The Gospel of Mark

In this shortest gospel mark provides a vivid and fast-moving account of the life of the Master. Following a short introduction (1:1-8), Mark records the proclamation of Je­sus as the Son of God, upon his bap­tism by John in the Jordan river, and briefly mentions the wilderness temptations (1:9-13). By verse 14 he is into the Galilean ministry (which included Decapolis) where the record stays through the end of chapter 10. In chapters 11-16, the scene shifts to Jerusalem for the last week, crucifixion, res­urrection and ascension of Jesus.

Difference from Matthew suggests Gentile audience

Matthew begins his account with a genealogy of Jesus, sets down details regarding Mary and Joseph noting Joseph’s reaction within the context of the law, records the actions of King Herod and consistently makes frequent reference to the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. In contrast, Mark goes straight to the work of John the Baptist and only makes two Old Testament quotes (1:2,3 and 4:12) in his early chapters. Mark’s emphasis is on the actions of Jesus as a servant of his God. (For this reason, the ox is usually used to symbolize Mark’s gospel.)

Early writers suggest Mark’s original audience was made up of Romans who received a verbal account of Jesus’ deeds from Peter and were now receiving the written record through Mark. Such a lively account of Jesus would be favorably received by Roman citizens who considered themselves to be the doers in an empire their ancestors had founded. Thus Mark’s emphasis on the activi­ties of Jesus would mean more, at least initially, to Romans than the fulfillment of prophecy.

More detail in some cases

Although Mark’s is the shortest gospel record, he often includes details not found in the other synoptic (Matthew and Luke) gospels. Two such passages (7:31-37; 8:22-26) provide a unique glimpse of Jesus in action. In both cases a series of deliberate steps is involved with the healing.

The deaf man with impeded speech

The first incident was set in Deca­polis, a gentile territory under Herod-Philip’s rule. This was the place where Legion had been healed and, because Jesus was initially rejected there, the cured Legion was told to proclaim Jesus to the populace.

In spite of the earlier rejection, Je­sus returned to the region. On this visit a deaf man with a speech impediment was brought before Jesus to be healed. Taking the man aside from the crowd, Jesus placed his fingers in his ears, spat, touched the man’s tongue, looked up to heaven, sighed and finally gave the command “Ephphatha” (an Aramaic word meaning “be opened”). After all of this, the healing was accomplished.

The blind man in Bethsaida

The second incident occurred in Jewish Bethsaida. A blind man is brought to Jesus who is urged to touch him. Again Jesus takes the man apart and again a series of steps are involved in the miracle. Jesus spat on his eyes, put his hands on him for partial restoration of sight, put his hands on him again and made him look up before the man saw clearly.

The use of spit is unusual and, as one can imagine, evokes a wide range of ideas from various commentators. Yet emphasis on the physical nature of spit probably obscures the spiritual lesson being conveyed.

The healing of the blind man in John 9 no doubt provides a key to the meaning. Born blind, the man’s sight was restored when first, Jesus applied a mixture of dust and spit to his eyes and second, the man obeyed Jesus’ command by washing it off in the pool of Siloam.

Of course, the poultice of clay that Jesus applied to the blind man’s eyes was no ordinary poultice. One key ingredient, spit, came from the mouth of Jesus while the second ingredient was merely dust from the ground. Undoubtedly the spiritual lesson is this: the Word applied to the flesh can effect a change in our spiritual health, but only if we obey it.

Disciples instructed through a process

In some respects, Mark’s two acted-out miracles of healing have a spiritual counterpart in the Master’s teaching of his disciples. They, too, were taken aside from the crowd (6:31; 9:2) for input from Jesus’ mouth. In company with his own, Jesus often looked to heaven in prayer and taught them to do the same. The opening of their eyes and ears and loosing of their tongues was a gradual, not instantaneous process. Not until the resurrection did they understand some aspects of the gospel.

The same, of course, is true of ourselves. Only by getting alone with Je­sus for a quiet moment or two can we appreciate his presence. The words of his mouth are essential to our healing and we must ensure they reach our eyes and mouth. We too must look up to heaven in prayer. And sometimes we will not see clearly at first. There may even be areas where we never do see clearly until the resurrection. In that day, a great blessing will be poured out from high for “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing” (Isa. 35:5-6).