Reflections During Easter — The Gospel of Mark
Mark’s Gospel is short and reads quickly. It’s easy to read in a single sitting, which has become a common practice for me during religious holidays. The fast-paced narrative and flow compel you to proceed along to its conclusion. It’s the earliest of the gospels, likely written around 70 A.D., near the destruction of the Second Temple and Emperor Nero's reign. Because of its age, it was also likely the basis for the other synoptic Gospels. Church tradition holds that the author was a disciple of Peter and potentially the Mark of Acts.
Its narrative and time of writing provide fuel for hypothesizing Mark’s literary motivations. He is writing for a church body in Crisis. The Jewish-Roman War, an event either ongoing or just finished during the writing of Mark’s Gospel, went poorly for the Jews. In its aftermath, Jewish refugees spread throughout the ancient world, and the destruction of the Second Temple catalyzed major reformations within Judaism. Christian Jews in the region would have also been caught up in the political and military turmoil of the war.
Simultaneously, Emperor Nero was becoming infamous for his persecution of Christians and using them as social and political scapegoats. His favorite punishments included crucifixions, immolations, and feeding them to wild beasts. Mark’s intended audience likely had these horrors in mind as they read his gospel. Several clues point to a gentile and likely Romanized audience. Mark uses several Latin loan words that would have been familiar to a Romanized audience, such as legion, centurian, names of coins, etc. Additionally, Mark explains Jewish customs such as the Sadducee practice of washing before meals (Mark 7:3–5), and he provides translations for all Aramaic terms (Mark 7:34, 14:36, 15:34).
We see the influence of this setting in the Markan narrative. Mark is the only evangelist to suggest Jesus was with the beasts. In Mark 1:13, during Jesus’ stay in the wilderness (another term heavy with meaning), he states, “καὶ ἦν μετὰ τῶν θηρίων.” Literally, “and he was with/among the beasts (or dangerous animals).” Mark also includes persecutions on the list of products of the Christian faith. (Mark 10:30, ESV) Later, near the end of the narrative, Jesus’ warnings concerning persecution are emphasized. (Mark 13:9–13, ESV) This section includes a reminder to submit to the Holy Spirit's guidance when brought before the authorities and not fear earthly suffering.
Perhaps most importantly, in addressing the fears and anxieties of a church facing persecution, Mark creates a relatable and human-centered account of Jesus’ ministry. Out of pride, James and John approach Jesus, seeking prominence in heaven. (Mark 10:35, ESV) Peter denies Jesus three times during His trial. When Peter realizes his sin, “he broke down and wept,” a heartbreakingly human reaction to the betrayal of your beloved. (Mark 14:72, ESV) On several occasions, Jesus “plainly” tells his disciples about His coming arrest, trial, and crucifixion. Yet, they seem incapable of understanding or accepting this truth, to the point their incomprehension becomes a source of frustration.
Mark’s Jesus is also remarkably human. For instance, he becomes angry at money-changers in the Jerusalem Temple. (Mark 11:15–19) Perhaps the most beautifully human moment is Jesus at Gethsemane. As God incarnate, He knows what comes next and what He must do, and yet, in His humanity, Jesus feels the crushing weight of death and sin. He experiences the fullness of the human condition and does not turn away from it, however much He may want to. In this moment of desolation, Jesus demonstrates our example and prays, “Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet, not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36, ESV)
As I read the Gospel of Mark this Easter, I recalled a moment I had the first time I read Mark’s Gospel in one sitting. I reached the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and experienced a realization unlike any I had before. The verse was, “And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” (Mark 16:39, ESV) As I read those sublime words recounting the centurion’s testimony, I felt certain that on some level, we have all been that centurion. We come into the world and do what we must to survive. We do horrible things, either because our culture expects it or because our survival necessitates it. We participate in the horrors, big and small, around us, and they do not touch us. We can’t even acknowledge them as sin. Then we are moved by the Spirit to confront the true nature of the reality before us, and we realize the horror of our sins and witness the God whom we have ignored. It is then up to us to allow ourselves to be changed into the person God intended us to be.
Of note, chapter 16 of Mark’s Gospel ends at verse eight in the earliest manuscripts. I find it interesting to end my reading there and see how the story sits with me. As we approach the ending climax, Jesus has died and has been buried. Mary Magdalene, Mary (mother of James), and Salome go to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. They find the tomb open and a “νεανίσκον”, a young man, in a white robe inside. He tells them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place the where they laid him.” (Mark 16:6) The young man informs the women that Jesus is going to Galilee and that they should go to him. The final verse then reads, “And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” That is it. The original Markan narrative ends there.
The Markan Jesus touches us because we see our own pathos in Him. God’s plan is not undone by human folly or weakness. And our path along the Christian way is not nullified by our mistakes or our fear. We must remember the Markan expression of the Gospel of Jesus — “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel [good news].” (Mark 1:15, ESV) We have all been the centurion, caught up in this corrupted world. And we have all been the women at the tomb, so frightened by revelation that we run in fear and say nothing to anyone.
I love that the Gospel of Mark originally ended at verse 16:8. We can place ourselves there in confrontation with the eschatological promise of Jesus’ resurrection. We can encounter the young man in the tomb and decide how to react. Will we run in fear and unbelief? Will our folly prevent us from accepting the good news? I hope not. I hope that this Easter we witness his resurrection and accept within ourselves that truly, this man was the son of God.
