The Gospel Of Mark Bible Study Lesson 89

The Gospel Of Mark Bible Study Lesson 89:

This week’s Bible Study of Mark’s Gospel will again include questions for you to answer. Once you finish the lesson on your own. You can look at my answers. Anytime you do Bible study ask yourself these 3 questions:

3 questions:

·        What is this passage about?

·        What do I learn from this passage?

·        How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

Scripture to meditate on before you do this week’s Bible study:

Matthew 4:10 NIV 
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' [ Deut. 6:13] "

Mark 10:45 NIV 
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Romans 12:4-8 NIV

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Ephesians 6:7 NIV  
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,

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This Week’s Bible passage from the Gospel of Mark:

Mark 15:42-47

Read the passages below:

Mark 15:42-47 NIV

The Burial of Jesus

    ⁴²It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, ⁴³Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. ⁴⁴Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. ⁴⁵When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. ⁴⁷Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

Luke 23:50-56 NIV

Jesus' Burial

    ⁵⁰Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, ⁵¹who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. ⁵²Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body. ⁵³Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. ⁵⁴It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

    ⁵⁵The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. ⁵⁶Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

John 19:38-42 NIV

The Burial of Jesus

    ³⁸Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. ³⁹He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.^{[a] 40}Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. ⁴¹At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. ⁴²Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

 Scripture Links:  

Matthew 27:57-61  /   Luke 23: 50-56  /  John: 19:38-42

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Answer the questions below:

1.   Content:  What is this passage about?

·        Who are the people if any?  

  

·        What are they doing?         

                                 

·        Where does this take place? 

·        When does this take place? 

2.   Lesson:   What do I learn from this passage?

·        Is there a warning, command or promise?

·        Is there an example to follow or not to follow?

·        What is/are the main truth/truths of this passage?  

·        Is there a lesson or principle that is a universal truth?

·        Why did God put this passage in the Bible?

What does the passage reveal about the character of God?

·        His Attributes/Characteristics (ex. loving, caring, Holy, Merciful etc.):

·        His ways of relating/Communicating to people:

·        His emotions:

·        His views:

·        Reasons for us to love God more:  

3.  Application:  How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

·        Can you think of a current situation in your personal life, home life, 

          Church, or business which is similar to what you are learning?

·        How can I apply what I am learning to my current circumstances?

·        Are there specific things in to which to pray about?

·        Is there a new thought to me? An encouraging thought?  

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Here is my layout for: Mark 15:42-47

1.    Content: What is this passage about?

·        Joseph of Arimathea receives Pilate’s permission and places Jesus’ body in a tomb.

Who are the people if any?

·        Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus (From the John passage), Pilate, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses.

    What are they doing?

·        Nicodemus goes to Pilate to ask for the Body of Jesus.

Where does this take place?

·        The Praetorium, then the Garden Tomb.

Note:

In the New Testament, Praetorium refers to the palace of Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator of Judea. According to the New Testament, this is where Jesus Christ was tried and condemned to death.

The Garden Tomb:

In 1842 Otto Thenius proposed that a location known as the "place of the skull" was the Calvary (Golgotha) where the crucifixion of Jesus occurred. In 1867 the "garden tomb" was discovered near this believed location of Jesus' death. The connection of the "place of the skull" with the garden tomb believed to be where Jesus was buried was given prominence by British general Charles Gordon in 1883. This is why the tomb location is also known as "Gordon's Tomb".

But for several reasons many scholars doubt this is the actual tomb.

When does this take place?

·        During the time of the Passover, the day before the Sabbath.

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2.    Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

·        Love for Christ gives courage and boldness to do what is right in difficult situations.

Is there a warning, command or promise?

·        According to prophecy Jesus was going to be buried in a rich man’s tomb.

Note:

Isaiah 53:9, the prophet wrote about a sinless servant being put to death with the wicked and buried with the rich. About 700 years after this was believed to have been written, Jesus was put to death along with two criminals and was buried in a tomb owned by a wealthy man, as explained in the New Testament.

Isaiah 53:9 NIV

He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Is there an example to follow or not to follow?

·        Joseph of Arimathea was, according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus was crucified. A native of Arimathea, he was apparently a man of wealth. Joseph used his money to purchase the linen cloth Jesus was buried in. Like Joseph we should use our resources to serve, provide for, the kingdom of God. In all we do we should do it for the Glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV

 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Ephesians 4:11-13 NLT

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.  Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.  This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

·        Joseph boldly asked Pilate for the Body of Jesus. This act took a lot of courage because it identified Joseph with Jesus. If found out, Joseph could have met a similar fate as Jesus did because the Jewish leaders at that time were trying to destroy the spiritual movement Jesus had begun. We should also be bold in our faith. As Christians we are to identify ourselves with Jesus and be like Him in character. Even though Jesus told us we would be persecuted, we need to stand firm in our faith.

John 15:20 NIV 
Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. 

1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV 
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 16:13 NIV 
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.

Ephesians 6:14 NIV 
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

·        Nicodemus assists Joseph of Arimathea in preparing Jesus for burial. Like Nicodemus we should attend to matters concerning the kingdom of God. We should provide for and serve alongside our co-workers in Christ.

What are the main points in this passage?

·        Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Christ, goes to Pilate and boldly asks for the Body of Jesus.

·        Pilate, surprised that Jesus was already dead, agrees to give Joseph the body.

·        Joseph and Nicodemus wrap Jesus’ body in a linen cloth with a mixture of myrrh and aloes, and placed it in an empty tomb own by Joseph.

·        A stone was then rolled against the entrance of the tomb.

• Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

  Is there a lesson or principle that is a universal truth?

·        Scripture prophecy was once again fulfilled by the fact that Jesus was buried in a rich man’s tomb.

·        Those truly saved will want to identify themselves with Christ and serve Him out of gratitude for their free gift of Salvation.

Why did God put this passage in the Bible?

·        To remind us of the importance of serving God’s kingdom with the gifts and resources He has given us.

·        To show us that those who receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior will forever be changed by His work on the Cross.  Joseph and Nicodemus were examples of what Jesus can do for a person’s heart attitude. They experienced the miracle of a changed life by becoming a disciple.

What does the passage reveal about the character of : God/Jesus?

A.   His attributes: 

·        The Christ, Fully man, Fully God.

     B. His ways of relating/communicating to people:     

·        Through His message of Hope by teaching His disciples the Good News.

     C. His emotions:

·        Jesus suffered on the Cross.

D. His views:

·        We should gladly use the gifts and resources we have to serve the kingdom of God.  

     E. Reasons for us to love Him more:  

·        Jesus’ work on the Cross has changed our lives forever.

·        We have new life through Jesus Christ.

 3.  Application:  How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

·        Do I do as God directs me even when it seems dangerous?

·        What opportunity is Jesus giving me this week to spend time and money for His body the church? Will I use that opportunity or let it pass?

·        How will I demonstrate my love for Jesus today, even though the situation seems dead or hopeless?

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My prayer for you:

I pray you will take God’s Word to heart and ask God to help you apply what you have learned. I hope and pray that this Bible Study helps you grow spiritually by deepening your faith, trust and love for God.

Jesus declared that if we seek God, he will provide everything we need to live the abundant life, providing for us physically and spiritually:

Matthew 6:32-33  Living Bible (TLB)

 “So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to.

John 10:10 English Standard Version (ESV)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Philippians 4:19 New Living Translation (NLT)

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

John 14:26 (NIV)

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Also, remember the importance and impact of embracing of God’s Word in light of how we are to be God’s Ambassadors and Teachers, as well as to live abundantly in a fallen world:

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Psalm 119:105 (ESV)   

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

John 8:31-32  (NIV)

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Daily Application ideas:

·        Pray! Ask God to help you understand the passage of scripture you are

          reading.

·        Pray! Ask God to help you apply what you are learning.

·        Write down your thoughts and prayers. Seek to understand what God is

          trying to teach you.

·        Begin to make changes in your patterns of behavior in accordance to 

          God’s teaching.

·        Act on God’s answer to prayer.

·        Put God first in your life in every area of your life 

         (Marriage, Parenting, Ministry, Work etc.).

·        Be determined to make quality & quantity time for God in your life

           (ex. Quiet time, prayer time, Bible reading/study).

Helpful Hints for this Bible Study:

·        Not everything we read will contain enough info to answer all the questions.

·        Other questions may come to mind as you read.

·        The questions are just helpful guidelines.

·        Following the reading of the passage of scripture take a moment to write

          down your thoughts.

·        After you have asked yourself the above Template questions, answer the

          questions specifically. 

·        Refer back to above questions when you need to.

·        Then concentrate on a couple of things that are meaningful to you

          personally. 

·        Then go to the application section.

·        Think through the application questions and journal your thoughts and

          prayers.

Just Sayin……………… Dave