8. Mark 6:1-29 - Jesus? Magician or master?
30/10/22
Preach
Scripture
Questions
6:1–6a Rejection at Nazareth
1 And he went out from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And when the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed, saying, “Where did this man get these things? And what is this wisdom that has been granted to this man, and the miracles such as these performed through his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they were offended by him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, and among his relatives, and in his own household.” 5 And he was not able to do any miracle in that place except to lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6a And he was astonished because of their unbelief.
Compare v2 with Matthew 7:29 from the earlier Sermon on a Mountain at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. What are the similarities?
Go back and reread 3:35. What does this and Jesus’ rejection in Galilee show us about the character of God? See also Acts 10:34. How does this encourage you?
6:6b–13 - Galilean mission of the 12 apostles
And he was going around among the villages teaching. 7 And he summoned the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 And he commanded them that they take along nothing for the journey except only a staff—no bread, no traveler’s bag, no money in their belts—9 but to put on sandals and not to wear two tunics. 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them.” 12 And they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they were expelling many demons and anointing many sick people with olive oil and healing them.
Why twelve? What’s the symbolism?
What is Jesus doing in terms of training up disciples? How is this a model for the church today?
6:14–29 - Beheading of John the Baptist
14 And King Herod heard it, because his name had become known. And they were saying, “John, the one who baptizes, has been raised from the dead, and because of this these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and others were saying, “He is a prophet like one of the prophets.” 16 But when Herod heard it, he said, “John whom I beheaded—this one has been raised!” 17 For Herod himself had sent and arrested John and bound him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not permitted for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias held a grudge against him and was wanting to kill him, and was not able to do so. 20 For Herod was afraid of John, because he knew him to be a righteous and holy man and protected him. And when he listened to him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he listened to him gladly. 21 And a suitable day came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers and military tribunes and the most prominent men of Galilee. 22 And when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced and pleased Herod and his dinner guests, the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he swore to her, “Anything whatever you ask me for I will give you, up to half my kingdom!” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the baptizer.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.” 26 And although he was deeply grieved, the king, because of his oaths and dinner guests, did not want to refuse her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner and ordered him to bring his head. And he went and beheaded him in the prison. 28 And he brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 And when his disciples heard this, they came and took away his corpse and placed it in a tomb.
Who is Jesus? John the Baptist raised from the dead [v14]? Elijah [v15; Malachi 4:5-6; Matthew 3:4 [cf 2 Kings 1:8]; Matthew 11:11-14 [cf John 1 20 21]]? A prophet [v15]? What does Pilate think? What do you think? How might you respond to a Moslem that says Jesus [Issa] is a prophet?
Read Esther 5:3-6, 7:2. What are some parallels between Ahasueras and Pilate? Where else have you heard “anything up to half my kingdom used”? Why does Jesus command “‘Yes, yes; no, no,’ and anything beyond these is from the evil one”?
Read Lev 20:21. Why did John the Baptist apply this law of Pilate if he was not a Jew? What is the principle here? How about Deuteronomy 25:5? Would agree with the following?…
By definition, the commandment of levirate marriage refers to an unusual situation: Generally, it is prohibited to marry one's brother's wife even after their divorce or after his brother's death. However, if the deceased brother did not leave any children, it is a mitzva for the surviving brother to marry his former wife. In other words, the mitzva of levirate marriage overrides the severe prohibition proscribing a brother's wife.
Yevamot, Introduction to Perek I
Baylonian Talmud