Summary: Third in a Series going through the New Testament
THE BOOKS OF MARK AND LUKE--Sermon 3
Introduction: In the last lesson we studied the book of Matthew. We found that Christ was presented as the King of Kings in Matthew. In this lesson I want to give an overview of the Second and third Gospels, Mark and Luke.
A. Writer: John Mark, nephew of Barnabas. Mark was his latin surname; John was his Hebrew name. This is he
who failed on his first missionary journey with Paul and Barnabas. This gospel proves that God can use a
failure, even to write his inspired word. John Mark later proved beneficial to the Apostle Paul.
B. Date: Mark is thought to be the first of the gospels written between 60 and 63 A.D.
C. Key Verse: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a
ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
D. Theme: The Gospel of Mark presents Christ as the servant of Jehovah. Mark was written epecially to the
Romans. We find in the Gospel of Mark that he explained many Hebrew customs. Mark 3:17; 5:41; 7:3, 4, 11,
34, 36; 14:12; 15:42.
E. The Gospel of Mark is the best of the four to use with businessmen; it has an appeal which suits men of this
F. Matthew dealt mainly with the teachings of Jesus while Mark deals with the works of Jesus.
G. Interesting Passages in Mark
a. Mark said Christ healed him when he “went out of Jericho” and Luke said He did it when He “was come nigh unto Jericho.” Liberals will suggest a contradiction here.
b. Excavations have brought to light that in the time of Jesus, Jericho was a double city. There was the old
Jewish city, and then the newer Roman city. it was while leaving one and entering the other that he healed
2. The Men as Trees Walking: Mark 8:24
a. When the grassy weeds are full grown, women go out into the fields and gather it. They dry it out and use it for firewood or fuel. They form huge bundles (like a bale of hay) and they place it on their heads and carry back to their homes.
b. When Jesus healed the blind man at Bethsaida, and he said that he saw men as trees walking, in the distance
he probably saw a group of women carrying bundles of grassy weeds on their heads and to him it looked like trees walking.
3. The Cursing of the Fig Tree: Mark 11:12-14, 20-21
a. One thing about the Eastern fig tree is that the fruit appears before the leaves. Anyone seeing a fig tree
having leaves would naturally expect to find fruit on it.
b. This is what Jesus and his diciples expected to find. But finding none, Christ cursed or condemned the barren tree
c. This is a picture of the professing Christian, giving the appearance of productiveness, but bearing no fruit.
4. The Casting away of a Garment: Mark 10:50
a. There are two classes of beggars in the East. The true beggar who is poor and physically handicapped and in need. The other class was made up of some who are incurables such as lepers, lame, blind that have been told by their physicians that there only hope is God.
b. There are three places where they could go to be healed