The Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Mark • Sermon • Submitted
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The genre of the Gospels is identified as historical narrative motivated by theological concerns.
The word gospel means “good news”
(1:14-15; 8:35; 10:29; 13:10; 14:9; 16:15)
The OT, it was used for “good news of victory”
(1 Kings 1:42; Isa. 40:9; 41:27; 52:7; 61:1)
And within the NT, it designates the message of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who died for the sins of the world.
(1 Cor. 15:1-8; Gal. 1:6-17)
As we dive into the Gospel of Mark, he proceeds to give us the personal “credentials” of Jesus Christ, the Servant of God.
Some Literary Features
Literary Style
fast moving narrative style
found of the Greek word euthys,
and adverb often translated “immediately”
appears 42 times, only found 5 times in Matthew and 1 time in Luke.
the word does not always mean “just then” its effect is to propel the narrative forward.
Examples (1:10; 1:12; 1:18; 1:20; 1:21; 1:23; 1:28; 1:29; 1:30; 1:42; 1:43)
Uses present-tense to describe past actions.
a Greek idiom known as the historical present.
151 times, Matthew 93 times, Luke uses it 11 times.
Mark groups events for rhetorical effect.
By grouping events, he structures the story and highlights narrative themes.
He uses Intercalation or “Sandwiching”
One of the most distinctive features
This is the “sandwiching” of one event between the beginning and end of another.
Example: Mark uses the cleansing of the temple between his cursing of a fig tree and the disciples’ later discovery of the withered tree. Suggesting that the withering, like the temple clearing, represents God’s judgement against Israel for the nation’s unbelief.
Mark uses and is fond of patterns of three, or triads.
3 boat scenes illustrate the disciples’ lack of faith and spiritual comprehension. (4:35-41; 6:45-52; 8:14-21).
He uses repetition to drive his point home
Irony played a major roll in Mark’s narrative.
Structure
Simple structure with two main parts
Each part emphasizing a key theme of Mark’s Christology.
The first half of the gospel
demonstrates Jesus’ authority as the Messiah and Son of God.
Jesus teaches, heals, casts out demons, calms the storm, and raises the dead.
Confirming that he is indeed the proclaimed Messiah.
The Second half of the gospel
focuses on the road to the cross, presenting Jesus as the suffering Servant of the Lord.
Introduction: The Preparation of the Messiah and Son of God (1:1-13)
The Authoritative Words and Deeds of the Messiah and Son of God (1:14-8:30)
The Kingdom Authority of the Messiah (1:14-3:6)
The Disciple Family of the Messiah and Those “Outside” (3:7-6:6a)
The Expanding Mission of the Messiah (6:6b-8:30)
The Suffering of the Messiah as the Servant of the Lord (8:3-15:47)
Revelation of the Messiah’s Suffering (8:31-10:52)
The Messiah Confronts Jerusalem (11:1-13:37)
The Passion of the Messiah in Jerusalem (14:1-15:47)
Conclusion: The Resurrection Announced (16:1-8)
Authorship:
The author, just like the other three gospels, is anonymous.
The author is not named in the body of the text.
Despite anonymity, there is good reason to believe that the traditional identification of the author as John Mark, the companion of both Paul and Peter.
History background:
Early church tradition claims that Mark wrote from Rome to a Roman Christian audience.
The roman location fits because of the material found in the gospel
Mark translates Aramaic expressions for a Greek-speaking audience (3:17; 5:41; 7:34; 14:36; 15:34)
and explains Jewish customs for Gentile readers (7:2-4; 15:42)
Mark also explains Greek expressions by their Latin equivalents.
Example: 12:42, the widow’s two lepta, Greek coins, are said to be equivalent to a quadrans, a Roman coin.
Rome remains the most likely place. There have been other proposals, including, Galilee, Syria, and Egypt, but all very little evidence to support them.
Date: Although the date is uncertain evidence points to a date in the AD 50s or 60s.
Believed to be written by John Mark, in Rome during the mid-50 or late 60s.
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
3 A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make his paths straight!
4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.
7 He proclaimed, “One who is more powerful than I am is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Mark starts off strong and is very fast paced. It flows kind of like an on the spot news report.
A vivid narrative, fast moving, and action packed.
We see Jesus appear as the mighty Messiah (or, Christ) and Son of God, moving through the Galilean countryside, exercising authority over friend and foe alike.
Calling disciples, healing the sick, casting out demons, and teaching with great authority.
Exuding a sense of awe and mystery, amazing all those He encounters.
Mark’s lively story invites us (the readers) to enter his narrative world and experience the coming of the Messiah, the arrival of God’s promised salvation.
Mark uses the title “Christ” which is the Greek term for the corresponding Hebrew word “Messiah,” meaning anointed king.
Jesus would be anointed in preparation for His burial (Mark 14:3, 8 ).
3 While he was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it on his head.
8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body in advance for burial.
We see from the very start of the scripture that Mark declares that Jesus is the Son of God.
This is something that he will declare throughout the book.
(1:1; 3:11; 5:7; 9:7; 12:6; 13:32; 14:61-62; 15:39)
“Son of God” was used as a title for kings descended from David
(2 Sam. 7:14; Ps. 2:6-7)
14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and blows from mortals.
6 “I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
7 I will declare the Lord’s decree.
He said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.
As we know, Jesus is a king like no other kings.
By mystery Mark did not explain, Jesus is both “Son of David” and “David’s Lord” (Mark:12:35-37)
35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he asked, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 David himself says by the Holy Spirit:
The Lord declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies under your feet.’
37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How, then, can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.
Interesting, though the demons discerned Jesus’ mysterious identity from the start,
(Mark 1:24; 34; 3:11)
24 “What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
34 and he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
11 Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God!”
Only the cross opened human eyes to the “Son of God”
(Mark 15:39)
39 When the centurion, who was standing opposite him, saw the way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
For Mark the “good news of Jesus Christ” started with John the Baptist. (1:1-11).
John’s God-authorized ministry (Mark 11:29-32) fulfilled Scripture.
1 “See, I am going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way before me. Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to his temple, the Messenger of the covenant you delight in—see, he is coming,” says the Lord of Armies.
3 A voice of one crying out:
Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness;
make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
The way John was dressed
8 They replied, “A hairy man with a leather belt around his waist.”
He said, “It’s Elijah the Tishbite.”
and the preaching of repentance and forgiveness would recall the prophet Elijah.
5 Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”
John’s message of baptism symbolized an inner commitment to lead a changed life.
Mark’s audience would have more than likely understood Jesus to be the more powerful Coming One John anticipated (1:7).
On receiving John’s baptism, Jesus was confirmed as the beloved Son who pleased God by His identification with sinners (1:9-11).
Within early Christians they saw the immediate antecedent to their practice of baptism in the activity of John the Baptist. Identified in the Gospels as John “the baptizer,” (“the one who immerses”) or commonly know as John the Baptist.
The Law required bathing in water to remove various impurities.
Lev 11:24; 32; 14:6-16; 15:5-27; Num. 19:17-20)
This was a distinguishing title because unlike the Jewish washings, which were self-immersions, John administered baptism to others.
Mark’s account of John the Baptist is the shortest in the Gospels.
but he gives the important information that John preached.
Repentance baptism for the forgiveness of sins
They were baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins, and he declared,
“I baptized you in water,” but that the one who coming after him “will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”