How did Jesus counteract the hatred of the Gadarene people?
(Mark 4:35 – 6:52; Psalms 89:9; 107:23-32) Blog July 28 – Aug. 03, 2024
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: <PresentTruthLRI@gmail.com>
REVIEW: Mark gives brief pictures of Jesus healing the sick, casting out demons, teaching in parables, and being in conflict with the religionists of his day.
Great Storms
1. After a long, busy day by Galilee how did Jesus feel when he asked his disciples to sail with him to the other side of the lake? Jesus felt tired & hungry & in need of rest. As a result of millennia of degeneration & being fully man he was weak under strain of ministry (Mark 4:35-38).
2. How bad was the storm that rose on Galilee that night? The wind was so strong that it whipped up large waves that were filling the boat with water faster than the disciples could bail it out (Mark 4:37).
3. What did Jesus ask the disciples after he calmed the storm? Jesus asked: “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? (Mark 4:40).
4. When Jesus calmed the storm after the disciples called for help, how did they react? Then the disciples were exceedingly terrified for they knew that God was in their boat (Mark 4:41).
5. What Scriptures could have given them more faith in the storm? Psalm 89:9 & 107:23-32.
A Man from the Tombs
6. What kind of “mighty wind” met Jesus and his disciples when they arrived on the other shore? A man possessed with an unclean spirit (wind) came running towards them (Mark 5:1-2).
7. Under what conditions had the man with an unclean spirit been living? He had often been bound with chains but continually broke them & went about screaming & cutting himself night & day in the mountains & in the tombs where he lived (Mark 5:3-5).
8. Why do some people make a practice of cutting themselves? Pagans cut & tattoo themselves for the dead. Probably people cut themselves because they feel guilty of major sin (this man may have killed many) & know that the wages of sin is death (Mark 5:5; Lev. 19:28; 1 Kings 18:28; Jer. 16:6; Rom. 6:23).
9. When Jesus commanded the unclean spirits to leave the man, why did they request to enter the herd of 2000 pigs? Devils use mediums to accomplish their ends & killing the pigs would also make the people of the land hate Jesus (Mark 5:10-17; Gen. 3:1; 1 Sam. 28:7).
10. How did Jesus counteract the hatred of the Gadarene people? Jesus sent the healed man back to his people so his testimony would change their hatred & this was the result for multitudes came to hear him when he returned to Decapolis (Mark 5:18-20; 7:31; 8:1-3).
To the House of Jairus
11. Who was Jairus and what did he ask Jesus? Jairus was the ruler of the synagogue (probably in Capernaum where Jesus often taught) & he asked Jesus to come heal his sick daughter (Mark 5:22-23).
12. As Jesus followed Jairus with a crowd around them, who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment? A woman suffering twelve years with an issue of blood that many physicians had been unable to heal touched the hem of Jesus’ garment (Mark 5:24-27).
13. Why did the woman touch the hem of Jesus’ garment? She believed that if she touched Jesus’ clothes she would be healed & she was (Mark 5:27-29).
14. How was this woman’s touch different than that of all the other people that surrounded Jesus? Hers was the touch of faith, whereas others sought no blessing nor believed they would receive one (Mark 5:28, 34).
15. What should we learn from the statement that Jesus knew that virtue had gone out of him? We should learn that when Jesus healed someone it drained his supply of energy or resources & that if we come to him in faith his virtue will be given to us (Mark 5:30; Luke 6:19).
Spiritual Contrasts
16. Why were the people from Jesus’ hometown offended at him? They were offended because they regarded him only as the hometown carpenter & not as the Messiah (Mark 6:1-3).
17. Why could Jesus not do many miracles in his hometown? Jesus could not do many miracles in his hometown because of the peoples lack of faith (Mark 6:4-6; John 11:40).
18. What can we learn about Jesus’ family from his time with the people of his hometown? We can conclude that when Joseph married Mary, he already had six children, making Jesus the seventh child in the home (Mark 6:3).
19. How did Jesus tell his disciples to respond to those towns which did not receive their message? Jesus told them to shake the dust of those towns off their feet for it would be more tolerable for Sodom & Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for them (Mark 6:10-11).
20. Who was convicted by the message of John the Baptist but too proud to repent, thus resulting in John’s death? King Herod (Mark 6:14-29).
21. Why did Jesus begin teaching the multitude when he had taken his disciples to the other side of the lake to rest? Because Jesus had compassion on the people that were like sheep without a shepherd he taught then all day & then miraculously fed them in the evening (Mark 6:30-44).
22. What had the disciples already forgotten when faced by another storm on the lake? They had forgotten Jesus’ power in feeding the five thousand that very evening for their hearts, rather than believing in Jesus’ power to rescue, were hardened in unbelief (Mark 6:47-52).