Seeing Jesus in the Gospel of MarkSample

SEEING JESUS IN GALILEE

Look Closely:

Don’t get bogged down by today’s extended reading! Skim through the chapters quickly (read only the headings if that’s what you have time for today. Over the next two weeks, you will read all of this much more carefully.

-What do you notice from the 30,000-foot view of today’s flyover reading?

-Can you spot any of the key themes?

Son of God/ Son of Man - Who is Jesus?

Cosmic Conflict - Is there more to life than what I can see?

Discipleship and Failure - How do followers of Jesus mess up?

Ordinary Heroes - What does faith look like?

Bible Dictionary Spotlight: Galilee

Mark’s gospel is organized in 3 geographical acts: in and around Galilee (chapters 1-8); on the road (chapters 8-10); Jerusalem (chapters 11-16).

Located in the northern part of Israel, west of the Sea of Galilee, Galilee was likely the original territory of one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, the tribe of Naphtali. However, the population was always a mix of Jewish and Gentile. One theologian writes, "Galilee was the most pagan of the Jewish provinces” (Frederick Bruner). In the time of Jesus, Galilee was under the control of Herod Agrippa. Jesus grew up in Nazareth, one of the major cities of the region, and He spent a large part of his early ministry in this region. The twelve disciples were all residents of Galilee when Jesus called them to follow Him.

Bonus: Look up some pictures of the Sea of Galilee and the surrounding region to have a picture in mind as you read Mark 1-8.