Through The Bible
Session #34 – Mark & Luke
December
3, 2003
Outline of Mark’s Gospel
I.
Introduction
(1:1-15)
a. Notice from the outset that Mark is no biography
or history because there’s no birth story.
b. There’s a brief account of John the Baptist’s
message, the baptism of Jesus, and Christ’s temptation.
c. Notice Jesus announces in 1:15 that “…the kingdom
of God has come near…”
II.
Conflicts and
Selection (1:16-3:34)
a. We see three patterns.
i.
Demonstration of
Jesus’ authority and power in healings and exorcisms (1:21-28, 29-34, 40-45;
2:1-12). Summarization in 3:7-12
ii.
There is a positive
response to Jesus by those whom he calls.
See 1:16-20; 2:13-14; 3:13-19 – the choosing of the twelve.
iii.
Jesus is rejected by
his opponents. See 2:1-12, 15-28; and
the Pharisees and Herodians seek Jesus’ death (3:1-6)
III.
Teaching in Parables
(4:1-41)
a. One interesting feature about Mark’s use of
parables is that Jesus seems to confound people with his stories in Mark rather
than instruct them. Why? Perhaps it’s because of the constant death
threats that Jesus spoke in a veiled way.
b. The inner circle of Jesus (disciples) were
supposed to understand his teachings but they too often didn’t (see 4:10-13).
IV.
Caesarea Philippi
(5:1-8:26)
a. This part of Mark’s Gospel includes the doublets
or repetition of similar stories. See
below comments on Mark’s inviting readers to look twice at similar accounts.
b. We also see contrasts in this section: the
ordinary needy people (Gentiles) recognize God’s power at work in Jesus
(6:30-31; 7:35-36) but his own hometown folks (6:1-6) and colleagues (7:1-23)
reject him.
V.
Going to Jerusalem
(8:27-10:52)
a. Jesus reveals his reasons for going to Jerusalem –
to suffer and die (8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34).
b. Each time Jesus reveals his impending death, the
disciples challenge what Jesus says revealing that they didn’t fully grasp
their own discipleship. Jesus clarifies
what discipleship means (8:34-38; 9:35-37, 39-41; 10:38-45).
VI.
Jesus in Jerusalem
(11:1-13:37)
a. The religious leaders in Jerusalem are developed
in this section.
b. Mark drives home the point in this section that
those who reject God’s kingdom in Jesus, will themselves be rejected.
VII.
The Passion
(14:1-15:47)
a. Mark’s portrayal of women in the Gospel is one of
courage. The women are the ones who
stay near the tomb, etc. They end up
doing what the disciples were supposed to do.
See 15:40ff.
VIII.
The empty tomb
(16:1-8…9-20)
a. Notice the man in the white robe sitting by the
tomb (16:5). Where have we seen him
before in Mark?
i.
Could he be the
naked young man in the garden (14:51-52)?
ii.
Perhaps Mark wants
us to see that those who fail can be restored?
The white robe tells us that he has been transformed. (Luke Timothy
Johnson, p. 168).
Luke’s Gospel
General Comments on Luke:
- Luke is the longest of the four Gospels.
- Luke is the 1st part of a 2-volume
set. Consider that these two
volumes (Luke & Acts) together make up nearly ¼ of the New Testament
writings! They cover nearly 60
years of time in the 1st century!
- Compared to the other Gospels, Luke is most
noteworthy for:
- (a) birth narrative – chapters 1 & 2;
- (b) the lengthy travel account that makes up
9:51-19:48;
- (c) the comprehensive interest in those who
are marginalized and on the outskirts of society.
- Remember that Matthew, Mark, and Luke are
considered the ‘synoptic Gospels.’
This means that although they approach the life of Christ from
their own perspective, they still follow similar basic patterns.
- Luke departs from Mark’s Gospel more than
Matthew does.
- Most likely, Luke was written around AD 85 –
give or take 5-10 years.
Luke is also considered
the most popular Gospel by many. Why?
- It’s not quite as severe and harsh as some
parts of Matthew.
- It’s not as “something from another world” as
John’s Gospel often seems.
- It flows better than Mark.
- Luke emphasizes Jesus’ concern for those on
the margins of society. Anyone who
feels on the fringes is embraced by Luke’s Gospel.
- Several of the most popular parables are only
in Luke (Good Samaritan – Luke 10.25ff; and Prodigal Son – Luke 15.11ff).
Who wrote Luke’s Gospel?
- Tradition holds that the author is the
physician Luke who was Paul’s co-worker (see Philemon 24; Colossians 4.14;
2nd Timothy 4.11).
- The connections to Paul are strengthened by
the fact that significant portions of Acts are written in the 1st
person plural (someone who was there was telling the story). See Acts 16.10-18; 20.5-21.18;
27.1-28.16).
- Luke is a storyteller. He’s a historian and gives us the most
‘orderly’ Gospel. This is one of
his goals (see Luke 1.1; Acts 1.1-2).
He takes what he’s experienced firsthand (see first person sections
of Acts) and what he’s heard from others (see Luke 1.2) and blends them
into the story of Jesus from the beginning of his earthly life going
through the early struggles of the Church.
Remember that Luke is
part 1 and Acts is part 2. It seems
these two present a timeline of Christian development and was intended to
strengthen the early Christian movement.
Luke is the only of the four Gospel writers who writes a sequel to his
Gospel. Why two volumes?
- Remember these documents originally written
on papyrus rolls and each would have filled a papyrus roll approximately
31 feet long and 2 feet wide. So,
this must be part of the reason why two volumes were written. Separation occurs early.
- Significance of remembering that Luke and
Acts form a single unit: Luke grasps the meaning of Jesus and the Church
in a single vision. He tells the
story in a way so that what happens with Jesus foreshadows the Church’s
experience. And what happens with
the Church finds meaning in the life of Christ.
Note about who Luke wrote
to:
- Both Luke and Acts written to
Theophilus. What should we note
about this? Luke writes with an
eye toward the intelligent Gentile readers of his day. These intelligent Gentiles would have
been the movers and shakers of Luke’s day and Luke hopes to influence
them.
- The name Theophilus means, “God lover.” We’re not sure if Theophilus was an
actual person or a symbol for Luke’s readers – i.e., people who loved God.
Some features about
Luke’s writing to influential Gentiles of his day:
- Luke’s Greek is the most polished of the
Gospel writers. It’s not clear
whether Luke knew Hebrew or Aramaic but he knew the Septuagint (the Greek
version of the Old Testament).
- Most likely Luke was not from Palestine. His geography of Palestine is sometimes
questionable (see 4.44; 17.11).
Some traditions hold he was from Antioch (see Acts 11.19-15.41).
- Luke takes great pains to link the story of
Jesus to his contemporary culture and events.
- Note in Acts 26.26 that Paul speaks of the story
of Jesus not happening in ‘a corner.’
- Also note Luke 24.18 when Cleopas says to
Jesus on the road to Emmaus, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who
does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?”
- Note in Luke 2.1 that Luke frames the birth
of Jesus in a secular context – a decree by Roman Emperor Augustus that a
census should be taken.
- Summary: Luke doesn’t separate the story of
Jesus from culture and history.
He places the story of Jesus within that culture and that time period. Important!
Outline of Luke’s Gospel[1]
I.
Prologue (1.1-4)
II.
Birth and Childhood
of Jesus (1.5-2.52)
a. John’s birth announcement (1.5-25)
b. Jesus’ birth announcement (1.26-38)
c. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth (1.39-56)
d. John’s birth (1.57-80)
e. Jesus’ birth (2.1-20)
f.
Presentation of
Jesus in the Temple (2.21-39)
g. Growth of Jesus (2.40-52)
III.
Preparation for the
Ministry of Jesus (3.1-4.13)
IV.
Ministry of Jesus in
Galilee (4.14-9.50)
a. Jesus proclaims the good news (4.14-44)
b. Mission and controversy (5.1-6.11)
c. Jesus instructs his disciples (6.12-49)
d. The Compassionate ministry of Jesus (7.1-50)
e. Proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God
(8.1-56)
f.
Jesus’ identity and
the nature of discipleship (9.1-50)
V.
On the Way to
Jerusalem (9.51-19.48)
a. Discipleship: hearing and doing the word
(9.51-10.42)
b. The Fatherhood of God (11.1-13)
c. Jesus’ behavior questioned (11.14-54)
d. Vigilance in the face of an eschatological crisis
(12.1-13.9)
e. Who will participate in God’s kingdom?
(13.10-17.10)
f.
Responding to the
Kingdom (17.11-19.27)
g. Jesus arrives in Jerusalem (19.28-48)
VI.
Teaching in the
Jerusalem Temple (20.1-21.38)
VII.
The Suffering and
Death of Jesus (22.1-23.56)
a. The Last Supper (22.1-38)
b. Jesus on the Mount of Olives (22.39-46)
c. Jesus confronts the arresting party (22.47-53)
d. Peter and Jesus at the High Priest’s mansion
(22.54-65)
e. The Trial of Jesus (23.6-25)
f.
The Crucifixion of
Jesus (23.26-49)
g. The burial of Jesus (23.50-56)
VIII.
The Exaltation of
Jesus (24.1-53)
