Jul. 21, 2024

Today we cover Jesus' temptations in the wilderness the beginning of His Galilean ministry.

Gospel of Mark Lesson 2 Study Questions

1. Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness: After the dramatic appearance of the Holy Spirit at His baptism, the work of the Spirit in Jesus was to _____ Him – rather, to _______ Him into the wilderness.
2. Was with the wild beasts: Matthew and Luke make no mention of this, but it is significant. In the ancient Greek grammar, the emphasis is on with. In other words, Jesus was at peace with the wild beasts. This shows two things:
3. Jesus is the Second Adam, and like unfallen Adam, He enjoys a _________ relationship with all the animals.
4. Jesus remains the unfallen, _________ one despite all the temptation, with authority over the wild beasts.
5. Preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God: Jesus was a _________ and He brought the message of God’s rule on earth, though not in the manner that was __________ expected or desired.
6. When Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God, He wanted people to know that it was ______ – as close as your hand. It wasn’t as _______ or as dreamy as they had imagined. Now was the time for them to encounter the kingdom of God.
7. Saying… “Believe”: When Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God, He wanted people to know what it was like to live in the kingdom. The kingdom Jesus preached was not just about a ______ renewal. It was about _______ God, taking Him at His word, and living a relationship of dependence on Him.
8. Follow Me: With this invitation, Jesus shows what Christianity is all about: __________ Jesus. At its root, Christianity is not about theological systems, rules, or even helping people – it is about __________ Jesus.
9. For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes: The scribes of Jesus’ day rarely taught boldly. They would often simply quote a variety of Rabbis as interpreters. Jesus taught with _________. Jesus taught with authority because He had __________.
10. I know who You are; the Holy One of God! The demon himself __________ that Jesus was holy and pure. The demons admitted that their wilderness temptations failed to ________ Jesus.
11. Jesus rebuked him: Jesus didn’t need to rely on hocus-pocus or ceremonies. He simply demonstrated the ________ of God.
12.  So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her: In this healing of Peter’s mother-in-law, Jesus showed both ___________ and ______. Jesus healed with the same authority that He used to cast out demons.
13. When the sun had set: Jesus was ministering after sundown, ending the Sabbath day (Mark 1:21). Free from the Sabbath ___________ on travel and activity, the people ______ to Jesus to be healed.
14. He prayed: Jesus did not need to pray because He was weak but because He was strong, and the source of His strength was His ____________ with God His Father. Jesus knew that pressure and busyness should drive us _________ prayer, not from prayer.