The second theme of Mark’s Gospel is announced in 1:14-15: the coming of the kingdom of God. John has been arrested by Herod and the arrest of Jesus’ mentor, John, is the trigger for Jesus to begin His public activity in Galilee. Jesus’ first words, which are Mark’s advance summary of   Jesus’ message, proclaim the good news as the coming of the kingdom of God. It should be noted that this is a repeat of the message that John the Baptizer declared during his ministry.

(It is suggested that you have a copy of Mark’s Gospel in hand when you read this so that you can actually get a sense of what is being shared)

Part One: Galilee

The rest of chapter one through most of chapter eight, which is roughly half of the gospel, narrates     Jesus’ activity in Galilee. He calls disciples who leave everything – livelihood and family – to follow Him. He teaches with authority, and He often uses parables. He exorcises   demons and heals people. He stills a storm on the sea (twice) and feeds a multitude with a few loaves and fish (twice). There is no scholarly conclusion about Mark’s gospel presenting two different instances of the stilling of the sea and the multiplication of food. The stories are so very close in nature that it would seem that the same story was repeated for a specific purpose.

Almost from the beginning, the Galilee section foreshadows the conflict that will lead to Jesus’ death in Jerusalem, which is presented in part three.

Chapters 2-3 contain a series of conflict stories in which Jesus is challenged by representatives of the authorities. Already the shadow of the cross darkens the story.

Part Two: Journey to Jerusalem

Toward the end of chapter 8, Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem begins to dominate Mark’s narrative. For the first time, a follower of Jesus (i.e., Peter) calls Jesus the Messiah. Jesus immediately tells his disciples that he will be rejected and killed by the authorities in Jerusalem. Following Him means to take up their cross – to join Him on the way that leads to Jerusalem, confrontation, death and resurrection. Twice more in this section Jesus announces his impending execution. As the journey section draws to its end, Mark’s theme of the way is again emphasized; after Jesus restores the sight of a blind man at the end of chapter 10, who then followed Jesus on the way – the way or path or road to Jerusalem, the next stop.

The one theme that is present in all of the Gospels is the theme of commitment to living as God wants humans to live. It is a commitment, however, that will lead a person to rejection by others and some degree of suffering. No real growth, however, can be achieved without some struggle and suffering!

Have you embraced the WAY of Jesus?