Introduction
The thesis statement of this research paper is based on the conviction that the image of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Mark is predominantly narrated as the Son of God. As Strauss reports, across the spectrum of the canonical Gospels, authors tended to make personal contributions to how the image of Christ was perceived. Just as different directors might stage the same work and look at it from different angles, the Gospel writers were prone to different interpretations.
The Gospel of Mark is one of the four canonical Holy Scriptures of the New Testament. In sixteen chapters, Mark successively introduces the reader — or listener — to the history and sermons of Christ, from His baptism by John to His resurrection after His crucifixion. In doing so, all parts of this Gospel emphasize Christ’s suffering role as the Son of God, who has special powers to spread His teachings. This research paper examines this Gospel comprehensively in the context of Christological imagery and compares the findings with published academic sources.
Central Image of Christ
Throughout the chapters of Mark’s Gospel, the image of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the divine messenger, able to bring change to the world, is transparently read. Mark sets the stage for further interpretations from the very beginning of the Sacred text when he reports, “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mr. 1:1, New International Version). Although the belief in the divinity of Jesus’ origin is central to Christianity, it was Mark, the author of the first canonical Gospel, who, unlike other authors, was inclined to give this image more force.
The first chapter of a text, be it a book or a Sacred source, is decisive in creating the necessary impression for the reader. If this is true, then the first chapter of Mark’s Gospel vividly shapes the view of Christ as the Son of God. As soon as Jesus was baptized in the waters of the Jordan, “just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he [John] saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove” (Mrk. 1:10).
By comparison, Luke’s Gospel presents the same baptismal episode differently: “And as He was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove” (Luke 3:21-22, New International Version). Although the two excerpts are very similar, it seems clear that Mark, unlike Luke, gives much more divine power to the baptized Christ, appointing Him as the subject of the Sacred act. In contrast, Luke seems inclined to show Jesus as the object of divine power.
In the first chapter, Mark creates a Christological image of a Sacred and empowered man. After Jesus insistsently and briefly instructs the dark spirit to come out of the possessed man’s body, “The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek” (Mrk. 1:26). This brief episode contributes to describing Christ’s actions as supernatural and capable, yet clear and stern. According to Smith, this is how the role of the Son of God as a preacher of spiritual teaching is presented. Mark will return to the acts of casting out demons and curing leprosy many times in his Gospel, and this only strengthens the idea of Christ as the Son of God.
Divine Miracles of Jesus
The best way to describe the image of the divine and empowered Jesus is through a dynamic narrative of the miracles He performed. According to Smuts, it is for this reason that the Gospel of Mark places particular emphasis on demonstrating the incredible events Christ performed to preach goodness, kindness, and love. In chapter three, Jesus heals the sick man’s withered hand, “he stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored” (Mrk. 3:5). It is noteworthy that Jesus’ divine powers came not only from His will but were an extension of His body.
Thus, already two chapters later, for a woman who was sick and had been bleeding for twelve years, it was enough to touch the garment of the Son of God to make her fully healed (Mr. 5:25-29). No doctor could help her, and her condition only grew worse, but the divine power of Christ, as if surrounding His body, immediately removed all her ailments. On coming to Bethsaida as part of His preaching missions, Jesus manages to heal the blind eyes of the sick man (Mr. 8:22-25). The mute boy who was possessed by an evil spirit was also healed: “The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently, and came out” (Mrk. 9:14-29).
There are, in fact, many more miracles described in Mark’s Gospel, and many of them repeat the events of the preceding ones. To a certain point, the attribution of divine powers to Christ in Mark’s narrative is redundant and comprehensive, but limited. Indeed, it seems reasonable that such a Son of God should have enough evidence for people to believe in Him (Mrk. 9:24).
However, the limitations of His abilities also seem acceptable since only God alone can do absolutely any act, and Jesus is the Son of God, but not God. Mark confidently dispels these beliefs when he tells in chapter nine that Christ, with only two words, Talitha koum! [Little girl, I say to you, get up!] could raise a little girl from the dead (Mrk. 5:41-42). From then on, Christ’s possibilities for the reader in Mark’s interpretation could no longer seem limited.
Source of Power
Mark uniquely creates and promotes the image of God’s Son as the source of His power. As is often the case in works of fiction, the superpowers of the heroes are determined by the world order of their universe or by external sources. According to Joubert, however, Jesus’ power radically differs from such narratives.
In particular, during each of His miracles, Christ invites the sick, the disciples, or the watching crowd to believe (Mrk. 5:36). Verse 9:23 perfectly describes this source of power: “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Thus, at least three conclusions can be drawn from this.
First, Christ’s power does not come from without and is not a special ability, just as it is often portrayed in fiction. Second, Christ’s power is not His uniqueness or a trait unique to the Son of God. This is demonstrated, for example, in verses 6:12-13 when the twelve apostles sent by Jesus cast out demons and healed the sick, continuing the will of Jesus. Third, the source of Christ’s power is faith, and it is the connection with God (or, rather, unconditional faith in Him) that can help create miracles. Thus, Mark tells his readers directly through the mouth of Jesus that anyone can work miracles if they have faith.
Change
The world order of Galilee and the adjoining regions referred to in Mark’s Gospel was strongly influenced by the traditions and obedience inherent in the tetrarchic system of Roman rule. The religious and cultural traditions of Jewish communities are reflected everywhere in the Sacred text. For the most part, they are placed in opposition to the actions that Jesus performed.
For example, according to Jewish values, all work is forbidden on the Sabbath (Saturday, the seventh day of the week). When Jesus intended to heal a sick man’s withered hand, the Pharisees condemned Him, “Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched Him closely to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath” (Mrk. 3:2). Adherence to the laws and preaching of Moses was a fundamental rule of life for Jewish communities, so the appearance of people like Jesus who brought radical change was not welcomed.
The most significant rift between Jewish tradition and the acts of the Son of God is described in chapter six. John, the prophet of the soon-coming kingdom of God, was executed because of his denunciatory actions against the current tetrarch Herod Antipas (Mr. 6:6-29). According to Pracht, the assassination of one of the significant figures — including those who baptized the Son of God — is a tragedy for the Christian world but also a demonstration of his Sacred mission as part of his devotion to God. It is noteworthy that the reason for his murder, namely the request of his stepdaughter, Salome, during the feast, is easily seen as frivolous, wicked, and unjust.
Therefore, the lines following this section about Jesus doing good are read in particular contrast. The Son of God was able to divide one bread and two fish into as many portions as He could feed the five thousand people who wanted to see Christ in person (Mr. 6:42). This sequence reflects the contrast between evil and good, which evil is the obsolete, malevolent, and self-serving intentions of those in authority, and good is the unconditional desire to help one’s neighbor.
This sequence helps the reader trace Jesus’ role as a source of change. Therefore, the following description of Jesus’ walk across the water to the boat with the apostles should be seen not so much as another miracle of the Son of God. Still, as the power of change that people need not fear, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Mrk. 6:50).
The Personality of Jesus
Not surprisingly, all of the canonical Gospels describe the same actions that took place during the life of Christ. Ultimately, all of these texts can be considered biographical and documentary. However, as mentioned earlier, interpretations can differ strikingly from one another. Although horizontal analysis is not part of the present work, a slight reference to it will provide a deeper understanding of the meaning Mark placed on the person of Christ.
For example, one should turn to the episode of the treatment of a patient for leprosy in the various visions. Thus, when the man with leprosy said to Christ, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean,” there is a virtually identical reference in the various Gospels. However, the following words differ: In Matthew’s vision, “Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ He said” (Matt. 8:3). It should be noted that the similar wording is presented in Luke 5:13.
However, Mark offers a different view of Christ’s reaction: “Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ He said” (Mrk. 1:41). The addition of only three words [Jesus was indignant] creates an entirely different emotional involvement with the situation. Mark’s Jesus is a human, emotional individual, capable of at least the same feelings and emotions as humans. The anger of Christ in Mark’s Gospel will be given much more attention in other chapters.
For example, when the Pharisees intended to accuse Jesus of Sabbath work, “He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts” (Mr. 3:5). The angry behavior of the Son of God is also revealed in chapter 11, when Christ, coming into the Temple in Jerusalem and seeing the merchants there, “overturned the tables,” “would not allow anyone to carry merchandise,” and “he taught them” (Mrk. 11:15-17).
From this, the false conclusion may be drawn that the image of the Son of God in Mark’s Gospel is being questioned. It may seem surprising how such a wise and godly man, described by Mark as the Son of God, could show anger. Especially in the Sermon on the Mount, present in Luke and Matthew, Jesus urges us not to be angry with our neighbor (Matt. 5:22; Luke 6:37).
It is noteworthy that Mark does not have the Sermon on the Mount episode — hence, there is no such contradiction. A deeper analysis, synthesized with Spencer’s conclusions, helps to understand that the cause of Jesus’ wrath is human imperfection. Having come to save humankind and bring goodness and merit to people, Christ, like God, is stern when necessary. This connection further emphasizes the image of Jesus as an extension of the divine will, indeed the Son of God.
The third chapter of Mark’s Gospel also contains valuable information, namely about Jesus’ relationship with the family. When Jesus’ mother and brothers came to His home to call Him, Jesus pointed out, “Who are My mother and My brothers,” and then He proclaimed, “Here are My mother and My brothers! Whoever does God’s will is My brother and sister and mother,” as in verses 3:33-34. As Strauss points out, such a saying should not be taken as a deliberate denial of the family but rather an inclusion into the spiritual family, as God’s Son should.
Sacrifice and Resurrection
The source of inner strength and faith that wrought miracles, the bearer of change, Jesus, could not be accepted by the leadership of the territories in which He preached. The excessive public attention and growing popularity among the people were becoming a threat, so Jesus had to be eliminated (Strauss 87). After an act of severe beating — “struck Him on the head with a staff,” “spit on Him,” “they had mocked Him” — Christ was handed over to Calvary to be crucified (Mr. 15:19-20).
Jesus’ death was no ordinary one: as the Son of God is supposed to be, His demise caused a global change. Mark writes in verse 15:33, “Darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.” Most striking and emotional was the verse 15:34, “And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” The death of the godlike man, the Son of God, who performed miracles in life and brought goodness and love through teaching, was to be described by the Evangelist Mark as something fundamental and rooted, and He succeeded.
The use of Aramaic is essential because, for most of the translations of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus’ epistles are recorded in English. Some phrases, however, are left for some purposes in Aramaic. The dying utterance Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani [My God, my God, why have you forsaken me] may have been used to demonstrate Christ’s deep affection for the Jewish people. The Aramaic address was meant to make the message accessible and understandable to the ordinary people watching the execution.
However, Mohajer and Zolnikov point out that such dying words, in terms of the psychoanalysis of Jesus’ personality, can be perceived as hypercathexis, that is, an excessive concentration on desire. This may once again prove the role of Jesus as the Son of God, not only outwardly perceived as such but also inwardly desired, who, before His death, chose to address the Father and the people simultaneously. In addition, the connection with the Jewish people can also be seen in such short phrases as Talitha koum [Little girl, I say to you, get up] of verse 5:41 and Ephatha! [Be opened!] from verse 7:34.
The most explicit depiction of Christ’s miracle-working and divinity is the act of His resurrection, as described by Mark. Chapter 16 contains numerous examples that show the miracles of the Son of God even after death: “the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away” in verse 16:4, as well as the casting out of demons from His disciples and loved ones described in verses 16:9-13. Jesus’ resurrection is central to Christology and Christianity, offering hope for life after death and for the healing of the soul. The attachment to the divine origins of the Son of God is also postulated by the fact that there are no other references to the resurrection in Mark’s Gospel apart from Christ, except those conducted by Jesus Himself.
Conclusion
To summarize, the central portrayal of Jesus Christ in Mark’s Gospel is given as the Son of God, a compassionate, wise, just, and stern messenger of divine faith. Endowed with this faith, Jesus could perform miracles, heal, and even raise people to life. However, Jesus was not presented as a unique superhero in works of fiction; instead, the source of God’s Son’s power was faith, and so anyone who unconditionally and sincerely believed could perform miracles.
Mark’s Jesus is characterized by human emotion and even anger, but where it is required, like divine severity. Through the personal miracles, words, and wisdom of Christ, the evangelist Mark presents readers with an image of Jesus as the Son of God, bringing hope and change to false traditions. Christ’s death, described as a fundamental and heartbreaking act, and His Resurrection as a living miracle, anchor this image.
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