The way of imagination

  “ [Jesus] also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4.26-29)      Following Peter’s confession of him as Messiah, Jesus begins to explain to the disciples just what kind of a king he is – he is a Messiah who will suffer and die, rejected by the leaders of the people of God (8.31).   Understandably, the disciples are deeply disturbed by this – after all, how can a king rule if he is…dead?   (Jesus did also mention that he would rise again after three days, but by that point, the apostles seem to not have been listening).   The fact remains – Jesus has no intention of following the example of any of the royal/military heroes of Israel’s past, whether it be

  “ The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,     who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:   ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,     make his paths straight,’” John the baptizer appeared  in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins… In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.” (Mark 1.1-4, 9)      We have just discussed Peter’s confession of Jesus’ identity as the Messiah of Israel.   Jesus’ relationship to the people of God is that he is their king.   But what about Jesus’ relationship to Yahweh, the God of Israel?   What about Jesus’ “divinity”?   Many Bible readers assume that Mark has spelled it out in the very first verse of his Gospel; after all, he says that what follows is the good news of Jesus…the Son of God.   For many Christians, it’s case close

  “ …who do you say that I am?” Peter answered… “You are the Messiah.”   …Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again…He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross...” (Mark 8.29-34)      Peter makes his crucial confession that Jesus is the Messiah, the king of Israel.   This is one of the climaxes of the narrative.   Finally, the apostles have acknowledged who Jesus is.   They can now move forward with Jesus’ kingdom project.   However, immediately following upon Peter’s confession, Jesus begins to teach his disciples things that they are not ready to hear.   He tells them that the Son of Man must suffer and be rejected by the leaders of the people of God; not only that, he must be killed and rise again after three days (8.31).   Mark adds t

  “ Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”    And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.”   And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.” (Mark 8.27-30)      Who is Jesus?   So far in Mark’s narrative (chapters 1—8), only 3 “characters” know that Jesus is the Son of God – the narrator (i.e., Mark: 1.1), the voice from heaven (1.11) and the demons (1.24, 34; 3.11; 5.6-7).   These characters are aware that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of God, the king of Israel.      As for the rest of the cast of Mark’s drama, they all have their own ideas about Jesus’ identity.   As far as the crowds are concerned, Jesus is one who can meet their immediate needs for healing, teaching and food (1.32-34, 45; 2.1-2, 13; 3.7-10

  “In those days when there was again a great crowd without anything to eat , [Jesus] called his disciples and said… “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days… If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way—and some of them have come from a great distance.” His disciples replied, “How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?” (Mark 8.1-4)      After their questionable performance during the episode of the feeding of the 5,000 (6.30-44), the twelve apostles are given another chance to exercise their faith in the face of a hungry crowd.   We can almost imagine Mark yawning as he introduces the scene: “…when there was again a great crowd without anything to eat…” (8.1).   This time, Jesus is the one who expresses concern for the crowd, which has been with him for three days (8.2-3).   Jesus even demonstrates the impracticability of the solution the apostles had suggested on the previous occasion (cf. 6.35-