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To See or not to see

Walking the Way to Jerusalem with Mark Clonfliffe College February 2018. To See or not to see. Praying the Word. Your word O Lord is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Open my ears to hear your word, Open my heart to understand it.

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To See or not to see

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  1. Walking the Way to Jerusalem with Mark Clonfliffe College February 2018 To See or not to see

  2. Praying the Word Your word O Lord is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Open my ears to hear your word, Open my heart to understand it. May the same Spirit who inspired The writing of the wordAlso inspire our reading of it so that we may come to know and love you the living Godwho speak to us still. AMEN

  3. Sequence for Today • Session 1 Mark and the Reign of God • Session 2 Faith and unbelief • Session 3 The Way to Jerusalem • Session 4 Seeing is Believing

  4. Mark the Evangelist The evangelists had sources Collections of • Parables • Miracle stories • Call stories • Conflict stories • The Passion They strung them together!

  5. Apocalyptic Worldview • Expressed through a literary genre • Something is revealed or made known • Characterised by vivid imagery • Depicts upheaval or calamity on a cosmic scale • Aims to comfort the oppressed and those overwhelmed by the forces of evil.

  6. First Century Good News For Gentiles (non – Jews) • Good News could be about how great it is to be in the Roman Empire For Jews • The Good News is what God wants and will do for his people

  7. Good News in Isaiah • Is 40:9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!" • Is 52:7 Therefore my people shall know my name; therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here am I. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."

  8. When Mark wrote his Good News… • Persecution of Church in Rome and deaths of Peter and Paul (63AD) • Destruction of Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD • Mark’s readers who have been through trauma need to learn again the way of the Lord

  9. Mark and the Way “I am sending my messenger before you who will prepare your Way; The voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare the Way of the Lord.” Mark 1:2-3

  10. He Began Like This…. “The time is fulfilledthe kingdom of God has come nearrepent (metanoei/te) metanoia and believe (pisteu,ete) in the good news”

  11. Incomprehension • The Gospel is framed by two statements indicating who Jesus is and how (Messiah and Son of God) (Mk 1:1, 15:39) • In between these statements the theme of the incomprehension of the disciples runs as a thread alongside the unfolding revelation. • In particular they fail to understand the word (ch 4) and the bread (ch 6 & 8)

  12. Called to be with Him 1-4 • The Kingdom is Proclaimed: Repent (Ch1) • Kingdom is witnessed to by healing suffering and confronting the culture of honour and shame (Chs 2-3) • Kingdom is explained through parable (ch 4)

  13. Kingdom is Proclaimed Mk 1:9-14 • Fulfilment of Scripture • Jesus’ baptism reveals to reader who he is • “heavens torn open” Is 64:1 (see Mk15:38) • Wilderness – the place of testing like Elijah and Israel before him • Jesus’ ministry linked to John’s arrest

  14. The Proclamation 1:15 “The time is fulfilledthe kingdom of God has come nearrepent (metanoei/te) metanoia and believe (pisteu,ete) in the good news”

  15. Jesus inaugurates the Kingdom • Characterised byTeaching 1:21-22Exorcism 1:23-27Healing 1:29-42In his healing ministry he is “moved with compassion” (1:41 also 6:34, 8:2)

  16. Kingdom in Conflict 2:1-3:35 • Addressing the shame culture 2:1-3:6Healing the paralyticEating with sinners (table fellowship)Challenging the interpretation of Scripture

  17. Kingdom in Conflict • Calling of the twelve and the beginning of misunderstanding 3:7-35 • Family convinced he is mad • Kinship no basis for admission – only doing God’s will

  18. The Kingdom in Word – Parables 4:1-34 • A Introduction (1-2) • B The Sower (3-20) The Challenge C Sayings (21-25) • The lamp • LISTEN (At the centre with the verb to see) • The measure • B’ The Seed Parables (26-32) The Gift • A’ Conclusion (33-34) • The verb to listen occurs 13 times • The disciples first failure to understand(4:13)

  19. Geography, Politics and Faith Political Boundaries Jesus’ boat journeys Mk 5-8

  20. More Signs of who He is 4:35 -5:43 • Storm at sea (Ps 89:8-9, 107:23-32) • Exorcism - Evil powers of the gentile world cast out • Healing – Addressing exclusion and shame • Jairus’ daughter – Power over death itself Each story is a call to a living faith that gives life

  21. Preparation for the Bread stories • 6:1-6 Lack of faith in Nazareth • 6:7-13 Mission of the Twelve - a share in his ministry • 6:14-29 The fate of John the Baptist - a pointer to the fate of Jesus

  22. Only One LoafThe Two Accounts • Feeding of 50006:35-44 • Crossing of Lake6:45-52 • Controversy the Pharisees 7:1-23 • The Children’s Bread7:24-30 • Healing of a Deaf Man7:31-37 • Feeding of 40008:1-9 • Crossing of the Lake8:10 • Controversy with Pharisees 8:11-13 • The One Loaf 8:14-21 • Healing of a Blind Man 8:22-26

  23. First Multiplication of the Loaves Mk 6:30-56 • Context – gathering around Jesus and the need to go to a “deserted place” (1:35) • The Compassion of Jesus (1:41, 6:34, 8:2) • Shepherd Imagery (Ezek 34, Num 27:17) • He responds to their need firstly by teaching • OT echoes of desert wandering and Manna and Elisha miracle in 2Kgs 4:42-44

  24. Eucharistic language Mk 6: 41 Mk 14:22 While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them • Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples

  25. A Failure to Understand • Walking on the sea (Job 9:8) • Their disciples response to this crisis indicates a failure to understand the miracle - understand what? • Hardness of heart – attributed to the Pharisees in 3:5

  26. 7:1-24 Food in Another Context • Disciples eat bread with unclean hands (7:5) • Focus on the legal ritual highlights the contrast with the eucharistic nourishment that preceded • It is the interior disposition that matters

  27. 7:24-37 Food and healing for everyone • Jesus’ response uses the metaphor of bread • Woman continues the metaphor to illustrate her faith in his universal mission • Healing of deaf mute – even the gentiles previously closed to the hearing and proclamation of God’s word now prolcaim it (Is 35:5-6)

  28. The Second Miracle of the Loaves • Clearly intended to echo the first story • A desert place in Gentile territory • Jesus takes the initiative • Compassion again the motive • Same eucharistic language employed

  29. Note the Numbers Mark 6:32-44 Mark 8:1-10 Seven loaves Seven baskets (Gentile) Four thousand people Seven: perfect number – a universal mission Four – the four winds / corners of the earth • Five loaves • Twelve baskets (Jewish) • Five thousand Five books of the Torah Twelve tribes of Israel The chosen people

  30. More Controversy (x2) • Conflict with Pharisees over a sign – we have seen an abundance of signs meant to elicit faith • Clash with disciples over “just one loaf” • The failure to understand mentioned in 6:52 is heightened further • Numbers highlighted to point up the Jewish and Gentile mission

  31. Questions about Understanding (8:17-21) • Do you not perceive? • Do you not understand? • Are your hearts hardened? • Do you have eyes and not see? • Do you have ears and not hear? • Do you not remember? • Do you still not understand?

  32. The Blind Man gains his sight, gradually (8:22-26) • Story forms a bridge between the two halves of the gospel • Along with 10:46-52 the only reference to healing the blind in Mark • Both stories to be read at a symbolic level – learning to see is about coming to faith

  33. Who do you say that I am?8:27-10:52 and the Way • Peter acknowledges him as the Messiah • First Prediction of the Passion • Peter fails to see that as the “Son of Man” he must go to Jerusalem to suffer and die • Jesus teaches that the way of the cross is the way of the disciple, i.e. self sacrificing love

  34. Along the Way • Urged once again to “Listen to him” (9:7) • 9:30-37 Second prediction of the Passion and welcoming children – the powerless. • 10:13-31 What must I do …? • 10:32-45 Third Prediction of the Passion and again the disciples fail to understand that the Son of Man came to serve. • 10:46-52 Bartimaeus sees clearly and follows on the way to Jerusalem

  35. The Way…where? To Jersualem This is the path the disciples must learn to walk On that way they are to become like Children, Servants Slaves!

  36. Jesus in Jerusalem 11-12 • Triumphal entry of the messianic king (11:1-11) • The Temple cleansing bracketed by the fig tree symbolism that points to its failure (11:12-33) • Jesus’ teaching confounds his opponents while the crowds hear him gladly (12:1-44)

  37. The Little Apocalypse (13:1-36)A Preparation for the Passion • Mount of Olives associated with the end time and the appearance of the Messiah • On the surface he speaks about the end time and the coming of the Son of Man all this in the context of the destruction of the temple. • In Mark’s time Christians have experienced the persecution under Nero and the Jewish War against the Romans • Is it really about the Passion and being ready.

  38. Links between Ch 13 and the Passion • The appeals to “keep watch” (13:34,35,37) are echoed in the Passion (14:34,37,38) • The language about the coming of the Son of Man (13:26) is repeated in 14:62-63 • Darkness descends in 13:24 and in 15:33 • The Centurion seeing how he died makes the confession of faith • “Truly this man was the Son of God” (15:39). In his death as the son of man he is revealed as the Son of God.

  39. Jesus Confronts his Death 14:1-52 • 1-11 Plot to kill and the anointing • 12-25 A Eucharistic Passover • 26-31 To the Mount of Olives • 32-42 Gethsemane • 43-52 The Arrest

  40. Jesus on Trial 14:53-15:20 • 14:53-65 A Jewish Trial • 14:66-72 Peter’s Denial • 15:1-15 A Roman Trial • 15:16-20 Mocking a “King”

  41. Jesus Crucified and Buried 15:21-47 • 20b-26 The Crucifixion • 27-32 Mocked Again • 33-39 Jesus Dies • 40-47 The Burial

  42. The Passion in Mark The scandalous paradox of the Cross is starkly presented The world of the demonic, of sin and blindness is defeated Jesus, faithful servant gives his life and shows the world “that nothing can come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (Rom 8:38)

  43. What the Disciples did not “see” • That their Messiah was a suffering servant who came to give his life as a ransom for many • That his kingdom is a way of life that subverts the values of this world, reaching out to all those on the edge • That he is with them in all the storms as they undertake the journey of faith and share in his ministry • That he would triumph over evil and they would see him, their risen Lord, in Galilee (16:7)

  44. Jesus Risen 16:1-8 • They were on the way going up to Jerusalem and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed and those who followed were afraid (10:32) • This verse to be read in the light of the original ending of the Gospel“They said nothing to anyone for they were afraid”

  45. Mark’s Readers • Challenged to recognise that they are disciples of Jesus the Crucified Messiah • Challenged to understand that they are to be with him on the way of Kingdom love • Challenged to see differently and to trust in him “the one loaf”, present with them through every storm • Challenged to overcome their fear and live their faith

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