Mark - Lesson 2

The Kingdom Is Dawning

Mark 1:21–45

LAST WEEK IN REVIEW

Lesson 1 examined the beginnings of Jesus’ ministry and proclamation of the Good News (the gospel) that God’s kingdom had come at last.  Yet His kingdom came in unexpected ways.  Mark didn’t start with Jesus’ birth or pre-existence like the other Gospels, but with the messenger sent before Him, John the Baptist.  John was the servant of the true Servant.  He proclaimed the need for confession of sin and repentance, and he used baptism to symbolize commitment to die to one’s self and turn to God. 

Jesus was confirmed not just as the Son of Man, but the Son of God.  He was testified to by His own message and life, as we’ll see, by John’s testimony, by the Holy Spirit descending upon Him in the form of a dove, and by the proclamation by God the Father,  “As for you, you are my Son, the beloved one; in you I am well pleased.[i]” 

Rather than immediately entering into ministry, Jesus faced severe temptations in the wilderness for 40 days.  Instead of breaking Jesus and destroying His purposes, these temptations became a triumph over Satan, the first step in showing us that the kingdom of God had indeed begun to come.  Jesus emerged the Son of Man, able to relate to us as we face our own trials and temptations.  The Galilean ministry began, and from the first Jesus’ message was the coming of the Kingdom.  Jesus began seeking out men to accompany Him and help in His ministry.  Unlike the rabbis, He chose His followers from not the cream of the crop, but some pretty unlikely characters.  Yet these men made up for their lack of qualifications in the world’s eyes by their devotion to Him:  “They immediately left their nets and followed Him” (Mark 1:18, nkjv).  As we study this week, we’ll see an action-packed beginning to His ministry in the region of Galilee, and see that there is much we can learn from this as well.

DAY ONE:  An Astonishing Authority

Please carefully read Mark 1:21-26 and answer the following questions.

After calling His initial four disciples, Jesus began ministering in Capernaum, which became His home base during this time.  Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, two to three miles from the mouth of the Jordan River.  The existence of this city is well documented in other ancient documents, and archaeologists believe they have unearthed the very synagogue that Jesus ministered in, as well as possibly Peter’s house there.[ii]

1.  What did Jesus do on the Sabbath, and how did His hearers react (v. 21, 22a)?

NOTES:  The nlt indicates Jesus did this “every Sabbath day;” in fact the word Mark used, sábbasin, is plural.[iii]  These people were astonished at Jesus’ teaching (meaning to strike someone out of their senses by some strong feeling, wonder, and joy; to be struck with shock, astonishment and amazement). 

2.  They were also amazed at Jesus’ authority (Greek exousia, authority delegated from one person to another; the right and ability to do something).  Why was this (v. 22b)?

NOTE:  The title scribe in Greek is similar to our word grammar.  These men were experts about the written and oral Law, and would explain it, probably boringly, in schools or synagogues.  We see Jesus denouncing many of the scribes and Pharisees in the Gospels, but not all were antagonistic toward Jesus, as we’ll see later in Mark.[iv]

3.  What suddenly happened as Jesus was teaching (v. 23, 24)?

4.  What a shocking thing this would be?and who knows how long this guy had been going to the synagogue before it was revealed he was demon-possessed![v]  The Amplified Bible expands the outburst of the demon, based on the context of the Greek, “he raised a deep and terrible cry from the depths of his throat” (v. 23).  How did Jesus deal with this, and what was the result (v. 25, 26)?

5.  The demon inside the poor guy had one last fling with him?literally!  The kjv describes this as having torn him.  The Greek means convulsing him like a it was used to describe the rending or tearing done by an animal as it kills its prey.[vi] Jesus’ handling of this was to tell the demon to be quiet, or literally, be gagged and muzzled!  This deliverance exhibits another proof of the Kingdom of God dawning.  How so (Isaiah 61:1; 1 John 3:8)? 

Scripture Memory:  This week we will be memorizing Mark 1:41.  Review the passage several times throughout the day each day this week, and by the end of the week, you should have it memorized completely.

Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Mark 1:41, nkjv