The Gospel According to Mark: Overview
Each of the four Gospels in the New Testament takes on a different “personality” and focus. Matthew (dated late 50s/early 60s) is written to the Jews to show that Jesus is the Messiah. Luke writes a two-volume set (his Gospel and Acts) around A.D. 62. His Gospel is written to a Greek audience (in particular, Theophilus), proving that Jesus is the Son of Man. John, who wrote his Gospel around A.D. 80-90 makes his purpose clear in John 20:31: “…These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
Mark was the first Gospel written. It is dated in the A.D. 50s. It is a hard-hitting and fast-paced account. Mark does not focus so much on what Jesus said, but on what he did. Throughout the book, there is a sense of urgency. The word translated “immediately” is found over forty times in the book. He presents Jesus as the Servant. The key verse of this book is, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Most scholars believe that Mark was led to Christ by Peter (1 Pet 5:13) and that his book is based on Peter’s sermons. Papias wrote in A.D. 140 that Mark was the “interpreter of Peter,” and many early church fathers agree.
Happy Mother’s Day!! There is no more important job in the world than being a mother. Nor is there a more challenging job. The next generation is literally in your hands…but not in your hands for long.
75%
of the time we spend with our kids in our lifetime will be spent by age 12.
Source: 1000 Hours Outside
90%
Of the time we spend with our kids in our lifetime will be spent by age 18.
Source: COURSENVY
As we continue our study through the Gospel of Mark, turn to Mark 7:24-30. I want to show you from Scripture what a mother of great faith looks like. As we break that down, I believe we will see two characteristics of great faith.
• Passionate Presence
• Persistent Prayer
PASSIONATE PRESENCE
Jesus valued private and personal time with his disciples. In today’s passage, we learned that he walked with his disciples forty miles to get away. He strategically planned two days of hard walking for some private time.
It is fascinating to study in the New Testament the times that Jesus was alone with his disciples. In John 13-17, a special time with the disciples before the crucifixion, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet and told them that their love for each other would let people know that they belong to him. He told them that he was going away and that the Holy Spirit would come. He used a vine and branch analogy to tell them that apart from him, they could do nothing. He explained to them that he was going to die and said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends”. He told them that their sorrow would be turned to joy. In John 17, there is the High Priestly Prayer, where Jesus prayed for his disciples and us.
After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples over a period of forty days and “presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).
Parents need to strategically plan for undistracted time with their kids as well.
Some suggestions:
• Don’t over-schedule your children’s activities.
• Jealously guard mealtimes.
• Take your children through Living Grounded.
• Share your Life Map (from Living Grounded) with your children.
PERSISTENT PRAYER
When Jesus arrived in Tyre with his disciples, a woman broke all protocol. She, a woman Gentile, spoke with Jesus, a Jew. A rabbi was not supposed to have any direct contact with a woman. She was Greek in her religion, Syrian in her language, and her race was Phoenician (during this time, Phoenicia belonged to Syria). She crossed all these barriers and fell at the feet of Jesus, probably more in desperation than worship. She begged Jesus to cast the demon from her daughter. The word translated as “beg” is in the imperfect tense, which means she kept asking and asking.
Matthew gives us some more details in his Gospel.
Matthew 7:22-25
And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”
Read Mark 7:27-28.
Some commentators believe that the word “children” refers to the nation of Israel. It is true that Israel is God’s chosen nation, and God sent his son to his own people (John 1:11, Rom 1:16). Other commentators say that Jesus was referring to his disciples specifically when he refers to the “children.” I lean this way. In this context, Jesus had gone to “feed” his disciples.
When Jesus said, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” that might seem a harsh statement. Referring to someone as a dog was a derisive term. Jews despised scavenger dogs (Greek: kuōn (κυων)) that roamed the streets. Paul used that word for dogs in Phil. 3:2 to describe legalists who twisted the Gospel—“Beware of the dogs” (kuon) - but Jesus used a different word. He used the Greek word kunarion (κυναριον), meaning “little dog” or “puppy,” a beloved house pet. Because of the woman’s persistence, the little girl is healed. This is one of two times Jesus heals at a distance.
As parents, we need to be passionately present and persistent in prayer—just like this mother in Mark 7. Jesus rewarded her great faith.
How do you pray for your children? How often? What are the things you pray for?
ser
You don’t have to have a loved one demon-possessed to know that Satan is alive and well; he influences the world and culture. In Revelation 2, the church in Pergamum was home to the major cults of the day. Jesus said to them, “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast to my name, and you did not deny my faith” (Rev. 2:13). Yet, Jesus said that there were some in Pergamum who were compromising the truth and called them to repent.
So, parents, our first prayer is a prayer of repentance. Many of us have compromised, and we need to pray persistently for our children who dwell where Satan’s throne is. Pray that they will hold fast to his name.
Additional Notes
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