Saint Mark the EvangelistSaint Mark the Evangelist

For ReflectionFor Reflection  A major component of the Gospel of Saint Mark is that his writings were for those Christians who were being persecuted across the Roman Empire, either by the Romans or the Jews. According to Saint Mark, Jesus was the Messiah for the persecuted and oppressed.  In your opinion, who is currently being persecuted in modern American society? Who is doing the persecution? Who do you believe is the voice of those being persecuted in the U.S. and why?

Who Was Saint Mark?Who Was Saint Mark?  According to Catholic tradition, the author of the Gospel of Mark was John Mark, a traveling companion of Saint Paul and Saint Peter.  A popular myth, however, is that John Mark was actually the son of St. Peter.  St. Paul mentions John Mark in one of his letters, as do a few early church historians.  An important fact is that Mark did not walk with Jesus, know Jesus or witness His ministry.

More on St. MarkMore on St. Mark  St. Mark was more than likely a Christian who came from the Jewish tradition and/or background.  His Gospel was written sometime between AD.  It is the earliest acknowledged Gospel that has been written.  The audience was Gentile Christians who were suffering persecution -- either by the Romans (lead by Emperor Nero, who had St. Peter martyred in AD) or by Jews during the First Revolt against Rome in Jerusalem before the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

St. Mark’s InspirationsSt. Mark’s Inspirations  Mark drew upon several different sources for inspiration:  Oral Traditions about Jesus, which possibly included Peter’s first-person testimony.  Written collections of the parables.  Miracle stories  Sayings of Jesus  The Passion His narrative outline would be used/copied by St. Matthew and St. Luke in their Gospels.

Why Was It Written?Why Was It Written?  A major theme in Mark’s Gospel is for the readers to remain faithful to Jesus, who himself suffered and died for them.  According to Mark, Jesus was not only the Son of God, but the Son of Man. Jesus suffered and walked the way of the cross (remember: Jesus was authentic!)  Most importantly, Mark links the suffering of the Passion to the glory of the Resurrection (the paschal mystery).  Thus suffering is essential for salvation.

Two Essential QuestionsTwo Essential Questions  St. Mark continually poses two essential questions regarding Jesus Christ to his readers:  First: “Who is this person?”  Second: “Will you follow Jesus?”

Applying St. MarkApplying St. Mark  Chapter 2:17  Chapter 8:34  Chapter 3:35  Chapter 9:35  Chapter 9:23  Chapter 14:38

Mark 1:1-20Mark 1:1-20  Mark reveals Jesus to be an authoritative teacher right from the beginning of his Gospel.  What does Jesus’ message center around?  What does Jesus proclaim?  How is Jesus the Good News?

Mark 1:1-20Mark 1:1-20  Jesus’ identity is directly tied to the concept of the “Messianic Secret”  Jesus of Nazareth = the Christ = the Messiah = Son of Man = Son of God.  However, His Apostles never really knew or understood Jesus. They continually misinterpreted and misunderstood Jesus, His teachings and His mission.

Mark 1:1-20Mark 1:1-20  According to Mark, the Kingdom of God is about God’s salvation, peace, justice and closeness to human beings.  Jesus was the Kingdom; He is God’s salvation; He is God’s peace and justice.  Mark 1:1-20 also includes the Baptism and Jesus entering the desert.

Jesus The Authoritative TeacherJesus The Authoritative Teacher  According to Mark, Jesus taught with Authority. Using examples and previous knowledge about Jesus, what examples can you come up with that demonstrate Jesus was an authoritative teacher?

 Here’s a starting point when thinking of your examples:  Authority generally means:  The right to command  Someone with official power  The source of reliable information  The ability to gain the respect of others and influence what they do  Knowledge, skill or experience worthy of respect

The 5 Major ConflictsThe 5 Major Conflicts  Jesus claimed that he could forgive sin.  Jesus’ table fellowship; socializing with outcasts.  Jesus’ not fasting according to the strict obligations of Jewish law.  Jesus freely interpreting the meaning of eating customs on the Sabbath.  Jesus healing people with chronic disease on the Sabbath.

Jesus’ Miracles & HealingsJesus’ Miracles & Healings  In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus’ miracles are intimately related to His proclamation of the Kingdom:  Jesus successfully battling the forces of evil. This proves that even in Jesus’ public ministry, God’s Kingdom is actively present.  Jesus’ miracles prove that salvation is taking place right now. Moreover, forgiving sin by backing up his words with a healing is a powerful and convincing sign of Jesus’ identity as God’s Son.  Faith and repentance both play major roles.

For ReflectionFor Reflection  “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35)

The Human JesusThe Human Jesus  Of all the Gospels, Mark focuses the most on the humanity of Jesus.  In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus displays a wide array of human emotions, in a wide variety of situations.  The human side of Jesus presented by Mark can also be described as compassionate and loving.

For DiscussionFor Discussion  “He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” (Mark, 8:31-33)

Jesus The Suffering Servant Jesus The Suffering Servant  As the Paschal sacrifice, Jesus makes himself the model of strength and hope for his followers, especially for those who underwent rejection for remaining faithful to Him and His teachings.  Mark’s message is clear: Whomever follows Jesus must be prepared to suffer as Jesus himself suffered.  However, his disciples did not truly understand the message of Jesus; they were confused about Jesus and His meaning.

The Arrival in JerusalemThe Arrival in Jerusalem