At the end of his journey, quite naturally, the destination of Jesus was the Temple in Jerusalem – Mark 11:1-11.
The next several stories prepare the reader for his final days, the so-called ‘Passion Week.’ A full third of the Gospel of Mark concerns the events of that week and culminate in his death and resurrection. All that has preceded his arrival in the city has been moving inexorably forward to his arrest, trial, and execution in Jerusalem.
Continue reading TRIUMPHAL ARRIVALJesus restored the sight of a blind beggar while he was “on the way” to his death in the city of Jerusalem – Mark 10:46-52.
This is the last recorded healing miracle in Mark’s account. And here, Jesus is called the “Nazarene.” Previously, he was only so identified when he exorcised demons, thereby delivering someone from demonic oppression. And in the Gospel of Mark, the name “Nazarene” frames his first and last healing miracles – (Mark 1:24).
Continue reading BLIND BAR-TIMAEUS SAVEDTo be a citizen of the kingdom requires a life of self-sacrificial service for others, and not power over them – Mark 10:35-45.
Having predicted his trial and execution, Jesus observed the disciples jockeying for position in the coming messianic kingdom. As before, he taught them that citizenship in the kingdom means a life of self-sacrificial service to others. But as he approached the city, even his closest followers had a very different idea of what it meant to “rule” in his Kingdom.
Continue reading GREATNESS IN HIS KINGDOMJesus explained that he was “on the way” to Jerusalem where he would be arrested, tried, and executed per the plan of God – Mark 10:32-34.
Once again, Mark stresses that Jesus is “on the way” as he continues his journey to Jerusalem and his inevitable death. This same theme occurs several times in Mark, beginning with John the Baptist who “prepared the way before the Lord.” Jesus was the suffering servant of Yahweh who was on the road from the wilderness to Golgotha.
Continue reading HIS IMPENDING DEATHTo follow Jesus is to surrender one’s entire life to him, and to walk wherever he leads with no questions asked – Mark 10:17-31.
One day, a young rich man approached Jesus to ask what he should do to inherit everlasting life. Here, the reader is confronted with the cost of discipleship. In the version in Matthew, the man is labeled “young.” In Luke, he is a “ruler,” presumably, of the local synagogue. And his haste to ask this question points to his sincerity.
Continue reading YOUNG RICH MANOpponents questioned Jesus about divorce to trap him, but he used the issue to teach the higher ways of the Kingdom – Mark 10:1-16.
In Mark and Matthew, Jesus was confronted by religious opponents about the issue of divorce, but this was done to trap him with his own words. They did not intend to solicit an all-encompassing ruling on divorce from him. In Mark, the incident is another in a series of confrontations between Jesus and the religious establishment associated with the Temple.
Continue reading QUESTIONS ABOUT DIVORCE
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