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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Gospel Christology of Mark
Submitted to Dr. William Victor, in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the completion of the course,
Marcus A. Howard
NBST 515: New Testament Orientation I
December 11, 2022
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Contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………3
Son of God……………………………………………………………………………………….4
A Lord and Servant to All……………………………………………………………………….6
Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled, Jesus is the Messiah…………………………….………...8
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………10
Bibliography.................................................................................................................................11
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Introduction
The Gospel of Mark is an impressive body of work that takes readers into the immediate
action of Jesus' life and ministry. Mark's ability to capture what he believes are some of the most
impactful moments of Jesus' ministry while simultaneously delivering the message that Jesus is
the Son of God is brilliant. For those who have never encountered Jesus, his Gospel is a palatable
introduction to the Synoptic Gospels. While the Gospel account of Mark is the shortest of the
four Gospels, its sixteen chapters paint a unique portrait of Jesus not necessarily captured by the
other three Gospel writers. Writing from the narrator's position, Mark plays no casted role in the
story of Jesus. However, Mark's ability to deliver brief interjections of essential areas of
importance during the story through his use of asides is a unique aspect to appreciate as a reader.
Rhoads, Dewey, and Michie highlight the impact Mark's use of asides delivers readers, stating:
" These brief explanations, along with the inclusion of details such as foreign words
and customs, make the story seem more realistic and authentic. Also, when the
narrator turns aside from recounting the story to comment directly, the narrator
establishes a rapport by taking hearers into confidence and assuring them in subtle
ways that they are not forgotten."1
Finally, the Gospel account of Mark places specific focus areas that he wants his readers
to understand about Jesus. While Mark holds second-hand knowledge of Jesus through
instruction by Apostle Paul and Peter (1 Peter 5:12, Acts 12:12), his Gospel takes readers on a
journey that is pivotal to developing faith and a relationship with Christ. This paper will cover
the focal points Mark seemingly delivers in his work. Through demonstrating that from a
Christological perspective, Mark believed Jesus to be the Son of God, a Lord and Servant to all,
and finally, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah.
1 David Rhoads, Joanna Dewey, and Donald Michie,BMark as Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a
Gospel, Third Edition. (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2012), 42–43.
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The Son of God
The opening credits of Mark's Gospel immediately expose his readers to the primary
focus of his story, the big reveal that Jesus is the Son of God. Another exciting highlight is that
the narrator essentially gives the prophet Isaiah a big shoutout for his prophecy of the coming of
John the Baptist and Jesus (Mark 1:2-3). Additionally, rather than covering the Nativity of Christ
and his Genealogy, the Gospel writer takes readers straight to the point of his message, that Jesus
is the Son of God. Consequently, readers also get put on notice that Jesus is the way and that the
water Baptism of John was not good enough to cleanse sin but rather following the way of Christ
(Mark 1:7-8). Furthermore, it is worth noting that the author's perspective on Jesus is, in essence,
a fresh start for God's creation, humanity, to come back into good standing with God. According
to Rhoads, Dewey, and Michie, "Mark's story is unified around one overall theme: God is
establishing God's rulership over the "creation that God created" and bringing it to fulfillment
within the generation."2 This a critical perspective to consider as the Gospel is approached from
Mark's angle on the life and ministry of Jesus. As well Mark's announcement that the Son of
God, Jesus, has arrived is captured in a manner that allows the reader or listener in on Jesus'
conversation with the Father in verses 10-11, where he writes, "As Jesus came up out of the
water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. And
a voice from heaven said, "You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy."3 So what
the first set of verses gives readers is that the narrator's perception and beliefs regarding Jesus
have been set, and they pave the way for the audience to understand what they are about to learn
and digest as they read or hear Mark's message.
2 Ibid.,73.
3 Mark 1:10-11 [NLT].
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Perhaps even more essential to take in is that Mark's narrative standpoint using Jesus as
the protagonist is taken from the position that his layout is from God's evaluative perspective and
that his account is based on God's perspective of the history of Salvation.4 The Gospel's fast-
paced approach to the ministry of Jesus also provides evidence of Jesus' powerful impact even in
the current time that Mark pens his narration. Additionally, he demonstrates in the early sections
of his book that many of the characters of his story knew or sensed who Jesus was, highlighting
the authority which Jesus carried. Plus, the crucial fact that the message of Jesus being the Son of
God also translated to a vital way life should be walked out while on earth comes from the
perspective of the Kingdom of God. Author Marcus Borg speaks on this viewpoint mentioning
that "if you asked a hundred experts on the gospels from around the world what was most central
to the message, the gospel, of Jesus, all of them—whether Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, or non-
believer—would say, "the kingdom of God."5 Borg's insight paints a unique canvas for readers to
understand why Mark writes in the manner he does, that having faith in Jesus requires action.
Readers are given an immediate depiction of Jesus' authority as His first disciples are
compelled to drop what they are doing and follow Him. However, mark's narrative of these
events can be seen from the stance that Jesus was a different kind of light hope not seen before
by them, which is what drew them to Him. Combining that with the events where Jesus casts out
evil spirits and heals many people, readers are given a front-row seat that every character in the
story knows of His power and authority. In short, Mark's Gospel vividly portrays how Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, established the kingdom of God.6
4 Jack Dean Kingsbury,BThe Christology of Mark's GospelB(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983), 69.
5 Marcus Borg,BConversations with Scripture: The Gospel of Mark, Anglican Association of Biblical
Scholars Study Series (Harrisburg, PA; New York: Morehouse Publishing, 2009), 28.
6 Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough,BEncountering the New Testament: A Historical and
Theological Survey, Third Edition., Encountering Biblical Studies (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 81.
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A Lord and Servant to All
Another Christological perspective seen while reading the Gospel account of Mark is that
Jesus was not only the Lord but also a Servant. While Mark's impressive narration moves
quickly through the ministry of Jesus, he does a remarkable job depicting Jesus' servanthood and
the various lessons He teaches His disciples along the journey. In his chapter titled "Warning,
Misunderstanding, and Teaching about the Way," Marcus Borg highlights that Mark's message
about Jesus holds the perspective that the path of following Jesus is not about becoming masters
but servants.7 Throughout the documentary that is Mark's Gospel, Jesus is seen performing
various miracles of healing the sick or injured, feeding multitudes of followers at one time, and
teaching and sending His disciples out into the areas to deliver the good news. It is from these
lessons that Mark demonstrates to his audience another central theme of relevance concerning
his perspective of Jesus. Additionally, the Christology of a Lord who is a servant to all pushes
the conversation that God desires that everyone comes into the knowledge of His love and
Salvation.
At this point in Mark's story, and with this perspective in mind, the introduction of the
antagonists, Satan, the fallen world, and its lost people, whom Jesus is there to save. Readers are
introduced to the opposition faced by Jesus, the disciples, and even today's believer. The
narration in which Mark decides to write has Jesus' primary foe being the first encountered and
defeated after His baptism, followed by His dealings with the authorities in power in the world
during His time on earth. Rhoads, Dewey, and Michie highlight that "the audience will see that
things are not what they seem to be: ... what the world considers great is not true
7 Marcus Borg,BConversations with Scripture: The Gospel of Mark, Anglican Association of Biblical
Scholars Study Series (Harrisburg, PA; New York: Morehouse Publishing, 2009), 78.
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greatness...those who serve and refuse to lord over others are God's people."8 In short, serving
others is the foundational message of God to love one another.
The Markan Jesus is portrayed as a loving teaching, but the emphasis is placed on action
steps. According to Dowd, "Mark puts more emphasis on what the teacher does than on what the
teacher teaches."9 Prompting the idea that Mark wants his audience to focus more on living out
the lessons instead of simply knowing what was taught. The audience can see this presented
before them in Mark 9:33-35, where Jesus essentially reveals to His Disciples the importance of
living the lesson they have learned.
"After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked the disciples, "What
were you discussing out on the road?" But they didn't answer because they had been
arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve disciples
over to him, and said, "Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant
of everyone else."10
The Gospel narrative of Mark delivers multiple examples of Jesus's servanthood. Mark
goes as far as to highlight Jesus' conversation with the teacher of religious law regarding the two
most important commandments. Mark highlights in verse 31 that the second most important
commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. In essence, to be in good standing with the
Kingdom of God, or the Way of Jesus, one must first adopt the mindset of a servant.
The Old Testament Prophecy fulfilled, Jesus is the Messiah
The final Markan Christological perspective discussed in this paper is that of Jesus as the
fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy that He is the Messiah. Mark immediately makes his
audience of readers and listeners aware that his perspective that his writing is that of the good
8 BDavid Rhoads, Joanna Dewey, and Donald Michie,BMark as Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a
Gospel, Third Edition. (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2012), 97.B
9 Sharyn Echols Dowd,BReading Mark: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Second Gospel,
Reading the New Testament Series (Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, 2000), 19.
10 Mark 9:33-35, [NLT].
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news of Jesus the Messiah, Mark 1:1. His use of multiple Old Testament scriptures to affirm his
viewpoint is seen throughout his work and further driven forward as Mark highlights the
reactions of the antagonists as they encounter Jesus. For example, the evil spirits that Jesus casts
out all refer to him as the "Son of the Most High God" or "Messiah," which could indicate that
Mark wanted his follower to know Jesus was, in fact, the coming king of the Old Testament.
Borgs notes, "Mark affirms at the beginning of his gospel that Jesus isBtheBMessiah, the hoped-
for and longed-for anointed one of Israel. The good news is the story of Jesus the Messiah."11
It is important to note that Mark's use of the Hebrew word "Messiah" is also synonymous
with the Greek word "Christos" or "Christ"Band both words carry a significant meaning within
Jewish culture and beliefs. Those words to date still carry significance. Interestingly enough,
Borgs puts together a rather brilliant thought as to why the Markan Jesus was given the title at
the early onset of his Gospel. Borgs states:
“We will not fully understand Mark's and early Christianity's affirmation that Jesus is the
Son of God unless we realize that there was another Son of God in that world. For
Christians to call Jesus "the Son of God" directly countered Roman imperial theology and
its rule of the world they knew. Already in the title, Mark names the conflict that will, by
the end of his story, lead to the execution of Jesus.”12
11 Marcus Borg,BConversations with Scripture: The Gospel of Mark, Anglican Association of Biblical
Scholars Study Series (Harrisburg, PA; New York: Morehouse Publishing, 2009), 20.
12 Ibid.,20-21.
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It becomes vital for Mark's audience to understand early on that his message is a direct
opposition to a prevalent worldview and that when looked at holistically, Jesus fulfilled
everything written within the Old Testament. However, not everyone in Mark's narratives agrees
that Jesus is the Messianic king written about in the scriptures. In fact, these religious leaders use
scriptures and their interpretations of them to question and test Jesus. Nevertheless, according to
Mark's account, Jesus overcomes obstacles flawlessly each time He is tested. The Markan Jesus
motif, according to Kingsbury, is purposeful, "this motif is to invite readers to appropriate for
themselves that "thinking" about Jesus, which places them "in alignment" with God's "thinking"
about Jesus."13 Simply put, Mark provides his audience with the perspective to see and
experience Jesus from God's eyes.
Mark's ability to show how Jesus pulled on Old Testament scriptures like Isaiah 29:13,
Psalms 118:22-26, and Leviticus 19:18, to name a few, demonstrate Jesus' awareness of what not
only His followers believed about the Messiah, but also about what Jesus' primary mission was
while He was earth. He was here to fulfill a covenant made to Abraham, and He was here to
fulfill the heavy price demanded by the price of sin, which was His death on the cross. Mark's
portrayal of Jesus as the Old Testament Messiah can be summed up best by realizing that those
that witness the accounts of Jesus either believed and accepted Him or were overcome by the
worldview that the Messiah had yet to arrive. Elwell and Yarbrough said, "It was there for
everyone to see. What kept it hidden from people's eyes was the hardness of their hearts."14
Conclusion
13 Jack Dean Kingsbury,BThe Christology of Mark's GospelB(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983), 141.
14 Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough,BEncountering the New Testament: A Historical and
Theological Survey, Third Edition., Encountering Biblical Studies (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic,
2013), 81.
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The entertaining and fast-paced account of Jesus' life and ministry in the account of
Mark's Gospel is one worth exploring and researching. It delivers a timeless story that takes his
audience into multiple vantage points about who Jesus is and what His life meant to the author
and those who believe Him as their Lord and Savior. When looking at the Gospel of Mark from a
Christological study, Mark does a phenomenal job of addressing his disposition of thought
concerning that of Jesus Christ. It becomes evident that Mark's stance on Jesus was that He was
the Son of God, a Servant to all, and the culmination of the fulfillment of the Old Testament
scriptures regarding the Messiah.
In conclusion, while the Gospel of Mark is the shortest of the Synoptic Gospels, he
exposes his readers and listeners to Jesus in a manner that easily allows them to make an
informed decision on whom they choose to believe Jesus is based on the evidence laid before
them.
Bibliography
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Borg, Marcus. Conversations with Scripture: The Gospel of Mark. Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse
Publishing, 2009.
Dowd, Sharyn. Reading Mark: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Second Gospel.
Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, Inc., 2000.
Elwell, Walter A., and Robert W. Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament: A Historical
and Theological Survey. Vol. Third Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013.
Kingsbury, Jack Dean. The Christology of Mark's Gospel. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press,
1983.
Rhoads, David, Joanna Dewey, and Donald Michie. Mark As Story: An Introduction to the
Narrative of a Gospel. Vol. Third Edition. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2012.
