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The Gospel of Mark
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BIBLE STUDY MARK 16:1-8 (9-20) REVIEW: In Chapter 15 we reviewed the familiar story of Jesus’ Passion: His plight before Pontius Pilate, His crucifixion, His death and His burial. First, we discussed Pilate’s question, “Are you the King of the Jews?” and how, from a Roman perspective, this phrase would have indicated their suspicion that Jesus was a political insurrectionist—which was the common Roman understanding of people making messianic claims—someone seeking to rally a political, and likely militant, coup. Yet, speaking to Pilate, Jesus made no such assertion nor did he deny or elaborate upon his own messianic role. Mark comments on Pilate’s amazement at Jesus’ silence. At the time of the festival, when Pilate would customarily release a prisoner, he asked the crowd if they wanted to have “the King of the Jews” released. This crowd, however, called for the release of a different Jesus—Jesus Barabbas, whose name ironically means “Son of the Father.” William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible commentary speculates that the crowd may actually have been supporters of Barabbas from the beginning, and that Barabbas, in another ironic twist, was himself the insurrectionist. Further more, this crowd, made up of Barabbas’ compatriots was likely gather with the specific aim of freeing their captured comrade. One implication of this is that this was likely not the same group of people who had rallied around Jesus as he entered Jerusalem in Chapter 11. At this point Jesus’ followers had scattered and lost heart, but they had not necessarily turned against Jesus enough to call for his crucifixion. About his crucifixion, we discussed the manner in which Jesus was hung up between two “bandits” and how the historian Josephus used the same term “bandits” to refer to insurrectionists. In other words, Pilate had Jesus crucified between two insurrectionists and then placed “The King of the Jews” inscription over Jesus’ cross to make a statement to all onlookers…NO REVOLUTIONARIES WILL BE TOLERATED UNDER THIS ROMAN OCCUPATION. Pastor George pointed out that theologians are divided as to why, while hanging on his cross, Jesus quoted Ps. 22:1. Some have emphasized his feeling of utter abandonment and discouragement – that in this moment, Jesus completely identified with humanity’s alienation from God. Others, including Pastor George, believe that Jesus in saying this was remembering the entire Psalm 22 – including the end of it which emphasizes his deliverance and triumph. I, Pastor Josh, believe that by reading the words of this descriptive psalm (Psalm 22), a psalm that Jesus would have learned as a child, we can begin to understand depth of his faith and the meaning that he himself attributed to his experience. Finally, at the end of this section Mark identifies three women who had been disciples of Jesus: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. Mark mentions that they used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee (that is, they had been a part of Jesus’ group for a considerable time). He also mentions that “there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.” Contrary to most traditional assumptions, the group of Jesus’ followers was quite large and included many women as well as men. CHAPTER 16:1-8 “Raised” “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, waiting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” The Sabbath would have ended around 6:00 on Saturday evening. Very early the next morning these three women came, with spices to anoint Jesus’ corpse. The purpose of anointing corpses would have been to disguise the stench of decay. In Mark’s narrative, however, the reader has been given a hint already about what is to happen next. Recall that back in Chapter 14, Jesus’ body had already been “anointed…beforehand for its burial” by an unnamed woman. For, there would be no occasion for anointing it this morning—the morning after the Sabbath. In Matthew, the figure standing at the empty tomb is identified as an angel, but Mark has a neaniskos “young man.” This is the same word used for the shamed “young man” who ran away naked at Jesus betrayal (Mark 14:51). Some commentators believe this is not a coincidental connection--that going from nakedness to being clothed in pure white, on either side of the passion and resurrection is a symbol for Christian baptism. We are shamed when we deny Christ, leaving him alone to face his destiny, but by the grace of God in Christ’s resurrection we are forgiven, renewed, liberated from our shame and washed clean…signified by the color of a white baptismal robe. The young man explains that Jesus has been raised from the dead and is not here at the tomb. He tells the three women to “go, tell his disciples and Peter.” Notice that Peter, after having distanced himself from Jesus by denying him three times, is not included with the disciples, but is listed separately. In the most ancient manuscripts, Mark’s gospel ends here – with the women being afraid and not saying anything to anyone. We wonder why. One theory (not very likely) is that Mark died or was otherwise prevented from finishing his work. Another possibility is that the last page (or pages) of Mark’s gospel was lost. A third possibility (the one most scholars today believe) is that Mark deliberately broke off his narrative at 16:8 – that he was using a literary style of what today we might call a “cliffhanger.” Such an ending almost demands a response from US as the readers – i.e. “What are WE going to do about the good news of Jesus’ resurrection?” This question would have been very relevant to Mark’s original readers as they were often experiencing persecution under the emperor Nero in Rome. Would they also be afraid? Or would they proclaim the gospel? The point is that they and WE as the readers are to “write” the rest of the story! CHAPTER 16:8 “The Shorter Ending” “And all that had been commanded them they told briefly to those around Peter. And afterward Jesus himself sent out through them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.” Most Bible commentators believe that this was not written by Mark because its language (“the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation”) is very different from what appears elsewhere in Mark’s gospel. Most likely, this ending was composed by another evangelist as a way of tying up some loose ends about the women and about the apostles. CHAPTER 16:9-20 “The Longer Ending” “Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the county. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heave and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.” Most Biblical scholars believe that this ending was composed in the second century – about 100 years after the original gospel was written. It does not appear in the most ancient manuscripts. As mentioned about the “shorter ending”, its style and language are entirely different from the rest of Mark’s gospel. Daniel Harrington and John Donahue in their commentary on the Gospel of Mark note that this Longer Ending seems to be a compilation of resurrection appearance accounts found in the other gospels. The appearance to Mary Magdalene has its parallels in Lk. 24:10-11 and Jn. 20:14-18. The appearance to two disciples is the “Road to Emmaus” story in Lk. 24:13-35. The commission to the Eleven remaining apostles to “proclaim the good news to the whole creation” and its mention about baptism seems to have Mt. 28:16-20 as its source. A major theme in the first part of this Longer Ending is the disbelief of the eleven – because of “their lack of faith and stubbornness.” This “echoes” the story of Thomas’ disbelief in Jn. 20:24-29. The unspoken question, of course, is what about our response to the good news of Jesus’ resurrection? According to “Mark”, faith and baptism are necessary responses for salvation. Will we believe, (and be baptized), or will we harden our hearts and refuse to believe? Finally, the rest of the Longer Ending lists various “signs” that will accompany those who believe: exorcisms; speaking in tongues; handling serpents; and drinking poisons without harm. These “signs” were often part of the life and ministry of New Testament churches (see Acts 16:16-18; 1 Corinthians 11:28 and 14:1-20; Acts 28:1-7). Perhaps the point for us to remember is that “belief” in the resurrected Jesus leads to real results in our lives and in the world. The life of Christ is overcoming sin and death. So may it be for us in our lives and world today! Amen! -------------------- George R. Karres & Joshua W. Magyar, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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