New Testament: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark Report

In the gospel of Mark, the author not only presents the accounts of the deeds of Jesus but he also throws light on the two special groups which are his followers and enemies. He picked up his disciples and it required particular qualities to be so. He taught them in his won typical style and that is why they all were capable of coming up to the hopes. Jesus wants his disciples to come forward and tread the same path He himself has followed. He gives them detail instructions and inspires them to rush to the duties.

Jesus literally calls his disciples to come and follow him. Jesus “called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.” (3:13) Simon, Andrew, James, John, were functioning as fishermen when Jesus asked them to come and attend to him. Simon and Andrew departed “at once” (1:18) and James and John left “immediately” (1:20). All this process was also characterized by their departure of homes and the places they loved so much as they had been living there for a long period of time. They left all of their near and dear ones to come in the presence of Jesus. They also departed with their belongings like net, boat and other paraphernalia essential to carry out their previous work. Simon is supposed to have his wife for whom he did not care and the call of conscience was falling heavily into his scale. On the same lines when Jesus called Levi, he got himself awakened and followed in his footsteps. The disciples did not contact Jesus but it was otherwise and he approached them (2:14).

Recent studies have concentrated on Marks’ depiction of the disciples along with the lessons he gave to His disciples. In focusing on the previous exploration on the subject Malbon argues, “discipleship—that is, following Jesus—has been recognized as a central theme or motif in the Gospel of Mark. Understandably enough, the portrayal of the disciples in Mark has often been the focus of scholarly investigation of the theme of discipleship.” the study of discipleship in the gospel of Mark has big scope than the study of discipleship. He also mentions some ‘minor characters which are necessary to grasp if we want to have a look on the view of the Markian discipleship.

The principal character groups in his gospel are the disciples, the adversaries and the crowd. However, numbers of distinct characters are present which do not fall in either of the categories. Some of them are disciples for instance Andrew or Peter. Others are opposing him. Gospels are not theological documents but they are conversational and they should be analyzed from this perspective to gauge the true meanings of for which they stand for. Another important reality to get his views known on the subject matter, it is necessary to understand his views on all the corners of gospel.

The recent trend of the critics is that they take Mark as a cut and paste editor who has merged together various conventions to produce the portraits of Jesus. Third very important and golden principal is that the learner should give prime focus to the sequence of the presentation Mark has offered. His view of discipleship is a bundle of in concrete ideas according to some of the interpreters. This logic springs from the lack of the motif in the gospel. However, this approach is oblivious to the twists, which are introduced in the tale by the author to make it more interesting. The object of his writing is also the persuasive way of talking to the readers. He also wrote this to stimulate his readers and to tread the path of Jesus and come up to his expectations. Mark s’ gospel is an arousing factor for discipleship.

Through some personalities, he stresses the worth of faith, the persuasion to follow the path of Jesus and the actual possibility of failure in discipleship. The illness of of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law provides the disciples an opening to articulate their expression of their trust in Jesus.(1:29–31). The leper suggests to Jesus, “If you are willing, you are able to cleanse me” (1:40). The paralytic and his four assisting men say out their belief by overcoming the hurdle of crowd with the purpose of seeing Jesus (2:2–5). Faith is important milestone in the portrayal of the discipleship as conveyed by Mark. In chapters from 4 to 8, Mark puts forward minor characters that are at variance with discipleship. On one hand, the disciples answer to Jesus with increased ignorance and deficiency of trust, the suppliants on the other are quick to answer in the language of comprehension and absolute belief.

The most significant scenes in these chapters are those in which Jesus journeys with his disciples on the sea of Particularly prominent in chapters of Galilee. “In each of these scenes, either Jesus or the narrator criticizes the disciples for their lack of faith and understanding” (4:40; 6:52; 8:17-18). He brings to rest by warning the wind and waves and then he abuses the disciples for their carelessness and lack of trust. He is of the view that they “feared a great fear.” He criticizes them very harshly. This fear is mow not aimed at the frightening storm but the Jesus who has the guts to cause the wing and sea to oblige without unquestionably. After the preliminary boat scene there comes the three magic stories that offer minor characters as persons who have the capability to shun fear and repose confidence in their faith. “After calming the sea, Jesus delivers a tormented man, the Gerasene demoniac” (5:1–20). Like the people in earlier episode were feared of the miraculous abilities of the Jesus, the people of this region also feel the same passions of fear and this fear is aimed at no other than Jesus. They indicate their anxiety by requesting Jesus to leave and move somewhere else. However, in opposite to the people who are here and the disciples, the Gerasene demoniac does not fear Jesus.