The Way of Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark

1. The Way of Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark

2. Jesus’ Travels in Chapters 1-8 • Mark 1: 16 – “And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew…” • Mark 3: 7 – “Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea and a great multitude from Galilee followed.” • Mark 4: 1 – “Again he began to teach beside the sea…he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea.” • Mark 4: 35 – “On that day… he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” • Mark 5: 21 – “And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side…” • Mark 6: 45 – “Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side…”

4. Jesus’ Travels in Chapters 1-8 • The first time Jesus leaves the area around the Sea of Galilee is in chapter 7; this is directly after a group of Pharisees comes up from Jerusalem to see what Jesus is all about and if he is properly keeping the Law of Moses • Jesus has a passionate confrontation with the Pharisees and then sets off to the Northwest to the region of Tyre and Sidon where he meets and heals a Syrophoenicianwoman’s daughter ; she is Greek/a gentile who displays a great amount of faith • Following this he traces back through the Galilee area to the pagan/gentile area of the Decapolis and performs more miracles

6. Peter’s Declaration at Caesarea Philippi • The Gospel of Mark takes a dramatic shift in Mark 8: 27-30 • Jesus exits the Sea of Galilee again to head to Caesarea Philippi, a pagan area where often times children had been sacrificed to pagan deities • For the first time in the Gospel, Jesus poses the direct question to the disciples concerning his identity • Peter (in Mark’s Gospel) simply states, “You are the Christ”; as usual Jesus commands them to silence

7. Discipleship in Mark 8: 31 – 10: 52 • Immediately following Peter’s declaration Jesus announces to just the disciples that he will have to be rejected and killed by the Jewish leadership in order to rise after three days • Peter then rebukes or chastises Jesus for claiming that he will be killed • This plays perfectly into why Mark emphasizing the Messianic Secret: people simply aren’t ready for the Messiah that Jesus will turn out to be, even his closest followers • Jesus then calls Peter “Satan” and accuses him of thinking only as man would

8. Discipleship in Mark 8: 31 – 10: 52 • Following this Jesus calls “the multitude” along with the disciples to describe to them exactly what is demanded in being a disciple of Jesus • He explains that simply you must take up the cross and lose your life in order to gain it • Next, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain (most likely Mt. Tabor) and becomes transfigured, appearing with Elijah and Moses • Jesus still maintains the messianic secret charging the three to not tell anyone of the Transfiguration

9. Characteristics of Discipleship in Mark • A disciple must take up his cross and lose his life (Mk 8:34-36) • A disciple’s greatness is shown by his willingness to be last amongst everyone (Mk 9: 33-37, Mk 10: 35-45) • A disciple must receive the Kingdom like a little child (Mk 9: 36-37, Mk 10: 13-16) • A disciple must avoid sin at all costs (Mk 9:42-1o:12) • A disciple must leave all their possessions and goods from this world (Mk 10: 17-31)

10. The Journey to and Entrance into Jerusalem • After Peter’s declaration, Jesus and the disciples pass through Galilee and their main residence at Capernaum one last time • At the beginning of chapter 10, Mark tells readers that Jesus is setting out on a journey to Judea and the area beyond the Jordan • In Mark 10: 32-34, Jesus tells the Twelve that the reason they are going to Jerusalem is precisely so that Jesus (who refers to himself as the Son of man) may be tortured and killed by the Jewish leadership • This is tremendously frightening for the Apostles who, although aware of Jesus’ final destiny, had no idea that they were on a sort of “death march” to Jerusalem

11. Jesus’ Ministry in the Jerusalem Area • (video clip) • Jesus enters Jerusalem to begin chapter 11; he is greeted triumphantly but the people are still confused about the identity of the Messiah • They say in Mk 11: 10, “Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming, Hosanna in the Highest!” • This verse highlights the expectation that Jesus’ feared and gave reason to the messianic secret: the people desire and seek a kingdom like David’s but Jesus does not have this type of kingdom • Jesus’ first actions are to explore and then cleanse the Ancient Temple of Jerusalem

13. Jesus’ Ministry in the Jerusalem Area • One by one Jesus encounters all of the Jewish authorities who seek his downfall • Pharisees and Herodians (who back in chapter 3 had begun planning Jesus’ death) question him on taxes • Priests and elders question his teaching authority • Sadducees question him on the resurrection of man • Scribes question him on the greatest commandment • Finally, Jesus renounces the scribes specifically for their delight in high standing and riches

14. Jesus’ Prophecies and Warnings • Chapter 13 of Mark serves as Jesus’ final instructions to all those who still follow him • This chapter is of MAJOR importance to Mark’s audience suffering persecutions in Rome and throughout the empire • Mark employs Jesus’ words to the disciples to instruct his readers in two ways: • Remain faithful to the very end, no matter how frightening and difficult your suffering might be (Mk 13: 3-13) • In the end, at an undisclosed time, Jesus will save his elect, those who have suffered to the very end (Mk 13: 14-31

15. The Passion of Jesus in Mark • Assignment in groups: • Read Chapters 14 and 15 of Mark’s Gospel • On a sheet of paper please identify the following things: • All of the people who are mentioned betraying, fleeing, or denying Jesus • All of Jesus’ words from Mark 14: 43 through the end of Mark 15 • The statement from Jesus which causes the high priest to tear his garments and condemn him to death

16. The Passion of Jesus in Mark • The passion narrative begins very morbidly, with Jesus’ body being anointed with funeral/burial oils even before his suffering begins • Jesus also prophecies about his absolute betrayal and abandonment by his disciples; this is key for persecuted readers to hear as they find themselves increasingly cut off and abandoned • The words of Jesus throughout are sorrowful, frustrated, and ridden with pain; he is frustrated with his disciples’ lack of watchfulness and frustrated with his arrest at the hands of people who heard him day after day in the Temple

17. The Passion of Jesus in Mark • The sufferings of Jesus in Mark include scourging, mocking, being spat upon, and being struck with a reed; the mocking specifically at the hands of the Roman soldiers again has great significance for Mark’s Roman readers • In Mark, Jesus has a prolonged time of actually being crucified on the cross; he is crucified at the third hour and does not die until the ninth hour; this is of course three hours longer than the traditionally accepted 3 hours Jesus spends on the cross • Finally, in Mark, Jesus’ words on the cross are not tender or fulfilling; Jesus simply asks God why he has been forsaken and then lets out a loud cry before dying • Overall the picture of abandonment and suffering in Mark is total

18. The Conclusion of Mark’s Gospel • Interestingly, Mark’s Gospel ends almost in the same way it begins! • After Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, the disciples receive instruction to return to Galilee to meet the risen Lord • The disciples however react almost exactly the same as throughout the beginning of the Gospel when the messianic secret was in full swing: with astonishment, disbelief and fear! (Mk 16: 8, 11, 13) • There is no happy reunion in the end; Jesus has to chastise the disciples for their fear and unbelief (Mk 16: 14)