Handout 3 – The Kingdom of God and the Gospel of Mark

The Kingdom of God

What is Jesus’ central teaching?

Different ways people today talk about the kingdom.

Is it a place?

To understand the kingdom of God, you must know that the Bible speaks of life as
a story – with a beginning and an end.

The beginning is all about a world of harmonious relationships (Eden)

The entry of sin fractures the harmony, and creates a longing for an ―end‖ which
will fix the mess (forgiveness, justice, destruction of death, new creation)

The kingdom of God is the hope for that ―end-time‖ rule of God

Mark 1:15 - "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and
believe the good news!"

Jewish Expectation – The kingdom would come all at once.

Handout 3 – The Kingdom of God and the Gospel of Mark

The reality Jesus brings – the kingdom starts with his first coming, but is
completed with his second (mustard seed)

The tension of Christian salvation in the present.

Salvation as a future hope which has already begun.

Handout 3 – The Kingdom of God and the Gospel of Mark

The Gospel of Mark

What does the Life of Brian have to do with Mark?

Mark’s Jesus seems reluctant to tell people he is the Messiah.

Mark - 16 chapters long, and his work can be easily divided into two halves –
chapters 1-8, and chapters 9-16.

The first half (1-8)

 Fast-paced (euthys) - ―immediately‖ ―right away‖ or ―at that moment‖.

 Lots of miracles, small amounts of teaching.

 Provokes the question: Who is this man?

1:22
The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had
authority, not as the teachers of the law.
1:27
The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, ―What is this? A new
teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.‖
4:41
They were terrified and asked each other, ―Who is this? Even the wind and the
waves obey him!‖

The second half of Mark (9-16) is almost entirely different.

Handout 3 – The Kingdom of God and the Gospel of Mark

 Very few miracles.

 Dominated by a discussion of Jesus’ suffering and death.

The crucial turning point Mark 8:27-33.

27
Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the
way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
28
They 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.”
30
Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
31
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be
rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed
and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him
aside and began to rebuke him.
33
But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind
me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of
men.”

1. Peter knows who Jesus is (the Messiah)

2. He doesn’t know what that means (suffering and dying for the salvation of all)

He can mouth the words, but he’s missed the meaning.

You can’t understand Jesus without understanding the cross:

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 (10:45)
Handout 3 – The Kingdom of God and the Gospel of Mark

The victory of God in Mark is a victory for sinners.

The cross in Mark is not simply an achievement to be applauded. It is an action to be

imitated.

8:34
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ―If anyone
would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow
me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me
and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world,
yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 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.‖

To believe in Jesus is to follow Jesus.

The power of God for sinners comes through the weakness of Jesus.