Proper 10; Pentecost 9
Preaching
Preaching Mark's Gospel
A Narrative Approach
Today's text centers in two men: John the Baptist and King Herod. The identity of Jesus is the issue immediately at hand. We discussed this identity issue in the previous chapter, noting that Mark 4:35--6:6 deals with this question. The disciples wonder who Jesus is. Jesus proceeds to demonstrate who he is through a series of spectacular miracles. He drives out a legion of demons, heals a woman with a flow of blood and raises a young girl from the dead. Still, when he arrives in his hometown, his kinfolk could only see that he was a lowly carpenter's son. They were offended by him!
In 6:14ff. we hear that King Herod has heard of Jesus. This occasions a kind of summary of the kinds of answers that were being given to the question of Jesus' identity. Some thought John the Baptist had risen from the dead (6:14). Others thought he was like one of the prophets, Elijah perhaps (6:15). Interestingly enough, the characters in Mark's story never do seem to quite "get it" with Jesus' identity. God declares who Jesus is (1:11; 9:7). The demons know who he is (1:24-25, 34; 3:11-12; 5:7). But very few humans get it. The disciples surely don't get it. Neither do the hometown folk. Neither does King Herod.
Herod thinks this person he has heard about must be John the Baptist, whom he had killed, risen from the dead (6:16). This becomes an occasion for the gospel writer to bring us up to date on the story of John the Baptist. We remember that Jesus' ministry began with the arrest of John the Baptist (Mark 1:14).
The return to John at a time when Jesus seems to be enjoying success and popularity introduces a sobering note into the story again. It serves as a reminder of what happens to preachers who threaten established authorities. The confusion between Jesus and John insinuates that a similar fate awaits Jesus.1
John precedes Jesus. He is a model of what will happen to Jesus. We might consider this story to be the "passion" story of John the Baptist. John the Baptist's story ends here with his burial by his disciples (6:29). When Jesus died there were no disciples to be found. He had to be buried by a stranger!
In Mary Ann Tolbert's reading of the typology of the Parable of the Sower she views Herod as an example of seed sown among the thorns. Herod and the ruler who comes to Jesus to find out what he must do to inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17-31, appointed for Pentecost 22) are her chief examples in Mark's story of hearers who are like thorny ground. We can probably add the story of Pilate to the thorny ground characters in Mark's Gospel (Mark 15:1-15).
Let's remind ourselves of Jesus' description of the thorny ground people. "And others are those sown among the thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing" (Mark 4:18-19). It is certainly a plausible hypothesis to see Herod as a model of this kind of behavior. Herod had a kind of love/hate relationship with John the Baptist. Herod may have hated John for telling him that it was not lawful for him to have his brother's wife. That was enough for Herodias. "Kill him," she commanded of Herod. Herod couldn't! He feared John the Baptist, knowing that John was a righteous man. So he protected John. But more than protection! Herod called upon John at secret times for spiritual counsel. Herod heard John gladly! The seed had been sown.
Now it came to pass that Herod gave a great birthday banquet. The daughter of Herodias danced. Herod was so overcome with the power of her dance that he offered to give her up to half of his kingdom! That's not what Herodias had in mind, however. She had John the Baptist in mind. "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter" (6:25). The king was deeply grieved at this request for the head of his spiritual counselor. He was exceedingly sorry. Herod was in a tough spot. He was deeply perplexed. But he sold out! He had made an oath. His guests had heard it. He must keep his word. And so it was that the cares of the world choked out the word he had heard. The seed that John had sown yielded nothing!
We must have some genuine sympathy for Herod. He has heard the word. He heard it gladly. But it was choked out by worldly cares. Ministry is lived out in the midst of all kinds of people who fit a similar description. The rich ruler fits the same mold. We have much sympathy for him, too. The disciples were astonished that Jesus could turn this good, good man away. Here was a righteous man. He wanted to inherit eternal life. Jesus loved this man! "You lack one thing," Jesus said to him. "Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor ƒ" (Mark 10:21). The ruler was shocked! He went away sorrowful for he had many possessions. The ruler had heard the word sown; his life had borne much fruit. But in the end the lure of wealth choked out the seed that had been sown. His life yielded nothing!
And, Pilate (Mark 15:1-15). Mark paints him, too, as one who is sympathetic to the plight of the Sower. "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" he pleaded with the crowd (15:9). No! The crowd wanted Barabbas. Pilate knew this was all wrong. It was all jealousy that led the chief priests to try to get rid of this good man. "Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?" (15:12). Pilate still hopes to avoid the worst. The crowd rebuffs him again. They want him crucified. "Why," Pilate implores, "what evil has he done?" (15:14). Pilate's pleas went unheeded. The crowd shouted, "Crucify!" "So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified" (15:15). Here stood the Sower. Pilate was impressed. But the desire for other things choked out the seed that had been sown. Pilate yielded nothing!
Homiletical Directions
We have indicated above that today's text revolves around John the Baptist and King Herod. Our sermon will differ quite radically depending on which of these two men we decide to place stage center. It would be quite difficult to try to include both men because the stories move in different directions. Our suggestion is that the focus be upon King Herod, who gets very little press!
The comments above suggest the outline for a sermon which will begin with the story of King Herod. This is to be a sermon which demonstrates what Jesus means by "thorny ground" in his Parable of the Sower. Herod's story can be told as an example of a person in whom the cares of the world choke out the word. The rich ruler's story will be told as an example of how the lure of wealth chokes out the word. The Pilate story exemplifies how the desire for other things (popularity in this case) chokes out the word. You may decide to touch the rich ruler's story lightly in light of the fact that this text (Mark 10:17-31) will be the Gospel story for Pentecost 22. Another possibility, of course, would be to wait until Pentecost 22 to tell these three stories of thorny ground people.
These are easy stories to tell! Some of the main lines for the telling have been suggested above. The dilemmas faced by this trio are extremely relevant to the temptations to present-day persons on whom the Sower's seed has been sown. In the telling of each story it would be well to embellish the central metaphor with contemporary examples. The cares of the world choke out the word for King Herod. What kinds of worldly cares choke out the word among people today? How does the lure of wealth (rich ruler) manifest itself today? How does the desire for other things (Pilate) incarnate itself among us? Weave these present realities into your story telling.
These "thorny ground" stories are extremely relevant for us today. Christians have sold out to the surrounding culture in each of these "thorny ground" ways. This sermon may cut close to the heart of many listeners. So be it!
Tell these three stories. (Two if you do not include the rich ruler.) Weave into the old story contemporary ways in which people are like the "thorny ground" today. Then say "amen" and sit down. The greatest temptation with these stories is to batter people with them and then moralize them. We had better change our ways and put the Sower first in our lives or else! No. Your listeners will apply the stories to themselves as they see fit. (The great temptation, of course, is for the hearer to see how these stories fit other people. In this case they will really like your sermon. "Great sermon, pastor. You really told them!")
Paul Ricoeur once said that "obedience follows the imagination." Stories help to transform the imagination. Let your hearers imagine their way into these stories. Let them imagine themselves in the shoes of King Herod or the rich ruler or Pilate. Let them imagine themselves getting out of those shoes. Let them imagine themselves as transformed people. Let them be with these stories.
It is recommended that you close with prayer. The prayer should include an invocation of the Holy Spirit to use these stories to show each and every one of us the thorny groundedness of our lives. The prayer should close with a reminder that Jesus did not come to call the righteous, but sinners (Mark 2:17). Jesus, after all, is in the transformation business. The One who came to transform sinners into saints can also transform "thorny ground" people into good soil for the gospel.
____________
1. Donald H. Juel, Mark (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1990), p. 95.
In 6:14ff. we hear that King Herod has heard of Jesus. This occasions a kind of summary of the kinds of answers that were being given to the question of Jesus' identity. Some thought John the Baptist had risen from the dead (6:14). Others thought he was like one of the prophets, Elijah perhaps (6:15). Interestingly enough, the characters in Mark's story never do seem to quite "get it" with Jesus' identity. God declares who Jesus is (1:11; 9:7). The demons know who he is (1:24-25, 34; 3:11-12; 5:7). But very few humans get it. The disciples surely don't get it. Neither do the hometown folk. Neither does King Herod.
Herod thinks this person he has heard about must be John the Baptist, whom he had killed, risen from the dead (6:16). This becomes an occasion for the gospel writer to bring us up to date on the story of John the Baptist. We remember that Jesus' ministry began with the arrest of John the Baptist (Mark 1:14).
The return to John at a time when Jesus seems to be enjoying success and popularity introduces a sobering note into the story again. It serves as a reminder of what happens to preachers who threaten established authorities. The confusion between Jesus and John insinuates that a similar fate awaits Jesus.1
John precedes Jesus. He is a model of what will happen to Jesus. We might consider this story to be the "passion" story of John the Baptist. John the Baptist's story ends here with his burial by his disciples (6:29). When Jesus died there were no disciples to be found. He had to be buried by a stranger!
In Mary Ann Tolbert's reading of the typology of the Parable of the Sower she views Herod as an example of seed sown among the thorns. Herod and the ruler who comes to Jesus to find out what he must do to inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17-31, appointed for Pentecost 22) are her chief examples in Mark's story of hearers who are like thorny ground. We can probably add the story of Pilate to the thorny ground characters in Mark's Gospel (Mark 15:1-15).
Let's remind ourselves of Jesus' description of the thorny ground people. "And others are those sown among the thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing" (Mark 4:18-19). It is certainly a plausible hypothesis to see Herod as a model of this kind of behavior. Herod had a kind of love/hate relationship with John the Baptist. Herod may have hated John for telling him that it was not lawful for him to have his brother's wife. That was enough for Herodias. "Kill him," she commanded of Herod. Herod couldn't! He feared John the Baptist, knowing that John was a righteous man. So he protected John. But more than protection! Herod called upon John at secret times for spiritual counsel. Herod heard John gladly! The seed had been sown.
Now it came to pass that Herod gave a great birthday banquet. The daughter of Herodias danced. Herod was so overcome with the power of her dance that he offered to give her up to half of his kingdom! That's not what Herodias had in mind, however. She had John the Baptist in mind. "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter" (6:25). The king was deeply grieved at this request for the head of his spiritual counselor. He was exceedingly sorry. Herod was in a tough spot. He was deeply perplexed. But he sold out! He had made an oath. His guests had heard it. He must keep his word. And so it was that the cares of the world choked out the word he had heard. The seed that John had sown yielded nothing!
We must have some genuine sympathy for Herod. He has heard the word. He heard it gladly. But it was choked out by worldly cares. Ministry is lived out in the midst of all kinds of people who fit a similar description. The rich ruler fits the same mold. We have much sympathy for him, too. The disciples were astonished that Jesus could turn this good, good man away. Here was a righteous man. He wanted to inherit eternal life. Jesus loved this man! "You lack one thing," Jesus said to him. "Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor ƒ" (Mark 10:21). The ruler was shocked! He went away sorrowful for he had many possessions. The ruler had heard the word sown; his life had borne much fruit. But in the end the lure of wealth choked out the seed that had been sown. His life yielded nothing!
And, Pilate (Mark 15:1-15). Mark paints him, too, as one who is sympathetic to the plight of the Sower. "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" he pleaded with the crowd (15:9). No! The crowd wanted Barabbas. Pilate knew this was all wrong. It was all jealousy that led the chief priests to try to get rid of this good man. "Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?" (15:12). Pilate still hopes to avoid the worst. The crowd rebuffs him again. They want him crucified. "Why," Pilate implores, "what evil has he done?" (15:14). Pilate's pleas went unheeded. The crowd shouted, "Crucify!" "So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified" (15:15). Here stood the Sower. Pilate was impressed. But the desire for other things choked out the seed that had been sown. Pilate yielded nothing!
Homiletical Directions
We have indicated above that today's text revolves around John the Baptist and King Herod. Our sermon will differ quite radically depending on which of these two men we decide to place stage center. It would be quite difficult to try to include both men because the stories move in different directions. Our suggestion is that the focus be upon King Herod, who gets very little press!
The comments above suggest the outline for a sermon which will begin with the story of King Herod. This is to be a sermon which demonstrates what Jesus means by "thorny ground" in his Parable of the Sower. Herod's story can be told as an example of a person in whom the cares of the world choke out the word. The rich ruler's story will be told as an example of how the lure of wealth chokes out the word. The Pilate story exemplifies how the desire for other things (popularity in this case) chokes out the word. You may decide to touch the rich ruler's story lightly in light of the fact that this text (Mark 10:17-31) will be the Gospel story for Pentecost 22. Another possibility, of course, would be to wait until Pentecost 22 to tell these three stories of thorny ground people.
These are easy stories to tell! Some of the main lines for the telling have been suggested above. The dilemmas faced by this trio are extremely relevant to the temptations to present-day persons on whom the Sower's seed has been sown. In the telling of each story it would be well to embellish the central metaphor with contemporary examples. The cares of the world choke out the word for King Herod. What kinds of worldly cares choke out the word among people today? How does the lure of wealth (rich ruler) manifest itself today? How does the desire for other things (Pilate) incarnate itself among us? Weave these present realities into your story telling.
These "thorny ground" stories are extremely relevant for us today. Christians have sold out to the surrounding culture in each of these "thorny ground" ways. This sermon may cut close to the heart of many listeners. So be it!
Tell these three stories. (Two if you do not include the rich ruler.) Weave into the old story contemporary ways in which people are like the "thorny ground" today. Then say "amen" and sit down. The greatest temptation with these stories is to batter people with them and then moralize them. We had better change our ways and put the Sower first in our lives or else! No. Your listeners will apply the stories to themselves as they see fit. (The great temptation, of course, is for the hearer to see how these stories fit other people. In this case they will really like your sermon. "Great sermon, pastor. You really told them!")
Paul Ricoeur once said that "obedience follows the imagination." Stories help to transform the imagination. Let your hearers imagine their way into these stories. Let them imagine themselves in the shoes of King Herod or the rich ruler or Pilate. Let them imagine themselves getting out of those shoes. Let them imagine themselves as transformed people. Let them be with these stories.
It is recommended that you close with prayer. The prayer should include an invocation of the Holy Spirit to use these stories to show each and every one of us the thorny groundedness of our lives. The prayer should close with a reminder that Jesus did not come to call the righteous, but sinners (Mark 2:17). Jesus, after all, is in the transformation business. The One who came to transform sinners into saints can also transform "thorny ground" people into good soil for the gospel.
____________
1. Donald H. Juel, Mark (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1990), p. 95.
