Introduction to the Gospel of Mark
 

As we begin this new liturgical year in the life of the Church we move from the Gospel of St Matthew to the Gospel of St Mark. Originally this, the shortest of the four gospels, was considered to be a summary of Matthew’s Gospel and was therefore almost totally ignored in the Lectionary of the pre-Vatican II Church. St Augustine called him a "follower and digester of Matthew".


19th century Eastern Icon of St Mark

 Greater authority was placed on the gospels traditionally ascribed to apostles who were deemed to have first hand experience of the ministry and life of Jesus. Mark and Luke were deemed to be collections and since over ninety percent of Mark’s Gospel appears in Matthew, the latter was deemed to have little to contribute to our knowledge of Jesus Christ. However, in the light of developments in twentieth century biblical scholarship and the lectionary reforms of Vatican II, Mark’s Gospel has taken its place beside the other gospels. Where once Mark’s Gospel was relegated to a kind of ‘liturgical oblivion’, it is now held to be the first written of all the gospels, with a unique theological vision: a gospel that influenced both Matthew and Luke in their later accounts of the life and mission of Jesus of Nazareth. But before we begin to look at this theological vision, let us first take a look at the life of Mark the Evangelist and what we know about him from scripture and tradition.

Mark: Evangelist and Bishop  The Gospel itself is anonymous but as early as the 2nd century the text was attributed to Mark, a disciple of Peter. Mark is also traditionally identified with the John Mark of scripture who accompanied Paul and Barnabas in the first journey of Paul, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles He is also claimed as the first bishop of Alexandria, Egypt by both the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church. In the Acts of the Apostles we learn that Mark, the son of Maria, lived in Jerusalem during the early formative years of the Church. His mother was one of the first members of the Church, and it appears that she was a person of means. This can be assumed from the description of her home which was decorated with columns, and which had large facilities capable of receiving great numbers of the followers of Jesus (Acts 12.12). This is the same house where Peter met his other brethren, after being miraculously freed by the angel of God from jail, and where he baptized Mark into the new faith. Peter, in his first letter (1Pet 5:13) refers to Mark as his "son", although there is not any apparent blood relationship between them. In the Pauline Letter to the Colossians Mark is referred to as the "cousin of Barnabas", a Levite from Cyprus (Col 4:10).

The first direct mentioning of (John) Mark is in the Book of Acts. There, prior to the description of the first missionary voyage of Paul and Barnabas, the two return to Antioch after delivering supplies sent by the Christian brethren to the Christians of Jerusalem. There with them was "John who is also called Mark" (Acts 12:25) but left them prematurely and returned to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13) Given that the assistance had been sent during the reign of the Claudius Caesar, this trip to Antioch probably took place around fifteen years after the Resurrection of Jesus, around the year 44 AD. A little later, Paul and Barnabas, accompanied by Mark arrive in Salamis, Cyprus, and headed to the city of Paphos. It is here that Christianity makes its first conversion when the Roman official Sergius Paulus is baptized. From Acts we know that Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas in their second missionary journey. When Paul and Barnabas were about to set out on this second missionary journey, Barnabas proposed to take Mark, but Paul thought him somewhat unreliable, so that eventually Barnabas made one journey taking Mark, and Paul another journey taking Silas (Acts 15:36-40). Mark is not mentioned again in Acts. However as time passed, it appears that he became more reliable, for Paul mentions on two occasions as him as "trusted assistant" (Col 4:10 and 2 Tim 4:11). In addition to these references to Mark, St. Paul also refers to him in his letter to Philemon (Philo 6:24) where he describes how Mark is "imprisoned" with him in Rome, among the few who stood by him during those trying days.


The Martyrdom of St. Mark, 1433, Fra Angelico, Florence

Mark and St Peter   The Apostle Peter had a co-worker whom he refers to as "my son Mark" (1Pet 5:13). Papias, an early second century writer, in describing the origins of the Gospels, tells us that Mark was the "interpreter" of Peter, and that he wrote down ("but not in order") the stories that he had heard Peter tell in his preaching about the life and teachings of Jesus. Severus, the 10th century Coptic Bishop, suggested that Mark had been one of the servants at the wedding feast at Cana who poured out the water that Jesus turned to wine, however as this is not related in his Gospel it seems very unlikely. He also suggested that Mark was one of the Seventy Apostles sent out by Jesus as well as the servant who carried water to the house of Simon where the Last Supper took place; and Mark was the one who hosted the disciples in his house after the death of Jesus, and into whose house the resurrected Jesus Christ came, although all the doors were shut. Once again these seem quite apocryphal and unverified to by history. It should be noted that Severus' account is not entirely reconcilable with the first accounts we have of St. Mark. Papias says that he was a disciple of Peter who never met Jesus but was given the task by Peter of writing down an account of the earthly life and ministry of Jesus for converts, liturgy and future generations It is unlikely that the early church would remember a story which made the authorship of Mark's Gospel seem less authoritative than it was. A further report of Mark as Peter’s secretary and assistant is given in a letter of Clement of Alexandria (d 215), transcribed into a printed book in the monastery of Mar Saba, south of Jerusalem. However, the Gospel of Mark, in describing the arrest of Jesus (Mk 14:51), speaks of a young man who followed the arresting party, wearing only a linen cloth wrapped around his body, whom the arresting party tried to seize, but who left the cloth in their hands and fled naked. It is speculated by some that this young man was the writer himself, since the detail is hardly worth mentioning if he were not. Tradition has it that after the death of Peter, Mark left Rome and went to preach in Alexandria, Egypt, where he was eventually martyred.

The Death of Mark Tradition has it that St Mark came to Alexandria in Egypt after the martyrdom of Peter around the year 64 or 67 AD and established the Church of Alexandria, and was its first bishop for 22 years. He is said to have performed many miracles, and established a church there, appointing a bishop, priests and deacons. He died the death of a martyr while he was being pulled through the streets of Alexandria by a pagan mob and being burned to death. His body was recovered by his followers and buried in a nearby village. He is commemorated in the Church on 25th April.

Mark, Patron of Venice and Artists In the year 828 AD, Venetian merchants transported the body (with out the head) of St. Mark to Venice, and since then he has been considered as the protector saint of this city. His lion is ubiquitous throughout Venice. However, in 1968 in the aftermath of Vatican II and improved ecumenical relations with the Orthodox Churches Pope Paul VI approved the return of the saint’s body to be re-interred in the Basilica of St. Mark in Alexandria. Mark is frequently depicted in Western art, holding a book with the text "Pax tibi Marce evangelista meus" ("Peace to you, Mark, my Evangelist") As the patron saint of Venice he was a particular favorite of medieval and renaissance Venetian artists and their patrons, and paintings of his life, teachings and miracles are a feature of some of the greatest Venetian and indeed Italian art.

Dating the Gospel of Mark Most scholars place the writing of this Gospel between the years 60-70 AD. Originally in an oral form tradition suggests that Mark wrote in the period after the martyrdom of Peter, supposed to have occurred either in the years 64/67 AD. It also suggests that Mark wrote for the young community in Rome, a fact borne out by the heavy emphasis on the experience of persecution and internal division within the gospel. It is clear that the experience of persecution is fresh in the minds of the community. Under Nero (54-68 AD) many Christians had failed to remain faithful while others betrayed their fellow believers to torture and death. This theme of suffering, fidelity and betrayal will become a key part of Mark’s understanding of discipleship as the church struggled to work out how it could re-admit those who had betrayed their faith. If Peter and the other disciples could be rehabilitated: why not others?

Mark, writer of the First Gospel   As we saw above the preponderance of current biblical scholarship now accepts that Mark wrote the first gospel. Central to this conclusion has been the emergence of the Two Source Theory in relation to all three synoptic gospels. Basically this theory argues that both Matthew and Luke used three different sources in writing their gospels: their own inspired creativity, a written source called Q, now no longer available to us (taken from the German "Quelle" meaning source) and the Gospel of Mark. This Markan priority is deduced by from the way both Matthew and Luke have constructed their gospels. On the whole, both generally follow the order of events and much of the wording used in Mark. When they do diverge they rarely agree in their own divergences, suggesting that while they independently used a common source (Mark’s Gospel) they must not have know each other. Of course this does not exclude their own redaction and editing as both Matthew and Luke struggled to meet and answer the specific and unique concerns of their audiences.

The First Gospel: A new Genre?   The opening words of Mark’s Gospel seem to suggest that what Mark had in mind was a completely new departure in literary genres: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God". (Mk 1:1) This has led many biblical scholars to suggest that Mark was the creator of the "gospel" genre a development that was then imitated by the other evangelists. Although Mark is the only evangelist to use the Greek noun "evangelion" or gospel, the word is not unique to him:

"After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mk1:14-15)

"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" (Mk8:35-36)
 

In vernacular Greek the noun "evangelion" was used to describe any public declaration of a momentous event, such as the birth of a king or a royal marriage. Indeed in the Septuagint or Greek version of the OT the verb "evangelizesthai" meaning to "announce good news of great importance" appears many times:
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, Announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, "Your God is King!" (Isa 52:7)


However, it is Paul in his various letters who gives this common Greek verb a unique Christian understanding as a recapitulation of the whole Christ event. Thus the word "gospel" becomes shorthand for the life, mission, teachings, death, resurrection and glorification of Christ, now proclaimed in a narrative form:


Early Coptic Icon of St. Mark.

"Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh, but established as Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom 1:1-4)

"For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning."(1Cor 1:17)


As we know the gospels are not biographies in the modern sense but records of the Christ-event that are full of biographical information. In that they resemble to some extent contemporary biographies of the day which presented in prose historical facts, selected to reveal the character or essence of the historical individual with the purpose of affecting the behavior of the reader. In the ancient world such biographies were common and usually written about historical individuals as diverse as the Caesars, Moses, Socrates and Philo of Alexandria. What makes Mark different is that while he adopted this biographical approach his purpose was not simply to depict the events of the life of Jesus or to propose his life as a source of tradition as with other ancient philosophers and teachers but to write an account of eschatological of the promises and events as they were fulfilled in the life and mission of Jesus of Nazareth. Thus many see Mark’s writing as a kind of an ‘apocalyptic drama’.

Mark’s use of the Old Testament Mark, like John, the writer of the Fourth Gospel is often accused of anti-semetism in his description of the end of Judaism. However, nothing could be further from the truth. That Mark was respectful of the Hebrew Scriptures is clear from his use of its texts and quotations. While he may not have been as conversant with it as Matthew was, it is clear that Mark saw in the Christ event the fulfillment of all that was foretold and promised in the Prophets and the Law. At key points in the gospel Mark uses OT quotes even if on several occasions he misquotes OT texts, combines quotations and even attributes them to the wrong writer. This suggests that he may have been using a compendium of OT teachings rather than the actual texts themselves:

Mark uses Isaiah to connect the ministry of Jesus with that of John. Here he omits to attribute the first part of the quote to other OT writings (Ex 3:20 and Mal 3:1):

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: "Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'" (Mk 1:1-3)


In his teaching, Jesus explains the seeming inability of his audience to comprehend what he is saying by reference to Isaiah (Isa 6:9-10):

"The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that 'they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.'" (Mk 4:12)


In his ongoing debate with the Pharisees and Jewish leaders he quotes once again Isaiah (Isa 29:13):

So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?" He responded, "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.' You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." (Mk 7:6-7)


As the crowd acclaims Jesus for his words and deeds, we once again hear echoes of Isaiah (Isa 35:5-6):

He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, "He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and (the) mute speak."(Mk 7:37)


As Jesus moves towards his passion and death, these references become more frequent and more explicit:

On his triumphant entry into the Jerusalem we hear a direct quote from the Book of Psalms (Ps 118:25-26):

Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out: "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!"……(Mk 11:9-10)


In the cleansing of the Temple, Jesus justifies his actions by reference to the prophets (Isa 56:6 and Jer 7:11):

He overturned the tables of the money changers …Then he taught them saying, "Is it not written: 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples'? But you have made it a den of thieves." (Mk 11:17)


Throughout the Passion narrative we have direct OT quotes (Ps 118:22-23):

Have you not read this scripture passage: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes'?" (Mk 12:12)


If we remember that Mark’s gospel was written for the Christian community in Rome, we should also remember that this community had its origins in the Jewish community that resided in the imperial capital. Therefore they must have been familiar all things Jewish: so why the obvious explanations of Jewish traditions? Mark’s Jesus is clearly Jewish, he is a Jewish teacher living in Judea and Galilee, with Jewish disciples who preaches to Jews, heals their sick and lives and dies among them. Indeed his final words are taken from the Jewish Psalms (Ps22:1). While Mark’s Jesus is Jewish in all aspects, Mark is keen to present him as superior in all things to all other teachers and healers. Thus the many controversies and heated debates Jesus has with the Jewish leadership are all about supporting this superiority and upholding Jesus as the long awaited Messiah of Israel.

Jesus in the Gospel of St. Mark Unlike Matthew and Luke, Mark does not begin with an Infancy Narrative or Genealogy. His narrative is simply about the ‘public life’ of Jesus of Nazareth. The prologue (Mk 1:1-13) is short but has the goal of setting out the purpose of the gospel; in that it identifies Jesus as the "Beloved Son" of the Father, greater than John the Baptist and the other prophets, the one foretold by the prophet Isaiah, whose life and ministry is best understood in the context of the cosmic battle between good and evil, God and Satan (Mk 1:12).

In the first major section of the gospel (Mk 1:14 -8:21) Mark describes how Jesus is the anointed Son of God whose message, taught with authority, proclaims to Israel the imminence of the Kingdom of God. At the same time Mark seeks to show that not only did Jesus encounter misunderstanding along the way but also a high degree of opposition from seen and unseen forces. The opening words of Jesus in the gospel seem to set the scene for all that will follow: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand" (Mk 1:14). Hence there is a sense of urgency in the message of Jesus that is reflected in Mark’s writing and in the almost breakneck speed with which he binds together moments and events in the life of Jesus. The use of the word "immediately" found forty times throughout the gospel serves to connect Jesus’ miracles, his teachings and parables, his debates with various opposing groups, his call of the Twelve and their instruction in the message of the kingdom serves to portray Jesus as one who is mighty in word and deed:

Then they came to Capernaum, and immediately on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. (Mk 1:21)


Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. (Mk 6:45)

This mightiness in word and deed is best demonstrated in the series of miracles that Mark recalls in chapters four and five:

Jesus shows his power over the forces of nature:

On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, "Let us cross to the other side." Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Quiet! Be still!" The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?" They were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?"  (Mk 4:35-41)
And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. (Mk 6:46-49)


Jesus shows his power over unclean spirits:

When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him….Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out in a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!" He had been saying to him, "Unclean spirit, come out of the man!" He asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "Legion is my name. There are many of us." Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with him, "Send us into the swine. Let us enter them." And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg him to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But he would not permit him but told him instead, "Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you." (Mk 5:2-20)


Jesus shows his power over sickness and death:

One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live." He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. (Mk 5:21-43)


Jesus shows himself as the authoritative interpreter of the Law:

Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. …….So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?" He responded, "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.' You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." He went on to say, "How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'Whoever curses father or mother shall die.' Yet you say, 'If a person says to father or mother, "Any support you might have had from me is corban"' (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things." He summoned the crowd again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile."(Mk 7:2-23)


Jesus’ message is open to all, Gentile and Jew:

Again he left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!") And immediately the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.(Mk 7:31-37)
In Mark’s second major section (Mk8:22-10:52) the theme of Jesus predicting his forthcoming suffering and passion is introduced. In all, like the other synoptic gospels, Mark has three prediction of suffering (Mk8:27-33, 9:30-32 and 10:32-34) each one followed by an explanation to the unbelieving disciples. This theme reaches a climax when Jesus in reply to the request from the sons of Zebedee will declare that "the Son of Man came not to serve but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mk 10:45). To heighten this sense of disbelief and misunderstanding on the part of the disciples, Mark frames this section with accounts of two miracles in which sight is restored to blind, a metaphor for those who see and understand with the eyes of faith (Mk 8:22-26 and 10:46-52):
When they arrived at Bethsaida, they brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on him and asked, "Do you see anything?" Looking up he replied, "I see people looking like trees and walking." Then he laid hands on his eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly. (Mk 8:22-26)

And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me." And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me." Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take courage; get up, he is calling you." He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see." Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. (Mk 10:46-52)


The third and final section of the Gospel (Mk 11:1-16:8) takes place in Jerusalem, the primary place of rejection. While there is ongoing opposition to the person and message of Jesus, it is here in the religious and political capital that all opposition comes to a head, culminating in the fulfillment of the passion predictions. Having arrived in the city Jesus in what are clearly provocative and highly symbolic actions Jesus cleanses the Temple (Mk 11:1-25), overturning the money tables and driving out the traders while quoting the words of the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah about the sanctity of the Temple as a "house of prayer". This immediately causes a dispute over "authority" between Jesus and the chief priest and elders:

As he was walking in the temple area, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached him and said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?" Jesus said to them, "I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John's baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me." They discussed this among themselves and said, "If we say, 'Of heavenly origin,' he will say, '(Then) why did you not believe him?' But shall we say, 'Of human origin'?"--they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said to Jesus in reply, "We do not know." Then Jesus said to them, "Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things." (Mk 11:27-33)


In his account of this interaction, Mark paints a picture of Jesus who is superior in wisdom and debating skills over the religious leadership of the day. Yet even when they seem to have gained the upper hand in handing Jesus over for execution, this picture of the superior Jesus is still evident. In his farewell discourse Jesus (Mk 13:1-37) Jesus looks ahead to the future coming of the Son of Man in glory, as a sign of the fullness of God’s kingdom. While in the trial scenes before the Sanhedrin and later Pilate, Jesus speaks with a high degree of assurance and confidence of his identity, the correctness of his mission and his future justification and glorification:

And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather (his) elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky. (Mk 13:26)
The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus, saying, "Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?" But he was silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said to him, "Are you the Messiah, the son of the Blessed One?" Then Jesus answered, "I am; and 'you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.'" At that the high priest tore his garments and said, "What further need have we of witnesses? (Mk 14:61-63)


Mark’s use of titles in the Gospel Mark makes us of three major titles to describe Jesus: Son of God, Messiah and Son of Man. In contrast to the other synoptic writers Mark makes little use the title ‘prophet’ although it must be inferred that at all times Mark is at pains to infer that Jesus is greater than any prophet (Mk 6:4). Likewise the title ‘Kyrios’ or Lord appears only rarely in the gospel text and in most situations is used as a title for Yahweh who is now understood as the Father of Jesus, the Christ.

Jesus as Son of God From the opening words of the Gospel, Jesus is described as the Son of God. Originally in the OT this title has a variety of meanings: it applied to Israel in the communal sense as the Chosen of Yahweh (Hos 11:1), to the Davidic king at his coronation (Ps 2:7), angels (Job 38:7) and the suffering righteous person (Wis 2:18). However in Mark’s gospel it has a new and unique meaning. From the Baptism in chapter one Jesus is described by the heavenly voice as "You are my Son, the Beloved" (Mk1:11) a title that will again be confirmed at the Transfiguration (Mk 9:7) to the demons who describe him as "Son of the Most High God (Mk5:7). When speaking of the last judgment Jesus refers to the hour and the day as being know to "Father" alone implying this Father/Son relationship. This is made more explicit when the chief priest asks whether "you are the Son of the Blessed One" to which Jesus answers "I am"(Mk14:61-62).

Jesus as Messiah or Christ of IsraelMark employs the Greek word ‘Christos’ or ‘Anointed’ as both a surname for Jesus and a description of his identity. In the OT priest, prophets and kings were anointed and set apart for their distinct roles within the community, while the long awaited messiah of Israel was often seen as one who would combine the military expertise and prowess of David with the wisdom and skill of Solomon. The Messiah would be one who would be heir to the Davidic promises and who would usher in an era of peace, prosperity and pride for Israel.

The most distinctive use of the title is to be found in the passion narratives of the Gospel. When Peter confesses that Jesus is indeed the"Christ" (Mk 8:29), Jesus foretells his suffering and death. This identity is again questioned when the chief priest asks Jesus "are you the Christ" (Mk14:61). Having condemned him blasphemy and handed him over to the Romans who crucify him, they again taunt him by saying "He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe." (Mk 15:31). Thus the title always appears in the context of the cross. For Mark Jesus’ messiah-ship is intimately linked with the cross and suffering, a fact that is borne out in the words of the centurion at the foot of the cross "Truly this man was the Son of God (Mk 15:39)

Jesus, the Son of Man One of the most common titles for Jesus in Mark’s gospel is "Son of Man". Once again this title has its origins in the OT. Ezekiel is often referred to as the "son of man" (Ez 2:1, 3:1) while the Book of Daniel uses the title to describe as a pre-existent heavenly being "one like the son of man" who passes judgment on all humanity (Dan 7:13). The title is used in many ways in the gospel: not only does it refer to his humanity in situations where Jesus foretells his suffering and death (Mk 14:41) but it has a newer and deeper meaning when Jesus uses it in reference to his giving "giving his life as a ransom for many" (Mk 10:45), his authority to forgive sins (Mk 2:10), his authority to reinterpret the Law (Mk2:28) and his role as final judge in glory (Mk8:38 and 13:26).

Suffering and the Cross in the Gospel From the very beginning the cross casts its shadow across the gospel. In his temptation in the wilderness, we learn that Jesus is engaged, as God’s anointed and righteous one, in a cosmic struggle with evil. Before the summary of Jesus’ gospel (Mk1:14) we are told that John the Baptist was "handed over". This theme of being "handed over" will continue when Jesus preaches and is "handed over" first to sinners by Judas, then by the chief priests to Pilate and by Pilate ultimately to death (Mk 9:31, 10:33, 14:41, 15:2) and finally Christians preach and live the gospel and are "handed over" (Mk 13:9-13). In addition to the Passion predictions, there are other intimations of the cross and suffering throughout the gospel:

  • In his discourse with the Pharisees on fasting we are told that the "bridegroom" will be "taken away" (Mk 2:19-20).
  • At the end of the same discourse the Pharisees "held counsel with the Herodians" to decide on "how to destroy him" (Mk 3:6) while in the aftermath of the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Mk 12:1012) the Pharisees are prevented from arresting him of our fear of the crowd.
  • While the opening of chapter 14 describes how "the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him" (Mk 14:1)
    • As we saw above, Jesus warns his disciples that persecution, betrayal and trial will be an integral part of their mission and indeed the process by which the gospel is preached:
    "Watch out for yourselves. They will hand you over to the courts. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will be arraigned before governors and kings because of me, as a witness before them. But the gospel must first be preached to all nations. When they lead you away and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say. But say whatever will be given to you at that hour. For it will not be you who are speaking but the Holy Spirit. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death". (Mk 13:10-12)


    These themes would have resonated with the early Christian community as it suffered at the hands of pagan persecutors and from internal divisions and betrayals.

    Discipleship in Mark’s Gospel In addition to recalling the good news of Jesus Christ, Mark has lots to say about what this involves for those who become disciples of Christ. As the gospel was written in the years after the resurrection we can presume that Mark sought not just to teach and warn the community for which he wrote but equally to console and uphold them in times of persecution and internal division. Mark sees the disciples primarily in term of "followers". As those chosen and called by Jesus (Mk 1:16-20, 2:13-14) they are in relationship with Jesus their teacher and guide: learning from him, conforming to his style of living and when sent out, preaching in his name and with his message (Mk 3:14. 6:7, 11:1, 14:13). Within this group of disciples is the Twelve (Mk 3:14-19), who act as a kind of inner circle. However, in Mark’s gospel the significance of the twelve is much less than that found in Matthew and Luke. Accordingly, scholars suggest that Mark inherited this information from another source and used it for a minimum purpose.


    Call of Peter and Andrew 1308 Duccio di Buoninsegna, Wastington

    In his presentation of the disciples, Mark writes with an honesty and frankness: speaking openly about their strengths and weaknesses. The gospel is peppered with teaching that relate specifically to the disciples and what is expected of them. Having been chosen and called by Jesus their mission is to parallel his. From the very beginning it is Jesus who takes the initiative, it is he who invites them to "Come follow me" and to share in his mission. The authority they will have will be his. It will be in his name that they will preach and have authority over demons:

    He went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: he appointed the twelve: Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.(Mk 3:13)

    As they travel with him across Galilee they witness his miracles, hear his teachings, assist him in feeding the multitudes, receive private instructions from him and finally arrive with him in Jerusalem where they share a final meal. However, as they are with Jesus, the question remains will they remain faithful?

    He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? What could one give in exchange for his life? Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." (Mk 8:34-38)


    On the other hand, Mark’s description of the disciples can be quite negative at times with heir faults and failings are on show for all to see. While most of this is bound up with the Messianic Secret motif of the Gospel and their clear lack of understanding of Jesus’ identity and mission, some of it may result from their own lack of fidelity and inner strength:

    Here the disciples are at best totally silent in the face of allegations of insanity or they are part of the group making them:

    He came home. Again (the) crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "By the prince of demons he drives out demons." For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, "Your mother and your brothers (and your sisters) are outside asking for you." But he said to them in reply, "Who are my mother and (my) brothers?" And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. (For) whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." (Mk 3:21-28)


    However, the clearest description of the disciples’ lack of understanding can be found in the aftermath of three passion predictions (Mk 8:31, Mk 9:30-32 and Mk 10:33-34)

    "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but after three days he will rise."(Mk 10:33-34)


    After each one the disciples misunderstand, while on two of the occasions they are more concerned with their own power and status than they are with the predictions Jesus make. As Jesus makes the first prediction Peter steps forward to rebuke him, resulting in the famous retort: "Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." (Mk 8:33) This misunderstanding is finally played out in the disciples’ infidelity in the moment of Jesus’ passion and crucifixion. Here, as individuals and as a group they sleep in his moment of distress (Mk 14:37) betray (Mk 14:10), deny (Mk 14:66-72) and ultimately desert him.


    Jesus cures the Blindman, Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308

    Markan Eschatology   For Mark the whole of the gospel can be summarized in the opening words of Jesus "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mk 1:14). This sets the gospel in an eschatological context; the moment when all creation would acknowledge the sovereignty of God and embrace once again God’s original plan for his creation. Thus for Mark this moment had already arrived and yet was still in the future. The coming of Jesus, his message of repentance inaugurated the arrival of the Kingdom whose fulfillment would be complete when all creation enthusiastically and fruitfully embraced its message.

    As we saw above, the testing of Jesus in the wilderness (Mk 1:12-13) set the gospel in the context of the cosmic struggle between good and evil. All of Jesus’ parables and teachings and in particular his miracles and healings have this eschatological dimension. As he battles and defeats demons and evil spirits Jesus emerges as the "anointed" of God whose words and actions have the very power of God in them. Against this kingdom, will come opposition and misunderstanding from even among his own followers! In the midst of this we are given an insight into the true nature of Jesus as the transfigured and glorious Son of Man, the anointed of Yahweh in the Markan account of the Transfiguration (Mk 9:2-28) Jesus will later describe this end of time event in his apocalyptic discourse:

    "But in those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather (his) elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky." (Mk 13:26-30)


    The Messianic Secret in Mark’s Gospel the term ‘messianic secret’ has been a part of vital part of our understanding of Mark’s gospel for over a hundred years. The clearest and most important examples of the secret are to be found in the account of the Transfiguration (above) and in the verse that follows Peter’s declaration of Jesus as "the Christ".

    Now Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" They said in reply, "John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets." And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said to him in reply, "You are the Christ." Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.(Mk 8:29)


    Having expressed Jesus’ truest identity as "the Christ" Jesus forbade them to speak about it publicly. Other examples of this are to be found when the unclean spirits identify Jesus:
     

    In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!" The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, "What is this? A new teaching with authority? He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him." (Mk 1:24-27)
    He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. (At that) they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat. (Mk 5:42-43)


    This atmosphere of secrecy is also to be found in the way that Jesus takes his disciples aside to offer private instructions on his miracles, parables and teachings. However, Jesus’ efforts at maintaining secrecy as to his identity are not always successful:

    Then he said to him (leper), "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them." The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere. (Mk 1:44-45)

    19th Century Icon of St. Mark, Istanbul

    Thus what are connected together are two distinct actions: Jesus’ injunction on others to stay silent about what they have known or deduced about his identity and Jesus’ attempts to hide form the demands of the public. In both Jesus seem to fear that he will be prematurely revealed as the long awaited Messiah and thus his ministry and teaching will be hijacked by popular and erroneous messianic expectations. For Jesus his truest identity can only be understood in the context of the cross and will be revealed in his death and resurrection. Surprisingly enough it will be the pagan Roman centurion who will then proclaim Jesus as "the Son of God" (Mk 15:39). Ultimately, the name ‘messianic secret’ as used in the Gospel is a misnomer. It derives from the Greek word ‘mysterion’, usually translated as ‘secret’ and is used to describe a divine truth revealed by God at a decisive moment in time. However, as we know from the opening words of the Gospel: Jesus of Nazareth is not just "the Christ" but is also the "Son of God". For the reader, the gospel is not just about the identity of Jesus but seeks to reveal what kind of messiah he is? This mystery is revealed as we discover Jesus as one who willingly undergoes suffering and the cross and calls his disciples to do likewise.

    Chapter 16:9-20: The Long and Short Conclusion Scholars have long debated whether the original gospel ended at verse 8 and whether the final verses were a later addition. Among the many texts still existing there are nine different endings known, but most of the debate focuses around this so-called ‘longer’ ending (Mk 16:9-20). There is strong evidence that these verses are not part of the original document, but rather an ancient completion of it. Four possible scenarios have been suggested: first, the original ending of Mark was lost, and somebody else at a very early date completed the gospel. Secondly, the author intentionally ended the gospel at 16:8, and someone else at an early date completed the gospel. Thirdly, more than one edition of Mark’s Gospel was made, so some Christian communities would have possessed the longer ending edition, and others would have possessed the shorter ending. Finally, the original ending was inconvenient to the church, and it was replaced to include a definite command to "go into the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation" (Mk 16:15).

    © Rev. Fr. James Conlon
    Director
    Bethany House
    DeWitt, Michigan
    Feast of St. Clare of Assisi.

     
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