Teaching Disciples: Part 2

Lesson 8

Teaching Disciples: Part II

(Mark 10)

Copr. 2024, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

Introduction: Have you listened to a Bible teacher and thought, “That makes no sense. That must be wrong!” Part of being open to the Holy Spirit is being willing to accept the teachings of the Bible. The problem is often the “parable” issue that we discussed recently. Jesus often teaches in ways that are difficult to understand unless you take the time to study and learn what He is really saying. This week we look at two teachings of Jesus which caused His disciples to essentially say, “You must be kidding. How can that be true?” Let’s dive into these complicated teachings and see what we can learn!

1. Marriage
   
   1. Read Mark 10:1-2. Why would the Pharisees ask Jesus such a question? They were always “testing” Him, but the test is not obvious from the question. (The IVP New Testament Commentary points out that Jesus is in the area in which John the Baptist preached. John had denounced Herod Antipas for marrying his brother’s wife and that resulted in John being beheaded. The Jewish leaders wished a similar fate for Jesus.)
   2. Read Mark 10:3-4. Is this an answer that would keep Jesus safe? (Jesus is simply asking them what Moses said on the subject.)
   3. Read Mark 10:5-9. Has the trap closed on Jesus? (He is clearly not trying to avoid offending Herod Antipas.)
      1. Let’s examine more closely what Jesus says. The reference to what Moses said on the subject is Deuteronomy 24:1-4. Is Moses inspired by the Holy Spirit to write this? Is this part of the Bible? (The answer to both of those questions is, “Yes.” Moses cites “the Lord” as authority for what he says.)
         
         1. What principal does verse five teach us about divorce? (God takes into consideration our sinful nature. This should be comforting to the many who are divorced.)
      2. Is Jesus changing the rule? (Jesus teaching that the “two shall become one” is the original rule and He is simply going back to it.)
   4. Read Mark 10:10-12. Has Jesus decided to leave behind the flexibility for human hardness of heart?
      1. Notice that He covers the situation in which a woman seeks to divorce her husband, which is not contemplated by Moses. Why is that?
   5. Read Matthew 19:10. Mark leaves out this interesting reaction by the disciples. Do you agree with them that if marriage is for life, it is better to remain single?
   6. Read Matthew 19:11-12. Why is Jesus now talking about eunuchs? Is this a new topic? (No. Our modern permissive views keep us from fully grasping what is being said. The disciples and Jesus are talking about being celibate. They are not talking about casually sleeping with others rather than marriage.)
      1. Notice the last statement of verse 12. What does this mean? If I don’t want to “receive” this instruction I have that option? (All the commentaries that I consulted understand Jesus as saying that not everyone is suited to be celibate. Those should get married.)
      2. If we look back at Mark 10:5 we see God creating some flexibility in the rule. Is that what we see in the last part of Matthew 19:12?
2. Wealth
   
   1. Read Mark 10:17-18. Why is Jesus challenging the man who calls Him “good?” (Jesus wants this young man to consider whether Jesus is God.)
   2. Read Mark 10:19. If you believe in righteousness by faith alone, Jesus is giving a terrible answer to the question of how to attain heaven. Can you explain Jesus’ answer?
   3. Read Mark 10:20-21. Wait a minute! I call foul. None of the Ten Commandments requires us to sell “all that you have” and give it to the poor. Would someone like to defend Jesus’ addition to the commandments? (The E.W. Bullinger Commentary says this is the Tenth Commandment, but that is clearly wrong. This young man was rich. He was not, based on the information we are given, coveting what anyone else had.)
   4. Let’s skip ahead and read Mark 12:30-31 to see what Jesus says about sharing. What does Jesus teach about the Ten Commandments and helping others? (He teaches that we should love our neighbor as we love our self. Giving all my possessions to my neighbor loves him more than I love myself. Another teaching of the Bible on wealth is tithing - where I get to keep 90%. See Malachi 3:10.)
   5. Read Mark 10:22-26. Once again we see that the disciples are amazed and astonished. Should they be? (The reason for their amazement is not hard to find. In texts like Deuteronomy 28 the Bible teaches that obedience to God brings riches and disobedience brings poverty. Being rich is a Biblical sign of obedience.)
   6. Read Mark 10:27. How do the rich get saved? (The same way everyone else does - God makes possible the impossible by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus on our behalf.)
      1. Do you recall our discussion in recent weeks about parables and drilling down on Jesus’ teaching? Do you see how when we drill down on what seems to be terrible advice from Jesus we find truth?
   7. Let’s revisit Mark 10:25. Can you explain this based on what we have just discovered? (The problem with being rich is trusting in your wealth rather than trusting God. This is precisely the same problem as trusting in keeping the Ten Commandments for your salvation. Only God is perfect, we are not. We cannot trust in our works, our success, or our wealth, to enter heaven. We can only trust what Jesus has done for us.)
   8. Let’s revisit Mark 12:30-31. I directed your attention to verse 31. Does verse 30 have something to say about salvation and the rich young man? (Yes. He let his wealth stand between himself and what Jesus told him to do. Jesus has not expanded the requirements of the Ten Commandments in his case. Again the point is what do you trust?)
   1. Read Mark 10:28. How does this fit our discussion? Isn’t Peter’s assertion the same as the rich young man, “See what I have done to earn heaven. Is that enough?”
   10. Read Mark 10:29-30. Wait a minute! What does Jesus mean by “in this time?” Is Jesus reinforcing Deuteronomy 28? (Jesus’ answer is remarkable. He says that following Him gives us a “hundredfold” return now, and eternal life. What does this tell us about being rich? (If we put God first, if we trust Him, we should expect the hundredfold return. Money is safe in the hands of those who trust God and not their money.)
       1. Did you notice the bad news, the “with persecutions” statement?
       2. We know the future for the disciples. Did they get rich, or did they get persecuted? (They got persecuted.)
          
          1. How would you explain the hundredfold for them? (They are some of the most famous men in world history. Plus they received the joy of following in the steps of Jesus.)
   11. Read Mark 10:31. Why does Jesus use the term “many” as opposed to “all” who are first will be last? (For the reasons we just discussed. Trusting God results in blessings.)

3. First and Last
   
   1. Read Mark 10:35-37. Do you think that James and John were sleeping in the back of the boat during the conversation we just studied? (I think the point is rather that accepting what we just discussed is difficult.)
   2. Read Mark 10:38-40. Who is trusted to decide positions in the Kingdom of Heaven?
   3. Read Mark 10:41. Were all the disciples sleeping during our prior discussion? (They all think they should be first.)
   4. Read Mark 10:42-45. We just discussed marriage, wealth, trust in God, and now positions of authority. Is there a line of truth that runs through these topics? (Putting God first is the secret to success. Our first obligation is to serve God.)
   5. Friend, will you decide right now to make service to God your first priority? Why not make that commitment right now? If you do, you will have many blessings now, with persecution, and eternal life thereafter.
4. Next week: Jerusalem Controversies.