1) Theological-historical background
- Mk marks the end of the process of Tradition
- preceded by the oral tradition of Jesus: in sermons
catechetical instructions
liturgy . . . etc., followed by about 4 decades of gospel writing Matthew
Luke
John
+ later Apocryphical gospels
- the oral tradition does not stop there, but continues until the time of the Apostolic Fathers’
- the partial writing of some traditions, however, started already earlier than Mark
- Q is said to be older than Mk
Pre-markan collections
2) Reasos for Mark writing his Gospel
Rudolf Bultmann:
- the evangelist wanted to combine the Hellenistic Kerygma of Christ, ( the Christ myth, found in Paul, as e.g. in Phil 2:6ff, Rom 3:24) with the tradition of the history of Christ.
- however, Mk does not include the preexistence of Jesus
Ernst Käsemann:
— Agrees with Bultmann, that the unique literary form of the Gospel of Mk brings the heavenly figure of Christ back and unites it with the historical teacher and Rabbi Jesus Christ who journeys through Palestine.
— the reason for this is a theological need: the Kerygma, including the preexistence of Jesus must not be misused in a sense that Christ disappears in faith (e.g. Jn I: 1-14 and I and 2 John) Mk’s presentation roots the Kerygma that can be manipulated in faith, in the firmness of history.
‘Christian writers of the first and second centuries who are known, or are considered, to have had personal relations with some of the Apostles, or to have been so influenced by them that their writings may be held as echoes of genuine Apostolic teaching. Though restricted by some to those who were actually disciples of the Apostles, the tenn applies by extension to certain writers who were previously believed to have been such, and virtually embraces all the remains of primitive Christian literature antedating the great apologies of the second century, and forming the link of tradition that binds these latter writings to those of the New Testament.
Qher possible views:
- Mark writes his Gospel to oppose the heresy that replaces the cross with the idea of a 1-lellenistic Divine God-like savior.
Cf. 1 in 2:22; 5:6
1 John 2:22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.
5:6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood.
3) Literary Background of Mk
Larger units
- Passion Narrative (14:1-16:8)
— Controversy Stories in Galilee (ch. 3)
- Parable Source (ch. 4)
- Community pericopes (ch. 10)
- Apocalypse (ch. 13)
Smaller units
- Miracles and Exorcisms (sometimes redacted into controversy stories)
- Apothegm (short sayings of Jesus, giving a point to a story)
- etc.
see. Bultmann, The History of the Synoptic Tradition or your NI Intro.
Q
— Mark does not know this Source of sayings of Jesus
- but Mk knows and preserves the motif of the kingdom of God (that is central to Q)
Christological Titles
- Not only Son of Man as central to Q, but
- Son of God, Son of David, Christ, Kyrios, eta!.
4) The Gospel Genre
— The Gospel before Jesus
-> the Gospel, the Good News (euvaggehon) had been proclaimed 4 decades before Mk, foremost in the preaching of Paul, and the Apostles, like Peter
Rom 1:3-4; Gal 2:2; 1 Cor 15:1-11; Phil 2:5-22 2 Tim 2:8
Acts 2:14-39; 3:11-26; 4:8-12 5:29-32; 10:34-43; 13:16-41
e.g. 1 Cor 15:2-3
15:1 Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, 2 by which you are saved, if you hold it fast -- unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that
Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures,
4 that he was buried,
that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures,
Phil 2:8-9
2:8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,
Rom 1:3-4
Romans 1:3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
2 Tim 2:8
2:8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David-- that is my gospel,
— Core of the Gospel before Mk: proclamation of the paschal mystery. The apostolic preaching
- That is: Jesus was approved by God
mighty in word and deed (Acts 2:22)
handed over to the Romans (Acts 3:13)
sentenced
died, buried
rose after three days
- that is Good News for its hearers
- That is: Good News by which one is saved (1 Cor 15:2)
as through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God reconciles all
humankind with Godseif (Acts 4:12; 5:31; 13:39)
The Gospel of (from) Jesus
- Mk 114-15 10:29; 13*10
1:14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.”
- Lk 4:43
4:43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.
-Mt24:l4 26:13
24:14 And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.
- The Kingdom of God
- The Good news of JC is the Kg that is now present
- The Gospel according to the Evangelist
The evangelists have different perspectives on the words and deeds of Jesus.
Example:
The Miracles of Jesus:
- For Mark, the miracles are acts of power that show Jesus to be the one who will effectively establish the reign of God.
- In Matthew they show him to be the servant of Yahweh who carries out God’s merciful intentions towards those oppressed by sickness and sin. Jesus, too, is the Lord who exercises his power.
- In Luke Jesus is the messianic prophet who brings deliverance and salvation.
- Mark does not associate any Christological title with the miracles,
— Matthew Jesus is servant of Yahweh and Lord,
- Luke he is eschatological prophet, in
The Words of Jesus
Any careful reading of the Synoptic Gospels reveals that the evangelists collected and arranged the sayings of Jesus according to the purposes of their particular gospel.
In 4:23 Matthew tells us that Jesus went about Galilee preaching the good news about the Kingdom of God. He then proceeds to present to his readers Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5 to 7. Most of what Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount is also found in Luke’s Sermon on the Plain and in other contexts throughout Luke’s Gospel. Some of the sayings are also in Mark’s Gospel in different contexts. This shows us that the Sermon of the Mount is not from Jesus, but a composition of Matthew, who arranged the various sayings of Jesus found in his sources in this manner, because he wanted to give his hearers (readers) a extended sample of the preaching of Jesus.
- Mark has collected together in chapter 4 of his gospel Jesus’ parables about the Kingdom of God. Jesus first tells the parable of the sower and the seed and then explains it to the disciples. He follows this with the little parable of the lamp, the self-growing seed, and the mustard seed.
— When you compare Mark 4 with Matthew 13, you notice that Matthew has expanded the material he took over from Mark into 7 parables.
- If you further compare Mark and Matthew with Luke. Luke has taken over only two of Mark’s parables in chapter 8: the sower and the lamp. Luke however adds more parables in chapter 15 that come from his own tradition. The same is true of Matthew as well. He, too, has added other parables in his Gospel not found in Mark or Luke, e.g. the parable of the unmerciful servant in Mt 18: 23-35; the workers in the vineyard (20:1-16), and the sheep and the goats (Mt 25:3 1-46).
5) The Gospel Proper
a. introductory questions (Hendrickx)
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:’ Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, “ 4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed,” The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with wafer; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Exegesis v.1
—> Beginning. . . . Sentence begins w/t predicate (=introduction of the noun) This is common trait of biblical texts: e.g. Proverbs (in Greek)
- “Beginning” of the Good News
Arche. . . . the actual beginning (=ground) of all Good News is God cf Jn 1: 1
= timeless beginning:
= beginning of all history: berehit: Gen 1: 1 -
The Gospel of Christ
“of the gospel of Jesus Christ”
Genitive : of. . . 2 meanings 1) Jesus Christ as subject (about)
Isa 40:3
40:3 A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
40: Begin of Deutero-Isaiah, who promises the return from Babylon
“Targum,” the way of the Lord will go through the wilderness — through Babylon, home to Palestine
v4. John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
—> JB is on/at this way in the desert, that lead to Messianic restoration
—> There he p.claims:
to proclaim: khru,ssw
—>Jesus: 1:14.38f
— Disciples 3:14; 6:22
—> The Gospel 13: 10 (must be proclaimed first among all the peoples)
Conclusion:
JB proclamation is a genuincjhristian proclamation: baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins
b. Setting of the Gospel:
van lersel, Bas M. F. Mark. A Reader-Response Commentary 30-57 68-86.
c. Structure of the Prologue Mk 1:2-15
Chiasm: A, B. A’
Applied to Mk’s Prologue: see your notes
d. of the Gospel
Applied to the frame Prologue:Epilogue: see your notes
e. The Key of Mark’s Gospel
Cf The frame of the way-section: 4 miracles — progression of Faith
f Exegesis of Mark’s Key Texts
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