As we draw this study of Mark to a close, we begin by summing up the big picture of Mark as a whole. We will then review some questions for reflection in light of Mark’s entire account, with a final identification of Gospel Glimpses, Whole-Bible Connections, and Theological Soundings, all with a view to appreciating the Gospel of Mark in its entirety.
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Over the course of this study we have seen that Mark’s Gospel falls roughly into two halves.
The first half (1:1–8:30) shows Jesus performing miracles, gathering disciples, teaching about God’s kingdom, and amazing crowds. In short, he is convincing the disciples that he is indeed the long-awaited king, the Messiah.
The second half of Mark (8:31–16:8) shows Jesus suddenly and repeatedly predicting his suffering and death as he shows his disciples what kind of king he is going to be. He is to be a suffering king. And Jesus repeatedly connects this suffering of his to the life of his disciples. Yet this suffering will, as for Jesus, lead ultimately to life and glory for his faithful disciples.
Putting both halves together, the Gospel of Mark shows us that in Jesus, God has provided redemption for his people. Jesus came as the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises for a coming king. He was not the king they expected (a king of political triumph); he was the king they most desperately needed (a king of suffering). The kingdom of God arrived, and with it its rightful ruler (Mark 1:14–15). But this ruler laid down “his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). By faith in Jesus and his work on our behalf, we are restored to God and enter into God’s kingdom. The first half of Mark shows us that God has come to us. The second half shows us how we can come to God. (For further background, see the ESV Study Bible, pages 1889–1892; also online at www.esvbible.org.)
Read through the following three sections on Gospel Glimpses, Whole-Bible Connections, and Theological Soundings. Then take time to reflect on the Personal Implications these sections may have for your walk with the Lord.
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Throughout Mark we have seen the grace of God in the gospel. Jesus has shown mercy to sinners, shared meals with the socially marginalized, and touched the ceremonially unclean. He has exposed and confounded the emptiness of the religion of the scribes and Pharisees, earning their opposition as a result. Time and again Jesus has upended our intuitive expectations as to who receives the attention of God and who does not. Throughout, we are reminded that God’s mercy benefits just those who know their need of it. The reason this can be so is Jesus’ death on our behalf: “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (10:45).
Has your understanding of the gospel changed at all during the course of this study?
Are there any particular passages in Mark that have brought the gospel home to you in a fresh way?
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While Mark does not often quote the Old Testament explicitly, his Gospel is filled with allusions to the Old Testament (think, for example, of the story of Jonah as a backdrop to Mark 4:35–41). More than this, Mark uses the categories and language of the Old Testament—referring to the temple, a fig tree, a vineyard, the Son of Man, Moses, Elijah, and much more. Throughout, we see in Mark that Jesus is bringing the entire Old Testament to decisive fulfillment—as Jesus says in Mark 1:15, “The time is fulfilled.” Jesus is the one who, through his death and resurrection, is leading God’s people to their true restoration, their final exodus, their needed liberation.
How has your understanding of the place of Mark in the sweep of the Bible been deepened through your study of Mark?
What are some connections in Mark to the Old Testament that you hadn’t noticed before?
Has your understanding of the unity of the Bible been clarified through studying Mark? How so?
What development has there been in your view of who Jesus is and how he fulfills the Old Testament?
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Mark contributes much to Christian theology. Doctrines that are reinforced and clarified in Mark include the deity of Christ, human sin, resurrection, divine sovereignty, and the kingdom of God.
Where has your theology been tweaked or corrected as you have studied Mark?
How might our understanding of God be impoverished if we did not have Mark’s Gospel?
How does Mark’s Gospel uniquely contribute to our understanding of Jesus?
Are there any specific ways in which Mark helps us understand the human condition?
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As you consider the Gospel of Mark as a whole, what implications do you see for your own life? Consider especially the issue of discipleship. This is an important emphasis throughout Mark, particularly chapters 8–10. What are the ramifications for your own life of Jesus’ teaching on discipleship in Mark?
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We rejoice with you as you finish studying the book of Mark! May this study become part of your Christian walk of faith, day by day and week by week throughout all your life. Now we would greatly encourage you to continue to study the Word of God on a week-by-week basis. To continue your study of the Bible, we would encourage you to consider other books in the Knowing the Bible series, and to visit www.knowingthebibleseries.org.
Lastly, take a moment again to look back through this book of Mark, which you have studied during these recent weeks. Review again the notes that you have written, and the things that you have highlighted or underlined. Reflect again on the key themes that the Lord has been teaching you about himself and about his Word. May these things become a treasure for you throughout your life—which we pray will be true for you, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Big Picture of Mark