The Fellowship Residency Program has introduced me to the idea of reading commentaries alongside scripture. By August of 2019, I will have read through the entire Bible as well as The King in His Beauty, our selected commentary. As I am reading, I am writing a little bit about each of the books of the Bible so you and I can have a more thorough understanding of the scriptures. I invite you to follow along with me as we learn the Bible in its entirety from Genesis to Revelation. This summary does NOT encompass the entire book, but it is a good place to start. I encourage you to read for yourself and begin your own Biblical journal along the way. To read any of my other Residency related posts, click here.
Kingdom – The book of Mark concentrates on three themes: kingdom, Christology, and discipleship. God’s kingdom has arrived in Jesus’s saving rule and fulfillment of the OT promises. Humans cannot bring in the kingdom, only God has that power. The kingdom will come through the unlikely and humble Jesus Christ. Jesus calls on “The Twelve” to walk with Him. Though the kingdom arrived in His person and ministry, it will be carried on and out by His chosen followers. We see that Christ’s authority is superior to all, even the demons. We also see that Jesus’s holiness cleanses the uncleanliness in His people. Though the kingdom has arrived, it has not arrived in its totality for the world is still full of sin and brokenness. The kingdom is full of mysteries, some of which are depicted by Jesus’s parable teachings. Though we do not fully understand it, we have a sufficient understanding of the kingdom to receive salvation through Christ alone.
The Person of the King – We learn that the kingdom is here, because the king has arrived. The good news of the kingdom truly centers on Jesus Christ himself. He was not interested in a political revolution or mass uprising. He doesn’t even embrace the title “Messiah” until Peter confesses Him as Christ in chapter 8 of Mark. The religious leaders, crowd, and even His disciples are ignorant to Jesus’s true identity. Jesus’s authority is made known in Mark by His works. We also see Jesus take on the role of the Son of God and Son of Man. We see Him declared Son of God during His baptism as well as during the transfiguration. Jesus is also made known as the Son of Man who receives this kingdom from God the Father. Through Jesus’s death, man’s sins will be atoned and made right.
Discipleship – The first half of Mark focuses on Jesus’s identity. Even the disciples did not truly understand who He was though they loved and believed in Him. The story in Chapter 8 of Jesus healing the blind man was an important one. It reveals how the disciples receive healing from their “blindness” of who Christ was, but still did not understand Him fully as their Messiah. Jesus explained that as Messiah, He would suffer, die, and be raised again. Peter rebuked Jesus and did not understand. Jesus would go on to predict His own death and resurrection two more times with His disciples. Throughout Mark, we recognize that Jesus’s true disciples are those who recognize Jesus as Messiah and Son of God and are willing to follow him. Jesus’s followers must be humble, teachable, and recognize their need for a savior. Membership in the kingdom is received by repenting and believing in Christ rather than being born into the faith.
Conclusion – Ultimately, the kingdom has arrived in Christ and is available to all who “have eyes to see.” Those who reject Christ are not immediately judged, but they will receive ultimate judgment in the future. The glory of the kingdom is available to all who are willing to lay down their desire to be glorious and are willing to suffer as a disciple for Christ.
Themes: God’s kingdom has arrived in Christ Jesus. The kingdom is the new covenant. Christ’s followers are blind to the true meaning and power of God’s reign. We struggle with blindness when it comes to seeing Christ as He is.