The Gospel of Mark

I recently ran across a blog post by Dr. Mark Goodacre discussing his view that the Centurion's cry in Mark 15:39 is a sarcastic one, intending to say something like, as Dr. Goodacre put it, "Huh, truly this fellow as a son of God!"? This 'ironic' interpretation is supported positively in the article--that is to say that it doesn't seem to be Dr. Goodacre's purpose to offer criticism against the alternative (popular) view at this point.

Whatever the centurion meant, irony is present. That a centurion would utter a genuine confession that Christ is the Son of God carries a certain 'shock value' for the reader. Alternatively, that a centurion would mock Christ with sarcasm with an 'unwitting proclamation of the truth' (to use the words of Cranfield, St Mark, 460) is equally shocking.

There is little doubt that Mark loves irony. One example I enjoy is in Mark 6. After crowds are amazed at Jesus' teaching (6:2), Jesus is amazed at the unresponsiveness of crowds in his hometown (6:6). Mark weaves this theme of 'amazement' through his Gospel to create irony [See: Dwyer, "The Motif of Wonder in the Gospel of Mark," JSNT, 57 (March 1995), 45-59).]

The amazing rhetoric throughout the Gospel of Mark testifies to its unity in composition and (in my view) its veracity. In regard to rhetoric and narrative coherance, I have found Timothy J. Geddert's commentary on Mark to be helpful. It is by no means technical, but I have not found a comparable commentary that exposes the narrative coherance of Mark.

By the way, have you reflected on the content of the centurion's statement? Are you shocked? Isn't that what Mark intended? What did Mark hope his readers would leave his narrative thinking? Believing? Doing? Do you suppose Mark would be dissapointed in your response?

Discipleship in the Context of Mark 10

In 10:13, the disciples rebuked little children for wanting to come and see Jesus (cf. Mark 6:36; 8:4). Jesus teaches the disciples, however, that they must receive the kingdom like a child (10:15). Jesus emphasizes humility, service, welcoming the weak, and protecting the vulnerable (cf. 9:34-37, 42; 10:11-12) (Geddert, 233). This is part of discipleship. In dealing with the rich young ruler, Jesus once again demonstrates that discipleship is costly and requires that one loses everything to Christ (10:21; cf. 8:34, 35, 36, 37). Such a standard seemed impossible to the disciples (10:26) but what God (Christ) requires of them (and us), he will enable them to do (10:27). True discipleship is possible!

At the end of the chapter, Bartimaeus provides an excellent example of genuine discipleship. This blind man (note the irony by comparing the disciples in 8:17-18) comes to Jesus and understands who he is (cf. 10:47) and is healed. It is interesting to note that in the previous healings in the book of Mark, Jesus seems to keep his identity as Messiah secret (1:44, 5:43, 7:36, 8:26). Twice, however, we are told that those who were healed went out and proclaimed it. In fact, 7:36 says, “The more He ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it.” But there is something very different about Bartimaeus’ healing. Mark reports that immediately (euthus) Bartimaeus began following Jesus. This is the true sign of a disciple. Bartimaeus saw Jesus, believed in Him, and followed him 'on the road'. What road was Jesus on? He was on his way to Jerusalem- on the road to the cross! This recalls Jesus' teaching on discipleship in 8:34: “take up your cross and follow me.” Will we do it?