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Begin Section 1: Mark 8 Text
& Questions
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Verses 1-13 Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand
========================
1During those days another
large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples
to him and said,
2“I have compassion for these
people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.
3If I send them home hungry,
they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”
4His disciples answered, “But
where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”
5“How many loaves do you
have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied.
6He told the crowd to sit
down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he
broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they
did so.
7They had a few small fish as
well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them.
8The people ate and were
satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces
that were left over.
9About four thousand were
present. After he had sent them away,
10he got into the boat with
his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.
11The Pharisees came and
began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.
12He sighed deeply and said,
“Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be
given to it.”
13Then he left them, got back
into the boat and crossed to the other side.
----------------------------------------
1)
What was the
respective role of the disciples and of Jesus in the previous feeding episode?
2)
Had the disciples
learned from the previous feeding episode what they were supposed to do this
time and why?
3)
How did the
leftover of seven basketfuls of broken pieces compare with what the disciples gave
away?
4)
How would the
Pharisees feel about themselves if Jesus performed a miracle upon their demand
in verse 11?
========================
Verses 1-13 Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand
========================
========================
Verses 14-21 The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod
========================
14The disciples had forgotten
to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.
15“Be careful,” Jesus warned
them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”
16They discussed this with
one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”
17Aware of their discussion,
Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not
see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?
18Do you have eyes but fail
to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?
19When I broke the five
loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
“Twelve,” they replied.
20“And when I broke the seven
loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
They answered, “Seven.”
21He said to them, “Do you
still not understand?”
----------------------------------------
5)
Given that yeast
symbolizes small things that can corrupt the whole batch, what was Jesus
warning the disciples against in telling them to watch out for the yeast of the
Pharisees and that of Herod?
6)
As we learned
from chapter 6, was the disciples’ craving miraculous power to multiply large
quantities of food for an altruistic motive or for personal gains?
7)
Given that the
Pharisees demanded a miracle from Jesus for self-importance, was the disciples’
craving miraculous power from Jesus for personal gains a sign that they had
been corrupted?
8)
What drove the
disciples’ craving miraculous power for personal gains, given that they did not
have any income when following Jesus?
9)
What happened to the
disciples’ craving miraculous power for personal gains if their constant worry
over provision was not resolved?
10)
How did Jesus
help the disciples overcome their constant worry over provision in verses 19
and 20?
11)
What are the
perception problems that hindered understanding and remembering and that are
found in Jesus’ rhetorical questions in verses 17 and 18?
12)
Would the
disciples be able to internalize the repeated experience of provision as to not
worry over provision, if their perception problems persisted?
========================
Verses 14-21 The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod
========================
========================
Verses 22-26 The Healing of a Blind Man at
========================
22They came to
23He took the blind man by
the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes
and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
24He looked up and said, “I
see people; they look like trees walking around.”
25Once more Jesus put his
hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and
he saw everything clearly.
26Jesus sent him home,
saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”
----------------------------------------
13)
Could there be a
connection between the healing of the blind man and the removal of the
disciples’ perception problem of seeing, given that Peter was able to declare
that Jesus is the Christ after the healing?
14)
Could there also
be a connection between the healing of the man who was deaf and could hardly
talk at the end of the previous chapter and the removal of the disciples’
perception problem of hearing?
15)
Once their perception
problems had been removed, were the disciples able to internalize the repeated
experience of provision as to not worry over provision?
16)
Once they no
longer worried over provision, what happened to the disciples’ craving
miraculous power for personal gains?
17)
Once they ceased craving
miraculous power for personal gains, would the disciples be able to focus their
attention on who Jesus is?
========================
Verses 22-26 The Healing of a Blind Man at
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Verses 27-30 Peter’s Confession of Christ
========================
27Jesus and his disciples
went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them,
“Who do people say I am?”
28They replied, “Some say
John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
29“But what about you?” he
asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
30Jesus warned them not to
tell anyone about him.
----------------------------------------
18)
What did Peter
say in verse 29 that marked another milestone for the disciples in their
discipleship to get to know Jesus?
19)
What did the Jews
in Jesus’ time think that the Christ was going to do?
========================
Verses 27-30 Peter’s Confession of Christ
========================
========================
Verses 31-38 Jesus Predicts His Death
========================
31He then began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the
chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after
three days rise again.
32He spoke plainly about
this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33But when Jesus turned and
looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said.
“You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
34Then he called the crowd to
him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must
deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
35For whoever wants to save
their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel
will save it.
36What good is it for someone
to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
37Or what can anyone give in
exchange for their soul?
38If anyone is ashamed of me
and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be
ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
----------------------------------------
20)
Why did Jesus
call Peter Satan, given that Satan was trying to derail Jesus’ mission to die
for the sins of the whole world and to rise again?
21)
What were the human
concerns for Peter as reflected in his dream that was aligned with what the Jews thought that the Christ was going
to do?
22)
What were the
concerns of God for Jesus as reflected in his mission?
23)
Why was Jesus’ prediction of his death deeply
disappointing to the disciples, given that they had given up everything to follow
him, to chase after their dream with him?
24)
What was the
important thing about discipleship under Jesus that the disciples did not
understand, given that they were only concerned about having their dream come
true?
25)
What is the good
news in what Jesus said in verse 31 that the disciples missed?
26)
What does it mean
for one to deny oneself in order to be Jesus' disciple, given that one has human
concerns that hinder one’s following Jesus?
27)
Given Peter’s human
concerns that also applied to the other disciples, how should the disciples deny
themselves in order to be Jesus' disciple?
28)
What does it mean
that one must take up one’s cross in order to be Jesus' disciple, given that
the cross is a symbol of suffering and death?
29)
Given that denying
oneself and taking up one’s cross is the cost one must bear in order to be
Jesus' disciple, what is the term we use for describing that cost?
30)
According to what
Jesus said in verse 35 what would happen to those who want to save their life?
31)
According to what
Jesus said in verse 35 what would happen to those who lose their life for him
and for the gospel?
32)
Did Jesus say
that one must lose their life for him and for the gospel in order to save it?
33)
According to
verses 36 and 37 how did Jesus compare the value of the soul of a person with the
value of the whole world?
34)
What does it mean
for a person to be ashamed of Jesus and his words and what does it mean for Jesus
to be ashamed of such a person?
35)
When will Jesus
come in his Father’s glory with the holy angels and what will he do then?
========================
Verses 31-38 Jesus Predicts His Death
========================
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End Section 1: Mark 8 Text
& Questions
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#######################################
Begin Section 2: Mark 8
Questions & Answers
#######################################
========================
Verses 1-13 Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand
========================
Concerning the feeding of
four thousand,
----------------------------------------
1)
What was the
respective role of the disciples and of Jesus in the previous feeding episode?
o
The disciples turned
over their limited resources to Jesus.
o
Jesus multiplied
the limited resources.
o
Then the disciples
served as the channel for distributing the multiplied resources to the people.
2)
Had the disciples
learned from the previous feeding episode what they were supposed to do this
time and why?
o
No, because
otherwise they
§
Would not have asked
the question in verse 4.
§
Where
§
They could get enough
bread to feed the crowd.
§
And would have turned
over their resources to Jesus without being asked.
3)
How did the
leftover of seven basketfuls of broken pieces compare with what the disciples gave
away?
o
The leftover was
more than what they gave away.
----------------------------------------
Concerning the Pharisees
demanding a sign from heaven,
----------------------------------------
4)
How would the
Pharisees feel about themselves if Jesus performed a miracle upon their demand
in verse 11?
o
That would make
them feel important about themselves.
========================
Verses 1-13 Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand
========================
========================
Verses 14-21 The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod
========================
Concerning the yeast of the
Pharisees and Herod,
----------------------------------------
5)
Given that yeast
symbolizes small things that can corrupt the whole batch, what was Jesus
warning the disciples against in telling them to watch out for the yeast of the
Pharisees and that of Herod?
o
Jesus was warning
the disciples against
§
The corrupting
influence of the Pharisees.
§
And that of Herod.
6)
As we learned
from chapter 6, was the disciples’ craving miraculous power to multiply large
quantities of food for an altruistic motive or for personal gains?
o
For personal
gains.
7)
Given that the
Pharisees demanded a miracle from Jesus for self-importance, was the disciples’
craving miraculous power from Jesus for personal gains a sign that they had
been corrupted?
o
Yes.
8)
What drove the
disciples’ craving miraculous power for personal gains, given that they did not
have any income when following Jesus?
o
Their constant
worry over provision drove their craving miraculous power for personal gains.
9)
What happened to the
disciples’ craving miraculous power for personal gains if their constant worry
over provision was not resolved?
o
They would continue
to crave miraculous power for personal gains.
10)
How did Jesus
help the disciples overcome their constant worry over provision in verses 19
and 20?
o
Jesus helped the
disciples recall that in both feeding episodes they received their provision
from the leftover that was more than what they gave away.
11)
What are the
perception problems that hindered understanding and remembering and that are
found in Jesus’ rhetorical questions in verses 17 and 18?
o
The disciples had
perception problems of
§
Seeing.
§
And hearing.
o
That hindered
§
understanding.
§
And remembering.
12)
Would the
disciples be able to internalize the repeated experience of provision as to not
worry over provision, if their perception problems persisted?
o
No.
========================
Verses 14-21 The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod
========================
========================
Verses 22-26 The Healing of a Blind Man at
========================
Concerning the healing of a
blind man at
----------------------------------------
13)
Could there be a
connection between the healing of the blind man and the removal of the
disciples’ perception problem of seeing, given that Peter was able to declare
that Jesus is the Christ after the healing?
o
Yes, the healing served
as a metaphor of the miraculous removal of the disciples’ perception problem of
seeing.
14)
Could there also
be a connection between the healing of the man who was deaf and could hardly
talk at the end of the previous chapter and the removal of the disciples’
perception problem of hearing?
o
Yes, the healing
served as a metaphor of the miraculous removal of the disciples’ perception
problem of hearing.
15)
Once their perception
problems had been removed, were the disciples able to internalize the repeated
experience of provision as to not worry over provision?
o
Yes.
16)
Once they no
longer worried over provision, what happened to the disciples’ craving
miraculous power for personal gains?
o
They ceased craving
miraculous power for personal gains.
17)
Once they ceased craving
miraculous power for personal gains, would the disciples be able to focus their
attention on who Jesus is?
o
Yes.
========================
Verses 22-26 The Healing of a Blind Man at
========================
========================
Verses 27-30 Peter’s Confession of Christ
========================
Concerning Peter’s confession
of Christ,
----------------------------------------
18)
What did Peter
say in verse 29 that marked another milestone for the disciples in their
discipleship to get to know Jesus?
o
Peter declared
that Jesus is the Christ.
19)
What did the Jews
in Jesus’ time think that the Christ was going to do?
o
The Jews in
Jesus’ time thought that the Christ was going to
§
Deliver the Jews
from the rule of the Romans.
§
And restore the
kingdom to
========================
Verses 27-30 Peter’s Confession of Christ
========================
========================
Verses 31-38 Jesus Predicts His Death
========================
Concerning the exchange
between Jesus and Peter about Jesus’ death,
----------------------------------------
20)
Why did Jesus
call Peter Satan, given that Satan was trying to derail Jesus’ mission to die
for the sins of the whole world and to rise again?
o
It was because Satan
was speaking through Peter to derail Jesus’ mission.
21)
What were the human
concerns for Peter as reflected in his dream that was aligned with what the Jews thought that the Christ was going
to do?
o
The human
concerns for Peter were his
§
National hope of
deliverance from the rule of the Romans.
§
And personal
aspiration of playing a significant role in the kingdom the Christ was going to
restore to
22)
What were the
concerns of God for Jesus as reflected in his mission?
o
The concerns of
God for Jesus were
§
The death of the
Christ for the sins of the whole world.
§
And the resurrection
of the Christ three days later.
----------------------------------------
Concerning Jesus predicting
his death,
----------------------------------------
23)
Why was Jesus’ prediction of his death deeply
disappointing to the disciples, given that they had given up everything to follow
him, to chase after their dream with him?
o
They had given up
everything to follow Jesus only to have their dream dashed to pieces.
o
When
o
He died.
24)
What was the
important thing about discipleship under Jesus that the disciples did not
understand, given that they were only concerned about having their dream come
true?
o
Discipleship
under Jesus was about following Jesus into something infinitely more valuable
than their dream.
25)
What is the good
news in what Jesus said in verse 31 that the disciples missed?
o
Jesus said that he
would rise again three days.
o
After
o
He was killed.
----------------------------------------
Concerning the cost of
discipleship,
----------------------------------------
26)
What does it mean
for one to deny oneself in order to be Jesus' disciple, given that one has human
concerns that hinder one’s following Jesus?
o
To deny oneself in
order to be Jesus' disciple is to put aside one’s human concerns that hinder
one’s following Jesus.
27)
Given Peter’s human
concerns that also applied to the other disciples, how should the disciples deny
themselves in order to be Jesus' disciple?
o
The disciples
needed to put aside their human concerns that hindered their following Jesus,
i.e., their
§
National hope of
deliverance from the rule of the Romans.
§
And personal
aspiration of playing significant roles in the kingdom the Christ was going to
restore to
28)
What does it mean
that one must take up one’s cross in order to be Jesus' disciple, given that
the cross is a symbol of suffering and death?
o
It means that one
must be willing to suffer, even to the point of death if necessary, in order to
be Jesus' disciple.
29)
Given that denying
oneself and taking up one’s cross is the cost one must bear in order to be
Jesus' disciple, what is the term we use for describing that cost?
o
The cost of
discipleship.
30)
According to what
Jesus said in verse 35 what would happen to those who want to save their life?
o
They will end up losing
it.
31)
According to what
Jesus said in verse 35 what would happen to those who lose their life for him
and for the gospel?
o
They will end up
saving it.
32)
Did Jesus say
that one must lose their life for him and for the gospel in order to save it?
o
No.
33)
According to
verses 36 and 37 how did Jesus compare the value of the soul of a person with the
value of the whole world?
o
The whole world
is not enough for exchanging a person’s soul.
o
It is an infinite
loss to
§
Gain the whole world.
§
Yet forfeit one’s
soul.
34)
What does it mean
for a person to be ashamed of Jesus and his words and what does it mean for Jesus
to be ashamed of such a person?
o
A person who is ashamed
of Jesus and his words
§
Refuses to follow
Jesus.
§
And does not obey
his words.
o
Jesus being ashamed
of such a person means that he will condemn such a person to hell.
35)
When will Jesus
come in his Father’s glory with the holy angels and what will he do then?
o
Jesus will come in
his Father’s glory with the holy angels at the end of this age to condemn those
who are ashamed of
§
Him.
§
And his words.
========================
Verses 31-38 Jesus Predicts His Death
========================
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End Section 2: Mark 8
Questions & Answers
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