S – When the centurion, who was standing opposite him, saw the way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”^, 

Mark 15:39 CSB

O – Commentary:  Truly this man was God’s Son Jesus’ identity is fully revealed upon His death (compare note on Isa 53:12). At three key events in Mark’s Gospel—Jesus’ baptism, transfiguration, and crucifixion—a voice confirms that Jesus is God’s Son. Here, it is no longer God the Father proclaiming Jesus’ identity, but instead a non-Jewish person—confirming Jesus’ ministry and mission to Gentiles (see note on Mark 13:10).

Faithlife Study Bible 

A – A human voice confirms that Jesus is God’s son.  Like Peter at Cesarea Phillipi, this centurion recognizes who Jesus is and proclaims it out loud.  There is something powerful when we do that in accepting Christ and water baptism. We tell the world I recognize the relationship I have/need with God and I will live it out.  This is big!

R – Lord, I proclaim that You are God, Jesus is my Savior and the Holy Spirit is my daily advocate of you that I walk with daily.  I am far from perfect – I still make mistakes and sin.  But, in You I have hope, forgiveness, courage and strength to walk out what you have for me today.  Thank you, God, that you loved me enough for Christ to die for me and for sending the Holy Spirit to help me navigate today.

S – While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.” They began to be distressed and to say to him one by one, “Surely not I?” 

Mark 14:18–19 CSB

O – Commentary:  One who is eating with Me, unique to Mark, alludes to Psalm 41:9 where David laments that his trusted friend Ahithophel (cf. 2 Sam. 16:15–17:23; 1 Chron. 27:33), who shared table fellowship with him, had turned against him. To eat with a person and then betray him was the height of treachery.

“Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – To spend years with Jesus and betray him or even deny him shows the human frailties we face today.  We are tempted, challenged in our faith and left with questions of faith that challenge our relationship with God.  Even in our deepest intimacy with God, we are no stronger than those who lived with him personally.  Jesus challenged them to pray to help through these difficult times.

R – Lord, life is not easy.  We must know your Word and spend time with you in prayer if we are going to finish the race before us.  We don’t want to betray you.  Give us courage and strength to face all of these challenges so that we will honor you.  We don’t want to run from you…we want to run to you.

S – Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ He will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 

Mark 13:26–27 CSB

O – There is a day coming when Jesus will return.  It will be a time of gathering while displaying great power and glory.

A – There is a healthy element to live with a sense of anticipation of Christ’s return.  If you use that to keep your relationship vibrant and real, it is more of ongoing growth and maintenance.  If you are lazy with it, it will be cumbersome to “pick up” a relationship you “know” but haven’t worked on in a long time. If you have chosen not to have the relationship, it will be devastating with little hope for what is to come.

R – Lord, help me to live today with such genuine love for you and others that I am ready for your return.  Whether today, tomorrow or whenever, I want my relationship with you to be strong and vibrant.  I want to live a life that shines your love so others can have that relationship as well.

S – Jesus answered, “The most important is Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.^{,, 31} The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself.^, There is no other command greater than these.” 

Mark 12:29–31 CSB

O – Jesus answers the Scribe’s question simply – Love God, Love People.  With over 600 commands, these two are the highest.

A – Our culture likes to rank things.  Who, what, where, when…is the best?  You see lists all the time.  In this, Jesus gives us not only the best, but the foundational commands which all the other commands rest upon.  These two supersede the sacrifices that were prescribed for the forgiveness of sins. They are the foundation of what God expects from us today.

R – Lord, thank you for your provision and presence today.  I invite you Holy Spirit into every conversation, thought and action I do today.  Please use all of that to show my love for you and others.  Let me be a light of your love so others will be drawn to you.

S – They came again to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came ²⁸ and asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do these things?”

Mark 11:27–28 CSB

O – Commentary:  

As guardians of Israel’s religious life they asked two questions: (1) What was the nature of His authority (cf. 1:22, 27); what were His credentials? (2) Who was the source of His authority? Who authorized Him to do this? “This” (lit., these things) refers to His purging the temple the previous day (cf. 11:15–17) and probably more generally to all His authoritative words and deeds which drew much popular acclaim (cf. v. 18; 12:12, 37

“Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

authority: ĕxŏusia; privilege, i.e. (subj.) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (obj.) mastery  delegated influence:— authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength. 

The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words 

A – Jesus acted upon the authority given to him by God.  He was the Messiah.  All of this was scary to the religious leaders because they were they authority.  Yet, instead of recognizing what God was doing, they allowed fear to threaten their power and position.  We must yield our power and position to God.

R – Lord, today I surrender all that you have given to me.  All of it comes from you.  As I continue in my roles today, let me be sensitive to the Holy Spirit so that I am yielded and submitted to what your ways and purposes are.  Not my own.  

S – What do you want me to do for you?” he asked them. They answered him, “Allow us to sit at your right and at your left in your glory.” Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup I drink or to be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 

Mark 10:36–38 CSB

O – Commentary:  Jesus told them they did not realize what was involved in their ambitious request. To ask for a place of honor in His glory was also a request to share His suffering since the one is a requisite to the other

“Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – James and John are asking for positions in Jesus’ new kingdom.  Interesting that Jesus doesn’t challenge them for wanting the new status. Instead, he ponders whether they can pay the price to attain it.  There is a cost to having a relationship with Christ.  Denying oneself is about submitting all that you have to Christ.  Are we willing to surrender all physical, mental, emotional and spiritual “possessions” to God?

R – Lord, thank you for all that you have provided for me.  I recognize that it comes from You.  I surrender it all to you and your purposes.  I invite your Holy Spirit to lead me in how I can use all that I have for your Glory.  That includes me.  Let me be a vessel of your love and compassion to all people and situations I face today.

S – But they were silent, because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest. ³⁵ Sitting down, he called the Twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last and servant of all.”

Mark 9:34–35 CSB

O – Commentary: 

After sitting down, the recognized position of a Jewish teacher (cf. Matt. 5:1; 13:1), Jesus summoned the Twelve. He taught them the essence of true greatness: If anyone wants (cf. Mark 8:34) to be first, to have the highest position among the “great” in God’s kingdom, he must be the very last (lit., “he shall be last of all,” by deliberate, voluntary choice) and the servant of all. Here “servant” (diakonos) depicts one who attends to the needs of others freely, not one in a servile position (as a doulos, a slave). Jesus did not condemn the desire to improve one’s position in life but He did teach that greatness in His kingdom was not determined by status but by service

“Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Servant leadership is known today, even outside the church in business, sports and other groups.  Jesus introduced a new concept and over time it became part of culture.  Why?  It is a reflection of the leader’s heart.  While their position is still elevated, their heart is to take others and elevate them as well.

R – Lord, I want to grow as a servant leader.  I want to leverage my gifts, talents and position to elevate others to their highest potential.  Give me the grace, empathy and wisdom on how to do this.  Help me to see others and situations so their opportunities can be maximized and achieved.

S – Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it.

Mark 8:34–35 CSB

O – Commentary: 

Negatively, one must deny himself decisively saying no to selfish interests and earthly securities. Self-denial is not to deny one’s personality, to die as a martyr, or to deny “things” (as in asceticism). Rather it is the denial of “self,” turning away from the idolatry of self-centeredness and every attempt to orient one’s life by the dictates of self-interest. Self-denial, however, is only the negative side of the picture and is not done for its own sake alone.

Positively, one must take up his cross, decisively saying yes to God’s will and way. Cross-bearing was not an established Jewish metaphor. But the figure was appropriate in Roman-occupied Palestine. It brought to mind the sight of a condemned man who was forced to demonstrate his submission to Rome by carrying part of his cross through the city to his place of execution. Thus “to take up one’s cross” was to demonstrate publicly one’s submission/obedience to the authority against which he had previously rebelled.

“Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Moving decisively away from self-centeredness is a battle.  Our human nature is to take care of ourselves first – our desires, interests and needs. Taking up the cross puts the focus on God’s will for all to see.  

R – Lord, I surrender my will to your will today.  You know the things I desire.  Give me the strength and courage to move according to your direction.  Help me to align my desires with yours.  

S – You nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other similar things.” 

Mark 7:13 CSB

O – Jesus challenges the Pharisees because they would use the Law when they wanted to and allowed loopholes at other times.  

A – This is challenging even today.  Different people will read the same Bible passage and interpret it differently.   In the most genuine instances, people will develop a lifestyle or belief based on that interpretation.  The principle is to capture the character and heart of God as we read His Word.

R – Lord, thank you for your Word.  It never changes and it has stood the test of eternity.  Please give me the ability to capture your heart as I read it and apply it to my life.  Help me not to read it through “my lens and desires.”  Instead, help me to read it through your heart and to walk in a way that lines up with that.  

S – He was not able to do a miracle there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And he was amazed at their unbelief. He was going around the villages teaching. 

Mark 6:5–6 CSB

O – Commentary:  There was no limitation on His power, but His purpose was to perform miracles in the presence of faith. Only a few here had faith to come to Him for healing.

Even Jesus was amazed (ethaumasen, “astonished”; cf. 5:20; 12:17; 15:5, 44) at their unbelief, their unwillingness to believe that His wisdom and power were from God. So far as is known, He never returned to Nazareth

 “Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures,

A – Where God had no limitations, the faith lacked.  While the healing displayed God’s power and compassion, relationship and faith were Jesus’ goals.  When you are familiar with someone, it is hard to believe they can be more than you know.  “Astonished” is a strong word.  It tells me it was beyond Jesus’ comprehension that they could not get there.  Yet, the struggle of faith is real.

R – Lord, help my faith to grow.  Where I have become familiar or stubborn, make my heart soft to see you without limitation.  Help me to invite you into situations that stretch my faith and belief in you.  You can do it and I know that.  Help my unbelief.