Themes in Mark

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Themes in Marks gospel

• 1- The Markan priority
• 2- The Messianic Secret
• 3- The Suffering servant
• 4- Power over evil

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Theme 1 Markan priority

• For many years it was believed that the Gospel of
  Matthew was the first gospel written
• Hence its place in the gospel sequence in the
  Bible.
• What is Markan Priotity?
• Markan priority is the argument that the Gospel
  of Mark was the first gospel written and was
  subsequently used as a source by the other
  Synoptic gospels- Mt and Lk.
• Synoptic gospels are Mark, Matthew and Luke

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Why Markan priority?

• Literary forms generally expand rather than
  contract
• Mark 661 verses 11,024 words
• Matthew 1068 verses 18, 293 words
• Luke 1,149 verses 19,376 words.

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Theme 2 Messianic Secret
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What is the Messianic Secret

• A phrase that refers to certain passages in the
  gospel where Jesus tells his disciples not to
  reveal his true identity.

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Messianic Secret examples

• Jesus wants to keep his identity a secret
• When Jesus cast out demons he forbids anyone to
  mention this matter
• When he heals a leper, he asks that no one says
  anything-continues the secrecy of his identity
• When Peter proclaims him as messiah, he charges
  Peter and the apostles to say nothing.
• He teaches in Parables

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Why the Messianic secret

• Jesus is clearly the Messiah
• But just as clearly he is not the great king or
  cosmic warrior that Jews may have anticipated.

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• How do you explain the secrecy motif in the
  Gospel of Mark? See Mark 1461-65
• See your warm-up
• The High Priest asked if Jesus was the Messiah.
• Jesus said YES
• Jesus is accused of blasphemy

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Why the commands to silence?

• Jesus in Marks gospel does not want people to
  have the wrong idea about him
• E.g. by thinking that he is the kind of messiah
  they have anticipated.
• Therefore, Jesus wants to demonstrate he is the
  Messiah through his actions not his words
• For Mark, the title Messiah does not signify
  earthly grandeur and power but just the opposite.
  
• E.g. as messiah, Jesus was the Son of God who had
  to suffer and die

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Theme 3 Jesus as sufferer

• Throughout the gospel we are told by the narrator
  that Jesus will die (220 36)
• On three occasions Jesus predicts his own
  death/passion
• Passion comes from a Greek word that means
  suffering.
• Jesus is anointed for burial by a woman

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• Jesus teaches that suffering is to be not only
  his lot but that of his followers as well
• Whoever would come after me must take up the
  cross and follow me.?
• Marks community understands this because they
  are suffering
• Being a disciple means affliction and pain, not
  power and prestige.
• It means giving up ones life in order to gain
  the world.

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Theme 4 Apocalypse

• The destruction of the temple
• Persecution
• The end is here
• Jesus is coming

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Theme 5 Power over Evil

• Evil spirits know who Jesus is
• What do you have against me/us?
• Evil spirits obey Jesus
• Drives them out of people
• Legion
• Mute boy
• Mary Magdalene
• Jesus is accused of being the master of the evil
  spirits
• People could not understand why evil spirit obey
  Jesus
• Jesus gives the apostles authority over evil
  spirits
• Prayer is the key to drive out evil spirits

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Belief on evil spirits today

• Movie The Skeleton Key
• Some people question Gods existence but believe
  on the existence of evil spirit
• Some people dont believe on prayer, Mass,
  Eucharistic Adoration, but they believe that bad
  things can happen if you play the weegie (ouija)
  board

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Newspaper Front page

• Your group will be responsible for creating a
  newspaper front page that reports on the events
  of the Gospel of Mark. Using Mark as Story, your
  front page must include
• A title (5 pts)
• Summary of the main story your group is in charge
  of reporting. Summarize your main story carefully
  providing all the details (10 pts.) And a picture
  that illustrates your main story (5 pts. )
• One more story describing a separate event from
  the Gospel, and a drawing/illustration that goes
  with the story. (10 pts)
• One interview of an eyewitness from one of
  your stories. Include at least 5 questions and
  the possible responses (5 pts)
• Weather reports (5 pts)
• Editorials by both Roman and Jewish commentators-
  offering their varying perspectives (opinion) on
  the events (10 pts)
• 3 bonus points will be given for creating and
  including any cartooning in your paper- in
  addition to the above expectations.