Hugh slid out of the driver’s seat of his dark blue 2013 Prius when Mack yelled at him from across the Church’s parking lot, “Hugh! Hugh!” Hugh’s head swiveled to find the source of such a scream.
Almost out of breath, Mack greeting Hugh with a hearty handshake, gripping Hugh’s hand until the blood circulation was about the burst the ends of Hugh’s fingers. Hugh struggled to get his hand out of such a vice-grip clutch.
“Hugh, what a week! I love this study we are doing! I can’t wait to share with the class, some of the biblical doctrines I found in Mark 1. I used to wonder where the preacher found so much material to preach 30-45 minutes. Now, I think I have some idea. The Bible is full of truth if we read it carefully and with purpose.”
“Mack, you are absolutely correct Let’s wait until we can get class started to share, is that alright?”
“Yes, Hugh! But I want to go first.”
“Sure enough, Mack.” Hugh couldn’t believe that the men and women of his class are excited to study their Bibles. “Thank you, Lord. You are the reason for all this happening.”
“Good morning class. How was your week? How did your studies go? Mack tells me, he is ready to go. Mack, will you pray for us before we begin. We know that with the aid of the Holy Spirit to illumine what has been revealed already, we cannot understand God’s Word.”
“Father, thank You for saving us from the penalty of sin. Thank You for using Your Spirit to illumine our minds to be able to grasp the message of Mark 1. May You bless Hugh as he teaches and leads us this week. May we all seek to bless You and obey You. Amen.”
“Ready, Mack? Let’s go. What doctrines did you learn from Mark 1? That is, what did you learn about God, the Father, Jesus, the Son, the Holy Spirit, salvation as well as other areas of theology?”
“Class, I was so excited to do this work. I decided to focus on the Holy Spirit. It seems like the Holy Spirit filled this chapter from the beginning to the end. Get your Bibles and let’s read.”
“Mark 1:8 says, “I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
“I see this verse teaching John the Baptist emphasized that Jesus’ ministry would be marked differently than his because he merely baptized with water, but Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist connects the arrival of the Holy Spirit with the coming of the Messiah.”
And Hugh, I read Mark 1:10 “Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove”.
“We learn the Holy Spirit attends the ministry of Jesus from the very beginning. The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at His baptism. Mark notes that Jesus saw the Holy Spirit descending as a dove upon Him.”
“And finally, look at Mark 1:12 – “At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness”
“It seems to me that Mark emphatically asserted that the Holy Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness to be tested. It is interesting that the Spirit brings Jesus into immediate contact with evil forces after the Father’s confession that Jesus is His Son, in whom He is well pleased.”
“Well done, Mack. Let’s let someone else have a turn. Sharon, you look like you have something to say.”
“Thank you, Hugh. I am nervous, so please be with me. This has been such a helpful tool for me. I never learned to look at my Bible through such eyes. I now see more things than ever.”
“Class, I read Mark 1:10-11 – “Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
If I am wrong, please let me know. But, I saw the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Trinity, in these verses.”
“The Father spoke to Jesus, the Son, Jesus, the Son heard the Father speak, and the Holy Spirit descending on the Son. Isn’t that the Trinity? Aren’t they all at the place where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist?”
I did some additional research on Mark 1:11 -– Some feel that this verse along with others teaches that Jesus was adopted by the Father. It is assumed that the coming of the Spirit upon Jesus was the Father’s placing of deity on Jesus. Yet, this is not what Mark is teaching.
Jesus is more than an independent man who would have lived on as Jesus of Nazareth had this not happened to Him. Jesus would not be fully God and fully man, only a god (spirit)-filled man.”
“Well done, Sharon. Tommy, you look like you will jump out of your seat. What theological ideas did you see in Mark 1?”
In Mark 1:14 – 16 – After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news! As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.”
I thought Jesus sees his message of the coming kingdom as goodnews. This verse teaches that Jesus is the author and messenger of the message, but also the subject of the goodnews.
“I also read Mark 1:24-26, 34 – “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. And verse 34 – and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.”
“These verses indicate that demons can speak, probably using the vocal tools of the persons they possess. In 1:34 a difference is made between demons and diseases. Mark 1:25 shows that Jesus has power to command the demons to remove themselves from the persons they possess.”
“Great job as always, Tom. Finally, Ernie, would you like to finish our study for the week? What did you observe concerning the things of God?”
Mark 1:41 stood out for me, “Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”
“Jesus felt compassion on those who came to him sick and ailing. We see the tenderhearted, sympathetic side of God through Jesus. Jesus always displayed a strong sense of care towards those with physical ailments. I am thankful Jesus has this kind of compassion toward us today as well.”
“One passage I didn’t know how to make much of it, but thought it touched on baptism is Mark 1:10 – Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. Do you think we are to learn that baptism implies submersion into water? I mean, how could Jesus come up out of the water otherwise?”
“Thank you, Ernie. Thank each of you for your contribution to our Bible study this morning. Next week, I want you to go to the internet and copy Mark 1 and paste it into a document. I want you to eliminate any paragraph markings that the copy may have”.
“You might find spaces between paragraphs or breaks. Eliminate them. Then, read through Mark 1 and mark where you think the ideas change. Once you have done that – then apply a heading for each paragraph indicating the major thought of the paragraph.”
“Remember I am praying for you as you study God’s Word. Please remember to pray for me and for one another. We better hurry to worship before the pastor gets after us.”
If you are finding this study, helpful, please drop a comment. Did you or can you find other doctrines that I did not touch upon in this study? Please share those with us.
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The Bible is full of truth if we read it carefully and with purpose.”
Jesus is the author and messenger of the message, but also the subject of the goodnews.
We see the tenderhearted, sympathetic side of God through Jesus.
Truth-Travelers 