B. Mark 1:13 - 3:6 The Arrival of the Kingdom is Announced

Mark 1:14-15 Transitional Markan Summary of Jesus’ preaching

In terms of our sense of the development of the plot of Mark the key thing here is the synchronizing of the beginning of Jesus’ preaching with the “handing over of John”. Only when one exits the stage can the other enter.

Jesus came proclaiming the good news. Here Jesus is the "preacher of the gospel": in contrast, Mark portrays Jesus as the teacher who is mighty in word and in deed. The language of this linking summary sounds strange. It is the language of the narrator, not the language of the character Jesus.

Mark 1:16-20 Calling of representative disciples

This is the first of four callings of disciples (cf. 2:13ff., 3:13ff., 6:6bff.) As second readers we have a strong sense that the “disciples” are going to play a major role in teaching us about what it means to follow Jesus. ”In fact, their failures constitute the primary literary device by which the narrator reveals Jesus' standards for discipleship, for much of his teaching comes in the course of correcting their behavior and attitudes.” (Rhoads, Dewey & Michie, p124). In the course of our reading we have noted that, in addition to the four named fishermen here, and Levi in 2:14, they are referred to as “his disciples” (2:15), “they” (1:29), “the twelve” (3:14, 14:17), “them” (3:23), “us” (4:35) and the “women looking on … who used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee” (15:40f)

The summary proclamation of the Kingdom of God is immediately followed by a typical, stylized response that is in the style of the calling of Elisha by Elijah (1 Kings 19:19-21) – passing … saw … called … left … followed…

We remember that the final element of the Gospel also associates Galilee with his disciples - Jesus "goes ahead" of his disciples (16:7)

Follow me (the status of discipleship) and I will make you into those who fish for humans (the function of discipleship - so Donahue). This two-level request will be seen again in the calling of the twelve (3:13f). The fishing metaphor normally evokes images of judgment at the end of the age when God’s net is cast out (Jeremiah 16:16; Ezekiel 32:3f, 17:20; Hosea 7:12). Such negativity here would clash with the two subsequent commissioning stories at 3:13ff and 6:7ff. Donahue calls the fishing image "enigmatic".

Jesus, who will be proclaimed as “mighty in word and deed”, teaching with authority, healing all manner of sickness, casting out demons and having the wind and the waves obey him, this Jesus commands the disciples to come follow him and they obey immediately. The proclamation of the kingdom in word and deed is on the march!

Mark 1:21-34 A representative “day” in Capernaum

A paradigmatic calling leads into a paradigmatic day. In both cases, the authority of Jesus’ word is demonstrated: he commands and disciples follow, he commands and demons come out. The overall classification is that of “teaching”, a “new teaching with authority”. Later, the authority of his word, his authority to forgive sins, will be challenged and then vindicated by his ability to command a healing (2:10f.).

The “day” links together three healing stories on the Sabbath day and the evening of the following day – inside a public building, inside a private dwelling and out at the city gate, involving an individual man, an individual woman and a crowd. It included sickness and demon possession.

The reference to the day does not imply diary jottings or the beginnings of a history. Rather, it links the various healing activities together and places them under the rubric of “teaching with authority” We are told that Jesus was “teaching in the synagogue” and “proclaiming the message in their synagogues” but what we see him doing is healing the sick and casting out demons. We do not see/hear a lot of the teaching of the teacher in Mark

The first and last healings stress the casting out of demons perhaps because the Prologue has mentioned a decisive encounter of the “stronger one” with the archetypal demon, the Satan (1:13); there remain “mopping up” operations in which the one who has been “cast out” into the wilderness by the spirit now, as a consequence, “casts out” the unclean spirits. These spirits recognize the “holy one” just as we remember, and recognize, the voice from the heavens and the battle in the wilderness.

The command to silence, a standard part of the pattern of exorcism stories, here becomes a part of the larger Marcan “messianic secret,” where, ironically, no one seems able to keep silence in the face of the words and deeds of Jesus.

As we gain some familiarity with these minor characters called “demons” that pop up in the world of Mark’s story, a world in which anything can happen, we also recognize their subservience to the baptized one. (The fact that demons don’t have a role in our world doesn't prevent us imaginatively entering into Mark’s story)

We recognize too the structure of the healing/exorcism, and in particular the “Greek chorus” like response of the crowd who are amazed and marvel. They say “What is this? … He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him” (1:27) and “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (4:41). This is an entirely appropriate concluding response in such a story; we are coming to understand the rules that operate in this world.

Mark 1:35 – 45 Representative activity in Galilee

Jesus’ seeking out the solitude of the “wilderness” for prayer begins another cycle of preaching and healing, being mighty in word and deed.” This new cycle shows success beyond all measure, even when Jesus withdraws to the wilderness. Wherever Jesus goes he is sought out by people from every quarter (1:45 cf. 3:8) (There is ‘brand recognition’ operating here!)

The initial summary of this tour (1:38-39) has “proclaiming the message” (= preaching) as his mission – what he is called out to do – and links it with the neighboring towns, their synagogues and the casting out of demons. Jesus is confirmed to us as completely reliable: what he says he will do, he does. The words of Jesus are confirmed by the narrator.

The concluding summary (1:45) reports the unfettered success of the former leper’s “spreading the word around” causing restrictions on where Jesus can operate.

Between these two markers is ‘sandwiched” the story of the healing of a leper. The sandwich is characterized by its filling: the extraordinary success of the mission receives its flavor from the story of Jesus’ gut-wrenching compassion for the leprous individual. The social world of Mark’s story understands the boundaries that separate the leprous and non-leprous worlds, the clean and the unclean. (It has been noted that ‘leprosy’ in the biblical world is a reference to a wide variety of skin diseases and fungi, rather than to modern leprosy – Hansen’s disease). Jesus is “gutted” (as we would say) and crosses those boundaries by touching the leper and healing him with a word. “Tell no-one and go show yourself to the priest” Yeah, right, like that’s going to happen!

As readers, we watch while the success seems unstoppable but we also know it will not last for ever. The clouds of opposition are gathering: we will not have long to wait.