1. Why does this gospel begin with John the Baptist? What is his role?
2. Why does Jesus rebuke the unclean spirits who proclaim him as the Son of God and tell them to be silent?
3. Pay close attention to the encounters between Jesus and the representatives of institutional Judaism: the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the scribes. What are the implications of the of title 'scribes'? Who are these people?
4. Consider the parables that Jesus presents in chapters 3 and 4. What are the advantages of teaching in this way? Why does he reserve the explanations to his disciples, giving only the parables to the crowd?
5. What does Jesus mean in 8:34 when he says "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themsleves and take up their cross and follow me."
6. How soon does Jesus expect the apocalypse to come?