The entire Gospel of Mark between 2nd July 2017 and 1st April 2018 (Easter Day)
The first 3 months (July-Sept 2017) look at Jesus’ initial proclamation of the Kingdom of Heaven (up to the feeding of the 5000). The next 3 months (Oct-Dec 2017) look at the costs and implications of the Kingdom of Heaven (up to Palm Sunday). The final 3 months (Jan-Mar 2018) cover the events in the last week of Jesus’ life on earth when the Kingdom of Heaven is seen in all its horrific and majestic fullness.
For me the most productive way of reading any part of the bible is to come to it with a genuine question. Obviously it helps if the question is one which the writer of the book of the bible is seeking to answer. So here is a question. What can be done about the fact that our lives tend to be dominated by what is wrong with ourselves, what is wrong with other people, what we have done to harm others and what others have done to harm us? This question is asked because being dominated by such things is very destructive. In the light of this question this is my summary of the first third of Mark’s gospel.
The Good News begins with a call to just turn away from our preoccupation with sin and believe that there is another way. Whether it is having an evil spirit, fever, leprosy, paralysis or a dodgy occupation Jesus refuses to let anyone or anything get in the way of relating to people - in such a way that he is criticised for being a party animal. Contrast that with religious people who are so twisted that they think that such a way of living is satanic. The Good news can be understood by anyone, although hardness of heart, shallowness of thinking and giving too great an importance to things can get in the way.
People around Jesus focus on what is going wrong: with a storm, with someone with an evil spirit, with death, with slow dying or with economic deprivation. Jesus refuses to do so. Instead he lives thankfully and generously, with extraordinary consequences, and encourages his followers to do so.
I hope and pray that we will all have the courage to live in a way which is not dominated by our failings or the failings of others, but rather to live generously and thankfully.
02 Jul 17 — Mark 1:1-20: Baptism, Temptation & Call
09 Jul 17 — Mark 1:21-45: Evil Sprit, Fever & Leprosy
16 Jul 17 — Mark 2:1-17: Paralytic & Levi
23 Jul 17 — Mark 2:18-3:6: Fasting & Sabbath
30 Jul 17 — Acts 12:1-19: Peter in prison
06 Aug 17 — Mark 3:7-19: Crowds & Twelve
13 Aug 17 — Mark 3:20-35: Beelzebub & Jesus’ family
20 Aug 17 — Mark 4:1-20: Parable of the sower
27 Aug 17 — Mark 4:21-41: Seed parables & Calm storm
03 Sep 17 — Mark 5:1-20: Evil spirit into pigs
10 Sep 17 — Mark 5:21-43: Jairus & Bleeding woman
17 Sep 17 — Mark 6:1-13: Nazareth & Twelve sent out
24 Sep 17 — Mark 6:30-44: Feeding 5000
01 Oct 17 — Mark 6:14-29: Death of John the Baptist
08 Oct 17 — Mark 6:45-56: Walk on water & Gennesaret
15 Oct 17 — Mark 7:1-23: Teaching of ancestors & Unclean
22 Oct 17 — Mark 7:24-37: Syro-Phoenician & Deaf mute
29 Oct 17 — Mark 9:1-13: Transfiguration
05 Nov 17 — Mark 8:1-21: Feed 4000 & Herod’s yeast
12 Nov 17 — Mark 8:22-38: Blind man, Peter’s faith & Rebuke
19 Nov 17 — Mark 9:14-29: Boy with evil spirit
26 Nov 17 — Mark 9:30-50: Who is greatest & Tempt to sin
03 Dec 17 — Jesus Light of the World
10 Dec 17 — Mark 10:1-12: Christingle / Divorce
17 Dec 17 — Mark: 10:13-31: Rich man & Little children
24 Dec 17 — Jesus birth Stories
31 Dec 17 — Mark: 10:32-52: James, John & Bartimaeus
07 Jan 18 — Mark: 11:12-33: Fig tree & Temple
14 Jan 18 — Mark: 12:13-27: Questions: Tax & Resurrection
21 Jan 18 — Mark: 12:28-44: Greatest command & Widow’s mite
28 Jan 18 — Mark 12:1-12: Tenants in vineyard Shorter Service
04 Feb 18 — Mark 13:1-31: Apocalypse
11 Feb 18 — Mark 14:1-11: Plot & Bethany
18 Feb 18 — Mark 14:12-31: Passover
25 Feb 18 — Mark 14:32-52: Gethsemane
04 Mar 18 — Mark 14:53-72: Council & Peter
11 Mar 18 — Mark 15:1-20: Pilate & Crowd
18 Mar 18 — Mark 15:21-47: Crucifixion & Burial
25 Mar 18 — Mark 11:1-11: Palm Sunday
01 Apr 18 — Mark 16:1-8: Resurrection