The Main Themes

Jesus’ Identity

Close-up photograph of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro

Synopsis

In this leaning unit we will study how Mark develops his main theme: Jesus’ identity. Throughout the gospel, those who encounter Jesus are amazed and wonder who he could be. This leads us to ask the same question. Mark, however, doesn’t give us the answer in a direct way. Instead, his whole narrative is the answer. The gospel gradually reveals who Jesus is by describing his words and deeds. Jesus’ miracles and teachings in the first part reveal that he is God. His prophetic actions and teachings in the second part reveal that he has come as king to judge Israel and its temple. However, Mark also shows us Jesus’ human side.

Learning Objectives

You will have successfully completed this learning unit when you can:

Explain why Jesus’ identity is an important theme for Mark.

Explain how the gospel shows us that Jesus was fully human.

Explain how the gospel gradually reveals Jesus’ divinity.

Explain how the gospel reveals that Jesus has come as king and judge.

“Who then is this?”

Who is Jesus? We can tell that this was an important theme for Mark because he often shows us people’s reactions to him. Of course, Mark knows who he is, but we see how others were challenged by Jesus’ teachings and actions. Whoever comes into contact with him struggles to grasp his identity. This is also true for us today. We also ask, “Who is he?”

For example, the people of Capernaum, who witness Jesus casting out a demon in the synagogue ask: “What is this? A new teaching! With authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him” (1:27). When Jesus cures a paralytic by forgiving him his sins, the scribes ask: “Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (2:7). After Jesus calls Levi, the tax collector, to follow him, the Pharisees ask: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (2:16).

When he returns to his hometown his relatives wonder: “Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” (6:2–3). And when Herod heard of how some were saying that Jesus was Elijah or one of the prophets, he responds by claiming that Jesus was John, whom he had beheaded (6:16).

Even the apostles, those closest to Jesus, struggle with this. After he saves them by calming the storm, they wonder: “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?” (4:41b). And when he approaches them, walking on the sea, “they thought that he was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw him, and were terrified” (6:49-50).

When Jesus and the apostles are on their way to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he forces the issue by asking them directly: “Who do men say that I am?” (8:27). They reply that some say he was John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the other prophets. Then he asks them: “But who do you say that I am?” (8:29). Peter replies: “You are the Christ” (8:30).

This marks a milestone in the gospel. From now on, its tone and subject matter will change. The question of Jesus’ identity won’t come up again until he is in Jerusalem. After the cleansing of the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders will ask him: “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” (11:28). Finally, it will come up again during his trials. First the high priest will ask: “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” (14:61); and then Pilate, “Are you the King of the Jews?” (15:2).

In short, anyone who encounters Jesus cannot but wonder who he is. But Mark doesn’t answer their questions. He does this on purpose, to invite us, the reader, to also ponder about this. Jesus’ identity is the main theme of his narrative. Who is he? As Christians, we know the answer. He is God manifested in the flesh. But knowing is not enough. We should also be able to explain it to both ourselves and others. Learning what Mark says about him can help.

Jesus is Fully Human

Although Mark’s purpose for writing his gospel was to show us that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, he doesn’t shirk from showing us his human side as well. We already saw how he presents a typical day in Jesus’ life when we studied chapter 1. Humanly speaking, he lived a balanced life with time for prayer, work, rest, family, and friends. We also saw how Jesus was a very active person, always on the go, doing things.

We can also perceive his humanness through the eyes of his relatives and neighbors.

He went away from there and came to his own country; and his disciples followed him. And on the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. (Mk 6:1–6)

They had a difficult time believing in Jesus because they had seen him grow up. They knew his parents, had seen him dirty his diapers, bleed when he fell, and cry when he was hungry. At no time had they ever suspected that he was anything but a normal human being.

Neither does Mark hesitate to show us how Jesus had very normal human emotions.

He was “moved by pity” (1:41) when a leper knelt before him, beseeching his help.
He felt anger and grief at the people’s hardness of heart (3:5).
He was so tired that he slept in the stern of a boat in the middle of a storm (4:38).
He was amazed at the people’s disbelief (6:6).
He felt compassion because the people “were like sheep without a shepherd” (6:34).
“He sighed deeply in his spirit” when the Pharisees argued with him and asked for a sign (8:12).
He felt indignation at the apostles when they didn’t let the people bring their children to Jesus (10:14).
He looked upon the rich man with love (10:21).
He was “greatly distressed and troubled” and his soul was very sorrowful in Gethsemane (14:33–34)

Although he calls Jesus the Messiah and Son of God and others address him as teacher, rabbi, Lord, and son of David, we see that Jesus referred to himself mostly as the “Son of man”:

"But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins…" (2:10)
And he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath.” (2:27–28)
And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things. (8:31)
"For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." (8:38)
And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead. (9:9)
And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things; and how is it written of the Son of man, that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt?” (9:12)
He was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men.” (9:31)
"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death." (10:33)
"For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (10:45)
"And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory." (13:26)
"Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed!" (14:21)
"It is enough; the hour has come; the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners." (14:41)
And Jesus said, “I am; and you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (14:62)

Only Jesus calls himself this way. The meaning of this term is debated among scholars. Some claim that it expresses his humanness in the sense that it means that he was born of a human mother. Others say that it refers to the messianic title given in Daniel 7:13.

I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven

there came one like a son of man,

and he came to the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him.

The context of this prophecy implies that this son of man is more than merely human. A third opinion is that this title is just an idiomatic expression used back then to refer to oneself when speaking and says nothing about his human nature.

Mark presents Jesus in a very fleshy way: He is not afraid to mix with common people (5:24); he wines and dines at banquets with sinners (2:15–18); and we find him physically close to others. For example, he cures people in a physical manner, using his body, often by touching them—Peter’s mother-in-law (1:31), the leper (1:41), and Jairus’ daughter (5:41). In one miracle, he even cures a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment by putting his finger in his ear, spitting, and touching his tongue (7:31–37). He also heals a blind man by spitting on his eyes and laying his hands on him (8:22–26). It is important to note that these two miracles are only found in Mark’s gospel. All these things highlight that Jesus was fully human.

Jesus is Fully Divine

Jesus’ Miracles

John tells us in his gospel that, “were every one of them [Jesus’ miracles] to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (Jn 21:25). So, we know that Jesus performed many more miracles than Mark gives us. However, although it is true that he felt compassion for people, he did not come to heal all the sick in Israel. There were still many left in Jerusalem after his ascension. He came, instead, to save us from our sin.

In Mark’s gospel, Jesus’ miracles serve a pedagogical function as Mark uses them to show us that Jesus is God. Although he doesn’t go around shouting “I am God”, when we study his miracles in the light of the Old Testament, it becomes clear that they reveal his divine identity. This, at least, appears to be Mark’s intention. For example, in chapter 2, Jesus heals a paralytic, but before doing so, he tells him that his sins are forgiven.

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” (2:5)

By doing so, Jesus is declaring to be God. How? Because, in the Old Testament, it is God who forgives sins.

Bless the Lord, O my soul;

and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits,

who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases. (Ps 103:1–3)

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity. (Ps 32:1–2)

Come now, let us reason together,

says the Lord:

though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red like crimson,

they shall become like wool. (Is 1:18)

This may not seem so apparent to us, but notice how the scribes react.

Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mk 2:6–7)

They were Jewish scholars who studied and taught biblical law. Because they knew the Old Testament so well, they interpreted Jesus’ words this way.

We already saw, when studying chapter 1, how Jesus’ healing of the leper revealed that he was God; and when studying the structures of the gospel, how Mark groups four miracles together to show us that Jesus’ divine power has no limits.

Jesus’ Teachings

People responded differently to these miracles. The simple people were amazed and praised God. Unfortunately, the scribes and the Pharisees react in a less than favorable manner. They were educated and knew the Old Testament well, so they, therefore, began to connect the dots and understand that Jesus was claiming to be God.

His miracles, therefore, led to a series of confrontations. During these disputes, Jesus displays great wisdom in what he says. Not only does he defeat his opponents, but his words confirm his divinity by explaining the meaning of his actions.

When Jesus hears them complain that he eats with sinners, he replies: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (2:17). Through this reply he is saying that he is a physician or healer. Now in the Old Testament, God is our healer.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress;

he sent forth his word, and healed them. (Ps 107:19–20)

Come, let us return to the Lord;

for he has torn, that he may heal us;

he has stricken, and he will bind us up. (Hos 6:1)

Therefore, once again, Jesus is indirectly claiming to be God. When the Pharisees complain that his disciples don’t fast, he replies by claiming to be the bridegroom:

Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. (2:19)

In the Old Testament, God is the bridegroom.

For your Maker is your husband,

the Lord of hosts is his name. (Is 54:5)

For as a young man marries a virgin,

so shall your sons marry you,

and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,

so shall your God rejoice over you. (Is 62:5)

When they accuse Jesus and his disciples of breaking the Sabbath, Jesus responds by saying that he is lord over the Sabbath.

And he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath.” (2:27–28)

However, because God established the sabbath, he is its lord.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; … for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it. (Ex 20:8–11)

So, in conclusion, Jesus doesn't declare his divine identity in a direct manner. He doesn't go around shouting, “I am God.” But through both his actions and words, he gradually reveals in a veiled form that he truly is God.

Jesus’ Messianic Identity as King and Judge

Jesus is not only God with us, he has also come as king to judge Israel and the temple.

Jesus’ Prophetic Actions

Mark follows a similar pattern as described above in the second part of his gospel. Once Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, he performs several prophetic actions:

He enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey
He curses a fig tree
He cleanses the temple

By doing these things, he was imitating the prophets of the Old Testament who also did apparently strange things. For example:

Isaiah stripped off all his clothes and walked around naked (see Is 20).
Jeremiah hid his underwear in a rock, only to retrieve it after many days (see Jer 13).
Hosea married a prostitute and named his daughter Loruhama, which means “unloved” (see Hos 1).
Ezekiel shaved off his beard with a sword and divided the hairs in three parts. He burnt one third, scattered another third throughout the city, and threw the remaining third into the wind (see Ez 5).

These are just four examples of symbolic actions performed by the prophets, but we could give many more. Jesus, like them, did strange things to convey a message. He was revealing his messianic identity as king and judge. When we compare his entry into Jerusalem with Old Testament passages such as Zechariah 9:9, we see that he enters the city as its king.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Lo, your king comes to you;

triumphant and victorious is he,

humble and riding on an ass,

on a colt the foal of an ass.

Or Psalm 118:24–b27:

This is the day which the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Save us, we beseech thee, O Lord!

O Lord, we beseech thee, give us success!

Blessed be he who enters in the name of the Lord!

We bless you from the house of the Lord.

The Lord is God,

and he has given us light.

Bind the festal procession with branches,

up to the horns of the altar!

Jesus is a king, but he did things in a humble and peaceful manner. He didn't come as a warrior king to rule with might, but he did come to judge Israel. The prophets frequently referred to the fig tree as a symbol of Israel’s status before God.

When I would gather them, says the Lord,

there are no grapes on the vine,

nor figs on the fig tree;

even the leaves are withered,

and what I gave them has passed away from them. (Jer 8:13)

Woe is me! For I have become

as when the summer fruit has been gathered,

as when the vintage has been gleaned:

there is no cluster to eat,

no first-ripe fig which my soul desires.

The godly man has perished from the earth,

and there is none upright among men. (Mi 7:1–2)

And the destruction of the fig tree is associated with judgement.

And I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees. (Hos 2:12)

Jesus judged and cursed the fig tree because it was a symbol of the temple. When he cleansed the temple, he was saying that it was like the fig tree, full of rich foliage consisting of ceremonies and sacrifices, but lacking the fruit God was expecting to find, such as authentic prayer, justice, and mercy.

Jesus’ Teachings

Like his miracles in the first part of the gospel, Jesus’ prophetic actions provoke hostility.

As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” (Mk 11:27–28)

The debate seems to end in a stalemate as he refuses to answer their question since they don’t answer his question about the origin of John’s baptism. But then Jesus tells them the following parable:

And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a pit for the wine press, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. And they took him and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent to them another servant, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully. And he sent another, and him they killed; and so with many others, some they beat and some they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son; finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ And they took him and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.” (Mk 12:1–8)

This parable is his answer to their question and it reveals the source of his authority. The vineyard represents the people. It was a common image for the people in the Old Testament. The owner, who represents God the Father, sent many servants, who endure all sorts of sufferings just like God’s prophets of the Old Testament.

Finally, the owner sends his beloved son, who represents Jesus. Remember how during his baptism God had said from heaven: “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased” (Mk 1:11). By telling this parable, Jesus was revealing that he had the authority to judge and cleanse the temple because he is God’s Son. But just as the people in the parable killed the son, so too will they kill him.

Assignments

List and describe at least 3 passages in the gospel that show us how people struggled with the question of Jesus’ identity.

Describe at least 3 different ways in which Mark shows us that Jesus was human.

Explain how Mark reveals Jesus’ divinity.

Explain how Mark reveals that Jesus has come to judge Israel and its temple.

Using the map you made of Jesus’ miracles in a previous learning unit, add Jesus’ prophetic actions and controversies with the Jewish leaders found in chapters 2–3 and 11–12. Can you identify a pattern? You can use the attached files for this in Excel or PDF formats (click on icons to download).

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