Mark 1:10-13

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Shield> Father thank you for this night and for the opportunity we have to study your Scriptures together.

Shield> We ask that you would minister to each one here and those that come in as we progress.

Shield> We thank you, Lord, for all you have done for us.

Shield> Thank you for your blessings, both material and spiritual.

Shield> Thank you for the blessing of living in lands which dwell in liberty.

Shield> Thank you for providing for our needs.

Shield> And thank you for the responsibility you have laid on us to meet the needs of those less fortunate.

Shield> We pray these things in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, amen.

carol> amen

Shield> Just to bring those of you who have arrived as I was praying, I want to point out that the logs of the studies are being posted to www.forums.christianworld.com

Shield> You may interact with the content there as you continue reading the text of Mark

Shield> Last week I forgot to give you an assignment.

Shield> But that is okay.

Shield> Hopefully some of you chose to read ahead anyway.

Shield> Last week we began our inductive excursion into the Gospel of Mark

Shield> We were introduced to the fact that Mark most likely was the first gospel written.

Shield> And we also learned that it is probable that Matthew and Luke used Mark as a
source, in addition to the authors being eyewitnesses.

Shield> This is important to note because it helps us to gain insight into the author's perspective.

Shield> We left off at Mark 1:9 last week.

Shield> I want to backtrack just a bit...

Shield> John the Baptist said:

Shield> "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

Shield> then John continued, saying:

Shield> Mark 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Shield> Let's look at that verse again for a moment

Shield> what ****ouns are used?

Shield> ****ouns=I,he,she,they,we,him, etc

Shield> anyone?

Deacon> I you he

Shield> yes

Shield> lets go a step deeper

Shield> in relation to "I" what is the tense of the verb "I baptize?"

eags> present

Shield> correct

Shield> so it can be translated, I baptize or I am baptizing.

Shield> in relation to the word you, what is the tense of the word he will baptize

Shield> in the Greek it is one word, btw

Shield> in English it is three words

Shield> anyone?

eags> significance of one word ?

Shield> tense

Shield> we will get to significance shortly

eags> k

Shield> "he will baptize"

eags> future

Shield> is that....past tense?

Shield> ah

Shield> future tense

Shield> it is something that WILL happen, which has not yet happened

Shield> important to note.

Shield> and finally...

Shield> who is the "you"?

carol> born again Christians'

JoyoftheLord> the church

Shield> actually not finally, but still, who is the "you" of whom John speaks

Shield> well, remember the context of this passage...

Shield> let's look at it again...

Shield> Mark 1:5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

Shield> 1. the church had not yet been established.

JoyoftheLord> Jesus

Shield> 2. I think it is probably safe to say that some, even many were by that time born again

Shield> the you, in the Greek, is plural

Shield> it refers to all of John's listeners

Shield> I realize that the English does us a disservice here

Shield> but John is speaking to all those from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem

Shield> a multitude of people

Shield> it is possible there was a bit of hyperbole here

Shield> but that is difficult to say

Shield> lets look at the verse again

Shield> Mark 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Shield> and then....

Shield> Mark 1:9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Shield> one of the characteristics we are going to pick up about Mark...

Shield> is that it is an action based gospel

Shield> it is concerned with details which propel forward the narrative

Shield> think about it

Shield> there is no birth narrative of the nativity

Shield> as in Luke and Matthew

Shield> there is no indication of Jesus’ childhood

Shield> there is no mention of the Wedding of Cana, Jesus reputed first miracle

Shield> and so on

Shield> instead the writer proceeds directly to an encounter between the prophet, the voice in the wilderness, the forerunner of Christ, and Christ Jesus himself

Shield> THAT says something, in my estimation, about the gospel writer's perspective

Shield> so Jesus came from Galilee, specifically Nazareth

Shield> down to the Jordan

Shield> and Jesus was baptized

Shield> remember

Shield> John's baptism was a baptism which signified what, according to this text?

Shield> anyone?

RenewedSpirit> death?

eags> the coming of Christ

JoyoftheLord> the coming of the Lord

Shield> let’s look at a verse that will remind us of what he himself says....

Shield> ark 1:4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Angel4God> death to old life, alive in Jesus

RenewedSpirit> repentance and forgiveness of sins

Shield> now, look at that verse, and see what it has to say

Shield> yes

Shield> repentance

Shield> and forgiveness of sins

Shield> now back to verse 9

Shield> actually verse seven

Shield> I want you to "feel" the tension here in the text

carol> ministry of Christ

Shield> verse seven...

Shield> Mark 1:7 And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

Shield> John admits he is the lesser

Shield> and that he is not worth to stoop down and untie Jesus’ sandals

Shield> he then says that he baptizes with water (for repentance and forgiveness of sins)

carol> he is a created being

Shield> but that Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit

Shield> and then...

Shield> watch this...

Shield> Jesus submits to water baptism

Shield> by John

Shield> now think with me on this

Shield> what is significant about this?

Shield> given what we just learned about Baptism in water by John?

Shield> baptism in water focuses on repentance and forgiveness of sins

Shield> and yet Jesus was baptized in water

Shield> did Jesus sin?

eags> it would seem unnecessary for Jesus

RenewedSpirit> Jesus repented (but for what? he is sinless?)

Shield> bingo

Shield> Jesus was and is sinless

Shield> but nevertheless he was obedience

Shield> and he set the example

RenewedSpirit> ahh yes obedience

Shield> with that in mind...

Shield> watch this with a view to God the Father's response to this obedience.

Shield> Mark 1:10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

Shield> who came up out of the water?

RenewedSpirit> Jesus did

Shield> who saw heaven torn open?

RenewedSpirit> Jesus did

carol> Jesus

Shield> who saw the Spirit descend on him like a dove?

carol> John

RenewedSpirit> Jesus did

Shield> Jesus did, on all counts

Shield> Mark 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

eags> o/

Shield> yes eags?

eags> torn open ....meaning ?

RenewedSpirit> the sky opened up so the Spirit could descend upon

RenewedSpirit> Jesus

eags> would that be clouds

Shield> well it is the word from which we get our word schitzoid

RenewedSpirit> which means?

Shield> it means split, tear, divide, separate, disunite, to name a few

RenewedSpirit> ok

Shield> basically it means God acted in terms of rearranging the heavens for a moment:)

Shield> so back to our verse

Shield> Mark 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

RenewedSpirit> yup

eags> ty

Angel4God> Praise the Lord

Shield> pretty cool statement huh?

Shield> I mean...

Shield> God is pleased

RenewedSpirit> yes , That His Son obeyed

Shield> and he interrupted the ordinary placement of the heavens to make it known

Shield> here again is a point which it is helpful to consider the original language

Angel4God> like a curtain opening for the Son of God to receive the Holy Spirit

Shield> literally, it is saying, you are my beloved son

eags> o/

Shield> without going into technical jargon, it is an elegant way of bringing particular focus to the love of the Father for the Son

Shield> yes eags?

eags> would that statement imply divinity in the original text

Angel4God> in Whom I am well pleased

RenewedSpirit> Yes Shield

Shield> well clearly we know that Jesus is the Son of God, fully God and fully human

Shield> this particular phrase simply says he is God's beloved Son

eags> ok ..ty

Shield> this passage is also a favorite for those who adhere to orthodox Christianity

Shield> by reason of witnessing the presence of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in one periscope

Shield> any other questions?

Shield> ok

Shield> so God is pleased

Shield> the Spirit has descended like a dove

Shield> the multitudes looked on in amazement

Shield> the forerunner has just baptized he who would baptize with the Holy Spirit

Shield> what a powerful moment

Shield> soak it in

Shield> God was present in that place

Shield> it was pivotal for the redemptive history of the world

Shield> but the narrative does not end there.

Shield> the writer has more to say

Shield> and I want you to feel the impact

Shield> Mark 1:12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert,

Shield> Mark 1:13 and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Shield> say what!?

RenewedSpirit> yup... without that experience... would He have survived the 40 days in desert?

Shield> now think about it

Shield> from a Jewish point of view

Shield> they were looking for Messiah

Shield> they wanted Rome off their backs

Shield> they wanted the burden lifted

Shield> surely this was the time to take the kingdom by force

Shield> not all thought this, but I can guarantee you it would become a theme in the weeks ahead as Jesus ministry progressed

Shield> so the one who would minister in power

Shield> the one would baptize with the Holy Spirit and who in fact had just been approved by the Father and visited by the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove...

Shield> that same one was immediately sent alone into the desert

Shield> immediately

Shield> the word immediately is a recurring theme of Mark

Shield> and for forty days, among the wild animals and the ongoing temptation of Satan, Jesus faced temptation and suffering alone.

Shield> at the conclusion of that time, sp**** in its details in this gospel, the angels ministered to him

Shield> when doing inductive study, as we are doing a bit of here, although not in nearly so much detail as we might like...

Shield> We concern ourselves with investigating what the text actually says.

Shield> What we think it says does not always match what it does say.

Shield> Usually this is because we tend to read it through the lenses of our own backgrounds.

Shield> Our challenge is to read the text itself and let it speak for itself.

Shield> It is a difficult challenge, but very worthwhile if we are faithful to the task

Shield> secondly, we want to learn what the text meant for its original audience.

Shield> This can, at times, be illusive as well.

Shield> simply because it requires some discipline and some reliance on solid biblical scholarship.

Shield> thirdly, we want to glean principles for application

Shield> fourth, we want to identify specific, measurable and realistic points of application into our own lives, and then indeed carry them out.

Shield> Here is your assignment for next week:)

Shield> Read the entire chapter one of Mark five times straight through.

Shield> Then read through again, starting with verse 14 and following

Shield> this time make notes such as what we have been doing

Shield> any repetition

Shield> contrast

Shield> verb tenses

Shield> unique statements or words

Shield> observe like a scientist

Shield> and be ready for next week:)

Shield> Let's pray

eags> sounds good

Shield> Our Father,

Angel4God> yes as always

Shield> As we study this text in the weeks to come

Shield> May we do so with a fresh set of eyes

Shield> setting aside our presumptions

Shield> and instead studying for ourselves what the text actually says

Shield> and in so doing

Shield> may the Spirit of the Lord rest on each one here as they investigate your Word

Shield> may our eyes be opened

Shield> may we be all the more sensitive to what you are saying to us

Shield> in Jesus name amen

Angel4God> amen

carol> amen

JoyoftheLord> amen

Deacon> Amen