Sem. Roger Ryan D.

Alba New Testament 1: Mark and Matthew

Rev. Fr. Angel Aparicio, O.P. February 7, 2023
WHAT MARK SAYS ABOUT JESUS?
1. His Identity?
The first line of the Gospel introduces Jesus as “the Messiah, the Son of God,” and the
narrative that follows is meant to confirm this identity. The Gospel of Mark presents Jesus as
more than just a human. Mark, who writes the entire Gospel of Mark, informs us that Jesus
was made of flesh and blood while also describing the qualities that distinguished him from
other people.
Below shows the other instances on how Mark describes Jesus’ identity:
a. Mark 1:11- Jesus is the Father’s “beloved Son”
b. Mark 1:24; 3:7- The Holy One of God and Son of the Most High God
c. Mark 2:10- Jesus is the “Son of Man”
d. Mark 2:28- Jesus “Son of man” and “the Lord of the Sabbath”
e. Mark 3:38- Jesus as a teacher
f. Mark 6:3- Jesus is the “Carpenter and the Son of Mary and the brother of James
and Joses and Judas and Simon”
g. Mark 6:4- Jesus is the “prophet”
h. Mark 8:27-33- Jesus as Christ
i. Mark 15:16-32- Jesus as King of the Jews
j. Mark 15:39- Jesus as the Son of God
Mark also provides us with an understanding of what a Son of God should accomplish and
undergo. Mark 8:31 says, “then he started to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer much,
be rejected by the elders, the chief priest, and the scribes, be slain, and after three days rise." We
might learn from the Gospel that Jesus was ready to die and experience all bodily sensations. In
this chapter, Mark reminds us that even though Jesus is human and may experience all the
physical characteristics of his body, he also possesses the strength to endure all agony and
suffering to save others.

2. His Actions?
The Gospel of Mark shows us in Jesus’ words and deeds, with an emphasis in Mark’s
Gospel on the deeds, who Jesus truly is. Looking back at 3:6, we have encountered Jesus'
authority as a healer and exorcist, and teacher, someone who is unfavorable to Jewish
customs and practices, particularly those seen in the domain of purity - this man mixes things
up the vile, those who touch the lepers, and anyone breaks the Sabbath. That being the case,
it is not surprising that there is growing hostility toward Jesus, opposition that shows the
"hardness of heart’ (3:5).
 Also, Mark provides numerous healings mentioned in the passage from Mark 5:2,
describing a woman who is hemorrhaging and how she went to Jesus to be healed. According
to Mark, the woman only wants to touch Jesus so she can be healed. Nobody is aware of her
motivations, but when she approaches Jesus, she is able to touch his coat, and after doing so,
she is healed. Jesus perceived a touch at that time, along with someone removing his power.
Here are some of the actions Jesus did on Mark’s Gospel:
a. Mark 1:12-13 Jesus remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan.
b. Mark 1:14- Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God.
c. Mark 1:16-20 Jesus called his first disciples
d. Mark 1:21-28- Jesus came to Capernaum. On the Sabbath, he taught in the
synagogue and healed a demoniac.
e. Mark 1:29-32- Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law and cured many sick people
with various diseases and drove out many demons.
f. Mark 1:40-45- Jesus healed the leper
g. Mark 2:12- Jesus cured the paralytic man.
h. Mark 3:1-6- Jesus cured a man with a withered hand.
i. Mark 3:13-19- Jesus called the twelve for a mission.
j. Mark 4:35- Jesus calms the storm at sea.
k. Mark 5:25-34- Jesus healed the woman with hemorrhage
l. Mark 5:21-43- Jesus healed Jairus’ daughter
m. Mark 6:34-44 Jesus fed the five thousand
n. Mark 6:45-52- Jesus walked on water
o. Mark 6:24-30- Jesus drove an unclean spirit from the Syrophoenician woman’s
daughter
p. Mark 7:31- Jesus healed a deaf man
q. Mark 8:1-10- Jesus fed the four thousand
r. Mark 8:22-26- Jesus healed the blind man of Bethsaida
s. Mark 9:2-13- Jesus’ Transfiguration
t. Mark 9:14-30- Jesus healed a boy possessed with a demon.
u. Mark 10:13-16- Jesus blessed the children.
v. Mark 11:1-11- Jesus entered Jerusalem
w. Mark 14:22-26- The Last Supper
x. Mark 14: 32-42- The Agony in the garden of Gethsemane
y. Mark 15:33-38-The Death of Jesus
z. Mark 16:1-8- The Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus never claimed to have any extraordinary ability that was not available to others. His
miracles were not meant to display any power of his own but rather to show how the power of
God could be used in and through human lives.
3. His Teaching?
 Even though Mark frequently refers to Jesus as a teacher (e.g., 1:21, 2:13, 6:2, 6, 34), he
provides us with fewer details of Jesus' teaching than the other evangelists. However, in these
verses (4:1-34), we find Jesus' favored method of instruction—parables—and subject matter
—the kingdom of God.
Here are Jesus’ teachings in the Gospel of Mark:
a. Mark 1:15-Jesus said, “This is the fulfilment. The Kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent and believe in the gospel.”
b. Mark 1:17- Jesus said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick
do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
c. Mark 2:18-22- The Question about Fasting
d. Mark 2:23-28- The Disciples and the Sabbath
e. Mark 3:23-30- Jesus and Beelzebul
f. Mark 3:31-35- Jesus and His Family
g. Mark 4:1-20- The Parable of the Sower
h. Mark 4:21-25- The Parable of the Lamp
i. Mark 4:26-29- Seed Grows of Itself
j. Mark 4:30-34- The Mustard Seed
k. Mark 8:11-13- The Demand for a Sign
l. Mark 8:34-38- The Conditions of Discipleship
m. Mark 9:33-37- The Greatest in the Kingdom
n. Mark 9:42-48- Temptations to Sin
o. Mark 9:49-50- The Simile of Salt
p. Mark 10:1-12- Marriage and Divorce
q. Mark 10:17-31- The Rich Man
r. Mark 10:35-45- Ambition of James and John
s. Mark 11:20-26- The Withered Fig Tree
t. Mark 12:1-12- The Parable of the Tenants
u. Mark 12:13-17- Paying Taxes to the Emperor
v. Mark 12:18-27- The Question about the Resurrection
w. Mark 12:28-34- The Greatest Commandment
x. Mark12: 35-37- The Question about David’s Son
y. Mark 13: 1-2- The Destruction of the Temple Foretold
z. Mark 13:3-8- The Signs of the End
aa. Mark 13: 9-13- The Coming Persecution
bb. Mark 13: 14-23- The Great Tribulation
cc. Mark 13:24-27- The Coming of the Son of Man
dd. Mark 13:28-31- The Lesson of the Fig Tree
ee. Mark 13:32-37- Need for Watchfulness
ff. Mark 16: 14-18- The Commissioning of the Eleven
 Thus, the Gospel of Mark explains Jesus' teaching uses parables to communicate with the
multitude, allowing people to choose how much spiritual truth they want to take in. The
disciples urge Jesus to clarify the meaning of the parables He has taught them because they
are curious to know more. As Jesus illustrates these concepts, He exemplifies how a person's
capacity for seeking truth determines how spiritually knowledgeable they are.

4. The reactions of others to Him?

In Mark's eyes, Jesus is a mysterious character, which is crucial to how he tells the story.
Jesus is enigmatic. Sometimes, Jesus does this to block people from realizing who he is. At
times, Jesus dissuades demons from disclosing his name. When he does a miracle, he warns
the audience not to tell anyone about what he has done. To prevent others from hearing and
comprehending the message, he even withdraws the disciples and instructs them alone in a
corner. In Mark's gospel, he appears to be a somewhat reclusive character, leading people to
misinterpret Him.
Here are the significant instances in the Gospel of Mark where people reacted to Jesus;
a. Mark 1:21:22- Jesus came to Capernaum. On the Sabbath, he taught in the
synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he
taught them as having authority and not as scribes.
b. Mark 1:27- All were amazed and asked one another… He commands even the
unclean spirits and they obey him.
c. Mark 2:6-7- The scribes accused Jesus of blasphemy after healing the
paralytic man.
d. Mark 2:16-28 The pharisees reacted negatively when Jesus ate with the tax
collectors and sinners, and His disciples did not fast. Also, they reacted on
Jesus’ unlawfulness on the Sabbath.
e. Mark 3:21-22- The scribes reacted and accused Jesus to be possessed by
Beelzebul.
f. Mark 4:40-41- The disciples were filled with awe when Jesus calmed the sea.
g. Mark 6:1-6- Jesus was not welcomed in his homeplace.
h. Mark 11:8-11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and the people cried out “Hosana”
i. Mark 15:12-15- The people wanted Jesus to be crucified
j. Mark 15:16-20 Jesus was mocked by the soldiers.
A. Something that surprised me about Mark
1. That Mark seems always in a hurry, that things happen ‘immediately.’
2. That he connects sentences with ‘and.’
3. He has is the shortest gospel among the four.
4. Mark makes Jesus look like a superhero, since he did not focus on dialogue nearly
as he focuses on Christ’s actions.
5. He has two accounts on the multiplication of the bread.
6. It’s focus on Gentile readers.
7. His book has two endings.
B. Something which was a new insight.
1. Mark tells his story in a way that is ironic.
2. There is no genealogy in his book and focuses on Roman time.
3. Also, he interprets Hebrew and Aramaic terms.
4. He is also fond of wrapping one story with another.
C. A particular question which was raised for you.
1. Why did Mark start his book with the account on John the Baptist?
2. Why is Mark did not present the genealogy of Jesus?
3. Is Mark a follower and a primary witness of Christ?
4. Why is that Mark presents Jesus somehow a superhero?
5. What it means for Jesus to be the Messiah?
D. A point you want to find out more about.
1. Why Mark is not concerned with details, but centers on one’s personal choice to
act?
2. What is the purpose of the Book of Mark?
3. In depth what is the uniqueness of the Book of Mark from the other Gospels?