The Good News according to Mark
Matthew presented Jesus as the fulfilment of the expectant Old Testament, the Messiah. In turn, Mark introduces Jesus as the suffering servant.
While Matthew aimed his gospel at a largely Jewish audience, Mark, it would appear, had the Roman culture in mind. This is a Gospel marked by its brevity and speed of movement, an attitude that suited the Roman psyche. To this end, Mark records more of Jesus’ actions than he does his teachings. Action is the hallmark of this book.
Many scholars hold that this Gospel was written in the city of Rome. If so, it would help to explain why Mark omits many details not relevant to Gentile readers and listeners such as a genealogy, fulfilment of prophecy, references to the Law, and certain Jewish customs found in the other Gospels.
Linguistically speaking, according to scholars, Mark employed a number of Latin words in the place of their Greek equivalents.
Mark employs distinctive terminology that was in keeping with his design of a fast moving narrative: “immediately”(17 times) or “straightway” (19 times).
This Gospel, like its companions, is anonymous and is only attributed to Mark by way of the clear testimony of the early church fathers. It would appear that his family featured prominently in the early church (Acts 12:12). While this may be so, it is true to say that Mark was closely associated with Peter, one of the original twelve apostles.
At the beginning of the second century (c. AD 140) a bishop from Hierapolis named Papias identified Mark as Peter’s interpreter who recorded Peter’s memories and sermons and was the one who actually acted as scribe for Peter’s two letters (cf. I Peter 5:13). This assertion is supported by the fact that Mark’s Gospel carries more references to Peter than any of the other three.
It is widely held that Mark was the young man who fled naked from the Garden of Gethsemane (14:51&52).
If so, he could have had empathy with Peter over his own moment of cowardice and denials (14:66-72).
Mark fell victim to fear later on as well, this time while travelling with Paul and Barnabus (Acts 12:25; 13:13; 15:37-39). Like Peter, Mark was very definitely restored (Colossians 4:10; II Timothy 4:11).
Mark had three favourite themes:
• Who Jesus was.
• What Jesus came to do.
• What Jesus requires of His followers.
Mark places the explanation of these three themes (8:27-38) at the principle turning point of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Prior to this, Jesus was a popular teacher and worker of miracles, but He was about to enter the ‘run up’ to Calvary.
Who Jesus was: There was a world of difference between the public’s perception of who Jesus was and the gradually forming conviction of the twelve. When pressed, Peter’s answer was definite – “You are the Christ.”
The setting for this revelation is most revealing. Caesarea Philippi was located on the southwestern slope of Mount Hebron. High cliffs nearby housed a cave dedicated to the Greek god Pan Other cut outs in the rock face held statues dedicated to the nymphs. It makes sense to assume that Jesus chose this place as a setting to pose the question, “Who do you say I am?”
In the wake of Peter’s revelation Jesus commands the disciples to remain silent about His identity (cf. 9:9). Jesus had issued this directive twice according to Mark (1:44; 7:36). Why would Jesus issue such a command?
For over 700 years prior to the Advent Israel had suffered under the heal of foreign oppressors. There was a brief period of respite under the Maccabees. Now under Roman rule the Jews yearned for deliverance at the hand of Yahweh and their expectation of a delivering messiah was at fever pitch. Galilee, the region in which Caesarea Philippi was situated was a hotbed of such revolutionary expectation. Had Jesus been identified as a miracle working Messiah the people would have attempted to cast Him in a revolutionary role and He had not come to be a political messiah (cf. John 6:15; 18:36).
Following the resurrection of Jesus, His identity and mission fully vindicated, all believers are sent in to the world “to tell”. (Matthew 28:7, 8, 18-20; Mark 16:7; Luke 24:9, 44-47).
What Jesus came to do: In the wake of Peter’s revelation Jesus made it crystal clear that all His emphasis was on the Cross (9:31; 10:33, 45). Mark was faithful to that emphasis in dedicating one third of his Gospel to the Cross, which, in fact covered the final eight days of Jesus’ life.
Mark highlights three significant sayings of Jesus that encapsulates His mission.
1. “The Son of Man must suffer many things and … be killed” (8:31).
2. Jesus identifies Himself as the ‘Son of Man.’ This was a generally accepted phrase within Hebrew culture meaning human being. It significance in the mission of Jesus is best understood by referring to Daniel 7:13+14. Jesus combines that image with His mission that required suffering upon a cross. In so doing, He adopted the title but changed the role in terms of who served whom.
3. “… to give His life as a ransom for many” (10:45).
What Jesus requires of His followers: Jesus made it clear that to faithfully follow Him would require our own death (8:34). Jesus’ Cross necessitated our cross. Therefore, true discipleship would be marked by self-denial and even death on occasion (cf. Revelation 12:11b).
To fully appreciate the impact that talk of bearing one’s own cross would have on the local population, it is necessary to understand what the cross, as an instrument of torture and execution, was all about. Death by crucifixion was reserved by the Romans for the worst sort of criminals who were not citizens of Rome. So condemned, the victim was to carry his own cross to the place of execution. Therefore, to take up your cross spoke of only one destination.
Therefore, Christian discipleship is far more than church membership, religious observance, and good works. True Christ inspired discipleship is wrapped up in losing one’s life in order to take it up again – death and resurrection (8:35).
