Part 2: What Kind of Man is This? | Gospel According to Mark Semester Discussion Guide

Part 2: What Kind of Man is This? | Mark 1:16-8:26

The following should be read aloud as a group, with each person reading one paragraph before passing on to the next person. Afterwards, a discussion will follow with the provided discussion questions.

After introducing us to the person of Jesus and his ministry of announcing God’s kingdom on earth, St. Mark proceeds to give the reader a rapid-fire account of Jesus’ actions and teachings to further give us an idea of who this mysterious “Son of God” is. Throughout these chapters, the word “immediately” is used frequently to transition the reader quickly between various locations and events; indeed, the setting is changed over forty times throughout the Gospel of Mark.1 This gives the reader a sense of urgency about Jesus’ mission of proclaiming the kingdom of God and can be thought of as akin to a video or movie with quick edits and cuts to convey excitement and movement.

And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him. (1:16-20)

Why would two pairs of brothers abandon their livelihoods as fishers and their families to follow Jesus? The reality is we do not know entirely why, but St. Jerome has some interesting thoughts:

“There must have been something divinely compelling in the face of the Savior. Otherwise they would not have acted so irrationally as to follow a man whom they had never seen before. Does one leave a father to follow a man in whom he sees nothing more than he sees in his father? They left their father of the flesh to follow the Father of the spirit. They did not leave a father; they found a Father. What is the point of this digression? To show that there was something divine in the Savior’s very countenance that men, seeing, could not resist.”2

In the narratives to come, we will get more of a sense of what was so compelling about Jesus that Peter, Andrew, James, and John left everything to follow him.

Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

But Jesus rebuked him, saying,  “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee. (1:23-28)

Throughout Mark, Jesus has various conflicts with “unclean spirits” or “demons.” These malevolent and unclean spirits contrast with the Holy Spirit that rested and remained upon Jesus at his baptism. Who are these unclean spirits, and how do they know that Jesus is “the Holy One of God”? According to various second-temple Jewish texts roughly contemporaneous with the Gospel of Mark, these are the spirits of dead giants that were the offspring of human women who had sexual relations with fallen angels.3 These giants were monstrously evil and demonically influenced humans who ruled over Canaan before Joshua and the Israelites conquered the holy land4; these giants and their people regularly performed rituals involving human sacrifice and cannibalism to honor the gods they worshipped.5 According to the Book of Jubilees, after these giants had been defeated by Joshua, God permitted some of their spirits to remain in the land and afflict the unrighteous to bring them to repentance.6 These unclean spirits recognize Jesus as the commander of the Lord’s army who was with Joshua and defeated them in the first place.7 Accordingly, they are terrified of him as the one who defeated them prior. Jesus has come to permanently eradicate evil from the land, and that includes banishing the evil spirits present who afflict and oppress Israel.8 Jesus’ conflict with the unclean spirits will continue throughout Mark’s Gospel, where the desire of these spirits to destroy and oppress humanity will become even clearer.

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction. (1:40-45)

According to the law of Moses, anything touched by someone unclean becomes unclean: “And everything that the unclean person may touch will be polluted, and the person who touches it will be unclean until evening.” (Numbers 19:22).9 Jesus here shows himself to be reversing the pattern of uncleanness and sin in the world by undoing this pattern – instead of the unclean leper defiling Jesus when they touch, Jesus cleanses the unclean leper.

As is common throughout the Gospel of Mark, Jesus tells the person he has healed not to tell anyone, who then promptly ignores his instructions and proceeds to tell everyone he can. This pattern will continue throughout the Gospel as Jesus at first keeps his Messianic identity a secret from the crowds before openly proclaiming it to his disciples and then to the Jewish Sanhedrin before his crucifixion.10 

But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that

    ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,

    And hearing they may hear and not understand;

    Lest they should turn,

    And their sins be forgiven them.’ ” (4:10-12)

This statement of Christ after his first parable is extremely puzzling, as he seems to be saying that his purpose of telling parables is specifically so that the people hearing him will not understand. Why would he not want the people to understand? Origen of Alexandria has good insight on this question:

“Sometimes it does not turn out to be an advantage for one to be healed quickly or superficially, especially if the disease by this means becomes even more shut up in the internal organs where it rages more fiercely. Therefore God, who perceives secret things and who knows all things before they come to be, in his great goodness delays the healing of such persons and defers the remedy to a later time. If I may speak paradoxically, God heals them by not healing them, lest a premature recovery of health should render them incurable. This pertains to those whom our Lord and Savior addressed as “those outside,” whose hearts and reins he searches out. Jesus covered up the deeper mysteries of the faith in veiled speech to those who were not yet ready to receive his teaching in straightforward terms. The Lord wanted to prevent the unready from being too speedily converted and only cosmetically healed. If the forgiveness of their sins were too easily obtained, they would soon fall again into the same disorder of sin which they imagined could be cured without any difficulty.”11

In other words, the medicine is only available to people who want to be healed, and Jesus hides his medicine behind parables to ensure that those who seek it want to be made well.

Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, “John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

Others said, “It is Elijah.”

And others said, “It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.”

But when Herod heard, he said, “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!” For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”

And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”

Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb. (6:14-29)

The narrative of St. John the Forerunner’s beheading features several parallels with the crucifixion of Christ at the end of the gospel. John is called “the Forerunner” not only because he announces Christ’s appearance beforehand and prepares the way for him, but also because he imitates Christ in the manner of his death. John is killed by Herod, a powerful ruler who is simultaneously fascinated and yet afraid of John, who kills him under outside pressure; the same can be said for Pontius Pilate killing Christ under pressure from the Sanhedrin and Jewish crowds. Both are killed for calling out blatant corruption among the leadership (for St. John, Herod taking his brother’s wife; for Christ, criticism of the temple-market and the Pharisees). A proclamation of rising from the dead takes place for both.12 Both have disciples come and bury their bodies. Both descend into hell and announce the gospel to those held there, as mentioned in the Church’s hymnography:

“The memory of the just is celebrated with hymns of praise, but the Lord’s testimony is sufficient for thee, O Forerunner; for thou hast proved to be truly even more venerable than the Prophets, since thou wast granted to baptize in the running waters Him Whom they proclaimed. Wherefore, having contested for the truth, thou didst rejoice to announce the good tidings even to those in Hades: that God hath appeared in the flesh, taking away the sin of the world and granting us great mercy.”13

In short, as the last of the Old Testament prophets and the gateway to the New Covenant, St. John the Forerunner sums up the entire Old Testament tradition in his own person and also foreshadows the salvific life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them,  “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. (6:45–52)

Many things are lurking beneath the surface of this narrative. First, when Jesus says, “It is I,” these are the same Greek words as “I am” (ἐγώ εἰμι). These are the words that God uses to identify himself to Moses in the burning bush in Exodus 3:14: “I am the One Who Is” (ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν), which hints to us that Mark believes that Jesus is the same person who appeared to Moses in the burning bush. Additionally, Jesus walking on water is a reference to the Book of Job, where Job says that God is the one “who stretched out the heavens alone, and walks about upon the sea as upon the ground.” (Job 9:8 LXX).14 This again identifies Jesus with the God of Israel. Another curious detail also appears in the story: that Jesus “would have passed them by” as he was walking on the sea. This likewise appears to be a reference to Job speaking to God in his despair about the loss of his property, health, and children: “If he should pass over me, I would not notice, and if he should pass by me, likewise I would not perceive. If he should depart, who would bring him back?” (Job 9:11-12 LXX).15 The purpose of this allusion seems to be that unlike Job, who fears that God has ignored him and will never return, Christ does not ignore the disciples, but rather comes to them and causes the storm to cease.16

Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”

And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. (8:11–13.)

After multiple chapters in a row consisting of little else than Jesus performing miracles, the Pharisees asking Jesus for a “sign from heaven” is humorous. If the previous signs of casting out demons, feeding the five thousand, and raising the dead were not sufficient for the Pharisees, no miracle will be sufficient. St. John Chrysostom says the following:

“For not in order to believe did they seek, but to lay hold of Him. If they had come unto Him as ready to believe, He would have given it…But for what sign from Heaven were they asking? Either that He should stay the sun, or curb the moon, or bring down thunderbolts, or work a change in the air, or some other such thing…And if men speak of the signs in Pharaoh’s time, there was an enemy then from whom deliverance was needed, and it all took place in due course. But to Him that came among friends there was no need of those signs.”17

Over the proceeding chapters, Mark has not directly told us who Jesus is. Rather, he has demonstrated to us that Jesus is actively banishing evil through the land through casting out unclean spirits, calling Israel to repentance, healing those who want to be healed, teaching those who have ears to hear, and reversing the pattern of uncleanness and sin in Israel. In the next section, we will see what occurs when one of Jesus’ disciples directly recognizes him as the Messiah of God and what that means.

Discussion Questions:

1. Mark moves rapidly from one scene to another, showing Jesus teaching, healing, casting out demons, calming storms, and confronting evil. What do these different actions have in common? Taken together, what do they begin to reveal about the kind of authority Jesus possesses?
2. When Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John, they immediately leave behind their nets, boats, and even their father to follow Him. What do you think might have been compelling enough about Jesus for them to respond this way? What does their response suggest about what it means to recognize Jesus and follow Him?
3. Mark repeatedly shows people encountering Jesus without fully understanding who He is, including His own disciples. Why do you think recognizing Jesus is different from simply witnessing what He does? What might this tell us about the ways we can encounter Christ without necessarily understanding Him?
4. When Jesus touches the leper, the expected pattern of uncleanness is reversed: instead of Jesus becoming unclean, the unclean man becomes clean. What does this reversal suggest about what Jesus has come to do? How might this change the way we understand Christ’s relationship to the brokenness and uncleanness of the world?
5. Jesus says that His parables reveal the mysteries of the kingdom to some while leaving others unable to understand, and Origen compares this to a physician treating someone according to their readiness to be healed. What do you think this tells us about the relationship between receiving Christ’s teaching and actually wanting to be changed by it? How might someone encounter the truth without being ready to receive it?
6. John the Forerunner’s death closely foreshadows the death of Christ: both are righteous men killed by powerful rulers who recognize their innocence but surrender to outside pressure. Why do you think Mark places John’s death within the story of Jesus’ ministry? What does John’s imitation of Christ’s death reveal about what it means to be His Forerunner and disciple?
7. When Jesus walks on the water, Mark uses language and imagery that echoes Old Testament descriptions of God Himself, including God’s identity as “I AM” and His authority over the sea. How do these connections change the way you understand what the disciples are witnessing in this scene? What might Mark be communicating about Jesus without simply stating it directly?
8. After witnessing Jesus perform miracle after miracle, the Pharisees still demand a sign from heaven, and Jesus responds with a deep sigh. What do you think their demand reveals about the difference between genuinely seeking the truth and looking for reasons not to believe? How do we sometimes become focused on demanding proof and fail to recognize what is already in front of us?
9. Throughout these chapters, Jesus repeatedly confronts forces that bring suffering and disorder into the world: demons, sickness, uncleanness, hunger, storms, and even death. What do you think Mark is showing us about the kingdom of God through Jesus’ response to these things? What does Jesus’ confrontation with evil suggest about what He has come to accomplish?
10. Mark spends these chapters showing us who Jesus is without yet having one of His disciples explicitly identify Him as the Messiah. Why do you think Mark chooses to let Jesus’ actions speak before giving us a direct confession of His identity? After everything you have seen in these chapters, what answer would you give to the question, “What kind of man is this?”
11. The people Jesus encounters respond to Him in very different ways: some immediately follow Him, some seek healing, some are amazed, some are afraid, and others demand more evidence. Which response do you find yourself relating to most, and why? What does your response reveal about how you currently encounter Jesus?
12. By the end of this section, Mark has given us a long series of encounters without fully resolving the mystery of Jesus’ identity. What has become clearer to you about who Jesus is, and what questions do you still have?

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¹David Rhoads et al. “Chapter 3: The Settings,” Mark as Story. < https://www.amazon.com/Mark-As-Story-Introduction-Narrative/dp/0800699092 >.

²St. Jerome of Rome, “Homily 83,” Quoted in Mark (Revised), Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. <https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Ancient-Christian-Commentary-Scripture/dp/0830814183>.

³See Genesis 6:1-4, which was understood in the context of Enochian literature. See, for example, The Book of Enoch translated by R.H. Charles: < https://sacred-texts.com/bib/boe/boe004.htm >.

⁴cf. Numbers 13:33.

⁵cf. 1 Enoch 7:3-5, Leviticus 18:21.

⁶cf. Jubilees 10:8-9. <https://www.pseudepigrapha.com/jubilees/10.htm>.

⁷cf. Joshua 5:13-15.

⁸More information about Enoch and the giants can be found in Fr. Stephen De Young’s book God is a Man of War. < https://www.amazon.com/God-Man-War-Violence-Testament/dp/195589004 >.

⁹Numbers 19:22 Lexham English Septuagint.

¹⁰cf. Mark 8:29-33; Mark 14:60-65.

¹¹Origen of Alexandria, On First Principles, quoted in Mark (Revised), Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. < https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Ancient-Christian-Commentary-Scripture/dp/0830814183 >. While Origen of Alexandria is a controversial figure in the Church due to various metaphysical errors in his theology (among them preexistence of souls and universal salvation, condemned at the Fifth Ecumenical Council), his scriptural commentary is generally viewed positively, as evidenced by St. Gregory the Theologian and St. Basil the Great quoting Origen’s scriptural commentaries extensively in their compilation of Origen’s writings called the Philocalia of Origen.

¹²For St. John, this occurs narratively before his death but not chronologically before his death. For Christ, his resurrection is proclaimed both narratively and chronologically before he dies.

¹³Second Mode Apolytikion for St. John the Forerunner. <https://www.stjohn.ny.goarch.org/community/patron_saint >.

¹⁴Job 9:8 Lexham English Septuagint.

¹⁵Job 9:11-12 Lexham English Septuagint.

¹⁶Richard Hayes, “Figuring the Mystery: Reading Scripture with Mark,” Reading Backwards: Figural Christology and the Fourfold Gospel Witness. <https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Backwards-Figural-Christology-Fourfold/dp/1481302337>.

¹⁷St. John Chrysostom, “Homily 53,” The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, on the Gospel of St. Matthew, Parts 1 & 2, trans. Bart Prevost, vol. 2. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/200153.htm>.