Mark Book Assignment # 1

2. Answer the following questions.
a. Why is Mark considered a book for “readers with short attention spans”?
It's the shortest book of the 4 Gospels, and it's light on action

b. What does Mark open up with (rather than a family tree or the birth of Jesus)?
The Jordan River where John the Baptist is baptizing people

c. What does Mark 1: 7-8 say?
And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

d. “Then Jesus took off to work”…doing what?
Rounding up disciples, healing hundreds, feeding thousands, freeing the tongues of the speechless, tying the tongues of snooty scholars, and calming storms, walking on water, dying, and coming back to life.

3. Read pages 318-319 “The Messiah’s Dream Team” and answer the following questions:
a. Why do people recognize Jesus as a rabbi?
He sounds like one.

b. What happened at the Sea of Galilee?
He made Andrew and Simon Peter fishers of men.

c. What did Jesus offer to make these fishermen?
Ancient Amway slave trading or tax collecting

d. What did Andrew hear Jesus call John the Baptist?
The Lamb of God

e. What did tax collectors do in Jesus’ time?
They bid for the right to collect taxes then payed Rome it's share and kept the rest.

f. Tell me about the “company” Jesus “keeps”.
His choice of disciples think that they are righteous and know that they are sinners

g. List out Jesus’ “team” – according to Mark 3.
Simon, James and John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomeu, Matthew, Thomas, James, Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas Iscariot.

4. Read page 323 “How God’s Garden Grows” and answer the following questions:
a. How big is a mustard seed?
A milimeter thick

b. What is the Mishnah?
A collection of ancient Jewish commentary

c. What are the smallest seeds on record so far?
Orchid seeds

d. How does God’s kingdom “start small” and “grow large”?
It starts with Him and a dozen disciples and grows into a Christian movement spanning the world