Bible Study Notes:
Summary of January 2011 Session One
Questions answered by Bible Study participants
What three events happened at Jesus' baptism?
1. Jesus was baptized
2. Heavens were opened
3. Spirit descended like a dove, and speaks...
- What similarities do you find in Matthew's account (Matt 3:13-17), Luke's account (Luke 3:21,22), John's account (John 1:29-34; 4:1,2)?
Matthew: Same 1,2,3 above
Luke: Same 1,2,3 above
John: Only #3 above. John is completely different.
- What are some differences?
◦ Matt. John questions Jesus first. Jesus says,”Suffer it to be
so now...”
◦ Luke: Jesus prays (instead of looks up)
◦ John: Lamb of God. Unlike the other three gospels, enforces
the idea that Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source and
didn't deviate very much from it.
Consider Isaiah 64:1 and compare to Mark 1:10
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence- (Isa 64:1)
And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him (Mark 1:10)
- The Greek word “torn apart” means literally to be “ripped open” (1:10). The violence of this term suggests an action that cannot be easily undone. What do you think would be the implications of the heavens being ripped open? What might this say about God at work in the world?
◦ The Greek word translated “opened” (King James) or torn or ripped open
in other translations, is a passive form of the verb scitzo, which means to
divide by use of force, split, separate, tear apart. (Source of word
schitzophrenia, or schism.). The word is only used twice in Mark: the
other time is when the veil in the Temple is rent (split apart).
◦ It was a very important event.
◦ Something was being exposed.
◦ God will be open to everyone
◦ Something is being or will be revealed
◦ Being forced open
◦ There's power behind this event; not just a human being
◦ God wanted people to know, this is definitely Him speaking
and doing.
◦ There is a son! God wanted to introduce His Son to the world.
◦ This is an introduction of sonship to all of us.
- If Judaism believed that God was safely ensconced in the temple, what might this signal to first century Judeans hearing this gospel?
◦ No more
◦ Revolutionary thought, that God was outside the Temple
◦ Took away intermediaries
◦ Emphatic
◦ Took away the smallness (finiteness) of God – frightening!
◦ God was at the River Jordan, available to everyone, not just
confined to the Holy of Holies in the Temple
◦ Poor or rich, anyone can find Him.
◦ The Messiah everyone was waiting for didn't come through
the Temple but went directly to the common people.
- Mark's word for “ripped” echoes Isaiah 64:1 where the prophet appeals to God to rip open the heavens and come down to save them. What does Isaiah's request that God bridge the distance and show them a sign of deliverance imply about Jesus' mission?
◦ That Isaiah's prophesy was being fulfilled, or his prayer
answered.
◦ Mark ties the Old Testament with the New Testament
◦ Implies Jesus is the Deliverer
◦ Jesus ripped open closed doctrine and brought it to the people
◦ God is Spirit, not material.
◦ Jesus opened up thought
◦ You don't have to have money or be a priest or scribe to
know God
- John was preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Why then did Jesus submit to being baptized? Do you think this suggests that Jesus needed forgiveness?
◦ Jesus was giving an example to humble yourself and submit to
change (repentance)
◦ Teaching by example
Jesus was giving an example to humble yourself and submit to change (repentance)
◦ Teaching by example
◦ Jesus didn't need forgiveness./Jesus did need forgiveness.
(both opinions represented!)
◦ Jesus needed to be baptized.
◦ This important event was being staged by God to announce
a world-changing event.
◦ Jesus' credentials were being revealed.
◦ Having been “born” made Jesus the second Adam. He needed
to wash off the “Adam-ness”
◦ This was John's way of referring people to Jesus, introducing
Jesus.
◦ People were already listening to other baptizers, to others
outside the Temple.
- What do you think his submission tells us about his divine calling?
◦ Like he did when washing the disciples' feet, Jesus puts himself
in the lowest position, in order to serve.
◦ Casting off the material world and wealth.
◦ He knew about his mission (in advance)
◦ Jesus knew the Old Testament and knew Isaiah's prophesies.
◦ His submission showed his willingness to fulfill prophecy.
- Why do you think Matthew tells the story differently from Mark? (Matthew has John hesitate and ask questions before he baptizes Jesus.)
◦ Matthew is telling the story to a different audience, to explain
from his point of view, why Jesus submitted to baptism.
- Do you think anyone present at Jesus' baptism noticed any of these events – the heavens torn apart and a voice from heaven speaking to Jesus?
◦ The people/onlookers saw something. It was an event beyond
words, indescribable. But words were used to express it.
◦ Spirit broke through materialism for a few moments.
◦ Consciousness was touched.