========================
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.”
----------------------------------------
Concerning the healing of a
blind man at
----------------------------------------
1)
Where did Jesus
and his disciples come to?
o
They came to
o
A map of
2)
What happened in
o
Some people
brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
3)
Where did Jesus
take the blind man before healing him?
o
Jesus took the
blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.
4)
Why did Jesus
take the man away from the crowd before healing him?
o
Jesus avoided
giving the misconception that people were healed using specific methods as he
would be using specific methods for healing the man.
5)
What did Jesus do
to the blind man?
o
When he had spit
on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
6)
How did the blind
man respond?
o
He looked up and
said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
7)
What can we
conclude about the condition of the man’s eyesight from what he said?
o
He was once able
to see because he knew what trees looked like.
8)
What did Jesus do
to the blind man next?
o
Once more Jesus
put his hands on the man’s eyes.
9)
What happened to
the blind man?
o
Then his eyes
were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
10)
Was the healing
of the blind man a process and why?
o
Yes, because the
blind man was able to see progressively better with Jesus’ healing.
11)
How did the
disciples’ getting to know Jesus compare with the healing of the blind man?
o
The disciples got
to know Jesus progressively better over time through a process just as the
blind man was made to see progressively better through a process.
12)
What did Jesus
say to the former blind man?
o
Jesus sent him
home, saying, “Don’t go into the village.’”
13)
Was
o
No.
14)
Was the former
blind man able to go home on his own and why?
o
Yes, because he
was able to see before and knew his way home.
15)
Why did Jesus
tell the former blind man not to go into
o
Jesus did not
want to draw more publicity to himself in
16)
Previously what
rhetorical questions did Jesus ask the disciples concerning their lack of
understanding?
o
Do you still not
see or understand?
o
Are your hearts
hardened?
o
Do you have eyes
but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?
o
Don’t you
remember?
o
Do you still not
understand?
17)
What are the
perception problems underlying the disciples’ lack of understanding and
remembering that can be found in Jesus’ rhetorical questions?
o
The disciples had
perception problems of seeing and hearing.
o
When they had
perception problems of seeing and hearing, they had difficulties understanding
and remembering.
18)
What are the two
other questions Jesus asked the disciples that followed the rhetorical questions?
o
When I broke the
five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick
up?
o
And when I broke
the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you
pick up?
19)
What hindered the
disciples from internalizing the repeated experience of provision Jesus cited?
o
The disciples’
perception problems of seeing and hearing presented the hindrance.
20)
Could there be a
connection between the healing of the blind man and the removal of the
disciples’ perception problem of seeing and why?
o
Yes, because as
we shall see shortly, Peter would be able to declare that Jesus is the Christ
after the healing of the blind man.
o
The healing
served as a metaphor of the miraculous removal by Jesus of the disciples’
perception problem of seeing.
21)
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 and why?
o
Yes, the healing
served as a metaphor of the miraculous removal by Jesus of the disciples’
perception problem of hearing.
22)
What was the
consequence of the removal of the disciples’ perception problems of seeing and
hearing?
o
With the removal
of the disciples’ perception problems of seeing and hearing, they were finally
able to internalize the repeated experience of provision as to not worry over
provision.
o
Consequently
Peter was able to understand spiritual matters and declare that Jesus is the
Christ.
o
This is the first
declaration ever in human history that Jesus is the Christ.
23)
Was Jesus’
miraculous enablement of the disciples a process and why?
o
Yes, because the
healing of the man who was deaf and could hardly talk and the healing of the
blind man took place on two different occasions.
24)
In what way could
the disciples be likened to the man who was deaf and could hardly talk in terms
of speech impairment and its rectification?
o
Like the man who
was deaf and could hardly talk, the disciples metaphorically had difficulties
speaking on spiritual matters.
o
They were able to
declare that Jesus is the Christ with Jesus’ miraculous enablement just as the
man who could hardly talk could speak plainly with Jesus’ healing.
25)
Does a person
need to have received miraculous enablement from Jesus before he or she is able
to declare that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God?
o
We are going to
discuss this matter in one of the sessions of the short-term discipleship
series.
26)
Whom does the
former blind man represent who was able to see before going blind and then was
healed so that he could see again?
o
The former blind
man represents humanity who was
§
Once able to see
God.
§
Then blinded by
his sin of disobedience so that he could not see God any more.
§
Finally healed so
that he could see God again.
27)
Why did the
former blind man say that he saw people who looked like trees walking around?
o
Our ancestor Adam
saw God face to face in the Garden of Eden where there were, well, trees.
o
That was the
reason the former blind man said that he saw people who looked like trees
walking around.
----------------------------------------
· Ask for a volunteer to summarize.
· Ask for the rest of the participants to supplement the
summary.
========================
Verses 22-26 The Healing of a Blind Man at
========================
========================
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.
----------------------------------------
Concerning Peter’s confession
of Christ,
----------------------------------------
28)
Where did Jesus
and his disciples go next?
o
Jesus and his
disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi.
o
A map of Caesarea
Philippi is shown on the following page: https://www.bible-history.com/biblestudy/caesarea-philippi.html
29)
Had Jesus
solicited anyone’s opinion of him so far?
o
No.
30)
What happened on
the way to the villages around Caesarea Philippi?
o
On the way Jesus
asked his disciples, “Who do people say I am?”
31)
What was the
disciples’ reply?
o
They replied,
“Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the
prophets.”
32)
Where can we find
a similar assessment of Jesus?
o
We can find a
similar assessment of Jesus by people in chapter 6 when Jesus’ name became well
known.
33)
What did Jesus
say to the disciples next?
o
“But what about
you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
34)
Why did Jesus
solicit the disciples’ opinion of him?
o
Jesus wanted to
assess the disciples’ progress in the discipleship continuum to get to know him
after all that had transpired.
35)
What did Peter
say to Jesus in reply?
o
Peter answered,
“You are the Christ.”
36)
What is the
significance for humanity of Peter’s declaration that Jesus is the Christ?
o
Peter’s
declaration that Jesus is the Christ is the first such declaration of all
humanity.
37)
Was Peter’s
opinion of Jesus representative of the disciples and why?
o
Yes, because the
disciples often had discussion among themselves as we have seen.
38)
Was the
declaration that Jesus is the Christ a complete portrayal of who Jesus is in
the opinion of the writer of the gospel of Mark and why?
o
No, because the
writer of the gospel of Mark depicted the gospel as the good news of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God in chapter 1.
· Ask a volunteer to read out loud Mark 1:1 that says,
+++++++++++++++++++++
1The beginning of the good
news about Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.
+++++++++++++++++++++
39)
Didn’t unclean
spirits often divulge Jesus’ divine identity in front of the disciples that he
is the Son of God?
o
Yes.
40)
Was Peter’s
declaration then an incomplete portrayal of who Jesus is?
o
It is incomplete.
41)
Did the Jews in
Jesus’ time think that the Christ was a human figure?
o
Yes.
42)
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.
§
Restore the
kingdom to
43)
What was the
disciples’ primary interest in following Jesus based on Peter’s declaration?
o
Their primary
interest in following Jesus was what Jesus the Christ was going to do as a
human figure without concern about Jesus being the Son of God.
44)
Why are unclean
spirits fixated on Jesus being the Son of God?
o
It is because the
Son of God has authority over unclean spirits.
45)
Had the disciples
just reached another milestone in the discipleship continuum to get to know
Jesus and why?
o
Yes, because
Peter had just made the declaration that Jesus is the Christ.
o
No, because in the
meantime the disciples needed to deal
with the hard issues of discipleship that include:
§
Denying the
flesh.
§
Abiding by the
principle of servanthood in leadership governance.
46)
In what way had
the disciples learned to deny their flesh so far?
o
They had learned
to deny their flesh in putting aside the craving for miraculous power to bring
forth bread for personal gains.
47)
Had the disciples
fully learned to deny their flesh for the milestone being reached and why?
o
Not fully,
because we are going to see that Jesus demanded more from them soon.
48)
What about
abiding by the principle of servanthood in leadership governance?
o
We are going to
see that Jesus took up this issue with the disciples in the coming chapters.
49)
Did Jesus
explicitly acknowledge Peter’s declaration of him as the Christ and why?
o
No, because Jesus
implicitly acknowledged it by telling his disciples not to tell anyone.
50)
Why did Jesus
warn the disciples not to tell anyone
about him being the Christ?
o
Jesus did not
want to escalate his conflict with the religious leaders because the time for
him to die had not come yet.
51)
When would the
disciples begin to tell people that Jesus is the Christ?
o
They would update
the word they went out to sow that Jesus is the Christ after he had died and
risen from the dead.
----------------------------------------
· Ask for a volunteer to summarize.
· Ask for the rest of the participants to supplement the
summary.
========================
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.”
----------------------------------------
Concerning Jesus predicting
his death,
----------------------------------------
52)
What did Jesus
say would happen to him?
o
Jesus began to
teach the disciples that the Son of Man
must
§
Suffer many
things.
§
Be rejected by
the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law.
§
Be killed and
after three days rise again.
53)
Who is the Son of
Man?
o
Jesus referred to
himself as the Son of Man.
54)
Where have we
seen Jesus apply this title to himself?
o
In chapter 2.
55)
What kind of a
title is that that we discussed in chapter 2?
o
It is a title of
divinity.
56)
What was Jesus
trying to accomplish in applying the title to himself on this occasion?
o
Since the
disciples were primarily focused on Jesus’ humanity as the Christ, Jesus was
reminding them of his divinity.
o
In reminding the
disciples of his divinity Jesus made it clear that he sovereignly decided as
God what was going to happen to him.
57)
Was this the
first time Jesus made such a prediction about himself?
o
Yes.
58)
Why did Jesus
move quickly to demystify what was going to happen to the Christ the moment
Peter made his declaration?
o
The disciples
were anticipating that they were going to play significant roles in the kingdom
Jesus was going to restore to
o
So Jesus moved
quickly to demystify what was going to happen to the Christ.
59)
Why was the word
‘teach’ used when Jesus conveyed to the disciples what was going to happen to
him?
o
Jesus used the
word ‘teach’ twice in the gospel of Mark for teaching the disciples privately,
and on both occasions it was for teaching them that he would be killed.
o
The disciples
needed to learn and soak the fact in because dying for the sins of the world
and then rising again three days later was central in Jesus’ redemption of
humanity.
60)
Who would be
Jesus’ antagonists in what was going to happen to him?
o
The elders, chief
priests and teachers of the law would be Jesus’ antagonists.
61)
What did it mean
for Jesus to be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law?
o
They would refuse
to acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
62)
Would the
rejection of Jesus and his being killed be negotiable and why?
o
No, because Jesus
said that it must happen.
63)
And what must
also happen three days after Jesus was killed?
o
Jesus would rise
again.
64)
Is there good
news in what Jesus told the disciples regardless of the fact that he would be
killed and why?
o
Yes, because
Jesus would rise again three days after he was killed.
65)
Who were
conspicuously missing from the list of religious leaders who would reject and
kill Jesus?
o
The Pharisees.
66)
Weren’t the
Pharisees said to be plotting to kill Jesus in chapter 3?
o
Yes.
67)
What was the
reason why Jesus was still alive?
o
Jesus was still
alive because
§
He chose to be
still alive.
§
He avoided
escalating confrontation with the Pharisees.
§
We know from the
other gospel accounts that in the end
Ø
Some of the
Pharisees did not consent to the decision of the other religious leaders to
kill Jesus.
Ø
There was a lack
of consensus among the Pharisees to kill him.
----------------------------------------
Concerning the exchange
between Jesus and Peter about Jesus’ death,
----------------------------------------
68)
Did the disciples
understand without a doubt that Jesus would be killed and why?
o
Yes, because
Jesus spoke plainly about it.
69)
How did Jesus’
reference to his death square with the disciples’ expectation of the Christ?
o
Jesus’ reference
to his death ran counter to their expectation.
70) What was Peter’s response to Jesus’ prediction of his
death?
o
Peter took Jesus
aside and began to rebuke him.
71) What had Peter done in the teacher-disciple
relationship by rebuking Jesus?
o
Peter had turned
himself into the teacher and Jesus the disciple because
§
Only the teacher
would rebuke the disciple.
§
The disciple
would not rebuke the teacher.
72)
Why did Peter
take Jesus aside before rebuking him?
o
Peter was showing
respect for Jesus as his teacher and did not want to rebuke him in front of the
other disciples.
73)
What did Peter
likely tell Jesus?
o
Jesus as the
Christ should conform to the hope and expectation of the Jewish people.
74)
What was the
reason why Peter rebuked Jesus?
o
Jesus’ death
would dash
§
The Jews’
national hope.
§
Peter’s hope of
being the right-hand man of the Christ in the coming kingdom.
75) What was wrong with Peter’s attitude toward Jesus as
the Christ?
o
Peter confessed
Jesus as the Christ but was not willing to submit to the authority of the
Christ, especially when the Christ did not conform to his expectation.
76) What was Jesus’ response to Peter’s rebuke?
o
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 the concerns of men.”
77)
Why did Jesus rebuke
Peter in front of the disciples?
o
Jesus rebuked
Peter in front of the disciples because all the disciples shared in Peter’s
mindset that needed to be corrected.
78)
Why did Jesus
call Peter Satan?
o
It was as though
Satan were speaking through Peter in an attempt to derail Jesus’ mission to die
for the sins of the whole world.
79)
What did Jesus
tell Peter to do in telling Peter as Satan to get behind him?
o
Jesus told Peter
to
§
Stop being a
stumbling block.
§
Stop trying to
lead in front of Jesus.
§
Resume his role
as a following disciple.
80)
What would Satan
have the disciples have in mind?
o
Satan would have
the disciples have in mind
§
The concerns of
men.
§
Not the concerns
of God.
81) What were the concerns of men for Peter?
o
The concerns of
men for Peter were
§
The Jews’ national
hope.
§
His personal
aspiration.
82) What were the concerns of God for Jesus?
o
The concerns of
God for Jesus were
§
The death of the
Christ for the sins of the whole world.
§
The resurrection
of the Christ three days later.
83)
How did Satan
succeed in the case of Peter?
o
Peter was
§
Only concerned
about the Jews’ national hope and his personal aspiration.
§
Not concerned
about God’s will for Jesus as the Christ.
84)
How dramatic was
it for Peter to declare that Jesus is the Christ one moment and the next moment
try to derail Jesus in his mission as the Christ?
o
It was as
dramatic as follows:
§
One moment the
disciples were rather generous and selfless in offering up the little they had
for feeding the crowd.
§
The next moment
the disciples became greedy when huge quantities of bread passed through their
hands.
85) What did the disciples fail to pay attention to and
ask Jesus about in his prediction of his death?
o
They failed to
pay attention to and ask Jesus about what he meant by rising from the dead
three days after he was killed.
86)
Why did the
disciples fail to pay attention to and ask Jesus about his rising from the dead
three days after he was killed?
o
They
§
Were fixated on
the Christ being alive to fulfill the Jews’ national hope and their personal
aspiration.
§
Thus ignored everything
else, even the good news of Christ rising from the dead.
87)
Was Jesus’
prediction of his death deeply disappointing to the disciples and why?
o
Yes, because they
§
Had given up
their career.
§
Followed Jesus
around.
§
Invested their
lives in discipleship under Jesus.
§
Ended up having
their dream dashed to pieces when Jesus died.
88)
What is wrong
with the disciples’ conception of discipleship under Jesus?
o
Discipleship
under Jesus
§
Is not about
having the disciples’ dream come true.
§
Is about
something infinitely more valuable than their dream.
89)
Did the disciples
fully soak in Jesus’ prediction of his death on this occasion and why?
o
No, because we
are going to see in the coming chapters that
§
The disciples
would show signs that they had not fully soaked in Jesus’ prediction.
§
Jesus would have
to repeat his prediction two more times.
----------------------------------------
Concerning the cost of
discipleship,
----------------------------------------
90)
What did Jesus
say is the necessary condition for being his disciple?
o
Whoever wants to
be Jesus' disciple must deny oneself and take up one’s cross and follow him.
91)
What does it mean
for one to deny oneself?
o
To deny oneself
is to put aside
§
One’s own
concerns.
§
One’s own
desires.
92)
How does denying
oneself apply to the disciples?
o
The disciples
needed to
§
Stop craving
miraculous power for personal gains and start being content with God’s
provision for them.
§
Put aside their
national hope and personal aspiration.
93)
What is a cross?
o
A cross is a
cruel ancient instrument for capital punishment.
o
A person is
nailed to the cross and left hanging until death results.
94)
What does it mean
that one must take up one’s cross in order to be Jesus' disciple?
o
It means that one
must be willing to suffer, even to the point of death if necessary, in order to
be Jesus' disciple.
95)
Can one be a
disciple without denying oneself and taking up one’s cross and why?
o
No, because
denying oneself and taking up one’s cross is the necessary condition for being
Jesus' disciple.
96)
What does it mean
for one to deny oneself and take up one’s cross and be a disciple of Jesus?
o
It means
§
Putting aside
one’s own concerns and one’s own desires.
§
Being willing to
suffer in being a disciple of Jesus, even to the point of death if necessary.
97)
What do we call
one who comes after and follows Jesus?
o
Such a person is
Jesus’ disciple.
98)
What was Jesus’
teaching for a disciple to deny oneself and to take up one’s cross about in the
context of discipleship?
o
It was about the
cost a disciple must bear or the cost of discipleship.
99)
Is bearing the
cost of discipleship easy?
o
No, it is the
hard issue of discipleship.
100)
To whom did Jesus
address his teaching on the cost of discipleship?
o
Jesus addressed
his teaching on the cost of discipleship to the crowd along with his disciples,
i.e., to everyone who was in the discipleship continuum of getting to know
Jesus.
101)
Who should
investigate the cost of discipleship?
o
Those who are
committed disciples.
o
Those who are in
the initiating phase of the discipleship continuum of getting to know Jesus.
i.e., those who are participating in the evangelistic
discovery bible study of the gospel of Mark.
102)
Why did Jesus say
that one who wants to save one’s life will end up losing it?
o
All of us will
lose our lives and be abandoned to complete, total and final separation from
God for eternity to come because of our sins.
o
There is nothing
we can do to save our lives no matter how hard we try.
103)
Why did Jesus say
that one who loses one’s life for him and for the gospel will end up saving it?
o
In losing our
physical lives for Jesus and for the gospel as an expression of our faith in
him, Jesus will save us from the destruction of sins and we will live for
eternity to come.
104)
Did Jesus mean
that one must lose one’s life for him and for the gospel in order to be saved
and why?
o
No, because Jesus
§
Only said that
whoever loses one’s life for him and for the gospel will save it.
§
Did not say that
one must lose one’s life for him and for the gospel in order to be saved.
105)
How did Jesus
compare the value of the soul of a person with 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.
106)
What did Jesus
say about a person who is ashamed of him and his words?
o
Jesus said, “If
anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation,
the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with
the holy angels.”
107)
Who are those who
are ashamed of Jesus and his words?
o
They are those
who refuse to be Jesus’ disciples and bear the cost of discipleship.
108)
How did Jesus
collectively characterize those in his generation?
o
They were the
adulterous and sinful generation.
109)
What is the
adulterous and sinful generation prone to do?
o
It is
§
Prone to be
ashamed of Jesus and his words.
§
Thus prone to
refuse to be Jesus’ disciples and bear the cost of discipleship.
110)
What was Jesus
again trying to accomplish in applying the title ‘Son of Man’ to himself?
o
Jesus was again
alluding to his divinity.
111)
What will the Son
of Man do when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels?
o
Jesus as God will
judge the world.
112)
What does it mean
for the Son of Man to be ashamed of a person when he comes to judge the world?
o
Jesus as God will
abandon all that refuse to be his disciples and bear the cost of discipleship
to complete, total and final separation from God for eternity to come.
113)
Is there a cost
to bear for refusing to be Jesus’ disciples just as there is a cost to bear for
being Jesus’ disciples?
o
Yes.
114)
How and when does
one bear the cost of being Jesus’ disciple?
o
One bears the
cost of being Jesus’ disciple by denying oneself and taking up one’s cross in
this short life of several decades on earth.
115)
How and when does
one bear the cost of not being Jesus’ disciple?
o
One bears the
cost of not being Jesus’ disciple as one is abandoned to complete, total and
final separation from God for eternity to come after this short life of several
decades on earth.
116)
How do we find
out more about the cost of discipleship?
o
We are going to
discuss this matter in one of the sessions of the short-term discipleship
series.
----------------------------------------
· Ask for a volunteer to summarize.
· Ask for the rest of the participants to supplement the
summary.
========================
Verses 31-38 Jesus Predicts His Death
========================