Master & Servant: Jesus

A Study of Mark

Background for the Study

Welcome to the new study of Mark! This is a study designed for 4 days of reading and digesting the Word and the fifth day then considering links of Jesus back to the Old Testament. There are 20 sessions in all that are designed to be completed in 15 minutes per day. This study is the third in our The Son Reveals the Father series. If you have time, please check out the studies on Matthew and John.

I’ve surveyed and participated in a number of studies that state they have 45-60 minutes of self-study per day, and they can be hard work. They are incredibly rewarding as well, but sometimes there is a season where 15 minutes is all I can focus, all I can set aside for study. This study is not intended to replace quiet time, devotionals, or prayer, but instead intends to go straight to the source, the Word, to know Jesus and see how he reveals the Father. In just 15 minutes, you can study the Word!

If you’d like to complete the study in a group, I’d suggest completing five sessions per week and when meeting, to discuss the questions from the fifth day, which links the week’s readings to the Old Testament and asks application questions. I’ll see about putting together a group guide for four weeks as well – but that will come after the study is completed.

The Word is the ultimate source and resource in this study. 2 Timothy 3, verses 16-17 say, ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.’ So, please bring your Bible, a journal and pen or pencil to note your responses.

Introduction

The Gospel of Mark is usually said to show the picture of the suffering servant, or the one that shows the authority and compassionate service of Jesus for his people. Where Matthew’s gospel is full of teachings and parables, Mark’s gospel reveals Jesus’s actions and how he meets our spiritual and physical needs. Mark reveals the Jesus who shines the light on the heart of God, demonstrating many promises of the Old Testament in his actions.

Each of Jesus’s actions and teachings embody the character of God, as already revealed in the Old Testament. As Hebrews 1:3 says, ‘The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.’ So let us look closely at Jesus and recognize this representation, see the glory of God, and become empowered by the Word.

Before we begin, consider your definition of the words master and servant. Note them here.

Master

Servant

If you would like to review the foundation of studies on The Son Reveals the Father, please see this post.