Blog (2) Alex Tabora

The most significant factor about the Gospel of Mark that sets it apart from the other Gospels is that Mark places serious emphasis on the image of the human Jesus. As depicted in Jesus Christ-Through the Centuries, Jesus can be categorized in a variety of images from his historical face, his cultural face, and his human face.¹ The human face of Jesus represents depicting Jesus as not just the savior of humanity but also as a human being, one of which who caused great wonder, amazement, and awe upon those who encountered him. Mark addresses both Jesus' divinity and his humanity. Evidence presented of his desire to express Jesus' humanity are depicted in Mark 6:3, he depicts Jesus "the carpenter," and also speaks of Jesus' emotions.² Mark's writing adds vivid detail to the person of Jesus that the other Gospels do not.

Examining the reliability of Mark, I begin by addressing Daniel Johansson's, The Identity of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark: Past and Present Proposals. Johansson addresses the reliability of Mark based on the argument that it is the most primitive Gospel.³ The Gospel of Mark was also a credible source that assured the completion of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. H.J. Holtzmann's Die synoptischen Evangelien addresses that Jesus's baptism was the start of the gradual development of his messianic consciousness. Donald H. Jeul and Patrick R. Keifert's A Markan Epiphany addresses Jesus' first event in his ministry, the dramatic exorcism.⁴ Markan Jesus is interpreted to be more a teacher than an exorcist. As the agent of God's rule, he is also the hell bringer to seize control of Satan's domain. One of the most interesting parts of the involvement of the Markan Jesus, which was addressed during the exorcism, is that only the supernatural beings in the story are able to recognize Jesus and make confessions. There is a mystery about the Markan Jesus' identity that must be concealed until the time to reveal himself arrives.

¹ J. Pelikan. Jesus Through the Centuries: His Place in the History of Culture. (Yale University Press, 1999).

² (Mark 6:23, New Revised Standard Version)

³ D. Johansson. "The Identity of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark: Past and Present Proposals." (Biblical Research 2011 9:364. Vol 9. No. 3. 2011) 365

⁴ D. Jeul. P.Keifert. A Markan Epiphany: Lessons from Mark 1. (Word & World. Vol 8. No. 1. 1988) 83.

Bibliography

Pelikan, James. Jesus Through the Centuries: His Place in the History of Culture. (Yale University Press, 1999).

(Mark 6:23, New Revised Standard Version)

Johansson, Daniel. "The Identity of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark: Past and Present Proposals." (Biblical Research 2011 9:364. Vol 9. No. 3. 2011) 365

Juel, Donald. Keifert, Patrick. A Markan Epiphany: Lessons from Mark 1. (Word & World. Vol 8. No. 1. 1988) 83.