Sermon and Worship Resources

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Mark 5:21-43

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

5:21–43 This passage is the second instance in which Mark sandwiches together two incidents into one composite story (see earlier 3:20–35). Mark seems to do this because in each case he wants the two parts of the composite account to be understood in connection with each other. That these two incidents may have happened in connection with each other as described in Mark is not necessarily challeng...

2. A Lamp On a Stand

Mark 4:21-25

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

4:21–25 In these verses there is a collection of sayings that all seem to be governed by exhortations to perceive properly God’s presence in Jesus’ ministry (4:23, 24). These same sayings appear in the other Gospels at various points, indicating that Mark has probably constructed chapter 4 from various sayings of Jesus (see note). The sense of 4:21–23 has to do with the note of secrecy sounded in ...

3. A Man with Leprosy

Mark 1:40-45

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

1:40–45 Here we encounter another type of illness and Jesus’ power in the face of it. This time it is a person who has leprosy (see the notes for discussion of the term used). Such an illness rendered the person ritually and socially “unclean,” according to OT law (Lev. 13–14), meaning that he or she was not allowed in the temple or at any social or religious gathering. Furthermore, anyone who tou...

4. A Prophet Without Honor

Mark 6:1-6

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

6:1–6a Although it is not explicitly stated that this episode took place in Nazareth, the description of the setting as his hometown (6:1, or “his home area”), plus the mention of his family as living there (6:3), make it virtually certain that Nazareth is the intended location. But this story is not just the account of the rejection of Jesus in his hometown, it is also a symbol and portent of his...

5. Before the Sanhedrin

Mark 14:53-65

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

14:53–65 Each of the four Gospels gives an account of the trials of Jesus before Jewish and Roman authorities, but the variations in their accounts make it difficult to construct a complete and detailed picture of the events. In addition to the variations among the four Gospels, there are also questions about the nature of the sources of information available to early Christians in constructing th...

6. Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

Mark 10:46-52

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

10:46–52 If we omit the story of the cursing of the fig tree (11:12–14, 20–25), which is not really a miracle story like the others in Mark, this incident in 10:46–52 is the last miracle story in Mark’s account. This makes it something of a climactic miracle story and therefore worth careful attention. It also forms the conclusion to the long section (8:27–10:52) in which Jesus teaches about his c...

7. Causing to Sin

Mark 9:42-50

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

9:42–50 In these verses we seem to have a collection of sayings somewhat artificially held together by particular words that associate the sayings with one another. Once brought together, however, the sayings are all to be understood in their present context, which has to do with discipleship, especially the obligations of disciples for one another. The mention of little ones in 9:42 is a referen...

8. Clean and Unclean

Mark 7:1-23

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

7:1–13 Although the NIV presents 7:1–13 as a separate unit, it is important to note that the discussion about Jewish traditional ideas of “clean” and “unclean,” begun in 7:1–13, continues in 7:14–23. Moreover, this topic sets the stage for the episode in 7:24–30, where Jesus deals with a gentile woman’s request for his ministry. The preceding summary passage (6:53–56) is thus a transitional point,...

9. Crowds Follow Jesus

Mark 3:7-12

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

3:7–12 This portion of the narrative gives an account of Jesus’ ministry to a crowd at Lake Galilee (see note) and offers one of several summaries of Jesus’ Galilean ministry (3:11–12; cf. 1:39; 4:33–34; 6:6, 56). The passage functions as a transition from the preceding collection of conflict stories (2:1–3:6) to a new section that may be thought of as extending to 6:6 (where Jesus is rejected in ...

10. Divorce

Mark 10:1-12

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

10:1–12 This passage containing Jesus’ teaching on the subject of divorce is placed in the block of material devoted to teaching on discipleship (8:27–10:52) because it concerns one of the most important areas of responsibility (marriage) for disciples, or for anyone for that matter. It is possible that this passage is placed immediately after the preceding material that urges peace among disciple...

11. Gethsemane

Mark 14:32-42

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

14:32–42 This is another of the most well-known scenes from the Gospels, the subject of paintings and of countless sermons and meditations. The tradition that Jesus prayed fervently before his arrest is preserved in variant forms in John 17:1–18 and Hebrews 5:7, as well as in the parallels to the present account, Matthew 26:36–46 and Luke 22:40–46. As a final preparation before the rush of violent...

12. Jesus Again Predicts His Death

Mark 10:32-34

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

10:32–34 This third prediction of Jesus’ death forms the climactic prediction in the series. Every item in the passage serves this purpose. The geographical note, on their way up to Jerusalem (v. 32), indicates that Jesus’ ministry is taking him to the city of his destiny. The description of the disciples’ attitude, astonished … afraid (v. 32), heightens the tension. In the actual prediction itsel...

13. Jesus and Beelzebub

Mark 3:20-30

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

3:20–30 Although this passage is separated from the following passage (3:31–35) in the NIV, the two really must be read together, for we appear to have here the first example of a narrative technique used frequently in Mark: beginning one story and then inserting another before bringing the first to a conclusion. Here, Mark begins telling us about the family of Jesus in 3:21 (see note), interrupts...

14. Jesus Anointed at Bethany

Mark 14:1-11

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

14:1–2 These verses introduce the events of the arrest, trial, and execution of Jesus and resemble previous indications of hostile intentions against Jesus (cf. 3:6; 12:12). Although previously the Pharisees are frequently mentioned as criticizing and opposing Jesus (e.g., 2:16–3:6; 7:1–5; 8:11; 10:1–2; 12:13), they are not linked by name with the actual arrest and execution in Mark (cf. Matt. 27:...

15. Jesus Arrested

Mark 14:43-52

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

14:43–52 The act of betrayal begun in 14:10–11 is carried through. Led by Judas, a group from the chief priests comes to seize Jesus by force, and from this point on the ordeal of Jesus’ sufferings begins in earnest. Although Mark describes the arresting group as a crowd (v. 43), we should probably think in terms of a small force of perhaps a dozen or a little more, for the object was to make the ...

16. Jesus Before Pilate

Mark 15:1-15

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

15:1–5 In this passage the Jewish leaders meet to make a formal decision about Jesus (v. 1) and they hand him over to Pilate, the Roman governor, whose interrogation of Jesus is then briefly described (vv. 2–5). All three Synoptic Gospels record a morning meeting of the Jewish Council to deal with Jesus (cf. Matt. 27:1; Luke 22:66), which is further evidence that any hearing held during the night ...

17. Jesus Calms the Storm

Mark 4:35-41

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

4:35–41 After the selection of parables comes this story of Jesus’ power over the wind and waves. The change from relatively calm teaching discourse to a violent storm and the display of Jesus’ awesome authority over the forces of nature jolts the reader with a reminder that Jesus is more than a religious teacher. The parables are veiled discourse, and Jesus has spoken of the presence of the kingd...

18. Jesus Clears the Temple

Mark 11:12-19

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

11:12–14 With this passage we have the beginning of another example of Mark’s sandwiching of two stories together in order to relate them to each other. In this case, Mark begins the story of the barren fig tree in 11:12–14, interrupting it to relate Jesus’ cleansing of the temple in 11:15–19, and completing the fig tree story in 11:20–26. This means that the incident of the fig tree both interpre...

19. Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit

Mark 1:21-28

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

1:21–28 It is significant that the first scene of Jesus’ ministry (after the calling of the four disciples) is one in which Jesus teaches and performs an exorcism. Both actions are emphasized in Mark’s Gospel as characteristic aspects of Jesus’ ministry, and by placing this account in the opening of Jesus’ ministry, Mark shows the reader immediately a representative scene. Although Mark says that...

20. Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

Mark 6:30-44

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

6:30–44 From early times the feeding accounts have understandably attracted great attention, and continuing scholarly effort is made to try to understand them more fully. There are two feeding accounts in Mark—here, and at 8:1–10, where four thousand are fed—and also two accounts in Matthew (14:13–21; 15:32–39). Luke (9:10–17) and John (6:1–15) each report only the feeding of the five thousand. Mu...

21. Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

Mark 8:1-13

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

8:1–10 This is the second feeding account in Mark (cf. 6:30–44). The repetition of the same sort of miracle in so compressed a narrative as Mark and the similarities of the two accounts have provoked a great deal of scholarly study. Since our objective here is to try to understand what Mark intended by including these two accounts in his Gospel, we shall not discuss the various suggestions about t...

22. Jesus Heals a Paralytic

Mark 2:1-12

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

2:1–12 Up to this point Mark has introduced us to Jesus and given us samples of his ministry, showing us the effect of his teaching (1:21–22, 27) and his powerful works of exorcism (1:23–28, 34) and healing (1:29–34, 40–45). In chapter 2 we have further glimpses of Jesus’ ministry of miracles and teaching, but we should really think of Mark 2:1–3:6 as a single unit of the narrative, for each of th...

23. Jesus Heals Many

Mark 1:29-34

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

1:29–34 In this episode Jesus is shown healing a particular person, Peter’s mother-in-law, which seems to illustrate and document the summary reference to Jesus’ healing miracles in 1:32–34. The disciples mentioned with Jesus, Simon (later called Peter, 3:16), Andrew, James, and John, are the same ones already named in 1:16–20 and are all from Capernaum; mentioning them by name in this very specif...

24. Jesus' Mother and Brothers

Mark 3:31-35

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

3:31–35 This episode is directly connected with the preceding one (3:20–30), as explained in the comments on that portion, and is also part of a larger section that includes the calling of the Twelve (3:13–19). The Twelve are introduced in 3:13–19, and in 3:20–35 they are contrasted with “teachers of the law” and with Jesus’ family. Although the disciples fail in many ways in later episodes, here ...

25. Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place

Mark 1:35-39

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

1:35–39 Here, the one who in previous episodes is shown exercising such great power and authority is described as seeking a quiet place of prayer. Since we are not told what Jesus’ prayer was, it must be the mere fact that Jesus prayed that fits Mark’s narrative purpose here. Mark mentions Jesus praying only two other times, in 6:46, after the feeding of the five thousand, and in 14:32–39, in Get...

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