Mark 16

1 - 8 The Resurrection of Jesus - The Empty Tomb

After the Sabbath passes Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of James come to anoint Jesus' body with spices. When they arrive, the stone at the tomb is rolled back and a young man in a white robe says "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you."

9 - 18 Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene - to Two Disciples - to the Eleven

19 - 20 Jesus Ascends to Heaven and the Apostles Go Forth

"And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen."

Mark 15

1 - 15 Jesus before Pilate

When Pilate asks Jesus if He's the King of the Jews, Jesus says, "You have said so" (but he doesn't deny it. Pilate offers to release a prisoner, "but the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead."

16 - 20 The Crowning of Thorns

The soldiers lead him away and mock him.

21 - 41 The Crucifiction and Death of Jesus

Simon of Cyrene carrys his cross. Mark specifies that Jesus was nailed to the cross at "the third hour" (between nine o'clock and noon). At the ninth hour, Jesus says, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" When Jesus dies, the centurion says, "Truly this man was the Son of God.

42 - 47 The Burial of Jesus

Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw Jesus buried.

Mark 14

1 - 11 The Conspiracy against Jesus - Anointing at Bethany - Treachery of Judas

Two days before Passover, the Chief Priests and scribes wish to arrest Jesus and kill him (but not during the feast, lest there be a tumult of the people).

At Bethany in the house of Simon the leper a woman anoints Jesus with scented water. Some believe it wasted and it sold for money for the poor. Jesus tells the apostles will always have the poor, but not Jesus.

Judas slips out agrees to sell Jesus out to the priests for money.

12 - 21 Preparations for the Last Supper

Jesus finds a place for the Last Supper and that evening, when they are gathered, he announces that One of them will betray him.

22 - 31 The Last Supper

Christ offers himself as a sacrifice. My notes: (Jesus' words) show that the sacrifices of the Old Covenant were in fact a preparation for and anticipation of Christ's sacrifice. . . A cleare explanation of the sacrificial nature of the Last Supper are find in Hebrews 8 & 9. See also John Ch. 6. After supper, Jesus foretells how the disciples desert him.

32 - 52 Jesus' Prayer - the Agony in the Garden - the Arrest

In Gethsemane, Jesus prays to the Father "all things are possible with thee; yet not not what I will, but what thou wilt." Judas fingers him while the apostles sleep. (51 - 2 is interesting - found only in Mark: A young man follows with only a linen cloth. They seize him, but he runs away naked. My notes say this might be an allusion to Mark himself!)

53 - 65 Jesus before the Chief Priests

The priests try to corner Jesus into blasphemy. He admits to being the Son of Man (an allusion to Daniel 7:13 - 14). That's enough for the priests who condemn him to death.

66 - 72 Peter's Denial

Peter denies Jesus as predicts. "And he broke down and wept."

Mark 13

1 - 2 Announcement of the Destruction of the Temple

One of the disciples looks at wonder at the beauty of the stones and buildings in Jerusalem. Jesus states that there will not be one stone left upon another at will not be thrown down. (The Temple was destroyed by Titus in A.D. 70).

3 - 13 The Beginning of the Tribulation. Persecution on Account of the Gospel

Peter, James, John, and Andrew ask Jesus privately when the Tribulation will begin. Jesus warns of people who will come in his name to say the end is coming, of wars, and and natural disasters. There will be persecution. And the gospel must be preached to all nations.

14 - 23 The Great Tribulation

Jesus warns the four about the "desolating sacralige" (My notes: from Daniel 9:27 - normally used to designate any idolatrous and sacrilegous person, thing or act outrageious to the religious faith of the Jewish people)

24 - 27 The Coming of the Son of Man

28 - 31 The End Will Surely Come: the Lesson of the Fig Tree

32 - 37 The Time of Christ's Coming

Mark 12

1 - 12 Parable of the Wicked Tenants

My notes say this is a summary of the history of salvation.

13 - 17 Tribute to Caesar

My notes say this teaches that man belongs totally to his creator.

18 - 27 The Resurrection of the Dead

A scribe of the Sadducees asks whose wife a woman will be at the resurrection if she remarries. Jesus states that when they rise, they will neither marry nor remarry, but be like the angels.

28 - 34 The Greatest Commandment of All

A scribe asks which commandment is greatest of all. The first is "The Lord our God, the Lord is One, and you shall ove the Lord with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." The second is, "Love your neighbor as yourself. "

35 - 40 The Divinity of the Messiah and Jesus Censures the Scribes

Jesus bears witness to the fact that the Scripture is divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit. He says beware of scribes who go about in long robes and devour widows' houses.

41 - 44 The Widow's Mite

When a poor widow put in two coins, Jesus says that "this poor widow has put in far more than those who are contributing to the treasury." My notes say: "Give him what you can: the merit is not in whether it is big or small, but in the intention with which you give it." (Josemaria Escriva)

Mark 11

Part Three: Jesus’ Ministry in Jerusalem

1 – 11 The Messiah Enters the Holy City

As the disciples approach Jerusalem, Jesus sends two ahead to retrieve a colt on which no one has sat. They returned with it, threw their garments on it and Jesus mounted it. They spread their clothes and many spread leafy branches, crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!"

12 - 26 The Barren Fig Tree and the Expulsion of the Money Changers

The next day Jesus was hungry. He went to a fig tree, but it was barren. Then he cursed it, saying, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." My notes: "Jesus had come among his own people, the Jews, hungry to find fruit of holiness and good works, but all he found were external practices - leaves without fruit." At the temple in Jerusalem, Jesus overturns the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. Later they pass the fig tree, and it is withered.

The Power of Prayer: "Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

My notes say that verse 26 was added later (from Matthew 6:15: "but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses."

27 – 33 Jesus’ Authority

The chief priest ask Jesus under what authority he does theses things. Jesus responds with a question: "Was the baptism of John from heaven or men?" The priests try to figure out how Jesus is trying to trick them and finally settle on "We do not know." Jesus responds, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Mark 10

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