Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark Echoes

Cana Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark A little more background on Mark: Family migrated back to Palestine shortly after Mark’s birth And so does my son Mark. (1 Peter 5:13) Many scholars believe Mark was the young man following Jesus who ran away naked when Jesus was arrested And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked (Mk 14:51-52) Mark was educated in the law and the classics; he could read, write, and speak Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin Mark’s father died; St Peter took care of the family and considered Mark his son Mark provides details regarding Simon of Cyrene Settled near Cana in Galilee<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark Getting back to Mark’s Gospel , what are Echoes of Scripture? Quotation: You have heard that it was said… (Mt 5:27, 31, 33, 38, 43)
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said… “The voice of one crying in the wilderness…(Mt 3:3) “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mk 15:34)
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Ps 22:1) “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.” (Mt 1:23)
“Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.” (Is 7:14)<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark Allusions: For it is written, ‘He will give his angels charge of you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ (Mt 4:6)
For it is written, ‘He will give his angels charge of you, to guard you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ (Lk 4:10-11) Several words or a reference to a notable character or event to enhance our understanding of the text The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him. (Mk 1:12-13) For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. (Ps 91:11-12) Getting back to Mark’s Gospel , what are Echoes of Scripture? You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot. (Ps 91:13)<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark Echoes: Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given to you. For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. (Mk 4:24-25) The least-obvious reference; maybe only a single word Getting back to Mark’s Gospel , what are Echoes of Scripture?<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark Matthew 3:16 and Luke 3:21 recount the Baptism of Jesus.
In describing the opening of the heavens, both use the Greek root ήνεώχθησαν (eneochthesan) which means simply that the clouds opened or drifted apart. Echoes βαπτισθείς δέ ό ‘Ιησους εύθυς άνέβή άπο του ‘ύδατος καί ιδού ήνεώχθησαν [αύτώ] οί ούρανοί
Having been baptized moreover, Jesus immediately went up from the water; and behold, were opened [to him] the heavens<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark Καί εύθυς άναβαίνων έκ του ‘ύδατος είδεν σχιζομένους τους ούρανους
And immediately going up from the water, he saw tearing open the heavens Echoes WHY DOES THIS MATTER? In Mark 1:10, Mark uses the Greek word σχιζομένους (schizomenous) which means a violent tearing or ripping asunder! And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened… (Mk 1:10 RSV)
On coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens being torn open (Mk 1:10 NAB)<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark Primary questions:
How does Mark invoke/evoke Scripture to…
re-narrate Israel’s story?
narrate the identity of Jesus?
narrate the Church’s role in relation to the world? Primary themes:
Spiritual warfare for a heavenly kingdom vs earthly warfare for an earthly kingdom
Jesus is the Son of God, the promised Messiah; the king of the heavenly kingdom
The Church is a community set apart from business-as-usual; and as such will suffer tremendous persecution until the Second Coming<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark Mark establishes these themes from the outset: Αρχή τοϋ εύαγγελίου Ιησοϋ Χριστοϋ [υίοϋ θεοϋ]
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mk 1:1) What are the very first words of Mark’s Gospel? Isaiah 64
O that you would tear the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence… to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence Isaiah 40
Even the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
and are accounted as dust on the scales…
All the nations are as nothing before him;
they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark Mark immediately reinforces his themes and establishes the framework for his Gospel via a quotation… from whom? As it is written in the Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who shall prepare your way;
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” A voice cries: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
Make straight in the desert a highway for our God (Is 40:3)<br>

Whose likeness and inscription is this? (Mk 12:16) Whose likeness image and inscription is this? (Mk 12:16) Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark How is one to consider earthly rule vs the Kingdom of Heaven? Why do you put me to the test? (Mk 12:15) Bring me a coin and let me look at it. (Mk 12:15) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him… (Gen 1:27) Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s (Mk 12:17) Paying of taxes…<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark Another echo illustrating Mark’s emphasis on repentance because the Kingdom is at hand… Behold, I am sending for many fishers (άλιεϊς), says the Lord, and they shall catch them…for my eyes are upon all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes. And I will doubly recompense their iniquity and their sin. (Jer 16:16-18) Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are in the mountains of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy… the days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks…and you shall be cast forth into Harmon [Samaria]. (Amos 4:1-3) And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you become fishers (άλιεϊς) of men.”(Mk 1:17)<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark One of the richest allusions in Mark involves the Temple scene: And [Jesus] overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons, and he would not allow any one to carry anything through the temple…
And he taught, and he said to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” (Mk 11:15-17) These [foreigners] I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel,
I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered. (Is 56:7-8) Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord…’
Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Ba’al,
and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!
Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers? (Jer 7:4,9-11)<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark Spiritual Warfare: And he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” (Mk 1:24) But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him” (Mk 1:25) They brought him all who were sick or possessed with demons (Mk1:32)
And he healed many who were sick…and cast out many demons (Mk 1:34)
And he went through all Galilee, preaching…and casting out demons (Mk 1:39)
And he appointed twelve…and have authority to cast out demons (Mk 3:15) And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped him; and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me… my name is Legion, for we are many (Mk 5:6-9)<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark Mark’s Theology of the Cross: 1) Christ as the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God, the sacrifice of atonement 2) Christ as the instrument through which we are released from the curses of the Adamic covenant 3) Christ as the sacrifice establishing the new and eternal covenant 4) Christ as the outward symbol of God’s love, who teaches us how to love 5) Christ as the outward symbol of God’s covenantal fidelity, the obedience of faith 6) Christ as substantial foundation of our hope 7) Christ as the complete revelation of God’s identity<br>

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospel of Mark For there is nothing hidden, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.
If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.
Take heed what you hear!
The measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given to you (Mk 4:22-24)<br>