Major Themes in the Gospel of Mark
135 Major Themes in the Gospel of Mark Fig. 6.3. Jesus on the Cross. The story of Jesus’ crucifixion comes as the climactic conclusion to
Mark’s narrative. For the author of this Gospel, understanding Jesus’ death on the cross is essential to knowing who Jesus is and what it means to have faith in him. (Bridgeman Art Library)
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Since Mark’s Gospel probably was the first of the four to be written, it may be viewed as something of a transition between two major types of material in the New Testament: the letters of Paul on the one hand, and the later Syn- optic Gospels (Matthew and Luke) on the other. In Paul’s letters the focus on Jesus Christ is almost exclusively on the crucified and risen Lord. Nowhere in his letters does Paul mention that Jesus taught in parables, or that he worked miracles, or that he dined with outcasts, or that he argued with Pharisees over Sabbath laws; rather, Paul wants to pass on what he considers to be “of first importance”: “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day” (1 Cor. 15:3).
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke differ radically from Paul in that most of their content is taken up with reporting things about Jesus that Paul does not include on his list of what is most important: they offer lengthy expositions of the teaching of Jesus and biographical accounts of his life and ministry prior to the passion. Mark is somewhere in between: he wants to report some aspects of Jesus’ life (the things that Paul does not mention), but he wants to keep the focus from beginning to end on the story of Jesus’ death on a cross.
Thematically, the crucifixion of Jesus is clearly what matters most to Mark.
Jesus has not ultimately come to heal the sick or to argue with Pharisees; he has come to give his life as a ransom (10:45). It is God’s will that he do this (14:36); indeed, it appears to be God’s will that he die on the cross as one who has been betrayed (14:44–45), deserted (14:50), denied (14:66–72), and forsaken (15:33–34). This is his destiny—what God wants to happen and what Satan wants to prevent (8:31–33). Mark does not spell out exactly why Jesus must do this or how his death serves God’s purposes. In place of elaborate explanations we get two figurative images: ransom and covenant. The language of “ransom”
(10:45) implies that his death somehow purchases human freedom, and the language of “covenant” (14:24) implies that it seals or establishes a relationship between humanity and God. How or why it does these things Mark does not say, but the cross of Christ is also very important to him for another reason:
it serves as the primary symbol for the life of self-denial, service, and sacrifice that Jesus’ followers are called to embrace (8:34).
Secrecy
In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about “the secret (or mystery) of the king- dom of God,” and his parables seem to function as a sort of code language that allows him to talk about God’s kingdom in terms that only insiders will comprehend (4:10–12). That strikes many readers as a bit odd, but the king- dom is not the only secret in this book. Jesus repeatedly tells people not to make known the miracles or healings that he performs (1:43–44; 5:43; 7:36;
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137 Major Themes in the Gospel of Mark 8:26); sometimes, they disobey him and tell people anyway (1:45; 7:36). He also instructs his disciples not to tell people that he is the Messiah (8:30), and he silences demons who would otherwise announce that he is the Son of God
Fig. 6.4. Jesus Enters Jerusalem. After completing his ministry in Galilee, Jesus travels to Jeru- salem and enters the city in a way that draws both criticism and acclaim. The story from Mark 11:1–10 is illustrated in this Russian icon from the seventeenth century. (Bridgeman Art Library)
(1:23–25, 34; 3:11–12; cf. 5:7). Of course, God speaks twice from heaven, af- firming Jesus’ divine sonship, but the first time that this happens, only Jesus seems to hear the voice (1:11), and the second time, Jesus instructs those who witness the event not to tell anyone about it until after his resurrection (9:9).
Thus, it is no surprise that his identity remains a mystery to almost everyone throughout the story (see 1:27; 2:7; 4:41; 6:2–3, 14–16; 8:27–28). Only Peter confesses him to be the Messiah (8:29), and it is not at all clear that Peter un- derstands what sort of messiah Jesus will be (cf. 8:31–33).
Scholars call this theme the “messianic secret.” At one point, some scholars speculated that Mark might be using secrecy as a cover for reporting things about Jesus that had not occurred in history. He could fabricate stories about Jesus, attributing miracles and messianic claims to him, and assert that the reason that no one had known these things before was that he was only now revealing matters that had been kept a secret. This thesis has not fared well.
For one thing, Mark’s Gospel does not really seem like a blatantly dishonest work, and for another, Mark seems more interested in making theological claims than historical ones. A less extreme version of the theory holds that Mark was using the secrecy motif as a way of explaining why Jesus was not recognized as the Messiah (by the general public) during his lifetime—it was because he intentionally kept his identity a secret. This explanation continues to have its advocates, but again, most modern interpreters do not think that Mark was primarily interested in historical questions.
Today, most scholars understand the secrecy theme as providing a theological interpretation of the story that Mark tells. In a nutshell, Mark does not think that any aspect of the Jesus story can be understood apart from the cross.
Jesus tells people not to talk about his miracles or his glorious transfiguration because those elements of his biography need to be understood in context, and the proper context for interpreting them does not come until the end of the story, when Jesus dies on the cross. Until then, people may be impressed by his authoritative teaching (6:2–3; cf. 1:27) and awed by his miracles (4:41), but
messianic secret:
a term employed in biblical studies to describe the motif in Mark’s Gospel according to which Jesus’
identity appears to be intention- ally shrouded in mystery.
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Box 6.6
The Way of the Cross
Jesus heals blindness (Mark 8:22–26)
Jesus predicts his passion 8:31 9:30–31 10:32–34 The disciples misunderstand 8:32–33 9:32–34 10:35–40 Jesus teaches the way of the cross 8:34–38 9:35–37 10:41–45
Jesus heals blindness (Mark 10:46–52)
139 Major Themes in the Gospel of Mark in this story no one is able to grasp what it means for Jesus to be the Messiah or Son of God before he is crucified. When Peter calls Jesus “messiah,” he is ordered not to share this identification with anyone (8:29–30) because he is not thinking in terms of a messiah who will suffer and die (see 8:29–33), and until he is able to think in those terms, Jesus does not want him testifying. Mark seems to be convinced (as Paul was) that the cross is the starting point for un- derstanding Jesus; the so-called secrecy theme serves to mute any proclamation or identification of Jesus that would not take the cross into account.
Proclamation of the Kingdom
Mark’s story of Jesus is ultimately centered on the events of his death and resurrection, but prior to those climactic occurrences Jesus is presented as a preacher of the gospel. The content of his preaching, furthermore, can be
Fig. 6.5. Judas Kiss. This painting captures one of the most memorable moments in all literature:
Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss (see Mark 14:43–46). In Mark’s Gospel, Judas may be the worst of the lot, but all twelve of Jesus’ disciples prove unfaithful (14:26–30, 50, 66–72). (Bridgeman Art Library)
summarized in a sentence: “The kingdom of God has come near” (1:14–15).
The Greek word translated “come near” (ēngiken) in this proclamation can mean either “has arrived” or “soon to arrive,” and most scholars believe that the ambiguity is intentional. In some sense, the power and presence of God’s rule have arrived in the person and ministry of Jesus, but in another sense, that rule will be established through cataclysmic, world-transforming events that Jesus says are about to occur.
There are both present and future aspects to God’s kingdom. Let’s consider the present aspect first. Jesus is claiming that God is ready and willing to rule people’s lives, and he maintains that this is “good news”; people who realize this will respond with repentance and faith (1:15). The announcement has practical implications. First, the inbreaking of God’s rule has brought an “invasion of purity” that challenges Israel’s traditional view that what is unclean must be kept separate from what is holy. Very soon after announcing the advent of God’s kingdom, Jesus touches a leper; in this act, Jesus does not become unclean, but rather the leper is cleansed (1:40–42). Similarly, he associates with sinners without worrying that they will contaminate him (2:15–17). One thing that Jesus means in proclaiming God’s rule as a present reality is that “holiness” is now contagious in a way that “uncleanness” was before: what is holy now has the power to transform what is unclean.
A second implication of Jesus’ proclamation of the kingdom in Mark is that the reality of God’s rule creates possibilities for new obedience. People do not need to settle for what would be merely acceptable. Moses recognized a need for divorce due to the hardness of people’s hearts, and he set up procedures for such divorces to be obtained properly. But divorce was not part of God’s original plan for humanity, and the nearness of God’s kingdom renders it unnecessary for those whose lives are ruled by God (Mark 10:2–9). The same thinking undergirds other radical ideals of Jesus: those who trust in God to rule their lives should have no trouble divesting themselves of material possessions (10:21), or with becoming slaves of others (10:43–44), or with giving up their lives for the sake of Jesus and the gospel (8:35).
But there is also a future aspect to God’s kingdom that has not yet been made manifest. The kingdom will not fully arrive until Jesus returns. His second coming will bring judgment on the wicked and on those who have been lax, but it will also bring deliverance and redemption for those who have trusted in God’s rule (13:25–36). “You will be hated by all because of my name,” Jesus says, “but the one who endures to the end will be saved” (13:13). As for when this final culmination of God’s reign will occur, Mark sends mixed signals. In general, Mark wants to encourage readers always to live on the edge, expect- ing the end to come very soon (13:28–30; cf. 9:1), but realizing that it might
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141 Major Themes in the Gospel of Mark not come as speedily as they hope (13:5–8, 21–22) and, in any case, cannot be predicted with certainty (13:32–33).
The Failures of the Disciples
Another prominent theme in Mark’s Gospel concerns his relentlessly nega- tive portrayal of Jesus’ disciples. It is often said that in Mark’s version of the Gospel story, the only thing the disciples of Jesus ever do right is leave their nets to follow him in the first place (see 1:16–20). After that, they disappoint him at every turn. In the first half of the Gospel the disciples are remarkably obtuse, failing to grasp who Jesus is (4:35–41) or what he wants of them (8:14–21).
Finally, about halfway through the Gospel, Peter does recognize that Jesus is the Messiah (8:29), but he seems to draw the wrong conclusions from this.
hyperlink 6.9 Fig. 6.6. Jesus Dies Alone. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus dies alone, as one who has been abandoned.
All of his disciples have forsaken him and run away (14:50). Judas betrayed him (14:44–45), and Peter denied him (14:66–72). Friends and family who in other Gospels are said to be “near the cross of Jesus” are described in Mark as looking on “from a distance” (cf. Mark 15:40 with John 19:25). Finally, darkness covers the land, and Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, why have you for- saken me?” (15:33–34). (Bridgeman Art Library)
In the next section of the Gospel Jesus predicts his passion three times, and each time the disciples do something that indicates that they do not grasp the significance of a suffering messiah:
• the first time, Peter rebukes Jesus outright, prompting Jesus to say, “Get behind me, Satan!” (8:31–33);
• the second time, the disciples remain oblivious to what Jesus has said, discussing among themselves which of them is the greatest (9:30–35);
• the third time, two of Jesus’ disciples jockey for position, asking if they can be guaranteed seats at his right and left in glory (10:32–44).
Fig. 6.7. Women Arriving at the Tomb. (www.heqigallery.com)
143 Major Themes in the Gospel of Mark This entire section of Mark, furthermore, is bracketed by stories of Jesus healing blind men (8:22–26; 10:46–52), an inclusio that highlights the disciples’ need for spiritual enlightenment. With this background, what happens in the passion narrative is no surprise: Judas betrays Jesus (14:10–11, 44–45), Peter denies him (14:66–72), and the others all run away and desert him (14:50).
Why would Mark tell the story this way? A number of theories have been proposed, but the dominant thesis is that he wants to offer a narrative portrayal of Paul’s theology of election and justification (cf. Rom. 3:22–24; 5:6–8; 2 Cor.
12:9). The disciples of Jesus, known to Mark’s audience as heroes of the church, had nothing to commend themselves other than the fact that they had been chosen by Jesus. It is Jesus who calls them (1:16–20; 2:13–14; 3:13) and gathers them into his family (3:34–35). He offers them the secret of the kingdom (4:11) and sometimes provides them with private explanations of his teaching (4:10–20, 33–34; 7:17–23). He empowers them for mission (3:14–15; 6:7–13). He does all this in spite of the fact that they seem obtuse and self-obsessed and show few (if any) signs of improvement. In fact, he predicts that they will betray, deny, and forsake him, adding only that he will want them to rejoin him after his resurrection. And, sure enough, the word that goes out from the empty tomb is a word of invitation for the faithless disciples to come back and continue as before (16:7). Despite their failings, Jesus keeps them as his disciples. The point, for Mark, seems to be that discipleship is a relationship established by the call of Christ and defined by his own faithfulness, not by any merit that can be attributed to the disciples themselves.
inclusio: a literary device according to which paral- lel expressions are used at the beginning and ending of a literary unit; for example, 1 Thessalonians is said to exhibit an inclusio of refer- ences to faith, love, and hope, which are found near the beginning (1:3) and ending (5:8) of the letter.
For Further Reading
Broadhead, Edwin K.
» Mark. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2001.
Dowd, Sharyn E.
» Reading Mark: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Second Gospel. Macon, GA: Smyth and Helwys, 2000.
Hare, Douglas R. A.
» Mark. Westminster Biblical Companion. Louisville:
Westminster John Knox, 1996.
Harrington, Daniel J.
» What Are They Saying about Mark? Mahwah, NJ:
Paulist Press, 2005.
Moloney, Francis J.
» Mark: Storyteller, Interpreter, Evangelist. Peabody, MA:
Hendrickson, 2004.
Rhoads, David, with Joanna Dewey and Donald Michie.
» Mark as Story: An
Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1999.
Telford, W. R.
» The Theology of the Gospel of Mark. New Testament Theology.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
Conclusion
Mark’s Gospel is usually thought to have been written in a setting where the church had experienced violent persecution. At the very least, his readers prob- ably were aware of what had happened in Rome under the emperor Nero: Chris- tians had been tortured and crucified, fed to lions, and set on fire to serve as torches at night. Accordingly, many scholars believe the community for which this Gospel was written consisted of those believers who were left—that is, the ones who had survived the persecution. The boldest and the bravest were gone.
Those who remained included many people who had broken under pressure:
some of them had denied Christ in order to be spared; some may have even betrayed other members of the church (cf. 13:12); many, perhaps most, may simply have gotten very quiet and hoped that no one would find any reason to connect them with this faith that brought such suffering and hardship. If this is the case, then Mark might be writing his Gospel to provide both comfort and challenge to these failures, cowards, and traitors. His treatment of many themes becomes meaningful in this light: the cross must be central to any true understanding of who Jesus is, and the failures of Jesus’ original disciples may be recalled as a source of empathetic hope.
It is possible that some such pastoral impulse also provides the motivation for Mark leaving his Gospel story unfinished (unless, of course, he did indeed finish it and the ending has simply been lost). Many scholars think that Mark ends his Gospel as he does because the readers themselves need to decide what happens next—for them. They know, of course, what happened to the origi-
Hyperlinks—www.IntroducingNT.com
6.1. Content Summary: Expanded Overview of the Gospel of Mark 6.2. Distinctive Characteristics of Mark’s Gospel
6.3. Three Prominent Rhetorical Devices in Mark’s Gospel
6.4. The Ending of Mark: Did Jesus’ Disciples Ever Learn of the Resurrection?
6.5. The Passion of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark 6.6. The Crucifixion of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark 6.7. The “Messianic Secret” in Mark’s Gospel 6.8. When Will Jesus Return?
6.9. The Disciples of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark 6.10. Exorcism and Teaching in the Gospel of Mark 6.11. Composition of Mark 13
6.12. Worship in Mark
6.13. Mark in the Revised Common Lectionary 6.14. Bibliography: The Gospel of Mark
145 Conclusion nal disciples of Jesus, that they met with Jesus after Easter and, despite their cowardice and denials, became witnesses for Christ throughout the world.
But in telling their story, Mark chooses to end the tale at what, for his readers, is the critical juncture: he ends with an altar call, so to speak, for the readers need to decide whether they want to continue the story. When they weigh their own faithlessness to Jesus against his faithfulness to them, will they respond as the disciples did, or not? According to this theory, the story ends in fear and silence because Mark wants his readers to realize the story is not over . . . it can’t be over, yet. The readers need to ask, “So, what does it mean? What happens next? What now?”