The Book of Mark
Fall 2005 Bible Study

Introduction

"St. Joan of Arc Bible Study is an open and growing group that meets for fellowship and to discuss the Bible and other faith-centered literature. Our informal study group draws from biblical scholarship, historical perspectives, current events and personal reflections. We welcome honor and respect the personal ideas and spiritual journeys of all who join us."

Greetings

What a balmy and beautiful evening we happened upon "down in the Hall" at the ol county church! It was so refreshing to be back and see the crew after a short well, hiatus, (about 25 of us) and exciting to welcome four new faces...welcome Michael, Susan, Mike and Jane!

It was also positively grand to see some of the old-timers that came back for the fall session of Mark.

A sincere "Thank You" to mom for facilitating tonight and a great big "Thank You" to our friend, Tom Smith-Myott, (the man they pay to play!) who again graced us with his presence spinning his usual magic and whetting our eschatological imaginations with a dynamic and impassioned 45 minute introduction to Mark. Here is Tom's outline...

Bible Study
Church of St. Joan of Arc
Tom Smith-Myott
Gospel of Mark

1. Context for Mark's Gospel
   The Religion of the Roman Empire
   1. Roman imperial theology: piety, war, and victory lead to peace
   2. message found on coins, cups, statues, altars, temples, forums, ports, roads, bridges and aqueducts, landscapes, cities: "It was all around them everywhere, just as advertising is all around us today." (Crossan, In Search of Paul, p. x)
   1. The Cult of the Emperor
      1. "...Roman emperors were deemed divine, and, first and foremost, Augustus was called son of God, God, and God of God. He was Lord, Redeemer, and Savior of the world." (Crossan, p. x)
      2. "The parallelism between the cults of emperor and Christ is striking: the following terms were used frequently of both: god (theos), Son of god, god made manifest, lord (Kurios), lord of the whole world, lord's day, saviour of the world..." (Hopkins, Conquerors and Slaves)
      3. "Christians must have understood, then, that to proclaim Jesus as Son of God was deliberately denying Caesar his highest title and that to announce Jesus as Lord and Savior was calculated treason." (Crossan, p. 11)
      4. Paul's challenge to empire: what divinity and what divine incarnation runs this world? Is that ruling divinity one of force and violence or of justice and love?
   2. The End?
      1. Original leaders killed
      2. Destruction of Jerusalem and temple
      3. Expectation of imminent return of Jesus
2. Basic Message of Mark
   1. "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ"
      1. Mark is saying that there was another time when people thought it was the end, when it turned out to be the beginning
      2. announcement of beginning of a new era
   2. "The Kingdom of God is at hand." (1:15)
      1. the world as we know it is coming to an end
      2. what is considered "normal" is not
      3. a "no" to violence and injustice
         1. Clarifying Terms
            1. eschatology = end of evil and violence, injustice and oppression, not end of world or earth
            2. apocalypse = revelation about eschaton, i.e., mode, certitude, time, etc.
         2. Historical/theological claims
            1. Post-Exilic Judaism: there will be an eschaton (i.e., divine clean-up of the world)
            2. 167 BCE & Pharisees: general bodily resurrection will start the eschaton
            3. John the Baptist: the eschaton is imminent (in our lifetime)
            4. Jesus & Paul:
               • the eschaton has already begun
               • the eschaton is a collaboration between God and believers
            5. Jesus (maybe), Paul (definitely): collaborative eschaton will be over soon
      4. three possible responses to world as it is:
         • we're powerless: only God can save us = apocalyptic eschatology
         • let's withdraw from the world and have nothing to do with it = ascetical eschatology
         • God is empowering us to resist non-violently the injustice and violence in the world = ethical eschatology
         • Jesus preached a ethical eschatology
         • The church later added the apocalyptic elements
      5. announcement/good news of a new world = kingdom/reign of God here and now
      6. calls for a new way of living (metanoia) and a new attitude (believe in the good news of Jesus)
   3. "The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve" (10:45)
      1. "son of man" = "the human being"
      2. Jesus used this title to reject all other titles
      3. the name Jesus gave to the dawning reality he was incarnating in his life, work, and being
      4. an invitation to become the fullness of who we are
      5. Nicolas Berdyayev: "Lo, I tell you a mystery: God is Human, and we are to become like God."
   4. "Truly this man was the Son of God" (15:39)
      1. the Greek theos used to translate both Latin terms dei filius ("Son of a God") and divi filius ("Son of a Divine One")
      2. a metaphor not to be taken literally or biologically
      3. Jesus never used this title of himself
   5. "Come after me" (1:17)
      1. stories of disciples are models for and warnings to Mark's community of what following Jesus takes and costs
      2. in first half of gospel, disciples are models to imitate
      3. in second half, disciples are models not to imitate, faults very visible
      4. disciples faced with a choice: to follow Jesus, with resultant "cross", or follow authorities, idols, principalities and powers of oppression
      5. "cross" = metaphor (literal in those days) of martyrdom as final act of non-violent resistance to violent authority, the final act of an ethical eschatology
3. Conclusion
   1. Roman imperial theology as: religion...war...victory...peace = normalcy of civilization
   2. Pauline Christian theology as: religion...non-violence...justice...peace = radicality of God
   3. Non-violent power and truth vs. violent power and truth - does victory run the world or does justice run the world?