Mark: The Divine
Standard of Service
– Ministry by G. A. Rainbow

The introductory synopsis and the general tenor of the notes are largely the result of fresh inquiry in two series of readings, many years apart.

• Particular attention is directed to the synopsis which outlines, what I believe is, a divine design of the gospel – developed in detail in the notes.

• It is hoped that the brethren will find suggestive lines of thought deserving of further exploration.

The title was suggested by that of the landmark series of readings with J.T. on 2 Corinthians –

The Beginning – 1: 1-15

The Prophet and the Prophecy – 1: 1-3

Preparation, Presentation and Power – 1: 4-8

Commitment, Complacency and Commission – 1: 9-11

Temptation, Testing and Triumph – 1: 12-13

Patience, Prison and Proclamation – 1: 14-15

The Calling – Circumstances Changed – 1: 16-34

The Bondage of Business Broken – 1: 16-20

Release from the Rule of Religion – 1: 21-28

Feverish Family Frustrations Forgotten – 1: 29-31

The Result – Widespread Blessing – 1: 32-34

Prayer In Privacy Precedes Preaching – 1: 35-39

Disqualifications And Disabilities Removed – 1: 40-2: 17

Defilement – Hindering Approach to God –

Cleansed – 1: 40-45

Inability to Function – Hindering Service to Man –

Cured – 2: 1-12

The Social Outcast Fully Rehabilitated

and Accepted into Service – 2: 13-14

The New Society of Saved Sinners –

Sovereign Selection of the Sphere

and Subjects of Service – 2: 15-17

New Principles Of Service

Suitable To The New Society – 2: 18-3: 6

New Power Demands New Vessels –

Old Outward Asceticism Obsolete – 2: 18-22

New Freedom – The Spirit Gives Life

but the Letter kills – 2: 23-27

Restoration to Service Not to be Hindered

by Legality – 3: 1-6

Withdrawal From Opposition

Yields Increased Blessing in Service – 3: 7-12

Appointment To Apprenticeship –

Authority to Announce and to Exorcise – 3: 13-19a

"With Him" On The Busy Day

Opposition, Instruction, Service – 3: 19b – 5: 43

Opposition – 3: 19b-35

The Servant's Sanity Suspected by His Family –

Fanaticism Charged and

The Servant's Power Maligned by the Establishment –

Satanism Charged – 3: 19b-30

Old and New Family Relationships –

Doing God's Will the Essential Priority in

Answer to the Appointment of Christ – 3: 31-35

Classroom Instruction – The Parables – 4: 1-34

Sovereignty in Sowing

versus Responsibility to Respond – 4: 1-20

Responsibility in Witnessing – 4: 21-25

Results Depend on Sovereignty – 4: 26-29

Small Beginning – Great Results – 4: 30-34

Learning By Observation –

Some Practical Examples – 4: 35 – 5: 43

The Master and His Supreme Power

to Deal with any Situation – 4: 35-41

The Family Trilogy: Personal Problems Resolved and

Family Relationships Restored – 5: 1-43

• The Man: Responsibility Restored – 5: 1-20
• The Woman and the Child:
  The Family Circle Complete – 5: 21-43

A Final Lesson –

A Preparation for Rejection or Popularity – 6: 1-6

Sent Out – Service Successful – 6: 7-13

Service Without Seeking Prominence –

Following Retirement from Scenes

of Official Opposition – 6: 14 – 8: 26

The First Opposition –

John Beheaded – Fate of the Forerunner – 6: 14-29

The First Retirement – 6: 30-56

The Quest for Rest – 6: 30-32

The Feeding of the Five Thousand – 6: 33-44

Jesus Walks on the Water – Prayer Overcomes

Hostile Conditions – 6: 45-52

Many Healed – A Full Result – 6: 53-56

The Second Opposition – Clean and Unclean – 7: 1-23

The Second Retirement – 7: 24-8: 9

Faith's Confession of Uncleanness

Claims Christ's Cleansing Power – 7: 24-30

The Healing of a Deaf and Dumb Man – 7: 31-37

The Feeding of the Four Thousand – 8: 1-9

The Third Opposition – A Sign Demanded – 8: 10-12

The Third Retirement – 8: 13-26

Warning Against the Leaven

of the Pharisees and Herod – 8: 13-21

The Healing of a Blind Man at Bethsaida – 8: 22-26

The Pivotal Point –

The Disciples – Recognize Him as the Christ –

8: 27-30

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

to His Disciples Three Times – 8: 31 – 10: 52

First Prediction: Rejection – 8: 31

• Exposure: Sentimentalism – 8: 32-33
• Instruction: The Cross – 8: 34-9: 1

Interlude: Privilege and Responsibility – 9: 2-29

Privilege Above – The Transfiguration – 9: 2-13

Responsibility Below – Failure to Heal – 9: 14-29

Second Prediction: Betrayal – 9: 30-32

• Exposure: Rivalry – 9: 33-34
• Instruction: The Little Child – 9: 35-37
• Exposure: Sectarianism – 9: 38
• Instruction: Christ's Personal Defence – 9: 39-50

Interlude: Family Ties and Possessions in the Sphere of

Responsibility (Perea-Moab) – 10: 1-31

The Prime Human Relationship:

Marriage / Divorce – 10: 1-12

The Secondary Human Relationship:

Children – 10: 13-16

The Deceitfulness of Wealth:

Materialism – The Rich Man – 10: 17-31

Third Prediction: Humiliation – 10: 32-34

• Exposure: Ambition and Place Seeking – 10: 35-37
• Instruction: Suffering before Glory –
  
  Servants Subject to Sovereignty – 10: 38-40

  Exposure: Jealousy and Strife – 10: 41

  Instruction: Service and Self-Sacrifice – 10: 42-45

Interlude: Jericho Overthrown – Bartimaeus receives sight

and follows Jesus – 10: 46-52

The Fulfilment In Detail Of Jesus' Threefold Prediction Of His Rejection, Betrayal, Humiliation, Death And Resurrection – 11: 1 – 16: 8

The Servant Prophet Presented And Rejected –

11: 1 – 13: 37

The Servant Prophet Arrives in Jerusalem – 11: 1-26

The Triumphal Entry – 11: 1-11

Jesus Clears the Temple – 11: 12-19

The Withered Fig Tree – Prayer and Forgiveness –

11: 20-26

The Servant Prophet Rejected –

Attack And Confutation – 11: 27 – 12: 44

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

by the Chief Priests, Scribes and Elders – Confutation: His Answer – 11: 27-33

The Refusal of Authority – The Parable of the

Husbandmen – Exposure of Motives – Response

to and Treatment of Servants – 12: 1-12

First Attack: Religious – Political – Paying Taxes to Caesar –

Pharisees and Herodians – 12: 13-17

Second Attack: Doctrinal/Eschatological – Marriage in

the Resurrection – Sadducees – 12: 18-27

Third Attack: Moral and Spiritual – The Greatest

Commandment – The Scribes – 12: 28-34

Confutation: Whose Son is He? –

Jesus Silences His Enemies – 12: 35-37

Exposure – The False And The True – 12: 38-44

False Servants – Warning against the Scribes who

Devour the Houses of Widows – 12: 38-40

Act of True Servant – The Widow's Offering –

12: 41-44

Rejection Results In Revelation – 13: 1-37

The Plan Revealed to the Servants – 13: 1-31

The Tasks Assigned to the Servants – 13: 33-37

The Betrayer And The Betrayal Conceived – The

Servant's Devotion To God's Will – 14: 1-42

Devotion to God's Servant Impels the Betrayer

to Action – 14: 1-11

The Servant's Devotion Exposes the Betrayer –

14: 12-26

Devotion to God's Servant Professed Exposes

the Disciples' Weakness – 14: 27-31

The Servant's Devotion to God's Will Exposes

the Disciples' Weakness – 14: 32-42

The Servant Betrayed, Tried And Condemned –

14: 43 – 15: 20

Betrayed and Arrested – 14: 43-52

Tried and Condemned by the Religious Authorities –

14: 53-65

Denied by a Disciple – 14: 66-72

Tried, Sentenced and Humiliated by the Civil

Authorities – 15: 1-20

The Servant As The Sacrifice – 15: 21-47

The Servant Crucified – 15: 21-32

The Servant's Death – The Sin Offering – 15: 33-41

The Servant Buried – 15: 42-47

The Servant Vindicated – 16: 1-8

The Results of the Servant's Ministry in the

Continuation of His Mission – 16: 9-20

The Disciples Recovered and Confirmed – 16: 9-14

The Disciples Commissioned and Sent Out to

Continue the Servant's Mission – 16: 15-20