Inclusios differ from intercalations. While inclusios “bookend” episodes, intercalations interrupt and “sandwich” a single episode. (Mark L. Strauss. Mark: Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, 47). Inclusios differ from intercalations.
Bookends in Mark
The healing of the blind man (8:22-26) is in two stages or through repeated touches. In the first stage, the blind man has his sight partially restored. In the second stage, his sight is completely restored. Jesus repeatedly teaches His disciples who He is because of their spiritual blindness. The myopic disciples are like the blind man in stage one. They are only partially seeing who Jesus is.
Conclusion to the inclusio: The healing of blind Bartimaeus (10:46-52) at Jericho, which is only seventeen miles north of Jerusalem. They are almost at the end of their six months journey to Jerusalem and discipleship and still the disciples do not see orunderstand who Jesus is or who they are as disciples.
Sandwiches in Mark
The third section of Mark opens with an intercalation. Jesus enters Jerusalem but finds no spirituality (11:1-11). The cleansing of the temple is “sandwiched” with two episodes about the fig tree. He curses the fig tree that has no natural fruit (11:12-14). Next, Jesus cleanses the temple where is no spiritual fruit (11:15-18). The next day, Jesus and his disciples find the fig tree withered down to its roots (11:19-20). Rhoads and Michie call this “framing” which, like in movies, creates suspense. “Framing also provides commentary. The two related stories illuminate and enrich each other” (David Rhodes and Donald Michie. Mark As Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel (Philadelphia: Fortress Press) 1982, 51). The fig tree and the temple, both lacked fruit that Jesus expects from his disciples.
Read moreThe idea of “The Factual Data” sheet comes from reading that Warren W. Wiersbe’s homiletic teacher, Lloyd Perry who used a generic “Factual Data” sheet for sermon preparation. I have adapted “The Factual Data” sheet to the different genres (Narratives, Hebrew Poetry, the Epistles, and the Gospels) of Scripture instead of one-size fits all approach
Read moreSources for Studying and Preaching the Gospel of Mark
Thomas Constable’s Commentaries at Lumina.bible.org (Commentary on all 66 books of the Bible)
Preceptaustin preceptaustin.org (32 commentaries and 17 sermon series)
Wisdom for the Heart (23 sermons by Stephen Davie)
Steven Cole sermons (Unfortunately, he did not do a series on Mark)
Annotated bibliography
Book
France, R. T. (2002). The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text (pp. 1–47). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.
R. T. France has an excellent introduction to Mark. He divides Mark into three Acts and follows the geographical divisions of Mark. France also sees the twofold theme of Mark including Christ and his disciples: “Discipleship is the proper outcome of a healthy Christology” (The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text. NIGTC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002, 28)
Read moreThe accusers and critics of Jesus did not all die in the first century. We want to answer a modern opponent of who Jesus was. In his discussion of the theology of Mark, Craig Evans notes that Mark’s theology is revealed in the Messianic Secret (see footnote 1). The Messianic Secret according to its originator, William Wrede, was first manifested in Jesus forbidding others to proclaim he was the Messiah (demons in 1:34; healed leper in 1:44), and second, the disciples’ failure to understand who Jesus claimed to be (in the three passion predictions in Mark 8, 9, 10)), and third, Jesus’ teaching, such as the parables (4:11-12), which meant to conceal. Wrede, contended that Jesus did not know he was the Messiah and no one recognized Jesus as the Messiah, until after his resurrection and that Mark had to create the Messianic Secret to show how no one recognized Jesus as the Messiah before the resurrection (see footnote 2). “These were all editoral and unhistorical…By inventing the ‘messianic secret’ Mark removed a source of embarrassment for the theology of the church by explaining why Jesus was not more generally recognized as Messiah during His lifetime” (see footnote 3).
Read moreHere is a basic homiletical or sermon outline that many homileticians teach, such as Tony Merdia in his book Faithful Preaching. My version has argumentation whereas his does not.
Read moreWallace notes that he is following Robert H. Stein’s The Synoptic Problem: An Introduction.
Wallace opens his thirty-page article stating that “Any serious discussion of the Synoptic Gospels must, sooner or later, involve a discussion of the literary interrelationships among Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This is essential in order to see how an author used his sources (both for reliability’s sake as well as for redactional criticism), as well as when he wrote.”
Robert H. Stein’s The Synoptic Problem: An Introduction1 summarizes well the issues involved in the synoptic problem—as well as its probable solution. For the most part, our discussion will follow his outline.
Read moreThe simplest way to define verbal aspect is viewpoint. An author views an action, event, or state from the outside of an action, event, or state is called perfective aspect. The helicopter view of beginning and end of the parade. Inside of an action, event, or state is called imperfective aspect. The street or inside view of the parade. Verbal aspect in Greek is called a synthetic semantic category because aspect is realized in the morphological forms of verbs. Verbal aspect represents a subjective choice (20).
Read more“Insofar as we love the gospel, to that same extent, let us study the ancient tongues”----Martin Luther
Constantine Campbell answers questions about his book.
1. What is this book about? “The issues of contention, development, and even revolution are the focus here” (21). The topic concerns Koine Greek and not ancient.
2. How is this book unique? Over the past thirty there has been a paradigm shift and Campbell discusses these shifts such as the rise of discourse analysis and verbal aspect.
3. Why is this book needed? Advances in Greek linguistics can lead to insights into text and correct long term errors (23).
4. Why include these topics? Campbell answers this question by giving a preview of his coming chapters.
5. How should this book be used? It should be used for both personal study and classroom work because these are his classroom notes converted into a book (26).
6. What is the intended outcome of this book? Campbell gives eight outcomes he desires to result from the reading of his book.
Read moreWhy Study Linguistics? The most important reason is to help us understand “the meaning of the New Testament.” (3).
What is a Linguist? “The linguisit’s work is understanding and describing the nature of language.
What is Linguistics? “Linguistics is the science that attempts to understand language from the point of view of its ‘inner workings’---what linguists call internal structure.” (5).
How Do Linguists Go About Their Work? They use two approaches. First, there is descriptive linguistics. The grammar of a language is the chief concern of a descriptive linguistic.
Read moreI am only reviewing chapter 19 which is Mark’s Gospel by Peter G. Bolt. Bolt traces the history of the study of Mark beginning with the
The Early Period
“This history has been characterized as one of long-standing neglect and recent rediscovery” (391). Augustine’s statement contributed to this neglect: “Mark follows [Matthew] closely and looks as if he were his servant and epitomist” (De consensus evangelistarum 1.2[4]).
Read more“One of Porter’s major arguments is that Greek does not grammaticalize time in the form of the verb, but relies on deictic indicators to signal temporal relationships. The significant semantic factor connected with the form of the verb is not time but aspect” (1). In a footnote, Decker writes: “In this work reference will be made to verb forms rather than to verb tenses to avoid the (often unconscious) association of temporal reference with the morphological categories of present, aorist, perfect, etc. (159). Decker examined Porter’s view on verbal aspect and agreed that Porter’s view on verbal aspect is the true view.
Read moreCarson addresses three areas of concern in the area of dynamic or functional equivalence. The areas of translation theory are what Eugene Nida called Dynamic equivalence and formal equivalence. D.A. Carson is focusing on dynamic equivalence or functional equivalence.
Read moreDave Brunn states that the church is divided over which standard is right in Bible translations. Should the translation be “Word for Word” or “Thought for Thought”? For example, a literal, word for word translation of 2 Timothy 2:5 is “is not crowned” in the NKJV and ESV. A thought for thought translation is “does not win the prize” in the NASB which is considered a literal translation. Brunn provides a chart with 93 examples where the NASB gives a “thought for thought” translation and the NKJV, ESV, NIV, and HCSB give a “word for word” translation. This is surprising because the NASB has been called the “Most Literal.”
Read moreToday, we will go visit my dad’s grave. This is the first Father’s Day after his death. At dad’s funeral I said, “Dad was not perfect, but he was forgiven.” That thought reminds me of the twelve disciples, Jesus is training. Jesus gives them their last object lesson before their six month crash course in Discipleship is complete. The healing of the blind beggar Bartimaeus is Jesus last miracle before entering Jerusalem in 11:1
Read moreThe importance of Biblical Theology to the church ministry is both direct and indirect. Biblical Theology directly helps us do church ministry by enabling us to preach the Biblical theology themes of Scripture and show the unity of the Bible. Edward W. Klink III and Darian R. Lockett make this point in their discussion of the history of redemption: “the major themes and overarching structural ideas (e.g., covenant, a kingdom, and promise and fulfillment).” Our preaching on these great themes also shows our people how to study the Bible.[1] Klink and Lockett call this the “Chicago School” approach of D.A. Carson and his “whole-Bible Biblical Theology.” But the Biblical Theology of the “Dallas School” can aid the preacher’s ministry of preaching through books. The “Dallas School” approach is described by Darrell L. Bock: “Biblical theology is an attempt to study individual contributions of a given writer or a given period to the canons’ message.”[2] This is different from the “whole-Bible Biblical Theology” of D. A. Carson and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. “The Dallas School” approach is found in two Biblical theologies produced by the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary: A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament and A Biblical Theology of the New Testament. The second volume includes “A Theology of Matthew”, “A Theology of Mark”, as well as Luke-Acts, John’s Writings, etc. This approach would greatly help preaching a series through one of these books. And, again, this kind of Biblical Theology preaching demonstrates to our people how to study a book of the Bible.
Read moreThe impact of textual criticism on exegesis is demonstrated in the translation theory debate. This involves two translational philosophies: Former and Functional. The translation theory debate also spills over into the gender-inclusive language debate. A third area of concern is the selection of the best translation for the serious Bible student. This paper purposes that the solution to these debates is to find the balance of the extremes and avoid the extremes.
Read moreIn the introduction, Dr. Black gives the historical background to this book. On April 6–7, 2000, Dr. Black assembled some of the world’s leading experts in the field of New Testament studies arrived on the campus of Southeastern Seminary to read papers and to engage in dialog with their colleagues. The conference, entitled “Symposium on New Testament Studies: A Time for Reappraisal,” was designed to expose students and other interested parties to the main positions held by New Testament scholars in three debated areas of research: the Synoptic problem, the authorship of Hebrews, and New Testament textual criticism. Each author of the who presented at the symposium has a chapter in Rethinking of NT Textual Criticism.[1]
Read moreBilly said to Jimmy, “My Dad has a list of names of men that he can wipe and your daddy’s name is first on it.” Jimmy went home and told he daddy, “Daddy, I have something to tell you. Billy’s dad has a list of names of men he can wipe and your name is first.” Jimmy’s dad went to see Billy’s dad and rolled up his sleeves. “Is it true you have a list of men you can wipe and my name is on it.” Billy’s dad responded, “That is right.” Jimmy’s dad replied, “You can’t do it and what are you going to do about it?”
Billy’s dad said, “Well, I guess I’ll just take your name off.”
Did you know, child of God, God has your name on a list, and He will never take it off? In Luke 10:40, Jesus said, “Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” We call this the doctrine of eternal security and this blessed truth is the result of the sealing of the Holy Spirit. In John 10:28, Jesus gave a powerful promise of security:
Read moreDid Christ die for all people (unlimited atonement) or just believers, i.e., the elect (limited atonement)?
There Are At Least Four Different Views
1. Universalism: Believe that all people eventually will go to heaven.
Why is this view wrong? The following references refute this view (Lk.16; Rev. 20:11). Limited atonement people accuse unlimited atonement people of Universalism and quote Mt. 20:28 as proof. “For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and give his life a ransom for many.”
Read moreDo you understand completely this doctrine? If you do, don’t even try to explain it to the rest of us for we would never comprehend your explanation anyway. Only our infinite God would fully grasp this doctrine. Yet, the fact that believers are chosen by God in eternity past can not be denied. Not only is this doctrine difficult to understand, but for some, it is a bitter pill to swallow. Here is how Charles Spurgeon began a Sunday morning sermon at New Park Street Chapel on September 2, 1855 entitled Election:
Read more