Notes from Life Transforming College International Course No. 202: The Life of Christ

1. The Ministry of
Jesus
Section 6: the early stages of
Jesus’ Galilean Ministry

4. This is the time of Jesus’ greatest popularity.
It is difficult to put chronologically as often (not
always) the synoptics are usually arranged thematically.
Blomberg follows Mark up to the end of his third
chapter and so shall we.

5. What will Jesus do?
JTB has been imprisoned
Mark 1:14,15 is a statement of intent,
a declaration of purpose - again it is
similar to JTB’s
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus
went into Galilee, proclaiming the
good news of God. 15 “The time has
come,” he said.“The kingdom of God
has come near. Repent and believe the
good news!”
What is the Kingdom of God (kog)?
It is not geographical but “a power
more than a place”

6. Matthew does not use kingdom of
God but of heaven (33x in NT but
only in Matthew) - this is to avoid
speaking of something holy in an
overly familiar way - he also quotes
Isa 9:1,2 as another fulfillment of
Jesus.
Luke starts the ministry of Jesus in
Galilee with him preaching in the
synagogue in Nazareth (4:14-30)
and his rejection there.
In a synagogue a distinguished
guest would be given one of the
scrolls with the reading for the day
and asked to expound it.

7. Jesus reads Isa 61:1,2 and
declares it fulfilled in him at
that moment - this is the year
of Jubilee (Lev 25:8-55) when
all debts are forgiven.
Initially people admire his
gracious words but when the
focus includes the Gentiles
(something which would have
produced a stunned response)
they turn against him, trying to
kill him by forcing him off a
cliff. Somehow Jesus
miraculously escapes.

8. Jesus reads Isa 61:1,2 and
declares it fulfilled in him at
that moment - this is the year
of Jubilee (Lev 25:8-55) when
all debts are forgiven.
Initially people admire his
gracious words but when the
focus includes the Gentiles
(something which would have
produced a stunned response)
they turn against him, trying to
kill him by forcing him off a
cliff. Somehow Jesus
miraculously escapes.
“The Spirit of the Lord
is on me, because he
has anointed me to
proclaim good news to
the poor. He has sent
me to proclaim freedom
for the prisoners and
recovery of sight for
the blind, to set the
oppressed free, to
proclaim the year of
the Lord’s favor.”
Luke 4:18,19 NIV

9. Jesus reads Isa 61:1,2 and
declares it fulfilled in him at
that moment - this is the year
of Jubilee (Lev 25:8-55) when
all debts are forgiven.
Initially people admire his
gracious words but when the
focus includes the Gentiles
(something which would have
produced a stunned response)
they turn against him, trying to
kill him by forcing him off a
cliff. Somehow Jesus
miraculously escapes.

10. Jesus reads Isa 61:1,2 and
declares it fulfilled in him at
that moment - this is the year
of Jubilee (Lev 25:8-55) when
all debts are forgiven.
Initially people admire his
gracious words but when the
focus includes the Gentiles
(something which would have
produced a stunned response)
they turn against him, trying to
kill him by forcing him off a
cliff. Somehow Jesus
miraculously escapes.

11. Calling / Gathering Disciples
- the first disciples were called
early in the Galilean ministry
- it was probably not an
instantaneous decision but was
radical on their part as they left
family and occupation (which had
great cultural value and pressure) to
join an itinerant ministry
- Jesus did not ask for applicants
but called people to follow,
something that was the opposite of
the rabbinic custom of the day

12. Calling / Gathering Disciples
- the first disciples were called
early in the Galilean ministry
- it was probably not an
instantaneous decision but was
radical on their part as they left
family and occupation (which had
great cultural value and pressure) to
join an itinerant ministry
- Jesus did not ask for applicants
but called people to follow,
something that was the opposite of
the rabbinic custom of the day
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of
Galilee, he saw Simon and his
brother Andrew casting a net into the
lake, for they were fishermen.
17 ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said,
‘and I will send you out to fish for
people.’ 18 At once they left their
nets and followed him.
19 When he had gone a little farther,
he saw James son of Zebedee and his
brother John in a boat, preparing
their nets.20 Without delay he called
them, and they left their father
Zebedee in the boat with the hired
men and followed him.

13. Calling / Gathering Disciples
- the first disciples were called
early in the Galilean ministry
- it was probably not an
instantaneous decision but was
radical on their part as they left
family and occupation (which had
great cultural value and pressure) to
join an itinerant ministry
- Jesus did not ask for applicants
but called people to follow,
something that was the opposite of
the rabbinic custom of the day

14. Luke sets this call in the context of
the miraculous catch of fish 5:1ff
- Peter feels the weight of his
sinfulness in the presence of Jesus
- explaining to the disciples they
will be fishing for people
Then Jesus said to Simon,‘Don’t
be afraid; from now on you will
fish for people.’So they pulled
their boats up on shore, left
everything and followed him.

15. Exorcisms and healings
Mk 1:21-45 - in fact Mk 1:21-34 has
been described as a typical day in the
life of Jesus the healer
Capernaum is now ‘home’ for Jesus
- various examples of healings and
exorcisms appear
- in each case the authority and
power of Christ is seen as greater
than satan and sickness
- usually a simple word is used
(other healers of his day would
invoke a list of gods, say special
prayers and use special items

16. Exorcisms and healings
Mk 1:21-45 - in fact Mk 1:21-34 has
been described as a typical day in the
life of Jesus the healer
Capernaum is now ‘home’ for Jesus
- various examples of healings and
exorcisms appear
- in each case the authority and
power of Christ is seen as greater
than satan and sickness
- usually a simple word is used
(other healers of his day would
invoke a list of gods, say special
prayers and use special items
21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came,
Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The
people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught
them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the
law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was
possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 24 ‘What do you
want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to
destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!’
25 ‘Be quiet!’ said Jesus sternly. ‘Come out of him!’26 The
impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him
with a shriek.
27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each
other, ‘What is this? A new teaching – and with authority!
He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.’

17. Exorcisms and healings
Mk 1:21-45 - in fact Mk 1:21-34 has
been described as a typical day in the
life of Jesus the healer
Capernaum is now ‘home’ for Jesus
- various examples of healings and
exorcisms appear
- in each case the authority and
power of Christ is seen as greater
than satan and sickness
- usually a simple word is used
(other healers of his day would
invoke a list of gods, say special
prayers and use special items
28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region
of Galilee.
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with
James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.
30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and
they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to
her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and
she began to wait on them.
32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all
who were ill and demon-possessed.33 The whole town
gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had
various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he
would not let the demons speak because they knew who he
was.

18. Exorcisms and healings
Mk 1:21-45 - in fact Mk 1:21-34 has
been described as a typical day in the
life of Jesus the healer
Capernaum is now ‘home’ for Jesus
- various examples of healings and
exorcisms appear
- in each case the authority and
power of Christ is seen as greater
than satan and sickness
- usually a simple word is used
(other healers of his day would
invoke a list of gods, say special
prayers and use special items

19. - the demons appear to recognise
Jesus Mk 1:24
- Jesus rebukes them for this
- in using his name they are
trying to gain authority (this can
be done by knowing and
invoking the name of a spiritual
power - cf. Mk 5:9
- the demons ploy fails!
- it is called a new teaching -
does this mean Jesus explained
to people what was happening?
- Matt 4:23-25 also summarises

20. - the demons appear to recognise
Jesus Mk 1:24
- Jesus rebukes them for this
- in using his name they are
trying to gain authority (this can
be done by knowing and
invoking the name of a spiritual
power - cf. Mk 5:9
- the demons ploy fails!
- it is called a new teaching -
does this mean Jesus explained
to people what was happening?
- Matt 4:23-25 also summarises
Mk 1:40-45
40 A man with leprosy[h]came to him and
begged him on his knees, ‘If you are
willing, you can make me clean.’
41 Jesus was indignant.[i]He reached out
his hand and touched the man. ‘I am
willing,’ he said. ‘Be
clean!’42 Immediately the leprosy left him
and he was cleansed.
43 Jesus sent him away at once with a
strong warning: 44 ‘See that you don’t tell
this to anyone. But go, show yourself to
the priest and offer the sacrifices that
Moses commanded for your cleansing, as
a testimony to them.’ 45 Instead he went
out and began to talk freely, spreading the
news. As a result, Jesus could no longer
enter a town openly but stayed outside in
lonely places. Yet the people still came to
him from everywhere.

21. - the demons appear to recognise
Jesus Mk 1:24
- Jesus rebukes them for this
- in using his name they are
trying to gain authority (this can
be done by knowing and
invoking the name of a spiritual
power - cf. Mk 5:9
- the demons ploy fails!
- it is called a new teaching -
does this mean Jesus explained
to people what was happening?
- Matt 4:23-25 also summarises
Mk 1:40-45
40 A man with leprosy[h]came to him and
begged him on his knees, ‘If you are
willing, you can make me clean.’
41 Jesus was indignant.[i]He reached out
his hand and touched the man. ‘I am
willing,’ he said. ‘Be
clean!’42 Immediately the leprosy left him
and he was cleansed.
43 Jesus sent him away at once with a
strong warning: 44 ‘See that you don’t tell
this to anyone. But go, show yourself to
the priest and offer the sacrifices that
Moses commanded for your cleansing, as
a testimony to them.’ 45 Instead he went
out and began to talk freely, spreading the
news. As a result, Jesus could no longer
enter a town openly but stayed outside in
lonely places. Yet the people still came to
him from everywhere.
As an example of Jesus healing a
person we see here:
- Jesus had divine power
- Jesus had compassion for the
sick (indignation at sickness)
- was willing to be considered
unclean by touching a leper
- miracle proved who Jesus was
- testimony was by act not word

22. Pronouncement stories
Mk 2:1-3:6
- 5 stories called pronouncement (a
formal declaration of opinion: an
authoritative announcement) or
conflict or controversy stories
- each climaxes with an radical
pronouncement that would have
challenged / provoked Jewish
tradition and authorities
- Mk has 5 more at the climax of his
gospel (11:27-12:37)

23. - healing the paralytic is about Jesus’
claiming God’s authority and the
ability to forgive sins 2:5
- calling of Levi / Matthew focusses
on 2:17
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It
is not the healthy who need a doctor,
but those who are ill. I have not come
to call the righteous, but sinners.’
*who are the sinners - possibly those
working with Rome, whom Jesus eats
with and accepts as followers
*who are the righteous - the Jewish
leaders(is that irony)?
* Matthew adds fulfilling Hosea 6:6

24. - mk 2:18-22 is about fasting
* Jesus links himself to God
* the marriage feast was a
messianic symbol and so in
rejecting it he is saying that
Yahweh (the bridegroom) is
here
* fasting will resume one day
*wine and wineskins represent a
joyful new age that has come
and so new ways are required
(not just the old stuff rehashed)

25. - Mk 2:23-3:6 sabbath controversies
* 2 stories challenging traditional
understanding of the Sabbath
*the Mishnah (oral Torah) forbade
reaping and threshing as work on the
Sabbath and the healing was the
healing of someone whose life was
not in danger
* as Lord of the sabbath Jesus could
decide to how to live on it
*the example of David acts as a
precedent for Jesus
*Jesus believed that doing good on
the Sabbath was ok and this required
reinterpretation of the 4th comm.

26. In Matthews account
(12:11,12) the
willingness of the Jews
to rescue a sheep and yet
not heal a man is
declared by Jesus.
In this light it is no
surprise that many
suggest that Mark 3:6 is
a mini-climax in the life
of Jesus:
Then the Pharisees went
out and began to plot
with the Herodians how
they might kill Jesus. Or was it?

27. Calling the 12
Mk 3:17-19, Lk 6:12-16
- the formal call of the 12 who we
know as Christ’s closest followers
- Matt lists the 12 later in chapter
10, although they had been together
for a while 10:1
- 12 is theologically significant esp.
for the 12 tribes at Mosaic covenant
- the following gives the primary
information from the gospels, there
is much additional material in other
non-biblical sources

28. Calling the 12
Mk 3:17-19, Lk 6:12-16
- the formal call of the 12 who we
know as Christ’s closest followers
- Matt lists the 12 later in chapter
10, although they had been together
for a while 10:1
- 12 is theologically significant esp.
for the 12 tribes at Mosaic covenant
- the following gives the primary
information from the gospels, there
is much additional material in other
non-biblical sources
12 One of those days Jesus went out
to a mountainside to pray, and spent
the night praying to God. 13 When
morning came, he called his
disciples to him and chose twelve of
them, whom he also designated
apostles: 14 Simon (whom he
named Peter), his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of
Alphaeus, Simon who was called the
Zealot,16 Judas son of James, and
Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

29. Calling the 12
Mk 3:17-19, Lk 6:12-16
- the formal call of the 12 who we
know as Christ’s closest followers
- Matt lists the 12 later in chapter
10, although they had been together
for a while 10:1
- 12 is theologically significant esp.
for the 12 tribes at Mosaic covenant
- the following gives the primary
information from the gospels, there
is much additional material in other
non-biblical sources

30. The healing of the centurion’s
servant
Matt 8: 5-13, Luk 7:1-10, Jn 4:43-54??
- not found in Mark but in keeping
with others we have mentioned in this
stage of Galilean ministry
- healing takes place over a distance
and is an extension of Jesus’ ministry
- in Matt the man comes to Jesus, in Lk
he send representatives - we can
explain this as a man ‘spoke’ through
his representatives
- // with another Gentile, Cornelius

31. - Matt includes this in a section involving 3 people socially
ostracized by Jews: a leper, the centurion, a woman 8:1-15
- additionally he quotes Isa 53:4 as being fulfilled
- John includes a story of an officials son who is healed at
a distance, some say it is a variant of this story
We do not know if they are the same event - it is wise to
remember that we do not have an exhaustive record of all
Jesus healings or action.

32. Jesus’ family, critics and followers
Mark 3:20-35
- Blomberg suggests this is a
sandwich of events ABA leading the
reader to think closely at how B is
related to the two A’s
- reactions of Jesus’ family and
friends 3:20-21, 30-35, sandwich the
reaction of the Jewish leaders
3:22-30
- Jesus’ biological family do not
understand him, he is out of his mind
- The Jews do not, he has an evil
spirit
And Jesus Wept statue that
stands next to the Oklahoma
City National Memorial

33. - the disciples are his true family,
Whoever does God’s will is my
brother and sister and mother.
- the culture of the day valued
highly family commitments and
such language was radical
- do we pervert our loyalty to
God in such cultural practices
today?
- the claim of Jesus having an
evil spirit continued in later
centuries, the Talmud states,
“Jesus the Nazarene practiced
magic and led Israel astray”

34. - Jesus’ status as miracle worker was
not denied
- Jesus declared their words were self
contradictory “Satan fighting Satan”
- and self condemning asa they
believed other Jewish exorcists had
God-given powers
- were they now in danger of
committing blasphemy against the
holy Spirit? Mk 3:28-29
people can be forgiven all their sins
and every slander they utter, 29 but
whoever blasphemes against the
Holy Spirit will never be forgiven;
they are guilty of an eternal sin.’

35. Matt and Luke include further teaching
in Matt 12/Lk 11
- casting out demons not by Beelzebub
but by God’s Spirit is a sign of kog has
come with Christ (realised eschatology)
- Jewish leaders are looking for signs
with no possible misinterpretation, such
will not come, Matt 12:38-42, Lk
11:29-32
- the death and resurrection of christ
(like the sign of Jonah) should be
enough to produce faith
- it is not enough to cast out evil, it must
be replaced with good

36. The sermon on the mount
Early in Jesus’s Galilean ministry
he went up a hillside and called
those he wanted to him Mk 3:13ff,
Lk 6:12ff
- a larger crowd gathered around
for Jesus’ most famous sermon
- It contains the essential parts of
all of Jesus’ teachings and is said to
be a reinterpretation of the Torah or
the promotion of a new Law
- in it Jesus emphasised the internal
nature of living to please God

37. - Matt 5-7, Lk 6:20ff though Luke has Jesus on a level
place and is sometimes called the sermon on the plain
- beatitudes, love (inc. for enemies), responding correctly
to Jesus, wise and foolish builders