Mark-Lesson 15...Continued from page 2

DAY THREE: The True Servant

Please carefully read Mark 10:41-45 and answer the following questions.

1.  How did the rest of the disciples react when they heard about this request, and how did Jesus begin to redirect them all (v. 41, 42)?

NOTE: The word displeased is aganakteo,, which comes from two words meaning to feel pain, to grieve, or to be indignant, which is far stronger than being displeased.[vii]

2.  Rather than following the world’s ways of seeking preeminence and getting ahead of the other guy, what did Jesus tell the disciples about how Christians must be far different from the world (v. 43, 44)?

3.  How is Jesus the ultimate example of the true servant, the theme and message of this Gospel according to Mark (v. 45)?

4.  Whoever aspires to be first, Jesus tells them, must be a slave (Greek doulos), one who forfeits his own rights in order to serve others, not his own interests, voluntarily and sacrificially.[viii]  How did some of His followers a bit later demonstrate how they lived this principle (for example, Romans 1:1; Galatians 1:10; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1)?

5.  It is vital for us to understand the concept of Jesus giving His life as a ransom for many.  The word ransom is lutron, occurring only here and in Matthew 20:28, meaning the price for redeeming, the ransom paid for slaves. The word for is anti, meaning instead of.  Jesus paid the ransom money for slaves of sin who could not pay it themselves, namely, His own precious blood.  Jesus was speaking about the substitutionary aspect of His atonement. What are some of the things that the following passages tell us about what He has done for us by ransoming us?

Romans 6:16, 20-22

Hebrews 2:14, 15; 4:14-16

1 Peter 1:18-23

Scripture Memory:  Try to fill in the missing words in the blanks below, by memory if at all possible, and then review the passage several times today.

For even the Son of Man did not _____________ to be ___________________, but to ________________, and to _________________ His life a ____________________ for many.  Mark 10:45 (nkjv)