Sermon and Worship Resources

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2 Corinthians 11:1-15, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... is jealous for them. The term jealousy, or rather “zeal,” is drawn from the character of Yahweh as the sole husband of Israel (cf. Hos. 1–3; Ezek. 16; Isa. 50:1–2; 54:1–8; 62:5), which is spoken of, correspondingly, as his bride (cf. Isa. 49:18). Mark 2:19 refers to the Messiah as a bridegroom, and Ephesians 5:22–33 applies this image to the relationship between Christ and the church. Just as Phinehas, the OT prototypical zealot (Num. 25:1–13; cf. Ps. 106:28–31; Sir. 45:23–24; 1 Macc. 2:26 ...

602. Paul's Ministry in Thessalonica

1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... . Elsewhere he joins with others in roundly condemning pleonexia, which is so contrary to what we see in Christ (Rom. 1:29; Eph. 4:19; cf. Mark 7:22; Luke 12:15; also 1 Cor. 5:10f.; 6:10). He calls God to witness (again, see disc. on 2:4) that greed plays no ... 13:16). But our Master, Jesus, “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). As self-sacrifice lay at the heart of his ministry, so it does with all Christian ministry, whether it be preaching or ...

603. Favoritism Forbidden

James 2:1-13, James 2:14-26

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

... (e.g., Deut. 1:17; Lev. 19:15; Ps. 82:2; Prov. 6:35; 18:5). A glance at who is elected to office in the church and who sits on denominational committees would quickly indicate that despite the very negative view Jesus took of wealth (e.g., Mark 10), James’ reproof is still relevant today. The church ought to show no partiality, no concern about the outward beauty, wealth, or power of a person. This is demanded of us as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. The only basis of the church is faith in ...

604. Final Greetings

1 Peter 5:12-14

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... —its pride and godlessness—a character now taken on by Rome in the eyes of both Jews and Christians by the late first century. Chosen together echoes the description of Peter’s readers, as indeed of all Christians, as “chosen” (1:2; 2:9), i.e., by God. Mark is John Mark (Acts 12:12), one of Paul’s companions on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:5). Paul mentions him several times in his letters (Col. 4:10; 2 Tim. 4:11; Philem. 24). 5:14 There is no verb expressed in peace to all of you. The ...

605. The Sin and Doom of Godless Men

Jude 1:1-16

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... to denote a particular group of people: “You know who I mean!” Long ago (palai) can equally well refer to the recent past, as in Mark 15:44 and 2 Pet. 1:9. Itinerant preachers and teachers frequently caused trouble in the early church (Matt. 7:15; 2 Cor. 10–11; 1 ... ones: angels, the heavenly army attending the returning Lord of glory (Deut. 33:2; Dan. 7:10; Zech. 14:5; Matt. 16:27; 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; 2 Thess. 1:7). 15 The evil men’s words are described as harsh (sklēros, hard, rough). In 1 ...

606. A Man With a Measuring Line

Zechariah 2:1-13

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

... to other nations. Jeremiah is also said to have brought God’s word to the nations (Jer. 1:10; 27:3). Here in verse 9a God will surely raise God’s hand against the plunderers, but it is Zechariah who speaks in verse 9b. Verse 10 is clearly divine speech, marked with declares the LORD. Only two clauses in verses 11–13 have God speaking in the first person: they will become my people and I will live among you. It is not impossible for a message from God through a prophet to refer to the Lord in the third ...

607. The Healing at the Pool

John 5:1-15, John 5:16-30

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... . The irony of the cure is that Jesus bypasses the healing sanctuary that has just been so carefully described and heals the sick man (just as he did the government official’s son) with a spoken word: Get up! Pick up your mat and walk (v. 8; cf. Mark 2:9, 11). The form of this command is what determines the consequences. The sick man is immediately healed and does exactly what Jesus tells him. At this point the narrator pauses to supply a necessary bit of information: It was the Sabbath (v. 9b; cf. 9:14 ...

608. Jesus Walks on the Water

John 6:16-24

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... his presence—and, for a moment, theirs—is elusive, transcending time and space. He does not so much enter their world—the boat and the storm on the lake—as give them a glimpse and a taste, however fleeting, of his world. The disciples’ reaction is not expressed (contrast Mark 6:51–52; Matt. 14:32–33). As soon as they reach shore, they drop out of the story until at least verse 60 (possibly, vv. 66 or 67). It is left to the reader to sense the mystery of what has happened and to wait for the ...

609. Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

John 9:1-12

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... origin) of the man’s affliction to its purpose (v. 3), the fact that the man was not only blind but blind from birth remains a highlight of the narrative. This is what sets the story apart from all the synoptic accounts of the giving of sight to the blind (Mark 8:22–26; 10:46–52 and parallels; Matt. 9:27–31). If a man is blind from birth, then the restoring of his sight is nothing less than a new birth. The incident becomes a case study in the experience of which Jesus had told Nicodemus: “No one ...

610. The Impending Departure I

John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14, John 14:15-31

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... more immediate future he will deny his Lord three times (vv. 37–38). This prediction, though a fixed part of the tradition (cf. Mark 14:27–31 and parallels) is not elaborated. The thread of it is picked up in 18:15–18, 25–27, and probably ... and will remind you of everything I have said to you (v. 26)—with the particular purpose of calming their fears (cf. 16:4b; also Mark 13:11; Matt. 10:19–20; Luke 12:11–12). It is not surprising that at this point Jesus repeats his earlier reassurance, Do not ...

611. Imitating Christ's Humility

Philippians 2:1-11

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

... it only when he is quoting a credal formula, as in Romans 8:34 and Colossians 3:1. The expression is drawn from Psalm 110:1, where the Davidic king is invited in an oracle to share the throne of Yahweh, sitting to the right side of him. According to Mark 14:62 and parallel texts, Jesus at his trial before the Jewish high priest and his colleagues told them that they would yet “see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One,” occupying, that is to say, the position of highest honor in and ...

612. The Beginning

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... and earth with the article occur here in the same order as in 1:1 (also 2:1); thus the two lines form an inclusio. By contrast, these terms in 2:4b occur in inverted order and, more importantly, without the article. Thus the toledoth formula here marks the first division of Genesis (1:1–4:26). The reason for its unusual placement is that the author gives priority to the definitive heading (1:1). Since this line contains the seventh occurrence of bara’, it is probable that the editor of the first section ...

613. Jesus as Lord and as Archcriminal

Mark 2:23-3:6, Mark 2:18-22

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... allowed healing if a life was at stake], so heal the man tomorrow rather than today”), so their silence seems strange. Perhaps they just did not want to be drawn into another debate, and perhaps they realized that however they answered they would be in trouble. But Mark uses silence five times (four total in the other Gospels); here and in 1:25 and 4:39 it is a reference to Jesus’s authority and power. They had no response in light of Jesus’s God-given authority. 3:5 in anger and, deeply distressed ...

614. Caring for the Needy and Commissioning Apostles

Mark 3:7-12, Mark 3:13-19

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... who were personally weak and politically marginalized to change the world. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:30, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” Teaching the Text 1. Jesus’s healing is for all who come to him. Throughout Mark thus far (1:32–34, 39; 2:11–12; 3:5, 10–11) Jesus’s great compassion for everyone led him to heal every sick or demon-possessed person who came to him. Jesus is concerned not just for the spiritual side of humankind but for the whole ...

615. The Authority of Jesus over Nature and the Cosmic Powers

Mark 5:1-20, Mark 4:35-41

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... are quite similar to the demoniac’s in 1:24, with the first part trying to force Jesus to leave him alone, and the second part trying to get at Jesus’s inner essence in order to gain some power over him. Some of the highest Christology in Mark comes from the demons: “Holy One of God” (1:24), “Son of God” (3:11), and now the highest of all, “Son of the Most High God” (recognizing the absolute superiority of the “Most High”). In God’s name, don’t torture me! This could be a desperate ...

616. Mission and Rejection in Galilee

Mark 6:14-29, Mark 6:7-13

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... news of the gospel is presented, there is both authority from God and inevitable opposition to it when people reject the good news, sometimes even costing the lives of those sent to speak for God. Understanding the Text This begins the fourth section of the Galilean ministry in Mark (after 1:16–3:6; 3:7–35; 4:1–6:30) and constitutes the third sandwiching episode thus far (after 3:20–35; 5:21–43). The sending of the Twelve (6:7–13) is not completed until 6:30, when the disciples return and report ...

617. Spiritual Hypocrisy—Living by the Rules, Not by the Heart

Mark 7:1-23

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... 2:1–3:6; 3:22–30). There are also subthemes of Jewish tradition (2:18, 23–26; 3:2) and purity issues (5:21–43). Structure This is a complex story. It is best to divide it into two major sections: 7:1–13, containing the challenge and Mark’s explanation of it (vv. 1–5) along with Jesus’s two countercharges (vv. 6–8, 9–13), and then 7:14–23, with Jesus’s explanation to the crowds (vv. 14–16) and the disciples (vv. 17–23). Interpretive Insights 7:1–2 The Pharisees and some of ...

618. The Gentiles Are Included in God’s Provision

Mark 8:1-13

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... –44), dealing with “failure-faith-failure.” Here, as in 6:31–7:23, a feeding miracle (6:31–44 = 8:1–10) leads into the failure of the disciples (6:45–52 = 8:14–21) as linked with that of the Pharisees (7:1–23 = 8:11–13). Mark now reverses the order of 6:44–7:23, with Jesus using the analogy of the bread to warn against the “yeast,” or spreading evil, of the Pharisees. Interpretive Insights 8:1 another large crowd. So many details are the same as the account of the other feeding ...

619. Prophetic Actions—The Temple Condemned and the Fig Tree Cursed

Mark 11:12-19

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... the courts as well.2 Jesus is angered at those who have lost all sense of the sacred. 11:17 “a house of prayer for all nations” . . . “a den of robbers.” There are two thrusts in these two quotations of Scripture. First, “for all nations” (only in Mark), from Isaiah 56:7, likely points to Jesus’s action in the court of the Gentiles. In Isaiah this was part of his emphasis on the procession of the nations to Zion, the promise that in the messianic age all peoples of the earth would come and ...

620. Jesus Defines Himself as Lord in Contrast to the Leaders of Israel

Mark 12:41-44, Mark 12:35-40

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... that Jesus is repudiating the adequacy, not the accuracy, of assessing the Messiah by means of his Davidic descent.”3He is not just Messiah, but the Son of God (1:1, 11; 3:11; 5:7; 9:7; 14:61–62; 15:39) and Lord (this title is undefined in Mark). The result is the crowd’s “delight”; the contrast with the leaders continues (11:18; 12:12) as the common people recognize the truth of God in Jesus (cf. 1:22, 27). 12:38 Watch out for the teachers of law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and ...

621. Peter Denies Jesus

Mark 14:66-72

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... . Interpretive Insights 14:66–67 one of the servant girls of the high priest . . . saw Peter warming himself. Mark has separated two concurrent events, as the three encounters with Peter occurred during the hearing. At the beginning of ... long been hailed as prophet, priest, and king, and indeed each is developed in depth in the New Testament (priest in Hebrews, king especially in Mark and John). In Luke’s Gospel the prophetic office of Jesus is highlighted (4:24; 7:16; 11:47–52; 13:33; 24:19; cf. Acts ...

622. Jesus Is Crucified

Mark 15:21-32

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... is taken from Psalm 22:18 (explicitly quoted in John 19:24: “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment”), as the powerlessness of David before his enemies is fulfilled by Jesus the righteous sufferer. 15:25 It was nine in the morning. Mark frames the death of Jesus with time notes: it begins at nine, darkness descends at noon (v. 33), and Jesus dies at three (v. 34). There is a discrepancy with John 19:14, which says the trial ended at noon. Most likely the crucifixion began at ...

623. Getting Ready for the Passover

Luke 22:7-38, Luke 22:1-6

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... he himself takes the place of the Passover lamb. But exactly how this giving and pouring out are “for you” is not spelled out in Luke’s version; Matthew 26:28 adds that Jesus’s blood is poured out “for the forgiveness of sins,” and compare Mark 10:45, where Jesus says that he gives his life “as a ransom for many.” Do this in remembrance of me. The Christian celebration of the Lord’s Supper derives from this instruction, repeated also after the cup in the fuller version in 1 Corinthians 11 ...

624. On the Mount of Olives

Luke 22:47-53, Luke 22:39-46, Luke 22:7-38

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... . Historical and Cultural Background The place of Jesus’s prayer and arrest on the Mount of Olives is named by Matthew and Mark as “Gethsemane” (“oil press”) and is described by John as a “garden” on the other side of the Kidron Valley. The traditional ... prayer and the disciples’ lethargy prepares us for what will happen when the arresting party arrives. Unlike Matthew and Mark, Luke will not specifically mention their running away, but all except Peter will disappear from the story until after ...

625. The Death of Jesus

Luke 23:44-49, Luke 23:26-43

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... Jesus in 23:48. The whole is given theological depth by the supernatural signs of the darkness and the tearing of the temple curtain. Jesus’s suffering is not minimized, but his recorded words focus not on his own agony of abandonment (as in Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34) but rather on compassion for others (the women and the believing criminal) and confidence in his Father (23:46). The tradition of his prayer for the soldiers in 23:34, even if not an original part of Luke, comes from the same mold. Repeated ...

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