Notes on Mark 2 0 1 7 E d i t i o n Dr. Thomas L. Constable Introduction WRITER The writer did not identify himself by name anywhere in this Gospel. This is true of all four Gospels. "The title, 'According to Mark' (. . . [kata Markon]), was probably added when the canonical gospels were collected and there was need to distinguish Mark's version of the gospel from the others. The gospel titles are generally thought to have been added in the second century but may have been added much earlier. Certainly we may say that the title indicates that by A.D. 125 or so an important segment of the early church thought that a person named Mark wrote the second gospel."1 There are many statements of the early church fathers that identify the "John Mark" who is frequently mentioned in the New Testament as the writer. The earliest reference of this type is in Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History (ca. A.D. 326).2 Eusebius quoted Papius' Exegesis of the Lord's Oracles (ca. A.D. 140), a work now lost. Papius quoted "the Elder," probably the Apostle John, who said the following things about this Gospel: Mark wrote it, though he was not a disciple of Jesus during Jesus' ministry or an eyewitness of Jesus' ministry. He accompanied the Apostle Peter and listened to his preaching. He based his Gospel on the eyewitness account and spoken ministry of Peter. Mark did not write his Gospel in strict orderly sequence, meaning either chronological order3 or rhetorical and artistic order4, but he recorded accurately what Peter remembered of Jesus' words and deeds. He considered himself an interpreter of Peter's content. By this, "the Elder" probably meant that Mark recorded the teaching of Peter for the church, 1Donald A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, p. 172. See ibid, pp. 726- 43 for a brief discussion of the formation of the New Testament canon. 2The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius Pamphilus, 3:39:15. 3Martin Hengel, "Literary, Theological, and Historical Problems in the Gospel of Mark," in Studies in the Gospel of Mark, p. 48. 4Robert A. Guelich, Mark 1—8:26, p. xxvii. Copyright © 2017 by Thomas L. Constable Published by Sonic Light: http://www.soniclight.com/ 2 Dr. Constable's Notes on Mark 2017 Edition 5 though not necessarily verbatim, as Peter expressed himself. Finally, "the Elder" said that Mark's account is wholly reliable. Another important source of the tradition that Mark wrote this Gospel is the Anti- Marcionite Prologue to Mark (A.D. 160-180). It also stated that Mark received his information from Peter. Moreover, it recorded that Mark wrote after Peter died, and that 6 he wrote this Gospel in Italy. Irenaeus (ca. A.D. 180-185), another early church father, 7 noted that Mark wrote after Peter and Paul had died. Other early tradition documenting these facts comes from Justin Martyr (ca. A.D. 150-160), Clement of Alexandria (ca. A.D. 195), Tertullian (ca. A.D. 200), the Muratorian Canon (ca. A.D. 200), and Origen (ca. A.D. 230). This testimony dates from the end of the second century. Furthermore it comes from three different centers of early Christianity: Asia Minor (modern Turkey), Rome (in Italy), and Alexandria (in Egypt). Thus there is strong external evidence that Mark wrote this Gospel. The Mark in view is the "John Mark" mentioned frequently in the New Testament (Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13; 15:36-39; Col. 4:10; Phile. 24; 2 Tim. 4:11; 1 Pet. 5:13; et al.). He was evidently a relative of Barnabas, and he accompanied Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey, but left these apostles when they reached Perga. Mark became useful to Paul during Paul's second Roman imprisonment, and was also with Peter when 8 Peter was in Rome. Peter described him as his "son," probably his protégé. It seems unlikely that the early church would have accepted this Gospel as authoritative, since its writer was a secondary figure, without having convincing proof that Mark wrote it. Perhaps Luke showed special interest in John Mark, in Acts, because he was the writer 9 of this Gospel, more than because he caused a breach between Paul and Barnabas. "It is evident that he [Mark] was a charismatically endowed teacher and evangelist. . . . A careful reading of the Gospel will serve to introduce the author as a theologian of the first rank who never forgot that his primary intention was the strengthening of the people of God in a time of fiery 10 ordeal." DATE The earliest Mark could have written, if the testimonies of the Anti-Marcionite Prologue and Irenaeus are correct, was after the death of Peter and Paul. The most probable dates of Peter's martyrdom in Rome are A.D. 64-67. Paul probably died as a martyr there in A.D. 67-68. However, Clement of Alexandria and Origen both placed the composition of 5 Richard C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Mark's Gospel, p. 12. 6 The Anti-Marcionite Prologue. 7 Against Heresies, 3:1:2. 8 For a table comparing Peter's address in Acts 10:36-40 and the structure of Mark's Gospel, see Carson and Moo, p. 193. 9 A. E. J. Rawlinson, The Gospel According to St. Mark, p. xxxi. 10 William L. Lane, The Gospel according to Mark, p. 23. 2017 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on Mark 3 this Gospel during Peter's lifetime. This may mean that Mark wrote shortly before Peter died. Perhaps Mark began his Gospel during Peter's last years in Rome and completed it after Peter's death. The latest that Mark could have written his Gospel was probably A.D. 70, when Titus destroyed Jerusalem. Many scholars believe that since no Gospel writer referred to that event, which fulfilled prophecy, they all must have written before it. To summarize, Mark probably wrote this Gospel sometime between A.D. 63 and 70. ORIGIN AND DESTINATION 11 Most of the early Christian tradition says Mark wrote in Italy, and specifically in Rome. This external testimony finds support in the internal evidence of the Gospel itself. Many indications in the text point to Mark's having written for Gentile readers originally, particularly Romans. He explained Jewish customs that would have been strange to Gentile readers (e.g., 7:2-4; 15:42). He translated Aramaic words that would have been unfamiliar to Gentiles (3:17; 5:41; 7:11, 34; 15:22). Compared to Matthew and Luke he used many Latinisms and Latin loan words, indicating Roman influence. Mark showed special interest in persecution and martyrdom, which would have been of special interest to Roman readers when he wrote (e.g., 8:34-38; 13:9-13). Christians were then suffering persecution in Rome, and in various other places throughout the empire, especially after Nero began to persecute Christians in A.D. 65. For Romans, death by crucifixion was enough to disqualify Jesus as the Savior, and much of what Mark 12 emphasized showed that He did not deserve crucifixion. Finally, the early circulation and widespread acceptance of this Gospel among Christians suggest that it originated 13 from, and went to, a powerful and influential church. "Matthew is directed to the religious man. Mark was written to the strong man. Luke is addressed to the thinking man. The Gospel of John is 14 directed to the wretched man, the man who needs salvation." CHARACTERISTICS Linguistically, Mark used a relatively limited vocabulary when he wrote this Gospel. For example, he used only about 80 words that occur nowhere else in the Greek New Testament, compared with Luke's Gospel that contains about 250 such words. Another unique feature is that Mark also liked to transliterate Latin words into Greek. However, the Aramaic language also influenced Mark's Greek. He evidently translated into Greek many of Peter's stories that Peter had recounted in Aramaic. The result was at times a rather rough and ungrammatical Greek wording, compared with Luke, who had a much more polished style of writing. However, Mark used a forceful, fresh, and vigorous style 11 Irenaeus, and Clement of Alexandria. 12 Robert H. Gundry, Mark, p. 1045. 13 Walter W. Wessel, "Mark," in Matthew-Luke, vol. 8 of The Expositor's Bible Commentary, p. 609. 14 J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, 4:163. 4 Dr. Constable's Notes on Mark 2017 Edition of writing. This comes through in his frequent use of the historical present tense that expresses action as happening at once. It is also obvious in his frequent use (41 times) of 15 the Greek adverb euthys translated "immediately." The resulting effect is that as one reads Mark's Gospel, one feels that he or she is reading a reporter's eyewitness account of the events. "Though primarily engaged in an oral rather than a written ministry, D. L. Moody was in certain respects a modern equivalent to Mark as a communicator of the gospel. His command of English was seemingly less than perfect and there were moments when he may have wounded the grammatical sensibilities of some of the more literate members of his audiences, but this inability never significantly hindered him in communicating the gospel with great effectiveness. In a similar way, Mark's occasional literary lapses have been no handicap to his communication in this gospel in which he skillfully set forth the life and 16 ministry of Jesus." "The evidence points to Mark's being not a creative literary artist but an 17 extremely honest and conscientious compiler." Mark addressed his readers directly (e.g., 2:10; 7:19), through Jesus' words (e.g., 13:37), and with the use of rhetorical questions addressed to them (e.g., 4:41). This gives the reader the exciting feeling that he or she is interacting with the story personally. It also impresses the reader with the need for him or her to respond to what the story is presenting. Specifically, Mark wanted his readers to believe that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God, and to follow Him. Historically, Mark recorded many intimate details that only an eyewitness could have observed, which he evidently obtained from Peter (e.g., 1:27, 41, 43; 2:12; 3:5; 7:34; 9:5- 6, 10; 10:24, 32). He stressed Jesus' acts and gave a prominent place to His miracles in 18 this Gospel. Mark recorded 20 of Jesus' miracles. Matthew, on the other hand, stressed Jesus' discourses, His teachings about His kingdom. Mark recorded a smaller proportion of Jesus' words, and a greater proportion of His works, than Matthew did. Jesus comes through in Mark's Gospel as a Man of action. Mark emphasized Jesus' role as the "Servant of the Lord." "Mark's story of Jesus is one of swift action and high drama. Only twice, 19 in chapters 4 and 13, does Jesus pause to deliver extended discourses." 15 See Rodney J. Decker, "The Use of euthys ('immediately') in Mark," Journal of Ministry and Theology 1:1 (Spring 1997):90-121. 16 David K. Lowery, "A Theology of Mark," in A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, p. 67. 17 Cranfield, p. 16. 18 See Appendix 6 "The Miracles of Jesus" in my notes on Matthew for a chart of all the miracles recorded in the Gospels. 19 J. D. Kingsbury, Conflict in Mark: Jesus, Authorities, Disciples, p. 1. 2017 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on Mark 5 Candor also marks this Gospel. Mark did not glorify the disciples, but recorded them doing unflattering things such as criticizing Jesus. He also described the hostility of Jesus' family members toward Him. He stressed the human reactions and emotions of Jesus. All four Gospels are primarily narrative literature in their genre. Cranfield distinguished four different kinds of narrative material in Mark's Gospel: "(i) Narratives the wealth of detail and vividness of which suggest direct derivation from the reminiscence of an eyewitness. . . . (ii) Narratives which by their rounded form and lack of vivid details give the impression of being units of oral tradition which have been worn smooth by frequent repetition. . . . (iii) Narratives which, though based on tradition, do not seem to be actual units of oral tradition, but rather to have been constructed by Mark himself . . . (iv) Brief summary statements indicating 20 in general terms what was happening during a certain period . . ." Theologically, this Gospel presents a high Christology beginning with the introduction of Jesus as "the Son of God" (1:1). Mark revealed Jesus' preference for the title "Son of Man," which He used to describe Himself frequently. PURPOSE These characteristics help us understand Mark's purpose for writing, which he did not state directly. Mark's purpose was not just to give his readers a biographical or historical account of Jesus' life. He had a more practical purpose. The biographical material he chose to include and omit suggests that he wanted to enable his Christian readers to endure suffering and persecution for their faith effectively. To do this, he recorded much about Jesus' sufferings. About one third of this Gospel deals with the passion of Jesus. "Mark's Gospel has been called a Passion story with a long 21 introduction." Moreover, there are many other references to suffering throughout the book (e.g., 1:12- 13; 3:21-22, 30-35; 8:34-38; 10:30, 33-34, 45; 13:8, 11-13). Clearly, Mark implied that faithfulness and obedience as a disciple of Jesus will inevitably result in opposition, suffering, and perhaps death. This emphasis would have ministered to the original readers who were undergoing persecution for their faith. It is a perennial need in pastoral ministry. It is interesting that the theme of suffering is strong in Peter's first epistle, too. Evidently this was a subject that lay heavily on Peter's heart. Mark also wanted his Gentile Christian readers to be good servants of God and other people. Therefore he devoted much attention to Jesus' training of the Twelve for service. Mark had a theological (Christological) as well as a pastoral (discipleship) purpose in writing. It was to stress the true humanity of the Son of God. Whereas Matthew presented Jesus as the Messiah, Mark showed that He was the human servant of God who suffered as no other person has suffered. Mark stressed Jesus' complete obedience to His Father's 20 Cranfield, p. 11. 21 The Nelson Study Bible, p. 1665. 6 Dr. Constable's Notes on Mark 2017 Edition will. This emphasis makes Jesus an example for all disciples to follow (10:45). One wonders if Mark presented Jesus as he did, in order to balance a tendency that existed in the early church, by Docetists and others, to think of Jesus as divine but not fully human. "Whereas a parenetic [exhorting] purpose with regard to Christian discipleship would explain only one small element in the contents of Mark and even then would misconstrue that element, an apologetic purpose with regard to the Cross provides a comprehensive explanation of all elements and, more especially, of the ways in which those elements are presented. Fitting together to form an apology for the Cross are not only the authority and radicalism of Jesus' teaching but also the fulfillment of his predictions, not only his power-packed miracles and exorcisms but also the supernatural manner and accompaniments of his death, not only his attraction of crowds but also his burial by a pious and brave member of the Sanhedrin, not only his baptismal approval by the Father and enduement 22 with the Spirit but also his resurrection." "In my view, the Markan evangelist presents Jesus as the true son of God and in doing so deliberately presents Jesus in opposition to Rome's candidates for a suitable emperor, savior, and lord. All the features that made up the emperor cult and the various customs associated with the office and title of emperor in various ways find expression in NT Christology. Most of these features are paralleled in Mark; others are 23 paralleled elsewhere in the NT." MARK'S POSITION AMONG THE GOSPELS It is common today for scholars to hold Markan priority. This is the view that Mark wrote his Gospel first and the other Gospel evangelists wrote after he did. This view has 24 become popular since the nineteenth century. Before that, most biblical scholars 25 believed that Matthew wrote his Gospel first. Since then, many scholars have concluded that Mark was one of the two primary sources that the other Synoptic Gospel writers 26 used, the other being Q. There is presently no definitive solution to this problem of which came first, though by far the majority of scholars favor Mark. Scholars favoring Markan priority base their view on the fact that: Mark contains about 90 percent of what is in Matthew and about 40 percent of what is in Luke. Matthew and Luke usually follow Mark's order of events, and they rarely agree against the content of Mark when they all deal with the same subject. Matthew and Luke also often repeat Mark's wording, and they sometimes interpret and tone down some of Mark's statements. Normally, Mark's accounts are fuller than Matthew and Luke's, suggesting that they may have edited his work. 22 Gundry, p. 1026. 23 Craig. A. Evans, Mark 8:27—16:20, p. lxxxix. 24 Ibid., p. xlv. See his full discussion of the synoptic problem on pp. xlv-lviii. 25 See R. A. Cole, The Gospel According to Mark, pp. 41-48. 26 See my note on the introduction to Matthew for a fuller discussion of Q. 2017 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on Mark 7 However, sometimes Matthew and Luke agree against Mark in a particular account. Luke omitted a large section of Mark's material, including all of what is in Mark 6:45—8:26. Moreover, in view of the likelihood that Mark wrote in the 60s, if he wrote first, Matthew and Luke may have written after the fall of Jerusalem. This seems unlikely, because 27 although that event fulfilled prophecy, neither writer cited the fulfillment as such. All things considered, I favor Matthean priority. This view is currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity. William Farmer has been a leader among those who hold 28 Matthean priority. Christopher Mann, who wrote the Anchor Bible commentary on Mark, argued at length for Mark drawing on (conflating, i.e., combining and or 29 condensing) Matthew and Luke, as well as the eyewitness testimony of Peter. However, this debate is not crucial to the interpretation of the text. OUTLINE I. Introduction 1:1-13 A. The title of the book 1:1 B. Jesus' preparation for ministry 1:2-13 1. The ministry of John the Baptist 1:2-8 2. The baptism of Jesus 1:9-11 3. The temptation of Jesus 1:12-13 II. The Servant's early Galilean ministry 1:14—3:6 A. The beginning of Jesus' ministry 1:14-20 1. The message of the Servant 1:14-15 2. The first disciples of the Servant 1:16-20 B. Early demonstrations of the Servant's authority 1:21-34 1. Jesus' teaching and healing in the Capernaum synagogue 1:21-28 2. The healing of Peter's mother-in-law 1:29-31 3. Jesus' healing of many Galileans after sundown 1:32-34 C. Jesus' early ministry throughout Galilee 1:35-45 1. The first preaching tour of Galilee 1:35-39 2. The cleansing of a leprous Jew 1:40-45 D. Jesus' initial conflict with the religious leaders 2:1—3:6 1. The healing and forgiveness of a paralytic 2:1-12 2. The call of Levi and his feast 2:13-17 3. The religious leaders' question about fasting 2:18-22 4. The controversies about Sabbath observance 2:23—3:6 27 John D. Grassmick, "Mark," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, p. 98. For fuller discussion, see the commentaries and works on Bible introduction. 28 William R. Farmer, The Synoptic Problem. 29 C. S. Mann, Mark, pp. 47-71. See C. E. B. Cranfield, The Gospel According to St. Mark, pp. 6-7, for a summary of arguments for Markan priority. 8 Dr. Constable's Notes on Mark 2017 Edition III. The Servant's later Galilean ministry 3:7—6:6a A. The broadening of Jesus' ministry 3:7-19 1. Jesus' ministry to the multitudes 3:7-12 2. Jesus' selection of 12 disciples 3:13-19 B. The increasing rejection of Jesus and its result 3:20—4:34 1. The increasing rejection of Jesus 3:20-35 2. Jesus' teaching in parables 4:1-34 C. Jesus' demonstrations of power and the Nazarenes' rejection 4:35—6:6a 1. The demonstrations of Jesus' power 4:35—5:43 2. Jesus rejection by the Nazarenes 6:1-6a IV. The Servant's self-revelation to the disciples 6:6b—8:30 A. The mission of the Twelve 6:6b-30 1. The sending of the Twelve 6:6b-13 2. The failure of Antipas to understand Jesus' identity 6:14-29 3. The return of the Twelve 6:30 B. The first cycle of self-revelation to the disciples 6:31—7:37 1. The feeding of the 5,000 6:31-44 2. Jesus' walking on the water and the return to Galilee 6:45-56 3. The controversy with the Pharisees and scribes over defilement 7:1-23 4. Jesus' teaching about bread and the exorcism of a Phoenician girl 7:24-30 5. The healing of a deaf man with a speech impediment 7:31-36 6. The preliminary confession of faith 7:37 C. The second cycle of self-revelation to the disciples 8:1-30 1. The feeding of the 4,000 8:1-9 2. The return to Galilee 8:10 3. Conflict with the Pharisees over signs 8:11-13 4. Jesus' teaching about the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod 8:14-21 5. The healing of a blind man near Bethsaida 8:22-26 6. Peter's confession of faith 8:27-30 V. The Servant's journey to Jerusalem 8:31—10:52 A. The first passion prediction and its lessons 8:31—9:29 1. The first major prophecy of Jesus' passion 8:31-33 2. The requirements of discipleship 8:34—9:1 3. The Transfiguration 9:2-8 4. The coming of Elijah 9:9-13 5. The exorcism of an epileptic boy 9:14-29 B. The second passion prediction and its lessons 9:30—10:31 1. The second major prophecy of Jesus' passion 9:30-32 2017 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on Mark 9 2. The pitfalls of discipleship 9:33-50 3. Lessons concerning self-sacrifice 10:1-31 C. The third passion prediction and its lessons 10:32-52 1. The third major prophecy of Jesus' passion 10:32-34 2. Jesus' teaching about serving 10:35-45 3. The healing of a blind man near Jericho 10:46-52 VI. The Servant's ministry in Jerusalem chs. 11—13 A. Jesus' formal presentation to Israel 11:1-26 1. The Triumphal Entry 11:1-11 2. Jesus' judgment on unbelieving Israel 11:12-26 B. Jesus' teaching in the temple 11:27—12:44 1. The controversy over Jesus' authority 11:27—12:12 2. The controversy over Jesus' teaching 12:13-37 3. Jesus' condemnation of hypocrisy and commendation of reality 12:38-44 C. Jesus' teaching on Mt. Olivet ch. 13 1. The seting 13:1-4 2. Warnings against deception 13:5-8 3. Warnings about personal danger during deceptions 13:9-13 4. The coming crisis 13:14-23 5. The second coming of the Son of Man 13:24-27 6. The time of Jesus' return 13:28-32 7. The concluding exhortation 13:33-37 VII. The Servant's passion ministry chs. 14—15 A. The Servant's anticipation of suffering 14:1-52 1. Jesus' sufferings because of betrayal 14:1-11 2. Jesus' sufferings because of desertion 14:12-52 B. The Servant's endurance of suffering 14:53—15:47 1. Jesus' Jewish trial 14:53—15:1 2. Jesus' Roman trial 15:2-20 3. Jesus' crucifixion, death, and burial 15:21-47 VIII. The Servant's resurrection ch. 16 A. The announcement of Jesus' resurrection 16:1-8 B. The appearances and ascension of Jesus 16:9-20 1. Three post-resurrection appearances 16:9-18 2. Jesus' ascension 16:19-20 30 Carson and Moo divided the book a bit differently, as follows. 30 See Carson and Moo, pp. 169-72. 10 Dr. Constable's Notes on Mark 2017 Edition I. Preliminaries to the ministry 1:1-13 Transition 1:14-15 II. First part of the Galilean ministry 1:16—3:6 Transition 3:7-12 III. Second part of the Galilean ministry 3:13—5:43 Transition 6:1-6 IV. The concluding phase of the Galilean ministry 6:7—8:26 Transition 8:27-30 V. The way of glory and suffering 8:31—10:45 Transition 10:46-52 VI. Final ministry in Jerusalem 11:1—13:37 Transition 14:1-2 VII. The passion and empty tomb narratives 14:3—16:8 MESSAGE Matthew presents Jesus in the purple and gold of royalty. Mark portrays Him in the brown and green of a servant who has come to do His Father's will. The message of the book is similar to Matthew's message. A concise statement of it appears in 1:14-15: "After John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.'" Jesus proclaimed this good news during most of His earthly ministry. Another verse that is key to understanding the message of this Gospel is 10:45: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." This verse provides the unique emphasis of the book, Jesus' role as a servant, and a general outline of its contents. First, the Son of Man came. That is the Incarnation. The Son of Man was God incarnate in human nature. His identity is a major theme in this Gospel, as it is in all the Gospels. Second, the Son of Man did not come to be ministered unto, but to minister. That is service. This Gospel also has much to teach disciples about service to God and to our fellow men. Third, the Son of Man came to give His life a ransom for many. That is His sufferings. Mark's Gospel stresses the sufferings of the Suffering Servant of the Lord. Mark is the Gospel of the Servant of God. Jesus was, of course, by nature the Son of God. He is, and always has been, equal with the Father, because He shares the same divine nature with the Father. However in the Incarnation, Jesus became the Servant of God.