Jesus the King by Timothy Keller
Week 1: Introduction — The Beginning of the Gospel
Read the Introduction of Jesus the King. Primary text: Mark 1:1.
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Before diving into the chapters, Keller sets up the entire interpretive framework — take a moment to consider what you already believe about Jesus, and what you're hoping to find.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.Keller opens by noting that Mark's Gospel begins with the declaration "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" — a politically charged claim in the Roman world, where Caesar was hailed as son of god and bearer of gospel (good news). Why does it matter that Mark's opening words would have sounded like a direct challenge to Caesar's authority? What does this suggest about the kind of king Jesus is from the very first verse?
2.Keller argues that the story of Jesus is simultaneously cosmic, historical, and personal. What does he mean by each of those three dimensions?
a.Cosmic — how does Jesus's story reorder the whole universe?
b.Historical — why does it matter that these events really happened?
c.Personal — in what sense does this story make a claim on you specifically?
3.Keller describes Mark's Gospel as the fastest-moving of the four, characterized by the word "immediately" recurring throughout. What does that sense of urgency and momentum suggest about the kind of storyteller Mark is, and the kind of Jesus he's portraying?
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