Highlights from The Gospel of Mark (Ch. 1)

This past Christmas wife my bought me yet another new bible. Of course I actually wanted this bible, because it's new to me, and because it's a King James bible. And to be honest, I ordered it myself, but gave credit to my wife! This particular bible is "The New Defender's Study Bible" by Henry M. Morris. If I can convince any of you to switch to, or stay with the King James, I'd very much recommend this edition. I've started going through the gospel of Mark recently during my morning devotionals. This time around certain passages have struck me and have special meaning at the time of my readings each morning. I thought I'd share these highlighted sections of the first eight chapters that I have gotten through over the past few weeks:

1:1 "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;"

The simple pronouncement that Jesus was and is God's Son.


1:7 "...There cometh one mightier than I after me,"

John the Baptist is acknowledging the coming of Jesus, and that He is Mighty!


1:8 "I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost."

John the Baptist has already been made aware of the fact that Jesus will have the ultimate power to baptize people with the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit).


1:10 "...the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:"

Jesus is being baptized by John here. Can you imagine what the "heavens opened" must have looked like? me neither! It's got to be more awesome than anything we can image. Here's the Holy Ghost making his great entrance into the created world via God's Son. Thank you Jesus for sharing your Spirit with us!


1:11 "...a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Obviously the "voice from heaven" is God the Father. Any time that people audibly hear God speaking, we better pay attention! If God is "well pleased" with Jesus, He must have been doing something right! We'd be wise to follow Jesus' examples.


1:14 "...after that John was put into prison,"

Apparently soon after Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, John is put into prison. Since this is the start of Jesus' main missionary time (the approximately 3 years), it's no wonder that some people thought that Jesus was really John the Baptist come back alive.


1:16 "...Simon and Andrew"

DISCIPLE #1 - Simon (Peter): fisherman
DISCIPLE #2 - Andrew, Simon's brother: fisherman


1:19 "...James the son of Zebedee, and John"

DISCIPLE #3 - James, son of Zebedee: fisherman
DISCIPLE #4 - John, son of Zebedee, James' brother: fisherman


1:22 "...he taught them as one who had authority,"

Jesus, without a doubt, had authority to teach the word of God!


1:24 "...the Holy One of God."

An example of the fact that the enemy's evil spirits are well aware of who Jesus truly is.


1:35 "...prayed."

If Jesus found it necessary to pray to His Father, don't you think that each of us should make that an important part of our daily lives, walking with Him?


1:44 "...those things which Moses commanded,"

It's extremely important to realize that Jesus refers to the Old Testament and its teachings many many times during His walk on earth. Churches and Christians today CANNOT throw out the OT and try to just follow the NT - they are woven together.