Tuesday, April 13, 2010
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Monday, April 12, 2010
Mark 4:35-5:20
Following the section on Jesus' parables, the Gospel of Mark now begins a section on Jesus' miracles, and it starts off with two particularly vivid stories.
Jesus now uses the boat (which had been for preaching to the crowds on the shore) to cross the lake to the other side. The other (east) side of the lake is Gentile territory, so this is a very significant trip for a Jewish prophet! As Jesus and his disciples cross the lake (the "sea" of Galilee is about seven miles wide) a storm threatens to sink the boat. Amazingly, Jesus is asleep. The story has many parallels to the story of Jonah--another Jewish prophet who got in a boat to go to a Gentile land, and who went to sleep while a storm threatened to sink the ship. But the difference is that Jesus isn't running away from God; he is boldly going where God presumably wants him to go. And he is asleep, not because he is in some sort of depressed stupor, but because his trust in God is so complete that nothing makes him anxious--not even a terrible storm on the sea.
The disciples wake up Jesus and accuse him of not caring about their wellbeing. Jesus rebukes the wind--the same way he rebukes the demons--and calls for stillness. The storm ceases. Throughout the Bible, the sea is often a symbol of chaos, un-creation, the very epitome of evil. In Genesis, God creates the world by bringing order to an original watery chaos. So now, Jesus brings order out of watery chaos.
For modern readers, this is a "nature miracle," which we may be inclined to put in a different class from healing stories (which could easily have a psychological component). But for Mark and his first readers, there is probably no essential difference between, say, an exorcism and a stilling of the storm. Both miracles are signs of God's kingdom overcoming the forces of evil. The difference is in the magnitude of the miracle--how often does a representative of God still a storm? Not surprisingly, the disciples wonder what kind of person is this. We, the readers, already know. But the disciples do not. Only Easter will reveal the full implications of who Jesus is.
Jesus criticizes the disciples for their lack of faith. Their lack of faith is not that they didn't think Jesus could save them, but that they weren't sure Jesus would save them. For Mark and his church, this story must have reminded them of their own situation. The boat is like the church--with Jesus and his disciples. But there are terrible storms of persecution going on, and many in the boat/church are afraid Jesus will not save them. But this story assures them that whatever happens--whether the persecution results in sinking and earthly death or not--Jesus is master of the storm, and his disciples are ultimately safe with him. We should emulate his nonanxious restfulness, even in the storms.
Jesus arrives in Gentile territory and performs his most spectacular exorcism. Jesus' first miracle was an exorcism in a Jewish synagogue--a holy place; his first miracle in Gentile territory is an exorcism in a graveyard--an unholy place. The strength and number of the demons possessing the man are revealed by their collective name: Legion. A legion is a Roman army of 6000 soldiers. What could be more frightening for Jews (and Mark's readers) than demons with the strength of a Roman army--the same Roman army that in Mark's day would utterly destroy Galilee, Jerusalem, and the Temple.
The demons recognize that in Jesus they are confronted with a higher authority and strength. They beg not to have to leave the country--presumably Gentile country. Jesus sends them into a herd of two thousand pigs that then go crazy and commit mass suicide by drowning in the sea. The modern reader is often troubled by Jesus allowing so many innocent animals die. But ancient Jewish readers would have found this story humorous and wonderful. Pigs are unclean animals. By casting the demons into the pigs, and the pigs then dying in the sea (the place of chaos/evil), Jesus is ridding this Gentile land of uncleanness. He has, in effect, tricked the demons and disposed of them with poetic justice. Jesus has brought the dawning of the kingdom of God even into the land of Gentiles. (There may also be a subtle protest against the Roman army and Roman Empire in this story--Jesus' power has rid the Gentile lands of unclean Roman power.)
Interestingly, the people want Jesus to leave. They are more afraid of the healing change Jesus brings than they were of the demon-possessed man. They prefer a sick status quo to the radical reorientation and healing of the kingdom of God.
But the man who is now healed wants to come with Jesus. Instead, Jesus makes him into a kind of missionary for that Gentile country. It may be that this story originated as a story explaining how the first churches in that area got started.
Jesus now uses the boat (which had been for preaching to the crowds on the shore) to cross the lake to the other side. The other (east) side of the lake is Gentile territory, so this is a very significant trip for a Jewish prophet! As Jesus and his disciples cross the lake (the "sea" of Galilee is about seven miles wide) a storm threatens to sink the boat. Amazingly, Jesus is asleep. The story has many parallels to the story of Jonah--another Jewish prophet who got in a boat to go to a Gentile land, and who went to sleep while a storm threatened to sink the ship. But the difference is that Jesus isn't running away from God; he is boldly going where God presumably wants him to go. And he is asleep, not because he is in some sort of depressed stupor, but because his trust in God is so complete that nothing makes him anxious--not even a terrible storm on the sea.
The disciples wake up Jesus and accuse him of not caring about their wellbeing. Jesus rebukes the wind--the same way he rebukes the demons--and calls for stillness. The storm ceases. Throughout the Bible, the sea is often a symbol of chaos, un-creation, the very epitome of evil. In Genesis, God creates the world by bringing order to an original watery chaos. So now, Jesus brings order out of watery chaos.
For modern readers, this is a "nature miracle," which we may be inclined to put in a different class from healing stories (which could easily have a psychological component). But for Mark and his first readers, there is probably no essential difference between, say, an exorcism and a stilling of the storm. Both miracles are signs of God's kingdom overcoming the forces of evil. The difference is in the magnitude of the miracle--how often does a representative of God still a storm? Not surprisingly, the disciples wonder what kind of person is this. We, the readers, already know. But the disciples do not. Only Easter will reveal the full implications of who Jesus is.
Jesus criticizes the disciples for their lack of faith. Their lack of faith is not that they didn't think Jesus could save them, but that they weren't sure Jesus would save them. For Mark and his church, this story must have reminded them of their own situation. The boat is like the church--with Jesus and his disciples. But there are terrible storms of persecution going on, and many in the boat/church are afraid Jesus will not save them. But this story assures them that whatever happens--whether the persecution results in sinking and earthly death or not--Jesus is master of the storm, and his disciples are ultimately safe with him. We should emulate his nonanxious restfulness, even in the storms.
Jesus arrives in Gentile territory and performs his most spectacular exorcism. Jesus' first miracle was an exorcism in a Jewish synagogue--a holy place; his first miracle in Gentile territory is an exorcism in a graveyard--an unholy place. The strength and number of the demons possessing the man are revealed by their collective name: Legion. A legion is a Roman army of 6000 soldiers. What could be more frightening for Jews (and Mark's readers) than demons with the strength of a Roman army--the same Roman army that in Mark's day would utterly destroy Galilee, Jerusalem, and the Temple.
The demons recognize that in Jesus they are confronted with a higher authority and strength. They beg not to have to leave the country--presumably Gentile country. Jesus sends them into a herd of two thousand pigs that then go crazy and commit mass suicide by drowning in the sea. The modern reader is often troubled by Jesus allowing so many innocent animals die. But ancient Jewish readers would have found this story humorous and wonderful. Pigs are unclean animals. By casting the demons into the pigs, and the pigs then dying in the sea (the place of chaos/evil), Jesus is ridding this Gentile land of uncleanness. He has, in effect, tricked the demons and disposed of them with poetic justice. Jesus has brought the dawning of the kingdom of God even into the land of Gentiles. (There may also be a subtle protest against the Roman army and Roman Empire in this story--Jesus' power has rid the Gentile lands of unclean Roman power.)
Interestingly, the people want Jesus to leave. They are more afraid of the healing change Jesus brings than they were of the demon-possessed man. They prefer a sick status quo to the radical reorientation and healing of the kingdom of God.
But the man who is now healed wants to come with Jesus. Instead, Jesus makes him into a kind of missionary for that Gentile country. It may be that this story originated as a story explaining how the first churches in that area got started.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Mark 4:21-34
After explaining the meaning of the Parable of the Sower (see previous post), Mark now presents a few more parables of Jesus.
Verses 21-15 are little parables. This series of brief statements is not straight-forward speech, but picture-speech. And the pictures are all about how parables work. So these are parables about parables!
For instance: Jesus asks whether a lamp is brought into a room to be put under a basket or bed. The answer is obviously no. A lamp is brought into a room to bring light and reveal things. So it is with parables: they are meant to reveal and bring light. This is the opposite of what Jesus says in verses 11-12, where the purpose of parables is to keep people from seeing! But Mark is probably wanting to make the point that the listener's blindness is not permanent. Eventually, Jesus' parables will indeed reveal God's truth. According to Mark's understanding, this happens after the resurrection, during the preaching ministry of the early church.
All that is hidden during Jesus' ministry will eventually come to light and be understood. The great secret of the kingdom of God (that the Messiah is one who suffers and dies) will soon become clear. And those who pay attention and embrace this truth will make great gains, while those who do not pay attention to this truth will lose whatever little they have.
Starting in verse 26 Jesus tells another parable--but it's not about how parables work, it's about the kingdom of God. This particular parable is the only one unique to Mark (which I find puzzling; why wouldn't Matthew and Luke have wanted to include this parable in their Gospels?). The kingdom of God can be compared to someone who scatters seed, but then the seed grows all on its own without further help; how it grows is a mystery to the planter, but when it has become ripe grain, then the planter harvests it.
How is this a picture of the kingdom of God? Since Mark does not give us an explanation, we have to guess. Here is my guess: The kingdom of God grows in our world, but it is a mystery how it happens and how it works. God uses us to plant kingdom seeds, but we don't make it grow. But the time is coming when the kingdom of God will become fully ripe and ready in our world, and then God will bring the kingdom to completion--the fruit of the kingdom will be harvested and available. Right now the kingdom of God is growing in our world--whether we see it or understand it or not--but it is not fully grown and ready to nourish all. But that time will come.
This parable is followed by another kingdom parable--the familiar parable of the mustard seed. How is this a picture of the kingdom of God? Again, Mark provides no explanation, so we have to guess. Many interpreters think the point of this parable is something like: though the kingdom of God has tiny beginnings, it will grow into something surprisingly large. Matthew and Luke seem to understand it this way since they change the mustard seed plant into a tree big enough to lodge birds' nests in its branches. But the mustard seed plant is merely a large plant, not a tree, and birds build nests in its shade, not its branches. Also, the mustard seed plant was not necessarily a positive image to Jesus' listeners. They may have regarded it more as a nuisance weed that takes over their fields. So it may be that Jesus intended the parable to be heard more like this: The kingdom of God is like a giant weed; though it begins as a tiny seed, it grows into a huge, spreading weed--but the birds like it!
If this is what Jesus intended, then the meaning may be that the kingdom of God does indeed grow in surprising ways; but will we welcome the kingdom (like the birds), or will we think it is merely a weed? I think this may indeed be the meaning of this parable because in Jesus' own ministry people had to decide whether this surprising and offensive man really was, or wasn't, representing the coming of the kingdom of God.
The concluding two verses (33-34) make opposite points. Verse 33 says that Jesus told people parables in order to help them understand, and that they did understand. Verse 34 implies that they did not understand, and that Jesus explained the meaning of the parables privately to his disciples. These opposite statements hold together Mark's own opposite understanding of the purpose of parables. He sees parables as both revealing and concealing--depending on whether one has learned the secret of the kingdom of God.
Verses 21-15 are little parables. This series of brief statements is not straight-forward speech, but picture-speech. And the pictures are all about how parables work. So these are parables about parables!
For instance: Jesus asks whether a lamp is brought into a room to be put under a basket or bed. The answer is obviously no. A lamp is brought into a room to bring light and reveal things. So it is with parables: they are meant to reveal and bring light. This is the opposite of what Jesus says in verses 11-12, where the purpose of parables is to keep people from seeing! But Mark is probably wanting to make the point that the listener's blindness is not permanent. Eventually, Jesus' parables will indeed reveal God's truth. According to Mark's understanding, this happens after the resurrection, during the preaching ministry of the early church.
All that is hidden during Jesus' ministry will eventually come to light and be understood. The great secret of the kingdom of God (that the Messiah is one who suffers and dies) will soon become clear. And those who pay attention and embrace this truth will make great gains, while those who do not pay attention to this truth will lose whatever little they have.
Starting in verse 26 Jesus tells another parable--but it's not about how parables work, it's about the kingdom of God. This particular parable is the only one unique to Mark (which I find puzzling; why wouldn't Matthew and Luke have wanted to include this parable in their Gospels?). The kingdom of God can be compared to someone who scatters seed, but then the seed grows all on its own without further help; how it grows is a mystery to the planter, but when it has become ripe grain, then the planter harvests it.
How is this a picture of the kingdom of God? Since Mark does not give us an explanation, we have to guess. Here is my guess: The kingdom of God grows in our world, but it is a mystery how it happens and how it works. God uses us to plant kingdom seeds, but we don't make it grow. But the time is coming when the kingdom of God will become fully ripe and ready in our world, and then God will bring the kingdom to completion--the fruit of the kingdom will be harvested and available. Right now the kingdom of God is growing in our world--whether we see it or understand it or not--but it is not fully grown and ready to nourish all. But that time will come.
This parable is followed by another kingdom parable--the familiar parable of the mustard seed. How is this a picture of the kingdom of God? Again, Mark provides no explanation, so we have to guess. Many interpreters think the point of this parable is something like: though the kingdom of God has tiny beginnings, it will grow into something surprisingly large. Matthew and Luke seem to understand it this way since they change the mustard seed plant into a tree big enough to lodge birds' nests in its branches. But the mustard seed plant is merely a large plant, not a tree, and birds build nests in its shade, not its branches. Also, the mustard seed plant was not necessarily a positive image to Jesus' listeners. They may have regarded it more as a nuisance weed that takes over their fields. So it may be that Jesus intended the parable to be heard more like this: The kingdom of God is like a giant weed; though it begins as a tiny seed, it grows into a huge, spreading weed--but the birds like it!
If this is what Jesus intended, then the meaning may be that the kingdom of God does indeed grow in surprising ways; but will we welcome the kingdom (like the birds), or will we think it is merely a weed? I think this may indeed be the meaning of this parable because in Jesus' own ministry people had to decide whether this surprising and offensive man really was, or wasn't, representing the coming of the kingdom of God.
The concluding two verses (33-34) make opposite points. Verse 33 says that Jesus told people parables in order to help them understand, and that they did understand. Verse 34 implies that they did not understand, and that Jesus explained the meaning of the parables privately to his disciples. These opposite statements hold together Mark's own opposite understanding of the purpose of parables. He sees parables as both revealing and concealing--depending on whether one has learned the secret of the kingdom of God.
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