What is the opening line of Mark’s gospel?

• This is the Good News of Jesus Christ, son of God

• Good This of the is of Christ, News the son of Jesus God

Themes in Mark’s Gospel

1. Write out each theme in Mark’s Gospel and match it to what it is about

2. Which themes do you think would be most important to Mark’s main audience – the persecuted Christians in Rome?

**Which themes could be the most important to readers now?

1. Who is Jesus?

2. Discipleship & Way of the Cross

3. Salvation for all

•To explain how Jesus is the Messiah, both human and divine, but this knowledge must be a secret

•To show the difficulties and rewards of following Jesus

•To show that eternal life is for anyone who believes in Jesus

Theme 1. Who is Jesus?

•Jesus is the Messiah1. Mark 1:1 Write it out. Which bit of this quote tells us that Jesus is the Messiah? Explain

2.The Messianic Secret – Mark 8:27-30Read about when Peter recognised Jesus as the Messiah. 2. What sort of Messiah will Jesus be – what will happen to him?3. Why do you think Jesus wants his identity as Messiah kept a

secret? 2 reasons

4. How does Peter react when he hears Jesus predicting these things about himself? Why?

•Jesus is human and divine.Mark shows Jesus to be both God and human

3. Jesus as human1. Jesus is afraid and weak Mark 14:32-36: What happened? Write out an important bit of quote.2. Jesus feels love and compassion for people: Mark 1:40-42What happened? Write out an important bit of quote.3. Jesus feels pain:Mark 15:33-34 What happened? Write out an important bit of quote.

4. Jesus as divine2. Jesus forgives sin Mark 2:5-7 What happened? Write out an important bit of quote.2. Jesus has power over nature Mark 4:35-41 What happened? Write out an important bit of quote. 3. Jesus has power over sickness & death Mark 5:35-43 What happened? Write out an important bit of quote.

1. Using your gospel, look up the references and answer the questions

2. When you have finished, draw a mindmap to show the key information you have learnt under 3 headings: messiah, human and divine..

“Mark wrote his gospel in AD 70. This is too late for the gospel to be reliable”. Discuss.

What sort of issues can you discuss?What info can you use to answer this Q?

What do we learn about Jesus in Mark’s gospel?

About him as the Messiah

About him as divine/ human?

Theme 2. Discipleship & The Way of the Cross

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”

Why is Jesus’ death a problem for faith?

Take a whole page and divide in 4.Look up the references and answer the questions for each of the sections.**Do you think Mark successfully explains why Jesus died a humiliating death? How does it prove his teachings true?

SERVICE Mark 10:41-45If you want to be a disciple, you have to follow Jesus’ example.1. What did Jesus explain?

Write out a relevant quote.

2. What does Jesus mean by this quote?

THE WAY OF THE CROSS Mark 8:34-35 If you want to be a disciple, you must be prepared to take the suffering God gives you to bear, for the sake of His Kingdom.– 1. What does Jesus tell his disciples they

must do? Write out a relevant bit of the quote.

2. What does Jesus mean by this?

FAILURE AND FORGIVENESS: •Don’t worry if you deny Jesus under pressure- so did Peter, the first disciple and Pope, & Jesus forgave him.

1. Mark 14:30-31 What did Jesus expect Peter to be like?

2. Mark 14:66-72 Explain what happened.

3. How would this encourage persecuted Christians?

REWARDS OF DISCIPLESHIP

Mark 10:28-30 What will the disciples get for following Jesus?

Mindmap the things you have learnt about what it means to be Jesus disciple.

**How would it help persecuted Christians?

Carry cross

Failure & forgiveness

Service

Rewards