Main Mystery of the Kingdom:
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. . . we proclaim a crucified Christ [i.e., Messiah], |
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offensive to Jews and moronic to Gentiles . . . |
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— Paul (1 Cor 1:23) |
I. Authorship and Date
A. Internal Evidence
1. Written Anonymously
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3. Emphasis on Jesus' temple destruction prophecy (Mark 13)
B. External Evidence
1. Earliest Existing Manuscripts
a.
b. First complete copy mid-IV C.E. (Codex Vaticanus)
2. The Papias Tradition (ca. 130 C.E.) and its Significance
C. Conclusions
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II. "Order" for those with "Eyes to See and Ears to Hear"
| "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, |
| but for those outside everything is in parables" (Mark 4:11). |
A. The Mysterious Dramatic Literary Structure of Mark
1. Act 1: Proclaiming the Kingdom (1:1–8:33)
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Main Mystery of the Kingdom: |
2. Act 2: The Way of the Kingdom is the Way of the Cross (8:34–10:52)
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Main Mystery of the Kingdom: |
3. Act 3: Ransoming the Kingdom (11:1–16:8)
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Main "Mystery" of the Kingdom: |
B. Isaiah, Daniel and Intertextual "Order" in Mark
III. “The Beginning of the Gospel [i.e. Good News] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).
A. The Mysterious Son of God and Son of Man
1. Son of God in Paganism vs. Son of God in Judaism
2. Son of Man in Paganism vs. Son of Man in Judaism
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B. The “Beginning” that Matters to Mark is the Baptism with the Holy Spirit (1:1-11).
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3. Jesus alone experienced a theophany at his baptism (1:10-11).
IV. The “End” that Matters to Mark is Solving the Mystery of the Death of the Messiah, the Son of God.
A. Jesus’ own disciples do not get it (8:22-38).
B.
C. Some Cryptic Clues
1. The echo of Isa 53 (actually 52:13–53:12) in Mark 10:45
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D.
V. More Mysteries
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B.