School of the Word

School of the Word The Gospel and the Gospels Module 5: Mark’s portrait of jesus

Part 1 Module 1: The current context of faith Module 2: The readings at Mass Module 3: What is a gospel? Module 4: The Gospel of the current year Module 5: Mark’s portrait of Jesus Module 6: Discipleship according to Mark www.tarsus.ie

Sequence • Importance of the question for our time • Your own journey of faith, based on your experience • Each Gospel has its own “portrait” of Jesus • Mark’s presentation of Jesus • Mark’s understanding of Jesus for today www.tarsus.ie

Importance today The Irish Church at times in its recent history got so focussed on the formulae of orthodoxy that it failed to introduce its people into a real relationship with Jesus and his life and teaching. With the Synod Fathers I express my heartfelt hope for the flowering of “a new season of greater love for sacred Scripture on the part of every member of the People of God, so that their prayerful and faith-filled reading of the Bible will, with time, deepen their personal relationship with Jesus” www.tarsus.ie

Experience • Thinking visually, how would you symbolise your own “picture” of Jesus? • Has your picture changed over time? • What has influenced your personal understanding of and faith in Jesus • If someone said you, tell me about Jesus, what would you say? www.tarsus.ie

Gospel “portraits” • Paul, as the earliest Christian writer • The Synoptic Gospels • John • Hebrews • Revelation • Quite different pictures, reflecting the historical Jesus, the risen Lord, and the spiritual experiences of communities and leaders www.tarsus.ie

Gospel “portraits” • Mark Jesus as abandoned Messiah • Matthew Jesus the Teacher • Luke Jesus the prophet martyr • John Jesus as revealer, word made flesh • NB all in the light of the resurrection www.tarsus.ie

Gospel “portraits” • How did you get on reading Mark? • Any questions? • What’s “missing” in Mark? www.tarsus.ie

Mark’s “portrait” • Jesus is risen from the dead (Mark 16) • Jesus is the Son of Man, who will return (Mark 13) • Jesus is the fulfillment of the Jewish prophecy (Mark 1) • Jesus is the Christ, who will suffer (Mark 8) • Jesus is the Son of God, for all people (Mark 15) www.tarsus.ie

Jesus is risen from the dead • “Resurrection” at the time meant what? • The Empty Tomb proclamation (Mark 16:1-8) • The resurrection dispute (Mark 12:18-27) • The “Passion Predictions” (8:31, 9:31, 10:33) www.tarsus.ie

Jesus, son of Man, will return “Son of Man” I was watching in the night visions, “And with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man was approaching. He went up to the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. (Daniel 7:13) Mark 2:10, 28; 8:31, 38; 9:9, 12, 31; 10:33, 45; 13:26; 14:21, 41, 62 “But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man arriving in the clouds with great power and glory. Then he will send angels and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. (Mark 13:24–27) www.tarsus.ie

Jesus, son of Man, will return • Watch! (Mark 13:2, 5, 9, 23, 33) • First the gospel must be preached to all nations. (Mark 13:10–11) • You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:13) • I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. (Mark 13:30) www.tarsus.ie

Jesus fulfills prophecy • Mark 1 (Ex 23:20 + Mal 3:1; Is 40:3; context Is 40:1-11) • Mark 9:12 (= Is 53:3) Despised • Mark 14:24 (= Is 53:11ff.) For many • Mark 10:34 (= Is 50:6) Spit • Mark 10:45 (Is 53:10ff) Ransom • Mark 14:49, 61 (= Is 53:7) Silent • Mark 15:27 (= Is 53:12) With outlaws • The Suffering Servant Songs • Is 41:1-4 • Is 49:1-6 • Is 50:4-8 • Is 52:13-53:12 www.tarsus.ie

Messiah who will suffer • Messiah = Māšîăḥ (מָשִׁיח) • Messiah in the Hebrew Bible • Messiah in the Dead Sea Scrolls • Messiah in the New Testament • Messiah and suffering www.tarsus.ie

Messiah who will suffer Mark 8:27 Then Jesus and his disciples went to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 They said, “John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him. Mark 8:31 Then Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke openly about this. So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But after turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.” www.tarsus.ie

Messiah who will suffer Now King Herod heard this, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead, and because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.” Others said, “He is Elijah.” Others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets from the past.” But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised!” (Mark 6:14–17) Look, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord arrives. (Malachi 4:5) The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you–from your fellow Israelites; you must listen to him. (Deuteronomy 18:15) www.tarsus.ie

Messiah who will suffer www.tarsus.ie

Son of God for all people www.tarsus.ie

Son of God for all people In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:9–11) Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, “You are the Son of God!” (Mark 3:11) …and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” (Mark 5:7) Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” (Mark 9:7–8) He said, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” (Mark 14:36) Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I am; and ‘you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power,’ and ‘coming with the clouds of heaven.’” (Mark 14:61–62) www.tarsus.ie

Mark’s “portrait” The Christology of Mark’s Gospel is in the story it tells. That story identifies Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, whose destiny is to suffer, die, rise from the dead and return as the glorious Son of Man to gather the elect. New Testament Christology Frank Matera www.tarsus.ie

Mark’s Portrait • Relevant to his time • Jews and Gentiles • The place of suffering • The function of faith • The centrality of hope • Aware of the evolution of understanding • Two blind men • Peter and his turns • Open-ended, i.e. the “story” goes on www.tarsus.ie

Mark’s portrait • Context is similar (apparent collapse all round) • Civil institutions • Faith structures • Questions of identity and strategy • And still…the deep, lasting impression of Jesus himself www.tarsus.ie

Task for the next day • Focus: what is a disciple today? • Read chapters 8:22 to 10:52 • Notice the frames • Any questions? www.tarsus.ie

Conversation www.tarsus.ie

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