The gospel of Mark relates a story of Jesus meeting Moses and Elijah on a mountain. Those who are familiar with the Bible will recall that on a mountain Moses and Elijah each appealed to God on behalf of the people of ancient Israel. Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments. Elijah left Mount Carmel after defeating the priests of Baal. Now Peter, James and John hear a voice from a cloud repeating the words revealed to Jesus at his baptism: "This is my beloved Son; listen to him." As he comes down from the mountain with his disciples, Jesus tells them not to tell anyone what they have heard until after the Son of Man has "risen from the dead."

They seem astounded to hear this (in Mark 9), although Jesus has already told them (in Mark 8) that the Son of Man is to be killed and after three days will rise. They ask about Elijah coming before the day of the Lord, and Jesus explains that Elijah has already come (apparently referring to John the Baptist). Because in the biblical story of Elijah he had been taken up into heaven without dying, Jews believed that Elijah would return before the day of the Lord's judgment. Therefore, if Elijah had come as John the Baptist, that might mean the end was very near.

When they rejoin the other disciples, Jesus finds these disciples have been unable to cure a boy possessed by a spirit. He says, "Everything is possible to one who believes." The boy's father then cries out: "I believe; help my unbelief." And Jesus cures the boy. Once again, Jesus teaches his disciples that the Son of Man must be killed and will rise after three days. This is the third time we have heard this teaching, but the gospel relates that the disciples did not understand and were afraid to ask. Instead, they begin to argue about which of them is the greatest. Jesus tells them, "If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all." And he says that whoever receives a child in his name not only receives him, but "the One who sent" him.

When his disciples report on a stranger driving out demons in his name, Jesus says: "He who is not against us is on our side." Then the gospel of Mark relates several warnings concerning temptation, which use brutal language. For example, the gospel reports that Jesus said: "if your eye causes your downfall, tear it out; it is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to keep both eyes and be thrown into hell." Language like this, using exaggeration for emphasis, is a well-known rhetorical device, and should not be understood literally.

This section of the gospel of Mark concludes with a series of dialogues. Jesus is asked if divorce is lawful. He responds by asking, "What did Moses command you?" Those questioning him reply that "Moses permitted a man to divorce his wife by a certificate of dismissal." Jesus answers that this "was because of your stubbornness." Then he argues from Genesis that marriage is for life: "what God has joined together, man must not separate." Paul allowed divorce in the church between a Christian and a non-Christian spouse, but the gospel of Mark confirms a tradition of teaching by Jesus that is more strict than the Jewish law or Paul's modification of it.

When the disciples question this teaching and also rebuke people bringing children to Jesus to be blessed, Jesus becomes angry. "Let the children come to me," he says, "for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." And Jesus adds: "Whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." This seems to mean having the trusting nature of a child is essential, but the disciples are left to figure out the meaning on their own.

In the next dialogue Jesus responds to a question about eternal life by reciting the commandments of Jewish law. After the man raising the question says he has kept these, Jesus tells him to sell his goods, give his wealth to the poor, and follow him. As the man leaves with a heavy heart, Jesus says, "How hard it will be for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!" When the disciples ask, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus answers, "Everything is possible for God." And after Peter asks about the disciples, Jesus says all those who give up their families for the sake of the gospel will enjoy a greater family now and eternal life in the age to come.

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus again tells his disciples that the Son of Man will be killed and will rise from the dead. This seems to prompt two of them, James and John, to ask to sit at his right and left, when he comes to rule in glory. Jesus tells them they do not understand what they are asking and then says to the others disciples, who are angered by this special pleading, that "the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Outside the gates of Jericho Jesus heals Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, saying to him: "Your faith has healed you." And Bartimaeus at once begins to follow him toward Jerusalem. As he is not admonished to be silent, we sense that the time for Jesus to reveal his true identity is near.

Near Bethany, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, Jesus sends two disciples to get a colt that seems to have been prepared for him. Then the disciples spread their cloaks on the colt and walk before and behind it as Jesus rides into Jerusalem. The disciples and others along the road shout: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David which is coming!" Here, the "Lord" refers to God, not to Jesus; and the kingdom that the people seem to expect involves independence from the rule of the Romans. After looking around the temple, Jesus leads the disciples back to Bethany for the night.

The next day he curses a fig tree for not having fruit, even though it "was not the season for figs." Then he enters the temple and throws out the moneychangers. When the disciples notice the next day that the fig tree has withered, Jesus says, "Have faith in God." He tells the disciples that they will receive whatever they ask for in prayer, but warns: "If you have a grievance against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you the wrongs you have done." (This statement may be found in the prayer attributed to Jesus, which in the church is known among Protestants as the "Lord's Prayer" and among Roman Catholics as the "Our Father." In the gospels of Matthew and Luke we find slightly different versions of this prayer.)

We find here another example of one story inserted into another. The cleansing of the temple is inserted into the story of the fig tree, which seems to suggest that the cleansing of the temple is also about faith. The issue is not that the moneychangers are cheating the people by marking up the exchange rate for trading Roman currency for Jewish coins or by selling them animals for sacrifice at unfair prices. Jesus attacks them because the temple is robbing the poor people by promising an answer to prayer for those who purchase sacrificial pigeons. Prayer, Jesus says, will be answered for those with faith who repent of their sins. He is challenging the prosperous Jewish establishment that "is selling prayer" in the temple to the poor.

This story supports arguments made by Paul that the focus of faith is not the temple in Jerusalem, but the risen Christ. Did Jesus actually enter the temple and throw out the moneychangers? All four gospels in the New Testament record that he did, although the gospel of John places this encounter at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. Those who read the Bible literally argue that he must have done this twice — once at the beginning and then again at the end of his ministry. Yet, this seems unlikely, as the first three gospels do not even report that Jesus goes to Jerusalem until the end of his ministry and also record that the disciples are surprised when Jesus causes a stir in the temple.

Not surprisingly, the disturbance in the temple leads to a debate with its leaders. The gospel of Mark tells us that the chief priests, scribes, and elders ask Jesus: "By what authority are you acting like this?" Jesus replies by asking them whether John's baptism was from God or men. This retort effectively silences them, as they cannot answer either yes or no without stirring up the crowds against them.

Jesus then tells a parable about a man who planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants. When he sends servants to collect the rent, the tenants refuse and beat them. So, finally the man sends "his beloved son," believing the tenants will respect him. When the tenants kill him instead, they can only expect, Jesus says, that the man will come "and put the tenants to death and give the vineyard to others." In case the Jewish authorities fail to get the point, Jesus quotes a passage of scripture for them: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the main cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes." (Psalm 118:22-23) The author of the gospel of Mark notes the temple authorities "saw that the parable was aimed at them and wanted to arrest him," but because of the crowd they left him alone.

Then some Pharisees and supporters of Herod try to trap him with a question about paying taxes to the Roman emperor. Jesus answers by asking them to show him a coin. "Whose head is this," Jesus says, "and whose inscription?" When they reply, "Caesar's," Jesus says: "Pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and God what belongs to God." This is far less clear than Paul's statement about being a good citizen in the Roman Empire, because Jesus does not clarify what belongs to Caesar. Certainly, many of those following him felt that very little if any of the meager income of the poor Jewish people rightfully belonged to the Romans. In 66 CE, about thirty years after the crucifixion of Jesus, these crowds revolted against Roman rule.

The gospel of Mark then relates that Sadducees, "who maintain that there is no resurrection" (the author explains for his Gentile readers), present Jesus with a problem concerning the obligation under Jewish law of a brother to marry the widow of his deceased brother, if she has not given birth to a child. If one or more brothers marries a widow, they ask, whose wife will she be at the resurrection? Jesus answers by explaining that they do not understand what resurrection means. Men and women, he teaches, who rise from the dead, are like angels and thus do not marry.

Then a scribe asks Jesus, "Which is the first of all the commandments?" He answers by quoting Deuteronomy 6:4 and Leviticus 19:18. His answer so impresses the scribe, that the scribe warmly praises him. "You are right in saying that God is one and beside him there is no other. And to love him with all your heart, all your understanding, and all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself-that means far more than any whole-offerings and sacrifices."

It is significant that the gospel of Mark includes this statement by a scribe. In this story Jesus affirms the Jewish law, and a Jewish expert in that law expresses complete agreement with him. Clearly, not all the Jewish leaders opposed Jesus, because at least some Jews agreed with his understanding of the law of Moses. This, of course, was also true for Paul, who told the church in Galatia that the whole law was summed up by the commandment to love our neighbors. (Gal. 5:14) The Jewish Christian leaders in Jerusalem may have opposed Paul, but we know from his letters that many Greek-speaking Jews in other cities of the Roman Empire agreed with him.

The Jesus of this gospel does not reject the Jewish law, but interprets it freely as apparently other Jews were. Jesus even seems to believe that the Messiah is not the son of David, because he argues that in Psalm 110:1 David refers to the Messiah as Lord. This denial that Jesus is descended from David is inconsistent with the genealogy and birth story in the gospel of Matthew, but perhaps it is included here to emphasize for Gentile readers the freedom of Jesus from the Jewish tradition.

Then Jesus condemns the hypocrisy of the scribes: "Those who eat up the property of widows while for appearance' sake they say long prayers, will receive a sentence all the more severe." It is not Jewish law, this gospel teaches, that keeps Jews from the kingdom of God, but injustice, pride and hypocrisy by those who know the law and, therefore, should know better. To illustrate his point Jesus tells his disciples that a poor widow, who gave all she could to the temple treasury, has given far more than the rich contributors who have given only a small portion of their wealth. The gospel of Mark teaches that God demands justice of both Jews and Gentiles.

[ ] 1. The author of the gospel of Mark seems to believe that Elijah ____________ .

A. Appeared on a mountain with Jesus B. Came to earth as John the Baptist C. Both of these

[ ] 2. When Jesus teaches his disciples that he must be killed and will be raised, they________ .

A. React with faith B. Understand C. Do not understand

[ ] 3. We should understand the command to "tear out an eye," if we look with lust, as ________ .

A. The word of God B. A literal commandment of Jesus C. Exaggeration for emphasis

[ ] 4. The teaching of Jesus in the gospel of Mark about divorce ___________ .

A. Is the same as the Law of Moses B. Is the same as Paul C. Prohibits it

[ ] 5. Jesus says it will be ______ for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God.

A. Hard B. Easy C. Not too difficult

[ ] 6. Those who refer to the "name of the Lord" as Jesus enters Jerusalem are referring to ____ .

A. Jesus as Lord B. God C. Herod Antipas

[ ] 7. Jesus throws the moneychangers out of the temple because ________ .

A. Commerce was prohibited there B. The temple is misleading the poor C. They were crooks

[ ] 8. In response to a question about taxes Jesus says ________ .

A. Don't pay them B. Pay them C. Give to the emperor what belongs to the emperor

[ ] 9. The story of Jesus' reply to a question about what commandment is first shows _________ .

A. That he knows Jewish scripture B. Many Jews agree with him C. Both of these are correct

[ ] 10. Jesus condemns the __________ of the scribes.

A. Teachings B. Training C. Hypocrisy

Answers

If you wish, please respond to the following questions in your own words:

"Do we tend to avoid reading in the church the harsh sayings of Jesus? Should we?"

"What does the story of the fig tree have to do with faith?"

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Copyright (C) 2001 by Robert Traer. All rights reserved.
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