1. NT101C-03: A Survey of the New Testament
“Faithfulness to our tasks brings its own rewards!”
NT101C-03: A Survey of
the New Testament
Chapter 5
Mark: An Apology for
the Crucifixion of Jesus
“Son of God, Servant of All” (pp )

2. 5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Introduction: Salvation History (didactic/doctrine)
NT Center: HEILSGESCHICHTE (history of salvation)
Gospels – What genre are the Gospels?
Greco-Roman biography
Hellenistic narrative
Preachings and teachings from theological perspectives
5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Evangelists – designations for the Gospel writers
Mark wrote the Gospel and Peter’s kerygma was
the source of the tradition of Jesus.
Action Gospel – use of adverb “immediately”
Arrangement – stories of Jesus’ authority

3. 5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
The Gospel of Mark is plain and most direct. Its trait is realism. It is the closest account of Jesus’ career. Jesus is presented as servant and with authority in word and deed.
Suggested Purposes: “catechetical instruction,” “liturgical use,” “cover up a failure,” “soften the political offensiveness,” “encourage the persecuted Christians”
5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Theme: Apology - “Counteracting the Shame”
Date: A.D. 70 locus point/64-67 Peter’s death
Audience and Provenance: Roman addressees
Structure: “loose arrangement”

4. 5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Mark’s Jesus: From Galilee to Jerusalem (outline)
I. From Galilee to Caesarea Philippi
A. Jesus’ Popular Ministry in Galilee (1:1-3:35)
B. Jesus’ Parabolic Ministry in Galilee (4:1-6:29)
C. Jesus’s 1st Pastoral Ministry: To Caesarea
Philippi (6:30-8:26)
5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
II. From Caesarea Philippi to Jerusalem
A. Jesus’ 2nd Pastoral Ministry: Passion,
Predictions, Misunderstandings (8:27-10:45)
B. Jesus’ 1st Passion Ministry: Rejection in
Jerusalem (10:46-13:37)
C. Jesus’s 2nd Passion Ministry: Predictions
Fulfilled (14:1-16:8)

5. 5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Mark’s Preliminaries Before Jesus’ Public Life
John the Baptist is depicted in Mark’s Gospel as
the herald making way for Jesus as well as
the baptizer of Jesus and others who
repented.
5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus’ Baptism: the voice (of the Father), the dove (which is the Holy Spirit), the beloved (well pleasing Son/the Christ)
The Temptation of Jesus caused the recognition
of him as the Christ, the Son of God, by Satan
himself, the wild beasts and God’s angels.

6. 5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Mark’s Interpretation of Jesus’ Authority
The authority of Jesus validates that indeed he is the Son of God. His authority is shown through:
a. his preaching that “God’s kingdom is near”
and his effective calling of the apostles
5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
b. his exorcism of demons with authority
c. his healing of all sorts of diseases
d. his cleansing of a leper, only God can do
Authority and Magnetism of Jesus

7. 5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Mark’s Account of The 12 and Jesus the Christ
The Twelve Apostles are sent with authority and correspond to the 12 tribes of Israel.
Holy Spirit versus Beelzebul – committing blasphemy and eternal sin
5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Parables of the kingdom (comparison) – Jesus’ parables covered the truth negatively from the outsiders/unbelievers but clarified the truth positively for the insiders/believers.

8. 5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Some Miracles of Jesus in Mark
Miracles as signs of kingdom’s presence
Stilling a storm – nature obeys Jesus
Legion – demons trembled before the Son
Bleeding woman and Jairus’ daughter
5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Feeding of the 5,000 noted in the 4 Gospels
Walking on the water – Jesus is God
Syro-Phoenician woman – healing foreigner
Healing a deaf-mute – “Ephphatha”
Feeding of the 4,000 – lack of appreciation
Blind man healed – gradual healing

9. 5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Peter’s Confession: “You are the Christ” Mk 8:29
Transfiguration – Jesus with Elijah and Moses
Children (Mk 10:15) and Wealth (Mk 10:25)
Mk 10:30 – “this age” and “the age to come”
Jewish Understanding
“This Age” (the present evil age)
X = Midpoint = Coming of the Messiah
“The Age to Come” (the messianic age)
5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
“the age to come” X
“this age”
Cup and Baptism – suffer and die (Mk 10:35ff)
Blind Bartimaeus – Son of David (Mk 10:46ff)

10. 5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
The Triumphal Entry
divine foreknowledge of Jesus
deity prerogative of the Christ
hosanna welcome in the Lord’s name
Cursing and Cleansing – prophetic words
5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Parable of the Wicked Tenants – “accusatory”
Taxation – “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” (Mk 12:17)
The Resurrection and the Sadducees
Greatest Mandate, David’s Son, Widow’s Mite

11. 5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Death and Resurrection of Jesus
The Olivet Discourse – foresees the temple destruction, the abomination of desolation, the great tribulation and the return of Christ
Plot of the Sanhedrin to Arrest and Kill Jesus
Counteracting the Shame of Jesus’ Crucifixion
5 – Mark: An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
Woman’s anointing of Jesus as preparation of his body for burial (foreknowledge)
Last supper, arrest, trial of Jesus (prediction)
Crucifixion, death, burial of Jesus (apology)
*JESUS’ RESURRECTION* (Mk 16:1-7/very short)

12. 5 – An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus
The Textual Problem of the Ending of Mark’s Gospel “The best textual tradition stops with Mark 16:8. Inferior traditions add 16:9-20, called the long ending, and a shorter, unnumbered ending, both generally recognized as inauthentic. Many think that Mark intended his Gospel to end with 16:8. If so, the women’s trembling and amazement, dumbfoundedness and fear, bring the Gospel to a close on the note of awe, as appropriate to Mark’s portrayal of Jesus as the Christ, God’s Son. On the other hand, Mark’s narrating the fulfillments of all Jesus’ other predictions insofar as those fulfillments had occurred during Jesus’ time on earth favors that Mark went on to narrate a fulfillment of the disciples’ seeing Jesus in Galilee and that the two inauthentic endings arose out of awareness that such an original ending was lost.” (Gundry, A Survey of NT, 181)
5 – An Apology for the Crucifixion of Jesus