MARK

Galilee and Jerusalem

Mark arranges his narrative around a geographical north-south polarity

Galilean Ministry

Mark’s Eschatological Urgency Mark as Apocalypse Son of Man Conflict Demons Jesus as Sorcerer Jesus as Healer

Mark’s Eschatological Urgency

Mark’s sense of eschatological urgency permeates his entire Gospel

the eschaton—the end of history as we know it

Profoundly impacts his portrayal of Jesus

Why does Mark have this perspective? With the persecution of Christians and the

Temple’s destruction (70 CE), Mark sees the eschaton about to be fulfilled

He paints Jesus as warning Mark’s generation

“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Mark 13:2

“immediately” Mark conveys urgency by adding

“immediately” to many pericopes

The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Mark 6:44-46

“the kingdom” = God’s Active Rule

And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” Mark 9:1

Mark believes God’s Active Rule is close at hand

Apocalypse

Some scholars regard the Gospel of Mark as a modified Apocalypse

That is as a revelation of unseen realities and a disclosure of events that will bring God’s final intervention in human affairs

Devices of Apocalyptic language in Mark Disembodied voice of God spoken at

Jesus’ baptism

And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Mark 1:11

Disembodied voice of God spoken at the Transfiguration

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” Mark 9:7

Transfiguration

An apocalyptic scene on a mountain top where Peter, James, and John see Jesus transformed into a luminous being, seated and in discussion with the ancient figures of Moses and Elijah

Son of Man

A phrase used in the Hebrew Bible Sometimes referring to a prophet,

Ezekiel for example Or as the one who comes as Yahweh’s

agent, the elect one or the anointed one

Son of Man

Mark’s favored expression to denotes the roles of Jesus1. Earthly Son of Man who teaches with

authority2. Son of Man who embraces suffering as a

path to God3. Son of Man of eschatology, who will

ultimately return

Did Jesus ever use the term?

Scholars debate whether Jesus ever referred to himself as the “Son of Man”

Mark claims Jesus has the right to exercise authority and change Jewish law and custom because he is the “Son of Man”

Jesus in Conflict

Pharisees Scribes Sadducees Herodians

Jesus and Demons

Common belief that unseen evil entities influence human behavior

Jesus exorcises demons In Mark, the demons recognize Jesus’

holy identity, but humans do not

Jesus the healer

In Mark, one of Jesus’ most important functions is bringing relief to the afflicted—the feverish, lepers, paralytics, and other ill or possessed people