Did Mark See Jesus

[Ortiz Ullery]

Nearlyevery one of us, when we took science classes, had to dissect something. It might've been a frog, a cow's eyeball, a shark, or some other animal. Our goal was observation and study. We were supposed to learn as we dissected. Look at that vein! The heart is so little! Gross, something squirted into my eye!

In contrast, every one of us has been around others we've found interesting. A celebrity, an athlete, an author, or an expert in a particular field can catch our attention. Look, there's so-and-so. They are shorter than I thought they'd be. What are they going to order?

The study of Mark, or any other of the gospels in the New Testament, should lead us beyond mere learning or curiosity. We should not approach them as a way to dissect Jesus or learn a little more about his fascinating life and lifestyle.

None of the gospel accounts -- Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John -- are mere biographical portrayals of Jesus. Mark didn't sit down one day and ask himself, "What have I ever heard about Jesus? I think I'm going to write it down."

This should be obvious in every gospel account because all of them withhold lots of information from the modern reader. Little is said about Jesus' upbringing and childhood. They are silent about the life Jesus led as an adult before he went public. They don't tell us what he looked like. They don't tell us what he did in his downtime. They don't tell us of his personal tastes or interests.

Instead, the gospel writers arranged carefully selected episodes from Jesus' life with the intention of proving a point to their readers. They are historical and accurate, but they are trying to teach us something about God. They are historical theologies, histories with a theological point.

John is a clear example of this, as his stated aim was to convince his audience that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, God the Son (John 20:30-31). He chose each story in his gospel for the way it backed up the proclaimed identity of Jesus as the eternal God who became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-3, 14).

Mark is no different. He highlights different stories in order to highlight the identity of Christ. For example, all throughout his gospel, Mark chose stories that demonstrated Jesus' heart for the nations. Jesus is seen serving in Galilee of the Gentiles (Isaiah 9:1, Matthew 4:15). He ministers primarily far from the Jewish religious center of Jerusalem, and frequently leaves Galilee for completely Gentile regions like the Decapolis to the east or Tyre and Sidon to the north.

But Mark also highlights other themes: that there are insiders and outsiders, some who are in the know, and some who are still blind. Jesus is seen as on a journey or way, he frequently tells people to keep his miracles a secret, and faith is often highlighted -- but Mark's goal is for us to contemplate Jesus.

Though Mark is considered by many as the first of the gospels to be written, and though he wrote fairly soon after the life of Jesus, enough time had elapsed for stagnation to enter the church. Mark seems to want to jolt his readers -- likely a group of Roman Christians -- back into an understanding of Christ. He wanted to confront them with Jesus so they would be formed into Christlikeness. He wanted them to appreciate Jesus so they would follow Jesus.

And that is what we'll seek as we move through the book of Mark. Rather than say, I know the story of Jesus. I've heard it a million times, we will instead say, I am ready to discover Jesus afresh. I want what he is to shake me to my core, to move me into his reality, and to shape my life.

You see, Jesus is after our hearts. He will call his disciples in Mark, but he calls you today. He wants you to spend time, just like they did, considering and confronting him until you make a decision to surrender your life to him because he's the best thing going. He wants you to see how you can only find fulfillment in him and his love. He wants you to follow him.

And "following" will serve as our theme for our study of Mark. In the first half of the book, Jesus is portrayed as the Servant of the region around and beyond Galilee. In the second half of the book, Jesus is portrayed as the Savior who went to Jerusalem to die for the sin of the world.

But rather than merely look at Jesus the Servant and Jesus the Savior, Mark knew we are all called to follow this Servant-Savior's way. We are to interact with him, allow him to change our lives, and then journey on with him.

So I hope this book rocks us. I hope it reveals Jesus to us in new and exciting ways. I can't do it. Not even Mark can do it. But the Spirit can do it. Let's continually pray throughout our time in Mark for God to work in us and show us Jesus. And let's follow him, the Servant-Savior.

Now, before moving on to the text, I should talk about the author. Mark was not one of the original disciples, but his mother was a follower of Christ who opened up her home for various meetings, including the last supper (Mark 14:14, Acts 12:12) and probably the prayer meeting the church engaged in after Jesus' ascension (Acts 1:13-14). A relative of Barnabas, he joined Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, but abandoned the group in the middle of their trip (Acts 13:13). Paul didn't like this, and wouldn't join with Mark on a second mission, though they did patch things up at some point (2 Timothy 4:11).

We also know he worked with Peter, likely in Rome (1 Peter 5:13). And the early church considered Mark a coworker with Peter, writing down all Peter told him (Papias, Exegesis of the Lord's Oracles). For this reason, many have concluded that Mark is, in one sense, the gospel according to Peter. This makes perfect sense.

Now, Mark never overtly refers to himself in the book or plainly states himself as the author, but there is one strange episode some consider an autobiographical account. Remember, he was a young man, and his mother hosted Jesus for the last supper. Where did Jesus go after the last supper? The garden of Gethsemane. There, after Jesus' arrest:

But that's enough introduction. Let's move into the text. Today we are going to interact with the first eight verses, learning what Mark thought of Jesus. These opening verses set a tone for the entire book. Through them, I will show you four things Mark thought of Jesus.

Right away, Mark shows us his hand concerning Jesus. He tells us what he thinks of Christ. He is the Son of God. All through the book of Mark, this title for Jesus will be an important theme. In Mark, the disciples never quite recognize this about Jesus. Demons will (Romans 3:11, 5:7). A Roman centurion seems to (Romans 15:39). But it won't be until after the resurrection the disciples uncover Jesus' true identity. Mark, though, launches right into it: Jesus is the Son of God (1).

But Jesus brought the possibility of a new creation through his life and death, and Mark wanted to get right into it. He did not elaborate on Jesus' or even John's birth and childhood. Instead, he jumped right into the message about Jesus.

Mark calls this a gospel (1). Gospel means good news. In those days, it was a word used to announce reports of victory from the battlefield or other forms of good news. In that era, they even used it to announce the good news of Caesar Augustus' birthday. But Jesus brought the good news of a new beginning in him (1).

If you've ever played Monopoly, you know how each roll of the dice leads to good news or bad news. You land on someone's property -- bad news. You pass Go and collect $200 -- good news. And sometimes you land on Chance or Community Chest -- it could be good news, it could be bad news.

But the gospel of Jesus Christ isn't just another in a long line of pretty good things to have happened. When Jesus comes into your life, he forgives you, accepts you, and puts you into his spiritual family. And the results are tremendous. It is the best thing. The supreme thing. The ultimate news! When you embrace it, good flows!

First, embracing the gospel message helps a person deal with the negative effects of sin. That which they've committed, but also that which has been committed against them. Forgiveness flows, and Christ releases us from shame. He clears our guilt, awakens our conscience, and produces inward wholeness. Bad things we've done, things we've suppressed or ignored or learned to cohabitate with, are marked out by his blood. He slays the beast and makes way for us to overcome those sins.

But a second benefit of embracing the gospel message comes from the acceptance Jesus wins for you with God. And knowing God accepts you as his child has massive and positive benefits in your daily life. Rather than fight for the approval of others, you rest secure in the knowledge God has chosen you, that he has made you his own. So many people are struggling for the esteem and favor of others, and this striving often requires compromising your values, playing a part someone else wants you to play, or living with the constant fear you will be unfriended or unliked. But the gospel of Jesus Christ is meant to place you firmly on the rock of God's love and grace and acceptance.

And a third benefit of embracing the gospel message is the spiritual family God places us into. So many of us are searching for a loving community, a family of people we can share life with, and the gospel of Jesus Christ wins us such a group. When you trust Jesus, you are baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ, the family of God, the flock of Jesus. You become part of a new humanity generated by Christ's blood. You belong. You are not outside, but inside. You are in!

I pray, through our interaction with Jesus in the book of Mark, the gospel of Jesus Christ will have its way in you, especially if you've yet to trust and believe in him. The war is over. He can make you new. He plans to make a new heaven and earth. In him, we have a new beginning.

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