I have a hard time highlighting the Gospels, as there is so much good stuff. But I do extensively mark my Bible. Here I have shared a few verses where I have written margin notes, and also added some expanded comments on my notations
Margin Notes From the Gospel of Mark
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"And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him" Mark 1:20
Margin Note: Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, John & Matthew (Levi) Five prosperous businessmen become Christ's students. I don't think this was such an impulsive action.
Expanded: A time of choice. Jesus chose them & they chose Jesus. These men wanted to follow a godly teacher. Peter, Andrew, James & John were devout men, they must have been seeking a teacher to follow.
They were subjects of Rome, a very cruel and dangerous government. If you didn't agree with the government, or the social religion, you were in peril of arrest and the threat of death. These men jumped ship and willingly went against the social patterns of selfishness, self-righteousness, and self-love by following Jesus.
Nothing much has changed. Today's Christ's followers look for God to move in our government and social norm. Are we willing to follow Him even against the religions of society around us?
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"Then He said to them, 'Take heed how you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but to whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him" Mark 4:24,25
Margin Note: The one who wants to know more of God--God will give more and more knowledge. & cross referenced 1 Corinthians 2:10-16
Expanded: A Christian really has no excuse for not learning something from reading the Bible alone. It is God who personally teaches His children what the Bible says about Himself. Either you believe God can teach you or you can say "It's too hard for me" and reject the supernatural aspect of God's teaching.
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"Also He said to them, 'In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of judgement than for that city" Mark 6:10 & 11.
Margin Note: I'm not responsible for the people who reject Jesus. Let it go. Plant seeds.
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"So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them" Mark 6: 12 & 13.
Margin Note: Went with very little training for something unfamiliar.
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"So they answered and said to Jesus 'We do not know.' And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.'" Mark 11:33.
Margin Note: Jesus doesn't have to explain Himself to stubborn disbelief. They were asking, almost demanding, He show His credentials even after they had seen and heard everything He was already doing.
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"Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes" Mark 13:15,16.
Margin Note: A life saved is more important to God, and to us, than any material thing.
Expanded: This is Mark's (or possibly Peter's) account of The Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is primarily speaking of the nation Israel when He foretells of the signs of coming troubles. And when the Antichrist takes over world power, they are to flee without hesitation. Drop everything and run for their lives.
Yet, the lesson for today's Christians is the same...lives are more important than our stuff.
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And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You? But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, "Are you the Christ. the Son of the Blessed?" Jesus said, "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?" "You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death" Mark14:60-64.
Margin Note: Even in the mock trial Jesus had to give them an excuse to condemn Him. Jesus had to give them their excuse . They could find no other way to kill Him.
Expanded: They had interrogated Him all night and yet his accusers could find no corroborating testimonies from their list of witnesses at this kangaroo court. They at least agreed with the Law that two or more witnesses had to testify the same crime to condemn a man.
But for all their witnesses testimonies, they weren't given the hard evidence they needed to take to the Roman court to get Him publically executed.
So Jesus speaks up and hands them His life with the statement that He is God. In truth, a claim like that would ordinarily be blasphemous if a man claims such a name for himself. Such a blasphemy is worthy of death.
One small factor--- in Jesus the claim is true!
What an amazing thing for Jesus to do knowing He would die on the cross in a few hours, yet He came to do just that----Die for the sin of the world!
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"but he (the angel) said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him" Mark 16:6.
Margin Note: The happiest angel in the world at that time! & cross referenced it with 1 Peter 1:12.
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What are some of the verses you have purposefully marked, or some notes you have written in your Bible?
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"Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" James 5:14,15.
