Unit 4: Gospel of Mark

16

amount of chapters in Mark

Gospel of Mark

considered earliest of all four

Prologue

main thematic elements; who Jesus is, his mission; introduce John the Baptist

Jesus revealed as Messiah

conflict, temple leaders, passion, and resurrection 

Mark introduces

Jesus as Son of God (Characters in story do not know this until the end)

Jesus is introduced by

John the Baptist as one who proclaims the kingdom

Mk 3:19-35

Jesus is misunderstood by everyone

The Markan Secret 

Jesus binds people to secrecy

Jesus in Mark

Messiah; Son of God and Man; the eschatological prophet who will die in Jerusalem

Eschatological

end or boundary

Son of Man

represents who Jesus was in fullness

Son of God

humility, obedience; seen on the cross

Canonical Ending

Mark 16:9-20; abrupt ending

Papias

introduces the Peter and Mark connection

Justin the Martyr 

Speaks of his memoirs; Peters memories

Marks’ audience

comprised of Jewish and Gentiles Christians undergoing duress involving persecution from both Jewish and Roman quarters

Provenance

Chain of custody

Intercalations

elements that are inserted between layers; ABA structure

Threefold Repetitions

Mark uses as a style; Peter denies Jesus 3 times, 3 opinions, 3 passion predictions 

Questioning

feature of Markan narrative

Questions in Mark

often posed rhetorically, remain suspended, receive closure at a later point

Community Self Definition 

Ecclesiology; Mark is self consciously identifying the message of Christ with a new community that would fulfill the eschatological promise of Isaiah 40

Isaiah 40

envisions the establishment of a new kingdom in which God would become King 

People of “the way”

coincide with but remain distinct from the reality of the kingdom; must be willing to follow Jesus in the path of suffering and self-denial

Christian movement

“the way”; Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem

Markan Christology

Mark wants to show that Jesus is the Messiah