THE GOSPEL OF MARK, Ch.12,v.1-12.

   INTERPRETING  THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  TENANTS…

The owner created everything needed for the vineyard, rented it out and then went away.

  What does this imply about God’s ownership and rights over all that we use, and His expectations of some return for His investment in us and the abilities He entrusts to us ?

Many messages and requests were sent to the tenants without a result.

  What does this say about God’s confidence in us, and His patience in the face of disobedience ?

The son’s position was clearly known to the tenants,  as is Jesus’ status as the eternal Son of God , yet he was rejected, as Jesus is today by many .

   What is the final consequence of continued rejection of Jesus ?

The tenants intended to steal the inheritance from the owner and his son.

Does this say anything about man’s treatment and use of the assets entrusted to us ?

The cap-stone or head-stone in a building holds the building together.

How does this represent the position of Jesus in relation to the church ?

What are the two main events in Jesus’ life which cause many to reject Him today ? – see 1 Peter,ch.2,v.4-8.

THE GOSPEL OF MARK,Ch.12,v.1-12.

  This parable has features which resemble an allegory. If so, what do the following represent :-

the vineyard..Ps.80,v8-16; Isaiah,ch5,v.1-7.

the owner –Jeremiah,ch.2,v21.

the farmers/tenants,,Joel,ch.1,v.11.

the servants…Isaiah,ch.44,v.26; Isaiah,ch.63,v.17; Jeremiah,ch.7,v.25; Amos,ch.3,v.7.

His Son… Isaiah,ch.42,v.1-4; Hosea,ch.1,v.11.

The treatment received by the servants.. 1 Kings,ch.19,v.10; Matt.ch.23,v.34-36.

The plot against the life of the Son.. Mark,ch.12,v.12; John,ch.12,v.10

The death of the Son outside the vineyard..John,ch.19,v.17.

The judgement of the owner,..Luke,ch.21,v.20-24.

The vineyard taken over by others.. Romans, ch.1,v.13-21.

The rejected stone… Psalm,118,ch.22-23; Acts,ch.4,v.11; John ch.1,v11; John,ch.19,v.15.

    v.12.. What other reason did the leaders find to arrest Jesus ?…John,ch. 11, v.45-53.

THE GOSPEL OF MARK,Ch.,27ff.

v28..What would be our answer to the question raised by the leaders ?

v.30… Had these leaders already been given the testimony of John the Baptist that Jesus had divine authority ?-Matt.ch.3,v11-12; John,ch.1,v.26-27.

    Had the leaders accepted John as a true prophet or not ?-Luke,ch.7,v.30.

v.32…How did their  attitude to John compare with the people’s understanding of John and his work ?

v.33…Jesus did not answer the question posed by the leaders. Does  God give further guidance when an earlier message or instruction has been ignored or rejected ?

   Do our own questions sometimes reveal our real attitudes ?

THE GOSPEL OF MARK,Ch.11,v.17ff.

    Should Christian worship premises be used only for worship activities, and not for trading purposes also ? –Isaiah ch.56,v.7.  Are Christian premises sacred in the same way that the Temple was in Jerusalem ?

v.18… Who was likely to lose income as a result of the cleansing of the Temple ?

v.20…Did Jesus use the miracle of the cursing of the fig tree to provide a teaching point for the disciples, – as a comment on a barren and corrupt religion in Israel, and an example of faith in action – Micah,ch.7,.v.3ff.

v.23… Is faith a belief that God can do what we ask of Him in prayer, or is  it a firm conviction that God WILL do what we ask ?

  Does doubt destroy the possibility that God will act in response to our prayer, even if there are seeds of faith present in our prayers ?- Mark,ch.9,v.24.

v.24.. Are we asked to keep on believing that God has already given what we prayed for, and to expect the answer to appear ?

Is it necessary to know that what we ask for is in God’s will and purpose before we ask in prayer ? Does this knowledge encourage us to pray and to expect to receive what we ask for ?

v.25. Jesus was speaking to His believers and followers , but what might break the fellowship with Him and create a barrier to our prayers /

.26…Does unforgiveness for those who offend us destroy our basic position as a child of God ? What action is needed in an unforgiving heart towards others ?-Matt.ch.18,v.21-35.

MARK,Ch.11,v.12ff.

  v12-14…There are some who not have a high view of scripture and object to this account and say : that this is a parable , not an actual event; that this truly occurred and Jesus “ got it wrong “ here; that is was unreasonable to expect figs because it “ was not te season for figs”; or that God ( Jesus ) would never curse anything or anyone.- See however… Gen.ch.3,v.14ff; 1 Samuel,ch2,v.30-36.

   Could Jesus have cursed the fig tree as a symbolic act to show the unfruitfulness of Israel’s religion ? ..Jeremiah,ch.24,v.8-10.

   What was making Israel’s religion unfruitful and barren ?…v15-17 may give some answer

   Could a person or nation bring curses upon himself /itself , and for what causes ?- Deut,ch.11,v.27; Deut.ch.27,.v.15; Mal.ch.1,v.14.

THE NATURAL SEQUENCE OF GROWTH FOR A FIG TREE;-

NOV…the leaves fall; JAN…the buds appear and swell…(Song of Songs,ch.2,v.13); MARCH…the leaves appear ( Mark,ch.13,v.28)- together with the early fruit, which could be eaten. If the early fruit does not appear it shows that the tree is barren..Isaiah,ch.28,v.4; MAY…. the young summer figs are visible, and the early fruits will already have fallen or been eaten; JUNE…the ripe figs will be falling from the tree= Rev.ch.6,.v13.

   Could Jesus have seen the barreness of the tree already as He arrived in Jerusalem in March, before the time of Passover ?

v.15-17…What aroused Jesus’ anger in the temple …Isaiah,ch.56-v.7.

    Had Jesus intervened in the temple activities much earlier in His ministry ?- John, ch.2,v.13ff.

  A heart of a Christian believer is like ..?/ 1 Cor.ch.3,v.16-17. Is it possible to misuse or defile that heart.? How might this occur ?-Mark,ch.7, v.20-23.

THE GOSPEL OF MARK,Ch.11,v.1ff..

  v2…” a colt which no one has ever ridden…”  What is the significance of something  which has been reserved and not previously used ? See- Numbers,ch.19,v.2-3.

  v3, Was the agreement of its owner an indicator of God’s leading in this matter ?

     What is the significance of the choice of a colt, rather than a horse and chariot  ?- Zech. ch.9.v.9.. Did the colt obey its new master and his control ?  Are people today ready to accept Jesus’ rule ? –Isaiah,ch.1,v.3.

v.9…”HOSANNA.”….is a Hebrew word  meaning “Save now”. What were the people expecting from the Son of David ?

   “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”- The people were fulfilling an old prophecy – Ps,118, v.26-29. Could the people be aware of its meaning ?

   “HE WHO  COMES” is a title reserved for whom ?-Luke,ch.7,v20; Rev.ch.22,v.7;20.

THE GOSPEL OF MARK,Ch.10,v.46ff.

v.46…Imagine that you are Bartimaeus. What are your thoughts as you read that he was blind,sitting,begging, by the road side , shouting out.( He may have had a companion who was also begging…see Matt.ch.20,v.30.)

v47… Was the one title …Son of David. sufficient to raise Jesus’ attention ?

   Is it important to know many truths about God or who Jesus is ?

48… Should someone in need persistently call on God ?- Luke,ch.11,v5ff; ch.18v.1-8.

v.49…”Jesus stopped..”  Does God have time to attend to anyone who calls on Him while in need or distress ?

v.50… Have we heard the voice of Jesus calling to us, say through a message heard in church, through an experience or by a word read in the Bible ? What  was the message we heard, and did we act on it ?

v.51…Why did Jesus ask this question, when the need was obvious to Him ?

v52… Have we experienced an answer to a call upon God  ? What did Bartimaeus do to show that his faith was real ?  Should anyone in real need call upon God first, rather than turn first to a friend, church contact or a counsellor ? Will God often use such a human contact to meet our  needs ?