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GOSPEL
LECTURE 14
LESSONS ON THE WAY TO JERUSALEM (TN1)
MARK; 9:33 TO 10:45

To help students understand Jesus' teaching on the following subjects: Greatness, tolerance, self-denial, divorce, a child-like attitude, wealth and sacrifice.

Content of Lecture

I. A Lesson on Greatness (Mark 9:33-37) (DQ2)

II. A Lesson on Tolerance (Mark 9:38-42):

What mistake did Jesus' disciples make?

III. A Lesson on Self-Denial (Mark 9:43-50) (DQ3) (TN4)

The basic teaching of this passage is that losing anything or everything physically would be better than Using the Kingdom.

IV. A Lesson on Divorce (Mark 10:1-12): (TN5) (DQ6)

1. Mosaic law permitted divorce when the wife had done something indecent (Deut. 24:1).

a. The question hotly debated among Jewish authorities was what behavior constituted a basis for divorce.

b. The school of thought associated with Shammai suggested adultry was the only justification for divorce while the school of Hillel was much more lenient in allowing divorce.

2. Jesus' answer indicated that Moses had not established the ideal standard but merely made a concession to their weakness. Prior to the implementation of Mosaic law a man was allowed to divorce his wife for any frivolous reason. Moses required a public document in order to protect the wife and move back toward the ideal of a permanent union.

V. A Lesson on Children (Mark 10:13-16) (TN7) (DQ8)

VI. A lesson on Wealth (Mark 10:17-31): (DQ9) DQ10)

Many people influenced by Sadducean theology falsely assumed that prosperity was an indication of God's blessing just as physical illness was mistakenly associated with God's judgment or punishment.

VII. A Lesson on the Cross (Mark 10:32-34) (TN11) (DQ12)

Mark's Gospel indicates that in the latter part of His ministry Jesus made several attempts to prepare the disciples for the traumatic crisis they would face in Jerusalem

VIII. Another Lesson on Greatness (Mark 10:35-45) (DQ14)

ASSIGNMENT

Read Mark 11:1-14:52 and locate what you feel are the most important events or ideas presented.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

TN1 One of the distinctive sections of Luke's Gospel focuses upon Jesus' journey to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51-19:44). While Mark's Gospel does not include the rich parabolic material found in Luke, it includes the teachings which occupied Jesus' attention as the crisis in Jerusalem loomed on the horizon. This lecture might begin with the following questions: Among the issues which Jesus emphasized on His way to Jerusalem were true greatness and the Kingdom of God. What do you think Jesus might say to someone interested In being a part of God's Kingdom? What are some of the characteristics of greatness? If you were to create a profile of the greatest person you know, what characteristics would that person have?

DQ3 Should the passage be taken literally or as an example of hyperbole (exaggeration in order to make a lasting impression)? The thief is not cured of the tendency to steal simply by amputating his hand; neither would blindness eliminate lust.

DQ6 Are the teachings of Jesus viable in a society such as America where almost every family has in some way been affected by divorce? Why in a so-called Christian nation is divorce so prevalent? What do the teachings of Jesus suggest about the nature of marriage?

DQ8 What was Jesus advocating When He said the Kingdom of God belongs to little children? What are some positive characteristics of a child-like disposition?

DQ9 Why were Jesus' disciples amazed when He said it would be difficult for get rich people into God's Kingdom?

DQ10 Why Is the Kingdom of God extremely hard for rich people to enter yet and ever-present possibility? Apart from monetary resources, are there other types of riches which people place their trust or hope in? How are verses 28-31 related to the previous lesson? When Jesus promised that a person making sacrifices would be repaid one-hundred fold, was He promising a hundred to one return on financial gifts given toward God's work? How could anyone have one hundred mothers"?

DQ12 Why did the Apostles of Jesus find this message almost impossible to comprehend?

DQ13 What does the request of James and John indicate about their understanding of greatness and the Messianic Kingdom? Why were the ten angered by the request of James end John (v. 41)?

Did they see the immaturity of the requests; or were they indignant that they did not ask first? How does Jesus' definition of greatness challenge the contemporary model? Does the modern Christian community use a cultural or Christian model of greatness; or is it a combination of both

 

TEACHER'S NOTES

DQ2 What does this passage suggest about the disciples' view of greatness? How does society's view of greatness conflict with Jesus' view?

TN4 The word translated "hell" is "gehenna," a reference to the "valley of hennom" outside of Jerusalem Which had previously been the site of pagan sacrifices (Cf. Jer. 19:5-61.) In New Testament times, it was used as a garbage dump where smoldering fire and decay of animal carcasses came to symbolize the place of eternal punishment

TN5 Mark's account seems to indicate that Jesus had crossed the Jordan into Perea. This region was under the authority of Head Antipas, the son of Herod the Great who had imprisoned John the Baptist when he had publicly criticized Antipas for committing adultery by marrying Herodias, the former wife of Herod Philip. The question from the Pharisees about divorce was probably an attempt to get Jesus into trouble with Antipas.

TN7 The Kingdom God meant the reign of God in a human heart or the realm in which God's sovereigns was honored.

TN11 The "cup" symbolized suffering while baptism was associated with trouble (Note Psalm 18:16; 69:1-21.

Updated Thursday, February 24, 2000 


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