Gospel of Mark (Exam 2)

NT Glover - Exam 2

Date & Order of Mark-

• written first (Markan Priority)

  • 90% of its material is copied in Matt and Luke

• written around 70 CE

  • probably writes after the temple destruction to indicate in his writing the reliability of Jesus’ teaching and His authority

Vaticinium ex eventu

• “prophecy after the fact”

• scholars who don’t believe prophecy is possible whatsoever (Jesus couldn’t have predicted the temple destruction)

• thought that Mark made up Jesus’ prediction to invest in His authority to make the audience trust in His authority

popular/common belief regarding vaticium ex eventu

believe it was written after the fact AND believe that Jesus did predict/prophecy

Mark’s Story

• Jesus’ ministry begins with his baptism in the Jordan River by John 

• temptation in the wilderness

• ministry in Galilee

  • healing, exorcisms, preaching

• Ends at the empty tomb

  • no resurrection appearances

• between the beginning of his ministry and the empty tomb finale:

  • collections of miracles

  • parables

  • various anecdotes

  • various controversies, teachings, and discourses

  • passion

Mark’s Pace

• his narration is very urgent 

How many times is “immediately” said in Mark’s gospel?

42 times

• 11 in the first chapter

Camera Angles in Mark

• chap 1-3 = camera zooms in (His first couple of days in ministry)

• chap 4-12 = camera zooms out (1to 2 years)

• chap 13-16 = camera zooms in (day to hour to minute)

Mark’s sandwhiching technique

• intercalation

  • beginning one story, implementing a full story in the middle of it, and then finishing the original story

  • meant to illuminate one another in a common theme

Messianic Secret (the What)

• tells demons, witnesses, and disciples to stay quiet when revealing His messianic identity/performing miracles

Messianic Secret (the Why)

• A literary device to express his christology

• Most Jews thought the Messiah would be a conqueror, but Jesus came to become the conquered for us to conquer sin 

  • didn’t want that agenda to get in the way

Perspective of Disciples in Mark

• continually miss Jesus’ message, have too little faith, and ultimately abandon and deny Him

  • presented like a challenge to the audience: “will you fail like the disciples too?”

Family in Mark

• calls Him insane and tries to stop His ministry

• His whole hometown and family disbelieve and reject His message

Mark’s Passion Narrative Significance/Special Elements

• The whole book is dominated by the passion narrative

  • takes up the two longest chapters, 14-15

• foretold three times and foreshadowed in chap 3

• like a “passion narrative with an extended intro”

The Cross Gospel

Mark’s Empty Tomb (the What)

• ends with the Empty Tomb

  • although there is foreshadowing to Jesus’ resurrection appearances to the disciples

• elicits fear rather then understanding and belief

Mark’s Empty Tomb (the Why)

• takes an encounter with the Lord to elicit true faith

• A personal encounter with Christ is necessary for true belief

  • first, need to reckon with the curcified Christ