The entire Gospel of Mark functions the way a parable is said to within Mark: by obscuring in the course of revealing, or revealing in the course of obscuring (4:11-12). It is filled with mystery, secrecy, and paradox even if not by the words for the same. And to be fair, the secrecy theme is not altogether absent even from John (10:24), and cannot but go back essentially to Jesus himself. Emphasizing it is a dramatic device to draw in the reader/listener who is determined to understand (Prov 1:5-6; Mark 13:14). Robyn Walsh is right to that extent. This strategy had limited success with the Christian audience as a whole, since Mark was the least popular of the four. It seems to have worked for three key readers, anyway, that is, those who went on to write Matthew, Luke, and John.
Also you wrote that "Elijah and Isaiah were thought to have been exalted to heaven after their deaths, but none of these men attracted messianic associations." What do you think of Malachi 4:5? It seems to speak of a 'second coming' of Elijah to usher in a future "day of the Lord" which sounds very Messianic. Mark also acknowledged that various people believed Jesus was Elijah (6:15, 8:28) - which is blurring the line between Jesus-Elijah-Messiah, though Mark seems to clear it up by having Jesus speak with Moses and Elijah separately (9:4) and identifying John the Baptist as the Elijah who was to come (9:13), thus keeping Jesus and Elijah distinct while still acknowledging the Messianic imagination around Elijah
Love this, John! I'm not sure yet if/where this interpreation of the main message of Mark has been developed fully, but I'm wondering if the 'reconfiguration' of understanding about Jesus which Mark may have intended to induce was not about the nature of the Messiah (suffering/sacrifical servant vs. kingly/priestly conqueror), but about how followers of the Messiah should see their duties in relation to the Messiah. Pauline salvation theology placed more emphasis on *mystical* union with the death and resurrection of Jesus, and appropriation of eternal life through the rituals of baptism, eucharist, and the indwelling of the Spirit, etc. whereas Mark (aware of Paul and his churches perhaps) seems to place more emphasis on the practical & personal costs/downsides of following Jesus - that followers must be willing to also pay the ultimate price and "pick up one's cross" in order to share in the glory of the Messiah. Perhaps that was a modification (or clarification) of the mindset which Paul's teachings had made popular (on purpose or by accident), in response to Christians who wanted all the spiritual and afterlife goods without the radical commitment. TL;DR Mark 8:34-36 is the secret... and is it a coincidence that those juicy verses are almost smack bang in the middle of the whole sandwich? Verses 319-321 out of 678 total, i.e. 47th percentile
The entire Gospel of Mark functions the way a parable is said to within Mark: by obscuring in the course of revealing, or revealing in the course of obscuring (4:11-12). It is filled with mystery, secrecy, and paradox even if not by the words for the same. And to be fair, the secrecy theme is not altogether absent even from John (10:24), and cannot but go back essentially to Jesus himself. Emphasizing it is a dramatic device to draw in the reader/listener who is determined to understand (Prov 1:5-6; Mark 13:14). Robyn Walsh is right to that extent. This strategy had limited success with the Christian audience as a whole, since Mark was the least popular of the four. It seems to have worked for three key readers, anyway, that is, those who went on to write Matthew, Luke, and John.
Also you wrote that "Elijah and Isaiah were thought to have been exalted to heaven after their deaths, but none of these men attracted messianic associations." What do you think of Malachi 4:5? It seems to speak of a 'second coming' of Elijah to usher in a future "day of the Lord" which sounds very Messianic. Mark also acknowledged that various people believed Jesus was Elijah (6:15, 8:28) - which is blurring the line between Jesus-Elijah-Messiah, though Mark seems to clear it up by having Jesus speak with Moses and Elijah separately (9:4) and identifying John the Baptist as the Elijah who was to come (9:13), thus keeping Jesus and Elijah distinct while still acknowledging the Messianic imagination around Elijah
Love this, John! I'm not sure yet if/where this interpreation of the main message of Mark has been developed fully, but I'm wondering if the 'reconfiguration' of understanding about Jesus which Mark may have intended to induce was not about the nature of the Messiah (suffering/sacrifical servant vs. kingly/priestly conqueror), but about how followers of the Messiah should see their duties in relation to the Messiah. Pauline salvation theology placed more emphasis on *mystical* union with the death and resurrection of Jesus, and appropriation of eternal life through the rituals of baptism, eucharist, and the indwelling of the Spirit, etc. whereas Mark (aware of Paul and his churches perhaps) seems to place more emphasis on the practical & personal costs/downsides of following Jesus - that followers must be willing to also pay the ultimate price and "pick up one's cross" in order to share in the glory of the Messiah. Perhaps that was a modification (or clarification) of the mindset which Paul's teachings had made popular (on purpose or by accident), in response to Christians who wanted all the spiritual and afterlife goods without the radical commitment. TL;DR Mark 8:34-36 is the secret... and is it a coincidence that those juicy verses are almost smack bang in the middle of the whole sandwich? Verses 319-321 out of 678 total, i.e. 47th percentile