Encounter Jesus – Mark Week 2

Jesus the Holy One of God

Mark 1: 21-28, 3: 7-12

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Mark Week 2 – Holy One of God Handout

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Lesson Notes

Jesus the Holy One of God

Remember Mark’s 2 Big Ideas – “Who Is This Man?” and “Discipleship.” We’re in the first half of Mark, which is primarily focused on the identity of Jesus. We encounter a very powerful Jesus doing battle with demons who know who He is. Battle is a misnomer, he utterly crushes them.

The Holy One of God – (Read Mark 1: 21-28)

  • Background – After His baptism comes brief temptation, first preaching, first disciples.
  • This is the first real action and proof of who He is.
  • Verse 21 – In his home base of Capernaum. Goes into the synagogue on a Sabbath and is invited to teach.
  • verse 22 – Teaching with authority
    • Note the reaction – similar to Sermon on the Mount in Matthew – people are astonished at the way Jesus teaches. It is authoritative, not a string of Rabbi Xyz quotes.
    • Teaching is Jesus’ most important task right then (we will expand on this next week)
    • How do you get people to believe you actually have authority?
  • verse 23 – Problem solved! God supplies a demon-possessed man “immediately”
  • verse 24
    • “What have you to do with us?” – a fairly curt brush off, i.e. “Leave us alone!”
    • “Have you come to destroy us?” – the demon (singular) recognizes Jesus has the power to destroy all demons – it asks on behalf of them all
    • “Jesus of Nazareth, the Holy One of God” – may be an effort for the demon to control Jesus by using his name
    • By truthfully invoking Jesus’ name and title, it might be trying to gain upper hand
    • “Holy One of God” – Holy has two aspects in the Bible
      • Conditional – Moral, Righteous, Godly
      • Positional – Set apart for and committed to God
      • Jesus is both of these
  • verses 25-26
    • Jesus doesn’t do spells or rituals like other exorcists – He orders it out and the demon leaves
    • Commands silence – Jesus wants to control the unfolding of His identity, get people ready to understand all aspects of it. The demons know the ultimate truth and can damage Jesus’ process of self-revelation.
    • Jesus wants to control the way messiahship and His mission are defined and avoid others defining it for Him (especially evil demons who lie a lot)
  • verse 27 – People AMAZED!
    • New teaching with authority (to cast out demons)
    • Seems the demon was telling the truth – Jesus is the Holy One of God
  • verse 28 – Jesus’ fame spreads throughout Galilee – we’ll see expanding circles of fame as more people get interested in seeing and hearing about Jesus and seeing Him in action.

The Son of God – Read Mark 3: 7-12

  • Last week we heard God endorse Jesus as His Son (Mark 1:11)
  • Demons know that too – it is unanimous across the spiritual realm
  • Jesus is back in Capernaum, just had a series of Sabbath controversies and now Pharisees and Herodians are plotting to destroy Him
  • Jesus decides to step away a bit, because it isn’t yet time for this conflict to reach a head
  • verses 7-9 – Note the massive crowds – He is a mega-celebrity, worried they will crush Him. Crowds from all points south, east, and north of Galilee, Jew and Gentile alike.
  • verse 10 – Tons of healing, everyone pressing in (literally “Fall Upon”) on him for miracles
  • verses 11-12 – Demons “fall before” Him – “You are the Son of God”
    • Falling before = submission to His power – these aren’t battles, these are complete surrenders! This isn’t the Exorcist!
    • They are begging Him, this is His power – this is whose Spirit lives within us! This is our adopted brother!
    • Greek wordplay lost in the English – the ignorant crowds “fall upon” Jesus, while the demons “fall before” Jesus in submission.
    • Once again, Jesus silences the demons so they don’t control the narrative about Him, speak about Him with evil intent to oppose His plans, etc.
    • People aren’t ready to really understand and process who He is yet – that point is Mark 8: 27-30, when Peter figures it out from God, not from demons.
  • What are the implications if demons know Jesus is the Son of God?
    • Mere knowledge about Jesus, even acknowledging who He is, obviously doesn’t get you on the right side of God.
    • Demons are demons because they won’t submit voluntarily to Christ. They know who He is and His power, but won’t submit to His Lordship.
    • We must have more than head knowledge of who Jesus is (James 2: 19)
      • It isn’t enough to know lots of facts or go to church weekly
      • We must surrender our lives to Him, accept Him as Lord and Savior
    • We must be clear with some of our knowledgeable friends who now stuff and claim to be spiritual without actually submitting their lives to Jesus’ will
      • “Christians” who don’t ever go to a church or fellowship with others
      • People who only collect knowledge, multiple Bible studies, etc. without ever acting on it, sharing it, seeing their live change.