Authorship and Date
The Gospel of Mark, though coming second in the New Testament canon, appears to have come first in order of composition. All but four paragraphs in Mark find parallels in Matthew or Luke, or in both of these other Gospels, which with Mark comprise what scholars call the "Synoptics" Despite their close literary relationship, however, the synoptic Gospels display individual characteristics. For Mark, the overarching distinctive consists in the portrayal of Jesus as a man of action. In Mark, things are always happening "immediately"; Jesus' teachings take a back seat to detailed accounts of his miracles; and his actions attract a constant throng, often because of people's repeated disobedience to his orders not to tell anyone about his miracle-working.
The omission of birth and infancy narratives about John the Baptist and Jesus helps make Mark the shortest of the canonical Gospels. Mark starts with the activities of John and proceeds in a generally chronological order through Jesus' ministry, passion, and resurrection. In some sections, however, chronology gives way to thematic arrangement, as with the episodes evidencing Jesus' authority in 2:1-3:6.
The translation in Mark of expressions from Aramaic (a Semitic language related to Hebrew) suggests that the book addresses a non-Jewish audience - probably Roman, since Mark substitutes Latin terms and expressions for their Greek equivalents. That a number of early church fathers place the presumed author, John Mark, in Rome with Peter and Paul offers external evidence favoring this view.
Authorship and Date
The text of Mark does not name the book's author, but the title eventually assigned to this Gospel reflects both the tradition of authorship perpetuated by the early church fathers,
beginning with Papias in the and century A.D., and the implications of textual evidence from Acts and the New Testament epistles. In those books, John Mark (respective Hebrew and Latin names) appears as a missionary companion of Paul, Barnabas, and Peter. Papias indicates that Mark served as Peter's interpreter in Rome and committed to writing an account of Jesus' life and ministry. Slightly later than Papias, the church father Irenaeus says that Mark based his account on the preaching of Peter - an eyewitness to Jesus' ministry, unlike Mark, and one of Jesus' closest earthly companions. The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Jerome further support this tradition.
Scholars dispute the date of authorship for the book of Mark, with proposals ranging from as early as the mid-40s to soon after 70. In 13:14, Jesus refers to the "desolating sacrilege;' a phrase that most scholars take to refer to the Roman desecration of the temple in 70 - more than three decades after Christ's ascension to heaven. Earlier dating of the Gospel would view this statement as predictive prophecy. If Jesus' statement refers to a past desecration of the temple (such as that by Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167 B.C.) or is an editorial composition put in Jesus' mouth after the fact, authorship of Mark sometime after A.D. 70 is possible. Since Luke appears to have used Mark as a source for writing his Gospel, the dating of the two-part work Luke-Acts also affects the dating of Mark. Most scholars today date Mark in the late 6os.
1:1-11 John's Baptism of Jesus
Cf. Matthew 3; Luke 3:1-6, 15-18, 21-22.
Mark begins with a declaration of purpose: to relate the beginning of the "good news" of Jesus Christ. The opening quotation ties the "good news" to Isaiah's prophecies, which greatly influenced the composition of Mark's Gospel. The author omits an account of Jesus' birth and ignores his human ancestry in favor of getting right to the genealogical point: Jesus is the Son of God, as proclaimed from heaven at his baptism (v. 11). The rest of Mark's Gospel provides the proof. (Note, however, that a considerable number of ancient manuscripts omit "Son of God" from 1:1.)
1:1213 Satan Tempts Jesus in the Wilderness
Cf. Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13.
Mark notes that Jesus' temptation in the wilderness lasted 4o days (= "a long time"), but he does not give any details of the Devil's demands or Jesus' refusal to give in. As in Matt. 4:11, angels minister to Jesus in this time of testing.
1:14-39 Jesus Begins His Ministry
Cf. Matt. 4:12-25; 7:28-29; 8:14-17; Luke 4:14-15, 31-44.
Following his baptism, Jesus goes to Galilee to begin his ministry, which he declares to represent a decisive moment appointed by God (v. 15, "the fulfillment of time").
All Jewish men held the right to expound the Hebrew Scriptures in synagogue services, but from the start the authoritative nature of Jesus' teaching distinguishes it from that of the "professional" interpreters of the Law.
Jesus exorcises a demon (vv. 21-28), which identifies him by name probably to try to repel Jesus' power, since ancient Near Easterners believed in the potency of names. The Saturday sunset marks the end of Sabbath, and most people wait till then to approach Jesus for a miracle N. 32); but by curing the demoniac in the synagogue and Simon's mother-in-law (Mark calls Peter by his Hebrew name, vv. 29ff.), Jesus has already exercised his lordship over this holy day (cf. Matt. 12:1-14).
1:40-45 Jesus Heals a "Leper"
Cf. Matt. 8:1-4; Luke 5:12-16.
After curing a man with a chronic skin disease (not leprosy in the modern sense), Jesus instructs him to keep the miracle quiet. But the "leper" disobeys and Jesus becomes an instant celebrity, mobbed by crowds of people (e.g., see 2:1-12; 3:9-10; 6:53-56). Jesus' desire for secrecy may have sought to avoid such crowds as well as messianic expectations that he was a politicalmilitary deliverer.
2:1-12 Jesus Heals a Paralytic
Cf. Matt. 9:1-8; Luke 5:17-26.
Mark (as Luke) details the means by which the friends of the paralyzed man gain him access to the hemmed-in Jesus: digging a hole through the flat, mud-plastered roof of the house (accessible by an outside staircase) and lowering the man down through the opening.
2:13-22 Celebrating with Sinners
Cf. Matt. 9:9-17; Luke 5:27-39.
Jesus now calls another disciple, a customs official or tax farmer despised by his fellow Jews because of his employment by the Gentile bureaucracy. Mark and Luke call him Levi, either the original name of Matthew as he is called in Matthew's Gospel or his second name (cf. Simon Peter).
Jesus further antagonizes the religious establishment by attending a banquet in Levi's home along with other social outcasts. This action underscores his mission to the least and lost, a foretaste of opportunity for all in the coming dominion of God.
2:23-3:6 Lord of the Sabbath
Cf. Matt. 12:1-14; Luke 6:1-11.
Controversy arises when Jesus' disciples help themselves to grain while walking through a field on the Sabbath. The Pharisees take this action as a violation of Jewish law, but Jesus responds that even priests were permitted to satisfy their hunger on the Sabbath. He reminds them that David and his men took the holy bread of the Presence kept continually in the temple, an offering which could be eaten only by the priests (i Sam. 21:1-6). Thus Jesus makes the point that he inaugurates a new day - the old rules no longer apply.
Mark notes the unlikely collaboration of the Pharisees with the "Herodians" - Jewish sup porters of Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee - as witness to the intensity of their hatred for Jesus.
Miracles
The Gospels are emphatic that Jesus' mighty deeds were an essential part of his mission. They offer some 35 distinct accounts plus references to healings and exorcisms in numerous summaries. Much of Jesus' fame derives from them (Mark 1:45), and even his enemies admitted his powers (Matt. 9:34). Intriguingly, while many of Jesus' healings have parallels in the Greco-Roman world, the Gospels have no counterparts to pagan healings of extended pregnancies, baldness, headaches, infertility, gout, and worms, of tattoo-removal, or restoration of broken pottery. What are we to make of this selectivity, especially in light of the repeated statements that Jesus healed all who beseeched him (Matt. 4:24; Luke 6:19)?
Since Jesus cannot properly be understood apart from Israel's story, it is necessary to go back to the very beginning and the creation of humanity in God's image. Image language was not new. Pagans made images of their gods, ritually "opening" their eyes, ears, and mouths and "mobilizing" their limbs before placing them in temples. The biblical story takes up but reverses this activity. It is God who makes us in his image (Gen. 1:26-27). He gives us sight, speech, and hearing (Exod. 4:11) and places us in his "palace" (cf. Isa. 66:1; Job 38:4ff.; Isa. 4o:2; 45:18). This pattern is echoed in the Exodus, when God formed Israel, his "son," to bear his image as a new humanity
in a new "Eden" (Exod. 4:22; Isa. 43:1; Lev. 19:2).
But Israel, like Adam, rebelled and were likewise expelled from their paradise-land. God executed their sentence by ironically recreating his people in the image of the idols they worshipped (Isa. 6:9-10 [note the temple setting]; Ps. 115:4-8; 135:15-18). "Blind" and "deaf," they would stumble into the death of exile (Isa. 29:9-14; cf. Ezekiel 37). But God also promised that he would have compassion on them (Isa. 49:13; 5410). He would bring them out of exile in a new creational new exodus, restoring sight, hearing, and speech, healing the lame, raising the dead (Isa. 26:19; 35:5-6; 61:1; Ezekiel 37), and granting superabundance to the land (Isa. 51:3). They were thus to prepare the way for his coming (Isa. 40:3), when he would bind "strong man" Babylon (Isa. 49:2425) and bring his captive people safely home.
Pavement mosaic commemorating the miracle of the loaves and fishes; mid-5th century, Church of the Multiplication, et-Tagbah. (Wikimedia Commons)
With this in mind, Jesus' response to John the Baptist - the blind see, the deaf hear, the dead are raised" (Matt. 11:3-6 par. Luke 7:20-23, citing Isa. 26:19; 35:5-6; 61:1) - makes perfect sense. These were all signs that the promised new creational new exodus, which John himself earlier announced (Isa. 40:3 in Matt. 3:3 par. Luke 3:4), had come. When challenged over his exorcisms, Jesus again alludes to Isaiah's promised deliverance (Mark 3:27; Isa. 49:24-25). This time, however, the ultimate oppressor and strong man is not Babylon and its idols but Satan and the demons (cf. 1 Cor. 10:20).
Jesus' power over the sea, the drowning of demonic "legion" (Mark 4:35-5:20), and the feedings in desert places (Matt. 14:15-21; John 6:1-15) also echo Yahweh's mighty deeds at the first exodus (Exodus 14-16). And astoundingly, who else if not God himself walks on the waters (Matt. 14:25; cf. Job 9:8)? In healing fevers, dropsy, the hemorrhaging woman, and lepers, Jesus as Israel's healer reverses Deuteronomy's exilic curse (Exod. 15:26; Deut. 28:16ff.). He is thus also shown to be Isaiah's servant who effects the new exodus redemption of unclean and leprous Israel (Isa. 1:6; 53:4; Matt. 8:17). The astonishing catches of fish (John 21:1-i4; Ezek 47:9-10) and his turning of water into wine (John 2:1-11; cf. Amos 9:13; Joel 3:18) similarly announce the blessing of the land with extraordinary abundance. This is why the Gospels speak not of miracles but "mighty deeds," signs," and "works" - the terminology of the exodus (Deut.
3:24; 4:34; Ps. 44:1;106:8) and creation (65:6; 102:25).
At the same time, the drowning of the swine (associated with idolatry, Isa. 65:4) and the cursing of the fig tree (a symbol of leafy but budless and fruitless Israel, Jer. 8:13) indicate that this new exodus also entails judgment if rejected (Mal. 4:6).
Why did neither John nor Israel grasp the significance of Jesus' mighty deeds? Probably because the Messiah was not expected to heal, and these prophecies were largely understood in metaphorical terms, that is, as healing those who were "blind and deaf" to the Law (CD 1:9ff.; Tg. Isa. 42:14-24). So not only were these heal
ings signs indicating the need to believe in Jesus as the ultimate expression of God's will (cf. John 9), but they were also powerful declarations of God's commitment to restore his creation and our bodies, as Jesus' resurrection testifies.
Jesus' mighty deeds were both the sign and demonstration that Israel's longed-for deliverance had come. They announce and constitute the beginning of the new creation and the restoration of the image of God in humanity. And if for Israel, then also for the whole world, to whom Israel was to be a light and whose only hope was in God's justice (Isa. 42:4-6).
RIKKI E. WATTS
3:7-30 Jesus Calls the Disciples
Cf. Matt. 10:1-4; 12:15-37; Luke 6:12-19; 11:14-23.
"Idumea" refers to the area south of Judea. Tyre and Sidon, on the coast of modern Lebanon, were prominent port cities established by the Phoenicians and important centers of maritime trade in New Testament times.
All 12 disciples appointed by Jesus as apostles hail from Galilee, with the possible exception of his betrayer, Judas Iscariot, who may come from the town of Kerioth in Judea. Two pairs of fraternal fisherman - Simon Peter and Andrew, James and John - followed Jesus first. Matthew, also called Levi, shed his career as a tax collector in the service of the Roman government to answer Jesus' call. Simon in verse 18 is called "the Cananaean," from an Aramaic word meaning "Zealot," perhaps related to a Jewish guerilla group that sought to oust the occupying Romans during the First Jewish Revolt (66-74). Luke refers to Thaddaeus as "Judas son of James," while Bartholomew may be the "Nathanael" of John 1:45ff.
Mark notes the efforts of Jesus' family to protect him from people who think he is insane (3:21). But Jesus' comments about the "eternal sin" of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit show that those who write him off as an instrument of Satan have already blasphemed their way out of the kingdom of God (vv. 29-30).
3:31-35 Jesus Identifies His True Family
Cf. Matt. 12:46-So; Luke 8:19-21.
When Jesus' biological relatives approach, he makes clear that natural ties of kinship or friendship provide no special advantages in the coming kingdom. Instead, a new and broader understanding of "family" accepts anyone who does the will of God.
4:1-34 Jesus Teaches in Parables
Cf. Matthew 13; Luke 8:4-18; 13:18-19.
In this first major account of Jesus' teachings, Mark emphasizes that not everyone can grasp the importance of Jesus' ministry or his role in bringing about God's kingdom. These seemingly simple stories will be heard in a variety of ways, and only true disciples will grasp their deeper ("secret") meaning. The method fulfills the Old Testament prophecies contained in Ps. 78:2 and Isa. 6:10.
Synagogue at Capernaum, a richly ornamented basilica with gabled roof; 4th century A.D. (David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons)
Only Mark records the short parable comparing the kingdom of God to the mystery of a growing seed (vv 26-29). The farmer represents Jesus and his disciples, who sow the seed of the kingdom; but God controls its fruition.
4:35-6:6a Demonstrating His Power
Cf. Matt. 8:18-34; 9:18-26; Luke 8:26-56.
In the account relating the healing of the demoniac (5:1-20), the country of the Gerasenes (Matt. 8:28, "Gadarenes") designates the largely Gentile area southeast of the Sea of Galilee. Mark gives details of the healing not mentioned in Matt. 8:28-33 (which indicates two afflicted men), including the name of the demoniac ("Legion") and the number of swine (about 2000) into which Jesus sends the "unclean spirits." The "Decapolis" (5:20) refers to io autonomous Greek cities, most of which lay east of Galilee in Transjordan.
In the report of Jesus' revival of a little girl (5:21-43), Mark gives her father's name as "Jairus" As at the transfiguration and in the garden of Gethsemane, Peter, James, and John emerge as Jesus' inner circle of disciples (5:37; cf. 9:2;14:33). Jesus issues his resurrecting command in Aramaic - a language related to Hebrew, used as the international language throughout much of the 1st millennium B.C., and spoken widely in Jesus' day.
6:6b43 Commissioning the Apostles for Missionary Work
Cf. Matt. 9:35-10:1, 9-14; Luke 9:1-6.
Jesus sends the disciples in pairs so their testimony to the gospel will hold up as valid according to Mosaic law (cf. Deut. 19:15). The disciples anoint the sick with olive oil, used for medicinal purposes in addition to others (v. 13).
6:14-56 John Beheaded; Five Thousand Fed; Jesus Walks on Water
Cf. Matthew 14; Luke 9:7-17; John 6:1-21.
Herod had married his brother's wife, Herodias. She resented John the Baptist for criticizing the relationship and, with her daughter's aid, coerced Herod to have him beheaded (vv. 17-29).
Mark's version of the feeding of the 5000 is the most detailed among the four Gospels (vv. 30-44). The disciples complain that buying bread for the crowd would require seven months' worth of wages for the average day laborer, who earned one denarius per day. It is the disciples' own food that provides the basis for the miraculous bounty.
Seeing the disciples struggling to row against a strong wind, Jesus walks across the water, enters the boat, and the wind calms (vv. 45-52). In Marl's account Peter does not try to mimic the miracle.
7:1-23 The Limits of Tradition
Cf. Matt. 15:1-20.
Jesus' opponents criticize the disciples for failing to observe ritual cleansing prior to preparing and consuming food. Mark clarifies that Jesus' teaching nullifies the food taboos dictated in Mosaic law (v. 19; cf. Leviticus 11). Jesus counters that the Pharisees violate the spirit of the Law when they withhold support from their parents; claiming that the funds are earmarked as an offering to God, they nevertheless continue to use them for their own purposes.
Jesus' Teachings
The focus of Jesus' teachings was not on himself but on the reign of God (the "kingdom of God") and on the redemption of Israel, a redemption with profound significance for all humanity.
The fundamental element of Jesus' teaching was his proclamation of the reign (or kingdom) of God (Mark 1:14-15), by which he meant the powerful presence of God. This proclamation reflected the vocabulary and imagery of the book of Isaiah. Passages such as Isa. 40:9 ("herald of good news ... say to the cities of Judah, 'Here is your God!"') and 52:7 ("who brings good news ... who announces salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns!"') provide the scriptural backdrop to Jesus' proclamation. Isaiah 61:1-2 ("The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me ... to bring good news ...") identifies proclamation of the good news of God's reign as the specific task of the Lord's anointed one (or Messiah). These prophetic passages provided the elements out of which Jesus shaped his proclamation.
Appealing to these very passages, Jesus reassures an imprisoned and discouraged John the Baptist that he is indeed the one who is to come," for the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them" (Matt. 11:5 par. Luke 7:22). He is God's Messiah, whom, in the words of one of the Dead Sea
Scrolls, "heaven and earth will obey."
Like other Jewish teachers of his day, Jesus is called "rabbi" or teacher (Mark 4:38; 9:17;10:17; 12:14, 19). He teaches as opportunities arise, seated in the presence of his disciples and crowds, whether outdoors or in someone's home (Matt. 5:1; Mark 12:41; Luke 5:3). At other times he teaches in more formal settings, such as the synagogue (Mark 1:21; 6:2; Luke 4:20). Although not a professional scholar, Jesus appealed to and interpreted Scripture to address
people's specific needs and experiences (e.g., Isa. 6:9-1o in Mark 4:12; Jer. 7:11 in Mark 11:17; Isa. 5:1-7 in Mark 12:1-9; Ps. 118:22 in Mark 12:10-11).
When Jesus saw the crowds, he began to speak and taught them" (Matthew 5). (Richard Cleave, Pictorial Archive)
The arrival of the reign of God escalated the war between God
and Satan. We are told that Satan has fallen from heaven (Luke 10:18), his allies are now being trodden upon by Jesus' followers (v. 19), and he himself has been bound by the "stronger" Jesus (Mark 3:27; cf. 1:7), who is now setting free those held captive by unclean spirits (Luke 13:16). It is for this reason that Jesus saw his ministry of exorcism as tangible evidence of the reality of the presence of God's reign (Luke 11:20) and that his contemporaries, who did not separate Jesus' words from his acts of power, referred to his
exorcisms as "teaching" (Mark 1:22, 27).
Closely following the proclamation of the reign of God was the hope for the redemption and restoration of Israel. We find this in the call throughout for Israel to repent (Mark 1:15; 6:12; Matt. 11:21 par. Luke 10:13), in the appointment of the Twelve and their commission to proclaim the kingdom and to cast out evil spirits (Mark 3:15; 6:7), and in the promise that when the kingdom comes in its fullness the Twelve will rule over the 12 tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:28-30).
Galilee at the Time of Jesus
Jesus also proclaims the compassion and goodness of God. He teaches that God is ready and eager to receive repentant sinners (Luke 15:11-32), that he is a God who answers prayer (Matt. 6:5-13; Luke 18:1-7), rewards faithfulness (Matt. 24:45 par. Luke 12:42), and expects his people to be, as he is, compassionate (Luke 6:36; 10:37) and forgiving (Matt. 6:12-15; 18:2122). Above all, God is a personal God who knows humanity's needs, even to minute details (Matt. 6:2534; 10:30 par. Luke 12:7); therefore,
people are to have faith in God (Mark 2:5; 5:34, 36; 11:22, 24; Luke 7:50).
Jesus is also a teacher of wisdom and ethics, all of which must be understood in the light of the coming judgment. Like Dame Wisdom herself (Prov. 9:1-6), Jesus urges his hearers to come to him and to take upon themselves his yoke (Matt. 11:28-30), even claiming that someone greater than Solomon is present (Matt. 12:42 par. Luke 11:31). Jesus urges humility, warning that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, while those who humble themselves will be exalted (Mark 9:35; Luke 14:11). Jesus expects his followers to help the poor (Mark 10:21; Luke 14:13) and not assume that the sick and downtrodden are worse sinners than anyone else (Luke 13:1-5; 16:19-31; John 9:1-3).
Jesus' teachings of the end
times crystallized after entering Jerusalem. He warned of a coming fearful judgment if God's message and Messenger were not received. The temple has become fruitless, its purpose left unfulfilled (Mark 11:15-19). The ruling priests, God's stewards over his temple and people, will lose their authority because of theft and murder (Mark 11:17; 12:1-12). Indeed, the days will come when Jerusalem will be besieged, her inhabitants will be dashed to the ground, and not one stone of the city will be left upon another (Luke 19:41-44). Even the beautiful temple complex will be completely demolished (Mark 13:1-2). These terrible events will be preceded by signs, but the final events will unfold so swiftly that few will be prepared and many will perish (Mark 13:3-37). Jesus warns his disciples to be alert and faithful.
For Further Reading
CRAIG A. EVANS
7:24-8:10 Jesus Reaches Out to Gentiles
Cf. Matt. 15:21-39.
Traveling north to Tyre, Jesus is implored by a Greek woman of Syrophoenician nationality to exorcise a demon that is is tormenting her daughter. Jesus declines (7:26) on the grounds that Jews ("children") have prior claim to his mighty works ("crumbs") than Gentiles ("dogs"). But when she acknowledges him as "master," which in common usage meant "benefactor," he relents in recognition of her faith.
Mark presents a detailed account of Jesus' curing of a deaf man with a speech impediment (7:31-37). Jesus' use of spit to heal the man stems from the ancient belief in the curative power of saliva. Again Jesus uses the Aramaic language to command the man's wellness (cf. 5:41).
8:11-21 On Evil "Leaven"
Cf. Matt. 16:1-12; Luke 11:16; 12:1.
The Pharisees demand a sign from heaven to clarify the source of Jesus' power in performing miracles, but he refuses to be tested. He warns the disciples of the corrupting influence ("yeast") the Pharisees' teaching has on true faith (v 15). Mark lumps Herod together with the Jewish religious leaders as threats to Jesus' life and mission. When the disciples bemoan their lack of bread, Jesus laments that they have missed the point of the miraculous feeding of the multitudes.
8:22-26 The Blind Man of Bethsaida
This miracle goes unreported in Matthew and Luke, but Matthew may have summarized and combined this healing with that of Bartimaeus (10:46-52; cf. Matt. 20:29-34; Luke 18:35-43). Again, Jesus applies his own, healthy spittle to cure the sensory organs of another (7:31-37).
8:27-9:1 Identifying Jesus and His Mission
Cf. Matt. 10:32-33; 16:13-28; Luke 9:18-27.
In the villages surrounding Caesarea Philip pi, Herod Philip's district capital some 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus' ministry takes a bold turn. At Jesus' prompting, Peter recognizes him as the Messiah (in Greek, the Christ). But Jesus warns them against publicly identifying him as such, since even those close to him will have difficulty grasping what this means.
Jesus then begins to prepare the disciples for the persecution and death that lie ahead. When Peter resists, Jesus charges that his objection serves human interests, not those of God (8:33). Jesus instructs the crowd and the disciples that any who would be his followers must face these trials. How a person accepts Jesus and his ministry now will determine his or her own fate at the final judgment (8:38).
9:2-32 Jesus, the New Moses
Cf. Matt. 17:1-23; Luke 9:28-45.
Jesus invites three of his inner circle to accompany him up a mountain, where he becomes "transfigured." In an event resembling the theophanies of the Old Testament, Jesus is clothed in unearthly brilliance and accompanied by none other than Moses and Elijah. Thinking that this marks Jesus as one of the greatest prophets, Peter suggests erecting booths or tents as dwellings for the three divine beings. The event may foreshadow Jesus' second coming.
While Matthew makes Jesus' curing of an epileptic child a miraculous healing of a medical condition, Marrs more detailed account portrays it as an exorcism that hinges on the faith of the boy's father.
9:33-50 Christian Obligations and Behavior
Cf. Matt. 5:13; 18:1-9; Luke 9:46-50;1434-35; 17:1-2.
Discussion among the disciples about rank among the followers shows that they have missed the point of Jesus' announcement concerning his own self-sacrifice (vv. 30-32). The talk provides him opportunity to teach concerning the "greatest" and the "least." Believers must humble themselves in service even to those considered least important by society.
In verses 38-41, Jesus sanctions the perform ing of exorcisms by an outsider, who cannot long resist conversion in the face of the irresistibly convincing miracles he performs in Jesus' name.
Caesarea Philippi, capital of the tetrarch Herod Philip on the southern slope of Mount Hermon. Here Peter recognized Jesus as the Christ. (Richard Cleave, Pictorial Archive)
The picture of hell/Gehenna in verse 48 (duplicated in W. 44 and 46 in some manuscripts) recalls the Hinnom Valley, the worm-infested, perpetually smoldering garbage pit of ancient Jerusalem. Salting with fire (vv 49-50) refers to moral judgment.
10:1-12 Marriage and Divorce
Cf. Matt. 19:1-12.
As Jesus heads from Galilee to Judea by way of Perea, the region east of the Jordan, Pharisees again test him on points of the Law. At issue are differing rabbinical interpretations - one that allows a man to divorce his wife for even the most minor of reasons, and another that permits the dissolution only in the case of moral misconduct on her part. Unlike Gentile women, Jewish wives did not have the right to initiate a divorce. Jesus' concern is for marriage as created by God, and the interference of another person in that union, either through infidelity or remarriage, constitutes adultery.
10:13-31 The Requirements and Rewards of Discipleship
Cf. Matt. 18:3; 19:13-30; Luke 18:15-30.
Despite the disciples' resistance, Jesus welcomes those who present little children for his blessing. This move further demonstrates his concern and compassion for the most vulnerable members of society and provides a model for how one should receive the gift of God's kingdom.
The rich young man learns that he must abandon his reliance on mammon (wealth) and become dependent on God, and the vignette adds new insight into Jesus' teaching on earthly treasure in Matt. 6:19-24. Salvation comes only as a gift from God. On verses 29-30, compare the rewards realized by job for faithfulness in the face of extreme adversity (see job 42).
10:32-11:11 Suffering and Servanthood
Cf. Matt. 20:17-21:17; Luke 18:31-43; 19:28-46; 22:24-27.
James and John petition Jesus for positions of honor in his kingdom (10:33-40; in Matthew their mother issues the request; cf. 9:33-37). But they do not yet grasp what lies ahead. The "baptism" to which Jesus refers means suffering, as connoted also by the "cup." He explains that the leaders in his kingdom will not wield earthly authority but be servant and slave to all (10:42-45).
As Jesus and the disciples leave Jericho, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus (Aramaic for "son of Timaeus") cries out for Jesus to heal him. His use of the title "son of David" suggests that Jesus' identity as the Messiah has become public knowledge (10:48).
That Jesus enters Jerusalem riding a colt (the Hebrew term can designate the young of many types of animals) suggests the humble royal mount prophesied in Zech. 9:9. He is greeted with shouts of "Hosanna" ("save, we pray, now"), a standard word of praise used to glorify God.
11:12-26 Jesus Curses the Fig Tree and "Cleanses" the Temple
Cf. Matt. 6:14; 21:12-22; Luke 19:45-48.
Upon entering the temple courtyard, Jesus immediately begins to cleanse God's "house." He throws out those selling and buying animals for sacrifice and those who charged a fee for currency exchange, and he halts people using the precincts as a thoroughfare for transporting sacrificial paraphernalia (11:15-17). The religious authorities are incensed, partly because these actions impinge on their authority and perhaps cut into their revenue.
Mark surrounds this event with his account of Jesus' cursing of the fig tree (vv. 12-14, 20-24), which illustrates God's judgment on Jerusalem and its temple. The mention that "it was not the season for figs" (v 13) makes this action even more surprising.
11:27-12:12 The Church Replaces the Chosen Nation
Cf. Matt. 21:23-27, 33-46; Luke 20:1-19.
A delegation representing the leaders of the Sanhedrin, the supreme religious council, challenge Jesus' authority for his disruptive "cleansing" of the temple. He turns the question back on them, asking why they had not objected to John's activity, which Jesus considers to have laid the foundation for his own ministry (11:30).
Mark's version of the parable of the Vineyard (sometimes called the "Wicked Tenants"; 12:1-12) recounts God's dealing with Israel (the vineyard). In the past, the religious authorities ("tenants") have rejected and abused his prophets ("slaves"), and will soon do likewise with God's "beloved son" (12:6). God will cast out the wicked tenants and replace them with new ones, followers of the "cornerstone" (v. 11).
12:13-37 Jesus Outsmarts His Detractors
Cf. Matt. 22:15-46; Luke 20:20-44.
Jesus' religious and political opponents join forces in an attempt to trap him into saying something offensive to the authorities or at least damage his reputation among the masses. Asked whether it is proper for Jews to pay the Roman poll tax, he risks being seen either as treasonous or disloyal to his people and faith. Jesus' answer is that in the long run what is really important belongs to God.
The Sadducees' question about the nature of resurrection is meant to ridicule Jesus' teaching. Instead, he forcefully shows that they are ignorant of both the Hebrew Scriptures (cf. Exod. 3:6) and the power of God.
Recognizing Jesus' careful response to these questions, one of the scribes asks which, of all the commandments in Scripture, he regards as most important. In verses 32-34, Mark adds the legal expert's enthusiasm for Jesus' answer, showing his grasp of the nature of the coming kingdom of God.
12:38-40 A Warning against Hypocrisy
Cf. Matt. 23:1-7; Luke 20:45-47.
Jesus condemns as bad examples those who concentrate on outward piety. The scribes' "devouring of widows' houses" (foreclosure on their property; V. 40) violates Mosaic law, which mandates special care of society's weakest members (see, e.g., Deuteronomy 26).
12:41-44 A Poor Widow Models Charity
Cf. Luke 21:1-4.
In this account, omitted in Matthew, a widow contributes her last cent to the temple treasury. In ancient times, widows lacked the economic opportunities available to men and therefore made up some of the poorest of Palestine's poor. Jesus pronounces this widow's ostensibly meager gift greater than the larger sums given by the rich, who hold back for themselves plenty of money to live on.
13 The Coming Destruction
Cf. Matt. 10:17-21; 24:1-36; 25:13; Luke 21:5-33.
In this longest block of his teaching in Mark, Jesus lays out for the disciples the earthshaking events that lie ahead. In terms much like those of the prophets of old, he foretells the coming destruction of the temple and widespread social and political upheaval (vv. i-8). Just as Jesus himself is the "stone" that will be rejected, so too will the disciples experience persecution and judgment before the religious and governmental authorities (vv. 9-13). Nevertheless, he assures them that both he and they will be vindicated, and those who have judged them will themselves be judged when the Son of Man returns (vv. 24-27). In the meantime, they must remain faithful and strong (vv. 32-37).
14:1-2 Conspiracy
Cf. Matt. 26:1-5; Luke 22:1-2.
The chief priests and scribes decide that the only way to silence Jesus is to kill him, but realizing his popularity among the people, they are forced to do it on the sly. For fear of provoking a riot, they determine to wait until after the "festival," which by Jesus' day combined the Feast of Unleavened Bread and Passover.
14:311 Jesus Anointed for Burial
Cf. Matt. 26:6-16; Luke 7:36-50; John 12:1-8.
Again Jesus' participation in a meal departs from Jewish custom. The setting is the home of Simon, a leper and so ritually unclean, and normally a woman would not enter the hall where men were feasting. Mark defines the monetary worth of the ointment as more than 30o denarii (the equivalent of a year's wages for the common laborer), an indication of both the woman's wealth and her devotion to Jesus.
In Marl's account, Judas receives only a promise of money to betray Jesus.
Olive trees in Gethsemane, the place of Jesus' betrayal and arrest. (www.HolyLandPhotos.org)
14:12-25 The Last Supper
Cf. Matt. 26:17-29; Luke 22:7-23; John 13:1-30.
Jesus instructs the disciples on finding an upper room where they are to prepare for the Passover meal. The man they were to meet would have been easy to spot, for normally women carried water jars (v. 13).
During the meal, Jesus announces his betrayal (vv. 17-21) and predicts that he will drink "the fruit of the vine" in the coming kingdom of God (v. 25). He breaks bread, representing his body, and passes a cup, symbolizing his blood, "poured out for many," an inclusive term in Semitic usage indicating all humanity. From the early years after Jesus' death and resurrection, followers of Christ have commemorated the Last Supper by celebrating the Lord's Supper or Eucharist ("Thanksgiving").
14:26-52 Jesus in Gethsemane
Cf. Matt. 26:30-56; Luke 22:31-34, 39-53; John 13:36-38; 18:1-11.
Leaving the upper room for the Mount of Olives, Jesus realizes that the disciples will abandon him in his time of trial and death. Despite the protests of Peter, Jesus knows that he too will disown him.
When praying in Gethsemane, Jesus assumes childlike subordination to God by addressing him as "Abba," the intimate Aramaic word for "Father" (v. 36). It is with a kiss of greeting, a sign of affection, that one of his own disciples singles him out as a "bandit" to the armed crowd accompanied by the religious leaders (themselves called "robbers" by Jesus in 11:1718). Only Mark notes the naked escape of Jesus' unnamed follower (vv. 51-52).
14:53-65 Jesus before the Sanhedrin
Cf. Matt. 26:57-68; Luke 22:63-71; John 18:19-24.
By highlighting the Sanhedrin's failure to garner corroborating testimony against Jesus from two witnesses (the minimum number required by Mosaic law), Mark shows the inadmissibility of the evidence against Jesus, as well as its falsehood N. 59; cf. Deut. 19:15). In Mark, Jesus confesses his messiahship outright (v. 62; cf. Matt. 26:64; Luke 22:70).
14:66-72 Peter's Denial
Cf. Matt. 26:69-75; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:15-18, 25-27.
Pressed by one of the high priest's female servants who recognizes Peter as one of Jesus' companions, the disciple emphatically denies their association. Mark separates the two crows of the cock (see V. 30), the second of which triggers Peter's memory of Jesus' prediction that the disciple would deny him three times that night.
15:145 Jesus Appears before Pilate
Cf. Matt. 27:1-2, 11-26; Luke 23:1-5, 17-25; John 18:28-19:16.
Because only the Romans could apply the death penalty, the Jewish council turn Jesus over to Pontius Pilate, the fifth Roman procurator of Judea (A.D. 26-36), for judgment. Pilate addresses the charge that Jesus claimed to be "King of the Jews" and so posed a threat to Roman authority (v 2). (In the religious trial, the issue was Jesus' messiahship; 14:61.) Jesus' answer, "You say so," makes Pilate appear to affirm Jesus' kingship.
Following the custom of granting amnesty to a Jewish prisoner during religious festivals, Pilate presents to the crowd the choice of releasing Barabbas, a convicted revolutionary and murderer, or Jesus, the peace-loving Messiah. The mob, stirred up by the chief priests, demands that Jesus be crucified, and Pilate gives in.
15:16-47 Crucifixion and Burial
Cf. Matt. 27:27-61; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:17-42.
In the courtyard of the governor's palace, Jesus is surrounded by a chorot (60o men) of Roman soldiers. They clothe him in royal garb and a crown crafted of thorns; mock him as "King of the Jews"; and even send him to carry his wooden cross to the place of crucifixion outside the city walls.
Some among the onlookers offer him wine mixed with bitter-tasting gall to ease the pain, but Jesus refuses the drink, perhaps to experience fully the agony of crucifixion or to refrain from postponing his death. (A crucified person might take several days to die; not so with Jesus. See Pilate's apparent surprise in V. 44.) At noon, three hours after Jesus' nailing to the cross (v. 25), the skies darken, and three hours later he dies.
Mark identifies by name individuals unmentioned or anonymous in Matthew, including Alexander and Rufus (sons of Simon of Cyrene, V. 21) and Salome (wife of Zebedee; cf. Matt. 27:56). Doses is a variant of the name Joseph (v. 40).
That the women who witnessed Jesus' burial "saw where the body was laid" (v. 47) becomes important when on the next day they return to the tomb and see that the corpse no longer lies where they know it had been placed (16:6).
16:1-8 The Risen Christ
Cf. Matt. 28:1-10; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18.
Expecting Jesus to be dead, the women bring spices to the tomb to anoint the body, but they realize that they have forgotten to bring help in rolling away the stone that blocks the entrance. In Marl's account, the angel ("a young man, dressed in a white robe") sits inside the open, empty tomb. Instructed to inform the disciples of Jesus' resurrection, the female visitors are too stunned by the news to do more than flee and keep the angelic announcement to themselves.
16:9-20 A Late Conclusion to Mark's Gospel
Cf. Matt. 28:16-20; Luke 24:13-53; John 20:1921:14.
The last dozen verses of Mark represent a late, editorial conclusion to the book and do not appear in the oldest extant manuscripts. These verses summarize Christ's postresurrection appearances; his giving of the Great Commission; his ascension into heaven; and the apostles' fulfillment of the commission by proclaiming the gospel worldwide.