Mark 1:7   Has the unique nature of the message of John the Baptist ever struck you? If not, you have not understood the nature of gospel preaching. As John, gospel preachers even today are still holding high the Name of Christ and pointing to Him as the Savior and Lord. This is not a common…

Mark 1:6   John was very similar to an earlier prophet, Elijah the Tishbite. As we see in 2 Kings 1:8, Elijah was a person that was easily recognized and remembered. John was intended to be the same way. He was a person who was meant to stick in one’s mind. It was part of his…

Mark 1:5   The confession of sin was an activity for which John was a stickler. This was his whole purpose and mission. He had come to turn the hearts of men back from their evil ways, lest the Lord Jesus judge the world then and there (see Malachi 4:6). The success of John’s ministry is…

Mark 1:4   Baptism is always an outward sign of an inward reality. This is very important to understand. If the baptizing, the actual act of dunking persons in the water, was what forgave sins, we would have different words here. The verse would say that John preached baptism that forgives. But, that isn’t at all…

Mark 1:3   This is Isaiah 40:3. Though Mark seems to be written more with a Gentile audience in mind, using the prophets is impossible to avoid. They are the proof of the truth of the gospels. They verify everything. The close connection between the Old and New Testaments must not be ignored. Those who fail…

Mark 1:2   This is a reference back to Old Testament prophecies such as the one found in Malachi 3:1. And, this is a case where the Father is speaking to the Son. The Father sent John to prepare the Son’s way. Bible Reading: Lamentations 4:1-Ezekiel 2:10 Scripture Memory: James 4:13 “Go to now, ye that say, To…

Mark 1:1   Mark is not saying that this is the beginning of the story of Christ. As the other gospel writers, he was aware of the early life of Jesus. However, the ministry of John is intended to be the introduction to the ministry of the Christ. Thus, it is not improper to start here.…

   I have enjoyed very much this study of Matthew, but realized today that I have made it all the way through the book, and then some. I originally started with Matthew 25:31 because I decided to study on a passage that my Sunday School class was looking at then. I have just today remembered…

Matthew 26:6   Bethany was Jesus’ home away from home when he wanted to stay close to Jerusalem. It is where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived. These three we know were good friends of the Lord, and it seems Simon may have been as well. For this reason, Bethany is a special place in the life…

Matthew 26:5   Their ultimate fear was Rome. Though they wanted no disturbances, this was not out of concern for their countrymen, but for fear of action by the Roman authorities. Thus, everything they did here was in order to avoid the Romans taking something away from them. These were men of little convictions. Everything in…