Bible Study Assign7

Mike Spindler (michspi@regent.edu)

BINT 500 SU08 DE

Assignment 7 (Mark 6:6b - 56)

NASB

Part 3

Broad structure of vss. 7-14.

1. He [Jesus] summoned the twelve

a. Sent them out in pairs

b. Gave them authority over unclean spirits

c. Take nothing for the journey

i. Except a staff

ii. No bread

iii. No bag

iv. No money in their belt

v. Wear sandals

vi. Do not put on two tunics

d. When you enter a house

i. Stay there until you leave town

e. Any place that does not receive or listen to you

i. Shake the dust off the soles of your feet

ii. It's a testimony against them

2. They [twelve] went out

a. preached men to repent

b. cast out many demons

c. were anointing sick people with oil and healing them

Mike, nice job overall! Make sure you include the verse references for at least your main paragraph headings. The relations I have highlighted I would consider category 2 observations more than broad structure observations, but overall, very well organized broad structure outline with some nice broad structure relations indicated among the parts!

Grade: 97

---- not graded, but wanted the practice ---

Part 2, 5, & 6

Observation 1 (Cat 1): There is a progression of Jesus' ministry from the initial segments where He taught the disciples and explained the new paradigm/covenant through parables (4:10-12); He continually modeled the ministry in each segment; to the previous segment where He moved with authority (4:39, 5:8, 34, 41); to this segment in which Jesus is now sending out the twelve (6:7, 12) to replicate what He has been doing (preaching, casting out demons, and healing the sick) and how He has been doing it without provisions (6:13.)

Question (B): Why was Jesus so very specific about what the disciples took, or didn't take, with them?

Answer: (Subjective) Jesus had probably already demonstrated this behavior of faith - but needed to spell it out that they were to not prepare for their journey but trust God to be faithful for each day's needs - provided through the people they were staying with. Their welfare was not to be their concern.

Observation 2 (Cat 2 - Para. 2): There is a relationship of instrumentation in the second paragraph that Jesus “gave them authority over unclean spirits” (6:7) and then later “they were casting out many demons” (6:13a.)

Observation 3 (Cat 3 - Para. 2 & 4): There appears to be a progression in the specification of the disciples. In the early segments and second paragraph of this segment they are referred to as “the twelve”. In the fourth paragraph for the first time they are referred to as the apostles.

Question (A): What does the use of the term “apostle” mean in this context?

Answer: (Subjective) It appears that it is relative to the fact that Jesus had sent them out in pairs to begin proclaiming His Gospel and their leadership role in that task.

Question (B): Why starting using the term “apostle” here?

Answer: (Subjective) Jesus calling the twelve and sending them out was in fact a commissioning - so that after that event they were leaders.

Observation 4 (Cat 2 - Para.2): There is a particularization relationship in Mark's account of the disciples “and they went out” (6:12a) into the rest of that verse and the next “and preached that men should repent. And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.” (6:12b-13)

Question (D): When did Mark include the phrase “anointing with oil” to sick people?

Answer: (Subjective) It could be an action instructed to them as necessary, but within the context we have it is more likely that it was practice since it isn't recorded that Jesus always used anointing with oil to cause healing. More research is needed.

Observation 5 (Cat 2 - Para. 2): There is preparation in the first part of the second paragraph - Jesus calls the twelve(6:7) and then gives them the tools (6:7b), rules (6:8-9), and instruction (6:10-11) for then going out in pairs (6:7) to minister.

Part 4

Chart the titles. (Optional)

Para. 1: Village Teaching

Para. 2: Twelve Are Sent to Minister

Para. 3: John's Death Recounted

Para. 4: Five Thousand Fed

Para. 5: Jesus Walks on Water

Para. 6: Gennesaret Healings

Chose not to chart.

Part 7

Essential thrust of chosen paragraph:

Jesus sent the twelve to minister with authority.

Part 8

Contemporary church application. General & specific.

General: Jesus has trained us to go. So GO (already.)

Specific: Every church should not only have a spiritual formation class that is mandatory, but should also include a “Go” class - evangelism, praying for the sick, casting out demons, etc.

Part 9

Hardened

hardoened;\_h_rd-ni_\ vt 13c

1 : to make hard or harder

2 : to confirm in disposition, feelings, or action esp : to make callous _hardened his heart_

3 a : INURE, TOUGHEN _harden troops_

b : to inure to unfavorable environmental conditions (as cold) - often used with off

_harden off seedlings before transplanting_

4 : to protect from blast, heat, or radiation (as by a thick barrier or placement underground) vi

In context it could mean that the disciples had become callous or toughened. Probably the former in the sense that they have seen this before and it's not that they don't accept it - they've just lost interest.

Past 10

Commentary.

Mark 6:52 (to gain further insight into the topic of Part 9)

The New Bible Commentary:

We do not know why Jesus was about to pass by them. Perhaps he wanted them to recognize him and call for help, or to show their faith in some other way. If so, he was disappointed, for when they did cry out it was only in terror. But even this cry of fear was enough to bring Jesus on to the boat, from where he calmed the wind. They had forgotten the miracle of multiplying the loaves; they had forgotten that he had calmed one storm already. Their reaction was to be completely amazed because they did not understand, even though the powers of the kingdom of God had been clearly shown.

Some commentaries bypass an obvious observation.

Word Biblical Commentary:

By implication, had they understood the point of Jesus' “teaching” by word and deed, they would have grasped the significance of his self-disclosure in 6:50 and understood the quieting of the wind. But their “heart was hardened” (__ _____ _ ______ π_π_______), a description given Jesus' opponents in 3:15 and repeated again with reference to the disciples in 8:17.

This explanation accents the disciples' failure to understand, a motif which first appeared in 4:13 (see Comment on 4:13) and comes to a head in 8:17-21 (see Comment on 8:17-21). At the same time, the disciples are depicted as “insiders” in 6:7-13, 30, who actively participate in Jesus' ministry, and they play a key role in the very incident they fail to understand (6:32-44). This tension in the portrait corresponds with 4:11, 13 where as “insiders” to whom the “mystery of the Kingdom” has been given (4:11, 34) they fail to understand the “parable” (4:13, see Comment on 4:13; cf. 7:18).

Their subsequent amazement at the miraculous calming of the wind (6:51), in contrast to the epiphanic response of amazement, formally corresponds to the wonder generated by a miracle (see 2:12; 5:42).

Mark, however, interprets the disciples' amazement negatively. By adding an explanation to the story (6:52), he changes the story's thrust from an epiphany that answers the earlier question of who Jesus is to a story that underscores the disciples' lack of understanding. In fact, he makes this change in thrust by basing it on their failure to understand the previous miracle of the loaves.

In so doing, Mark continues to develop his ironic portrait of the Twelve as “insiders” specially called to be with him (1:16-20; 3:13-19), privileged to have Jesus' personal instruction (3:31-35; 4:11, 13-20, 34), and commissioned to share directly in his ministry (6:7-13, 30, 35-44), yet like the “outsiders” they find Jesus' teaching in both word and deed to be more a “riddle” (4:13, 41; 6:37). He even accuses them here of “hardness of heart,” a characteristic of Jesus' actual opponents in 3:5. This ironic portrait dominates the section (6:45-52; 7:18-23) that opens with their commission to share successfully in Jesus' ministry (6:7-13, 30) and concludes with a specific statement about their lack of understanding (8:14-21).

And then some commentaries provide excellent insight. The bold text above demonstrated to me that there were some personality and personal prejudices inserted by the authors. These do not in the least detract from the scripture - but actually accentuate them.