45 Days To Read The Gospel Challenge – The Gospel of Mark Chapter 12: Two Greatest Commandments

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ePrayer Circle offers daily posting of scripture and prayers along with a FREE “45 Days To Read the Gospel Challenge”.  In addition, a FREE 24/7 prayer request service is available for your convenience by phone, or email. You are encouraged to complete the course in your own time. 45 Days is a challenge.

                                                                        Alt tag: #45 Days To Read The Gospel Challenge FREE

 

How to Get the Most Out of The Challenge

The Gospel consists of four books in the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—that share the teachings of Jesus Christ. You can start the FREE “45 Day Challenge” at any time by visiting the ePrayer Circle homepage and selecting the “45 Day Challenge” menu option. Feel free to share these lessons and print them for use in your Bible study groups. You can also translate the content into multiple languages using the Google Translate menu bar on the homepage.

These lessons are for personal and non-profit use.  These works have been registered under Creative Common License,  Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivs CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International  Free to use as designed but are not for commercial use or sale.    The “45  Days To Read The Gospel lessons” are available FREE 24/7 for your convenience. 

Transcript:  HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS CHALLENGE

Step One.  Start in the order of: the Gospel of John, Luke, Mark and Matthew for understanding.

The instructions are designed for accessibility and ensures the learner is not overwhelmed and confused. Post your questions in the comment section and the author will answer you. Please share your experiences and opinions.

Step Two.  Each lesson takes about 35 minutes to complete: 20 min to study the lesson and take the quiz. 15 minutes to read the Bible resource

It is recommended to read the entire post and then take the quiz before reading or listening to the bible resources. Each lesson is self-contained and includes all resources needed.

Step 3:  You should complete two lessons a day.  5 Days a week in order to complete the “45 Days to Read The Gospel Challenge in 45 days”.

There is no law that says you have to complete these lessons in 45 days. You are free to work at your own pace. Study the lesson and take the quiz in the morning, and later listen to or read the bible resources.

Step 4: Get organize with pen and paper.  Take notes.  Each lesson contains: Header Sections (Table of Contents): (1) chapter summary, (2) objectives, (3) outline, (4) reflection question,  (5) chapter highlights, (6) resources, (7) interactive quiz, and (8) a call to salvation.

Step 5: Enjoy.  The Gospel Changes Lives.  Get active and communicate with others. Share the lessons with friends. No stress. Work at your own pace.

Isaiah 9:6 KJV“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son, is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

 

Before Starting this Course: 

 

 

Overview of The Gospel of Mark

The Gospel of Mark, written by Mark John (also known as “John” in the Book of Acts), is one of the four Gospels in the New Testament. Mark was a close companion of the disciple Peter, who referred to him as his spiritual son.

Although Mark did not walk with Jesus personally, he closely followed Peter and recorded much of what Peter witnessed during Jesus’ ministry.

This Gospel is often called the “Memoirs of Peter” because of Mark’s close relationship with him. It was written between A.D. 50-70, before the Book of Acts, and is thought to have been written in Italy.

Mark’s Gospel focuses heavily on the miracles that Jesus performed throughout His ministry in Galilee, showing Jesus’ power over sickness, demons, and nature. Unlike other Gospels, Mark emphasizes Jesus’ human nature, highlighting His emotions and physical limitations.

This portrayal of Jesus helps believers understand that He is familiar with the struggles and challenges of being human and can fully sympathize with our problems and situations.

Mark’s work was an important source for the Gospel of Luke, as Luke borrowed many notes from it. Overall, the Gospel of Mark presents a powerful narrative of Jesus’ ministry, filled with miracles and moments that reveal both His divinity and humanity.

Keywords: sabbath,  The Gospel of Mark, Bible verses, scriptures, ePrayerCircle, 45 Days to Learn the Gospel Challenge, free Bible lessons, eBible study, Mark 1:1, Mark 16:15, Jesus’ miracles, discipleship in Mark, repentance in Mark, John the Baptist, Jesus’ baptism, wilderness temptation, healing miracles of Jesus, Mark’s Gospel summary, Peter’s memoirs, Christ’s humanity, Galilee ministry, Mark 10:45, kingdom of God, Jesus’ resurrection, Mark 14:36, parables in Mark, Peter and Mark

 

 

45 Days To Read The Gospel Challenge – The Gospel of Mark Chapter Twelve: The Greatest Commandments

 

OVERVIEW OF  THE GOSPEL OF MARK CHAPTER TWELVE

In this class, we will explore The Gospel of Mark  Chapter 12 from the Bible to understand the key lessons Jesus teaches about love, authority, and responsibility. We will learn how Jesus answers challenging questions and how His teachings apply to our lives today. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to explain the greatest commandments and how we can live by them.

In Mark 12, Jesus tells a story about a vineyard owner who rents his land to farmers. When the owner sends servants to collect what belongs to him, the farmers mistreat and kill them. Finally, the owner sends his son, but the farmers kill him too, thinking they will gain the vineyard. Jesus explains that the owner will punish the farmers and give the vineyard to others. This story shows how some people reject God’s messengers, and including God’s own Son, Jesus.

Note:  The husbandmen over the vineyards were symbolic for the chief priests and elders, and the son that was killed represented Jesus in this parable.  The Cornerstone is the stone that will anchor a building.  Back then, when building a building, great effort was spent looking for that stone that would anchor the building, other stones were rejected.  Jesus represents the “chief cornerstone”.   The stone which the builders did not reject becomes the stone that holds everything up.  

Later, religious leaders try to trap Jesus with tricky questions. They ask if it is right to pay taxes to Caesar, the Roman ruler. Jesus answers wisely, saying, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” This teaches us to respect authority while honoring God above all.

Jesus explained there is no marriage in heaven.  ²⁴And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not, therefore, err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?   ²⁵For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

Note: Jesus states God is God of Abraham, Jacob, and Abraham.  Noting the old prophets are still alive even though they are no longer in the world because God is a God of the living-eternal life. There is no death with God. 

The evil works of the Scribes in their hypocrisy.  Beware of the Scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, ³⁹And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: ⁴⁰Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

Tithes:  A poor woman gave in the church her last two coins. Others gave out of their abundance and Jesus said she gave the most because she gave all she had.  

 

 

Time: 35 minutes to complete lesson: 20 minutes to read the entire post and take the interactive quiz, additional 15 minutes to view video resource and comment on social media

Objectives for  Chapter Twelve-What you will learn:

A.  You will learn who the “Chief Cornerstone” is and understand the importance of a cornerstone in construction and faith.

B.  You will explore how believers should view and respond to government authority.

C.  You will understand that in the resurrection, God is the God of the living, not the dead.

D.  You will identify the two greatest commandments and learn how all the laws of the prophets depend on them.

E.  You will discover why Jesus was referred to by David as both the “Son of David” (human) and “Lord” (divine).

F.  You will examine the hypocritical actions of the scribes and understand the warning Jesus gave about their behavior.

G. You will reflect on Jesus’ response to a poor woman whose faith led her to give all she had, demonstrating true generosity and trust in God.

 

Outline for Chapter Twelve of the Gospel of  Mark

1.  The parable of the wicked husbandmen.

2.  The Pharisees asked Jesus if they should give tribute to Cesar. 

3.  Sadducees concerning the resurrection. 

4.  Jesus establishes the two great commandments.

5.  Christ the son of David

6.  The evil example of the scribes to be avoided

7.  The widow’s two mites.

 

 

Reflection and Discussion: Something to think about.

Can you think of a time someone went out of their way to help you, even if it was a younger person, relative, spouse, friend, or stranger?   When was the last time you inconvenience yourself to help or console someone else?  Write in your journal.

 

 

Resources For This Lesson

Click here for the King James Bible version in the text (pdf), mobile viewing on the web (KJV), YouTube audio, and video version (total time 10 min. )  Part One and Part Two and Part Three

 

See “Chapter Twelve  Highlights” below for scriptures and help with the quiz. If needed, refresh the screen to retake the quiz.

 

The “Chief Cornerstone” and what is a cornerstone?

¹And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and dug a place for the wine fat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

 ²And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 

³And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty

⁴And again he sent unto them another servant, and at him, they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. 

⁵And again he sent another, and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.

⁶Having yet, therefore, one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.

 ⁷But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.

 ⁸And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

 ⁹What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen and will give the vineyard unto others.

 ¹⁰And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

 ¹¹This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?

¹²And they sought to lay hold on him but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

Note:  The husbandmen over the vineyards were symbolic for the chief priests and elders, and the son that was killed represented Jesus in this parable.  The Cornerstone is the stone that will anchor a building. 

Back then, when building a building, great effort was spent looking for that stone that would anchor the building, other stones were rejected.  Jesus represents the “chief cornerstone”.   The stone which the builders rejected becomes the stone that holds everything up.  

 

 

How are believers to regard the government?

¹³And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. 

¹⁴And when they came, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

¹⁵Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. 

¹⁶And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s. 

¹⁷And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marveled at him.

 

 

In the resurrection “rise of the dead”  God is God of the living, not the dead”.

¹⁸Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

 ¹⁹Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother dies, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

 ²⁰Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. 

²¹And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.

 ²²And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. 

²³In the resurrection, therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

²⁴And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not, therefore, err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

 ²⁵For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

²⁶And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spoke unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 

²⁷He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye, therefore, do greatly err. 

 

 

The greatest commandments that all the laws of the prophets hang.

 ²⁸And one of the scribes came and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

²⁹And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

 ³⁰And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 

³¹And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandments greater than these.

³²And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

 ³³And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

 ³⁴And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst asks him any question. 

 

 

 Jesus was called by David – Son of David (human)  and Lord.

Note: Mary (Jesus’ Mother) and Joseph (Mary’s husband) both came from the line of King David.  The people knew David spoke inspired by the Holy Ghost.  How could he call him son and Lord? The people wanted to know which was he?  They did not understand the supernatural. The people accepted Jesus because of King David.

³⁵And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?

³⁶For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 

³⁷David, therefore, himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly. 

The evil works of the scribes in their hypocrisy.

³⁸And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,

³⁹And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

⁴⁰Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

 

 

Jesus regards a poor woman whose faith enables her to give her last. 

⁴¹And Jesus sat over against the treasury and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

⁴²And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

⁴³And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 

⁴⁴For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

 

 

Interactive Quiz.

 

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CALL TO SALVATION:

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Romans 10:9-10  9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. 

John 3:5-6  5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is the Spirit.