“Mark spends much more time describing John’s death than he does describing his ministry. This story would have held special meaning for Mark’s persecuted readers, whose lives were likewise threatened because of their message. John remained faithful when persecuted. When others’ response to our faith causes us discomfort, let us remember men like John and remain faithful to God to the end.” [1] How do stories of persecution like John the Baptist’s encourage your faith?
The miracle of Jesus’ feeding the 5,000 (Mark 6:30–44) also appears in Matthew 14:13–21, Luke 9:10–17, and John 6:1–14, making it one of the few stories that appear in all four Gospels. Compare each of the four accounts, and consider how they round out your understanding of this miracle.
Throughout the Old Testament, the imagery of a sea represents chaos and relentless change. God demonstrates his power by sending Jonah into the sea (Jonah 1–2)—and then rescuing him and by parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14). The Psalms and Prophets also recount God’s power using the sea as a poetic reference to chaos and trouble (Psalms 65:7, 77:19, Isaiah 43:16). With those references in mind, what does Mark 6:45–52 show about Jesus?
“How do you answer those who claim that Mark records two accounts of the same feeding of the crowds by Jesus in Mark 6:30–44 and 8:1–10? Given their similarity, why does Mark include both of these miracles?” [2]
Regarding Mark 9:2–13: “This is the only place in the Bible where Moses and Elijah are explicitly named together. Since Moses was forbidden from entering the promised land (Num 11:10–13), the two did not minister in the same region. But there was one geographical intersection between both their ministries—another mountain, Mount Sinai (Exod 19; 1 Kings 19:8–18). Aside from Moses (and Joshua his helper), Elijah is the only other person in all of Israel’s history who went up Mount Sinai. And significantly, both Moses and Elijah witnessed a theophany on top of the mountain. If this connection is made, then the transfiguration, like many of the other narratives of Jesus’ life, is evidence that God is once again working in a way similar to how he had in the past.” What are some other places in Mark where you’ve seen God working in a similar way to how he worked in the Old Testament?
[1] Jeffrey E. Miller and Elliot Ritzema,Study, Apply, Share: Mark (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mark 6:14–29.
[2] Jeffrey E. Miller and Elliot Ritzema,Study, Apply, Share: Mark (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mark 8:1–10.
[3] Benjamin A. Foreman, “The Geographical Significance of the Transfiguration,” in Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Gospels, ed. Barry J. Beitzel and Kristopher A. Lyle, Lexham Geographic Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016), Matthew 17:1–Luke 9:36.
New Testament Reading Plan Week 2: Mark 6–10
Dig deeper in Mark 6–10 with these five prompts.
[1] Jeffrey E. Miller and Elliot Ritzema, Study, Apply, Share: Mark (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mark 6:14–29.
[2] Jeffrey E. Miller and Elliot Ritzema, Study, Apply, Share: Mark (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mark 8:1–10.
[3] Benjamin A. Foreman, “The Geographical Significance of the Transfiguration,” in Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Gospels, ed. Barry J. Beitzel and Kristopher A. Lyle, Lexham Geographic Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016), Matthew 17:1–Luke 9:36.