Bible Study Theology 13

This week we move from Jesus' temptation in the wilderness to another temptation that occurs later in his ministry, as recalled in Mark's gospel. As always, we welcome your comments (or questions), so please feel free to join in.

Mark 8:27-9:13

1. This passage is sometimes referred to as 'the Messianic Secret.' Jesus asks his disciples to tell him who they think he is and then, when they answer he tells them to tell no one. Why do you think Jesus asks the question in the first place?Is Jesus testing them? Is it more likely that he is using this method to help them discover their own thoughts? Is it like a review session to see if the pupils are 'up to speed?'
   

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2. Why, when they answer, do you think he swears them to secrecy? It may be that they are a talkative bunch! It could be dangerous if the authorities get to hear of it. Temptation again - to become the sought-after Messiah in the way of the world rather than in the 'way of the cross.'
   

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2. Once Jesus has confirmed that the disciples think of him as the Messiah, he begins to teach about the hard way that lies before him. How do you imagine the disciples feel about the news? Disappointed; sad; upset; worried; afraid; perhaps they didn't understand and found it confusing. Perhaps too, they are wondering, 'what have we got ourselves in to?'
   

   
   

3. Peter, for one, is not happy to hear these things and is used by Satan to tempt Jesus. How is Peter's response tempting for Jesus?It could be very tempting to deny his true identity. would it not be much easier to become the person everyone else wants him to be, even though this means denying God?
   

   
   

4. In verse 34, Jesus moves from the tightly-knit group of disciples to include the wider crowd and he issues a challenge for 'any who want to become my followers…' Do you think the crowd understood what Jesus meant, and how do we understand it now?There was a long discussion on this one...This is what, today we might call Christian discipleship -although we may not have to carry a heavy wooden cross we are often faced with the challenge of choosing between the way of the world and the way of the cross (or God's way).
   

   
   

5. The rest of our passage goes on to tell of the transfiguration. What do you think Peter, James and John saw on the mountain and why?God is helping the disciples see for themselves who Jesus really is. Moses and Elijah are recognised as important figures in the religion that Jesus has come to fulfil. This incident is like a curtain suddenly being drawn back to reveal what is really there - but the curtain cannot remain drawn, it must be put back in place to enable Jesus to reume his work.
   

   
   

Happy New Year and Bible Study Lk 4

Happy New Year to you all! I hope you enjoyed the Christmas season and that the new year will be full of peace and joy.
We have resumed our usual pattern of work and this evening we will be meeting for bible study, after several weeks' break.
Our topic this evening is Jesus' temptation and we will be looking at the following questions from Luke 4:1-13.

1. The 1st verse of this passage tells us that Jesus was 'full of the Holy Spirit.' What do you think this means and why does it have such an impact on this passage?
The Spirit enables him to contemplate as well as to equip him for his forthcoming ministry. Jesus was aware of God in him; guiding him giving him strength. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit Jesus was fully armed and ready to face the ordeal ahead of him. It was probably Jesus' being full of the Holy Spirit that made him a target for Satan. Had he been only human, he would probably have been of little interest - being full of God's power drew Satan to Jesus because it would have been a great victory (in Satan's eyes) thereby derailling God's plan for the redemption of the world.

2. Jesus was tempted for 40 days before the temptations listed here. Do you think this means that these temptations are more tempting? If so, why or why not?
We don't know what went on before! These temptations seem to come from someone who has Jesus' best interests at heart, almost as if Satan is showing compassion... 'Don't starve - turn these stones to bread and eat.' There is a sense of power-play in this exchange, Satan's world versus God's Kingdom. The values of each clash and show a special significance in the challenge to Jesus' divinity. Satan seems to be offering an easier way; a way to avoid God's plan and the 'way of the cross.' The main problem for Satan though seems to be that it requires Jesus to break the first commandment, 'you shall have no other gods before me.' There are echoes here too of the first temptation, when the serpent asks Eve, 'Did God really say?.....' Here it is changed to, 'if you are the son of God...' coming straight after Jesus' baptizm in the Jordan when the heaven's opened and God proclaimed, 'This is my beloved Son...'

3. In verse 6 the Devil tells Jesus that the world has been given 'over to him' (The Devil). Why does he say this? Is it true? Why or why not?
It may be true in the sense that the world is apt to give itself over to Satan's power, but as we often declare in worship, 'the earth is the Lord's and everything in it.' Satan's power is often deceptive and this is probably why it is so easy for human beings to succumb to temptation. Satan shows arrogance in seeking to tempt Jesus, it is just as if he is directly competing with God.

4. The Devil takes Jesus to Jerusalem. Why this particular city? What might be so important about Jerusalem?
The city is the very centre of Judaism. God's temple is there, therefore Jerusalem is where God dwells. Is this Satan taunting Jesus? 'God may live here - but I own it!'

5. Why do you think the Devil chose the 'pinnacle of the Temple,' for Jesus?
Highest place in the city? Nearest earthly place to God? The whole city is laid out before him, God's dwelling place beneath his feet. Satan is showing contempt to both Jesus and God.

6. In verse 12 Jesus again quotes scripture - why do you think he uses this method to confront the Devil?
Satan believes in God and Satan knows the scriptures very well. Perhaps Jesus was using this (Rabbinical) method to show that God's word has more power than any earthly word and perhaps this was also to remind Satan that Jesus himself is the word of God.