Exam Qs

Question 1

Outline 3 expectations of the Messiah at the time of Jesus

Answer 1

• the messiah would free the people form the romans
• he would be a descendant of king David
• he would be a suffering servant

Question 2

Explain 2 reasons why ‘son of man’ is used in the Marks Gospel

Answer 2

• It was the title Jesus used of himself unlike the term Messiah
• The title Son of Man emphasises Jesus’ humanity and makes his rejection, suffering and death more real this links with the idea of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53

Question 3

Outline three features of Jesus’ Baptism in Mark’s Gospel

Answer 3

• Jesus was baptised by John (1)
• The Holy Spirit descended like a dove
• The voice said ‘You are my Son…’
• Mark sees the baptism as the beginning of Jesus’ Ministry

Question 4

Explain two reasons why the baptism of Jesus is important

Answer 4

• The baptism of Jesus shows his divine origin as God said ‘you are my son’
• It helps Christians to understand the Trinity as the Father, Son and Holy Spirt were all present

Question 5

Explain two reasons why Jesus walking on the water is important

Answer 5

• The walking on the water shows Jesus’ divinity as only God can break the laws of nature
• Christians should believe in Jesus’ powers unlike the disciples whose ‘hearts were hardened’

Question 6

Explain two ways the calming of the storm proves Jesus is God (5)

Answer 6

• Only God has the power over nature so it shows that Jesus had God like qualities as the storm obeyed his command to stop -> ‘“Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down’
• The Old Testament taught that the Messiah would be able to perform such miracles therefore this miracle reinforces the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus as the Messiah

Question 7

Outline three ways the raising of Jairus’ daughter is significant

Answer 7

• Jairus demonstrates faith in Jesus
• It shows Jesus has power over death
• It reinforces the idea of the Messianic Secret

Question 8

Explain two reasons why the healing miracles in Mark’s Gospel are significant for Christians today (5)

Answer 8

• Miracles show that Jesus has the power over life and death in the Old Testament it is God that brings the dead back to life -> this is an indication that Jesus is the Son of God as only God has the power over death
• For Christians today they show that faith is important as the woman with a haemorrhage believed by just touching Jesus’ cloak she would be healed Jesus told her ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well’

Question 9

Outline three features of Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi

Answer 9

• Peter said that Jesus was the Messiah
• Some people thought Jesus was Elijah
• Jesus told the disciples not to tell anyone who he was
• Peter is rebuked by Jesus

Question 10

Explain two reasons why the appearance of Moses and Elias at the Transfiguration was significant

Answer 10

• It points to Jesus being the fulfilment of the Jewish Scriptures as Moses is symbolic of the Law
• It shows that the early Christians were not rejecting the message of the Jewish Scriptures this was important in the time of Mark as some Christians were being persecuted by the Jewish authorities

Question 11

Explain two reasons why the cleansing of the temple is important

Answer 11

• It shows Jesus to be the Messiah it had been predicted in the Old Testament that the Messiah would go to the temple
• Jesus’ words in the temple show his message is not just for the Jews the temple should be a ‘house of prayer for all nations’
• Mark uses the incident to offer a motive why the Jewish authorities wanted to kill Jesus and this brings him closer to his arrest and death

Question 12

Explain two reasons why the account of the healing of the paralysed man is important for Mark’s Gospel (5)

Answer 12

• The healing of the paralysed man points to the identity of Jesus as the Son of God
  as Jesus is doing something the Jews thought only God could do the Law said ‘Who can forgive sins but God alone?’
• It introduces the conflict that will eventually lead to Jesus’ death. Mark records that the crowds were amazed by Jesus’ words and action so the authorities thought Jesus was leading the people away from them and wanted rid of him

Question 13

Explain two reasons why Jesus disagreed with the Pharisees about the Sabbath (5)

Answer 13

• Jesus challenged the Pharisees’ view of what was lawful on the Sabbath he said the Sabbath was for the benefit of people ‘the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath’
• Jesus allowed the disciples to work on the Sabbath in Mark -> to the Pharisees Jesus deliberately undermined the Law which says the Sabbath should be kept holy and no work should be done

Question 14

Outline three events of Jesus’ trial before the High Priest in Mark’s Gospel

Answer 14

• Many gave false witness against Jesus
• Jesus was tried before the Sanhedrin
• Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man
• The High Priest accused him of blasphemy
• The Sanhedrin said that Jesus deserved to die

Question 15

Outline three instructions Jesus gave when sending out the Twelve Disciples

Answer 15

• Disciples should not take any money with them
• They should have a simple lifestyle
• They should accept the hospitality offered to them
• They should not waste time if they were not welcomed

Question 16

Explain two ways the sending out of the Twelve may affect how a Christian lives today (5)

Answer 16

• By showing faith that God will provide for their needs and not becoming dependent on earthly possessions as Jesus commanded the Twelve not to take any bread or money with them
• By showing their discipleship through service to others and joining a religious order that works with the sick and needy
  following the example of the Twelve who ‘drove out many demons and anointed with oil many people who were ill and healed them.’

Question 17

Outline three teachings about discipleship found in the Parable of the Sower

Answer 17

• The responsibility is on the people to hear the message
• A deep rooted faith is needed to be a disciple
• A true disciple cannot be too interest ed in worldly goods
• Evil can prevent discipleship

Question 18

Explain two different responses described in the Parable of the Sower

Answer 18

• The path represents those that do listen to the message the word is carried off before the person responds
• The good soil represents those that hear and accept the Gospel allowing the Kingdom of God to grow
• Some people’s faith is choked by worldly distractions and they are too interested in seeking pleasure to become disciples

Question 19

Explain two teachings from the Parable of the Tenants

Answer 19

• The parable taught that the Kingdom of God was offered to, but rejected by, Israel, so was offered to others
• Those that bring the message of God to the people can face persecution, just like the servants who are treated badly by the tenants

Question 20

Explain two ways the nature of discipleship is shown in the story of the rich man

Answer 20

• Being a disciple means giving up everything Jesus told the young man to sell everything and follow him
• A disciple needs to keep the Commandments but Jesus told the man more than this is required

Question 21

Explain two ways the account of the ‘spirit cast out of the boy’ is significant for Christians today

Answer 21

• It shows that prayer and faith are needed because even though the disciples had been given the authority to cast out demons they were unable to do so ‘only prayer can drive this kind out’
• This incident fits in with Mark’s theme of the criticism of the disciples (1) as Jesus’ comment ‘How long am I to bear with you? …’ is believed to be addressed to the disciples

Question 22

Explain two teachings about discipleship shown in the spirit cast out of the boy (5)

Answer 22

• The spirit cast out of the boy shows disciples should fully trust in God as ‘everything is possible for one who believes’ it was the lack of faith that prevented the boy from being cured
• Discipleship demands constant prayer as even though Jesus had given the disciples ‘authority to cast out demons’ he said that they could not cure the boy because it also required prayer

Question 23

Explain two reasons why the teachings of Jesus about service are important today (5)

Answer 23

• The need for Christians to serve others is a central message of the Gospel the teaching indicates that one of the costs of being a disciple today involves service to others, as such this can involve self-sacrifice ‘whoever wants to be first must be slave of all’
• Jesus gave an example to his disciples of service to others -> Jesus acted like a servant when he washed the disciples’ feet at the Last Supper -> After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet

Question 24

Explain two ways in which Peter’s Denial is significant for Christians (5)

Answer 24

• For Christians today Peter’ s Denial shows that that it not easy to be a disciple as even Peter failed Jesus as he had told Jesus that he would not betray him, ‘Even though they all fall away I will not.’
• It highlights for some Christians the importance of repentance and forgiveness Peter is shown as acknowledging what he has done as he breaks down and cries Mark shows that Peter has been forgiven as he receives the news of the Resurrection

Question 25

Outline three occasions when women are shown as followers of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel

Answer 25

- A Greek woman asks Jesus to heal her daughter - Mary Magdalene accompanied Jesus’ body to the tomb - News that Jesus had risen was given first to women

Question 26

Outline three ways discipleship can be shown in the lives of Christians

Answer 26

- By following Jesus’ teachings - By working for such organisations as CAFOD - By building up the Christian Church today - By being prepared to spread Jesus’ message to others

Question 27

Explain two ways discipleship was shown in the life of either Dietrich Bonhoeffer or Oscar Romero or Mother Teresa (5)

Answer 27

- Oscar Romero was called to follow Jesus’ example and became a figure of hope in El Salvador he believed that the poorest of the poor should experience the kingdom of God ‘it is not God’s will for some to have everything and others not’ (Oscar Romero) - Oscar made a stand in the name of Jesus against injustice he was executed for his beliefs ‘let him deny himself and take up the cross and follow me.’