Lent 1
Preaching
Preaching Mark's Gospel
A Narrative Approach
We will begin commentary here with v. 12 where we hear that the Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan for forty days. The nature of the temptation is omitted. Both Matthew and Luke tell this story in much richer detail. Old Testament analogies immediately come to mind. The number forty in days is reminiscent of the forty years that Israel spent in the wilderness. According to Jeremiah 2:1-3 the wilderness was a time of youthful devotion on behalf of Israel. During this time the Moses-led people were fed with manna from on high. In Ezekiel 20:9-26, however, the wilderness experience is understood as a time of Israel's rebellion. Many passages in the Psalms also picture Israel in the wilderness as a time when Israel failed the test of obedience. It may be, therefore, that Mark presents Jesus as the head of a New Israel who is driven into the wilderness and remains obedient to the testing of God.
Besides Moses the other Old Testament figure who spent time (forty days and nights) in the wilderness was the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-18). It may be that Mark intends to call both Moses and Elijah to remembrance in these verses. It will be Moses and Elijah who are present with Jesus on the mountain of transfiguration (Mark 9:2-8). Allusions to Moses and Elijah accompany the voice from heaven which names Jesus "Son of God." (See 1:11 and 9:7.)
Jesus' encounter with Satan in the wilderness is probably related to the baptismal scene. In the baptismal scene we hear clearly who Jesus is. He is the Son of God. In the wilderness is revealed to us a major task of the Son of God. He will overthrow the rule of Satan and bring in the fulfilled time of salvation. Defeat of the evil powers is a central objective of Jesus' ministry. When Jesus appointed the twelve to be with him he sent them out to preach the good news of the kingdom (the positive side of the message) and to cast out demons (the negative side of the message) (Mark 3:13-15).
John is arrested in 1:14. Mark strikes his first ominous note early on! The mission of John and Jesus in the world will be met with deadly opposition.
Galilee is the geographical setting for the first part of Mark's Gospel. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, begins his ministry in Galilee. Jesus comes into Galilee preaching! He preaches in the fulfillment of time. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news" (1:15). These are the first words Jesus speaks in this Gospel. First words are not chosen by accident! The program of the Son of God is laid out before us. The Son will bring the kingdom of God to earth. Final matters are of importance here.
One of the ways that the Son of God will bring in the kingdom is through preaching. Jack Dean Kingsbury notes that this passage which presents Jesus as a preacher is the beginning of a series of passages which summarize for us the nature of Jesus' ministry in Galilee.
ƒ he will preach (1:14-15), call disciples (1:16-20), teach (1:21- 22), and heal and exorcize demons (1:32-34). And to make certain that the reader does not lose sight of the fact that it is just such activity that occupies Jesus during this phase of his ministry, Mark dots the pages of 1:14„8:26 with additional summary-passages: Jesus continues to preach (1:38-39), to call disciples (2:14; 3:13-19), to teach (2:13; 6:6b, 30-34; cf. 4:1-2; 10:1), and to heal and to exorcize demons (1:39; 3:7-12; 6:53-56).1
The structure of Mark is such that after the baptism Jesus immediately begins his ministry. Kingsbury is helpful in showing us how the appearance of these stories of Jesus in action is symbolic of the whole ministry of Jesus. Once we have moved through Mark 1 we have heard the nature of Jesus' ministry as Son of God. He is the one who preaches, calls disciples, teaches and heals and exorcizes evil spirits. Preaching may be the most important activity of this ministry as it tends to bind these activities together.
Mark introduces the theme of repentance and faith as the response that is called forth by Jesus' preaching. Jesus calls humanity to a time of listening, a time of decision. It is time to turn our lives around and believe the good news announced by Jesus that the kingdom of God has come near to us. Faith tends to be the possession of "the little people" in Mark's Gospel. Jesus saw the faith of the men who brought a paralytic for healing: 2:5. The woman with the flow of blood is healed because Jesus saw her faith: 5:34. Bartimaeus moved from blindness to sight because of his faith: 10:52. Jesus' disciples, on the other hand, have more fear than faith. On a stormy night Jesus calmed a storm and brought safety to the disciples. "Why are you afraid?" he asked the disciples. "Have you still no faith?" (Mark 4:35-41). Faith and unfaith turn up in interesting places in this surprising Gospel.
Homiletical Directions
A first possibility with this brief text would be to create a sermon around the wilderness motif. Tell aspects of the stories of Moses and Elijah in the wilderness. These were times of testing, but God brought them through the testing time. Next tell the story of the Son of God who is driven into the wilderness. God is with him as he, too, withstands the test. The good news in this bracket of stories is that there is help and comfort for us when our lives land in the wilderness testing-time. The living center of proclamation for such stories might go something like this: "I walked with Moses and the Israelites through the wilderness for forty years. I brought them to the land of promise. I walked with Elijah for forty days and nights in the wilderness on the way to Mount Horeb. I called him to new purposes in life. I walked with my beloved Son as he encountered Satan in the wilderness. I raised him up from even the darkest hour. I will walk with you through the wilderness as well. I have a land of promise for you. I have a mission for you to accomplish. I will raise you from every darkness."
The brief verse that sets forth Jesus' mission among us is not in story form. Jesus simply announces that "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." Herein lies the program of Mark's Gospel. The Son of God has come to call people to repentance and faith. And how shall it go? We have made reference to "the little people" in Mark's story who do believe the good news. [See the above discussion on Mark 2:1-2 (v. 5); 5:24-34 (v. 34) and 10:46-52 (v. 52).] Each of these stories can be told as stories of those who hear the good news and believe. They have heard Jesus say, "ƒ repent, and believe in the good news," and they have believed what they have heard.
This living center of proclamation spoken by Jesus Christ is also addressed to us today. Jesus says to us, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." "Let anyone with ears to hear listen!" (Mark 4:9). Mark's whole Gospel is a plea to us to hear and believe, to see and understand!
Another possibility is to make use of the Parable of the Sower if you have not already done so. (See the notes on this parable in the Introduction and in chapter 12.) Many people suggest that the Parable of the Sower is the plot summary of the first part of Mark's Gospel. Jesus has come preaching. The time is fulfilled. People are to repent and believe. But the soil of human hearts is not always ready to receive the blessings of the One Who Sows. We can tell of the variety of soils and their response to the Sower. Be careful in following this suggestion, however, that the message is not simply a kind of imperative that demands of people that they be good soil. The good news is not that we can make ourselves good soil. The good news is that the Sower keeps on sowing with generous liberality until the hardened soil of our hearts repents and comes to faith.
"I am a generous sower," Jesus says. "I will sow and sow and sow until my seed cracks open the soil of your heart. I will sow until the soil of your heart bears fruit, thirtyfold, sixtyfold and hundredfold."
Still another preaching possibility would be to follow up Kingsbury's point that preaching, calling disciples, teaching and healing and exorcism are the aspects of Jesus' ministry as he brings near the kingdom. Stories of Jesus engaged in each of these aspects of ministry could be told as a way of communicating what it means that Jesus brings near the kingdom. After each of these stories the theme verse from Mark 1:15 could be repeated. The sermon would end with this proclamation ringing in people's ears: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
____________
1. Jack Dean Kingsbury, The Christology of Mark's Gospel (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983), p. 72.
Besides Moses the other Old Testament figure who spent time (forty days and nights) in the wilderness was the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-18). It may be that Mark intends to call both Moses and Elijah to remembrance in these verses. It will be Moses and Elijah who are present with Jesus on the mountain of transfiguration (Mark 9:2-8). Allusions to Moses and Elijah accompany the voice from heaven which names Jesus "Son of God." (See 1:11 and 9:7.)
Jesus' encounter with Satan in the wilderness is probably related to the baptismal scene. In the baptismal scene we hear clearly who Jesus is. He is the Son of God. In the wilderness is revealed to us a major task of the Son of God. He will overthrow the rule of Satan and bring in the fulfilled time of salvation. Defeat of the evil powers is a central objective of Jesus' ministry. When Jesus appointed the twelve to be with him he sent them out to preach the good news of the kingdom (the positive side of the message) and to cast out demons (the negative side of the message) (Mark 3:13-15).
John is arrested in 1:14. Mark strikes his first ominous note early on! The mission of John and Jesus in the world will be met with deadly opposition.
Galilee is the geographical setting for the first part of Mark's Gospel. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, begins his ministry in Galilee. Jesus comes into Galilee preaching! He preaches in the fulfillment of time. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news" (1:15). These are the first words Jesus speaks in this Gospel. First words are not chosen by accident! The program of the Son of God is laid out before us. The Son will bring the kingdom of God to earth. Final matters are of importance here.
One of the ways that the Son of God will bring in the kingdom is through preaching. Jack Dean Kingsbury notes that this passage which presents Jesus as a preacher is the beginning of a series of passages which summarize for us the nature of Jesus' ministry in Galilee.
ƒ he will preach (1:14-15), call disciples (1:16-20), teach (1:21- 22), and heal and exorcize demons (1:32-34). And to make certain that the reader does not lose sight of the fact that it is just such activity that occupies Jesus during this phase of his ministry, Mark dots the pages of 1:14„8:26 with additional summary-passages: Jesus continues to preach (1:38-39), to call disciples (2:14; 3:13-19), to teach (2:13; 6:6b, 30-34; cf. 4:1-2; 10:1), and to heal and to exorcize demons (1:39; 3:7-12; 6:53-56).1
The structure of Mark is such that after the baptism Jesus immediately begins his ministry. Kingsbury is helpful in showing us how the appearance of these stories of Jesus in action is symbolic of the whole ministry of Jesus. Once we have moved through Mark 1 we have heard the nature of Jesus' ministry as Son of God. He is the one who preaches, calls disciples, teaches and heals and exorcizes evil spirits. Preaching may be the most important activity of this ministry as it tends to bind these activities together.
Mark introduces the theme of repentance and faith as the response that is called forth by Jesus' preaching. Jesus calls humanity to a time of listening, a time of decision. It is time to turn our lives around and believe the good news announced by Jesus that the kingdom of God has come near to us. Faith tends to be the possession of "the little people" in Mark's Gospel. Jesus saw the faith of the men who brought a paralytic for healing: 2:5. The woman with the flow of blood is healed because Jesus saw her faith: 5:34. Bartimaeus moved from blindness to sight because of his faith: 10:52. Jesus' disciples, on the other hand, have more fear than faith. On a stormy night Jesus calmed a storm and brought safety to the disciples. "Why are you afraid?" he asked the disciples. "Have you still no faith?" (Mark 4:35-41). Faith and unfaith turn up in interesting places in this surprising Gospel.
Homiletical Directions
A first possibility with this brief text would be to create a sermon around the wilderness motif. Tell aspects of the stories of Moses and Elijah in the wilderness. These were times of testing, but God brought them through the testing time. Next tell the story of the Son of God who is driven into the wilderness. God is with him as he, too, withstands the test. The good news in this bracket of stories is that there is help and comfort for us when our lives land in the wilderness testing-time. The living center of proclamation for such stories might go something like this: "I walked with Moses and the Israelites through the wilderness for forty years. I brought them to the land of promise. I walked with Elijah for forty days and nights in the wilderness on the way to Mount Horeb. I called him to new purposes in life. I walked with my beloved Son as he encountered Satan in the wilderness. I raised him up from even the darkest hour. I will walk with you through the wilderness as well. I have a land of promise for you. I have a mission for you to accomplish. I will raise you from every darkness."
The brief verse that sets forth Jesus' mission among us is not in story form. Jesus simply announces that "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." Herein lies the program of Mark's Gospel. The Son of God has come to call people to repentance and faith. And how shall it go? We have made reference to "the little people" in Mark's story who do believe the good news. [See the above discussion on Mark 2:1-2 (v. 5); 5:24-34 (v. 34) and 10:46-52 (v. 52).] Each of these stories can be told as stories of those who hear the good news and believe. They have heard Jesus say, "ƒ repent, and believe in the good news," and they have believed what they have heard.
This living center of proclamation spoken by Jesus Christ is also addressed to us today. Jesus says to us, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." "Let anyone with ears to hear listen!" (Mark 4:9). Mark's whole Gospel is a plea to us to hear and believe, to see and understand!
Another possibility is to make use of the Parable of the Sower if you have not already done so. (See the notes on this parable in the Introduction and in chapter 12.) Many people suggest that the Parable of the Sower is the plot summary of the first part of Mark's Gospel. Jesus has come preaching. The time is fulfilled. People are to repent and believe. But the soil of human hearts is not always ready to receive the blessings of the One Who Sows. We can tell of the variety of soils and their response to the Sower. Be careful in following this suggestion, however, that the message is not simply a kind of imperative that demands of people that they be good soil. The good news is not that we can make ourselves good soil. The good news is that the Sower keeps on sowing with generous liberality until the hardened soil of our hearts repents and comes to faith.
"I am a generous sower," Jesus says. "I will sow and sow and sow until my seed cracks open the soil of your heart. I will sow until the soil of your heart bears fruit, thirtyfold, sixtyfold and hundredfold."
Still another preaching possibility would be to follow up Kingsbury's point that preaching, calling disciples, teaching and healing and exorcism are the aspects of Jesus' ministry as he brings near the kingdom. Stories of Jesus engaged in each of these aspects of ministry could be told as a way of communicating what it means that Jesus brings near the kingdom. After each of these stories the theme verse from Mark 1:15 could be repeated. The sermon would end with this proclamation ringing in people's ears: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
____________
1. Jack Dean Kingsbury, The Christology of Mark's Gospel (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983), p. 72.
