Questions for going deeper with the Scriptures for today, November 20th
Today’s passage of Mark contains the first major teaching passage included in the gospel. Several times Mark has emphasized Jesus’ teaching prowess and the way in which his teaching has an authority that many have never yet witnessed (examples include Mark 1:21-22; 1:39, 2:1-3). Jesus tells a parable in response to the concluding verse (35) of chapter 3. “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” So how do we know what’s God will is?
structure of the text – what’s in a parable?
The first teaching narrative is a parable. It’s a Greek word that has taken on a new meaning because of the gospel and is used in most modern languages. So what is a parable?
