The Gospel According to Mark (Part IV) - Notes

All four gospels recount the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, with some differences among details but essentially the same.
The events were foundational to the early church.
The events leading up to the death of Jesus, and especially through the RESURRECTION, transformed them into the community of believers that became the early church.
Jesus' ministry and identity as Messiah finally became clear.

Entry into Jerusalem: triumphant!
Parable of the Fig Tree and the Cleansing of the Temple: The Jewish Temple (religious leaders) are no longer “bearing fruit” and will be destroyed (Mark has seen this happen!).

The religious leaders have ramped up their efforts to take out Jesus:
- First, they seek to trap him in a debate: taxes, theology (resurrection), ethics (divorce), logic.
Jesus condemns the hypocrisy of the leaders:
- Parable of the Tenants (12:1-12)
- Denunciation of the Scribes (12:38-40)
Mark is clear:
- Jesus’ message will be met with resistance, especially by those who are in power and prefer the status quo.

This chapter is an example of the popular genre of “apocalyptic literature” which was meant as a source of hope and promise to people who are experiencing oppression.
It speaks of a coming battle in which God will triumphantly defeat evil, and the good will be rewarded, and the bad will be punished.
Mark’s community most likely had already witnessed a great deal of violence and persecution, and so this chapter would have been a comforting message of encouragement and hope.
It also serves as a reminder to stay vigilant—reflecting the overall note of urgency found in Mark’s gospel.

The conspiracy against Jesus grows more intense—there is a clear mark on his head.
The Anointing at Bethany:
- An (unnamed) woman anoints Jesus, and his disciples are outraged at the “waste” of expensive oil.
- Jesus again points to his death by acknowledging her action as preparing him for burial.
- Disciples remain clueless.
Judas’ betrayal: why?
Disciples prepare for Passover meal.

At the Last Supper:
- Jesus predicts Judas’ betrayal: “the one who dips with me into the dish”.
- Institution of the Eucharist.
- Jesus warns them that they will all have their faith shaken—even Peter (denial).
Agony in the Garden:
- The humanity of Jesus struggles with fear of impending death.
- Meanwhile, the disciples can’t stay awake: “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Betrayal and arrest: who is this naked guy? (Some scholars think it might have been the author of the gospel).

Before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish council who tries people on serious violations of Jewish Law):
- Repeated effort to get testimony against Jesus—clear abuse of authority. Jewish law is very clear on the requirement for witnesses.
- Despite their failure to find witnesses that can offer evidence against him, the Sanhedrin continue to try to accuse him.
- After being asked if he is the Messiah, Jesus answers “I am,” and then quotes a passage from the prophet Daniel.
- At that, the High Priest charges Jesus with blasphemy with a sentence of death. However, Jesus’ statement is NOT blasphemy, thus revealing that the High Priest is completely corrupt in his duties and doesn’t even know Jewish Law.

Pilate only asked Jesus if he was the King of the Jews—the charge from Rome would have been political: Jesus will be killed for claiming authority over that of Rome’s.
When the crowd is given a chance to rescue Jesus, they are led by the religious leaders to demand his crucifixion—the crowd turns on Jesus and demands his death.
There are many well-documented examples from history of large crowds of people being led by a few with evil intent. Why do you think people are so susceptible to crowd mentality? Why do people “go with the crowd”? Have you ever raised your voice against this mentality? What was the result?

Mockery by the Soldiers
Simon the Cyrene: interesting witness detail
Two revolutionaries crucified alongside him
Crowd continued their taunting
Last words of Jesus: “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani” “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
What does it mean to feel forsaken by God? This is a powerfully human moment for Jesus—feeling completely separated from God.

After Jesus died, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two… Meaning?
- Mark was signifying that the divide between God and humanity no longer exists—God has now fully entered into human experience and is completely present to us in life—and death. Nothing divides us from God!
A centurion (Gentile!) was the first to realize the truth of what had happened and who Jesus was
Presence of the women: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome (as well as “many other”)

Joseph of Arimathea (a member of the council!) asked for the body of Jesus and buried him in his own tomb. [note the irony of this—it is not his disciples who minister to the dead Jesus but someone who is up to this point unknown to the audience]
Tomb is sealed with a large stone
Again, women (Mary M and Mary mother of Joses witness the burial)

The shorter ending: v. 1-8
- The women go to anoint Jesus and encounter a “young man in a while robe” who announces that Jesus has risen and tells the disciples that they will see Jesus in Galilee
- The women flee in fear and bewilderment and do not say anything to anyone.
- Many scholars argue that this was the original end to Mark’s gospel—but it begs the question WHY? It’s a strange place to leave the story! Or is it? Was the original ending lost—or did Mark really end it here?