Mark Studies 8-15 ~ Bible Study Questions

Gospel of Mark Studies 8-15

Mark Study 8

Read Mark 4: 1-20

1. What kind of teaching is a parable?

2. How is the word of God sown?

3. Under what conditions does it fail to prosper?

4. When does it thrive?

5. How are the secrets of the kingdom revealed?

6. How is this parable a key to all others?

7. How can our hearts be “good soil” for God’s word? What will be the result?

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Mark Study 9

Read Mark 4: 21-25

1. In what way was Jesus like a light that had entered a dark room? (Read John 1:4-9)

2. How can Jesus’ words shine forth?

3. What “measure” do we bring to Jesus that will always be filled to overflowing?

4. How can we increase our receptiveness to Jesus’ words?

Read Mark 4: 26-29

5. How did Jesus broaden the disciples’ understanding of His role, not only as sower but also as reaper?

6. How is the mundane action of a plant growing like the time between accepting Christ and the day of judgement?

7. What warning is there for us in this short parable about the Kingdom of God?

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Mark Study 10

Read Mark 4: 30-34

1. The Bible often describes kingdoms as being like trees that provide shelter. (Read Ezekiel 17:22-24) What is special about the tree in Jesus’ parable?

2. Out of what small beginning does God’s Kingdom grow?

3. How did Jesus’ slow and patient teaching of His small band of disciples grow His kingdom?

Read Mark 4: 35-41

4. Why did the disciples wake Jesus?

5. Of what were they afraid in verses 38 and 41?

6. What faith did they lack?

7. How can faith impact on the way we cope with difficult circumstances?

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Mark Study 11

Read Mark 5: 1-20

1. What power did the demons have over this man? Of what were the demons afraid?

2. How was Jesus’ power even greater?

3. Of what were the people of this region afraid?

4. The healed man and the townspeople made very different requests of Jesus. How did this reveal their priorities? What do our requests of Jesus reveal about our priorities?

5. This time Jesus does not ask the healed person to keep quiet, but sends him home as a missionary. What was his message and how might it have been received?

6. What kind of impression did the healed man make, and why?

7. Has the message that missionaries bring today changed? How is their message received?

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Mark Study 12

Read Mark 5: 21-43

1. What request did the Synagogue Ruler make of Jesus?

2. How is his approach to Jesus for the healing of his daughter different that of the sick woman?

3. Why might the woman have been reluctant to approach Jesus directly? (Read Leviticus 15:25-27)

4. Why does Jesus insist on speaking with the woman he has healed?

5. In what did she put her faith? How will her life be different now?

6. In what does Jesus encourage the Synagogue Ruler to have faith?

7. Why does Jesus choose these witnesses (verses 37 and 40)? Why did Jesus order them to stay quiet?

8. What is the link between faith and healing?

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Mark Study 13

Read Mark 6: 1-6

1. What amazes the people of Jesus’ home town about his teaching?

2. Why are they offended by his teaching?

3. What stops Jesus performing many healings and miracles at home?

4. What difficulties can a new Christian face from family and close friends?

Read Mark 6: 7-13

5. What authority did Jesus give his disciples? What was their message?

6. Why are they to travel in pairs and without provisions?

7. What does it mean today to be a disciple of Jesus?

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Mark Study 14

Read Mark 6: 14-29

1. Why did Herod put John the Baptist in prison?

2. What was Herod’s relationship with John? (v20)

3. What unwise choices led Herod to kill John, despite wanting to protect him?

4. What wrong priorities do Herod and his family show?

5. What was the popular opinion of Jesus? (v14-16)

6. How does this aside about John’s demise help us to understand the dangers that Jesus faced in his growing popularity?

7. Who do people think Jesus is today?

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Mark Study 15

Read Mark 6: 30-44

1. What was Jesus’ intent in going to a solitary place with his disciples? How was it thwarted?

2. How did Jesus respond to the crowd when they landed on the shore?

3. What sensible suggestion do the disciples make? What is Jesus’ surprising command in verse 37?

4. What miracle did Jesus perform?

5. Read Psalm 23:1 What kind of shepherd is Jesus?

Read Mark 6: 45-56

6. Where does Jesus tell his disciples to go? Read John 6:13-15. Why does Jesus leave?

7. Why are the disciples afraid when they see Jesus walking on water?

8. What do these miracles demonstrate about Jesus’ relationship with the natural world?