Study Questions: 2. Why do you suppose the Scribes and Pharisees engaged in the rituals detailed in this passage? What mindset lies behind these activities? 3. How does Jesus answer the Pharisees question? What is Jesus saying about them in his answer? What example does he use to prove his point? 4. Why is the Pharisees' behavior so odious to God? What do we do that might be considered the same type of behavior? How do we fall into a Pharisee pattern of regarding God and religion? Is there a remedy for this? 5. How does Jesus change the topic in vs. 14? In your own words, what is his basic point? 6. Mark tells us that Jesus declares all foods "clean". Is Jesus doing the very thing he rebukes the Pharisees for - "setting aside the commandments of God"? If not, why not? 7. What is Jesus' assessment of humanity? What is our culture's assessment of humanity? What accounts for the discrepancy between the two assessments? 8. What is Jesus trying to get across to the gentile woman in vs. 24-30? Why does her reply meet with such approval from Jesus? 9. What is unique about the healing in vs. 31-37 in comparison to past healings? Why do you think Mark continues to give accounts of Jesus healings? What is his purpose? 10. What further applications can you draw from this passage? What does it tell us about who Jesus is and how we are to respond to him?
Study Questions:
ReplyDelete2. Why do you suppose the Scribes and Pharisees engaged in the rituals detailed
in this passage? What mindset lies behind these activities?
3. How does Jesus answer the Pharisees question? What is Jesus saying about
them in his answer? What example does he use to prove his point?
4. Why is the Pharisees' behavior so odious to God? What do we do that might
be considered the same type of behavior? How do we fall into a Pharisee pattern
of regarding God and religion? Is there a remedy for this?
5. How does Jesus change the topic in vs. 14? In your own words, what is his
basic point?
6. Mark tells us that Jesus declares all foods "clean". Is Jesus doing the very
thing he rebukes the Pharisees for - "setting aside the commandments of God"? If not, why not?
7. What is Jesus' assessment of humanity? What is our culture's assessment of
humanity? What accounts for the discrepancy between the two assessments?
8. What is Jesus trying to get across to the gentile woman in vs. 24-30? Why
does her reply meet with such approval from Jesus?
9. What is unique about the healing in vs. 31-37 in comparison to past healings?
Why do you think Mark continues to give accounts of Jesus healings? What is his
purpose?
10. What further applications can you draw from this passage? What does it tell
us about who Jesus is and how we are to respond to him?