The distinctive of studying the Scripture from a world view perspective is that it should affect a Christian’s understanding of the nature of the universe. It should yield understanding of the nature of God and how he relates to all people. It should yield understanding of the nature of humans; and the nature of good and evil. And it should contribute to our understanding of the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. The outcome should be a better understanding of the mind and will of God in the full scope of history, as well as in our own time; in the universe as well as in our personal lives; so that Christians can act in ways consistent with the will and intent of God as they relate to every aspect of the culture.
Looking to Scripture to shape our world view requires that we raise certain questions that we look to the Scripture to answer as we examine it in study. The most basic world view questions are:
- What is the nature and character of God?
- What is the nature and character of human beings?
- How are good and evil defined and understood?
- What is the nature of the universe?
We can go on to ask questions of a more specific moral and ethical nature. And we can ask more specific questions about doctrine. We can explore relationships between humans and between groups of humans.
Besides learning what questions to ask of the Scripture, we can benefit from developing good study techniques. Shaping a world view requires more than casual reading. Some general techniques that can be applied to all the books of Scripture are:
- Develop your observational skills by giving close, deliberate attention to the words, the ideas, the literary forms, and the development of the book. Work on understanding the book as a whole. Grant the author the possibility that he is working toward something. Don’t expect each verse, or each passage to have to stand on its own.
- Develop interpretive skills by learning the meanings of words, by looking for relationships between passages in the book, and by looking for relationships between the book at hand and other books or passages of the Bible.
- Look for the application to the culture and to your own life as a result of your grasp of the book as a whole. There may be several specific teachings to take from the book, but if you fail to try to understand the book as an integrated whole, you may misunderstand and misapply its individual parts.
We’re going to try to model a world view study of the Gospel of Mark by going through this process. We’ve designed it to help you observe and interpret the book in the hope that it will produce answers to fundamental world view questions.
Put the book in context
Who wrote it? Who was the audience? When was it written? What is the purpose of the book? What type of literature is it?
Read the entire book. Write a brief outline of the book noting major divisions. Notice how often the word “immediately” is used. Is Mark’s gospel a “teaching” book or a “doing” book or a “teaching by doing” book?
Notice how often the word “authority” is used. What is the difference between authority and power? Notice the name Jesus calls himself; the one that Mark, the author, calls him; and the name the disciples use to refer to Jesus. What do these names tell us about how each viewed Jesus and his ministry?
Who are the main characters? Write a thesis sentence for the book.
As we continue, begin to look for and describe teachings and events related to:
- Creation – Nature and character of God; worship; relationships; dominion; sovereignty.
- Fall – Nature and character of human beings; idolatries; sins.
- Redemption (law and grace) – judgment; reproof; forgiveness; repentance, mercy; restoration.
Chapter 1 of the Gospel of Mark
(Chapter 2 will follow in the next issue.)
Observe the text to understand the author’s meaning
Read 1:1-3. Look up the OT reference, Isaiah 40:1-11. What is this saying about who God is? About his relationship to Israel? About God’s word? About Israel’s punishment and restoration? Now why did Mark use this reference in his book? What is “the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?” What is Mark saying about Jesus Christ by using this OT reference? Who is Jesus Christ? What is he saying about Israel both in terms of judgment and restoration? What is the relationship of Jesus Christ to Israel—what is his role or work?
Read 1:4-8. Who is Mark saying is the messenger. What is the messenger to do according to the Isaiah and Mark texts? Read 9:11-13. Who is Elijah? Read 1:6, 2 Kings 1:8, Malachi 3:1-6, 4:1-6. Read Acts 13:23-25. What is John the Baptist’s role? Who in 1:5 is going out to John? Who was supposed to call the people to repentance? Contrast the dress, education, location of the scribes and Pharisees to John. How do you think the scribes and Pharisees reacted to John’s ministry?
Read 1:9-13. Do you see a relationship between vs 7 “One is coming” and vs 9 “Jesus came”? This is the first time “immediately” is used. Watch how often in Mark it is used. What do we learn about Jesus relationship to the Spirit and the Father here? Notice reference to Spirit in Isaiah 40:13. Read Isaiah 42:1-9; 61:1-3. Calvin speaks of the reason for Jesus baptism saying, “…the reason for Christ’s undergoing baptism was to offer His father full obedience, while the particular reason, was to consecrate baptism in His own body, that it might be common between Him and us.” Explain this in terms of the Spirit in vs 8 and in vs 10.
An audible voice identifies Jesus, “Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased.” See Psalm 2, Mark 1:1, Mark 9:7. Why does God speak these words? What’s happening here? How is Jesus being identified through this baptism and the accompanying sights and sounds.
Notice the tense of the verbs in this section. Is Jesus the subject of the verbs or the object? In other words who acts? Do you see this then as a time of preparation? Who impelled Jesus to go into the wilderness? Who is ultimately in authority here? Do you see Satan’s control being limited? Is this reminiscent of any other OT book? What is the text saying by referring to wild beasts and Satan?
Read 1:14-15. Notice the phrase again, “Jesus came” as a fulfillment of vs 1:7. Whose message is Jesus preaching? What is the message? What is the response to the message to be? Think about “kingdom of God” for a moment? What does that mean? Who is king of the kingdom? Who are the subjects? What is the geographic area? What does it mean when someone is king? Explain it in terms of authority. Would you say “resistance” is already emerging as a theme? Why?
Read 1:16-20. Of the twelve disciples, who are the ones called here? Read Jeremiah 16:10-21. Why did the disciples “immediately” leave their nets and follow Jesus? Who did they recognize him to be? What is the promise they immediately saw? How is this tied to 1:14-15?
Read 1:21-28. vs 21: Where did Jesus go upon entering Capernaum? This is the first place we are told Jesus begins his ministry and where does he begin it? What day is it? Was Jesus hesitant about going to the synagogue and teaching? How do you think the scribes and Pharisees responded? Why? vs 22: What is the response of the people to Jesus teaching?
vs 23-27: What does Jesus do next? If Jesus teaches with “authority” what does healing the man with an unclean spirit tell us? Do you think it odd that the man with the unclean spirit had taken up residence in the synagogue? Notice in vs 8, 10, 12 Mark had spoken about another spirit. Do you see a possible contrast between the Holy Spirit and the unclean spirit? Notice the first one to confess Christ as the “Holy One of God” is an unclean spirit. Calvin suggests this confession is an attempt by the unclean spirits to say that Christ is one of them—to associate the things of Christ with evil. That would explain Christ telling the spirits to be quiet—he didn’t appreciate their confession. What in vs 27 is the sign of authority?
vs 28: What is the result of Jesus’ teaching and healing? Do you see that the road to the cross is already laid? Explain.
Read 1:29-31. What happens now? Notice “immediately” is used twice in this passage. Why do you think Mark tells us that Peter’s mother-in-law “waited on them?” How does this relate to “authority?”
Read 1:32-34. What is the importance of relaying “after the sun had set?” How many people came to Jesus door? Why? Why didn’t Jesus allow the demons to speak?
Read 1:35-39. What does prayer tell us about the source of his authority? Why doesn’t Jesus stay in Capernaum? Where does he go in the towns? How do you think the scribes felt about that?
Read 1:40-45. What does the leper’s request to Jesus show about his understanding of Jesus authority? Notice how often in this section the words “clean” and “cleansed” are used. As well as “immediately.” What is Jesus ministry in terms of casting out “unclean” spirits and “cleansing” the leper? Can you say what Jesus ministry is? Notice that Jesus touches the leper to cleanse him. He also touched Peter’s mother-in-law but did not touch the man with the unclean spirit in vs 22-26. Do you think he had to touch the man or was there perhaps another reason that he touched him?
Why did Jesus send the man cleansed of leprosy to the priest? What is Jesus attitude about the Law? Read Lev 14:1-4, 30-32 the law Jesus is referring to. What should the response of the priest have been? What is the response of the people? Where are people coming from to Jesus? Do you see Jesus as a celebrity?
Interpret the text
What do we learn in this chapter about who Jesus is? What is his relationship to the OT? to God? What is the effect of his preaching? healing? What does he have that the scribes do not? What is the response of the people? What do we learn is the pivotal point of the clash between the scribes and priests and Jesus?
Bible study notes
(Compare these notes to your thoughts after you have looked at the passages and answered the questions yourself.)
Mark 1:1-3. When an Old Testament passage is quoted in the New Testament, it is not just to recall the specific verses quoted but rather to recall the entire text. If we quoted the short phrase, “Four score and seven years ago”, it would immediately recall to us the entire Gettysburg Address. By referring to Isaiah 40, Mark is telling the gospel of Jesus Christ. Isaiah 40 says, “Here is Your God” and that is Mark’s message to his readers—“Here is your God, Jesus Christ.” Jesus Christ according to Isaiah is the fulfillment of prophecy, “the word of our God stands forever.” Jesus comes ruling with might and like a shepherd tending his flock. Jesus will gather the lambs—those Hebrews scattered and punished by the exile for their sins will now be restored.
Mark 1:4-8. The identification with Elijah is made again in chapter 9, but it is established immediately here by showing that John dressed and looked like Elijah. According to Malachi 3-4, Elijah would return before the Messiah. Mark is showing that the prophecy of Malachi has been fulfilled.
According to verse 5, “all the people of Jerusalem” go out to John. What an affront this was to the scribes and Pharisees of Jerusalem to have the people flocking to the wilderness listening to this poorly clothed, uneducated man, when they should have been at the temple listening to the well-dressed, well educated scribes and Pharisees.
Calvin makes an interesting comment on this section, “Repentance is not the cause of the remission of sins…men are told to repent that they may perceive the reconciliation that is offered to them.” The sequence is important. In reformed theology, God does it all. His actions do not depend on us. Our response enables us to perceive his actions.
Mark 1:9-13. Again this is the fulfillment of prophecy that the Spirit of God would come upon the Messiah. While the Spirit comes upon Jesus, God identifies Jesus as his Son in whom he is pleased. This Messiah (the anointed) is King and will rule the nations, “how blessed are all who take refuge in him” (Ps 2:12). God is identifying Jesus as Divine, as Messiah, as King. While there will be opposition to his rule, the victory is assured, just as the victory over Satan in the wilderness is assured. Jesus goes to the wilderness to confront Satan not impelled by Satan but by the Spirit of God. Although he is tempted, he is surrounded by angels ministering to him.
Mark 1:14-15. The message is a call to repent according to the teachings of the OT. It is the same message the OT prophets preached—turn back to the living, true God and repent. As Presbyterians, we believe there are two covenants, the first began with God’s command to Adam, the second covenant began with Adam and Eve’s fall and God’s promise of salvation.
Westminster Confession on nature of two covenants:
1. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of him, as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part, which he hath been pleased to express by way of covenant.
2. The first covenant made with man was the covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam, and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.
3. Man, by his Fall, having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, commonly called the covenant of grace: wherein he freely offered unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in him, that they may be saved, and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto life, his Holy Spirit to make them willing and able to believe.
4. This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in the Scripture by the name of a testament, in reference to the death of Jesus Christ, the testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed.
5. This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the gospel: under the law it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all fore-signifying Christ to come, which were for that time sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sins, and eternal salvation; and is called the Old Testament.
6.037-6.041 from our Book of Confessions which together with the Book of Order comprise the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Mark 1:16-20. The OT promise was that restoration for Israel would begin when fishermen were sent to gather the scattered people. Now, Jesus calls the fisherman. They followed not because they thought Jesus a charismatic teacher, but because they saw in their call, a fulfillment of the prophecy. Indeed, the kingdom of God was at hand.
Mark 1:21-28. Jesus begins his teaching in the northern part of Israel around the Sea of Galilee and he stays in this area until chapter 10 when he begins traveling toward Jerusalem and the crucifixion. Notice that although we read that Jesus taught, we do not learn of his teaching, instead he teaches about his authority by displaying it. He has authority even over unclean spirits. The people in verse 22 make a comparison between Jesus and the scribes and Pharisees that shows the road to the cross is already set. The scribes and Pharisees refuse to recognize Jesus’ authority and instead seek to destroy him for his refusal to recognize their authority.
Mark 1:29-31. Jesus has authority to heal. Peter’s mother-in-law is so completely restored that she waits on the visitors.
Mark 1:32-34. The people observed the Sabbath according to Jewish tradition by not traveling or carrying anything over a certain weight. It is not until the Sabbath ends at sunset that they come to Jesus and bring the sick.
Mark 1:35-39. Jesus is fully God, fully man but while on earth according to Philippians (2:5-8) “he emptied himself, taking the form of a bondservant, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” His authority while he walked on earth was from God, the Father, to whom he prayed.
Mark 1:40-45. The leper had no question about Jesus authority to heal, the issue was Jesus willingness. Jesus can heal by willing it to be but he chooses to speak and touch, showing his personal response to our brokenness. By sending the man to the priests, Jesus showed his willingness to observe the biblical commands in Leviticus. It is also a witness to the priests. They should have been amazed as the people were at Jesus’ authority.
This study first appeared in Theology Matters, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jan/Feb 1995).
