Kata Markon

["Larry & Sharon Hooge" <thehooges AT home.com>]

Some people divide Mark into two halves.  The first half of Mark deals with "who Jesus is" while the second half deals with "what Jesus was going to do".  Both questions deal with the disciples response to these questions.  The answer to the first question is finally anwered when Peter confesses, "You are the messiah", and perhaps it is further answered at the transfiguration when it is revealed to Peter, James and John that Jesus is God's son (a step higher, I suppose, than messiah).

 

What I'm interested in is how Mark builds to this point in his story.  That is, I'm interested in how Mark may have built up to Peter's confession of Jesus' identity.  We know that Mark uses many more miracles in the first half of his story compared to the second half.  No doubt, this is one way in which Mark is 'telling' the disciples that Jesus is the messiah/son of God.  But what I'm wondering is whether these miracle stories are simply meant to be viewed on a same, equal plain, with no one miracle greater than the other (with the shear number finally enlightening Peter), or has Mark arranged the stories in any sort of crescendo'ing, building-up manner to the final climactic moments of Peter's confession? 

 

For example, is there something about the feedings of the 5000 and 4000 (which come very nearly just before Peter's confession) which Mark's readers would have viewed as geater than the other miracles?  Were these the final overwhelming miracles which should have finally opened the eyes of the disciples?  Did Mark leave the best for last (or near last)?  Were these the toppers.  ...  I'm wondering, for example, whether Mark's audience would have drawn any kind of distinction between 'miracles of nature' and 'other miracles', as we do today?  Would 'miracles of nature' have been more impressive to them (cf., 4.41, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?")  Did Mark think them more impressive?

 

Another possibility for me is how Mark uses the crowds in his story.  I see four major summary statements concerning the progess of Jesus' ministry:  1.32-34, 1.39, 3.7-12 and 6.53-56.  The first three seem to show Jesus' progress in his popularity and mission:  from Capernaum, through all of Galilee, to the point where a great multitude are coming from even beyond the borders of Israel.  And then in chapter 6 the crowds are even following him out into the wilderness, if you will.  He can't get away from them it seems.  Even across the Sea of Galilee in desolate places Jesus attracts huge crowds.  Is this another way Mark builds the reader/the disciples to the place of recognizing Jesus as the messiah?  Is there something messianic about Jesus' popularity?  

 

Basically, these two things.  A crescendo in miracles and popularity.  Is this how Mark leads the disciples/ the reader to seeing Jesus as the messiah ... son of God?  Is this how Mark's early readers would have understood it?  Is Mark building to the moment of confession, or was it e.g., simply the volume of miracles (without crescendo) which was meant to be convincing?

 

Any other ideas? 

 

Larry Hooge,

Vancouver, B.C.