Mark 8:27 – 9:1 Discipleship of the Son of Man (1)

Mark 8:27 –30 Who do they say Jesus is?

Mark’s understanding of the significance of Jesus is encapsulated in the “passion predictions.” They are introduced by asking what the word is on the street, so to speak. These other options need to be brought out into the open so that they may be dismissed.

The story is set “on the way” The phrase is used throughout the journey from Caesarea (8:27) to Jerusalem (11:1), more consistently than the English translation would suggest, for both the plot journey and the commitment of those who join Jesus in his march on the Jerusalem power centre. Jesus’ march from Caesarea Philippi in the north will intersect Pontius Pilate’s march from Caesarea Maritima in the west on Palm Sunday; two triumphal processions will clash.

Malina (p. 230) suggests that question is not so much a quiz, the answer to which is known (“tell me, I want to know if they have got it right”), as an attempt to elicit from the larger group, which gives meaning to the members who make it up, the significance of one of its members, Jesus (“how does the group define me?”). The primary circle of meaning in Mark since 3:34f has been Jesus’ new family. Others define who Jesus is, he does not know the answer. (We’ll probably feel better if we use the word ‘dyadic’ at this point!).

Peter has already taken the role of the one who is first to speak. We have seen Jesus acclaimed as a powerful healer and teacher and we have heard him, perhaps understandably, confused with ‘John the Baptist’. ‘Elijah’ and (perhaps) the ‘Prophet like Moses’ (Deut 18:15) are added before Peter adds ‘the Christ’. Perhaps it is this whole series of possibilities that is put under the veil of silence. Anything that is not seen through the lens of the passion is not to be proclaimed; the first passion prediction will make this correction. “The Son of Man” is the description of preference for Mark because, whatever its background (Ezekiel or Daniel), it is defined by the Passion. Norman Perrin believed that “Son of Man” is used to correct the divine man connotations of the title “Son of God”: this title is never used by Jesus and is finally acceptable when it is used by the Roman Centurion of the dead Jesus (15:39).

Mark 8:31 –32a First Passion Prediction

Jesus, mighty in word and deed, begins to teach them. Does Mark say anything else three times (he asks rhetorically)? The three predictions are different: they all involve the Son of Man being killed and then rising again after three days. The third prediction (10:33f) is the most fulsome and the second (9:31) the most succinct. The first uses the adverb of divine necessity (“must,” according to the big plan), and refers to “suffering,” “rejection” and “the elders.” This exhibits some skill on the part of the author.

Mark 8:32b –33 Misunderstanding

Peter attempts to take Jesus aside and correct him; all characters are under the control of a skilful author who wants to use misunderstanding and correction to capture the hearts and minds of his readers. It is usually said (or implied) that Peter cannot accept the idea of a suffering messiah. I think that the misunderstanding would have worked as well if, say, Peter had championed Elijah departing without suffering.

Mark 8:34 – 9:1 Instruction on Discipleship

In each case, the instruction section is where we see most clearly what Mark says about who Jesus is and what it means to follow him on “the way”.

Discipleship of Jesus involves carrying your own cross. Originally not a metaphor but yet one more part of the torture-death reserved for slaves and those who challenged the authority of the Roman State, it becomes a metaphor for following Jesus to death. We note that in Mark’s passion narrative, Jesus did not carry his own cross (beam), Simon of Cyrene is pressed into carrying it (15:21).

All alternatives to such a path are ruled out as the choices offered by the “strong man”, Satan: saving your own life, gaining the whole world, being ashamed of the Son of Man when confronted by “this adulterous and sinful generation”. Loyalty is the fundamental virtue in the surrogate family of Jesus, the one who has already bound the strong man.

Mark 9:2 – 29 Who is this Son of Man?

Mark 9:2 – 13 Transfiguration: God’s Witness

Much of the colour of the setting seems to come from Exodus (24:12-18): the six days, the high mountain, the trusted companion, the cloud, the association of the presence of God with a bright light. The high mountain motif has already been seen in Mk 3:12ff.

The meeting of Jesus with Elijah and Moses is sometimes associated with them representing the Prophets and the Torah. Perhaps a more helpful suggestion is that Moses and Elijah were both thought to have been taken up directly to heaven and hence able to come back. This is made more explicit in Luke 9:31 where they are “speaking about his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem”. The Fourth Gospel will make it clear that no-one other than the Son of Man has ascended to heaven and he first descended from heaven (Jn. 3:13).

The attestation of Jesus by the divine voice was seen at the baptism (1:11). Here we are told to “listen to him” – in general, as the powerful teacher, or specifically when he speaks in 9:12-13 about John the Baptist being Elijah or in 9:9 when he speaks about the Son of Man rising from the dead?

Mark 9:14 – 29 The Healing of the Possessed Boy: The Absence of the Son of Man

This exorcism-healing-pronouncement story is almost as long as the healing of the Gerasene demoniac (5:1-20). There seems to be repetition of the description of the problem and of the assembling together of the crowd.

Some elements stand out to us. The twelve have been commissioned to heal (3:14f) and they had previously had some success (6:13). While we were with the narrator watching the transfiguration, they had met with failure. Honour has been lost and must be restored in the presence of a crowd, perhaps explaining the repeated assembling of the crowd (9:14, 25). On the model of Roman patronage, the effort of the brokers has failed and now the clients appeal directly to the patron (Jesus – God).

Further, the story reads a lot like the raising of Jairus daughter (chapter 5) with the father, child, appearance of death, lifting up.

“How much longer must I be with you?” reminds us that Jesus is on the way to his death-departure and the community of Mark is now living in this period of the absence of Jesus. Faith, prayer and unbelief characterize this period.

“If you are able” may well be a polite introduction to the request, like our “If it’s not too much trouble would you please …”. As readers, we know that Jesus’ ability is not in question but, rather, will soon be demonstrated. We have seen the transfigured Son of Man and we have witnessed his prayer and his healing power before; he can and he will act on behalf of the father and his child.

We will now see this pattern of prediction, misunderstanding and teaching on discipleship repeated.