New Testament 101: Mark

This is the shortest of the four books that tell about the life and teachings of Jesus, but it is also the most action-packed.

From the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus worked many wonders or miracles.  After choosing four followers (1: 16-20) he immediately performed healings; among those were a man with an evil spirit in him (1: 32-34), Simon’s mother-in-law (1: 30-31), crowds of sick people (1: 32-34) and a man with leprosy (1: 440-45).  Over and over the writer of Mark tells how Jesus healed people, but always in such a way as to show that he did these things by the power of God.

Mark details how the religious leaders refused to accept Jesus.  This led to conflicts that finally made them start looking for a way to kill him (11: 18).  However, the demons saw the power of Jesus and they knew he was the Son of God - although Jesus would not let them tell anyone.

This book is full of miracles which amazed crowds and Jesus’ own followers.  However, according to Mark, the most powerful miracle of Jesus is his suffering and death.  The first person to understand this miracle was the Roman soldier who saw Jesus die on the cross and said “This man truly was the Son of God” (15: 39).

This Gospel is widely thought to be the first one written.  The many explanations of Aramaic words and Jewish customs in Mark suggest the writer of Mark wrote for Gentile or non-Jewish Christians.  He wanted to tell about Jesus and to encourage readers to believe in the power of Jesus to rescue them from sickness, demons and death.  He also wanted to remind them that the new life of faith was not an easy life and that they must follow Jesus by serving others and being ready to suffer as Jesus had done.

It is interesting that the writer of Mark (living in a male dominated culture) tells the reader that the first followers of Jesus to discover the empty tomb were three women and that an angel told them “Don’t be alarmed.  You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was nailed to a cross. God has raised him to life, and he is not here”. (16:6)

Next week we move on to the Gospel of Luke.

Beryl

image: The Sick Await Healing, by James Tissot (1836-1902)