Lesson 37: Mark 6
Introduction
Jesus was rejected in His hometown
of Nazareth. He sent forth the Twelve Apostles to preach the gospel. John the
Baptist was killed by order of Herod Antipas. Jesus miraculously fed a
multitude of more than five thousand people, walked on water, calmed a storm, and
healed the sick.
I.
Mark 6:1–29
Jesus is rejected in Nazareth and sends forth the Twelve; John the
Baptist’s death is recounted
---Think about the last time you
felt pressure to do something that you knew was not right.
---Write the following statement on
the board (this statement is found in “Making the Right Choices,” Ensign, Nov.
1994, 37):
“Individuals who do wrong want you
to join them because they feel more comfortable in what they are doing when
others do it also” (Richard G. Scott).
- What are some examples of how others may try to pressure you to do something that you know is wrong?
---Look for a truth as we study Mark 6 that can help you avoid giving in to
negative peer pressure.
---In Mark 6:1–16 Jesus preached in His hometown of
Nazareth. However, because of the people’s unbelief He did not perform many
miracles among them. While there, Jesus sent the Twelve Apostles out two by two
to preach the gospel. While preaching the gospel, they also cast out devils and
healed the sick. When Herod heard about the many miracles that Jesus performed,
he feared that John the Baptist had risen from the dead and was performing
these miracles.
---Mark 6:17–29 provides an account of what had
happened to John the Baptist.
- According to these verses, what had Herod done to John and why?
---The Herod mentioned in these
verses is Herod Antipas, who governed the regions of Galilee and Perea
following the death of his father, Herod the Great. Herod Antipas had divorced
his wife and married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. This act was a
blatant violation of Jewish law (see Leviticus 18:16), and John the Baptist had
vocally condemned it. John’s opposition to this marriage angered Herodias, so
Herod imprisoned John to appease her.
- What did Herodias want to do with John the Baptist?
- Why couldn’t she have him killed? (Because Herod feared John and knew him to be a man of God; see also Joseph Smith Translation, Mark 6:21 [in Mark 6:20, footnote b] for more about how Herod felt about John the Baptist.)
- According to verse 26, how did Herod feel about killing John the Baptist?
- Why did Herod have John beheaded if he knew it was wrong and did not want to do it? (You may want to suggest that students mark the phrase “for their sakes which sat with him,” which indicates Herod was concerned about the opinion of those who sat with him.)
- What principle can we learn from Herod’s choices about what happens when we try to please others instead of doing what is right? (Students may use different words, but make sure they identify the following principle: Seeking to please others instead of doing what we know is right can lead to wrong choices, sorrow, and regret.)
---To help students further
understand this truth, put them in groups of two to four and ask them to come
up with several examples of situations in which youth must choose between
seeking to please others and doing what they know is right. After sufficient
time, invite each group to report. As they do, write some of their examples on
the board.
- In what ways have you seen that giving in to pressures like these examples brings sorrow and regret?
- When have you seen someone choose to do what was right instead of seeking to please others?
- What can help us choose to do what we know is right instead of seeking to please others?
---Ponder your upcoming week and
identify possible situations in which you may need to choose between pleasing
others and doing what is right.
---Encourage them to plan how they
will respond to this pressure should they experience it.
II.
Mark 6:30–44 Jesus miraculously feeds more than five
thousand people
---Invite students to consider the
following situation:
A newly
called missionary is very nervous to depart on his or her mission. This person
is not a good speaker and struggles in social settings.
- What would you tell this young missionary?
---Look for a principle as we study Mark 6:30–44 that could help this young
missionary and all of us when we feel inadequate to do what the Lord has asked
of us.
---In Mark 6:30–33 the Twelve Apostles returned from preaching
the gospel and reported to Jesus what they had done and taught. Jesus and the
Twelve Apostles boarded a ship to travel to a place where they could be alone
and rest. However, people from several nearby towns went to where Jesus would
land and were awaiting Him when He arrived.
- What do you think the phrase “they were as sheep not having a shepherd” means?
---After teaching the multitude all
day, the Savior performed a great miracle.
---To help students understand this
miracle, group them in pairs and give each pair a copy of the following
handout. Invite each pair to read together Mark 6:35–44 and Matthew 14:18 and then number the events on the
handout in chronological order.
Instead of having students read this account in the
scriptures, you could show the video “The Feeding of the 5,000” (2:52) from The Life
of Jesus Christ Bible
Videos and ask students to number the events on the handout in chronological
order based on what they see in the video. This video is available on LDS.org.
The
Feeding of the 5000
- The Savior multiplied what the disciples brought, meeting and surpassing what was needed.
- The disciples said they had five loaves and two fishes.
- The disciples proposed sending the people away to buy food.
- The Savior asked what the disciples could provide.
- The Savior told the disciples to give the people food.
- The multitude had nothing to eat.
- The Savior asked the disciples to give Him what they had.
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---After students have had
sufficient time to complete this activity, review the answers as a class. (The
correct sequence of answers is 7, 5, 2, 4, 3, 1, 6.)
- How many people were fed? (Explain that the Greek text of Mark 6:44 makes clear that the phrase “five thousand men” meant five thousand adult males. Thus, the number fed was likely greater, considering that women and children were also present [see also Matthew 14:21].)
---Before performing this miracle,
the Savior first asked His disciples to offer the five loaves and two
fishes—which was all that they had—to Him.
- What principle can we learn from this miracle about what the Savior can do when we offer Him all that we have? (Students should identify a principle similar to the following: When we offer the Savior all that we have, He can magnify our offering to accomplish His purposes. Write this principle on the board.)
---To help students understand this
principle, remind them of the situation of the nervous, newly called missionary
mentioned earlier.
- Despite the weaknesses of this young man or woman, what might the Savior ask this missionary to bring to Him? (The Savior invites all who seek to accomplish His purposes to give Him all of their desires, abilities, talents, skills, strengths, gifts, and efforts [see Omni 1:26; 2 Nephi 25:29].)
- What would be the result if this missionary gave all he or she had to the Savior?
- What are some other situations a young member of the Church might face where knowing this principle would be helpful?
---Ponder and write in your class
notebooks how the Lord has magnified your efforts to enable you to do what He
has asked of them. Consider inviting a few students to share with the class
what they wrote, if they feel comfortable doing so.
---Share your testimony that when we
offer the Savior all that we have, He can magnify our offering to accomplish
His purposes. Encourage students to apply this principle in their lives.
III.
Mark 6:45–56
Jesus walks on water and heals the sick
---Mark 6:45–56 says that after Jesus fed the five
thousand, He instructed His disciples to enter a ship and sail to the other
side of the Sea of Galilee. He then sent the multitudes away. During the night
a storm arose, and the Savior watched from a mountain as His disciples
struggled but made no progress in their journey. He then walked on the water to
them, the storm calmed, and they arrived safely on the other side of the Sea of
Galilee.
- In this case, how did the Lord’s power enable the disciples to accomplish what He had instructed them to do?
---Consider concluding the lesson by
inviting students who are willing to share their feelings or testimonies of the
truths discussed today.
Commentary
and Background Information
Mark
6:26. “For their sakes which sat with him”
Elder Richard G. Scott of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles provided some ideas that can help youth resist
negative peer pressure:
“You can’t please God without
upsetting Satan, so you will get pressure from those he tempts to do wrong.
Individuals who do wrong want you to join them because they feel more
comfortable in what they are doing when others do it also. They may also want
to take advantage of you. It is natural to want to be accepted by peers, to be
part of a group—some even join gangs because of that desire to belong, but they
lose their freedom, and some lose their lives. One of the hardest things for
you to recognize is how truly strong you already are and how others silently
respect you. We have great confidence in you. You don’t need to compromise your
standards to be accepted by good friends. The more obedient you are, the more
you stand for true principles, the more the Lord can help you overcome
temptation. You can also help others because they will feel your strength. Let
them know about your standards by consistently living them. Answer questions
about your principles when you are asked, but avoid being preachy. I know from
personal experience that works.
“No one intends to make serious
mistakes. They come when you compromise your standards to be more accepted by
others. You be the strong one. You be the leader. Choose good friends and
resist peer pressure together” (“Making the Right Choices,” Ensign, Nov.
1994, 37).
Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the
Seventy taught the following about peer pressure:
“Trying to please others before
pleasing God is inverting the first and second great commandments (see Matthew 22:37–39). It is forgetting which way we
face. And yet, we have all made that mistake because of the fear of men. In
Isaiah the Lord warns us, ‘Fear ye not the reproach of men’ (Isaiah 51:7; see also 2 Nephi 8:7). In Lehi’s dream, this fear was
triggered by the finger of scorn pointed from the great and spacious building,
causing many to forget which way they faced and to leave the tree ‘ashamed’
(see 1 Nephi 8:25–28).
“This peer pressure tries to change
a person’s attitudes, if not behavior, by making one feel guilty for giving
offense. We seek respectful coexistence with those who point fingers, but when
this fear of men tempts us to condone sin, it becomes a ‘snare’ according to
the book of Proverbs (see Proverbs 29:25). The snare may be cleverly baited
to appeal to our compassionate side to tolerate or even approve of something
that has been condemned by God. For the weak of faith, it can be a major
stumbling block. For example, some young missionaries carry this fear of men
into the mission field and fail to report the flagrant disobedience of a
companion to their mission president because they don’t want to offend their
wayward companion. Decisions of character are made by remembering the right
order of the first and second great commandments (see Matthew 22:37–39). When these confused
missionaries realize they are accountable to God and not to their companion, it
should give them courage to do an about-face” (“Which Way Do You Face?” Ensign or Liahona, Nov.
2014, 9).
Mark
6:35–44. The feeding of the five thousand
President James E. Faust of the
First Presidency taught that the Savior’s power to multiply the loaves and
fishes shows that He will magnify our faithful efforts to serve in His Church,
even if we feel that our efforts are equal to only a few loaves and fishes:
“Many nameless people with gifts
equal only to five loaves and two small fishes magnify their callings [in the
Church] and serve without attention or recognition, feeding literally
thousands. … These are the hundreds of thousands of leaders and teachers in all
of the auxiliaries and priesthood quorums, the home teachers, the Relief
Society visiting teachers. These are the many humble bishops in the Church,
some without formal training, but greatly magnified, always learning, with a
humble desire to serve the Lord and the people of their wards. …
“A major reason this church has
grown from its humble beginnings to its current strength is the faithfulness
and devotion of millions of humble and devoted people who have only five loaves
and two small fishes to offer in the service of the Master” (“Five Loaves and Two Fishes,” Ensign, May 1994,
5, 6).
Supplemental
Teaching Ideas
Consider showing the video “Leave the Party” (6:26) to help illustrate the
principle that seeking to please others instead of doing what we know is right
can lead to wrong choices, sorrow, and regret. As students watch the video,
invite them to look for what it cost the young man who sought to please others
instead of doing what he knew was right. This video is available on LDS.org.
Mark
6:35–44. The feeding of the five thousand
The following teaching idea could be
used to help students further understand the principle that when we offer the
Savior all that we have, He can magnify our offering to accomplish His
purposes.
Explain that the word grace is often
used to describe the Savior’s enabling power—His ability to take our efforts
and make them sufficient to accomplish His purposes (see Guide to the
Scriptures, “Grace,” scriptures.lds.org). Elder
Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “Don’t
worry about Christ running out of ability to help you. His grace is sufficient.
That is the spiritual, eternal lesson of the feeding of the 5,000” (Trusting
Jesus [2003], 73).
- How has the Savior’s grace helped you do or accomplish something that you would not have been able to do on your own?
- What more can you do to work toward giving your all to the Savior?
© 2016 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Right margin
extras:
Writing
on the board
By using the board effectively
during the lesson, you can prepare students to learn and invite meaningful
participation, especially from those who tend to learn visually. On the board,
you can outline the major points or principles of the lesson, diagram a
doctrine, draw maps, develop flow charts, display or draw pictures of things
found in the scriptures, or do many other activities that will enhance
learning.
Lesson 38: Mark 7–8
Introduction
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for
their false traditions. He then compassionately healed a child possessed by a
devil, as well as a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. He fed four
thousand people near the Sea of Galilee and traveled to Bethsaida, where He
healed a blind man in stages.
I.
Mark 7 Jesus
reproves the Pharisees, heals a child possessed by a devil, and heals a deaf
man
---Before class, give three students
the following instructions. Student 1: “When directed to do so, walk
around the class without a coat and pretend to be shivering.” Student 2:
“When directed to do so, go around the room and ask if anyone has seen your family’s lost pet.”
Student 3: “When directed to do so, unzip your backpack so that items
might fall out when you walk.” (You could adapt this activity by using other
situations that show students in need, but be careful not to use too much
time.)
---When class begins, direct the
students to complete these instructions one at a time. Ask the class to look
for what these three situations have in common.
- What do these situations have in common? (Each of these situations represents someone who is in need.)
- How often do we have opportunities to help others in need? What are some opportunities you have seen lately?
--As we study Mark 7–8 look for what the Savior teaches us to do when
we notice someone in need.
--- In Mark 7:1–30 the Savior rebuked the Pharisees for following
incorrect traditions. He also healed a Greek woman’s daughter, who was
possessed by a devil. Remind students that at this time, the Savior’s mission
was to the house of Israel, not the Gentiles, yet He compassionately helped
this Gentile woman who importuned Him.
---Locate the cities of Tyre and
Sidon and the Sea of Galilee on Bible
Maps, no. 11, “The Holy Land in New Testament Times.” After the
Savior left Tyre and Sidon, He traveled to the east side of the Sea of Galilee,
to the region of Decapolis.
---Divide students into pairs.
Invite them to read Mark 7:31–37
aloud together, looking for how the Savior showed compassion to a man in
Decapolis. After sufficient time, ask students to discuss the following
questions with their partners:
- What conditions did this man seek to be healed of?
- What did the Savior do before He healed the man?
---To help students understand the
Savior’s actions, invite a student to read aloud the following statement by
Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“The Lord is dealing with a believing soul who cannot hear
his words or give fluent answer to them. And so what is more natural than to
make use of common signs, known to and understood by the deaf and speech
inhibited man, to indicate what the Master could and would do … ?” (Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 1:373).
- What can the Savior’s actions in this situation teach us about His character?
---Despite the Savior’s warning to
those He healed to not publish His miracles, people in the Decapolis region
still heard about the wonderful things the Savior had done, and great
multitudes gathered to Him (see Mark 7:36–37).
II.
Mark 8:1–21
Jesus feeds more than four thousand people
---Respond to the following question
in your class notebooks:
- When has someone noticed that you needed help and did something to help you?
---Later in the lesson those who
would like to share your experiences will have an opportunity to do so.
---Read Mark 8:1–3
and look for the problem that arose because of the multitude that followed
Jesus.
- What problem arose for the multitude? Who perceived the multitude’s need?
- What did the Savior worry might happen if the people tried to return to their homes without eating first?
- According to verse 2, how did the Savior feel toward the multitude? (You may want to suggest that students mark the phrase “I have compassion on the multitude,” which indicates the Savior felt sympathy and concern for the people.)
- What did the Savior do for the multitude?
- How many people were fed?
- What can we learn from the Savior’s example in this account? (Help students identify the following principle: We can follow the Savior’s example by perceiving the needs of others and then helping to fulfill those needs. Write this principle on the board.)
---To help students understand this
principle, explain that Sister Linda K. Burton, Relief Society general
president, taught that in order to follow the Savior’s example in serving God’s
children, we need to “first observe, then serve” (“First Observe, Then Serve,” Ensign or Liahona,
Nov. 2012, 78). Write this phrase on the board under the principle.
- How can we learn to be more observant of others’ needs? (Consider pointing out that some needs may not be immediately apparent. However, we can pray and ask for help in noticing the needs of others and focus our thoughts on others rather than ourselves.)
- What can get in the way of our ability to notice others’ needs and help fulfill them?
---Who would
like to share the experiences you wrote down about a time when someone noticed you
were in need and provided help?
---Read aloud the following
statement by President Thomas S. Monson:
“How many times has your heart been touched as you have
witnessed the need of another? How often have you intended to be the one to
help? And yet how often has day-to-day living interfered and you’ve left it for
others to help, feeling that ‘oh, surely someone will take care of that need.’
“We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were
we to step back, however, and take a good look at what we’re doing, we may find
that we have immersed ourselves in the ‘thick of thin things.’ In other words,
too often we spend most of our time taking care of the things which do not
really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things, neglecting those more
important causes” (“What Have I Done for Someone Today?” Ensign or Liahona,
Nov. 2009, 85).
---Picture in your minds the events
of a typical day for you. Think about people you encounter who may need your
help, such as parents, siblings, and peers. Commit to follow the Savior’s
example by offering help when you recognize someone in need.
---Mark 8:10–21 states that after miraculously
feeding the 4,000, Jesus and His disciples sailed to a place called Dalmanutha.
There the Pharisees asked Him to show them a sign. Jesus refused and taught His
disciples to beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees, which doctrine resulted
in spiritual blindness.
III.
Mark 8:22–26
Jesus gradually heals a blind man
---Jesus and His disciples left the
area of Decapolis and came to a place called Bethsaida. When they arrived
there, a blind man was brought to the Savior to be healed.
- What happened after the first time the Savior put His hands on the blind man? (You may need to explain that the phrase, “I see men as trees, walking” [verse 24] indicates that the blind man could see, but not clearly.)
- What happened after the Savior put His hands on the man the second time?
---Provide students with copies of
the following statement by Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles, and invite a student to read it aloud. Encourage students to follow
along, looking for reasons why Jesus may have healed the man gradually, or in
stages.
“This miracle is unique; it is the only recorded instance in
which Jesus healed a person by stages. It may be that our Lord followed this
course to strengthen the weak but growing faith of the blind man. It would
appear that the successive instances of physical contact with Jesus had the
effect of adding hope, assurance, and faith to the sightless one. Jesus
personally (1) led the blind man by the hand out of the town,
(2) applied his own saliva to the eyes of the sightless one,
(3) performed the ordinance of laying on of hands, and (4) put his
hands a second time upon the man’s eyes.
“Certainly the manner in which this healing took place
teaches that men should seek the Lord’s healing grace with all their strength
and faith, though such is sufficient for a partial cure only, following the
receipt of which, however, they may then gain the added assurance and faith to
be made whole and well every whit. Men also are often healed of their spiritual
maladies by degrees, step by step as they get their lives in harmony with the
plans and purposes of Deity”
(Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, 1:379–80).
- How might being healed gradually increase someone’s faith in Jesus Christ?
- Why is it important to understand that some blessings, such as gaining a testimony of the gospel or receiving physical or spiritual healing, often come gradually or in stages, rather than immediately or all at once?
IV.
Mark 8:27–38
Peter testifies that Jesus is the Christ
---Recall how Peter responded to
this question, as recorded in Matthew 16:16 (this verse is part of a scripture
mastery passage). [If they cannot remember, invite a student to read Mark 8:29 aloud (this verse includes Peter’s
response).]
---In Mark 8:30–38 the Savior told His disciples to not
yet make public His identity as the Christ, or Messiah. He also began teaching
them about His impending suffering and death.
---Conclude the lesson by inviting
students to testify of the truths they learned from the scriptures they studied
during the lesson.
Commentary
and Background Information
Mark
7:11. What is “Corban”?
Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the meaning of “Corban” and why the
Savior condemned the way the Pharisees and scribes used this practice:
“This is the picture Jesus is
painting: Parents, perhaps aged and decrepit, are hungry, naked, and homeless.
… But they have children—children who are prosperous and well to do. … Surely
there is enough for all and to spare. But no, the children say: ‘It is corban.’
That is: ‘We have vowed it to sacred purposes. You, our parents, may go cold
and hungry and homeless; our property is not available to help you. We have a
great zeal toward the Lord, and our property is vowed to him; and we cannot
break our vows.’
“Or: ‘It is corban; I have vowed
that my property shall be as if it were dedicated to sacred purposes, and
though I may continue to use it all my life, you shall have none of it because
of my vow.’
“‘… It is more important that I
keep my vow than that I fulfill my obligation to support my parents. The oral
traditions of the elders take precedence over the divine law written by Moses.’
“It seems difficult to believe that
religion could sink to such depths, and that a people who professed to serve
the Jehovah of their fathers could so easily clear their consciences and feel
themselves free from keeping his law. Already Jesus has called them hypocrites
and said their worship is in vain” (The Mortal Messiah, 4 vols. [1979–81],
2:407–8).
Mark
8:1–9. “I have compassion on the multitude”
President Thomas S. Monson
taught about acting to assist others:
“The needs of others are ever
present, and each of us can do something to help someone. …
“My brothers and sisters, we are
surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support,
our comfort, our kindness—be they family
members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here
upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is
dependent upon each of us” (“What Have I Done for Someone Today?” Ensign or Liahona,
Nov. 2009, 85, 86).
Supplemental
Teaching Ideas
Mark
8:1–9. Perceiving and helping to fulfill others’ needs
To help students understand the
principle that we can follow the Savior’s example by perceiving the needs of
others and then helping to fulfill those needs, invite a student to read aloud
the following statement by Sister Linda K. Burton, Relief Society general
president. Ask students to listen for how the young woman in this story applied
this principle:
“An inspired young woman named
Alexandria noticed that her cousin Madison was unable to complete her own
Personal Progress requirements because she suffered from severe autism.
Alexandria rallied the young women in her ward, counseled with her leaders, and
determined to do something for Maddy that she could not do herself. Each of the
young women completed a portion of the Personal Progress activities and projects
vicariously to enable Maddy to receive her own medallion” (“First Observe, Then Serve,” Ensign or Liahona,
Nov. 2012, 79).
- How did Alexandria follow the example of the Savior?
- Why do you think Alexandria was able to recognize an opportunity to help someone in need?
Instead of inviting a student to read the story about
Alexandria and Maddy, you could show the video “For Madison” (4:08), which is available on LDS.org.
Mark
8:22–26. Blessings from the Savior can come to us gradually or in stages
After students discuss what happened
after the Savior put His hands on the blind man the second time, ask:
- From the example of how the Savior healed the blind man, what can we learn about how blessings sometimes come to us? (Students may identify a variety of truths, but make sure it is clear that blessings from the Savior can come to us gradually or in stages. Write this principle on the board.)
- What might be some benefits of receiving some blessings gradually or in stages, rather than immediately or all at once?
To help students understand one way
this truth can relate to them, invite them to imagine that a friend who is a
member of the Church confides to them that he is not certain that the Church is
true. He believes he has a testimony of some aspects of the gospel, but he is
unsure about others. Divide students into pairs, and ask them to discuss with
their partners how they would respond to this friend. Encourage them to
consider how they might use the account in Mark 8:22–26 and the principle on the board to
help this friend.
After sufficient time, invite the
partnerships to report what they discussed to the class. Then ask:
- Why do you think receiving the Savior’s blessings gradually can increase someone’s faith in Jesus Christ?
- Why is it important to understand that some blessings, such as gaining a testimony of the gospel or receiving physical or spiritual healing, often come gradually or in stages, rather than immediately or all at once?
- How have you seen this truth work in your own life?
© 2016 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Right margin
extras:
Sharing
thoughts, feelings, and experiences
Sharing insights and relevant
experiences can help clarify students’ understanding of doctrines and
principles. As students share their experiences, the Holy Ghost often leads
them to a deeper understanding and testimony of the very thoughts they are
expressing. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, the thoughts, feelings, and
experiences students share can also have a significant impact on the hearts and
minds of their peers.
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