7 - Mark

Question 1

setting

Answer 1

church tradn says written in rome

Question 1

authorship

Answer 1

• early church tradn says peter informed mark, posibly the john mark mentioned in acts

Question 2

date

Answer 2

scholars say mid-late 60s

Question 3

sections 3

Answer 3

prologue, galileen ministry, journey to and days in jerusalem

Question 4

beginning sentence ab the good news 3

Answer 4

• gospel message announced by Jesus himself
• gospel message about Jesus as proclaimed within the early church
• gospel narrative of mark which follows
  (or all 3)

Question 5

prologue 6

Answer 5

• gives readers a privileged perspective
• tells us that Jesus is the Spirit-empowered Son of God (all of Trinity already at play)
• his way was prepareyed by jtb
• he has already overcoem Satan in the wilderness
• he will be obedient to the Father’s mission
• none of the human characters in the narrative know this yet

Question 6

main theme 2

Answer 6

• God’s gospel/good news is proclaimed by Jesus
• coming kd

Question 7

pacing 3

Answer 7

• urgent, told as series of episodes
• at once or immediatly often used
• about 40 scene changes as Jesus moves place to place

Question 8

where it all starts

Answer 8

Jesus calls and commissions the 12

Question 9

main way Jesus is presented in early chapters 4

Answer 9

• often as wonder-worker
• exorcisms, healings, power over nature, etc
• highlighted by recurring summary statements
• at this time, most people were alert to the possibility that someone could these things, the question is of whose power: God or Satan

Question 10

Jesus’ other main role 3

Answer 10

• teacher, but not as prominent as in Matt
• tells parables
• responds to questions from authorities

Question 11

secrecy 5

Answer 11

• major motif
• at times Jesus indicates that he wants to keep his identity and mission a secret for the time being
• to avoid persecution, especially from Herod Antipas
• wants things to unfold in his own time on his own terms
• ex: tells demons and lepers not to tell anyone

Question 12

outcome of Jesus’ activity 2

Answer 12

• rise of curiosity, conversation, concern, conflict
• then follows a series of conflict stories with the Pharisees and herodians plotting against him

Question 13

bigger picture

Answer 13

• conflicts between Jesus and his Jewish contempories are earthly instances of a cosmic-wide battle between those aligned with God and those susceptible to the work of Satan
• Jesus also makes reference to things that have histroically happened to Israel like division

Question 14

Markan sandwich

Answer 14

• stylistic feature, all to be taken together
  ex:
  family
  scribes
  family

Question 15

pivotal pt 3

Answer 15

• with peter’s confession ab halfway through, the word is out: Jesus is Messiah
• Jesus prediects his persecution and death, not expected Messiah
• at this pt, Jesus turns towards Jerus and the pace picks up

Question 16

focal pt 4

Answer 16

• events in the temple
• trigger pt for jews to get Jesus arrested
• recall temple’s significance as central symbol of God’s presence and Israel’s national identity of His people
• Jesus confronts and critiques the temple establishment, focused in the authority of the High Priest, Caiaphus

Question 17

Jesus’ death causes 2

Answer 17

• Jesus was a social, political, religious problem for Israel and thus also Rome
• on another level, he died bc he was obedient to God’s purposes to rescue and restore Israel and the world

Question 18

ending 2

Answer 18

• 16:8 or 18:20, most think verse 8
• perhaps abrupt and open-ended ending so that readers have to complete the narrative themselves in their own lives

Question 19

Jesus as Son of God and Messiah 3

Answer 19

• in Ot, Messiah means an anointed priest or king, linked to David, and is later associated with a David-like redeemer
• son(s) of God refer to Israel, their king (notably David, as with Messiah), and the holy ones in the heavenly realm
• by Jesus’ day, Son of God and Messiah come together, referring to God’s special agent in a close relationship with Him, sent to restore Israel and bring ab the kd

Question 20

recognitions of Jesus as Son of God/Messiah 3

Answer 20

• 2 instances of divine revelation which affirm Jesus as Son of God, fro God’s eye perspective
• 2 other instances of human semi-recognition of Jesus as Messiah, don’t fully grasp who he is, high priest doesn’t even believe his own question
• only after resurrection does a human fully recognize Jesus as the Son of God, remarkable from a gentile centurion

Question 21

Jesus as Son of Man 3

Answer 21

• in the OT, son of man first found in reference to Ezekiel’s vision of an exiled Israel which is now restored
• daniel 7 develops this into a vision of a glorious Son of Man figure who judges israel’s enemeies and defends israel
• Jesus, though, says the Son of Man must suffer–will not have power for Himself, but to give to others

Question 22

disciples roles 4

Answer 22

• to follow alongside Jesus throughout his earthly ministry
• alert readers to follow Jesus
• for readers to pay attention to and learn from them
• deficient in lack of faithfulness

Question 23

reason for deficient picture of disciples 2

Answer 23

• maybe to remind reader to focus on Jesus
• to see discipleship is an ongoing journey and has challenges