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Bible Seminar XI
Mark
First Timothy
First Peter
Titus
Second Timothy
Second Peter
Hebrews
Jude
James G. McCarthy
© 2011
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Bible Seminar Curriculum
Bible Seminar is a series of twelve courses, each of thirteen classes, that guides the student through a study of God’s
Word from Genesis to Revelation. It presents the books of the Bible in approximately chronological order. Materials
for each book include an introduction, an outline, a key verse to memorize, a series of study questions, and instruction
in Bible study techniques. Students are asked to read approximately eleven chapters a week in Old Testament courses
and answer about fourteen questions. In the New Testament, students are asked to read about four chapters each
week and answer about sixteen questions. Homework assignments require three hours’ work each week.
Course
Bible Seminar Course Curriculum
Number
I
Genesis 1-11; Job; Genesis 12-50; Exodus
II
Leviticus; Numbers; Deuteronomy; Joshua
III
Judges; Ruth; 1 Samuel; 2 Samuel; Psalms I
IV
1 Chronicles; Psalms II; 1 Kings 1-11; Ecclesiastes; 2 Chronicles 1-9; Proverbs; Psalms III
V
Psalms IV; Song of Solomon; 1 Kings 12-22; Joel; 2 Kings; Jonah; 2 Chronicles 10-36; Psalms V
VI
Amos; Micah; Hosea; Isaiah; Nahum; Zephaniah; Habakkuk; Jeremiah 1-33
VII
Jeremiah 34-52; Lamentations; Obadiah; Ezekiel; Daniel; Ezra; Haggai; Zechariah; Esther;
Nehemiah; Malachi
VIII
Gospel of Luke; Acts 1:1-14:28; James; Galatians; Acts 15:1-35
IX
Acts 15:36-18:22; 1 Thessalonians; 2 Thessalonians; Acts 18:23-20:3; 1 Corinthians; 2
Corinthians; Romans
X
Matthew; Acts 20:3-28:31; Ephesians; Colossians; Philippians; Philemon
XI
Mark; First Timothy; First Peter; Titus; Second Timothy; Second Peter; Hebrews; Jude
XII
John; 1 John; 2 John; 3 John; Revelation
In the will of the Lord, these courses will be offered at Grace Bible Chapel as follows.
January 2011
Bible Seminar XI
September 2011
Bible Seminar XII
January 2012
Bible Seminar I
September 2012
Bible Seminar II
January 2013
Bible Seminar III
September 2013
Bible Seminar IV
January 2014
Bible Seminar V
September 2014
Bible Seminar VI
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Lesson 1
Bible Seminar XI
Introduction
The apostle Paul writes, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be
ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). This exhortation applies not to Timothy alone, but
to all who would be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Christians we must study and know the Word of God, then
live it out each day. Only then will we receive the Lord’s approval in the future day.
Bible Seminar XI Course Description
Bible Seminar XI provides an overview of eight books of the New Testament. They will be studied in the order in
which they were written.

Mark—the briefest and simplest presentation of Christ’s life.

1 Timothy—instructions from Paul to Timothy for his ministry in Ephesus.

1 Peter—an exhortation to Christians facing persecution to maintain excellent behavior.

Titus— instructions from Paul to Titus for his ministry in Crete.

2 Timothy—final instruction from Paul to his beloved disciple.

2 Peter—a warning to Christians to be vigilant against false teachers in the church.

Hebrews—a warning to Jewish Christians wavering in their faith and considering a return to Judaism.

Jude—an exhortation to Christians to contend for the faith against false teachers.
Course Requirements
Bible Seminar XI is a thirteen week course. A table listing the classes and their dates is below. In preparation for
each lesson, students are asked to read four or five chapters of the New Testament and answer a series of questions.
These will lead the student in an inductive study of Scripture and introduce the student to several Bible study
techniques, preparing him or her for a lifetime of Scripture study.
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Students should plan on setting aside a minimum of three hours each week for reading and homework. They
should answer each question fully in the space provided. If additional space is needed, students may continue their
answers on the back of the sheet, but are asked to keep their answers brief and to the point. Students wishing to
complete homework assignment with the use of a computer should ask the instructor for a computer file of the
course.
Weekly Class Schedule
The class will meet weekly for ninety minutes. Instructors will divide classroom time between lecture and
discussion, using the following schedule.
7:00 p.m. Lecture 1
7:30 p.m. Discussion Groups
8:00 p.m. Lecture 2
8:30 p.m. End
Students are asked to arrive at class a few minutes early, so that instruction can begin on time. Students should
come to class with the assigned section read and their homework assignments completed and ready to turn in to their
discussion group leader.
Course Completion
To successfully complete this course, students must:

complete all reading assignments

complete and turn in all homework assignments

attend class each week, not missing more than three classes
Students are encouraged to make full use of this opportunity to learn God’s Word by studying hard and giving
God their best. Homework assignments are difficult and will require several hours to complete. Students should plan
ahead and set aside one or two evenings a week for homework.
Recognizing that most students have a limited amount of time to dedicate to this course, the instructors want the
students to feel free to consider their homework completed after three hour’s work regardless of where they are in the
week’s assignment. Students choosing to exercise this option should simply write “3 Hours Completed” in the margin
of the homework and stop. When instructors see this notification, they will treat the assignment as completed.
Finally, several lessons have sections at the end titled Optional Questions for the Advanced Student. These questions
require considerable time, greater thought, and a broader knowledge of Scripture than do the other questions in the
lesson. It is up to the discretion of the student whether or not to answer these questions. Students who do so,
however, are promised a valuable return for their effort.
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Bible Seminar XI
Course Schedule
Lesson
Date
Topic
1
January 5
Introduction—No Homework Due
2
January 12
3
January 19
4
January 26
5
February 2
6
February 9
7
February 16
8
February 23
9
March 2
10
March 9
11
March 16
12
March 23
13
March 30
Mark 1-4
Mark 5-8
Mark 9-12
Mark 13-16
1 Timothy
1 Peter—Midterm Review
Titus
2 Timothy
2 Peter
Hebrews 1-5
Hebrews 6-9
Hebrews 10-13 , Jude
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Lesson 2
Bible Seminar XI
The Gospel According to Mark 1-4
AUTHOR
From the earliest days of the church, Christians have acknowledged Mark, one of the first Christians, as the
author of the second gospel (Acts 15:39; Colossians 4:10; Philemon 1:24). His name is the anglicized form of the Latin
Markus, meaning dedicated to Mars, the god of war. It was one of the three most common names during the Roman era.
The biblical Mark was also known by his Jewish name, which was John (Acts 12:12; 12:25; 15:37). This is the
anglicized form of the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning the Lord has been gracious.
It is clear from the Gospel of Mark that the author is a Jew, who is familiar with the locations visited by Jesus, had
firsthand interaction with the apostles, and possibly knew the Lord. A fragment from the writings of Papias (70-155
AD), Bishop of Hierapolis in modern-day Turkey, preserved by Eusebius, historian and Bishop of Caesarea (263-339
AD), states that Mark served Peter as his interpreter, accompanied him on some of his travels, and wrote down some
of what he taught.
In his first letter, Peter refers to Mark as “my son, Mark” (1 Peter 5:13). Mark was with Peter in Rome during the
latter years of his life (1 Peter 5:13, where “Babylon” is probably an early Christian code for Rome). Some believe that
the young man Mark refers to in Mark 14:51-52 as having been almost seized by the temple guards on the night of
Jesus’ arrest was Mark himself.
Mark’s mother was Mary, an early disciple. She had a house in Jerusalem that was sometimes used by the apostles
(Acts 12:12). It is likely that it was the location of the upper room in which Jesus celebrated His last Passover and in
which the disciples gathered on Pentecost for prayer. It was to this house that Peter came when he was released from
prison by an angel (Acts 12:12-17). These connections would have made Mark an eyewitness of some of the events of
Jesus’ life. Later Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas, who was Mark’s cousin (Colossians 4:10), on their first
missionary journey (Acts 12:25). Mark turned back partway through the trip (Acts 15:38), angering Paul. This later
became a matter of contention between Paul and Barnabas at the start of their second missionary journey, causing
them to part ways. Mark accompanied Barnabas to Cyprus, while Paul traveled with Silas to Syria and Cilicia (Acts
15:37-41). Paul and Mark later reconciled. Near the end of his life, Paul instructed Timothy, “Pick up Mark and bring
him with you, for he is useful to me for service” (2 Timothy 4:11).
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COMPARISON OF THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke are known as the synoptic gospels, for they see the life of Christ in a similar
manner (synoptic coming from the Greek syn, meaning together, plus opsis, meaning seeing). They share a common
structure and much of the same content. Virtually every event from the life of the Lord Jesus in Mark is also in
Matthew. The only real exceptions are six verses in Mark 1:23-28 which are not in Matthew. This section is the story
of Jesus casting an unclean spirit out of a man in the synagogue of Capernaum. Luke includes this event in his gospel
and much of the wording in the Greek text is identical to that in Mark, telling us that one copied the other or they
both copies a third source(Luke 4:33-37). The word-for-word correspondence is too exact to be a coincidence. This
means that no event in Mark is unique to Mark. It can all be found in Matthew or Luke. It is not clear, however,
whether Matthew and Luke relied on Mark or some common document when writing their gospels, or Mark relied on
Matthew or Luke or a third document when writing his gospel.
Though no event in Mark is unique to Mark, the Gospels of Matthew and Luke each contain portions unique to
them. About 20% of Matthew is found only in Matthew. This unique material includes events related to Jesus’ infancy
(Matthew 2:1-18); the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-8:1); Jesus’ discourse preparing the disciples for ministry
(Matthew 10:1-42); and several parables (Matthew 24:43-25:46).
About 38% of Luke is found only in Luke. Most of this unique material is related to Jesus’ birth (Luke 1:1-2:52);
the sermon on the plain (Luke 6:20-49); events near the end of Jesus’ ministry as He travels to Jerusalem; and a large
section in the middle of Luke’s gospel (Luke 9:51-18:14).
Many Bible commentators see a distinct emphasis in each of the gospels. Matthew, they say, presents Jesus as the
King of the Jews. One indication of this is the fact that the gospel begins with the genealogy of “Jesus Christ, the son
of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). Mark, they say, presents Jesus as a servant. They point to Mark 10:45
as the theme verse of Mark’s gospel: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give
His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Luke presents Jesus as a man. It gives more emphasis to Jesus’ birth and
traces the Lord’s genealogy all the way back to Adam. John presents Jesus as the Son of God. He opens his gospel,
writing, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Near the
end of his gospel, John writes, “These have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;
and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). Commentators often connect these four emphases to
the four living creatures surrounding the throne of God in Revelation 4:6-7. John writes, “The first creature was like a
lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature
was like a flying eagle” (Revelation 4:7). Commentators see correlations between the lion and Jesus as the King of
Israel (the Gospel of Matthew), the calf and Jesus as the servant (the Gospel of Mark), a man and Jesus as the Son of
Man (the gospel of Luke), and the eagle and Jesus as the Son of God (the Gospel of John). Similar imagery is found in
Ezekiel 1:10.
Despite the poetic appeal of this approach to distinguishing the four gospels and its well-established place in
Christian tradition, others question whether it is valid. They argue that all four gospels present Jesus as king, servant,
man, and the Son of God. The gospel of Mark, for example, includes many references to Jesus as the Son of Man
(Mark 2:10; 2:28; 8:31; 8:38, and others), the King of the Jews (Mark 15:2; 15:12; 15:18; 15:26; 15:32), and the Son of
God (Mark 1:1; 3:11; 5:7; 15:39). The text of Mark 10:45, recognized by many as theme verse of the gospel, is also
found in Matthew 20:28.
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JOHN AND JESUS’ MINISTRY IN THE JUDEAN WILDERNESS 1:1-13
1. In introducing the ministry of John the Baptist, Mark quotes two Jewish prophets: Malachi, the last prophetic writer
of the Old Testament, and Isaiah, possibly the greatest Jewish prophet. What do we learn about John the Baptist and
his ministry from these two quotations?
A. “As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your
way;’” (Mark 1:2; quoting Malachi 3:1).
B. “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight’” (Mark 1:3;
quoting Isaiah 40:3).
2. What are the first recorded words of Jesus in the gospel of Mark? What significance do they have for us today?
JESUS’ MINISTRY IN GALILEE AND THE NORTH 1:14-9:50
3. In Mark 1:21-39, we find a record of Jesus’ activities over a period of about thirty hours, beginning on a Sabbath
day. To better understand Jesus’ busy and demanding life, list all of the events recorded in this section of Scripture.
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4. Read again the account of Jesus’ healing of a leper in Mark 1:40-45.
A. What does this passage have to say about Jesus’ attitude toward self-promotion? (When answering this question,
consider the conduct of many modern-day television faith-healers, who seem to be part preacher and part showman.)
B. If Jesus wanted the Jews to recognize Him as the Christ, why did He warn the cleansed leper to “say nothing to
anyone” (Mark 1:44)?
5. Read again the account of the paralyzed man whose friends lowered him through the roof into the presence of
Jesus in the room below (Mark 2:1-12).
A. Why were the ruling Jews so offended when Jesus forgave this man of his sins?
B. Jesus answered His critics, saying, “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Arise,
and take up your pallet and walk’’?” (Mark 2:9). How would you answer this question? Which is easier to say and why?
6. What can we learn about living life as Jesus did from Mark 2:13-17?
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7. What applications can you draw for your life from the following passages?
A. Mark 2:18-20
B. Mark 2:21-22
8. Consider Mark 2:23-28. What does Jesus mean when He says, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for
the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27)?
9. What was it that “grieved” the Lord in Mark 3:1-6? How might we grieve Him in a similar manner?
10. What do we learn about the attitude of Jesus’ family toward Him from Mark 3:20-21 and 3:31-35?
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11. Explain Jesus’ following statements.
A. “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it should come to light” (Mark
4:22).
B. “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it shall be measured to you; and more shall be given
you besides” (Mark 4:24).
C. “For whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away
from him” (Mark 4:25).
12. What do we learn about the kingdom of God from the parable of Mark 4:26-29?
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Optional Questions for the Advanced Student
OLD TESTAMENT QUOTATIONS FROM THE GREEK SEPTUAGINT
13. Sometimes when we compare quotations from the Old Testament in the New Testament with the text of those
quotations in the Old Testament we find significant differences. This can be troubling, causing one to wonder how
can an inerrant and inspired text differ in two places. Much of the problem, however, is only apparent, the differences
being the result of multiple layers of translation.
Consider, for example, Mark’s use of Isaiah 40:3 in Mark 1:3. Below is the text of both verses from the New
American Standard Bible. Consider how they compare with one another. Mark any differences in the text, drawing lines
between words or phrases that do not correspond well. Ignore differences between words that are synonyms as these
are to be expected as a normal part of the translation process, two scholars rendering the same word slightly
differently.
“A voice is calling, ‘Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our
God’” (Isaiah 40:3, NAS).
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight’” (Mark 1:3,
NAS).
What is the cause of these differences and similar differences in other New Testament quotations from the Old
Testament? Most of them are the result of New Testament authors quoting the Greek text of the Old Testament
rather than the Hebrew text.
The writers of the Old Testament wrote mainly in Hebrew. Daniel and Ezra wrote portions of their books in
Aramaic (Daniel 2:4-7:28; Ezra 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26). One verse in Jeremiah is also in Aramaic (Jeremiah 10:11).
In the second and third century before Christ, Jewish scribes working in Alexandria, Egypt, translated the Hebrew
and Aramaic Scriptures into Greek, the lingua franca of the time. Known as the Septuagint, Latin for seventy, this
translation of the Old Testament is usually identified by the letters LXX, the Roman numerals for the number 70.
This is a reference to the number of translators who worked on the translation.
For Jewish Christians living in Israel in the first century, Aramaic would have been their first language. Many of
them would have also been fluent in Greek. Often these early Christians had greater access to the Jewish Scriptures in
the Greek language, the Septuagint translation, than they did to the Scriptures in Hebrew, a language with which they
were less familiar. Consequently, when quoting the Old Testament, early Christian writers usually quoted it from the
Greek Septuagint. Other times, they quoted the Hebrew Scriptures or just gave a rough approximation of the verse
from memory, much as we might do at times. The result, as might be expected, is variations in the texts of our Bibles.
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Consider the following diagram.
Isaiah 40:3 occurs in our English Bibles both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. They got there,
however, through different routes. The passage in our English Old Testament (4) is a direct translation from the
Hebrew Scriptures (1). The passage in our English New Testament (4) is a translation from the original Hebrew (1),
into the Greek Septuagint (2), quoted by Mark in the Greek New Testament (3), and then translated into English (4).
As would be expected, noticeable differences are the result.
Fewer differences are found when we compare the Greek text of the Septuagint (2) with the Greek text of the
New Testament (3).
In 1851, Sir Lancelot C. L. Brenton made an English translation of the Septuagint. It is available on the Internet
and in many Bible software programs. If you compare his English translation of the Septuagint with the English
translation of Old Testament quotations in the New Testament of your Bible, you will often good agreement.
Consider Isaiah 40:3 in the New American Standard Bible and in Brenton’s translation of the Septuagint.
“A voice is calling, ‘Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our
God.’”
Isaiah 40:3 (NAS)
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God.”
Isaiah 40:3 (Brenton’s Septuagint)
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Some differences are apparent, mainly with respect to the phrase “in the wilderness.” Should it be understood as
modifying the “the way for the Lord” or modifying the “the voice of one crying”? The translators of the NAS and
Septuagint disagree on this point.
Finally, compare the English of Isaiah 40:3 in the NAS and Brenton’s Septuagint with the text of Mark 1:3 in the
NAS.
“A voice is calling, ‘Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our
God.’”
Isaiah 40:3 (NAS)
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God.”
Isaiah 40:3 (Brenton’s Septuagint)
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight.’”
Mark 1:3 (NAS)
Clearly, the English of Mark 1:3 is much closer to the text of the Septuagint, the probable source that Mark used
for the verse when writing his gospel.
14. Select an Old Testament quotation from the Gospel of Mark. In the space below, write the verse from your New
Testament, the verse as it is found in your Old Testament, and the verse as it is found in Brenton’s Septuagint online.
Compare the three, marking the text with your observations and summarizing what you find.
New Testament
Old Testament
Brenton’s Septuagint
Summary of Observations
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Lesson 3
Bible Seminar XI
The Gospel According to Mark 5-8
Though Mark is similar to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, it also differs from them in significant ways. The
most obvious is its size. Mark’s gospel is the shortest of the synoptic gospels. Mark’s 678 verses make it 63% the size
of Matthew’s gospel (1071 verses) and 59% of the size of Luke’s gospel (1151 verses). Whether Mark abbreviated
Matthew or Luke’s gospel when writing his gospel, or Matthew or Luke expanded Mark’s gospel when writing theirs is
not known. In the early church it was generally held that Matthew was the first to write and Mark and Luke made use
of the Gospel of Matthew when writing theirs. Possibly Mark abbreviated Matthew gospel, accounting for the many
similarities and size differences. Some believe that Mark may have worked from an Aramaic translation of Matthew,
accounting for differences in wording and style. Today, more scholars believe that Mark was the first to write and that
Matthew and Luke borrowed from him when writing their gospels.
Another aspect of the Gospel of Mark that distinguishes it from Matthew and Luke is that unlike the other two,
Mark does not list Jesus’ ancestral lineage. Matthew begins his gospel with “the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of
David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). He provides Jesus’ legal lineage through his father Joseph back to David
and Abraham, a matter of great importance to the Jewish reader. Early in his gospel, Luke explains Jesus’ miraculous
conception and birth, and provides Jesus’ genealogy from Mary back to David, Abraham, and Adam (Luke 3:23-38).
This established Jesus’ natural or biological lineage. Mark does not include either genealogies or make any reference to
Jesus’ birth are childhood.
Commentators sometimes point out that Mark quotes the Old Testament less frequently than Matthew or Luke
(Mark 63 times, Matthew 128 times, Luke about 95 times). Some consider this as an indication that Mark wrote for a
Gentile audience. Mark’s gospel, however, is smaller than Matthew’s gospel or Luke’s gospel. When this is taken into
account, it appears that the three gospels quote the Old Testament with approximately the same frequency (Matthew
.12 quotation/verse; Mark .09 quotation/verse; Luke .08 quotation/verse).
Another distinctive feature of the gospel of Mark is the author’s use the Greek word euthus, usually translated
“immediately.” Mark uses this word forty-two times, as compared to Matthew’s six usages and Luke’s three.
Apparently, Mark was trying to give the life of Christ a sense of immediacy, action, and continuity. For example, when
John baptizes Jesus, we read: “And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the
Spirit like a dove descending upon Him” (Mark 1:10). Following this event, we read, “And immediately the Spirit
impelled Him to go out into the wilderness” (Mark 1:12, italics added). Several verses later we read, “And they
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immediately left the nets and followed Him” (Mark 1:18, italics added). This emphasis continues throughout Mark’s
gospel.
Scholars also see differences in the style, sentence structure, and vocabulary of the three synoptic Gospels. Luke’s
writing is the most refined of the three. Matthew’s writing is good, but not as good as Luke’s. Mark’s is at a lower
literary level.1
JESUS’ MINISTRY IN GALILEE AND THE NORTH 1:14-9:50 (CONTINUED)
1. Describe the demon-possessed man of Mark 5:1-7, listing six things about him.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
2. Is there any indication in the text of Mark 5:1-20 as to the number of demons possessing this man? If so, what
would you estimate the number to have been.
1
Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar: Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), pp. 27-30.
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3. Describe the demon-possessed man after Jesus had cast the demons out, listing five things about him (Mark 5:1420).
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
4. If a person today were demon-possessed, how might we recognize it? How might he or she behave?
5. In Mark 5:21-43, we read of two miraculous healings, one of a woman with a hemorrhage, the other of a child who
had died. What do each of these miracles contribute to our understanding of the Lord Jesus and His power?
A. the healing of the woman with a hemorrhage (Mark 5:25-34)
B. the raising of the little girl from the dead (Mark 5:21-24; 5:35-43)
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6. Speaking of the town of Nazareth, Mark describes Jesus’ ministry there, writing, “And He could do no miracle
there except that He laid His hands upon a few sick people and healed them” (Mark 6:5). The word translated “could
do” here has the meaning of being able, capable, or having the power to do something.
A. Why couldn’t Jesus work more powerfully in Nazareth?
B. Can He work powerfully in your life? In your church? Or, is the same thing hindering Him?
7. When Jesus sent out the twelve to preach, heal, and cast out demons, He gave them specific instructions. What do
you think His purpose was in each of the following?
A. The disciples were to go out “in pairs” (Mark 6:7).
B. The disciples were take nothing with them except a staff. “No bread, no bag, no money” (Mark 6:8).
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C. The disciples were to stay in one house until they left a town (Mark 6:10).
D. If a town did not receive the disciples, they were to shake off the dust from the soles of their feet as they left (Mark
6:11).
8. When the Lord’s disciples told Him that the multitude of 5000 were hungry and the place was desolate, Jesus told
them, “You give them something to eat!” Why did Jesus say this if He knew full well that His disciples couldn’t
possibly provide food for so many people?
9. Why did Jesus come walking on the sea to His disciples in the dead of night (Mark 6:45-52)? What was His goal and
what do you personally learn from this incident?
10. In Mark 7:1-13, we read of a group of scribes and Pharisees who came from Jerusalem to confront Jesus,
apparently on behalf of the Sanhedrin. “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but
eat their bread with impure hands?” (Mark 7:5), they demanded. Dirty hands were not the issue but observance of the
strict procedure for hand-washing precisely described in the oral law, that is, Jewish Tradition. The Pharisees had seen
some of Christ’s disciples “eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed” (Mark 7:2). Now the authoritative
teachers of the Jewish nation wanted an explanation.
Jesus was not intimidated by the scribes and Pharisees. Rather than submitting to their authority as they expected,
He rebuked them squarely. Explain each rebuke found in the following verses, applying it to the scribes and the
Pharisees.
A. Mark 7:6
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B. Mark 7:7
C. Mark 7:8
D. Mark 7:9
E. Mark 7:13
11. What is the source of sin in our lives and what is not the source according to Jesus’ teaching in Mark 7:17-23?
12. In Mark 7:24-30, what do we learn about the kind of person to whom God shows favor?
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13. It would seem from the story of Mark 7:24-30 that even a child can be possessed with an unclean spirit. Is that
correct? If so, how might an innocent child come to be in such a terrible spiritual state?
14. In the healing of the deaf mute in Mark 7:31-37, why do you think Jesus put His fingers in the man’s ears and
place His spit on the man’s tongue? Why did he do that?
15. Mark 6:30-44 is an account of Jesus’ miraculous feeding of the 5000. Mark 8:1-9 is an account of Jesus’ feeding of
the 4000. A short time later, Jesus admonished His disciples, saying “‘Do you not remember, when I broke the five
loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?’ They said to Him, ‘Twelve.’
‘And when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?’
And they said to Him, ‘Seven.’ And He was saying to them, ‘Do you not yet understand?’” (Mark 8:18-21). What had
happened to cause Jesus to say this?
Optional Question for the Advanced Student
16. In Mark 8:22-26, Jesus heals a blind man, restoring his sight. The healing took place in two stages. After the first,
Jesus asked the man, “Do you see anything?” (Mark 8:23). How did the man respond? Why do you think this was and
why did it take two touches for Jesus to heal the man?
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Lesson 4
Bible Seminar XI
The Gospel According to Mark 9-12
ARAMAIC IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK AND THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT
A distinctive features of the Gospel of Mark is the author’s five explanations of Aramaic words and clauses. This
indicates that Gentiles were the intended audience, rather than Judean Jews, who would have understood Aramaic.
For example:
 When Jesus appoints the Twelve, speaking of James and John, Mark writes, “to them He gave the name
Boanerges, which means, ‘Sons of Thunder’” (Mark 3:17).
 Telling the story of Jesus’ raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead, Mark writes, “And taking the child by the
hand, He said to her, ‘Talitha kum!’ (which translated means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise!’)” (Mark 5:41).
 Healing a deaf and dumb man, Mark writes, “looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’
that is, ‘Be opened!’” (Mark 7:34).
 Describing the crucifixion, Mark writes, “And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place
of a Skull” (Mark 15:22). Matthew and John also explain the word Golgotha (Matthew 27:33; John 19:17).
 As Jesus dies, Mark recounts His last words, writing: “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice,
‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?’” (Mark 15:34).
Matthew also explains this Aramaic sentence (Matthew 27:46).
We find similar explanations of non-Greek words in the Gospel of John. The author explains the Aramaic word
“‘Cephas’ (which is translated Peter” (John 1:42). John explains a word that is both Aramaic and Hebrew: “‘Messiah’
(which translated means Christ).” (John 1:41). He also explains two Hebrew words: “Rabbi (which translated means
Teacher)” (John 1:38); and “‘Siloam’ (which is translated, Sent)” (John 9:7). It is certain that no Jewish person would
have needed to be told that Messiah means Christ or that rabbi means teacher.
It may be good to pause and consider why Jesus and His disciples spoke in Aramaic, rather than in Hebrew, the
ancient language of the Jewish people, and why Jews living in Israel today once again are speaking Hebrew. Aramaic
and Hebrew are similar languages, but different enough that having fluency in one would only give a personal a
minimal understanding of the other. Both Hebrew and Aramaic are members of a family of languages spoken by the
descendents of Shem called Semitic languages. These include Arabic, Amhara (spoken in Ethiopia and Eritrea),
Tigrigna (spoken in Eritrea), Hebrew, Aramaic, and several important extinct ancient languages such as Sumerian,
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Akkadian, Canaanite, Phoenician, Punic, and Syriac.
Aramaic is the language of the descendents of Aram, the fifth son of Shem (Genesis 10:22). His people settled in
Mesopotamia and Syria. Their language gradually replaced Akkadian, the ancient language of the Chaldees and
Assyrians. With time and conquest, Aramaic eventually became the dominant language of the Middle East. Its
influence in the region can be seen during the reign of Hezekiah (715-686). Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent his
armies against Jerusalem. Rabshakeh, one of Sennacherib’s military commanders, taunted Hezekiah and the Jewish
army to come out from behind the walls of Jerusalem and fight, even offering him two thousand horses to help him
in the battle(2 Kings 18:23). Eliakim, Hezekiah’s spokesman, answered, “Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, for
we understand it; and do not speak with us in Judean, in the hearing of the people who are on the wall” (2 Kings
18:26). From this we see that the Jewish people spoke Hebrew at the time, but that Hezekiah’s official was able to
communicate in Aramaic, the language of the Assyrians. The northern kingdom of Israel was already under Assyrian
control, as was the entire Middle East. A hundred years later, Judah fell to the Babylonians, who were also Aramaic
speaking. During the Jewish exile in Babylonia (586-538 BC), Aramaic replaced Hebrew as the language of the Jewish
people and remained the every-day language of the Jews until after the time of Christ.
After the Jewish-Roman wars (66-135 AD) and the Jewish Diaspora that followed, the largest concentration of
Jews came to be in Central and Eastern Europe, mainly in the German Rhineland. They became known as Ashkenazi
Jews, from Ashkenaz, the oldest son of Gomer, the son of Japheth, the son of Noah (Genesis 10:1-3). Rabbinic
literature states that Ashkenaz was the father of the Germanic, Scandinavian, and Slavic peoples.
Ashkenazi Jews developed a language of their own in Europe called Yiddish, a combination of German dialect
and Aramaic with Hebrew, Slavic languages, and Romance languages mixed in. They used the Hebrew alphabet when
writing it.
By the eight century, Hebrew was essentially an extinct language, surviving only in Jewish liturgy, the Hebrew
Scriptures, and the Jerusalem Talmud (rabbinical commentary on the law written in Aramaic and Hebrew).
Hebrew was a dead language until the late nineteenth century when through the efforts of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda
(1858-1922), a Jewish lexicographer and newspaper editor who immigrated to Israel from modern-day Belarus, and
others associated with the Zionist Movement in Israel began efforts to revive it. Ben-Yehuda established Hebrew
schools and wrote text books and gradually the language was reestablished in Israel. In 1922, the British Mandate of
Palestine recognized Hebrew, along with English and Arabic, as one of the country’s official languages. When the
State of Israel was founded in 1948, Hebrew was established as its official language along with Arabic for the nonJewish population. Today, Hebrew is once again a living language, the first such revival of a dead language in human
history. There are presently about nine million Hebrew speakers, mostly in Israel and the United States.
Aramaic remained the dominant language for non-Jews in the Middle East until the seventh century. That was
when conquering Islamic armies changed the cultural landscape and Arabic replaced Aramaic among Semitic people.
Today, between three and four million people speak Aramaic, or more precisely Neo-Aramaic. They are mainly
Assyrians living in Iraq and Syria. There are also communities of Aramaic speakers in Iran, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon,
the United States, Russia, and Sweden. The number has been decreasing and Aramaic is now considered an
endangered language with about 2.2 million speakers.
As Galileans, Jesus and His disciples would have spoken Aramaic and Greek. Four miles from Nazareth, where
Jesus grew up, was the city of Tzippori (also known as Sepphoris and Diocaesarea; modern-day Saffuriya) a large
Roman city. The people of that city spoke Greek, requiring the Jews of the region who wanted to do trade with them
to also learn Greek. Jesus, like His step-father, was a carpenter, craftsman, or builder, probably with stone, the primary
material used in the region. It is likely that much of their work was done in Tzippori.
Jesus’ first language, however, would have been Aramaic. As Galileans, He and His disciplines would have spoken
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Aramaic with a northern accent, identifiable by its indistinct vowels and dropped aitches. This is apparent on the night
of the Lord’s betrayal when Peter’s accent identified him as a follower of Jesus. Some gathered at the high priest’s
residence approached Peter, saying, “Surely you too are one of them; for the way you talk gives you away” (Matthew
26:73). Peter’s adamant denials didn’t fool anyone. He spoke Aramaic like a Galilean.
The influence of Aramaic can still be seen in our English Bibles. Below is a summary of Aramaic words in the New
Testament.
English
Barjona (Matthew 16:17)
Barsabbas (Acts 1:23)
Bartholomew (Mark 3:18)
Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46)
Bethesda (john 5:3)
Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1)
Boanerges
Cephas (1 Corinthians 1:12)
Eli eli lama sabacthani (Mark 15:34).
Ephphatha (Mark 7:34)
Golgotha (Matthew 27:33)
Marana tha (1 Corinthians 16:22)
Messiah (John 4:25)
Rabboni (Mark 10:51, John 20:16)
Tabitha (Acts 9:36)
Talitha kum (Mark 5:41)
Meaning (Aramaic)
son (bar) of Jonah
son (bar) of Sabba
son (bar) of Tolmai
son (bar) of Timai
place (beth) of mercy (hisda)
place (beth) of bread
Sons of Thunder
rock (keph) + the (a)
My God (eli), my God (eli), why (lama) have you forsaken me (sabacthani)?
Be opened.
skull (gulgult) + the (a)
Lord (mar) our (ana), come (tha).
anointed one (meshih) + the (a)
my master, my teacher
gazelle (tabith) + the (a)
Little girl (talith), + the (a), arise (kum).
Most of these Aramaic words and their meaning are from an article by Edward M. Cook titled “Learn a Little
Aramaic from Your New Testament.” Explaining the pronunciation of “Eli eli lama sabacthani” (Mark 15:34), he writes,
“The word eli, ‘my God,’ should be pronounced to rhyme with ‘daily’; lama, ‘why?’ should rhyme with ‘momma’; and
sabachthani, ‘you have forsaken me,’ should rhyme with ‘sock hop Johnny.’”
JESUS’ MINISTRY IN GALILEE AND THE NORTH 1:14-9:50 (CONTINUED)
1. What do we learn about demon possession from the case of the young boy in Mark 9:14-29?
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2. In view of Mark 9:33-35, how big of a problem do you think pride, envy, and jealousy is among Christians today?
What is a key to avoiding this problem among Christians according to the same passage?
3. What do we learn about hell from Mark 9:42-50?
JESUS MINISTRY IN JUDEA BEYOND THE JORDAN AND EN ROUTE TO JERUSALEM 10:1-52
4. Judaism holds that a man has a right to divorce his wife for any reason, even for no reason if he so chooses. He
should consult a rabbi and not act rashly, but the decision is his. If he decides to proceed, the man is to write a formal
document of divorce called a Get and hand it to his wife. They say that Moses established this procedure in
Deuteronomy 24, writing, “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his
eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and
sends her out from his house. . .” (Deuteronomy 24:1-2). Typically, the document states: “This is your Get, and accept
this as your Get. You shall therewith be divorced from me; you are untied, free, and permitted to any man.” The
husband is to sign it and have two witnesses sign it. When he hands the Get to his wife and she receives it, the
marriage has ended. For a Jewish woman to divorce her husband, it was necessary for her to bring him before a
rabbinical court.
According to Mark 10:2-12, what did Jesus think of this practice and the Pharisees’ claim that Moses had
established it?
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5. What do we learn about Jesus from His treatment of children in Mark 10:13-16?
6. What do we learn about entrance into the kingdom of God from Mark 10:13-16?
7. Referring to the Lord Jesus, Mark writes, “And as He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt
before Him, and began asking Him, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ And Jesus said to him,
‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments, “Do not murder, Do
not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother”’ (Mark
10:17-19).
A. If Jesus is God, why did He ask the man, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark
7:18)? It would seem that Jesus is denying that He is good. By extension, it would seem that Jesus is also denying that
He is God. Is this correct or did Jesus have some other purpose?
B. Jesus continued, “You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not
bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother’”(Mark 10: 19). If salvation is by grace and apart
from works (Ephesians 2:8-9), why did Jesus answer the man’s question about how to inherit eternal life by pointing
him to obedience to the Jewish law?
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C. The man answered Jesus, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up” (Mark 10:20). What does this
reply tell us about the man?
D. Jesus told the man, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and you shall have
treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Mark 10:21). If salvation is by grace through faith, why did Jesus tell the
man to sell all that he owned before he could follow Him?
E. Mark records that the man reacted poorly to Jesus’ counsel to sell all his possessions and give the money to the
poor. “His face fell, and he went away grieved, for he was one who owned much property” (Mark 10:22). What does
his reaction tell us about him?
8. After the rich man had left, Jesus said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the
kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23). If salvation is by grace and apart from works, why would it be any harder for a rich
man than for a poor man to enter the kingdom of God?
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9. About ten days before Jesus’ death, He approached the city of Jerusalem with His disciples. Mark writes, “And
James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Him, saying to Him, ‘Teacher, we want You to do for us
whatever we ask of You.’ And He said to them, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ And they said to Him, ‘Grant
that we may sit in Your glory, one on Your right, and one on Your left’” (Mark 10:35-37).
A. How did Jesus respond to their request for the two positions of greatest honor in heaven? Did He treat their
request as prideful and arrogant or as something else?
B. What did Jesus tell James and John that they would need to do to achieve their goal of having the two best places
in heaven?
10. Jesus told His disciples, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a
ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). The Greek word translated here as “ransom” is lutron, from the root luo, meaning to
loose or to release. A ransom is a means of setting free or a payment made to release someone or something. The word occurs in the
New Testament only in Mark 10:45 and its parallel verse, Matthew 20:28. In the Septuagint, the word occurs twenty
times. Here are three examples.
 If the owner of an ox, with a reputation for goring, kills a man, the owner was to be put to death. He had only
one means of escape. “If a ransom is demanded of him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is
demanded of him” (Exodus 21:30).
 Under the law of Moses, the first-born males of all offspring were to be offered to the Lord (Exodus 13:1-2).
When Moses counted the men of Israel after the Exodus, he found that there were 22,273 first-born men. God said
that in exchange for their lives, He would take the Levites to serve Him. There were, however, only 22,000 Levites.
The Lord instructed, “And for the ransom of the 273 of the first-born of the sons of Israel who are in excess beyond
the Levites, you shall take five shekels apiece, per head” (Numbers 3:46).
 The Book of Proverbs tells us, “The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, But the poor hears no rebuke” (Proverbs
13:8).
 Using a related word, the Psalmist writes, “No man can by any means redeem his brother, Or give to God a
ransom for him—For the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever (Psalm 49:7-8).
In what sense did Christ “give His live a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45)?
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JESUS’ MINISTRY IN JERUSALEM AND BETHANY 11:1-16:8
11. As the Lord departed Jericho, a blind man named Bartimaeus proclaimed Jesus as the “Son of David” (Mark
10:48). Some people tried to silence him, but Bartimaeus cried out all the more. A short time later, when Jesus
approached the city of Jerusalem, an upwelling of excitement and joy overcame the people. Seeing Jesus coming into
the city mounted on a colt would have reminded them of Solomon at the time of his coronation as king riding his
father David’s mule in Gihon as short distance from where Jesus entered the city (1 Kings 1:33-40). Possibly the
people also were calling to mind the Messianic prophecy of Zechariah, who said by the Spirit, “Rejoice greatly, O
daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! / Behold, your king is coming to you; / He is just and
endowed with salvation, / Humble, and mounted on a donkey, / Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah
9:9). Seeing Jesus, the people cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Mark 11:9), much to the indignation of the
ruling Jews. This occurred on Sunday, the first day of the week. A short time later, on Friday, the Jewish populace
would be crying out instead, “Crucify Him! . . . Crucify Him!” (Mark 15:13, 14). How is this possible? How could the
Jews go from exalting Jesus to condemning Him in just five days?
12. On the second day of the Lord’s final week on earth, Jesus entered the temple and drove out the vendors and
moneychangers. This was the second time he had done this, the first having been at the inauguration of His public
ministry in Jerusalem (John 2:13-17; Mark 11:15-18). When Jesus returned to the temple the day after doing it the
second time, the chief priests, scribes, and elders came to him and demanded an explanation. “By what authority are
You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?” (Mark 11:28).
A. How did Jesus answer the ruling Jews?
B. Did the ruling Jews deserve a better explanation from Jesus, after all, wasn’t it their responsibility to supervise the
temple and what went on there?
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13. In the last week of Jesus’ life, a scribe asked Jesus, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” (Mark 12:28).
Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your
God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this,
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31). The
scribe agreed, saying, “And the scribe said to Him, ‘Right, Teacher, You have truly stated that He is One; and there is
no one else besides Him; and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength,
and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:32-33).
A. Jesus’ response in Mark 12:29-31 agrees well with the New Testament emphasis on love, but is this emphasis part
of the revelation of the Old Testament as well? If not, how did the scribe recognize it as correct? Can you find verses
in the Old Testament that establish Jesus’ answer as indeed part of Old Testament revelation?
B. Referring to the scribe, Mark writes, “And when Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, ‘You
are not far from the kingdom of God’” (Mark 12:34). What did Jesus mean by this comment?
14. When Jesus saw a poor widow put two small copper coins into the temple treasury, he called his disciples to Him,
and said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they
all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on” (Mark 12:43-44).
How should we apply this passage to our lives? Is Jesus saying that we should give all that we own to the Lord’s work
or is He saying something else?
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Optional Questions for the Advanced Student
15. When Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, why did Elijah and Moses appeared with the Lord
(Mark 9:2-8)? Why them?
16. In the final words of the Old Testament, the Lord says to the Jewish people through the prophet Malachi,
“Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all
Israel. Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the
LORD. And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers,
lest I come and smite the land with a curse” (Malachi 4:4-6).
Coming down from the mountain of transfiguration, the Lord’s disciples asked, “Why is it that the scribes say that
Elijah must come first?” (Mark 9:11). Jesus answered, “Elijah does first come and restore all things. And yet how is it
written of the Son of Man that He should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I say to you, that
Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him” (Mark 9:12-13).
A. In what sense could Jesus say “that Elijah has indeed come” (Mark 9:13).
B. Jesus said that “they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written” (Mark 9:13). Where is written that they
would treat him as they did?
C. When will Elijah come and what will he do when he comes?
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Lesson 5
Bible Seminar XI
The Gospel According to Mark 13-16
From the thousands of events in Jesus’ life, the authors of the three synoptic gospels—Matthew, Mark, and
Luke—chose to record for the most part the same events. They recount them in a similar manner and include many
of the same details. As can be seen in the following table, the three authors use a similar structure or outline based on
the geographic locations in which the events of Jesus’ life occurred.
The Synoptic Gospels Outlined Geographically
Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Mark
Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Egypt 1:12:23
Gospel of Luke
Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem 1:42:52
Judean Wilderness 3:1-4:11
Judean Wilderness 1:1-13
Judean Wilderness 3:1-4:13
Galilee 4:12-18:35
Galilee 1:14-9:50
Galilee 4:14-9:50
Judea beyond the Jordan 19:1-20:34
Judea and beyond the Jordan
10:1-52
Samaria and Judea 9:51-19:27
Jerusalem and Bethany 21:1-28:15
Jerusalem and Bethany 11:1-16:20
Jerusalem and Bethany 19:28-24:53
Galilee 28:16-20
Matthew and Luke tell more of Jesus’ early life than does Mark, who begins his gospel with the ministry of John
the Baptist. Matthew also includes a short section at the end of his gospel, recounting events in Galilee following
Jesus’ resurrection. The core sections of the three synoptic gospels have the same structure. Significantly, they also
leave out many of the same events, most notably four visits by Jesus to Jerusalem: Passover, 27 AD (John 2:13-3:21);
Passover, 28 AD (John 5:1-47); the Feast of Booths, 29 AD (John 7:10-10:21); and the Feast of Dedication, 29 AD
(John 10:22-42). We know about these from John’s gospel.
Though Matthew, Mark, and Luke, share the same outline, in a few places they recount the events in a slightly
different order. They are almost identical from John the Baptist’s ministry in the wilderness through Jesus’ call of
Peter, Andrew, James, and John as disciples (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11). Mark and Luke then tell
the story of the man with the unclean spirit in the synagogue in Capernaum (Mark 1:23-28; Luke 4:33-37). Matthew
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does not include this story. The three authors then tell the next set of events in a slightly different order, Matthew
following one path, Mark and Luke another. For example, the stories of Jesus rebuking the wind and sea, casting
demons out of a man in the land of the Gadarenes, healing Jairus’ daughter, and healing the woman with a
hemorrhage occur slightly earlier in Matthew than they do in Mark and Luke. The three authors return to the same
order of events at the account of John’s death by the hand of Herod (Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9).
They then follow the same chronology from there to the end of Jesus’ life and resurrection.
Harmonizing the synoptic gospels presents several challenges. It is important to keep in mind that events that
appear similar may in fact be distinct. Jesus healed many people and preached on similar themes in several locations.
Some scholars treat Jesus’ sermons in Matthew 5:1-8:1 and Luke 6:20-49 as one event. Others treat them as distinct.
Other times, two events that seem distinct are actually one. One reason for this is that sometimes one author
focuses on one aspect of an event while another author focuses on another aspect of the same event. For example,
when Jesus leaves Jericho to go to Jerusalem, Matthew tells of Him healing two blind men (Matthew 10:29-34). Mark
and Luke mention only one blind man, Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43). Apparently there were two blind
men, but Bartimaeus was the spokesman and the focus of Mark and Luke’s accounts.
Despite these differences, when we consider the many ways in which the synoptic gospels are similar—
geographic structure, details, order of events, events included, events left out, identical verses—the only reasonable
explanation is that later authors were strongly influenced by the author who wrote first, or all three authors were
influenced by an even earlier unknown author.
JESUS’ MINISTRY IN JERUSALEM AND BETHANY 11:1-16:8 (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS LESSON)
1. Three days before the Lord’s death, as Jesus was going out of the temple, “one of His disciples said to Him,
‘Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Do you see these
great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another which will not be torn down’” (Mark 13:1-2). Jesus’
prediction of the destruction of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem occurred forty years later in 70 AD. Do a search on the
Internet and summarize what you learn about this significant date in Jewish history.
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2. In Mark 13:3-37, Jesus tells Peter, James, John, and Andrew about the events preceding His second coming. The
Lord warns His disciples repeatedly, instructing them how His followers should respond to various challenges during
those difficult future times. List as many of the Lord’s commands in this section as you can find, giving the command
and the verse reference.
3. Four times in Mark 13:33-37, Jesus tells His disciples to be “alert” (NAS), or to “watch” (KJV). What is the context
of this emphatic warning? Why does the Lord say His disciples should be “alert” or “watch”?
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4. Some passages in Scripture are very similar and refer to the same event. Others are similar but are in fact two
distinct events. Carefully consider the following two passages, and then answer the questions that follow.
Luke 7:36-50
Mark 14:3-9
Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him. And He
entered the Pharisee’s house, and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, there
was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He
was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster
vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began
to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her
head, and kissing His feet, and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now
when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this
man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this
woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answered
and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied,
“Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed
five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 “When they were unable to
repay, he graciously forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love
him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he
forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 And
turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I
entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My
feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. 45 “You gave Me no kiss;
but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 “You did
not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 “For
this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for
she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And He said to
her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 And those who were reclining at the
table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even
forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go
in peace.”
3
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And while He was in Bethany at the
home of Simon the leper, and reclining
at the table, there came a woman with
an alabaster vial of very costly perfume
of pure nard; and she broke the vial
and poured it over His head. 4 But
some were indignantly remarking to
one another, “Why has this perfume
been wasted? 5 “For this perfume
might have been sold for over three
hundred denarii, and the money given
to the poor.” And they were scolding
her. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone;
why do you bother her? She has done a
good deed to Me. 7 “For the poor you
always have with you, and whenever
you wish, you can do them good; but
you do not always have Me. 8 “She has
done what she could; she has anointed
My body beforehand for the burial. 9
“And truly I say to you, wherever the
gospel is preached in the whole world,
that also which this woman has done
shall be spoken of in memory of her.”
A. Some believe that these two accounts retell the same event, though from slightly different perspectives. List
significant details in them that support this view. Mark them also in the text above.
35
B. Others believe that these two passages describe different events. List significant details in them that support this
view. Mark them also in the text.
C. Having examined both passages, what is your opinion? Are these passages describing the same event or two
different events? Please state your reasons.
5. The Gospel of John also includes an account of a woman anointing Jesus. Is John describing the event in Luke
7:36-50 or in Mark 14:3-9 or in both? State your conclusion and your reasons.
John 12:1-8
Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the
dead. 2 So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table
with Him. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and
wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of
His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii, and
given to poor people?” 6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief,
and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. 7 Jesus therefore said, “Let her alone, in order
that she may keep it for the day of My burial. 8 “For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have
Me.”
1
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6. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus said of the woman who anointed Him, “And truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is
preached in the whole world, that also which this woman has done shall be spoken of in memory of her” (Mark 14:9).
A. Who was this woman?
B. What application might we draw from Jesus’ statement in Mark 14:9 as to the kind of Christian service that God
values most?
7. Describing the Lord’s actions at the Last Supper, Mark writes, “And while they were eating, He took some bread,
and after a blessing He broke it; and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take it; this is My body.’ And when He had taken a
cup, and given thanks, He gave it to them; and they all drank from it. And He said to them, ‘This is My blood of the
covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I say to you, I shall never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that
day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God’” (Mark 14:22-25).
Some say that at the Last Supper Christ transformed the bread and wine into His actual body and blood, a miracle
called transubstantiation, according to the Roman Catholic Church. There before His disciples, the Lord offered
Himself in His victimhood to the Father, the very sacrifice of the cross. The Lord did this that His followers might
evermore continue this sacrifice for sins upon altars in their churches.
Others say that the Lord used bread and wine simply to represent or illustrate His body and blood. He wanted
His disciples to call to mind His saving death and resurrection for them, gathered before tables with bread and wine
upon them, pictures of His body and blood.
A. As you understand it, what was the significance of the bread and wine at the Last Supper?
B. Why did the Lord say that He would “never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in
the kingdom of God” (Mark 14:25)? What is the significance of this statement and does it have any application for us
today?
37
8. What lessons might we learn from Peter’s confident assertion that he would never deny the Lord, even if it cost
him his life, and his absolute denial of Him just a few hours later (Mark 14:26-31; 14:66-72)?
9. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the Lord Jesus prayed, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for Thee; remove this
cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what Thou wilt” (Mark 14:36).
A. What do we learn about the Lord from this prayer?
B. Why did the Lord ask the Father to “remove this cup from Me” if He knew that the Father had sent Him to earth
to die for sinners and had willingly come to do the Father’s will?
C. What application can we draw from Jesus’ prayer for our own prayer life?
38
10. Compare the gospel accounts of Jesus’ trial before Pilate by completing the following four steps, marking the text
in the table on the following page.
A. Treating Matthew’s account as your standard, underline those portions in Mark’s account that are different from
Matthew’s account, that is, they are in Mark’s account but not in Matthew’s. Ignore minor differences, such as words,
phrases, or clauses that say the same thing using different words.
B. Underline any portions of Luke’s account that are not in Matthew or Mark’s accounts.
C. Underline any portions of John’s account that are not in Matthew, Mark, or Luke’s accounts.
D. Finally, underline any portions in Matthew’s account that are not in Mark, Luke, or John’s accounts.
11. Now that you have marked the four accounts of Jesus’ trial before Pilate and his release of Barabbas, analyze
them, taking note of how they are similar and different.
A. Which account seems to be the fullest and clearest?
B. Which account is the briefest?
C. Are there any details in these four accounts that seem to contradict rather than complement each other? If so, list
these differences below. If you can think of a possible explanation, write it below as well.
D. It would appear that there was not one but two groups gathered before Pilate that fateful morning. Do you agree?
If so, identify each group, stating who they were and why they were there.
39
Jesus’ Trial before Pilate
Matthew 27:15-26
Mark 15:6-15
Luke 23:18-25
John 18:38-40
Now at the feast the governor was
accustomed to release for the multitude
any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16
And they were holding at that time a
notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. 17
When therefore they were gathered
together, Pilate said to them, “Whom
do you want me to release for you?
Barabbas, or Jesus who is called
Christ?” 18 For he knew that because of
envy they had delivered Him up. 19 And
while he was sitting on the judgment
seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have
nothing to do with that righteous Man;
for last night I suffered greatly in a
dream because of Him.” 20 But the
chief priests and the elders persuaded
the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, and
to put Jesus to death. 21 But the
governor answered and said to them,
“Which of the two do you want me to
release for you?” And they said,
“Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them,
“Then what shall I do with Jesus who is
called Christ?” They all said, “Let Him
be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why,
what evil has He done?” But they kept
shouting all the more, saying, “Let Him
be crucified!” 24 And when Pilate saw
that he was accomplishing nothing, but
rather that a riot was starting, he took
water and washed his hands in front of
the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of
this Man’s blood; see to that
yourselves.” 25 And all the people
answered and said, “His blood be on us
and on our children!” 26 Then he
released Barabbas for them; but after
having Jesus scourged, he delivered
Him to be crucified.
6
Now at the feast he used
to release for them any one
prisoner whom they
requested. 7 And the man
named Barabbas had been
imprisoned with the
insurrectionists who had
committed murder in the
insurrection. 8 And the
multitude went up and
began asking him to do as
he had been accustomed to
do for them. 9 And Pilate
answered them, saying,
“Do you want me to release
for you the King of the
Jews?” 10 For he was aware
that the chief priests had
delivered Him up because
of envy. 11 But the chief
priests stirred up the
multitude to ask him to
release Barabbas for them
instead. 12 And answering
again, Pilate was saying to
them, “Then what shall I
do with Him whom you call
the King of the Jews?” 13
And they shouted back,
“Crucify Him!” 14 But Pilate
was saying to them, “Why,
what evil has He done?”
But they shouted all the
more, “Crucify Him!” 15
And wishing to satisfy the
multitude, Pilate released
Barabbas for them, and
after having Jesus scourged,
he delivered Him to be
crucified.
18
But they cried out all
together, saying, “Away
with this man, and
release for us Barabbas!”
19 (He was one who had
been thrown into prison
for a certain insurrection
made in the city, and for
murder.) 20 And Pilate,
wanting to release Jesus,
addressed them again, 21
but they kept on calling
out, saying, “Crucify,
crucify Him!” 22 And he
said to them the third
time, “Why, what evil
has this man done? I
have found in Him no
guilt demanding death; I
will therefore punish
Him and release Him.”
23 But they were
insistent, with loud
voices asking that He be
crucified. And their
voices began to prevail.
24 And Pilate
pronounced sentence
that their demand
should be granted. 25
And he released the man
they were asking for
who had been thrown
into prison for
insurrection and murder,
but he delivered Jesus to
their will.
38
15
Pilate said to
Him, “What is
truth?” And
when he had said
this, he went out
again to the Jews,
and said to them,
“I find no guilt in
Him. 39 “But you
have a custom,
that I should
release someone
for you at the
Passover; do you
wish then that I
release for you
the King of the
Jews?” 40
Therefore they
cried out again,
saying, “Not this
Man, but
Barabbas.” Now
Barabbas was a
robber.
40
12. What was in Pilate’s mind when he offered to release Jesus rather than Barabbas? He must have realized that if the
Jews had brought Jesus to him out of envy and wanted him killed that they weren’t going to pick Jesus over Barabbas.
Or did he? Is there a possible reason why Pilate might have thought that the Jews were going to pick Jesus, rather
than Barabbas, thereby allowing Pilate to release Jesus, which is what he wanted to do, and get himself out of a
difficult spot? If so, what was Pilate’s motivation? What was he thinking?
13. Mark describes the Roman soldiers’ mocking Jesus, writing:
And the soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together
the whole Roman cohort. 17 And they dressed Him up in purple, and after weaving a crown of thorns,
they put it on Him; 18 and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 And they kept
beating His head with a reed, and spitting at Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. 20 And after
they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, and put His garments on Him. And they led
Him out to crucify Him” (Mark 15:16-20).
16
What aspects of the Lord’s character are manifested by His response to this vile treatment?
41
14. Mark describes nine events associated with Jesus’ death. Which of these do you think was the most difficult for
the Lord Jesus to experience? Place a one next to it in the left-hand column. Then rate the others, assigning the
numbers two through nine based on how difficult you think they must have been for Jesus to experience.
Mark 15:21-32
Difficulty
Description
Text
the physical suffering
of being crucified on
a cross
And they pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of
Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross. And they
brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. And
they tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. And
they crucified Him, . . . And it was the third hour when they crucified Him.
the humiliation of
seeing one’s clothes
taken by others
. . . and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them, to
decide what each should take.”
the humiliation of
being made to appear
as a common criminal
And they crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His
left. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And He was numbered with
transgressors.’”
the hatred of
passersby taunting
Him
And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and
saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three
days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”
the scorn of the
religious leaders of
His people
In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking
Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save
Himself. “Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross,
so that we may see and believe!”
the hatred of
criminals mocking
And those who were crucified with Him were casting the same insult at Him.
separation from the
Father as Jesus took
upon Himself the
guilt of our sin
And when the sixth hour had come, darkness fell over the whole land until
the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi,
Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why hast
Thou forsaken Me?”
the hatred of
passersby mocking
Him
And when some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is
calling for Elijah.” And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put
it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will
come to take Him down.”
the experience of
death as one’s soul
passes from the body
And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last.
42
15. As you did with the accounts of Jesus’ trial, now compare the four gospel accounts of Jesus’ resurrection on the
following page.
A. Treating Matthew’s account as your standard, underline those portions in Mark’s account that are different from
Matthew’s account, that is, they are in Mark’s account but not in Matthew’s. Ignore minor differences, such as words,
phrases, or clauses that say the same thing using different words.
B. Underline any portions of Luke’s account that are not in Matthew or Mark’s accounts.
C. Underline any portions of John’s account that are not in Matthew, Mark, or Luke’s accounts.
D. Finally, underline any portions in Matthew’s account that are not in Mark, Luke, or John’s accounts.
16. Now that you have marked the four accounts of Jesus’ resurrection, analyze them, taking note of how they are
similar and different.
A. Which account seems to be the fullest and clearest?
B. Which account is the briefest?
C. Are there any details in these four accounts that seem to contradict rather than complement each other? If so, list
these differences below. If you can think of a possible explanation, write it below as well.
43
The Gospel Accounts of the Events Early on the Morning of Christ’s Resurrection
Matthew 28:1-8
Mark 16:1-8
Luke 24:1-10
John 20:1-2
Now after the Sabbath, as
it began to dawn toward the
first day of the week, Mary
Magdalene and the other
Mary came to look at the
grave. 2 And behold, a
severe earthquake had
occurred, for an angel of
the Lord descended from
heaven and came and rolled
away the stone and sat upon
it. 3 And his appearance was
like lightning, and his
garment as white as snow; 4
and the guards shook for
fear of him, and became
like dead men. 5 And the
angel answered and said to
the women, “Do not be
afraid; for I know that you
are looking for Jesus who
has been crucified. 6 “He is
not here, for He has risen,
just as He said. Come, see
the place where He was
lying. 7 “And go quickly and
tell His disciples that He
has risen from the dead;
and behold, He is going
before you into Galilee,
there you will see Him;
behold, I have told you.” 8
And they departed quickly
from the tomb with fear
and great joy and ran to
report it to His disciples.
And when the Sabbath was over,
Mary Magdalene, and Mary the
mother of James, and Salome,
bought spices, that they might
come and anoint Him. 2 And very
early on the first day of the week,
they came to the tomb when the
sun had risen. 3 And they were
saying to one another, “Who will
roll away the stone for us from the
entrance of the tomb?” 4 And
looking up, they saw that the stone
had been rolled away, although it
was extremely large. 5 And entering
the tomb, they saw a young man
sitting at the right, wearing a white
robe; and they were amazed. 6 And
he said to them, “Do not be
amazed; you are looking for Jesus
the Nazarene, who has been
crucified. He has risen; He is not
here; behold, here is the place
where they laid Him. 7 “But go, tell
His disciples and Peter, ‘He is
going before you into Galilee;
there you will see Him, just as He
said to you.’” 8 And they went out
and fled from the tomb, for
trembling and astonishment had
gripped them; and they said
nothing to anyone, for they were
afraid.
But on the first day of the
week, at early dawn, they came
to the tomb, bringing the
spices which they had
prepared. 2 And they found the
stone rolled away from the
tomb, 3 but when they entered,
they did not find the body of
the Lord Jesus. 4 And it
happened that while they were
perplexed about this, behold,
two men suddenly stood near
them in dazzling apparel; 5 and
as the women were terrified
and bowed their faces to the
ground, the men said to them,
“Why do you seek the living
One among the dead? 6 “He is
not here, but He has risen.
Remember how He spoke to
you while He was still in
Galilee, 7 saying that the Son
of Man must be delivered into
the hands of sinful men, and
be crucified, and the third day
rise again.” 8 And they
remembered His words, 9 and
returned from the tomb and
reported all these things to the
eleven and to all the rest. 10
Now they were Mary
Magdalene and Joanna and
Mary the mother of James;
also the other women with
them were telling these things
to the apostles.
Now on the
first day of the
week Mary
Magdalene
came early to
the tomb,
while it was
still dark, and
saw the stone
already taken
away from the
tomb. 2 And so
she ran and
came to Simon
Peter, and to
the other
disciple whom
Jesus loved,
and said to
them, “They
have taken
away the Lord
out of the
tomb, and we
do not know
where they
have laid
Him.”
44
17. Commit the following verse from the Gospel of Mark to memory.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45
18. Below is a brief outline of the Gospel of Mark. It expresses the four major areas in which Jesus’ ministry took
place: the Judean wilderness, Galilee and the North, Judea beyond the Jordan, and Jerusalem. Take note of which
chapters are in which sections, the theme of the book, and its purpose.
The Gospel of Mark
Theme: The busy life of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Purpose: To provide a brief account of Jesus’ life for a Gentile readership.
I.
John and Jesus’ Ministry in the Judean Wilderness 1:1-13
II. Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee and the North 1:14-9:50
III. Jesus’ Ministry in Judea beyond the Jordan and en route to Jerusalem 10:1-52
IV. Jesus’ Ministry in Jerusalem and Bethany 11:1-16:8
19. On the pages that follow, you will find a detailed outline of the Gospel of Mark organized by the regions and
locations in which the events of Jesus’ life took place. Review it carefully. If there are any incidents in Jesus’ life that
you do not recall, go back and reread the section, refreshing your memory.
45
The Gospel of Mark
I. John and Jesus’ Ministry in the Judean Wilderness 1:1-13
Introduction 1:1
John Preaches a Baptism of Repentance 1:2-8
John Baptizes Jesus 1:9-11
Satan Tempts Jesus 1:12-13
II. Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee and the North 1:14-9:50
A. Sea of Galilee
Jesus Preaches, “Repent and Believe” 1:14-15
Jesus Calls His First Disciples 1:16-20
B. Capernaum
Jesus Teaches in the Synagogue of Capernaum 1:21-22
Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit out of a Man 1:23-28
Jesus Heals Simon’s Mother-in-law 1:29-31
Jesus Heals Many and Casts Out Many Demons 1:32-34
Jesus Rise Early to Pray 1:35
Jesus Tells His Disciples of His Decision to Preach in the Nearby Towns 1:36-38
C. Synagogues of Galilee
Jesus Preaches in the Towns and Synagogues of Galilee 1:39
Jesus Cleanses a Leper 1:40-45
D. Capernaum
Jesus Forgives, then Heals a Paralytic 2:1-12
Jesus Teaches the Multitude 2:13
Jesus Calls Levi to Follow Him 2:14
Jesus Dines with Sinners in Levi’s House 2:15-17
John’s Disciples and the Pharisees Ask Jesus about Fasting 2:18-22
E. Grainfields of Galilee
The Pharisees Challenge Jesus about His Disciples Picking Grain on the Sabbath 2:23-28
F. A Synagogue in Galilee
Jesus Heals a Man with a Withered Hand on the Sabbath 3:1-6
G. Sea of Galilee
Jesus Withdraws to the Sea and Heals Many from the Multitude that Gathered 3:7-12
H. Mountain in Galilee
Jesus Appoints the Twelve to be with Him 3:13-19
Jesus Returns to Capernaum to More Crowds 3:20
Jesus’ Family Go Out to Take Custody of Him 3:21
Jesus Responds to the Accusations of the Scribes that He is Demon Possessed 3:22-30
Jesus Responds to News that His Family Had Arrived 3:31-35
I. Galilean Seaside
The Parable of the Sower 4:1-20
Concerning the Proclamation and Manifestation of Truth 4:21-22
Concerning the Importance of Listening Carefully 4:23-25
Comparing the Kingdom of God to a Seed that Sprouts 4:26-29
The Parable of the Mustard Seed 4:30-32
Concerning Jesus’ Frequent Use of Parables 4:30-34
Jesus Rebukes the Wind and Sea 4:35-41
J. Gerasa
Jesus Casts Out Legion out of a Possessed Man into a Herd of Swine 5:1-13
Reaction of the Gerasenes to the Miracle 5:14-20
46
K. Other Side of the Sea of Galilee
Jairus Asks Jesus to Heal His Daughter 5:21-24
Jesus Heals a Woman of a Hemorrhage 5:25-34
Jesus Raises Jairus’ Daughter from the Dead 5:35-43
L. Nazareth
Jesus is Rejected in Nazareth 6:1-6a
M. Villages of Galilee
Jesus Teaches in the Villages near Nazareth 6:6b
Jesus Sends the Twelve Out to Preach, Cast Out Demons, and Heal 6:7-13
Herod Concludes that John Has Risen 6:14-17
Herod’s Murder of John the Baptist 6:18-29
The Apostles Report to Jesus on Their Ministry 6:30-31
N. A Lonely Place in Galilee
Jesus and His Disciples Withdraw to a Lonely Place 6:32
Jesus Teaches the Multitude 6:33-34
Jesus Feeds Five-Thousand 6:35-44
Jesus Sends His Disciples and the Multitudes Away 6:45
Jesus Departs to the Mountain to Pray 6:46
Jesus Comes to His Disciples Walking on Water 6:47-52
O. Gennesaret
Jesus Heals the People of Gennesaret 6:53-56
Jesus Rebukes the Pharisees and the Scribes for Following the Traditions of Men 7:1-13
Jesus Instructs the Multitude on the Source of Defilement 7:14-23
P. Tyre
Jesus Casts a Demon Out of a Gentile Child 7:24-30
Q. Decapolis
Jesus Heals a Deaf and Dumb Man 7:31-37
R. Sea of Galilee
Jesus Feeds Four Thousand 8:1-9
S. Dalmanutha
Jesus and His Disciples Take a Boat to Dalmanutha 8:10
The Pharisees Ask Jesus for a Sign 8:10-12
T. Boat on the Sea of Galilee
Jesus Embarks for the Other Side of the Lake 8:13
Jesus Warns His Disciples about the Leaven of the Pharisees 8:14-21
U. Bethsaida
Jesus Heals a Blind Man 8:22-26
V. Villages of Caesarea Philippi
Jesus Asks His Disciples about His Identity 8:27-30
Jesus Teaches His Disciples that He Must Suffer, Die, and Rise 8:31
Peter Rebukes Jesus and Jesus Rebukes Peter 8:32-33
Jesus Calls the Multitudes to Follow Him 8:34-9:1
W. High Mountain of Galilee
Jesus is Transfigured before Peter, James, and John 9:2-8
Jesus Warns Peter, James, and John Not to Tell Anyone until He Has Risen 9:9
Peter, James, and John ask Jesus about the Coming of Elijah 9:10-13
X. Galilee
Jesus Cast Out a Persistent Demon 9:14-29
Jesus Tells of His Death and Resurrection 9:30-32
Y. Capernaum
Jesus Teaches His Disciples about Humility 9:33-35
Jesus Teaches His Disciples about Those Who Receive Him 9:36-41
Jesus Teaches about Stumbling a Child 9:42
Jesus Teaches about the Seriousness of Sin 9:49
Jesus Tells His Disciples to be Salty 9:50
47
III. Jesus Ministry in Judea beyond the Jordan and en route to Jerusalem 10:1-52
A. Judea Beyond the Jordan
Jesus Teaches the Multitude 10:1
Pharisees Ask Jesus about Divorce 10:2-12
Jesus Blesses the Children 10:13-16
B. Setting Out on a Journey
Jesus tells a Rich Man to Sell All and Follow Him 10:17-22
Jesus Teaches His Disciples about the Deceptiveness of Riches 10:23-27
Jesus Promises Those Who Have Sacrificed for Him Great Reward 10:28-31
C. On the Road to Jerusalem
Jesus Tells His Disciples of His Death and Resurrection 10:32-34
Jesus Teaches on Honor in Heaven through Servanthood on Earth 10:35-45
D. Jericho
Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus 10:46-52
IV. Jesus’ Ministry in Jerusalem and Bethany 11:1-16:8
A. Bethphage and Bethany to Jerusalem
Jesus Sends Two Disciples to Retrieve a Colt 11:1-3
The Two Disciples Return with the Colt 11:4-7
Many Honor Jesus, Crying Hosanna! 11:8-10
B. Jerusalem
Jesus Inspects the Temple 11:11
C. En Route from Bethany to Jerusalem
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree 11:12-14
D. Jerusalem
Jesus Cleanses the Temple 11:15-17
The Chief Priests and Scribes Seek to Destroy Jesus 11:18
Jesus and His Disciples Leave the City Each Evening 11:19
E. En Route from Bethany to Jerusalem
Jesus Instructs His Disciples on Believing and Forgiving Prayer 11:20-26
F. Jerusalem
Jesus Responds to a Challenge by the Ruling Jews concerning His Authority 11:27-33
Jesus Tells the Parable of the Vineyard and the Rebellious Vine-growers 12:1-11
The Ruling Jews Seek to Seize Jesus 12:12
Jesus Responds to a Trap Set by the Ruling Jews about the Poll-Tax 12:13-17
Jesus Responds to a Challenge from the Sadducees about Marriage in the Resurrection 12:18-27
Jesus Responds to a Question from a Scribe about the Greatest Commandment 12:28-34
Jesus Challenges the Ruling Jews on the Interpretation of Psalm 110:1 12:35-37
Jesus Warns the People about the Hypocrisy of the Scribes 12:38-40
Jesus Praises the Widow Who Gave Her Last Two Coins in the Temple 12:41-44
Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple 13:1-2
Jesus Teaches about the Difficult Days Preceding His Second Coming 13:3-37
The Ruling Jews Seek to Seize and Kill Jesus 14:1-2
G. Home of Simon the Leper in Bethany
A Woman Anoints Jesus with Perfume 14:3-9
Judas Goes to the Chief Priests and Offers to Betray Jesus into their Hands 14:10-11
H. Outside Jerusalem, Probably in Bethany
Jesus Sends Two Disciples to Jerusalem to Prepare for the Passover 14:12-16
I. Upper Room in Jerusalem
Jesus Predicts that One of the Twelve will Betray Him 14:17-21
Jesus Uses Bread and Wine to Speak of His Body and Blood 14:22-25
J. Mount of Olives
Jesus Predicts that His Disciples will Desert Him 14:26-31
K. Gethsemane
Jesus Prays while His Disciples Sleep 14:32-42
The Ruling Jews Arrest Jesus 14:43-52
48
L. Residence of the High Priest
At Night the Chief Priest and the Jewish Council Try Jesus 14:53-65
Outside in the Courtyard, Peter Denies that He Knows Jesus 14:66-72
In the Morning, the Ruling Jews Decide to Deliver Jesus Up to Pilate 15:1
M. Outside the Praetorium
Pilate Questions Jesus 15:2-5
Pilate Offers to Release Jesus or Barabbas 15:6-11
Pilate Delivers Jesus to be Crucified 15:12-15
Roman Soldiers Mock Jesus 15:16-20
N. Golgotha, Place of the Skull
Roman Soldiers Crucify Jesus 15:21-28
Passers-by Mock Jesus 15:29-30
Chief Priests and Scribes Mock Jesus 15:31-32a
Those Crucified with Jesus Mock Him 15:32b
At the Sixth Hour, Darkness Falls over the Land 15:33
At the Ninth Hour, Jesus Cries Out 15:34-35
A Bystander Offers Jesus Sour Wine 15:36
Jesus Breathes His Last 15:37
The Temple Veil Tears from Top to Bottom 15:38
The Centurion Acknowledges Jesus as the Son of God 15:39
The Galilean Women who Ministered to Jesus Watch from a Distance 15:40-41
O. Praetorium
Joseph of Arimathea Asks for the Body of Jesus 15:42-45
P. Garden Tomb
Joseph of Arimathea Buries Jesus 15:46-47
Mary, Mary, and Salome Buy Spices to Anoint Jesus’ Body 16:1
The Women Travel to Jesus’ Tomb 16:2-3
An Angel Tells the Women that Jesus Has Risen and Will Meet Them in Galilee 16:4-8
Optional Question for the Advanced Student
20. Some of the older Greek texts of the Gospel of Mark do not include Mark 16:9-20, causing many textual scholars
to conclude that it is not a genuine part of Mark’s gospel. For this reason, most modern Bible versions bracket the
section or indicate in other ways the questionable nature of the text. Others scholars, among whom are advocates of
the King James Version and the Greek texts on which it is based, support the inclusion of Mark 16:9-20 in the Bible.
Though not all agree that Mark 16:9-20 is a genuine part of Mark’s gospel, all agree that the text is ancient.
Concerning the passage, Bruce Metzger, a leading textual scholar, comments,
“The last twelve verses of the commonly received text of Mark are absent from the two oldest Greek
manuscripts (a and B), from the Old Latin codex Bobiensis (itk), the Sinaitic Syriac manuscript, about
one hundred Armenian manuscripts, and the two oldest Georgian manuscripts (written A.D. 897 and
A.D. 913). Clement of Alexandria and Origen show no knowledge of the existence of these verses;
furthermore Eusebius and Jerome attest that the passage was absent from almost all Greek copies of
Mark known to them. The original form of the Eusebian sections (drawn up by Ammonius) makes
no provision for numbering sections of the text after Mark 16:8. Not a few manuscripts that contain
the passage have scribal notes stating that older Greek copies lack it, and in other witnesses the
passage is marked with asterisks or obeli, the conventional signs used by copyists to indicate a
spurious addition to a document.” 2
2
Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (London: United Bible Societies, 1975), pp. 122123.
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Determining whether Mark 16:9-20 is a genuine part of the Bible is beyond the expertise of most Bible students
and probably should be left to Christian scholars who have devoted their lives to the study of the New Testament
text. All knowledgeable Christians, on the other hand, should be able to determine if the information in the verses
lines up with biblical revelation and can be verified from verses elsewhere in the Bible.
In the right-hand column, list one or more biblical references that support for the accuracy and truthfulness of
Scriptures which confirm these statements. Underline the portions in the text in the left-hand column that are
explicitly confirmed. If you cannot confirm a portion of the text in the left-hand column and suspect it may be a false
statement, place a circle around it. Scriptures helpful:
Mark 16:9-20
Text
Supporting Scriptures
Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first
appeared to Mary Magdalene,
from whom He had cast out seven demons.
She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were
mourning and weeping.
And when they heard that He was alive, and had been seen by her, they
refused to believe it.
And after that, He appeared in a different form to two of them, while they
were walking along on their way to the country.
And they went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe
them either.
And afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were
reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and
hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him
after He had risen.
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all
creation.”
“He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved;”
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“but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”
“And these signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name
they will cast out demons, .. .”
“. . . they will speak with new tongues; . . .”
18
“. . . they will pick up serpents, . . .”
“. . . and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; . . .”
“. . . they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up
into heaven,
and sat down at the right hand of God.
And they went out and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs
that followed.
And they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his
companions.
And after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the
sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.
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Lesson 6
Bible Seminar XI
1 Timothy
INTRODUCTION TO PAUL’S FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY
The author of the letter of 1 Timothy is “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 1:1). It is generally believed that
he wrote the letter from Macedonia (1 Timothy 1:3) in about the year 63 AD during a period of freedom between his
first imprisonment and his final imprisonment and death. Paul wrote the letter “to Timothy, my true child in the
faith” (1 Timothy 1:2). It is a personal letter from the veteran apostle to his beloved disciple. The tone is warm and
loving. The letter is filled with practical instruction both for Timothy in his personal life and for his ministry to the
Christians in Ephesus, the city in which Timothy was serving. Paul states the purpose of the letter in chapter three: “I
am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you may
know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar
and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:14-15). First Timothy is a important letter for the church today, providing
practical guidance for those who would serve Christ and instruction for all Christians with respect to proper conduct
in the household of God.
GRAMMAR REVIEW—PART I
God has preserved His revelation to mankind through God-breathed words recorded in the sacred writings. To
properly understand the written Word of God, one must have a good working-knowledge of grammar—the rules that
govern the proper use words, their form and function in a sentence, and the way that they work together to convey
meaning through language. For this reason, the next several lessons will provide a brief review of English grammar.
They will also show how such knowledge can assist you in Bible study. Only a brief overview will be provided.
Students needing more help should consult a grammar book or complete a review course, such as Schaum’s Outline of
English Grammar (McGraw-Hill).
Words
A word is a sound or series of sounds that conveys an idea or meaning. Language uses words in eight ways, called the
parts of speech. These are nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.
These eight parts of speech and their definitions are important and should be committed to memory. They fit into
five categories: naming words, asserting words, modifying words, connecting words, and emotional words.
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Eight Parts of Speech
Naming Words
1. Noun—A noun is a person, place, or thing. A noun is the name of something, such as: John, city, water. A word or
group of words functioning as a noun is referred to as a substantive.
2. Pronoun—A pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun, such as: he, she, it, this, or that. The noun to which the
pronoun refers is called its antecedent. When Peter came to Jesus on the water and began to sink, we read, “And
immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you
doubt?’” (Matthew 14:31). Jesus is the antecedent of “His.” Peter is the antecedent of both occurrences of “him” and
“you.”
Asserting Words
3. Verb—A verb is a word or phrase that expresses action—pray, study, write—or that links the noun to an assertion.
In the verse, “Jesus touched their eyes” (Matthew 20:34), “Jesus” is the subject and “touched” is the verb. What is
being asserted about Jesus is that he “touched their eyes.” Linking verbs tell about the state or condition of the
subject. The most common linking verb is the verb to be. In the verse, “God is love” (1 John 1:8), “God” is linked to
“love” by the verb “is.” The sentence tells us that “love” is characteristic of God. Other words can also function as
linking verbs, such as: to seem, to appear, to feel, to look, to become, and to grow. For example, in the parable of the Good
Samaritan we read, “But a certain Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt
compassion” (Luke 10:33). Saying, “He felt compassion,” is equivalent to saying “He was compassionate.”
Modifying Words
4. Adjective—An adjective is a word that describes a noun: red, pretty, great. The indefinite article—a, an—and the
definite article—the—are regarded as adjectives. In the verse, “He rolled a large stone against the entrance of the
tomb and went away” (Matthew 27:60), the adjective “large” is modifying the noun “stone.” “A” also modifies
“stone.” The first “the” modifies “entrance”; the second “tomb.”
5. Adverb—An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, such as: quickly, very, so, not. In
the verse, “Behold, I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22:7), “quickly” is an adverb modifying “coming.”
Connecting Words
6. Preposition—A preposition is a word used with a substantive, called its object, to form a phrase and to relate the
object to another element in the sentence. Prepositions usually communicate relationships of position (on the table),
direction (toward the city), and time (after breakfast). When Jesus says, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places”
(John 14:2), the word “in” is a preposition. Its object is “house.” The prepositional phrase “in My Father house”
identifies where the dwelling places “are.”
7. Conjunction—A conjunction is a word used to join elements (words, phrases, clauses) of sentences together, such
as: and, but, or, because, since. In the verse, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He
considered me faithful, putting me into service” (1 Timothy 1:12), the word “because” is a conjunction, joining the
two clauses together.
Emotional Words
8. Interjection—An interjection is an exclamatory remark expressing emotion, such as: Ah!, Oh! Usually occurring at
the beginning of the sentence, an interjection has no grammatical connection to the words that follow. In the verse,
“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Romans 11:33), the word Oh, and its
variation O as found in some translations, is an interjection, the translation of the Greek letter omega, which was used
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as an interjection in the Greek language.
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1. One of the first steps to interpreting a verse is understanding the precise meaning of each word. Write a short
definition for each underlined word in the following verses. State also its part of speech. Consult a dictionary if you
are not sure of the meaning of a word or do not know its part of speech.

“For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers
of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they
make confident assertions” (1 Timothy 1:6-7).

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all
men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness
and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

“Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided
hair and gold or pearls or costly garments” (1 Timothy 2:9).

“But women shall be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity
with self-restraint” (1 Timothy 2:15).
2. In the following verses, label the part of speech, placing the label under the word. If you cannot determine the part
of speech of a particular word, look it up in a dictionary. Remember that there are only eight possibilities: nouns,
pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. (Hint: “In order that” is a
conjunction.)
1 Timothy 1:5
But
the
goal
of
our
instruction
is
love
conjunction
adjective
noun
from
a
pure
heart
and
a
good
conscience
and
a
sincere
faith.
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1 Timothy 2:1-2
I
urge
that
entireties
and
prayers,
petitions
and
thanksgivings,
be made
on
behalf
of
all
men,
for
kings
and
all
who
are
in
authority,
in order
that
we
may lead
a
tranquil
and
quiet
life
in
all
godliness
and
dignity.
1 Timothy 5:25
Likewise
also,
deeds
that
are
good
are
quite
evident,
and
those
which
are
otherwise
cannot
be
concealed.
1 Timothy 6:20-21
Timothy,
guard
what
has been
entrusted
to
you,
avoiding
worldly
and
empty
chatter
and
the
opposing
arguments
of
what
is
falsely
called
knowledge
—which
some
have
professed
and
thus
gone astray
from
the
faith.
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3. Paul writes, “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1
Timothy 1:5). Here he describes the purpose or intended outcome of Christian instruction. It is love that has its
source in three things. Identify and explain each.
A.
B.
C.
4. Paul urges Timothy to remain in Ephesus in order to instruct certain men not to teach certain things. According to
1 Timothy 1:3-11, what were these men teaching?
5. Prior to Paul’s salvation, he was a zealous Pharisee and a persecutor of the Christian church. In 1 Timothy 1:12-17,
what reason does Paul give for God showing him mercy?
6. What reason does Paul give for why we should pray for “all men, for kings and all who are in authority” (1 Timothy
2:1-2)?
7. According to Paul, whom does God desire to save (1 Timothy 2:1-7)? For whom did Christ give His life as a
ransom (1 Timothy 2:1-7).
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8. After instructing that “entireties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be made” (1 Timothy 2:1), Paul writes,
“Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension” (1 Timothy
2:8). Here Paul uses a form of the Greek word aner for men. This word is less common than anthropos, another Greek
word for man, which refers to human beings both male and female. Aner refers only to males. What application
should we draw from Paul’s use of this word in 1 Timothy 2:8?
9. In 1 Timothy 2:9, Paul explains how a woman should “adorn” herself. The word “adorn” is the translation of the
Greek word kosmeo, from the root kosmos, meaning order, something well-arranged. It is the root of our English word
cosmetic. According to 1 Timothy 2:9, how should a godly woman adorn herself? How should she not adorn herself?
10. Paul writes, “Let a woman quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness” (1 Timothy 2:11). He continues,
saying, “But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet” (1 Timothy 2:12).
In the verses that follow, what reason does Paul give for this instruction?
11. In 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Paul lists fifteen qualifications needed for a man to serve as an overseer. List all fifteen.
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12. With few exceptions, the qualifications listed for elders in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 provides a good standard for every
Christian to consider. Review the list, evaluating your own life. Is there a character area on the list in which you
particularly need to grow? If so, write it in the space below. Then bring it before the Lord in prayer and ask Him to
help you to be more like Christ in that area. Finally, consider what you might do to get the process started.
13. When selecting David to replace Saul as king of Israel, the Lord told Samuel not to consider David’s older brother
Eliab, who apparently looked more like a natural leader (1 Samuel 16:6). “The Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at
his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man
looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). List five qualities that we might
naturally think should be required of an elder, using the standards of the world, but are not found on God’s list in 1
Timothy 3:1-7.
14. In 1 Timothy 4:1-5, Paul describes a time of apostasy when “in the later times some will fall away from the faith”
(1 Timothy 4:1). It what ways are the times in which we live already like what is described in these verses?
15. In 1 Timothy 4:6-16, Paul gives Timothy several instructions for his life and ministry. Choose the one that you
think is also needed in your life. Write it in the space below and explain why you chose it.
16. At the close of his letter, Paul gives Timothy instructions for wealthy Christians, a category into which many of
us—at least by international standards—would fit. List these instructions. Circle the one that you find most difficult
to obey.
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17. Review the outline below of Paul’s first letter to Timothy. Reread the text of any portions with which you are
unfamiliar.
Paul’s First Letter to Timothy
Theme: proper conduct in the household of God
Purpose: to direct Timothy in his personal conduct and ministry in the church in Ephesus
I. Salutation 1:1-2
II. Instruction for Timothy’s Ministry 1:3-20
A. remain in Ephesus 1:3a
B. instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines 1:3b-11
C. Paul’s gratitude toward Christ for His patience toward him when a persecutor of the church 1:12-17
D. Paul’s command entrusted to Timothy 18-20
III. Instruction for Proper Conduct in the Household of God 2:1-6:21
A. pray for all men 2:1-8
B. guidance for Christian women 2:9-15
C. qualifications of an overseer 3:1-7
D. qualifications of a deacon 3:8-13
E. purpose of the letter 3:14-16
F. description of the coming apostasy 4:1-5
G. guidance for Timothy personally 4:6-16
H. appeal to rather than rebuke fellow Christians 5:1-2
I. honor true widows 5:3-16
J. standards for elders 5:17-22
K. instruction for Timothy concerning drinking only water 5:23
L. good and bad behavior will both eventually be revealed 5:24-25
M. slaves honor your masters 6:1-2a
IV. Instruction for Timothy’s Ministry 6:2b-21
A. teach and preach these principles 6:2b
B. judgment on false teachers 6:3-10
C. flee the desire for riches 6:11a
D. pursue godly virtue 6:11b
E. fight the good fight of faith 6:12a
F. take hold of eternal life 6:12b
G. keep the commandment without stain or reproach 6:13-16
H. instruct the rich to fix their hope on God and to do good 6:17-19
I. guard what has been entrusted to you 6:20-21a
IV. Valediction 6:21b
18. Commit the following verse to memory.
. . . but in case I am delayed, I write so that you may know
how one ought to conduct himself in the household of
God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and
support of the truth.
1 Timothy 3:5
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Questions for the Advanced Student
19. In 1 Timothy 3:8-13, we find a list of God’s requirements for deacons. In the middle of this section, we read,
“Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things” (1 Timothy 3:11). Is
this verse referring to women who are being considered for service as deacons, to the wives of the deacons, or to
someone else? State your view and your reasons.
20. Paul summarizes the Christian’s “common confession” in 1 Timothy 3:16. It appears to be an early Christian
poem or hymn composed of six statements. These are listed in the table below in the left-hand column. In the righthand column, identify the statement to which each refers.
“He who was . . .” (1 Timothy 3:16)
statement
event
“revealed in the flesh”
“was vindicated in the
Spirit”
“Beheld by angels”
“Proclaimed among
the nations”
“Believed on in the
world”
“Taken up in glory.”
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Lesson 7
Bible Seminar XI
1 Peter
INTRODUCTION TO PETER’S FIRST LETTER
As the first verse of the letter tells us, the author is “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:1). He writes “to
those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Peter 1:1). These
are the northern Roman provinces of what is now Turkey. Peter’s readers reside there as “aliens,” meaning sojourners,
temporary residents, strangers, or exiles. Later in his letter, Peter also uses the word, referring to his readers “as aliens and
strangers” (1 Peter 2:11). This is a fitting description for Christians, who live, even as the heroes of faith old, as
“strangers and exiles on the earth”(Hebrews 11:13).
Peter’s readers are Christians “scattered” (1 Peter 1:1) throughout the five named provinces. Here Peter uses the
Greek word diaspora (from the root to sow), a word which brings up the imagery of the scattering of seed through
sowing. From biblical times even to this day, the term diaspora has been used to refer to Jewish people living outside
the land of Israel. We read, for example, in the Gospel that the ruling Jews asked of Jesus, “He is not intending to go
to the Dispersion [diaspora] among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He?” (John 7:35). James also uses the word,
beginning his letter, “James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are
dispersed [diaspora] abroad, greetings” (James 1:1). James is referring to Jewish Christians living outside Israel. Peter
uses the word to refer to Christians, Jew and Gentile, scattered through the region, yet each chosen by God and
foreknown by Him, living in a country that is not their own and looking for a coming heavenly kingdom.
The Christians to whom Peter writes are facing hardship. They had been reviled, insulted, and severely tested in
their faith. Peter writes to remind them that no matter how difficult the situation becomes, they must “keep a good
conscience” (1 Peter 3:16). Throughout his letter, Peter uses the life of the Lord Jesus to encourage this readers,
writing, “Christ also suffered for you, leaving you and example for you to follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
As would be expected from a letter from the Apostle Peter, it is forthright, frank, and practical, a series of about
thirty exhortations.
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GRAMMAR REVIEW—PART II
Phrases
A group of words functioning together are either a phrase or a clause. A phrase is the smaller of the two and is best
identified by what it lacks: a phrase does not have a subject and a verb. There are four kinds of phrases.

A prepositional phrase is composed of a preposition, its object (often an article and a noun), and its
modifiers. In the verse, “These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple” (John 8:20), there
are two prepositional phrases: “in the treasury” and “in the temple.”

A participle phrase is composed of a present or past participle, object, and its modifiers: In the verse, “And
rising up, He went from there to the region of Judea, and beyond the Jordan” (Mark 10:1), the words “rising
up” form a participle phrase.

An infinitive phrase is composed of an infinitive, object, and its modifiers. In the verse, “There came a
woman of Samaria to draw water” (John 4:7), the words “to draw water” form an infinitive phrase.

A gerund phrase is composed of a gerund, its object, and its modifiers. A gerund is the present participle of
a verb (the –ing form) functioning as a noun or substantive. Sometimes a gerund is referred to as a participial
noun or a verbal noun. In the verse, “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not
delay” (Hebrews 10:37), the words “He who is coming” is a gerund phrase.
More will be said later about participles, infinities, and gerunds when verbs are studied.
Clauses
A group of related words that contain a subject and a verb is a clause, or, more accurately, a group of related words
containing a subject and a predicate, a predicate being a word or group of words that say something about the subject.
Usually the predicate includes a verb. There are two kinds of clauses.

An independent clause contains a subject and a predicate and makes a complete thought. An independent
clause, also known as a main clause, can stand alone as a sentence, for example: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35).

A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, is a group of words containing a subject and
predicate that is introduced by a word that subordinates it to the main clause of the sentence. In the verse,
“They were saying this, testing Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him” (John 8:6),
“They were saying this” is the main clause. The clause “in order that they might have grounds for accusing
Him” is a dependent clause. A dependent clause is less central to the main thought of the sentence than the
independent clause and to some extent is dependent upon the independent clause for its meaning. The
conjunction “in order that” subordinates the dependent clause to the main clause of the sentence.
Sentences
A group of words expressing a complete thought is a sentence. It has a subject (the substantive being talked about)
and a predicate (the declaration being made about the subject). The predicate can be a single word, the verb, such as
the word “wept” in the verse “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). The predicate can also be a group of words, such as a verb
and its complement (something that completes the idea of the verb), as in the verse: “Jesus took some bread”
(Matthew 26:26), where the predicate is “took some bread.” A sentence also may have one or more elements called
modifiers. These may describe the subject or the predicate.
There are three kinds of sentences.
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
A simple sentence contains one independent clause: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35).

A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses. “But seek for His kingdom, and these
things shall be added to you” (Luke 12:31).

A complex sentence contains at an independent clause and a dependent clause: “They had no children,
because Elizabeth was barren” (Luke 1:7).
When trying to understand a sentence with multiple clauses, phrases, and modifiers, it is often helpful to first
identify the subject, the primary verb, and the object if there is one. Together, these form the kernel sentence. For
example, Paul writes, “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having
triumphed over them through Him” (Colossians 2:15). To find the kernel sentence, strip away all modifiers. For
example, “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities” is a clause describing the time when the main action of
the sentence took place. “Having triumphed over them through Him” is also a clause. It describes the reason or cause
for the main assertion of the sentence. That leaves, “He made a public display of them” for the kernel sentence. “He”
is the subject of the sentence. “Made” is the verb. “Display” is the object of the verb. The indefinite article “a,” the
adjective “public,” and the phrase “of them” all modify the noun “display,” the object of the main verb. Stripping
away as much of this as we can yet still leaving a complete sentence we have “He made a display.”
It has been said that every sentence in English can be reduced to one of five kernel sentences.

A subject plus an action verb that does not take an object (an intransitive verb), for example: He looked.

A subject plus an action verb that takes an object (a transitive verb), for example: He hit the ball.

A subject plus a linking verb and an adjective, for example: He is tall.

A subject plus a linking verb and a noun or pronoun, for example: It is I.

A subject plus a linking verb and an adverb, for example: He is here.
Finding the kernel sentence is especially helpful when dealing with long complicated verses. Some of Paul’s verses
are over a hundred words long and highly complex. Nevertheless, you can reduce most of them to three or four
words. Once the kernel sentence has been identified, reattach the other elements of the sentence one-by-one and see
how each affects the sentence’s meaning.
Rather than stripping away non-essential modifiers, another way to find the kernel sentence is to immediately
identify the subject, the main verb and the object if there is one. Start with the verb. It’s the quickest to find. You can
find it by asking: What is the main thing that is happening in this sentence? Action verbs are easier to find than linking
verbs. Consider for example the verse: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This
verse has an action verb: “created.” It is difficult to miss it. Linking verbs are more subtle. They tell you what
someone or something is, such as “God is love” (1 John 4:8). When looking for the main verb, ignore all verbs in
clauses that describe or modify something else in the sentence. Once you find the main verb, it is usually easy to
identify the subject. The subject is the person or thing doing the action of an action verb or the person being linked to
some descriptive term by the linking verb. Sometimes the subject is a pronoun, such as I or she. Sometimes the subject
is not stated but only implied. This is often the case in commands. For example, in the verse, “Fervently love one
another from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22), the subject is implied. The subject is “you.” The verse could read it: “[You]
love one another.”
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1. In the following verses, circle the main verb and underline the subject. Then reduce each verse to its kernel
sentence by crossing out all non-essential words, phrases, and clauses. Cross out also all subordinate clauses. Leave
uncrossed only enough words for the main clause of the sentence to make sense. This will be the kernel sentence.
Find the Kernel Sentence
“And this is the word which was preached to you” (1 Peter 1:25).
“Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord” (1 Peter 3:6).
“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4).
“As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search
and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He
predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow” (1 Peter 1:10-11).
“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God,
having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).
“Greet one another with a kiss of love” (1 Peter 5:14).
2. Review First Peter and find four places where the author mentions the trials, sufferings, or persecutions that his
readers were facing. In the table below, record the reference for each and summarize Peter’s description of what his
readers were encountering.
Reference
Summary
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3. From the information in 1 Peter 1:3-5, make a list of the blessings that are true of those who are saved.
4. Jesus said, “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (John 20:29). Peter writes, “Though you have not
seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy
inexpressible and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8). Why is believing in Jesus and loving Him, without having seen Him,
especially blessed in the sight of God?
5. Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:1-12 about “things into which angels long to look” (1 Peter 1:12). What are these “things”
and why do angels “long to look” at them?
6. Peter commands us “to be holy” (1 Peter 1:16). He lists several reasons why we should be holy in 1 Peter 1:13-21.
List three of his reasons.
7. What truths do we learn about Jesus from 1 Peter 2:4-8?
8. For what purpose has God called us to be “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own
possession” (1 Peter 2:9-10)?
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1 Peter 3:21
“And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an
appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
Some misinterpret this verse to teach that baptism is the act through which a person is saved from the eternal
punishment of sin. Significantly, the context is not about salvation from sin or justification. Peter is talking about
how Christians should behave during times of trial, persecution, and suffering. Peter is talking about how
Christians can be saved or delivered from such perilous times by maintaining “a good conscience” (1 Peter 3:16).
It is also important to understand that Peter is not referring to the specific act of water baptism, but to its
typological or symbolic significance. He communicates this through the Greek word antitupos, which means a
corresponding type or figure and is translated in the text above “corresponding to that” (1 Peter 3:21). This tells us that
what follows, “baptism now saves you” (1 Peter 3:21), is meant to be understood in its figurative sense. Baptism,
Peter is telling us, is an picture of something. It complements the symbolism of a preceding figure. In the previous
verse, we find that figure. There we read of Noah and “the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is eight
persons, were brought safely through the water” (1 Peter 3:20). To understand how these pieces fit together, it is
necessary to examine the greater context of the passage.
Peter was writing to Christians who were being persecuted because of their faith (1 Peter 1:6-9). His goal was
to instruct these believers how to behave through the trial. Specifically, they were to abstain from fleshly passions
such as revenge (1 Peter 2:11-12); to submit to God-ordained authority (1 Peter 2:13-3:7); to show love when
wronged (1 Peter 3:8-14); and to not be fearful (1 Peter 3:14-15). In all of their behavior, these Christians were to
“keep a good conscience” (1 Peter 3:16). As a result, those persecuting them would be put to shame (1 Peter 3:16).
If it is God’s will that they should suffer, it would be better for them to do so for having done what is right than
for having done what is wrong (1 Peter 3:17). Such was Christ’s example (1 Peter 3:18).
Peter reinforces this teaching with two illustrations. The first is the ark, by which God brought eight persons
safely through the perils of the flood (1 Peter 3:20). Peter’s point is that just as God was able to preserve Noah and
his family through their trial, so He would now see Peter’s readers through theirs.
The second figure is baptism, which likewise illustrates God’s way of deliverance. Baptism, Peter explains, is
“the pledge of a good conscience toward God” (1 Peter 3:21 NIV). Maintaining that good conscience in time of
persecution would result in their salvation or deliverance from the trial and keep them from moral defeat, which
would be the result if they were to respond with evil for evil.
The passage is difficult, but lest anyone get the wrong idea, Peter clarifies two points. In the first, he reminds
his readers that they are saved “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21). It was not through their
baptism or through any other ritual that they were saved. Their salvation is through faith in Christ.
In the second clarification, Peter states that baptism is “not the removal of dirt from the flesh” (1 Peter 3:21).
The waters of baptism cannot cleanse the flesh, the seat of sin in man (Galatians 5:16-21; 1 John 2:16). Contrary to
the teaching of some, the Bible does not teach that baptism frees sinners from Adam’s sin and regenerates the
sinner. Rather, baptism, Peter writes, is “an appeal to God for a good conscience.” The baptized person is
expressing his faith in Christ as the one who saved him from sin and asking God for the help to maintain a good
conscience in living life as a Christian. Reminding his readers of their baptism and its significance, Peter hopes to
encourage his readers to persevere in trial and to be faithful to the confession that they made through it.
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9. Why does Peter refer to the sufferings of Christ in 1 Peter 2:21? What is his purpose?
10. In 1 Peter 3:1-6, how does Peter say that a Christian woman can win over her unsaved husband to faith in the
Lord?
11. In 1 Peter 3:7, Peter instructs husbands how to properly treat their wives. What did Peter tell husbands and what
in a practical sense does it mean? Provide one possible application relevant to life today.
12. What do we learn about the role of elders in 1 Peter 5:1-5?
13. What do we learn about the devil from 1 Peter 5:8-10?
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14. Review the outline below of Peter’s first letter. Reread the text of any portions with which you are unfamiliar.
Peter’s First Letter
Theme: the true grace of God
Purpose: to exhort Christians experiencing suffering and trial to keep their behavior excellent
I. Salutation 1:1-2
II. Prologue: Our Great Salvation 1:3-12
A. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who saved us 1:3-5
B. You rejoice in your salvation, though distressed by trials 1:6-9
C. The prophets made careful search and inquiry into this salvation 1:10-12
III. Practical Instruction for Christian Experiencing Suffering and Trial 1:13-5:11
A. Gird your minds for action 1:13a
B. Keep sober in spirit 1:13b
C. Fix your hope on the grace to come 1:13c
D. Do not be conformed to the former lusts 1:14
E. Be holy in all your behavior 1:15-16
F. Conduct yourselves in fear 1:17-21
G. Fervently love one another 1:22-25
H. Long for the pure milk of the word 2:1-3
I. You are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood 2:4-8
J. You are a chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, people for God’s possession 2:9-10
K. Abstain from fleshly lusts 2:11
L. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles 2:12
M. Submit yourselves to every human institution 2:13-17
N. Servants, be submissive to your masters 2:18-25
O. Wives, be submissive to your husbands 3:1-6
P. Husbands, show understanding and honor to your wives 3:7
Q. Be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, humble, returning blessings for insults 3:8-12
R. Do not fear intimidation or be troubled 3:13-14
S. Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts 3:15
T. Keep a good conscience though suffering unjustly 3:16-4:6
U. Be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer 4:7
V. Keep fervent in your love for one another 4:8
W. Be hospitable to one another 4:9
X. Employ your gift in serving one another 4:10-11
Y. Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you 4:12-19
Z. Elders, shepherd to the flock of God 5:1-4
A′ Young men, be subject to your elders 5:5a
B′ Clothe yourselves with humility 5:5b-7
C′ Be of sober spirit 5:8a
D′ Resist the devil 5:8b-9
E′ God will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you 5:10-11
IV. Closing Remarks 5:12-14
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15. Commit the following verse to memory.
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also
suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow
in His steps,
1 Peter 2:21
Optional Questions for the Advanced Student
16. In 1 Peter 3:18, Peter writes, “For Christ also died for sin once for all, the just for the unjust.” Considering the
context, what is Peter’s main point in stating this?
17. What does Peter mean when he writes, “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God” (1 Peter
4:17)? Didn’t Jesus say that if we believed in Him we wouldn’t be judged (John 5:24)? How do you explain this
apparent contradiction?
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