Understanding the gospel of Mark

At the heart of Marcan spirituality is discipleship. The Gospel of Mark tells us not only the path that the early disciples followed “on the way” with Jesus, but what the meaning and cost of following Jesus would mean for us today. Discipleship as shown by Mark is complex and difficult. The stories appear to characterize the apostles as confused, almost missing the message of the death and resurrection of Jesus. For this reason, many theologians have suggested that the Gospel of Mark was presented to a more mature audience of Christians who would have been more interested in the cost of discipleship and the person of Jesus, rather than simply the message of salvation.

History tells us that Mark was addressing those who had fallen under heavy persecution and may have needed to be encouraged even to their own martyrdom. The Gospel of Mark gives us an example of what it means to seek and do the will of God. Going “on the way” meant that one must follow Jesus in order to understand who he is and what he is asking. I agree with Barton that the spirituality of Mark is “a spirituality for the persecuted, the powerless, and the done to”(Barton, 63), in order to give encouragement to other followers of Christ. Such hope and fortitude are just as applicable today.

What then does discipleship mean in Mark’s theology? Does following Jesus “on the way” prophesy suffering for those who preach the Gospel? Hopefully not if they are confident that God is with them. We recognize that Jesus is the suffering servant, who set an example for his followers that they must also be in service to others. This is the key to Marcan spirituality. That one is called to be a humble and suffering servant, just as the person of Jesus is portrayed, if they wish to follow him in true discipleship. Following Jesus on the way required ‘imitatio Christi’ “which has an active dimension to it” (Barton, 61) as well as a passive “done to” dimension (Barton, 62). When one is in the presence of Jesus with the hope of imitating him as Lord, the disciple is drawn to act in accordance with the will of God and be receptive to the call of God to serve others first. “The way” of Jesus, calls to those along the way to follow him in service and obedience. Not everyone, like the rich “young” man, does so.

Mark begins with John the Baptist who cites Isaiah 40:3 and Mal 3:1, “I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” (Mark 1:2). Jesus calls the four disciples, Simon, Andrew, James and John to “follow me” while “passing along the Sea of Galilee”(Mark 1: 16). Levi is called “as he passed on” (Mark 2: 14).Theologian Sweetland makes some interesting observations regarding these calls to disciple-ship. The invitation is not something “one earns” and they were all called while busily engaged in their usual tasks which implies “unexpected grace” (Sweetland, 18-20). Jesus’ disciples were also ordinary people, not special students of the scriptures or Torah, but thoroughly “engaged in active missionary enterprise” while in conversation and arguments with each other and their leader ‘on the way’ (Mark 9:33) as they traveled back and forth near the Sea of Galilee.

The disciples were taught self-denial (Mark 8:34), sacrifice (Mark 10:25) and to act as servants (Mark 10:43), and there “were many who followed him” (Mark 2:16), not just the twelve. Several women also followed and ministered to Jesus (Mark 15:41). There is a most endearing passage about how Jesus “called to himself those whom he desired” (Mark 3:13). Mark uses the verb “to follow” often, and we see how this means the person of Jesus, not simply Christ’s principles. We see Jesus calling as “he went up into the hills” or as he was “setting out on his journey” (Mark 10:17), with the call always made while he was on the move. This meant the disciples who followed would be required to show absolute obedience and devotion by their own choice to the call they were given and that they also might be asked to leave everything and everyone behind. Peter says he “abandoned all” to follow (Mark 10:28).

Jesus tells the disciples that by giving all they will find joy and receive a “hundredfold now in this age houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions - and in the age to come eternal life“ (Mark 10:29-30). Dennis Sweetland points out that unlike the other Gospels, Mark introduces the term ‘with persecutions’ here, and also does not include the term ‘wife’ (Sweetland, 94). Mark wants his audience to know that the persecutions in this age and the cost of discipleship are high, however, Mark’s discipleship does not require that one be celibate or single, nor does it require that women be excluded. In fact, he is very tough on the sanctity of marriage and the issue of divorce.

Mark goes out of his way to be inclusive to the women who follow Jesus and also to children who may otherwise have been thought of as being people who should be excluded. I think that it is possible since Mark may have been the cousin of Barnabas and who traveled with Paul and Peter on their journeys, he was sensitive to the authority figures in the early church, but understood the value of not discriminating against anyone who may be called into the Lord’s service. It was Barnabas who encouraged Paul (who was not one of the original twelve) to go to Jerusalem and stood up for Mark when there was a division among them (Acts 15:37-39). I believe Mark’s egalitarian attitude was formed by his early devotion to missionary work and/or his lack of obedience in Pamphylia.

Mark also includes in his gospel the additional commission to care for the material needs of others by being a servant to all (Mark 9:35), selling what you own and giving the money to the poor (Mark 10:21). He understood Jesus’ mission regarding the poor that “whenever you will, you can do good to them” (Mark 14:7). There is the charitable example of the widow and her two copper coins - “she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on” (Mark 12:43) which would imply giving more than expected. Mark’s spirituality of charity may be a direct result of the person of Jesus and the influence of Mark’s cousin Barnabas (Acts 4:37) and shows how the New Testament may be “more a moral compass than a moral map” when understanding what it means to follow the Christian way of living (Quinn, 27). One would look at the character of Jesus for the foundation of their faith.

Preaching and healing in the Gospel of Mark were not restricted to the apostles. They tell Jesus that someone is “not following us” who is performing miracles in Jesus’ name. Jesus tells them “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us, is for us” (Mark 9:38-40). The healed leper proclaimed to the point of restricting Jesus’ travels (Mark 1:45), and this may be why the deaf mute was ordered to tell no one when he was healed (Mark 7:36). The blind man at Bethsaida was healed outside his village and was told not to return to the village where the people gathered (Mark 8:22); however, the demoniac at Decapolis (Mark 5:20) acted as a witness for the healing spiritual gift of Jesus. In fact, the demoniac was told to “go home to your friends and tell them” the good news. This would imply that those touched by our Lord could potentially act as a witness whether called to or not and that one is not necessarily required to

go with Jesus “along the way” to a distant place. One can be a witness among their group of friends or within their own community effectively. Bartimaeus, the blind beggar in Jericho, was told by Jesus to “Go; your faith has made you well” (Mark 10:52), but he followed Jesus “on the way” just the same.

Mark portrays Jesus as the “suffering servant” that acts as a model for the disciples to follow. We are told he came “to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10: 45). Each time the disciples exalt themselves and misunderstand the mission of Christ’s death and resurrection, Jesus tells them a parable or explains what the cost of discipleship means. For example, Peter claims he would never deny Jesus (Mark 8:31), yet Mark outlines the denial in detail (Mark 14:66-72). When the apostles discuss who among them is the greatest (Mark 9:31) or when James and John wish to sit at the right hand of Jesus (Mark 10:33), Jesus follows each misunderstanding of true discipleship with a discourse on what discipleship really means, and in Mark’s gospel he is very blunt about it. “Are you also without understanding?” (Mark 7:18), “Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8:21), or worse, “you faithless generation” when the disciples could not cast out an evil spirit (Mark 9:19). Jesus tells them, “If anyone would come after me.... take up your cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34).

By using the parables and the example of the child who is received in humility and lowliness, Jesus teaches the disciples about giving oneself in personal service to another. By telling the story of the master/servant relationship “who puts his servants in charge” (Mark 13:33-37), he is reminding them of the responsibility which has been entrusted to them. By asking “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?” (Mark 10:38), he shows the depth of devotion required of them and the centrality of the cross they might also be asked to bear.

Some believe Mark presents a messianic mystery, in that the disciples are just not understanding fully who Jesus is and what that will mean to them as followers. I disagree. Perhaps within the story, the passion and resurrection are misunderstood by the disciples in order to spotlight the centrality of the cross later. Mark’s gospel is certainly not subtle in its Christology. When the high priest asks Jesus, “Are you the Christ?,” Jesus response is in the affirmative, “I am” (Mark 14:61), thereby confirming the fact. God appears twice in the gospel to confirm that Jesus is the Son of God at the baptism and transfiguration (Mark 1:11 and 9:7). Jesus refers to himself as the beloved son when speaking about the end times (Mark 13:32) and indirectly by way of the parable of the wicked tenants (Mark 12:1). Peter who says, “You are the Christ” (Mark 8:30), the demons who claim “You are the Son of God” (Mark 3:11), and the centurion who proclaims that “Truly this man was God’s son” at the cross (Mark 15:39) are all cognizant of this fact. I do not believe Mark was being cautious about the nature of Jesus as the Christ. The struggle of the apostles along “the way” was a lesson for us as followers.

Mark’s spirituality addresses the same problems for us as Christians today. We do not always go along “the way” by consistent prayer and reading of the scriptures. Disciples of Jesus need to stay close and watch carefully, because going with Jesus along the way, means going uphill and down. Mark often makes the point that Jesus’ disciples were astonished by his power. We should not be so surprised when the Lord acts, but pray for intervention with confidence that the Lord can act greater than even we could imagine or ask for, that is the beauty of the power of God. Mark’s Jesus is direct and constantly doing, confident of who he is and his purpose. It is a lesson to us all that we should not miss the opportunity to follow and act whenever God calls and wherever we are found by God. If people are not attentive to Jesus “on the way,” will they take notice when traveling off the beaten path? Will they have the strength to journey to the end? Mark’s Gospel has given us a reason why and hope in Jesus to follow the way.

Texts Cited

Barton, Stephen C. "The Spirituality of the Gospels". Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1992

Perkins, Pheme. "Reading the New Testament, Second Edition". New York, NY: Paulist Press, 1988

Quinn, Archbishop John. “The Relation of Moral Life and Moral Laws” Origins, May 30, 1996, p 26-30.

Sweetland, Dennis M. "Our Journey With Jesus: Discipleship According to Mark". Wilmington, DE: Michael Glazier, Inc., 1987

"The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition". Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1993