Firstly, I think that canonical Mark is a lightly revised version of an earlier Gospel, which we can call proto-Mark (although I don't really like that name).
The purpose of proto-Mark is to set the stage for Paul the Apostle. The writer of proto-Mark establishes a few major points:
1) Jesus is the Son of God
2) That Jesus is the Son of God is a mystery, unknown to most
3) The original disciples/apostles failed to understand the message of Jesus
4) Peter did grasp the mystery of Jesus, but nevertheless abandoned him due to worldly fears and insecurities
5) The Jewish leaders brought destruction upon themselves by displeasing God and failing to recognize his Son
6) Jesus is revealed through the Scriptures, though most people fail to recognize his identity in the Scriptures
7) Paul is the one to whom Jesus will ultimately be revealed and who will be the leader that reveals the true nature of Jesus to the world
The ending of Mark at 16:8 was originally followed by a narrative about Paul that would have begun with Paul's persecutions following the death of Jesus and Paul being sent away to Galilee, where Paul would then have been on the path that the disciples were supposed to be on to meet Jesus. But since the disciples had abandoned Jesus and were not given the message about where to meet him, they weren't there, so it is Paul who happens to be at the meeting place where Jesus reveals himself to Paul. Then the story about Paul's ministry follows, culminating in his trial in Jerusalem and subsequent "rescue" by the Gentiles who ultimately take him to Rome where he spreads the teachings of Jesus.
The purpose of proto-Mark is to set the stage for Paul the Apostle. The writer of proto-Mark establishes a few major points:
1) Jesus is the Son of God
2) That Jesus is the Son of God is a mystery, unknown to most
3) The original disciples/apostles failed to understand the message of Jesus
4) Peter did grasp the mystery of Jesus, but nevertheless abandoned him due to worldly fears and insecurities
5) The Jewish leaders brought destruction upon themselves by displeasing God and failing to recognize his Son
6) Jesus is revealed through the Scriptures, though most people fail to recognize his identity in the Scriptures
7) Paul is the one to whom Jesus will ultimately be revealed and who will be the leader that reveals the true nature of Jesus to the world
The ending of Mark at 16:8 was originally followed by a narrative about Paul that would have begun with Paul's persecutions following the death of Jesus and Paul being sent away to Galilee, where Paul would then have been on the path that the disciples were supposed to be on to meet Jesus. But since the disciples had abandoned Jesus and were not given the message about where to meet him, they weren't there, so it is Paul who happens to be at the meeting place where Jesus reveals himself to Paul. Then the story about Paul's ministry follows, culminating in his trial in Jerusalem and subsequent "rescue" by the Gentiles who ultimately take him to Rome where he spreads the teachings of Jesus.
Statistics: Posted by rgprice — Thu Feb 01, 2024 4:15 am