.  The identity of Christ is important to Mark.  Even at Jesus’ trial, the question of Jesus’ identity is asked by the High Priest, Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?  At his death, the identity of Jesus is again a subject of Mark when a Roman centurion says, Truly, this man was the Son of God.  It would seem the purpose of Mark’s gospel was to show the identity of Jesus as the Son of God.

The Gospel According to Mark is one of the four canonical gospels and one of the three synoptic gospels. It tells of the ministry of Jesus from his baptism by John the Baptist to his death and burial and the discovery of the empty tomb – there is no genealogy of Jesus or birth narrative, nor, in the original ending at chapter 16, any post-resurrection appearances. It portrays Jesus as a heroic man of action, an exorcist, a healer, and a miracle worker. Jesus is also the Son of God.

Mark is commonly believed to be written for a Roman audience, mainly because of his emphasis on action and the omission of details of lesser interest to them. Mark's Gospel was written for the benefit of a Greek/Roman readership. It contains relatively few references to Old Testament prophecies, explains some Jewish words and practices, and is fast-paced and to the point about Christ as a servant to man, rather than the King of the Jews. It contains fewer (or shorter versions) of Jesus' discourses, focusing instead on His miracles and compassion.

Mark’s style and approach indicate he most likely wrote for a Roman audience. This is deduced by both his method of showing action and activity and his lack of reference to Old Testament prophecy (which would have required lengthy explanations to a Roman audience) or Jewish religious customs.
The book presents Christ as the suffering servant yet, as a mighty Savior. This would appeal to a Roman reader. Mark provided a compelling story of success, then failure, despair, and hope. At the same time, Mark's Gospel is careful not to apportion blame for the crucifixion of Jesus to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, making it clear that he was a reluctant judge, who committed Jesus to execution under duress. Mark further endears itself to the Romans by stating, "Give unto Caesar, that which is Caesar's..." (Mark 12:17). Mark's story was not a threat to the Roman empire, and it was safe for Romans to associate with the gospel. Of course, what he wrote was also intended for all who want to know more about Jesus Christ and His life and work, down to the present day. 

SON OF GOD
 Jesus is also introduced in 1:1 as the Son of God.  This is confirmed in 1:11 by the voice from heaven during Jesus‟ baptism.  The demons address Jesus as Son of God, e.g., in 3:11 and 5:7.  We see the messianic secret coming into play again in 1:34 and 3:12 when Jesus would not allow the demons to make his identity known.  When the demons address Jesus as Son of God during an exorcism, it shows Jesus‟ authority as Son of God.  In 9:7 once again a voice from heaven affirms during the Transfiguration that Jesus is the Son of God.  In 14:61 during the trial before the Sanhedrin, Jesus was asked if he was the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One, and he answered affirmatively.  While on the cross Jesus was mocked as Messiah/Christ and king of Israel by the Jewish religious authorities in 15:32 but a Roman centurion correctly declared, “In truth, this man was the Son of God” (15:39).  The readers of Mark knew from the statement in 1:1 that Jesus was the Son of God but by the end of the Gospel many of those who knew Jesus in the flesh, excluding the Jewish authorities, knew that he was the Son of God.  This may have some connection with a plot structure used in some ancient dramas whereby the audience knew the truth from the beginning, but the characters in the show gradually came to learn the truth as the scene evolved.  Also note that both titles, Christ and Son of God, come together while Jesus is on the cross, 15:32 and 15:39.  Mark is saying that we cannot understand Jesus as Messiah/Christ or Son of God apart from his suffering on the cross.  It is intrinsic to Jesus as Christ and Son of God.  

 SON OF MAN
 This is the only title that Jesus uses to describe himself in Mark.  To understand what Jesus meant by using this title of himself it is essential to know what those who heard Jesus would automatically assume when they heard Jesus describe himself as the Son of Man.  While some would say it meant different things it seems to me that above all it refers to Jesus as Messiah.  Please read now Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14.  Note the description of the Son of Man in Dan 7:13-14.  It is a description of a glorious Messiah.  So this title, like Christ and Messiah, is also a title to refer to the expected Messiah.  So when Jesus uses this title, he is admitting that he is the anticipated Messiah.  But notice when Jesus uses this title.  He uses this title in the three passion predictions.  Read them once again in the teaching section, 8:22-10:52.  Once again we see Jesus teaching that the expected Messiah would be a suffering Messiah, not the type of Messiah they had expected.  
 

SON OF DAVID 
Son of David‟ was the chief title in use to describe the expected Messiah at the time of Jesus.  This is because they knew the Messiah would be a descendant of King David.  The prophet Nathan had made this promise to David in 2 Sam 7:4-17.  Read that passage now.  When Jesus entered Jerusalem, there was a suggestion that he was that Son of David in 11:10.  „Son of David‟ was used at the time of Jesus to describe an earthly messiah, a king or great ruler who would free Palestine from Roman occupation.  Once again, therefore, Jesus had to teach the true meaning of the Son of David which he did in a difficult passage in 12:35-37.  In this obscure passage, Jesus is saying that the Son of David is Lord of David due to his resurrection and will sit at the right hand of the Father in heaven.  (The Lord, i.e., the Father, said to my Lord, i.e., the Son of David, Jesus, to take his seat at his right hand and the enemies of the Son of David will be as a stool for under his feet through his resurrection).  Do you think the scribes and the people could have understood what Jesus meant when he spoke this?  No way.  This would have become clear only after Jesus‟ resurrection and ascension.  That is why it is explained only in Acts 2:34.  It could not have been said before Jesus took his seat at the right hand of his Father in heaven! 

THE PARABLES
Jesus can no longer teach within the towns because of the size of the crowds, so He uses the open areas around the Sea of Galilee as His auditorium. His audience gathered around Him, Jesus begins to teach in parables. Jesus teaches several "kingdom parables." These are parables that help to define the Kingdom of God that is coming. The Kingdom parables in Mark's Gospel include the "Parable of the Sower," the "Seed that Grows Itself," and the parable of the "Mustard Seed."

Like the prophets of old, Jesus uses topics of everyday life in making comparisons to illustrate His teaching points that reveal "the mysteries of the Kingdom of God" (4:11). Mark will use the words "kingdom of God" fifteen times in Mark's Gospel and the term "kingdom of our Father" once (Mk 1:14, 15; 4:11, 26, 30; 9:1, 47; 10:14, 15, 23, 24, 25; 12:34; 14:25; 15:43; "kingdom of our Father" in 11:10). Notice that Jesus begins by commanding the crowd to "Hear/Listen" in verse 3 and He will end the parable with the same command in verse 9. The command to "hear" will be repeated by Jesus five times (Mk 4:3, 9, 23 twice and 24). The reason He begins and ends the parable in this way will become clear in Mark 4:12 when He quotes from Isaiah 6:9-10.  There may also be a connection to God's command in Deuteronomy 6:4, known to the covenant people as the Shema, which begins: Hear, O Israel!" The people are commanded not to respond to Him with closed ears and eyes in the way their ancestors failed to respond to the message of God delivered by His prophet Isaiah. To "hear" means to absorb and to appropriate Jesus' words by responding with open hearts to understand His message and His mission, and their understanding must transform them and redirect their path in life.
Jesus first parable is about sowing seeds in different kinds of soil; it is a prevalent topic for the 1st century AD farming culture where broadcasting seed over a wide area that would be plowed into the ground later was a common practice. Every element in the parable is symbolic.
Question: What does the seed represent in Jesus' parable?  Mk 4:14 and Lk 8:11.
Answer: The seed is the "word of God," the Gospel message of salvation. It is the same message broadcast to every person within the scope of Jesus' teaching.
Question: Who is the sower of the seed in the parable?
Answer: Jesus is the sower. Jesus' teaching plants seeds of faith, like the sower in His parable.
Question: What do the different soil conditions where the seed is sown represent?
Answer: The different kinds of soil represent the different types of human response to Jesus' message of salvation in the coming of the Kingdom. 

The seed was sown on the path, unfortunately, doesn’t even get a chance to sprout because it didn’t land on soil that would prepare it to grow. There was a lack of understanding, and the evil one stole away the word of God. I cannot emphases the importance of background knowledge. There must be some knowledge before we understand.

Do we ever reject part of the message of the Gospel because we do not understand it?

Do we say we are Christians but due to lack of understanding of what the Bible teaches we support ideas and concepts that are contrary to the Word of God?  We lack the understanding why same-sex marriage, abortion, transhumanism, pre-marital sex or a whole host of other issues Christians are to avoid.  We cannot see the dangers of these issues to our self and our culture.  Because of our ignorance of the Word of God, we think we know better.

There are reasons why the Church teaches what she does. Have we allowed prejudice or lack of understanding to prevent us from seeking to understand, and so reject part of the Gospel? Whenever we deny part of the message of the Gospel, to use the words of Jesus today, the evil one has stolen the word from our heart.

The seed sown on rocky ground does get to sprout but when the cross comes – “tribulation or persecution” - we give up.  "I tried Jesus, but He didn't do anything for me."  Did you experience the joy of sins forgiven, the burden of guilt lifted, but we quickly went back to our old way of life because we could not see beyond some temporary difficulty or disappointment?

 The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but worldly anxiety and lure of riches hinder our hearts from being receptive to Jesus. Are there times when we are too busy to pray? Have we missed church because we were too busy or made up some other excuse? Are we too busy to study the Bible? Whenever we put worldly anxiety and lure of riches before God, the word dies.
 Finally, the fourth type of person is the one who hears the word and understands it, who bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. (Matt 13:23)

 We each in many ways hear the word, understand it and bear fruit. There are times in our life when some of these four types of people are seen in us. We could be all four of these persons at once, or predominantly one of these types of person for a particular time of life. Let us do some spiritual cardiac surgery on our hearts so that misunderstanding and prejudice, or disappointment, or worldly anxiety and the lure of riches will not render our hearts unfertile soil for the Jesus‟ words so that we do not grieve the Holy Spirit.

Another application of the parable is that 100% success is not guaranteed in life.  Some things will go wrong.  There is only so much that we can do, leave the rest to God.  Jesus did not have 100% success in his ministry or 100% success in teaching the Twelve.  All the Twelve received the same teaching from Jesus and experienced the love of God through him.  Not all produced the same type of fruit.  Judas betrayed him and committed suicide and Peter denied him but recovered again.  Parents raising families also have the same experience.  Some children turn out differently to others.   If all the seed that we sow does not produce good fruit, we need to understand this is the reality of life and not give up.

Where is your relationship with Jesus Christ?  Has the seed taken root and growing or has the hard heart of sin kept the seed from growing?