NAnONALBlBLEWEEK
NOVEMBER 14-21,1982

A STUDY AND DISCUSSION GUIDE FROM THE U.S. CENTER FOR THE CATHOLIC BIBLICAL APOSTOLATE,

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE



CONTENTS

NATIONAL BIBLE WEEK 1982 1

THEME 2

PARISH BIBLE SERVICE 2

PROLOGUE—JESUS, MESSIAH AND SON OF GOD 6

JESUS AND THE PEOPLE 10

JESUS AND HIS RELATIVES 14

JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES 20

PATHWAY OF THE SON OF MAN 25

JUDGMENT ON JERUSALEM 31

PASSOVER 36

PASSION AND RESURRECTION 39

HELP TO BRING GOD'S WORD TO HIS PEOPLE 43

EVALUATION SHEET 45

In its 1982 planning document, as approved by the general membership

of the United States Catholic Conference in November 1981, the U. S.

Center for the Catholic Biblical Apostolate through the USCC Depart-

ment of Education was authorized to continue its National Bible V^feek

observance book. This present document has been prepared by the

Department of Education through the Director of the Biblical Aposto-

late, together with members of the National Conference of Diocesan

Directors of Religious Education. It was approved by the Secretary for

Education, Rev. Thomas G. Gallagher, and authorized for publication

by the undersigned.

Monsignor Daniel F. Hoye

General Secretary NCCB/USCC

July 27, 1982

Executive Producer, Office of Publishing Services, United States Catholic Conference,

®1982, U. S. Catholic Conference. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce sections of

this book for celebrating and promoting National Bible Week or for other catechetical

purposes, provided credit is given to the copyright owner. Permission is not granted to

reproduce copies for sale or general distribution. For further information contact: Office

of Publishing Services, U. S. Catholic Conference, 1312 Massachusetts Ave. N. W.,

Washington, D.C. 20005.

Scriphu-al excerpts in this book are from The New American Bible, ®1970, Confraternity

of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright

owner.



NATIONAL BIBLEWEEK

Nahonal BibleWeek
NOVEMBER 14-21, 1982

Motorists about to take a long journey over the com-

plex network of roads and crossroads that stretch out

endlessly in this vast country find reliable road maps

indispensable for direction and for safe and comfortable

travel in reaching their journey's end.

More important is the need of direction in making a

safe journey through life, not in isolation but in the vast

society of countless other individuals. In this journey,

undertaken jointly by all the people of our land, the

complexities of national life are heightened by the multi-

national, multicultural character of the people, stemming

might not have seemed possible were it not for that

unifying reality binding together all of humanity, namely

the image and likeness of God stamped upon the soul of

each individual with its sense of dependence on a Su-

preme Being, and of responsibility to him for the conduct

of one's life.

But the basic natmal law is often obscured and

variously interpreted, pointing to a need of revelation

from the same Creator and Father of us all. In our

predominantly Judaeo-Christian tradition we are not left

without assistance from the Lord of the universe. He

intervened in human existence to form a people called his

own to receive, to preserve and to embody his divine

directives, to record and to celebrate his saving deeds. All

these culminated in the coming of his son-made-man.

The person, life and redeeming mission of God's son was

sealed forever by his sacrificial death and resurrection and

the pouring out of his spirit to form a new and umversal

people xmder a new and eternal covenant.

The document of his covenant is the divinely inspired

Scriptures called the Bible. The living imderstanding,

interpretation and embodiment of this document was

and continues to be entrusted to the community of be-

lievers called the church which Jesus foimded and of

which he is head and Lord. Thus the strongest unifying

factor in the national life of the American people is that of

religion and the free exercise of it. Thus understood, the

Bible is God's word entrusted to the church to gtude his

people along the journey of life on earth in preparation

for the fullness of life that is yet to come.

How appropriate then, that besides the perennial use

of God's word, a time be set aside each year and dedi-

cated by the American people to the deeper and clearer

understanding of the saving value of God's word.

Through the observance of annual National Bible Week

the moral religious inheritance, which inspires and sup-

ports our life as a nation, is strengthened and directed to

God and to the spiritual welfare of our country.

from every nation under heaven yet tormea mto a smg

people under God called the United States of America.

With vast differences of race and color, national unity

The Laymen's National Bible Committee, made up of

leaders in business and a variety of professions, organizes

and sponsors this annual interfaith activity which con-

sists in a provocative and challenging television and radio

spot campaign in addition to newspaper and magazine

advertising. This aspect of the activity is aimed more

directly at the unchurched and those scarcely or less

familiar with reading and following the Bible teaching.

Complementing this evangelistic phase of the activity is

the combined effort of the churches designed to promote

wider reading, study, prayerful reflection and application

of the word of God to life, not only during Bible Week but

throughout the year.

Though the general observance of National Bible Week

takes place annually in the week in which Thanksgiving

Day occurs, the Catholic community of our nation antici-

pates the observance by one week, allowing for fuller and

longer participation, especially in schools.. This year it will

be NOVEMBER 14-21.

In this 1982 National Bible Week book a new approach

is undertaken. The content consists of a series of presen-

tations with points for reflection offered by a variety of

writers in the fields of Bible science and catechetics. The

series is concerned with an entire book—THE GOSPEL
OF MARK, considered to be the first of the four written

accoimts that have been handed down.

The theme considered best to express the nature and

purpose of Mark's accovmt of the mission of Christ is;

PATHWAY TO GLORY THROUGH THE CROSS. This is

the key to understanding and acceptance ofTHE GOOD

NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD.

Fr. Stephen Hartdegen, O.F.M.

Rev. Stephen Hartdegen, O. F. M.,

Director of the U. S. Center for the

Catholic Biblical Apostolate, and

editor of this annual observance

book celebrates fifty years of service

to the Word this year as a priest. We

salute him and pray for him: AD

MULTOS ANNOS.



NATIONAL BIBLE WEEK

Theme

THE GOSPEL OF MARK: PATHWAY
TO GLORY THROUGH THE CROSS

The theme for this year's National Bible Week

celebration captures the underlying thread that weaves

its way through the Marcan account of the Good News.

As L. Schenke states in Glory and the Way of the Cross -The

Gospel ofMark (p. 70);

The Gospel according to Mark presents "a theology of

the cross. God has not willed to reveal himself in glorious

deeds, but in the lowliness of the Cross of Jesus Christ. It

is precisely in the deepest Godforsakenness of the cross

(15:34) that God was directly present. Therefore, Jesus'

sonship and heavenly glory can finally only be recog-

nized in the event of the cross (15:39)."

It is quite possible that a reader might bypass Mark's

account too easily, especially if the reader does not advert

to the paradoxical aspects of Christianity which through

the ages have captured the hearts and minds of so many

men and women. This came home recently during the

May televising of the life of Marco Polo. In one scene.

Polo's father delivers gifts from the Pope to the Khan.

The Khan examines them, picks up a golden cross, and

says: "You Christians are an interesting people. You have

turned an instrument of death into a thing of beauty. " In

its own way, that remark captures the goal that Mark set

for himself as he tried to hand down the story of Jesus'

life, death, and resurrection to the Christian community.

In like manner, the attempt to capitalize on the

paradoxical carries its own risks. Saint Paul tells us that

for some, seeing a "pathway to glory through the cross"

presents "a stumbling block to Jews, and an absurdity to

Gentiles; but to those who are called . . . Christ the power

of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:23-25).

The celebration of National Bible Week this year invites

us to reflect once again on the Good News of salvation,

the Good News that God loves us. Henri Nouwen and

his associates in their book Compassion provide us with a

tremendous image for appreciating this love of God.

They point out that the word "compassion" in Greek

comes from the word for "entrails of the body, the guts,"

and in Hebrew from the word for "Womb of Yahweh"

(p. 16). By plunging ourselves into this celebration, into

this love, we immerse ourselves in the "guts, the womb"

of the power and wisdom that enables us to keep the

Marcan paradox alive, just as so many men and women

before us have done in the course of the history of

Christianity. Like those who have gone before us, we

shall be enabled to bring life from death, light from

darkness, hope from despair, peace from anxiety, free-

dom from slavery, love from hatred, strength from weak-

ness, wisdom from folly. Mark's purpose in writing

comes to fruition when men and women like ourselves

can see receiving in the act of giving, being pardoned in

the act of pardoning, and, finally, being born to life in the

act of dying (Prayer of Saint Francis). Indeed, the Khan

was right, and may he continue to be so: "You Christians

are interesting people. You have turned an instrument of

death into a thing of beauty."

May our observance of National Bible Week under the

theme of "Pathway to Glory through the Cross" enable

many others around us to see and proclaim the same

realization as our example leads them to embrace more

fully the power and the wisdom who is our Lord Jesus.

Father Thomas G. Gallagher Secretary for Education,

USCC Department of Education; Representative for Catholic

Schools.

Parish Bible Service

The following ideas are offered to pastors and their

staffs in preparing a parish celebration of National Bible

Week, based on the format of a Bible service.

RATIONALE

National Bible Week is an opportunity to bring the

parish community together for a prayerful service that

emphasizes the role of Sacred Scripture in their lives.

Such a service has a catechetical dimension of instruction

on the theme and a spiritual dimension of calling the

faithful together for communal prayer. With careful plan-

ning, this event can greatly affect the parish community.

THEME

The theme for National Bible Week 1982 "The Gospel of

Mark—Pathway to Glory Through the Cross" is essential
to the understanding of Mark's writings. This theme,

based on the readings of Cycle B, is most appropriate for

a parish Bible service because these are the readings

currently used in Sunday liturgies. Readings and songs

should be chosen to support the theme, and the homily

should develop the theme as it applies to the lives and

needs of the parishioners.

PLANNING/SCHEDULE

The parish Bible service can be as elaborate or as simple

as the local community wishes. Such an event could be a

weekday evening service, a parish-wide rally, or it could

be part of the parish celebration of the Thanksgiving

holiday. It is imperative, however, that a planning group

be established as early as September to plan and publicize

this upcoming event as an important spiritual celebration

for the entire parish family. Some parishes might choose

to schedule this Bible service during National Bible Week

(Nov. 14-21), or perhaps at a more appropriate time ac-

cording to local needs. Other parishes may choose to use

this Bible service within their adult catechesis session, the

catechumenate programs, and/or parish prayer groups.

The planning group might investigate the possibility of

structuring the Bible service as an ecumenical event. This

would depend on previous interfaith activities and the

nature of ecumenical relations in the local community. It

might also be a good way to begin ecumenical collaboration.

2



NATIONAL BIBLE WEEK

PUBLICITY SUGGESTIONS

• postcards to all parishioners

• bulletin announcements

• phone campaign through area contact involving per-

sons in various sections of the parish

• involvement of parish groups: parish council, marriage

encounter, Cursillo or charismatic renewal groups,

school, religious education, youth, and other parish

societies

• invitations to families

• local newspaper article

• ecumenical involvement and cooperation

• use of the illustrations contained in this book for

brochures, bulletins, etc.; these are easily reproduced

for such purposes

MUSIC

Music is essential to a communal Bible celebration. The

planning committee should select the style and type of

music. In planning the service, it is highly desirable to

have as much community participation as possible. If

available, the parish choir, youth music group, or chil-

dren's choir could be asked to participate. Some parishes

have had success in inviting neighboring parish choirs to

join in the service; other parishes sometimes choose to

invite ecumenical participation in the music program for

their celebration of National Bible Week.

SUGGESTED BIBLE SERVICE

The Gospel of Mark: Pathway to Glory Through the

Cross

OPENING HYMN

A hymn appropriate to the theme.

GREETING

Presiding Minister:

The grace and peace of God, our Father, and the Lord

Jesus Christ be with you.

Assembly:

And also with you.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Theme Statement (read by a commentator)

Jesus gave us a message that forms the basis of our way

of life. We come together as a community of believers, in

that message and in Jesus Himself, in order to find

strength in struggling with the daily tensions of living

that message. We sing, we reflect, we pray, we learn, and

we trust that our lives will be based on the message of the

Gospel of Mark, that the pathway to glory is through the

cross.

ENTHRONEMENT OF THE WORD

It is strongly recommended that the Bible be enthroned

at the beginning of the service in a prominent place in the

sanctuary. The enthronement could involve a short pro-

cession with candles, incense to reverence the Scriptures,

or flowers to enhance the Bible stand or place where the

enthronement occurs. The commentator should explain

the meaning and propriety of enthroning Scripture.

OPENING PRAYER:

Presiding Minister:

Let us pray. (Pause for silent prayer.)

Almighty and ever living God,

our source of power and inspiration,

give us joy in serving you and in sharing our gifts with

others,

and strengthen us on our pathway to glory

through the cross as followers of Christ,

who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Assembly:

Amen.

READING:

Isaiah 53:10-12 (Lectionary #147) or

1 Corinthians 12:4-13 (Lectionary #764-9)

PSALM RESPONSE

(Sung if possible; cf. Cantor Book -Cycle 13, WLP Publica-

tions or The Gelineau Gradual, GIA Publications)

Psalm 116, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 (Lectionary #132)

R/. I will walk in the presence of the Lord,

in the land of the living.

I love the Lord because he has heard

my voice in supplication.
Because he has inclined his ear to me

the day I called.

Rl. I will walk in the presence of the Lord,

in the land of the living.

The cords of death encompassed me;

the snares of the netherworld seized

upon me;

I fell into distress and sorrow.

And I called upon the name of the Lord,

"O Lord, save my life!"

Rl. I will walk in the presence of the Lord,

in the land of the living.

Gracious is the Lord and just;

yes, our God is merciful.

The Lord keeps the little ones;

I was brought low, and he saved me.

Rl. I will walk in the presence of the Lord,

in the land of the living.

For he has freed my soul horn death,

my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.

I shall walk before the Lord

in the lands of the living.

RJ. I will walk in the presence of the Lord,

in the land of the living.

Rl. Or: Alleluia.

3



NATIONAL BIBLE WEEK

GOSPEL

Mark 10:35-45 (Lectionary #147) or

Mark 8:34-39 (Lectionary #339)

HOMILY

Possible Themes:

1. The paradox of Christianity: We must give to receive;

2. Each person has gifts to give;

3. The greatest is the one who serves;

4. The pathway to glory through the cross;

5. Role of suffering in the life of a believer;

6. The Gospel message as a counter-culture for our

times.

INTERCESSIONS

Presiding Minister:

Gathered together in Christ as brothers and sisters, let us

call to mind God's many blessings and ask him to hear

the prayers that he inspires us to make.

Deacon or Other Minister:

1. For Pope John Paul II, our Bishop , and all

religious leaders of our community, that God may

strengthen them in their pathway to glory through the

cross, we pray to the Lord . .

.

Lord, hear our prayer.

2. For evangelists, homilists, preachers, and catechists

that they may live in the Spirit and share the truth, by

what they say and do, we pray to the Lord . .

.

Lord, hear our prayer.

3. For the whole church, that all who bear the name of

Christ might be dedicated to bringing the Gospel

message to others by sharing the gifts and giving of

themselves in the service of others, we pray to the

Lord . .

.

Lord, hear our prayer.

4. For parents, that their love for God and for each other

will build households of faith in which God's message

of giving to others, the pathway to glory through the

cross is lived, let us pray to the Lord . .

.

Lord, hear our prayer.

5. For all of us gathered in this holy place, in faith and

love, that we may always be persons in whom the

message of Mark takes root, let us pray to the Lord . .

.

Lord, hear our prayer.

6. (Other petitions may be added.)

Presiding Minister:

Father, you know the many different needs your people

have in this life. Hear the prayers of all who believe in

you. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Assembly:

Amen.

CLOSING HYMN

A hymn appropriate to the theme.

BENEDICTION

(Optional)

If the planning group wishes to have Benediction of the

Blessed Sacrament in addition to the Liturgy of the Word

service, then it should follow the directives found in the

Roman Ritual, "Holy Communion and Worship of

Eucharist Outside Mass" #93-100.

LITURGY OF THE HOURS

Another way to celebrate a parish Bible service is to use

the format of the Liturgy of the Hours. Depending on the

Hme of day, such a celebration could be presented as

Morning or Evening Prayer. Another alternative would

be to construct the Bible service according to the Office of

Readings:

• Opening Verses

• Hymn

• Psalmody

• Readings

— Biblical Reading
— Non-biblical Reading

• Te Deum or Other Hymn

• Concluding Hymn

• Dismissal

FOLLOW-UP

It is suggested that each participant in the parish cele-

bration be given a small memento of this event, perhaps

an inexpensive copy of the New Testament or the Book of

Psalms. The American Bible Society can provide attrac-

tive biblical holy cards that would ^so make appropriate

gifts.

Father David Beebe Campus Minister, Glassboro State

College, N.J.; Former Executive Secretary, National Conference

of Diocesan Directors of Religious Education.

SIGN OF PEACE

The presiding minister invites the assembly to share a

greeting of peace, emphasizing the theme, "Pathway to

Glory Through the Cross."

4





Prologue of

THE Gospel ofMark
(MARK 1:1-13)

REFLECTIONS

What portrait ofJesus does the Gos-

pel ofMark present?

How can it be considered good news?

Explain the name Jesus Christ.

Why does Mark use the title Son of

God only at the beginning and end

of the Gospel?

What moves you to be a follower of

Jesus, and what does it involve?

REPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY OF
JESUS (1:1) The Gospel of Mark is not a bio^aphy

in the usual sense. It is an account of the ministry of

Jesus with a structure peculiarly its own. In the form

of a journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, Jesus accom-

plishes his mission of salvation to mankind that ends

in his death and resurrection. It is the pathway to glory through the

cross. The author thus presents a theological portrait of Jesus as the

Christ (anointed One) and Son of God.

"Here begins the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (1:1). In

this opening verse Mark expresses the nature (gospel, i.e., good

news), the content (salvation), and the purpose of his writing: to

show that Jesus is the Christ and the son of God. In his own person

Jesus is the good news of salvation. He achieves the glorious triumph

over the forces of evil through his death and resurrection. To be his

follower is to believe in him, and to be ready to sacrifice, and even die

for him (8:35; 10:29; 16:16).

MINISTRY OFJOHN THE BAPTIST (1 :2-8)

The ministry of John is the prelude to God's salvation accom-

plished in Jesus Christ. Verses 2 and 3 present the Baptist's ministry

as the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah.

2 "I send my messenger before you

to prepare your way:

3 "a herald's voice in the desert, crying,

'Make ready the way of the Lord,

clear him a straight path.'"

In reality Mark 1:2 alludes to Malachi 3:1 in which the Lord of hosts

sends his messenger before him to prepare his way. The name of the

messenger is Elijah (Malachi 3:23). How is it then that Mark 1:4 calls

the messenger John the Baptist. Christian tradition has regarded John

as the true precursor of Christ. He accomplished his mission in the

spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:16-17).

John the Baptist will have the zeal and energy of Elijah to defend

the right. He will fulfill a role of appeasement and reconciliation

through his fidelity to God and thus prepare a people for the Lord. In

Mark 9:13 and Matthew 17:10-13, Jesus speaks of Elijah as having

already come in the person of John the Baptist.

Father Stephen J. Hartdegen, O.F.M. Director, U. S. Center for the Catholic
Biblical

Apostolate; General Editor, New American BMe, 1970; General Editor, Complete Concordance

to the New American Bible, 1977.



PROLOGUE 7

Mark 1:3, alluding to Isaiah 40:3, understands the voice that cries in

the desert to be that of John the Baptist, who prepares the way for

Jesus, referred to as Lord, thus indirectly affirming his divinity

Mark 1:4-8. Following the life style of Elijah, John the Baptist, by his

spirit and austere life, prepares the people for "the day of the Lord"

(See Malachi 3:23-24). They come to John to be baptized "as they

confess their sins." John's baptism with water was a sign of willing-

ness on the part of adult sinners of the Jewish world to reform their

lives. It inspired the people to dispositions of humility and purity of

heart. Thus John fulfilled through his baptism the providential role of

preparing privileged souls, especially those destined to become the

first followers and apostles of Jesus (John 1:29-34) to hear Jesus

themselves and to recognize him as the expected Messiah. John's

baptism did not impart forgiveness of sin (cf. Matthew 3:11). That was

reserved to Jesus. Of him John said:

"One mightier than I is to come after me. I am not fit to stoop and

untie his sandal" (v. 7).

This was John's response to those who inquired about the meaning

of what he was doing (Luke 3:15; John 1:19) and whether or not he

was the Messiah. This truly humble acknowledgment of his identity

expresses John's relationship of herald or forerunner of Christ. The

power and might to be manifested by Christ was prophesied long

before (Isaiah 9:6; 49:25; 53:12). The lowliness of John's position

enhances the exalted moral stature of Christ and the character of his

mission.

"I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you in the Holy

Spirit" (v. 8).

Baptism in the Holy Spirit refers to the purifying, sanctifying and

strengthening action of the Spirit foretold for messianic times (Isaiah

44:3; Joel 3:1; Zechariah 12:10; 13:1).

Compare the persons and missions of

Elijah (1 Kings 17-19) and John the

Baptist (Mark 1:1-11; Luke 1:13-17;

3:2-22; Mark 6:14-29).

Explain the difference between

John's baptism with water and the

baptism ofJesus with its effects.

Why did Jesus submit to John's bap-

tism when he would institute a

superior baptism?

BAPTISM OF JESUS (w. 9-11)

"During that time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was

baptized in the Jordan by John. Immediately on coming up out of the

water he saw the sky rent in two and the Spirit descending on him

like a dove. Then a voice came from the heavens: "You are my

beloved Son. On you my favor rests."

These verses bring the introductory part of Mark's Gospel to a

climax. They indicate the confirmation of John's mission just fulfilled,

and of Jesus' mission about to begin. The precise account of Mark

gives the reader to understand that Jesus is the Messiah who will

baptize in the Holy Spirit (v. 8). As Jesus comes up out of the Jordan,

he is invested with the Holy Spirit and acknowledged by the voice

from heaven as the "Son of God" (See Mark 1:1).

While the other evangelists describe the appearance of the dove

and the audible sound of the voice from heaven as a theophany seen

and heard by the bystanders, Mark tells of it only as experienced by

Jesus, having in mind perhaps the faith of the early Christian

community in the anointing of Jesus by the "Spirit as Messiah and

Son of God" and in Christian baptism inaugurated by Christ.



PROLOGUE 8

How can John's words concerning

himselfand Christ be followed in

your life: "He must increase while I

must decrease" (John 3:30)?

What was the role of the Spirit in

Jesus' life and what is it in your life?

'The sky rent in two" alludes to an eruption of the divine in human

affairs. Isaiah 63:19 expresses the psalmist's plea, "O, that you would

rend the heavens and come down, with the mountains quaking

before you." The descent of the Spirit is reminiscent of his action in

forming a new people at Sinai after the Exodus (Exodus 19:9, 16-17,

20; Isaiah 63:11, 14). The form of a dove assumed by the Holy Spirit

coming on Jesus portrays Jesus as initiator of a new people alluded to

by Psalms 68:14 and 74:19. St. Paul regards the Spirit of Yahweh

guiding the Israelites through the Red Sea as a symbol of baptism (1

Corinthians 10:1). In Isaiah 11:2, the Spirit is the gift of the Messiah; in

Isaiah 42:1, the Spirit of Yahweh is placed on his servant called "my

chosen one," seen in Mark 1:11 to mean "the Son of God."

The voice from heaven whence came the Spirit is the voice of God.

"You are my beloved Son" (cf. Psalms 2:7) understood by the

evangelist in the real sense of firstborn and only son toward whom

the Father has a tender love and in whom he takes his delight. Thus,

the way of Jesus as Messiah and son of God is outlined in the

beginning of his messianic activity.

THE TEMPTATION (w. 12-13)

"At that point the Spirit sent him out toward the desert. He stayed

in the wasteland forty days, put to the test there by Satan. He was

with the wild beasts, and angels waited on him."

In his account of Christ's baptism, Mark portrays the glorious

aspect of Christ in his person and mission. And now by way of

abrupt transition he presents the phase that foreshadows the cross.

Mark sets the stage for the trial of Christ in concrete terms of place,

nature of temptation and name of the tempter.

The same Holy Spirit who descended on Jesus at his baptism now

"sends him out toward the desert" of Judea (v. 4), the mountainous

region between Jerusalem to the west and the Jordan Valley to the

east. The place indicated by tradition is Gebel Qarantal or the Mount

of Temptation, northwest of Jericho, high above the Dead Sea and far

from human traffic. He was with wild beasts yet was in contact with

the world of spirits, Satan who would tempt him, and the angels who

would wait on him. The desert is a place to meet God and to pray (cf.

Hosea 2:16), a place for penance and trial. As Scripture attests, it is

also a place where Satan wanders (Isaiah 13:21; Tobit 8:3; Matthew

12:43; Luke 11:24). It was in the desert that Israel was formed into a

people and where God tested their fidelity (cf. Deuteronomy 8:2-6). It

was there also that they tempted God in demanding wonders and

signs (Psalms 95:8-10).

The forty days are reminiscent of Israel's forty years of wandering

in the desert (Exodus 16:35), of Moses' stay on the mountain (Exodus

24:18) in prayer and fasting (Exodus 34:28), and of Elijah's walk of

forty days to Mt. Horeb, ancient scene of God's covenant with Israel

through his servant Moses.

Mark does not specify the nature of the temptations of Jesus but he

does indicate frequent encounters with the powers of evil; recall the

many exorcisms Jesus performs in his public ministry (3:22-27).



PROLOGUE 9

The presence of the wUd beasts who did Jesus no harm bespeaks

the order and tranquility and peace with natural creation,
a victory

predicted for the messianic age (Isaiah 11:1-9). The ministry
of angels

(v. 13) indicates the altogether singular
assistance provided by God to

his chosen one who triumphs over hunger, temptation and
every

other hostile power.

Since the Gospel narratives of Matthew and Luke record three

distinct temptations, many authors understand them in the sense of

their relation to Chr^t's mission as Messiah. The temptation
con-

sisted of Christ making a choice between following the
proposal of

Satan and becoming a Messiah according to the worldly and
popular

notions of the Jewish people, or the opposite, foUowing the
way of

humility, sorrow and suffering willed by the Father. Jesus chose

resolutely to do his Father's will and to reject forcefully Satan
himself

and all other opponents of the mission his Father entrusted to him.

After Peter's confession concerning the identity of Christ, Jesus

spoke of his impending passion. Peter opposed the notion of
suffer-

ing and was sharply rebuked by Jesus as an adversary (8:33). See
also

Mark 8:11; Matthew 12:38 and Luke 11:16, 29.

The hostilities against Jesus during his mmistry continued with

ever greater force, resulting in his arrest, trial,
condemnation, crucifix-

ion and death. This specious victory of the powers of evil was in

reality the hour of supreme triumph of Jesus over sin and death

through his resurrection and entrance into glory (Flebrews 2:14-18).

THE WAY OF THE CROSS became for Christ and for all who wish

to foUow him the true PATHWAY TO ETERNAL GLORY.

Haiv does Christ's victoiy over the

powers ofevU help you in your

trials?

What was Christ's method in deal-

ing with Satan and with all his

adversaries?

Since discipleship ofChrist along

the path of life requires carrying

your cross to attain glory, what dis-

in realizing this goal?



THE Mystery of the Messiah:

Jesus and the People
(MARK 1:14-3:6)

REFLECTIONS

Recall some significant moments in

your life when you heard the proc-

lamation of the Kingdom and re-

sponded in faith.

Think ofsome of the conditions in

our land which might be obstacles to

repenting, reforming and believing.

What are some of the things we can

do to overcome those obstacles?

Through Baptism each of us is called

to discipleship, to be a follower of

Jesus. What are some of the values

and actions in people's lives that

indicate they are disciples of the

Lord?

How can people tell that lama

disciple of the Lord?

When we share our journey in faith

with others how are they affected?

When I attempt to teach others about

the Christian message, do I do so

convincingly or not? Why? Or why

not?

REACHING THE KINGDOM (1:14-15) Verses
14 and 15 link the spiritual (both ritual and ascetic)

preparation of Jesus, through his baptism and

sojourn in the desert, with the first stage of his

ministry in Galilee. Mark implies that it was the

arrest of John the Baptist that prompted Jesus to go

north to Galilee and begin to proclaim the good news of the

Kingdom.

Jesus proclaimed by word and deed that the long-awaited King-

dom of God was at hand. It is present in him and in his ministry.

With the coming of the Kingdom all people are called to respond to

this revelation in faith by repenting, reforming and believing.

THE CALL OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES (116 20)

This was not the first time that Simon and Andrew had met Jesus.

John tells us that two disciples of John the Baptist followed Jesus after

John had pointed him out as the Lamb of God. One of those disciples

was Andrew who immediately went to his brother Simon and told

him "We have found the Messiah" Qohn 1:41). Simon went to see

Jesus who changed his name to Peter. Then Jesus called Peter and

Andrew to abandon their fishing nets and follow him totally, promis-

ing that he would make them "fishers of men" (Mark 1:17). They

immediately responded to the call to discipleship.

As Jesus and the two disciples walked along the seashore they saw

James and John in their boat mending their nets. Again, Jesus called

them and immediately they left their father Zebedee, their nets, and

followed Jesus.

THE SYNAGOGUE AT CAPERNAUM (121-22)

In verses 21 and 22 Mark does not tell us what Jesus taught in the

synagogue at Capernaum. Instead he tells us of the authority with

which Jesus taught. Jesus speaks as a prophet, and does not resort to

a variety of rabbinic traditions as the scribes might have done. Rather,

Jesus teaches with authority and power that amazes the people. They

are held spellbound.

THE CURE OF THE DEMONIAC (1:23-28)

As Jesus was teaching in the synagogue a man possessed by a

demon appeared. The unclean spirit shouted to Jesus by his name

Sister Mariella Frye, M.H.S.H. Representative for Catechetical Ministry, USCC

Department of Education; Associate Project Director for the National Catechetical Directory.



PEOPLE 11

and the town from which he came. When the unclean spirit called

Jesus "the holy One of God" (Mark 1:24), Jesus told the spirit to be

quiet and to come out of the man. The spirit left shouting and

convulsing the man. The people immediately connected what they

had witnessed with the new teaching of Jesus, and with his authority.

The news of Jesus' teaching and his power was spread quickly.

AN EVENING OF HEALING (1:29-34)

When Jesus and the four disciples left the synagogue they went to

the home of Simon and Andrew. Many commentators believe that

the house became a headquarters when Jesus was in Galilee. When

Jesus was told about the fever from which Peter's mother-in-law was

suffering, he grasped her hand and she was immediately cured.

Since fever usually leaves one exhausted and weak, the fact that

Peter's mother-in-law immediately began to serve her guests attests

to the completeness of the cure.

In the evening, after simdown, many people were brought to Jesus

to be cured. Mark distinguishes between people who had a variety of

illnesses, and those who were possessed by demons. Again, Jesus

forbade the demons to speak. As always Jesus responded compas-

sionately to those with human needs.

In today's world demon-possession

is frequently looked upon with skep-

ticism. What are some evidences in

the 20th century world which point

to the existence ofevil spirits?

Each ofus needs to rely on Jesus to

expunge the demons within us.

Apply this to yourself.

There is a great deal of healing that

is needed in our worlds of home,

work, neighborhoods, etc. Everyone

is in need of healing one way or

another. How do 1 follow Jesus as

healer in my home, at work, in my

neighborhood?

Frequently, it is easier to do things

for others than to allow others to do

things for us.

How do I respond to another per-

son's attempt to heal me?



PEOPLE 12

Many of us have hectic and frenzied

schedules, but ]esus points out to us

the need for solitude and prayer even

in the midst of the world’s acclaim.

How do I provide for solitude in my

life?
’

What efforts do I make to deepen my

prayer life? What further efforts

should I make?

In most of the healing that Jesus did,

faith seems to be a prerequisite.

When Iam in need of healing, both

physically and spiritually to what

degree do I have faith and trust in

Jesus' love for me and his power and

authority to cure me?

Jesus ccmfronts the forces of evil in

his world head on. In this incident

he confronts sin, infirmity and his

accusers. What are some of the forces

of evil in our 20th century world

which must be confronted?

How often do I pray that injustices,

hunger, etc. be overcome? How often

do 1 act?

There is a bit of the scribes and

Pharisees in each of us. Do 1 look

down on people who are different or

do I value the dignity of every

human being?

How do I express this in my life?

THE NEED FOR SOLITUDE AND PRAYER (1:35-39)

Early the following morning Jesus felt the need for solitude and

communion with the Father in prayer. When the others found that he

had gone off, they went to find him. When they found Jesus, they

told him that the people of Capernaum were looking for him. Jesus,

however, had no intention of being monopolized in Capernaum.

Other villages were also in need of having the good news proclaimed

there. Mark tells us that Jesus then went throughout Galilee preach-

ing the good news in the synagogues and exorcising demons.

THE CURE OF A LEPER (1:40-45)

We are not told how a leper foimd out about Jesus, but we are told

that he approached Jesus with faith, convinced that if Jesus chose to

do so he could cure him. Again Mark highlights Jesus' compassion

and teUs us that he was "moved with pity" (Mark 1:41). Jesus spoke

and instantly the cure was accomplished. It must have surprised the

cured leper when Jesus told him not to tell anyone about the cure, but

Jesus wanted to go about his preaching without emphasizing his

messianic office. Jesus did tell the leper to go through the required

ritual of presenting himself to the priest. Overcome by human joy, the

leper did not keep his cure a secret, but publicized it. In doing so he

made it harder for Jesus to minister. Even though Jesus stayed away

from the towns, the people kept coming to him.

THE CURE OF THE PARALYTIC (2:1-12)

When the people heard that Jesus had returned to Capernaum,

they flocked to see and hear him. The crowd was so great that no one

could get through the door. The ingenuity of a paralyzed man's

friends prompted them to take him on his mat to the roof, remove the

mud thatch and branches, and lower the man on his mat through the

hole in the roof. When Jesus saw their trust in him to cure the man,

instead of an instant cure, he forgave the man's sins. Never before

had any prophet attempted to forgive sins. Immediately the scribes

began to question this action, not openly, but "asking themselves."

They accused him of blasphemy (2:6). Jesus knew their thoughts and

challenged them by asking a question. Is it easier to forgive sin or to

cure a man? In the Jewish world physical infirmity was connected

with sin. To show his power and authority to forgive sin, Jesus

physically cured the man. This was only the beginning of the conflict

between Jesus and the scribes and Pharisees.

THE CALL OF LEVI (2:13 17)

When Matthew tells this story (Matthew 9:10-13), he uses the name

of "Matthew" rather than "Levi." It is likely that Matthew and Levi

are the same person, since Mark uses the name "Matthew" rather

than "Levi" when listing the apostles. Again when Jesus called Levi,

he like the others immediately responded to the call. Apparently Levi

invited Jesus and the disciples to Ws home for dinner. Other guests

included tax collectors and sinners (those who did not observe the



PEOPLE 13

minute rules of the Pharisees). Rather than challenge Jesus, the

scribes questioned the disciples. They could not understand why

Jesus would eat with such people. Overhearing them, Jesus alluded

to a proverb that sick rather than healthy people need a doctor. Jesus

then said that he came to call sinners—they are capable of repent-
ence. Those who are self-righteous have no spiritual needs.

THE QUESTION OF FASTING (2.18-22)

To the disciples of John and to the Pharisees fasting was a very

important element for people living religious lives. Apparently the

disciples of Jesus were not observing such a practice. Objecting to

this, the people wanted to know why. Jesus likened his companion-

ship with his disciples to a wedding feast. As long as the groom was

with them there was no need to fast. When the groom was taken

away (the first hint of Jesus' passion), they will fast.

Jesus then pointed out that the good news he was proclaiming was

a new way. One should not attempt to explain the new in terms of the

old no more than put new patches on old clothing or new wine in old

wineskins. Jesus' proclamation of the good news called for new

behavior and new thinking.

THE DISCIPLES AND THE SABBATH (2:23-28)

The Pharisees had questioned Jesus' eating with tax collectors and

sinners and the lack of fasting by his disciples, now they question the

behavior of the disciples on the Sabbath. As Jesus walked through

fields of grain, his disciples plucked the grain. The Pharisees saw this

as reaping (working) which was forbidden on the Sabbath. Jesus then

reminded them of an event in the life of David. Once when David

and his men were fleeing from Saul, David went to the high priest

and asked for bread. There was no bread except holy bread which

only the priests were permitted to eat. Not only David but also his

men were allowed to eat the holy bread by the high priest. The

incident ends with an aphorism on the relative importance of human

beings and human observances. Since the Sabbath has been given for

the benefit of human beings, it is a gift of God, not a burden.

THE PLOT TO PUT HIM TO DEATH (3:1-6)

The confrontation with the religious authorities continues, again in

connection with the Sabbath. When they see the man with a with-

ered hand, they hope that Jesus will heal him so that they can accuse

him of breaking the Sabbath. Jesus brought the man forward and

asked if it was better to do good on the Sabbath or evil, to save a life,

or destroy it? No one answered. The question posed a dilemma for

them. Jesus knew that the authorities had already closed their minds,

that they were hard of heart. Jesus then cured the man knowing full

well that in doing so he would bring about the final break with

authorities. In the final verse of this section of Mark, the Pharisees

immediately joined forces with their enemies, the irreligious Hero-

dians, and began to plot how Jesus might be put to death.

Read the parable of the Pharisee and

the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14.

Reflect on self-righteousness vs.

humility and apply your reflection to

your own life.

What are some characteristic behav-

iors ofa follower ofJesus? Reflect on

these and apply th^ to your life.

What is some characteristic thinking

ofa follower ofChrist? Reflect on

this and apply to your life.

This incident in Mark highlights the

letter of the law versus the spirit of

the law. Think ofincidents in your

life when the letter of the law was

observed to the detriment of the

spirit of the law. Also think of times

when the spirit of the law out-

weighed the letter of the law. Which

were morefreeing? Why?

Reflect on the times in your life

when living the Christian message

brought you in conflict with other

peo^e; times when you acted in a

Christian way knowing full well

that you would alienate yourself

from others by doing so. What ena-

bled you to do this?



THE Mystery of the Messiah:

Jesus and His Relatives
(MARK3;7-6:6)

REFLECTIONS

What may be some ofour personal

"demons" and some of the "demons”

in society that manifest themselves

in the presence ofgood? In what

ways do they manifest themselves?

These "demons" need to be ex-

punged, just as Jesus drove the "de-

mons" out in his day. In what ways

can we eliminate or, at least, better

control the "demons" that lurk in

our lives or exist in our society?

ESUS' HEALINGS AND EXORCISMS
(3:7-12) Mark begins this section of his Gospel

with one of the several summary statements

that he employs to help guide the development of

the story.

In verses 8 and 9, Mark names the various regions

from which people came to see Jesus. He uses this technique both to

indicate Jesus' popularity at the height of his Galilean ministry, and to

suggest his universal appeal. The verses also serve to set the stage for

the creation of the new Israel with the establishment of the Twelve in

the following passage.

The concluding verses of the summary (11 and 12) depict unclean

spirits approaching Jesus and shouting out their knowledge of his

true identity. In this incident, as elsewhere in the Gospel, the evil

spirits immediately recognize Jesus while the understanding of the

disciples remains cloudy. Moreover, Jesus seeks to silence the spirits

from divulging who he is. What are we to make of this?

In one sense, of course, the presumed supernatural nature of

demons may explain their superior abilities to know Jesus' identity. In

another sense, however, it is not surprising that evil quickly reacts to

the presence of good. There is something about the dark side— the
sinful side—of human nature that vigorously reacts when confronted
with virtue. Who has not felt the pangs of resentment or jealousy

when in the presence of a virtuous person. The evil that lies within us

— like the demons in the possessed—can quickly rush to the surface
when goodness approaches.

Jesus' silencing of the demons is explained by his desire to retain

control over how he was to become known. Jesus knew that his full

identity could not be grasped until after he had been raised from the

dead. Moreover, he was careful not to allow others to draw wrong

conclusions about the nature of this mission. He wished to avoid

being identified with the popular notion of Messiah that was preva-

lent in Israel at the time.

CHOOSING THE TWELVE (3:13-19)

Mark presents us with a fairly straightforward—though sparse

—

account of the selection of the Twelve. There is no description of how

the various individuals were chosen. But Mark does not leave us

Neil A. Parent Representative for Adult Education, USCC Department of Education;

General Editor, Christian Adulthood: A Catechetical Resource 1982.



RELATIVES 15

without some interesting information about the Twelve. For instance,

Mark informs us that Jesus gave James and John the name,

Boanerges, or "Sons of Thunder." This may be a reflection on their

tempestuous personalities, or it may refer to their being twins, since

at that time, there was a prevailing superstition about twins and

thunderstorms.

Mark also tells us that Jesus chose, as one of the Twelve, Simon, of

the Zealot party. The Zealots of Jesus' day were a highly nationalistic

group dedicated to the overthrow of the Roman domination, often

with the use of terrorism. The fact that Jesus, who, himself, forsook

the use of force, would harbor in his most intimate company one

identified as a Zealot is startling. When one considers that Jesus also

included in this select group the person that would eventually betray

him, the Twelve take on a much different image than that pious group

commonly depicted in religious art.

In Mark's account of the selection of the Twelve, it is clearly Jesus

who chooses. It is not we who decide to be his disciples; it is he who

chooses us. It is noteworthy, too, that Jesus chose the Twelve as

companions as well as those whom he would send out. Too fre-

quently, we Christians tend to be blinded to his human needs and

wants by our faith in his divinity. This passage reminds us that the

Twelve were important to Jesus—not only as those who served him
in his ministry, but as true friends that he cherished.

In 3:14 and 15, Jesus gave the Twelve the task of preaching the

Good News and of casting out demons (the work of establishing

God's Kingdom).

JESUS IS REJECTED BY HIS FAMILY (3:20-21)

Jesus' family (relatives, acquaintances) regarded him as mad and

wished to take him away. He was obviously becoming some kind of

an embarrassment to them. It was obvious, too, that his own people

were not among his following.

The attitude of Jesus' own family must have caused him great pain.

Yet, despite their rejection, he persisted in his calling. He considered

his work from God to transcend his family loyalties. We see this

attitude explicated a little later in verse 35.

As followers of Jesus, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that

we may become an embarrassment to those we love and who love us.

Indeed, it is conceivable that at some future time, Christians may be

seen by the majority of society as being foolish or mad.

As we attempt to live the Gospel, our lifestyle may be called into

question. "Why do they live the way they do?" people may begin to

wonder of us.

As disciples ofJesus, we, too, bear

the responsibility for preaching the

"good news" and of casting out "de-

mons. " How, in our lives, are we

carrying out this responsibility? In

what ways do we preach and cast out

“demons" for the needs ofour times?

Jesus showed great inclusiveness in

choosing the Twelve. As was previ-

ously mentioned, besides Peter and

the other well-known apostles, there

is Simon, the Zealot, and Judas,

who betrays Jesus. Do we take a

similar attitude of inclusiveness, or

do we tend to exdude those who

don't readily fit into our pattern of

friends and acquaintances. For

example, do we exclude those who

are poor or socially undesirablefrom

the sphere in which we live our

faith? How can we insure that we

are being inclusive rather than

exclusive?

How might we be seen as foolish or

mad by others for retaining belief in

Jesus and a commitment to the

Church? Have you personally ex-

perienced such a reaction? How did

it make you feel? How do you think

Jesus felt by the reaction of his family

andfnends?

It is comforting to be able to identify

ourselves with Jesus as the one who

is being ridiculed. But, sometimes,

are we not among the family mem-

bers who see madness in others for

their commitment to thdr beliefs?

Have you considered others foolish

who have had a strong commitment

with which you could not identify?

Who were they? What made you

think that their commitment was

foolish? What kind ofattitudefrom

us would be more appropriate -more

in keeping with the Gospel?



RELATIVES 16

JESUS' VICTORY OVER THE EMPIRE OF SATAN (3:22-27)

Right on the heels of Jesus' rejection by his family, Mark presents

certain scribes who dismissed Jesus as being possessed by the devil.

But Jesus parried their contention with a response of flawless logic.

"If he is casting out Satan," he asked, "how can he then be of Satan?"

The latter's house would be divided and fall.

Mark concludes this passage with a comment by Jesus about how

Satan, like a strong man, had to be bound if his house was to be

entered. Jesus presented himself as the one who was binding the evil

one and breaking down his house. Jesus clearly was no ally of Satan.

BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE SPIRIT (3:28 30)

Jesus, here, began a pronouncement with the word "Amen,"

meaning truly, or I give you my word. This expression appears

thirteen times in Mark and always precedes a solemn statement. In

this instance, Jesus' solemn statement was about blaspheming the

Holy Spirit. The passage has always presented problems of interpre-

tation because God's forgiveness knows no restrictions. The basic

message here seems to be that in some situations the sinner can cut

himself or herself off from God's forgiveness, either by denying the

need for forgiveness or through particularly malicious intent. In

either case, however, God's forgiveness is always available if the

sinner but chooses to seek it.

How can we make our family more of

a faith-enhancing experience -one

that points to our true family

identity with God?

What does this saying ofJesus sug-

gest about our commitment to others

who share the faith with us? Does it

say anything about our commitment

to those who are not ofour faith but

share the common childhood ofGod?

THE TRUE FAMILY OF JESUS (3 31 35)

Jesus was told that his mother, brothers and sisters were seeking

him. He responded by saying that those who do the will of God were

his mother, brothers and sisters. In so doing, Jesus was emphasizing

that commitment to God transcended family ties. Our true family is

that one that binds us together as God's children. God has first claim

on our loyalty. Thus, our earthly families should not interfere with

our commitment to God, but, instead, help support and enhance it.

TEACHING IN PARABLES (41 20)

In verses 1-9, Jesus presented the parable of the seed. It could more

accurately be termed the parable of the four soils, since it deals with

the effects of four different kinds of soil for planting seed. In the

parable, the yield of the good soil was extraordinary. A harvest of
twenty-fold was considered to be very good in Jesus' time. Thus, the

parable makes a dramatic claim about the prodigious nature of God's

Kingdom which is coming.

In verses 10-12, we have another difficult passage. Jesus seemed to

be saying that he didn't want some people to understand his message

and, hence, be saved. However, Jesus was simply making an asser-

tion that faith is a prerequisite for understanding the Gospel. To those

without faith, his message is all riddles (parables).



RELATIVES 17

The source of explanation for the parable of the seed (verses 13-20)

seems to be the early Church. In the early Church, the term "Word"

extensively was used to designate Jesus' teaching. Also, the parable

served as an allegory for explaining the various reasons why some

Christians were fcginning to fall away from the faith (anxieties,

desire for wealth, persecution, etc.).

Many of these same conditions exist today, and are still instrumen-

tal in causing believers to abandon the faith.

FURTHER TEACHINGS (4:21-34)

Jesus told his listeners that eventually all the mysteries of the

Kingdom would be manifest. As a Icimp was meant to give light, so,

too, would his teaching illuminate people's hearts and minds.

Another parable dealing with seed follows in verses 4:26-34. It is a

parable about the Kingdom of God. Just as the mustard seed is

transformed from a small entity to a large bush, so, too, the Kingdom

of God would grow from humble beginnings to a full, splendid

reality.

FOUR MIRACLES (4:35-5:43)

The first of the four miracles concerns Jesus' calming the sea and

wind. Asleep in the boat at the time a storm occurs, Jesus was

aroused by^ frightened disciples. He stopped the storm, but
rebuked his disciples for their lack of faith. TTie story is intended to

comment on Jesus' lordship over nature. But a second, important

message is that faith is needed in troubled times; fear is useless. We

will see this formula again later when Jesus was asked to come to the

assistance of Jairus' daughter.

Mark's use of the present tense in verse 41 for the word "obey" is to

indicate that Jesus remains Lord of the Church and is able to save it

from threatening turbulence.

CURING OFADEMONIAC (5:1-20)

In the curing of the Garasene demoniac, Jesus was reaching out to

the Gentiles. This is indicated by the allusion to a nearby swine herd.

Jews did not keep swine. The cure of the demoniac is unique in that

Jesus did not enjoin him to refrain from telling others about his cure.

Quite the contrary, Jesus asked that he go home and teU his family

how much the Lord had done for him.

The incident of the drowning swine is intriguing. Evil spirits were

seen to prefer certain dwelling spots and thought to become dis-

turbed if they were dislodged from them. Hence, their request to

Jesus for another location outside the possessed man.

An explanation offered for the destruction of the swine is that evil is

self-destructive. The fact that swine were seen as unclean animals by

Jews probably has some relevance here. Once again, Jesus is pre-

sented as having power over the kingdom of Satan, replacing it with

the Kingdom of God.

How would you rate the condition of
your own "personal soil" for hearing

God's Word and retaining it? What

concerns, problems, etc., seem to

pose the greatest threat to your

faith?

What conditions exist in our society

that militate againstfaith in Jesus?

How would you give a modem in-

terpretation of the parable using

th^ conditions?

What are the threats today to Chris-

tian beliefand to the Church? The

power ofChrist is manifested today

through his followers. In what ways

might we, with his power, calm

th^e threats?

Most ofus have experienced storms

in our lives that Jesus has calmed.

Read! some turfoilence in your past

life where yourfaith in Jesus was

instrumental in bringing about a

calming effect.



RELATIVES 18



RELATIVES 19

One interesting parallel has to do with the swineherds. At Jesus'

birth, it was the Jewish shepherds who announced his coming; at this

incident, in Gentile land, it was the swineherds who proclaimed the

good news of what happened.

In verses 5:21-43, Mark places a miracle within a miracle. The

passage begins with a request by Jaims for Jesus to come to his house

and cure his daughter. On the way, Jesus was approached secretly by

a woman with a hemorrhage who succeeded in gaining a cure. The

woman's surreptitious behavior may be explained by the fact that her

illness was in the nature of a menstrual flow. According to Jewish law,

she would have been classified as unclean and, therefore, unwilling

to approach Jesus openly.

The power (dynamis) that leaves Jesus was the power to do the

work of the Kingdom. Jesus attributed the cure to the woman's faith.

In effect, she was presented to us in the Gospel as a model for access

to Christ in faith. It is also faith that activates the power for doing

God's work.

Following the woman's cure, Mark resumes his narrative about

Jairus' daughter. Messengers from Jaims' house came and reported

that the daughter had died. They suggested that there was, therefore,

no longer a need for Jesus to come. Mark tells us that Jesus disre-

garded the report, emphasizing the need for faith (v. 36).

When Jesus arrived at the house, he discovered that the death

mourning had begun. When he informed the mourners that the

daughter was not dead, they scorned him. Once again, he was

rejected. Undaunted, however, he went to the girl with Peter, James

and John, and the girl's parents. He took her by the hand and either

miraculously cured her or raised her from the dead (Mark is ambigu-

ous on this point). In any case, Jesus once again told the witnesses

not to divulge what he had done.

JESUS' REJECTION AT NAZARETH (6:1 6)

Jesus now returned to his home territory. Though we are told by

Mark that he kept his large audiences amazed, he was essentially

rejected by his own friends and associates. What we see in Mark is

the contrast between the strangers who accepted Jesus and those

who knew him well, yet rejected him.

The rejection by Jesus' own, however, is not without understand-

ing. These people knew Jesus in his home setting, perhaps as a boy.

They knew his humble origins. Now, he came back as a teacher,

speaking with authority, and asking them to believe in his words.

Undoubtedly, many of his friends and relatives considered him

presumptuous, ill-trained, and wrongly cast for the role of a prophet

or teacher.

Unfortunately, however, because of thek lack of faith, Jesus could

work few miracles among them. His rejection by his own is symbolic

of the greater and final rejection he would later experience by Israel.

What power is needed to do God's

work today? For example, is it the

power to heal? to bring peace? to

reconcile? In what ways does God's

power need to be especially made

present today?

What power have you felt that you

have received from God in the past

for doing the work of his kingdom?

For example, is it the power of listen-

ing with insight and compassion?

Or, perhaps, it has been the power to

lead others. Reflect on what gifts

(power) God has given you for doing

his work.

Are we sometimes blinded to how

God may be working through others

because they do not conform to some

preconceived notion ofours? What

may be some ofour blinders? Do

such people have to come from a

certain social status, or speak and act

in certain ways before we begin to

take them seriously?

Who might be the voices ofprophecy

for our times? How can we remain

open to discovering God's action in

all persons that he may choose as his

instruments?



THE Mystery of the Messiah:

Jesus and His disciples
(MARK 6:8-8:30)

HE MESSAGE OF MARK One of the obvious
characteristics of our contemporary society is that we

live in an age of consumerism. From all avenues of

media communication we are told of the benefits and

necessity of this or that product, or the ui^en^ and

wisdom of this or that purchase. We are convinced

that life—our life—simply cannot continue unless we possess these
advertised items. Another sign of consumerism in our times is that

persons are judged as to their worth and usefulness according to how

many possessions they have or how many things they have accumu-

lated. Many of these products, purchases, or things are advertised in

such a way as to infer that they themselves can ensure happiness for

the owner, that one simply can't and shouldn't be without them in

this earthly life of ours.

In many ways the time and place of today resembles the time and

place of the first century, the time of Jesus. The timeless basic human

drive for happiness yes, but most of the creative ener^ of the people

of each of those times being frustratingly directed in the wrong

places.

The Gospel message is as counter-culture today as it was then; the

Gospel message is as applicable today as it was then. The Gospel of

Mark was written for the Gentiles of Rome, that is, the non-Jews

living outside of Palestine. As such it is again applicable to us, since

most of us fit that description so well, non-Jews or Gentiles, living

outside the geographic area of Palestine. Therefore, not only is Mark's

message applicable to us because of a similarity in attitude of people

of the times, but also because it was, in a certain sense, written for us

Gentiles. In its timeless way the Message of Jesus through Mark is for

now.

Mark sets his Gospel to address the question "Who is Jesus?" with

the ultimate answer, Jesus is the incarnate Son of God, the Lord and

Messiah. However, because he was writing for the Christians of

Rome, he emphasizes the passion and death of Christ, the taking up

of the cross, losing one's life to preserve it, the paradoxical challenge

in leading a Gospel life. The theme for 1982 National Bible Week The

Gospel of Mark: Pathway to Glory through the Cross" reflects this

message. The purpose of the Gospel of Mark is valid today as it was

then—who is Jesus? He is the Messiah. Mark brings together the
many aspects of the Christ-event, reflects on it in light of his times,

and gives direction for Gospel living. His message is indeed a

hope-filled challenge for us all. Just like our Roman forefathers we

Father David Beebe Campus Minister, Glassboro State College, N.J.; Former Executive

Secretary, National Conference of Diocesan Directors of Religious Education.



DISCIPLES 21

need to examine if we, as individual persons, live with reality or

choose to escape reality. The reality of the message of Mark is that the

son of God has entered the world of humans, and the longed for

Kingdom of God is a real possibility for all of us. The Kingdom of

God is beginning to be a reality in our lives when we move away

from a self-satisfying accumulation of things to a self-giving life for

others, a pathway of glory through the cross.

AMAN OF AUTHORITY (6 6-30)

These verses of chapter 6 deal with two significant episodes in the

development of the Gospel tradition. The first is the sending or

commissioning of the Twelve by Jesus, and the second is the narrative

about the death ofJohn the Baptist. Thread of continuity can be

found if we return to the major themes of Mark: Who is Jesus? and

the subsequent message of Jesus emphasizing suffering as a prereq-

uisite for glory.

In vs. 6-13, Jesus is portrayed as a man of authority. He has the

authority to send the apostles in the first place and the power to give

them the authority over the evil spirits. He commissioned the apos-

tles to preach the message of repentance from sin, and the text

implies that he gave them the power to cure the sick, the power of

healing. Mark juxtaposes the power of Jesus over spiritual evil, sin,

and physical evil, disease, to show him as a man of power and

authority, another step in tmveiling the person of Jesus, the God-

Man.

The Apostles were charged to take nothing with them but the bare

necessities. They were also admonished to stay in places where they

received a warm welcome and to leave places where there was no

welcome or receptivity.

Scripture writers speculate that Mark has this commissioning sec-

tion follow immediately after the rejection of Jesus by his home town

folks of Nazareth, perhaps to show the contrast between acceptance

and rejection, opermess and close mindedness, the Jewish view of

Messi^ and the universality of the message of Jesus.

Researchers think that the words of Jesus to the Apostles were

quite practical concerning taking only the bare necessities, not only

was it easier to go from town to town but it also enhanced the

credibility of a missionary armoimdng the nearness of God's King-

dom, when that missionary was not encumbered by possessions or

"things" of this world. It seems to be a lesson on dependence on God

rather than the insurance of the things of men.

Verses 14-29 of chapter 6 tell us about the death of John the Baptist.

Mark begins this section by asking his thematic question—Who is

Jesus?—perhaps John the Baptist come to life. The story of John's

death by Herod can help to give us an insight into the second theme

of Mark, the Glory of God through the cross. Certainly the death of

John was a foreshadowing of the death of Jesus on the cross. The

lesson that Mark seems to be building is that to follow Christ leads to

the complete giving of self, even death.

REFLECTIONS

In what ways am I open or closed to

the message ofJesus in my life?

What are the objects in my life to

which Iam attached? Do these dom-

inate my life? Could I live on the

bare necessities and trust in the

Lord?

Identify the aspects of "rugged indi-

vidualism" present in your life ami

compare th^ with Mark's message

ofdjependence on God. Can a true

Christian survive today?

Compare Matthew 10:5-15, Luke

9:1-6, with Mark 6:7-13. Use a

commentary to explain similarities

and differences.

In what ways am I dying to selfish-

ness in my life?

John the Baptist gave his life to

follow Jesus. What does it cost you to

be a Christian?



DISCIPLES 22

In what ways in my daily life can 1

perceive that Jesus feeds me and sus-

tains me?

When have I felt the compassionate

and healing hand ofJesus touch me?

Compare Exodus 16 with Mark

6:30-44. Do you see any

similarities?

In Mark 6:30-44 first Jesus taught

the people then He fed them. Com-

pare this pattern of activity with the

Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the

Eucharist format of worship.

What keeps me from seeing the mes-

sage of Christ in my life? What

strands of incredulity still remain?

Is there any aspect ofmy faith-life

where I feel like a hypocrite?

Compare the incredulity of the Apos-

tles with the persistence and faith of

the Gentile woman.

Ask someone from the group to give

a witness talk on how the theme

"Pathway to Glory through the

Cross" is a reality in hisiher life.

MESSIAH AND LORD (6:30 56)
In this section spanning parts of three chapters of Mark's Gospel

we find the message of Mark in capsule form. This gospel writer

seems to be addressing his central questions or themes namely. Who
is Jesus? The message of Jesus is also for Gentiles, and followers of

Jesus will find a pathway of glory through the cross.

In chapter 6, 30-56, we read of three events which begin to reveal

the true meaning of the identity of Jesus, i.e., Jesus as Messiah and

Lord. These acts describe Jesus as a man of power and compassion,

and invite a response of faith and commitment.

The first of the miracle-events recorded in this section was the

feeding of 5,000 men with its teaching that God sustains us and feeds

us in life to be able to celebrate a future Messianic banquet. The

second miracle described was Jesus walking on the water, this

stressing the power of Jesus as Messiah and Lord. The third event

recorded is Jesus healing the sick by his compassionate touch.

Each of these narratives tells of the power of Jesus, each from a

different aspect of that power. Mark uses these stories to slowly but

powerfully begin to teach and to answer the question "Who is Jesus"

by showing him as Lord and Messiah.

In a contrasting way Mark also demonstrates that the Apostles

were not yet convinced of the reality of the messiahship of Jesus. In

fact, the incredulity of the Apostles is evident throughout the whole

section. Mark's final theme, therefore, begins to come into focus, that

is, Jesus cannot be understood apart from the cross and resurrection.

MESSAGE FOR ALL (7:1-8:10)

All of chapter 7 and the first part of chapter 8 give evidence of

Mark's preoccupation of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles. He has

Jesus verbally attacking the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and in a radical

and revolutionary way establishing the beginning of the New Law. It

is not external acts that keep the law, but internal intention of

affirming the meaning of the law, that keeps it. Jesus continued to

attack the existing attitudes by saying it was not the food that went

into the body that defiled it, but what came forth from a person's

heart in evil deeds and immoral acts that defiled him. By using the

contrast of internal and external, Jesus began to teach about his new

message for all.

Mark then emphasizes the universality of this message by the next

two miracle stories. First, he tells how Jesus met a Gentile woman in a

Gentile town; she asked that he heal her sickly daughter. Because of

her persistence and basic faith in him, he healed the woman's

daughter. The second miracle story is the cure of the deaf mute in the

area of Decapolis, again probably a Gentile man in a heavily Gentile

area, cured by Jesus because of the persistence of the request for a

healing and cure.

Mark concludes this section by repeating the story of the mirac-

ulous feeding of thousands by Jesus. Writers contend that maybe

these are two events or perhaps the same event repeated but set in



DISCIPLES 23

the area settled predominantly by non-Jews or Gentiles. Nonethe-

less, Mark is clearly stating that Jesus feeds the non-Jews, his

message is also for the Gentiles, the New Law is for all.

FAITH VS. PROOF (8 :11-21)

It can be said that there is an opposite and complete separation

between proof and faith. Proof in its common understanding evokes

thoughts of exactness, certitude, absolutely without doubt, whereas

faith tends to be expressed in terms of belief on the word of another,

belief without exact certitude, belief because of the person speaking,

etc. Proof and faith can be contrasted in the concepts of "sure thing"

and risk taking. Proof, scientific or mathematical, is along the lines of

"sure thing." And faith is "risk taking" on the word of another, or

with the person who speaks. In a real sense proof and faith are

opposites, for proof needs exact certitude, and faith grows on trust

but dies with exact certitude.

In 8:11-21, Mark relates two scenes which are a real-life setting for

the application of the definition and understanding of the concept of

proof and faith. The first involves the Pharisees and the second

involves the Apostles.

The Pharisees encountered Jesus and asked from him a sign or

proof of his authority; they demanded a miracle. It was the ageless

attitude of "show me" so I can believe, or prove it to me—or else.
Scripture says it was also intended to trap Him in his words.

Once again Jesus reacted immediately with disdain for people with

closed minds. He removed himself from their company, moving to

the next place, and holding not so much as a small conversation with

the questioners.

The Apostles themselves were not entirely free from such close-

mindedness. In vs. 14-21 we read of the dialogue of Jesus and the

disciples concerning His words of admonition to beware the attitude

of the Pharisees, of becoming like them in their mode of thinking.

Jesus challenged them, with the questions: "Are your eyes blind? Are

your ears deaf? Didn't I feed you—and you still don't understand?"
The humanity of Jesus appears here in that he must have been on the

verge of impatience and exasperation with his closest followers.

BLINDNESS AND VISION (8:22-30)

It could be proposed that a mini-theme for these eight verses is that

of contrast between vision and blindness, light and darkness, under-

standing and confusion. Mark includes in his Gospel the story of the

cure of the blind man at Bethsaida. It is of some interest to us now as

we study Mark, that he places this story after the encounter of Jesus

with the Pharisees and before his soul-searching question of the

identity of Jesus, stressing the mini-theme of blindness and vision,

openness or closed-mindedness to the message and identity of Jesus.

A second event that emphasizes this mini-theme is the questioning

of the Apostles by Jesus concerning His identity, "Who do people say

I am?" and then "Who do you say I am?"

Under what circumstances am I

open or closed minded to the message

ofJesus in my life?

Am I a person who insists on

“proof" or am I comfortable in my

understanding offaith?

Following the theme of "Who is

Jesus, " the Apostles still aren't sure

who He is as yet. When do they

come to a realization ofJesus as

Messiah?

How can we blend the faith ofa

Christian life with the proof neces-

sary for life in the world?



DISCIPLES 24

In what ways am I a person who

keeps looking for the truth in my

life?

How would I answer the question

"Who do you say lam?”

Invite participants to prepare and

give a witness talk on "Who is Jesus"

-Who do you say lam? from impor-

tant and significant events ofhisiher

life.

Discuss how you have discovered

that the message in vs. 34-38 is a

counter-culture statement for to-

day's disciples ofJesus.

It is interesting to look at the blind man of Bethsaida as a person

who kept looking for the truth, as a searcher for the true message of

salvation. His friends presented him to Jesus, and his blindness

necessitated the attention of Jesus not once but twice. Indeed he was

a person who struggled to "see things clearly."

By comparison, look at Peter, who in v. 29 says "You are the

Messiah" and in v. 33 rejects the idea of the suffering and death of

Jesus. He too is a person who is struggling to "see things clearly." In

both cases Jesus is saying have faith in me and I will heal your

blindness.

The entire core message of what Mark is trying to say is contained

in vs. 27-38. In answer to his thematic question of "Who is Jesus,"

Peter says in v. 29, You are the Messiah, and in relation with the

theme of this booklet
—

"Pathway to Glory through the Cross," Jesus

says in v. 34, "If anyone wants to come after me, he must forget

himself, carry his cross and follow me."

Here Mark states the great Gospel paradox: we must give up to get,

we must let go to possess, we must die to rise again, we must lose our

life to gain eternal life.



Pathway of

THE Son OFMan
(MARK 8:31-10:52)

OURNEY IN FAITH Stark Mark in his brief and
concise prose has provided us thus far with six

voyages of Jesus in his preaching mission in and

about the region of the Galilee. Now in the midsec-

tion of his narrative, Mark will carry us "on the way"

from the Galilee to Jerusalem and the final journey of

Jesus to the cross. It is a journey of enlightenment with the disciples

from Caesarea Philippi to Jerusalem, and we who follow will be made

aware of our own journey in faith. To keep the journey constantly

before us, Mark will provide us with six "on the way" references (8:27;

9:30, 33; 10:17, 32, 52). During the journey, Jesus will seek to illumi-

nate his disciples so they may understand the purpose of his journey.

He will provide insights for them of the mystery of who He is as "Son

of Man." He will be the "suffering Messiah" whose cross will point to

the silence of God and the powerful saving acts which resound for

those who can see. These will be the actions of Jesus and most

profoundly the action of the cross.

The section which we will explore and travel together concludes

with the revealing story of blind Bartimaeus who came to the light of

faith and discipleship. He saw with the eyes of faith and his new

sight (insight). What a sharp contrast from the disciples who misun-

derstood time and again and moved from lack of understanding to

desertion of their Rabbi as Jesus moved onward to His death. It was

these very actions of Jesus that prevented the disciples from being

present when the "Son ofMan" was glorified, that profound moment

when the silence of God broke forth to reveal the true identity of

Jesus. Ironically enough, this realization was on the lips of a Roman

centurion, an unbeliever. The disciples should have been able to see

beyond the shadow of doubt; "this man was really the Son of God."

Mark's favorite title for Jesus is really the one Jesus selected for

himself, "Son of Man." It is his self imderstanding as the one who

serves, the one who suffers, and the one who will die for others. Here

in the center of Mark's reflection (8:31) the fact of the impending

suffering of Jesus wiU dominate the narrative as the central teaching

point of Jesus' ministry. The observation of Jesus concerning his

suffering is always completed with the fact that he will also rise from

the dead (8:31; 9:9; 9:31; 10:34).

Rev. Mr. Peter L. Houck Administrator, Holy Trinity Parish, Diocese of Louisville;

Member, Adult Education Advisory Board, Diocese of Louisville; Academic Director,

Diaconate Program, Diocese of Louisville.



PATHWAY 26

REFLECTIONS

How far does your own discipleship

go?

In what ways has it broken down as

of late?

What are some possible consid-

erations for more positive ways to

renounce self in order to understand

self more completely?

DISCIPLESHIP (8:27-38)

Caesarea Philippi, a region north of the Sea of Galilee and largely

pagan, was the site of the first prediction of Jesus concerning his

passion and death. But this prediction, and those subsequent instruc-

tions to the disciples, fell upon deaf ears. Peter, speaking for the

twelve, rejected the instruction. The concept of "suffering Messiah"

was abhorrent to him. After all, any person carrying a cross was

undoubtedly on the way to death! Peter rejected the concept of a

"suffering Messiah" because its meaning was only too clear: disgrace,

failure, ignominious death. The Messianic role should be one of joy,

victory, the power over one's enemies! Peter played into the hands of

Satan and the evil one in trying to determine for Jesus a role that he

had already rejected. Peter would accept only a continuation of the

success story of Galilee and a ministry which attracted followers who

received the Word and followed after Jesus.

Following Jesus' confrontation with Peter, Jesus charged his follow-

ers with the conditions for discipleship as he envisioned them. Those

who followed him must be prepared to come to terms with the

suffering, humiliation, rejection and failure in the eyes of the world.

One must give up power to follow Jesus and one must commit to the

possibility of placing one's own life on the line for the sake of another.

Understanding of selfhood comes through the giving of self and the

look into and beyond death, where, in the silence of God there is

found life, light and peace. Humiliation and suffering go hand in

hand with discipleship and if it leads to death, what matter; for

through death the true disciple gains, never loses.

FAITH (9:2-29)

There is no doubt that Mark intended his community to better

understand the risen and transfigured Lord in terms of God's revela-

tion to his people of old. The Jews of Mark's community would

appreciate and remember such encounters of the past. Elijah was

told, "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord" (1

Kings 19:11). And on that same mountain called Sinai, that beautiful

experience of Elijah recalls a similar experience of Moses the Lawgiver

(Exodus 33:18-23). Perhaps too, Mark desires to show that the out-

come of the passion, the suffering and death of Jesus lead to his

vindication and his glorification on the cross. The disciples did not

comprehend what Jesus was telling them. "After six days" (note the

precise time reference which refers to the first passion prediction in

the Caesarea Philippi region) we are led together with Peter, James

and John up that high mountain (Tabor or Hermon?) where a

remarkable encounter with God took place. There, too, are found

Moses and Elijah.

Again from another mountain the shining cloud, "Shekinah" the

presence, the dwelling of God continues to be found, but now in the

presence of his Beloved Son. The glorified Christ confronted his

disciples and in this shining moment they could not comprehend

what they saw. They could not accept the vision since they could not

understand the journey that leads to glorification. It is that same

understanding Mark seeks to affirm for the disciples who are now



PATHWAY 27

part of Mark's community. They must see that they too are the

"Easter" people who arrive at the zenith point in the person of the

suffering Son of Man, Jesus of Nazareth.

And what of the Elijah understanding of the disciples? Jews who

knew their scripture and the writings of the prophets believed Elijah

would precede the coming of the Lord in the Messianic age (Malachi

3:23-24). Jesus responded to their questions as they descended from

the mountain, that Elijah had already come back, but that he was not

recognized in the person of John the Baptizer. John's mission, that of

preparing the people for the day of the Lord was the same as Elijah s.

Perhaps in the Baptist's fate, Mark implies that Jesus recognized his

own fate.

Before the journey can be resumed, Mark adds a final exorcism

account of a young boy (9:14-29). This account has for its main theme

the centrality of faith. You will remember that Jesus had previously

given to his disciples the power to heal and to exorcise (6:7-13). As his

disciples, they were to travel as he did, to rely on the communities

they served to provide for their needs. In a way it was a matter of

relying on God acting through his people. If their faith in him was

sufficient, God's power would flow through Jesus and into the

activity of the disciples sent out in his name. Mark tells us that the

faith of the boy's father, by his own admission, was not sufficient and

that he had given way to desperation, "If out of the kindness of your

heart you can do anything to help us, please do!" Even the disciples

of Jesus were unable to bring the demon out of the boy. Could this

condition of faith be found within the membership of Mark's com-

munity? In the telling of this story, is Mark implying the faith-life of

the Markan community is not what it should be?

To faith-life must be added prayer; Christians must be able to come

to the realization that it is through prayer, strong and arderit, that the

presence of the risen Lord with them can be felt. Community prayer

provides the power and support to do God's work, which is to

proclaim and build up the conditions upon which the kingdom

proclaimed by Jesus will become a reality.

KINGDOM (9:30-50)

The journey of Jesus continues from upper Galilee and the Hula

Valley to lower Galilee (9:30) and the lake city Jesus had made his

own, Capernaum (9:33). Mark's pattern of events through the mid-

section of his Gospel repeat a construction previously utilized; a

geographical reference, a prediction, misunderstanding on the part of

the disciples, followed by an instruction or teaching. Following Jesus'

second prediction of his passion, death and resurrection, there was a

definite reticence on the part of the disciples to inquire further and

fear of probing deeper into the mystery of Jesus' fate continued to

obscure their vision of what Jesus is all about. Mark develops, at this

point, a community discourse: Jesus' instruction to his disciples.

In Capernaum Jesus inquired of his disciples what they were

discussing "on the way." In their silence Jesus perceived the discus-

sion centered on the hierarchical positions of the twelve in the

kingdom. Gently, Jesus rebuked them, pointing out that one must be



PATHWAY 28

Have you ever thought about the “in

group" in your parish?

How do you deal ivith the problem of
the insiders and the outsiders?

What is your attitude toward

Church and church?

Does your parish deal with this very

well in the ecumenical context?

servant to another, something Jesus saw as the essence of his own

ministry. Rejection, too, of another, who was not part of the "in

group" of disciples was rejected by Jesus. Many outside the twelve

will subsequently be able to minister uniquely in the name of Jesus.

No one who professed or followed after Jesus was to be rejected or

despised. Since Jesus said of himself that he had come to seek out the

little people, the "anawim," those who were poor, needy, rejected or

utterly dependent puts out a strong warning to any disciple who

would turn against the very ones to whom he had come to preach the

good news. How could anyone acting in his name deliberately lead
astray those who need love so desperately? To scandalize the little

ones, or to ignore in oneself those things which lead to sin, to gloss

over those faults which impair ministry to others, is most serious

because such actions lead not to the kingdom but to a place called hell

which Jesus likened to the Valley of Hinnom. This valley, south of

Jerusalem, opened into the Kidron Valley and was constantly smoul-

dering since it was fed with the refuse of the city.

SERVICE (10:1-45)

The journey of Jesus continues inevitably southward toward

Jerusalem through the region ofJudea and the land "beyond the

Jordan" to the district of Perea on the east bank of the Jordan river.

Mark's geographical notation brings Jesus closer "on the way" to the

cross and sets up the third carefully constructed series: geographical

reference, prediction, misunderstanding and teaching which brings

us, who journey with him, to the conclusion of the Gospel midsec-

tion (chapter 10). In this section Jesus instructed his followers in a

community discourse on marriage, children, wealth and reward. The

Pharisee's question to him concerning the Mosaic law on divorce was

not refuted or disdained by Jesus; rather, Jesus affirms the Jewish

scriptures (Genesis 1:27, 2:24), insisting that God in his creative effort

intended marriage to be an indissoluble union of man and woman,

authored by God himself from the beginning. Neither partner may be

exempted from the responsibilities inherent in the marital covenant

and both must work to maintain the bond of love envisioned in the

creative act of the first man and woman. Moses' dispensation from

the law was a pragmatic response prompted by the "hardness of

heart" of his people but which, however, called for a consideration of

God's mercy when such a union was broken. In no way was divorce

condoned as an action acceptable to God.

To the little ones belong the kingdom. To those least able to

understand belongs this wonderful gift of God. In the children of

Jesus' time are seen all those who, in simple faith and openness to the

spirit, have learned to trust the Father. The gift of the kingdom is

theirs to have and to hold. As the children of his time were solemnly

blessed by Jesus, so too those of simplicity and innocence in our time

will inherit the kingdom through the love and generosity of a loving

Father who pursues his children with love and gifts, simply because

they are his children. The message for the disciples of Jesus is made

clear and holds true for each of us today. It is in the power of service

to the least of the brothers and sisters that the kingdom breaks forth

with promise for those who are touched and for those too, who, in



PATHWAY 29

their love reach out to find the risen Lord where he told them he

would be found.

The pronouncement story of the wealthy (young?) man who

aspires to discipleship and the concluding instruction to the disciples

speak to the fact that the call to discipleship must be paramount in

our lives. Nothing must be allowed to stand in the way. Our own

achievements may place us in the esteem of humankind, but in

reality, we make it into the kingdom through working with God's

grace, nothing more.

The companion instruction that follows is in answer to Peter's

question, "What about us? We have left everything and followed

you." Peter and his companions were assured by Jesus that their

discipleship would not go unrewarded. Those who are involved in

authentic discipleship in today's world can reflect on the spirit it

imparts to their lives, the warm and intimate relationships of the

Christian community that speak of the Presence, and the immediate

example and inspiration from those who struggle joyfully and in

whom the risen Lord is alive and well.

The journey of Jesus and the twelve continues on the road up to

Jerusalem (10:32-45). From an)rwhere in Palestine, one always as-

cends to Jerusalem. "Going up" was a familiar phrase for many Jews

who would make the ascent for the three major feasts in the Jewish

calendar. If Jesus and his disciples were in Perea, no doubt their

ascent to the holy city would have been by the old Roman road that

hnks Jericho to Jerusalem and continues north up the Jordan Valley.

Somewhere in the Jordan Valley enroute to Jericho, the third predic-

tion, misunderstanding and subsequent instruction took place. In

this geographical setting Jesus' prediction to the twelve was most

graphic. The details of his apprehension and deliverance are told in

terms that Mark will use again in the passion narrative. The reaction

of the twelve must have been foreboding and caused no small

amount of distress in Jesus or themselves. From lack of understand-

ing, the disciples journeyed on to failure and desertion as disciples.

The words of Jesus did not long remain in the consciousness of his

disciples. Two of them whom Jesus had named the "Sons ofThxm-

der," James and John sought a clarification of the reward for their own

discipleship: seats up front in the hierarchical structure of the new

kingdom. For their presumption, the two were set upon by the others

who harbored like wishes. Jesus intervened to instruct them once

again. The Son ofMan did not come to be served, but to serve. What

then must his followers do? True greatness will be achieved in humble

service to others and the model for this service will be the Son ofMan

"who will give his life as a ransom for many." James and John asked

Jesus to be seated at his right and left hand when he came to glory.

But in that moment of glorification when Jesus was raised between

heaven and earth on his cross, the disciples would have long since

deserted him and their positions would be taken on the right and left

in his place of glory by two unwilling criminals. Nevertheless, Jesus

promised that they all would drink from his cup of sorrow andm the
end they would become partakers of his glory. This they wiU achieve

in the assumption of the servant role which they will later come to

imderstand. Just as He their Lord did, the disciples as leaders will be

servants to all.



PATHWAY 30

What are the modern-day obstacles

to true discipleship?

Is there a particular significance in

the fact that Jesus leads the way up

to Jerusalem?

Where else does Mark use similar

language?

In this section just concluded, do

you see any significance in Mark's

use of "along the road" or "on the

way" passages?

Is true discipleship really possible for

us?

SIGHT (10:46-52)

Eighteen miles northeast of Jerusalem lies the city of Jericho and the

winding Roman road which ascends to the Judean mountains. The

feast of Passover was drawing near and Jerusalem would swell with

pilgrims camping round the environs of the holy city. Jesus led the

way up to the great city accompanied by a great crowd, most of

whom were on foot. A blind beggar, Bartimaeus, lay beside the road.
He sensed the excitement and learned that Jesus of Nazareth was

passing by. In desperation he called out for healing, for he had heard

of this marvelous Rabbi. His request, predicated by his cry "Son of

David," was simple and direct, "Master, that 1 may see again."

Bartimaeus' faith and hope in the Rabbi of Nazareth and the heir of

the Promise of David, was rewarded; sight was granted to him. The

midsection of Mark's narrative is now complete, having begun and

ended with someone coming to light. It is a sharp contrast against the

continuing blindness of the disciples who in their constant closeness

to the Lord remain closed to the insights and instruction he has tried

to give them. And so Bartimaeus who came to sight, came also to

fullness of faith and discipleship as he followed along the road, on the

way to Jerusalem. The "outsider," Bartimaeus, became an "insider" (a

disciple) through the power of faith. With simple, confident faith in

Jesus, Bartimaeus too began his ascent to Jerusalem, walking in the

newness of light and discipleship.

Jesus had disclosed this role of suffering servant Messiah. Time and

again he gathered the twelve to spell out his destiny for himself and

the conditions and destiny of those who accept discipleship. There is

no escaping evil in this world, not for Jesus and not for those who

accept discipleship. The cross points the way through the evil of life

to life itself. One must be able to reach out to heal, teach, encourage,

assist, to be there to those most in need even though there is a sense

of dying in this process. And, perhaps, even physical death may be

the outcome of this goodness. It was so for Jesus.

Those who would be disciples will certainly have to change their

lives. Change involves risk. To really live as Jesus did one must be

found where he was found, deeply involved in the struggle of the

powerless against evil. That is where the cross points. In that mystery

of the Cross and Suffering is found the promise of life in its fuUness. It

was so for Jesus who drank fully of the cup of suffering and death

and found that draining the cup was not an end, but a beginning.

Involvement with Jesus means involvement as his disciples in the

struggle over evil; it means committing ourselves to the journey he

took, the people he served, and having the same faith he had in that

same God who vindicated him with resurrection. With that same

faith we know that we too shall rise to share the reward he holds out

to disciples, the reward of victory over death.



Judgmenton
JERUSALEM

(Mark 11:1-13:37)

RAWING A PICTURE OF GOD The story is
told of the little girl who was busily drawing a

picture. Her curious mother approached her, and

asked her what she was doing. The little girl replied:

"Tm drawing a picture of God." Her mother laughed

and said, "But no one knows what God looks like."

The girl replied confidently, "They will when I get finished."

Mark's Gospel is a dramatic presentation of a picture of God, a

picture that unfolds slowly and mysteriously. If the entire Gospel of

Mark can be called a "passion narrative with an introduction," then

these last three chapters before the passion account can clearly be

portrayed as a particular introduction. These chapters intensify the

confrontation of the powers of good and evil—a struggle that began
with Jesus' encounter with demons in the desert and will conclude

with the apocalyptic struggle at the end of time. In chapters 11 to 13,

we see Jesus enter Jerusalem, now "enemy territory," and seek to

reclaim it as "God's territory." The theme of judgment threads

through these chapters, Jesus' judgment in words and actions in

chapters 11 and 12, and the scene of final judgment in chapter 13.

ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM (11:1-11)

This portion of the drama opens with the most triumphal scene of

Jesus' earthly ministry—his entry into Jerusalem. The joyful cries of
the crowd are the traditional chants of Psalm 117—the hymn the

pilgrims would sing as they entered Jerusalem for the Passover. The

difference, however, is that the Hosannas are spoken as if to Jesus,

who comes as "the Master," as one who will ultimately be manifested

as "the Lord."

The scene is a superb study of human fickleness. The crowds that

cheered Jesus would later jeer him on the following Friday. If we are

inclined to be worried about what others may think of us. Palm

Sunday and Good Friday offer a useful study.

JESUS CURSES AHG TREE (11:12-14)
I have always preferred to see in this scene a real touch of Jesus'

humanity—an angry outburst of a man totally frustrated by incessant
demands and attacks.

Mark, however, sees it as a parable of the judgment on barren Israel

for not producing fruit. The man who spoke words of healing now

speaks words of judgment.

Father Joseph Breighner Columnist, Baltimore Catholic Review; Coordinator,

Evangelization Program, Archdiocese of Baltimore.



JUDGMENT 32

REFLECTIONS

What do we leam about the fickle-

ness ofhuman nature from Jesus’

triumphal entry into Jerusalem?

Are we comfortable with an angry

Jesus?

CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE (1115 19)

What might be seen on a purely human level as another violent

outburst of Jesus, is seen by Mark as a judgment against the abuses of

the temple. This scene connects with the scene in chapter 13 as Jesus

fulfills the apocalyptic hope that when the Messiah comes there will

be a universal cleansing and in the last days there will be a renewal of

the temple.

The complex multi-faceted personality of Jesus is given new di-

mension in this chapter. Jesus was not afraid of his own angry

feelings nor was he afraid of the anger that it provoked.

THE WITHERED FIG TREE: FAITH AND PRAYER (1120-25)

In this scene, there are really two basic messages: To assure that our

petitions are answered, we need absolute trust that what we have

asked for will be given. To assure that our sins will be forgiven, we

need to forgive others. The Christian has the position that any

defendant in a court would envy—the ability to write our own
verdict. If we forgive, we will be forgiven.

THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS (11:27-33)

The confrontation between the powers of good and evil, now

moves from trees to people. As Jesus entered Jerusalem, he was once

more met by his enemies. The question was one of authority. They

asked Jesus where he got his power, and he asked them where John

got his. They pleaded the "fifth amendment," and Jesus used their

refusal to answer his question as a reason not to answer their

question.

This scene is not simply included as an exercise in verbal debate. It

points out the stubbornness of these religious authorities, and vindi-

cates Jesus and John as operating with the authority of God himself.

Chapter 12 carries on some of the themes of chapter 11. The

incident with the fig tree is now followed with a parable of the

vineyard. The controversy over the authority of Jesus is now followed

with further controversy about the emperor and the resurrection.

From all this controversy comes a discourse from the Lord on the

greatest commandment and some further comments on the hypoc-

risy of Jesus' opponents.

PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD (121 12)

The cursing of the fig tree symbolized Jesus' judgment on barren

Israel for failing to receive his teaching. The parable of the vineyard

symbolizes God's judgment on Israel for rejecting those who came

bringing his teachings.

Jesus was clearly the "loved son"— so identified at his baptism and
transfiguration. Throwing the son's body out of the vineyard may be

a reference to Jesus' crucifixion outside the city gates. Jesus even

quoted from the psalm that the crowd had chanted as he entered the

city. Jesus was the "stone rejected" that will become the Stone.



JUDGMENT 33

The parable then is a story of murder, told to potential murderers,

who were angry enough to murder Jesus then and there, but were

afraid that the crowd just might murder them.

The irony of the parable and of the following controversies is that it

is the religious leaders who presented the greatest opposition to

Jesus. One of the real challenges to evangelization today is the

realization that disillusionment with Church leaders is often a greater

challenge to conversion than temptations from the world. Jesus

modeled that personal fidelity to his people with assurance indicating

that God, not God's spokesmen, will have the last say in salvation

history.

TRIBUTE TO THE EMPEROR (12 :13-17)

The famous story of the coin of tribute has several interesting

twists. By asking his interrogators for a coin, Jesus indicated that he

and his followers didn't have a coin, but the Pharisees and Herodians

did. By asking them to name the inscription, he forced them to name

Caesar's name without putting Augustus before it, thus hinting at

their own stand against the "great one" of Rome. Instead of being

trapped on charges of treason or blasphemy, Jesus indicated that God

must be supreme in all of life, and that political control may just be a

fact of life.

The issue can be translated in many ways in our own day. Are we

not often caught up in issues that pit a nation's self interest against

the larger understanding of our common brotherhood and sisterhood

under one Father? Clearly our loyalty to our nation is not com-

promised by our belief in a God who loves all nations.

THE SADDUCEES AND THE RESURRECTION (1218 27)
In Mark's drama, as one group departs the stage, another suddenly

appears. Judging by the variety of the groups, opposition to Jesus

was clearly an ecumenical endeavor. During his trial, Pilate and

Herod became friends. During his life, various opposing factions

seemingly became friends. It reminds me of the cartoon of the couple

talking to the marriage counselor, and the husband saying: "The only

thing we've been able to agree on for the last five years is that neither

of us likes you."

The Sadducees presented the question of resurrection. They told a

story that really included "all in the family."

Jesus corrected their faulty notion of resurrection. He assured them

that the risen were like angels and not interested in marriage (thus

dashing my last hope as a celibate). He further ar^ed that since God

is a living God, anyone who stood in a relationship to him, must also

continue to live.

There is wisdom in observing how Jesus answered what appears to

us as a very foolish question. As a Scripture scholar once observed,

"If we answer people's foolish questions, they may yet trust us with

more serious ones."



JUDGMENT 34

Does the religious authorities' rejec-

tion ofJesus cause us to have hope in

dealing with the limitations ofour

own leaders?

Do we have the simplicity of the

widow to risk all for God with no

one but Jesus noticing?

THE GREATCOMMANDMENT (12 28 34)
Many of our greatest insights into life are bom from our pain.

Jesus, standing in the shadow of the cross and surrounded by

controversy, articulated the great commandment of love.

Love of neighbor was not a new concept in Jewish thought. Over a

hundred years before Jesus, Rabbi Akiba stated; "Thou shalt love thy

neighbor as thyself; this is the greatest general principle in the Torah."

Jesus, however, seemed to be the first to join this principle with the

first commandment.

Whenever 1 read the Shema "Hear O Israel ..." I recall the story of
the cloistered, contemplative nun who was asked what her life was

all about and she responded: "We spend our lives trying to keep the

first commandment."

DAVID, HYPOCRISY, THE WIDOW'S MITE (12 35 44)

Mark concludes this twelfth chapter with three rather disparate

scenes. Jesus explained how the Messiah can be both David's son and

his Lord. Next Jesus turned his judgment on the scribes. He showed

how the avarice of the scribes blinded them to their own hypocrisy.

Apparently preying on the piety of rich old ladies has a long tradition

in organized religion!

Finally, in the passage about the widow, Jesus showed the great

commandment in action. Loving with "All that we have" is the

measure of tme love. The ultimate evaluation of this kind of love is

not how much we give, but how much we have left.

CHAPTER 13 MANY REALITIES TOGETHER
Chapter 13 is about the end times—the end of the temple, the end

of the world. And it is about the present times—present at the time
of the writing—about the persecutions the young Church was
enduring.

Whenever we get into apocalyptic literature—symbolic literature
describing the end times—we often risk confusing fact and symbol.
Fr. Raymond Brown, the noted Scripture scholar, once referred to the

Book of Revelations as the "happy hunting pounds" for neurotics.

There are people who seem to devote a significant portion of their

life's energies to playing with symbols and numbers.

To some degree that is true of portions of this chapter. We need to

remember that we all express ourselves coming from our own unique

backgrounds. Apparently, it was impossible for the prophets to

conceive of a day of wrath or of judgment apart from the destruction

of Jerusalem. Jesus, thus, chose those same terms. In essence,

however, Jesus said nothing about when that end time will be. He

offered some information but not much more than what his hearers

already supposed.



JUDGMENT 35

Whatever may be written about the Messianic secret, it seems

pretty clear that part of that secret was not to tell the time
of "the last

times." Passages like this chapter and similar ones remind
us that the

Scriptures are not to be read in a literal sense as if we were reading

our owner's manual for a '79 Chevy. Such literature
ought rather to

be read as a compilation of various literary forms
all aimed at

conveying religious truths in varieties of ways.

APOCALYPTIC DISCOURSE (13113)

It seems pretty obvious that Jesus would not have been
very good

at writing tourist literature for the local
chamber of commerce. A

simple statement by one of the disciples about the beauty
of the

temple, elicited the response from Jesus that one day
the whole thing

would be torn down.

In response to a question of when, Jesus began to
speak about the

lost times and the present times. He described it as a time of
anguish

and deceit. He had one basic word of advice for his apostles—

"trust." Undoubtedly by Mark's time they were already
being beaten

in synagogues and were standing trials. They were
not to be anxious.

As with most apocalyptic literature, this section is based
not on fear

but on hope. No matter what happened, Jesus told them about
it,

and promised to stay with them tluough it.

THE SUPREME TRIBULATION (13:14-22)

This second section begins with the "abominable and
destructive

presence." Gerard S. Sloyan once remarked: "the
abomination of

desolation is perhaps the best known meaningless phrase in the

Christian's vocabulary."

Basically it refers to a pagan altar built by Antiochus IV
m the

Temple precincts about 168 B. C. This passage refers to
that and

possibly to similar things Caligula was doing in 40 A. D.

The tribulations Jesus was referring to were to be unique
and so

this passage is removed from the purely historical and
placed in the

eschatological. "The chosen" are, of course, the members of
the New

Testament Church.

LAST ACT OF THE DRAMA (13 24-37)

The Jesus who entered the city in triumph two chapters ago
will be

the son of man who returns to the earth in triumph at the end
of the

world. This Jesus who will have already suffered will bring his

suffering Church to glory.
, „

The key to being prepared for all of this is to be "on
guard. 1 hose

words run through this whole chapter. It is only fitting
that they end

this chapter. Ours is a faithful God. Jesus has suffered
and we will

suffer. The Father did not abandon Jesus and he will
not abandon us.

God will be faithful. We have only to be on guard.

Do we trust the Lord in time of

crisis?

How do we deal with the death of

someone we love?

Is our God a God offear or ofhope?



THE Passover
(Mark 14:1-42)

REFLECTIONS

Why do you suppose the story of the

anointing at Bethany was signifi-

cant enough in Mark's eyes to be

included as part of the Gospel

account?

Using a concordance, what biblical

precedents can befound for this type

ofanointing?

HE ANOINTING OF JESUS AT BETHANY
(14:1-11) Two days before the passion of Jesus was to

take place, an incident occurred that was a good

example of why he so upset the religious establish-

ment of the time . .

.

Jesus was in the town of Bethany and had accepted

an invitation to dine with a man named Simon, who was afflicted

with leprosy and was, therefore, a social outcast. Through entering

Simon's house, Jesus was disregarding again the religious mandates

of the time, which forbade the faithful from close contact with those

who were considered "unclean."

A woman entered the house during dinner and created quite a

scene by smashing open a jar of very expensive perfume and pouring

the ointment over Jesus' head. (Mark tells us that the oil, which was

made from the root of the spikenard plant mixed with pistachio for

coloring and imported from India, was worth the equivalent of 300

days' wages.) Some of the disciples were scandalized by what was

going on; such an anointing was usually reserved for royalty and

even then was considered to be extravagant. They protested that the

woman should have sold the oil and donated the proceeds to the

poor.

The answer that Jesus gave them probably did very little to calm

their moral outrage: "Let her alone. Why do you criticize her? She has

shown me a kindness. The poor you will always have with you and

you can be generous to them whenever you wish, but you will not

always have me. She has done what she could. By perfuming my

body she is anticipating its preparation for burial. I assure you,

whenever the good news is proclaimed throughout the world, what

she has done will be told in her memory."

Although Jesus' response probably confused and upset all of the

apostles, it seemed to be the last straw for Judas Iscariot, who was the

group's treasurer. While Mark does not specifically make this connec-

tion, the implication is explicit in the next paragraph wherein he tells

the account of Judas plotting with the chief priests.

THE PASSOVER (1412-31)

Following the incident at the house of Simon the Leper, Jesus

continued to act in a mysterious manner. The next day he instructed

two of his disciples (Mark does not mention their names) to enter the

John Farnsworth Representative for Youth Ministry, USCC Department of Education.



PASSOVER 37

city of Jerusalem and look for a man carrying a water jar. They were

told to follow the man and that the first house he entered would be

the house in which they would dine during the Passover. Jesus

guaranteed that, even though it was the most difficult time of the

year in Jerusalem to find a room, all they needed to do was tell the

owner that, "the Teacher asks. Where is my guest room where I may

eat the Passover with my disciples?" (14:14) and that they would find

a room already prepared. They did so, and found it just as he had
told

them.

Mark does not devote the same attention to the Last Supper as do

the other evangelists, for example, he makes no mention of the

washing of the feet. He does however tell about Jesus' unique

method of predicting the betrayer. Mark writes about this event in

tragic literary form, concentrating not so much on the identity of the

betrayer as on the treachery of the act. In Mark's eyes, Judas had

rubbed salt in the wounds of Jesus, not so much by the act of the

betrayal itself but by the fact that he had violated table-fellowship,

which was a sacred thing to the Semite people. The highlight of the

story is when Jesus said, "it is one of the twelve—a man who dips
into the dish with me."

It is obvious from Mark's recoimting of the story of the first

Eucharist that he is using words that he has heard repeated many

times. The form is immistakably liturgical and gives the reader a
good

impression of the solemnity of the moment. There is a touch of poetry

in the words that Jesus uses, for example: "I solemnly assure you,
I

will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until the day when I

drink it new in the reign of God" (14:25).

Mark ends the story of the Passover celebration on a dramatic note:

"After singing songs of praise, they walked out to the Mount of

Olives" (14:26).

Compare the Eucharistic account

in Mark (chapter 14, verses

22-26) with the similar account

in Luke (chapter 12, verses 14-

20). How does the mood seem

different in the various accounts?

R^ect on Mark's use of the word

"covenant" in the Eucharist ac-

count. Compare this with the

prophecy in Jeremiah, chapter

31, verses 31-34.

THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN (14:32 42)

Mark seems to switch literary styles in the next tvvo sections

wherein he maintains an almost journalistic style without including

any editorial comment. As the evangelist recounts the stories of the

foretelling of Peter's denial and the agonym the garden of Gethsem-

ane, the reader gets a taste of the tremendous sense of aloneness
that

Jesus must have felt. Mark's goal in both stories seems to
be to show

the fulfillment of the prophecy in the thirteenth chapter
of Zechanah,

"Strike the shepherd that the sheep may be dispersed" (v. 7). The

reader is left to wonder whether Jesus' agony in the garden was

caused more by trepidation regarding his upcoming execution or
m

disappointment because his trusted friends kept falling asleep
on

him.
.

If there is any witness to the truth of the Gospel account, it can
be

foimd in the story of Gethsemane. It is in this section that one
comes

face to face with weakness and humanity. One must wonder how

great a temptation it must have been for Mark to skip over this section



PASSOVER 38

In what ways is this passage still

beyond our abilities to com-

prehend the relationship between

Jesus and his Father?

How does Jesus call us each to be

vigilant in our awn situations?

entirely so as not to air the weakness of the apostles in public. We see

Jesus at his most human moment when Mark says, "Then he began

to be filled with fear and distress." It is hard to imagine how Peter,

James and John could possibly respond to Jesus in his hour of need

by falling asleep. What more convincing argument could be made for

the need for salvation?

The story is actually one of tremendous hope. Jesus' passion and

death take on new meaning in the light that these were indeed things

he feared, and would have preferred to pass up. With Mark's help we

discover that the apex of spirituality is found in Jesus' words, "But let

it be as you would have it, not as I" (14:36). This is a message that we

would never have heard had Mark only written about the majestic

side of Jesus' nature.

The general sense of the passage is that something beyond all

comprehension is going on, as is evident in the actions of the

disciples. Mark is careful to show that all this is happening in order to

fulfill what is called for in the Scriptures. It becomes obvious that the

apostles didn't yet understand, especially when Jesus told them, "But

after I am raised up, I will go to Galilee ahead of you."



Passion

AND Resurrection
(MARK 14:43-16:20)

D
HE CROSS AND THE GLORY This portion of
the Gospel is probably the most familiar of all the

stories that we know about Jesus. All four evangelists

tell it and they give it the longest and most detailed

treatment of any other event in Christ's life. Al-

though they differ in some details, the passion ac-

counts do contain the most similarities that are found among the

Gospels. They all stress Christ's innocence and they use Old Testa-

ment references to indicate this as a fulfillment of Scripture. The

differences that we note among them may be seen in the tone and the

style of the evangelist particularly with regard to his audience.

Mark's passion story is told simply and factually. The reader is

presented with a highly emotional drama in a very low-key manner.

He seems to invite the reader to look on from a distance. Mark's

purpose in writing his Gospel is to proclaim Jesus as Son of God. The

story is brought to a final climax with the centurion's words in

chapter 15, verse 39, "Clearly this man was the Son of God."

ARREST OF JESUS (14 43-52)

Jesus' arrest by the armed crowd is briefly and candidly described.

The stark reality of his betrayal by Judas, one of the Twelve, and the

subsequent desertion by the others, is presented without comment or

excuse. Mark offers no explanation for Judas' traitorous act and here

as in the other Gospels, Judas is identified as one of the Twelve.
The

use of the kiss, a sign of friendship, by Judas seems to indicate the

depth of his treachery. Jesus is clearly the strong figure in this scene.

He is not afraid—he is in control. In fact, he chided them for use of

this nighttime encounter, reminding them of the many opportunities

they had to arrest him in the past. However, he submitted to them so

that Scripture would be fulfilled. There is no clue as to which

Scriptures are being cited. At this point all deserted him and fled. The

identity of the naked young man is not clear. It is thought to be a

veiled reference to Mark himself. His flight points to the total aban-

donment of Jesus.

REFLECTIONS

Compare the Jesus in this section

with the Jesus in the garden

(14:32-39). What do you think ac-

counts for the change?

Haw have you utilized time with the

Father to bring you through a dif-

ficult situation?

THE TRIAL (14:53-15:20)

The trial before the Sanhedrin seems to be a kind of preliminary

hearing before bringing Jesus to Pilate. Mark's account differs from

Luke and John. He indicates two trials. There is an overall sense that

Rosemarie McGinty Assistant Director, Office of Religious Education, Diocese of

Trenton; Coauthor, Enabling the Disabled, A Guide for Religious Educators.



PASSION 40

Consider thefact that the story of

Peter's denial was preserved in the

early church. What does this lead us

to believe about the church then? . .

.

today?

Pilate was a weak civic leader who

carried out the wishes ofan angry

nwb when he knew it was wrong.

What parallel can you think of in

your life?

Think ofsome political dangers that

face Christians today. Can we im-

itate Jesus' attitude? How can we

face them?

Jesus did not stand a chance in these proceedings. Mark emphasizes

that the testimony of the witnesses did not agree, which was a

necessary condition in Jewish court proceedings in order to establish

a case against a defendant. Yet, in spite of this, Jesus was condemned

and turned over to Pilate anyway. The charges against Jesus regard-

ing the destruction of the Temple are considered false by Mark

because the true meaning of Christ's message had been misun-

derstood. Jesus was speaking of his own death and resurrection as

the destruction of the Temple and that he and his church after him

would be the new Temple. These people were not getting the

message. The story of Peter's denial is once again a demonstration of

the brutal honesty that is found in Mark's passion account. The report

of the weakness and fragility of one of the closest of Jesus' followers

was told by all four evangelists and it was well-known to the early

Christians. It must have been for them, as it can be for us, a

consolation as we fail in our attempts to be his followers. The charge

leveled against Jesus was blasphemy, probably due to his claim that

he would sit at God's right hand and act as judge. The tearing of the

robes by the high priest was a sign of horror at hearing such a claim.

The trial of Jesus before Pilate is described by Mark so as to lay the

blame with the Sanhedrin for Jesus' death. There was an attempt to

insinuate that Jesus had claimed for himself a title that would have

political significance. Pilate obviously saw through these accusations

and even urged Jesus to defend himself. After placing the burden for

authorship of the title of "king" on Pilate, he remained silent.

Eventually, Pilate responded to the pressure of the crowds and

without passing formal sentence, handed Jesus over to them to be

crucified, even though he knew their motives. The execution by

crucifixion was a Roman sentence; execution for the Jews was by

stoning. (Note Stephen's death in Acts 7:57.) The custom of granting

amnesty to a prisoner is not known of except in the Gospels. It

explains the presence of the crowd which would not otherwise have

been gathered at that time. Here again, the cruelty of the crowd was

highlighted in their demand for the release of a convicted murderer

and the execution of an innocent man. Jesus suffered further humilia-

tion and pain at the hands of the soldiers who took charge of him for

crucifixion. The use of the robe and the crown, normally signs of

royalty and military success, was intended as a mockery related to the

claims against Jesus. The account of the soldiers' behavior is probably

an accurate one.

CRUCIFIXIONAND DEATH (15:22 47)
Jesus' manner of death by crucifixion with two thieves at his side

demonstrated the level of success of the chief priest's propaganda in

inciting the crowd. Jesus in refusing to accept the drug to alleviate his

suffering is seen as affirming his commitment to the will of the Father

which he resolved in the garden at Gethsemane. Once again Mark

relates in the simplest possible terms the most dramatic scene in the



PASSION 41

Gospel. Following what seems to be a detailed account of the events

leading up to it, he states, “Then they crucified him ..." (15:24). There

is no comment—there is no anger or disappointment—just a simple

statement. Mark goes on, however, to describe the hours proceeding

the death of Jesus. The mockery of the people continued, and this

time the chief priests and scribes joined in. They called to him by his

true identity and they asked him for a sign so that they might believe.

Yet, it is for performing such signs that they have accused him of

blasphemy. The actual death of Jesus appeared to have been a

frightening moment. The description of the darkness and the loud

crying out of Jesus enhanced the significance of what happened. The

darkness over the land was the only way to portray the true condition

of man's stance before God at this point. The call of Jesus, which

Mark recounts as being misunderstood by the bystanders, was in fact

a call of hope and trust in God (cf. Psalm 22) which illustrates the

possible stance of mankind before God. Mention of the tom curtain

in the sanctuary is a powerful theological statement of Mark which

indicates that access to God was no longer limited to the once a year

visit of the high priest through the inner veil in the Temple but,
now,

through the death of Jesus all people are granted access to God. The

words that declare the heart of Mark's message were placed on the

lips of a Roman—a non-Jew . . . “Clearly this man was the Son of

God." Others identified as witnesses “looking on from a distance

were some women who will later play a role in the Resurrection story.

The account of Jesus' burial was recorded to confirm his death.

There can be no accusation later on as to Jesus merely having been in

an unconscious state and having been revived. The fact of the death

was necessary for belief in the resurrection. Joseph of Arimathea was

a prominent Jew and his actions were those of a courageous man.

Again Mark simply relates details. Jesus' body was released to a

member of the group that was responsible for his death; he was

hurriedly buried and not one of his disciples was there, wWch was a

violation of Jewish custom and law. It is noted that his burial place

was observed by the women.

It is a non-Jew who first expresses

belief. The religious leaders could

still not see. Do you think you

would have believed? Explain.

Read Psalm 22. How does Jesus' cry

from the cross now appear to you?

Reflect on Jesus' funeral. Writedown

the names of the people you have

met in Mark's Gospel who you think

should have been there. Why?

What would you have done?

THE EMPTY TOMB (16:1-20)

The precision that we have noticed in reading the passion nanative

is gone from the resurrection account. At this point the emphasis is

not on what happened but on the Easter message. All four Gospels

agree on the empty tomb; they differ on other details. The story

simply states that the women who were going to anoint Jesus

discover that the stone which had been placed over the opening of

the tomb had been rolled back and Jesus was not there. They saw,

instead, a young man “dressed in white" who told them Jesus had

been raised up. It was these women who were to carry this report to

the others. Bear in mind, for Mark, the key to Jesus' mission is
in his

recognition as Son of God; the resurrection is proof of that. The

credibility of the resurrection story was the key to the success of that



PASSION 42

Does the empty tomb have relevance

for us today?

That was a difficult message for the

women to carry -have you ever had

a difficult message or a principle on

which you had to take a stand?

Explain.

We realize that Jesus' instructions to

his followers are not limited to the

Eleven. Think about opportunities

you have had to speak ofJesus. How

have you responded?

In what way can you meet the chal-

lenge to witness to the Risen Lord in

your life?

mission. Most certainly the Gospel writers would never have attribu-

ted this story to women since at that time women could not be
recognized as witnesses for anything. For this reason, the account of

the discovery of the empty tomb and the reporting of this by women
could not have been a created story. It must have had an authentic

basis in fact. In all Gospel accounts, women were the first to hear that
Jesus had been raised up. There still seemed to be fear and confusion

and disobedience, Mark told us that they said nothing to anyone.

Just as the opening verses of Mark's Gospel spoke of Jesus Christ

as Son of God, so at the completion of that story the epilogue speaks

of Jesus, the risen Lord. It contains a brief summary of the appear-

ance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene, to the two on the road (probably

the same story as we read in Luke 24:13) and finally to the Eleven.

Jesus took them to task for the lack of response to the resurrection

message and then he directed them to teU the story—spead the good
news. The story must be told. It is belief in this story and the message

of the cross that will lead to salvation. He further promised that
miraculous signs would accompany those who profess this faith. In
this account, Jesus' ascension took place on Easter itself and Jesus,

who was now called "Lord" (v. 20) was still present with the eleven as
they go forth.



NATIONAL BIBLE WEEK

Help to Bring God'S Word
TO His People

LOWER-THAN-COST BIBLES FOR PEOPLE IN

DEPRIVED AREAS OF THE U.S.A.

To evangelize is to share the faith and to bring the Good

News of salvation to others. During National Bible Week

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areas of the U.S.A. Some of these people live in nursing

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of substandard wages or recipients of public welfare. To all

these the Word of God brings new hope, joy and the

opportunity for salvation.

For some time, the U.S. Center for the Catholic Biblical

Apostolate (U.S.C.C.B.A.) has collaborated with the

Campaign for Human Development to supply lower-

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