The Ministry of Jesus in Galilee

Mark 1:16—8:30

A New King (1:16—3:6).

Kingdom is Near (1:15)

  1. Popularity (1:16-45).

  2. Conflict (2:1—3:6).

Jewish Leaders Reject Him (3:6)

A New Kingdom (3:7—6:6)

Kingdom Has Small Beginnings (4:3)

  1. Continued Conflict (3:7-35).

  2. Parables (4:1-34).

  3. Identity (4:36—6:6).

Jesus’ Town Rejects Him (6:6)

A New Order (6:7—8:21)

Herod & Pharisees (8:15)

  1. Confession (6:7—8:21).

    1. Limited Commission (6:7-13).

    2. John the Baptist Executed (6:14-29).

    3. Five Thousand Fed (6:30-44).

    4. Jesus Walks on Water (6:45-56).

    5. Opposing Pharisaic Traditions (7:1-23).

      1. Jesus Questioned on Traditions.

        1. The Pharisees already had their sights set on killing Jesus (3:6).

        2. It is clear they are watching Him, seeing if He slips up even in the slightest—reminds me of David and Daniel.

        3. Before their criticism was based on the Law, but now it is based on their traditions.

        4. The washing of their hands here was not for hygienic reasons—please, wash your hands—but for ceremonial reasons.

        5. When they came back from the market, they were unsure as to the clean status of the Gentiles there, so they made sure to wash, not just their hands, but everything.

        6. Some manuscripts say that word for “couches” (KJV “tables”) which could be translated “beds”—recall when they ate they reclined.

        7. The word for “wash” is from the word also translated as “baptize,” so this is more than just a washing, but a complete submersion.

        8. The fact that Mark feels the need to explain this tradition shows that his primary audience was definitely not Jewish.

        9. This was a Pharisaic tradition, not kept by the Sadducees, but which had popular support among the people as Josephus notes.

        10. Josephus Antiquities 13.297:

          the Pharisees had passed on to the people certain regulations handed down by former generations and not recorded in the Laws of Moses, for which reason they are rejected by the Sadducaean group, who hold that only those regulations should be considered valid which were written down (in Scripture), and that those which had been handed down by former generations need not be observed. And concerning these matters the two parties came to have controversies and serious differences … [in which] the Pharisees have the support of the masses.”

        11. It was established by the elders, prominent men of a certain age, some time ago—though when is uncertain.

        12. These traditions were a hedge around the Law—if they don’t cross the hedge, they won’t come near to breaking the Law.

        13. This is a laudable goal, but one should not be judged on his approach to the hedge.

        14. It seems that the Pharisees may be trying to turn public support against Him.

      2. Traditions of men.

        1. Jesus doesn’t respond to their criticism right away, but uses this moment to teach on a serious problem among the Pharisees.

        2. We see that Jesus fed the masses, passed through the waters, and now He is teaching on the Law—one like Moses is here!

        3. There is only one passage that Mark quotes from the OT in the narrative, but Jesus quotes from the OT in several places here in Mark—this is the first.

        4. He starts with Isaiah 29:13, a quote from the LXX (shows LXX was around before Jesus). That’s why it’s a little different from Isa. 29:13 in our Bibles, based off Masoretic Text. Of course, as with different translations, it means the same thing.

        5. Jesus speaks of their hypocrisy—“hypocrite” is a transliterated Greek word that applies to actors, one who acts one way, but doesn’t mean it. One who goes through the motions.

        6. And that’s a perfect description of what Isaiah said: honoring with the lips, hearts far from God.

        7. Additionally, their worship is vain because of their traditions—they “laid aside the commandment of God.”

        8. Are all traditions wrong? No, many are God-given. Are all man-made traditions wrong? No, in order to function some traditions must be put in place. What makes a tradition wrong? When it is taught as a commandment of God or when it countermands actual commands of God in some way.

      3. The practice of Corban.

        1. Pharisees called it the tradition of the elders, Jesus called it the tradition of men, and later He calls it their tradition—this tradition included something that caused them to reject God’s commands.

        2. The OT Law, even the 10 Commandments, told them to honor their parents, the converse of this included cursing one’s parents, and the penalty attached to that (Exo. 20:12; 21:17).

        3. Clearly, honoring one’s parents included more than just obeying them and showing them respect, but taking care of them when they are older.

        4. The Corban tradition could and did prevent one from taking care of his parents.

        5. Corban is a transliterated Hebrew word meaning “gift” or “God’s gift,” as Mark explains here.

        6. It was a vow they made that their belongings were to be dedicated to God, that is to the temple, upon their death. By doing this, he could still benefit from them, but he could not use them to help others, even his parents.

        7. This vow invalidated the command to honor their parents by taking care of them while they are older—it was despicable and immoral to use that as an excuse not to obey God.

        8. The Mishna even records this happening: “a man at Beth Horon, whose father was forbidden by vow to have any benefit from him.”

        9. They didn’t have the social safety nets that we do—likely the only way these parents could survive is if their adult children took care of them (cf. 1 Tim. 5:8).

        10. And they did many other things like it!