Old Testament Links in Mark Chapters 1-4 (Day 5)
This post is part of an 20-day series of the book of Mark. Mark’s gospel often refers to Jesus as Master & Servant and reveals Jesus’s actions and how he meets our spiritual and physical needs. Jesus is revealed as shining 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.’ Each session opens with a biblical promise, reading the passage, and then some observation and interpretation questions follow. The sessions end with personal application questions. After looking at four chapters, there is than a look at passages from the Old Testament which address similar topics and the accompanying questions consider how Jesus reveals the Father. Please feel free to share an application response or comment on the study itself in the section below.
Day 5 – Old Testament Link
Promise: You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him. And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. – Deuteronomy 26:17-18
As Jesus calls the disciples to him, he says ‘follow me’ and again ‘follow me’ and then ‘be with me’. Three times he instructs his people to spend time with him. It is only after this that he says ‘preach and cast out demons’. To follow is not merely to come after. It includes to go where I go, but then it is much more than that. Ponder ‘follow me’ and ‘be with me’ a moment. What is this an invitation to do?
Already in Deuteronomy 26, as above, the scripture talks of walking with God. Throughout the Old Testament, God has stated the same things that Jesus calls his disciples to: walk with him, preach, and cast out demons/join in the battle against evil.
Read the following passages and summarize them on the lines provided.
Deuteronomy 26:17-18 ____________________________________________________________
Micah 6:8 _______________________________________________________________________
1 Samuel 17:46 ___________________________________________________________________
1 Kings 8:43 ______________________________________________________________________
Deuteronomy 20:4 ________________________________________________________________
1 Samuel 16:15-16, 23 _____________________________________________________________
Judges 6:25-31 ___________________________________________________________________
How do these verses align with the appointment Jesus gives his disciples?
Application: How does the appointment of the disciples relate to your walk with Christ?
Jesus performs many signs and wonders in these first four chapters of Mark. Why does he perform these miracles? Consider Psalm 78:1-8 as an Old Testament reference to the signs of God.
God speaks and creates with words, just as in Genesis he said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was (Gen 1:3). If we say ‘let there be light’, we still have to go flip the switch or perform an action beyond the words. God speaks, and things happen, things change. There is a newness that was not previously.
Chapter 2 opens with Jesus forgiving the sins of a paralyzed man. In words, Jesus forgives the man. How does the paralyzed man respond to the forgiveness of his sins? To his healing?
List out some of the intangibles we have in Jesus, for example adopted or joy. How do you respond to these intangibles?
Jesus asks which is easier to say: ‘you are forgiven’, or ‘you are healed’. How easy is it for us to hear of these gifts and accept them as finished actions that God spoke and enacted?
Application: Which of the gifts of God would you like to say and believe more easily? What steps can you take to ‘help your unbelief’ (Mark 9:24)?
