1
Mark
KEY VERSE:
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:45
Structure
1. The Preparation of the Son of God (1:1 – 13)
2. The Authoritative Ministry of the Son of God in and around Galilee (1:14 – 8:26)
A. The Kingdom-Authority of the Son of God (1:14 – 3:12)
B. The “Disciple-Family” of the Son of God and Those
“Outside” (3:13 – 6:6)
C. The Mission of the Son of God (6:7 – 8:26)
3. The Suffering of the Son of God as Servant of the LORD (8:27 – 16:8)
A. The Confession of Peter and Jesus’ Role as Servant Messiah (8:27 – 10:52)
B. The Son of God Confronts Jerusalem (10:46 – 13:37)
C. Climax: The Death of the Son of God (14:1 – 15:47)
D. Resolution: The Resurrection of the Son of God (16:1 – 8)
Significant Episodes
1. The Turning Point: The Confession of Peter and the Servant Messiah (8:27 – 10:52)
2. The Son of God Confronts Jerusalem (10:46 – 13:37)
3. The Climax of the Narrative: The Death of the Son of God (14:1 – 15:47).
4. Resolution: The Resurrection Announced (16:1 – 8).
CHARACTERISTICS OF MARK’S GOSPEL:
(Look for these while reading Mark)
• Fast-moving narrative; Vivid descriptions of persons and events.
• Prominence of Galilee as the locus of Jesus’ early ministry.
• Strong emphasis on Jesus’ authority in teaching and in miracles.
• Amazed reaction by others to Jesus’ authority.
• Emphasis on challenges to Jesus by the forces of Satan and his defeat of them.
• Jesus portrayed as the authoritative Messiah and Son of God.
• Jesus portrayed as the suffering Son of Man, who will die as a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of his people.
• Outsiders become insiders by faith;
hints of Gentile salvation.
• Negative portrait of the disciples;
models of how not to follow Jesus.
• Lengthy passion narrative;
emphasis on Jesus’ death.
• Brief and enigmatic resurrection narrative.
Markan Rhetorical Technique
A. Intercalations
B. Triads
C. Irony
D. Messianic Secret
Why have Markan Studies Changed?
The notion of Markan Priority has reset the stage for gospel studies where Mark is seen on its own terms and not just a shortened version of Matthew.
Mark’s Gospel has a fast-moving narrative style. The narrator is fond of the Greek word euthys, (e-u-thus) an adverb often translated “immediately.”
It appears forty-two times, whereas in Matthew it appears five times, and in Luke, only once. While the word does not always mean “just then,” its effect is to propel the narrative forward.
The narrator also uses present-tense verbs to describe past actions, a Greek idiom known as the historical present (151 times; Matthew 93 times; Luke 11 times).