From Jesus to Mark: Key Influences
Explanation of key concepts diagram
It is not practicable, nor would it be useful, to display all the people, concepts and links involved here. The diagram is intended to show the essential elements in the development from Jesus through James to sQ and through Paul to Mark.
Kingdom of God
This important concept was the central theme of Jesus' teaching. It thus passed via James et al. into sQ, and via oral tradition into Mark's gospel. Paul referred to it eight times in his letters, but it was not one of his key themes.
Jesus as Messiah
Before the crucifixion, Jesus and his disciples had come to believe that he was the Messiah. After the crucifixion, James and Peter must have played down the belief because it was not mentioned in sQ. Paul fully accepted it (Rom 9:5), though in almost every reference in his letters, "Christ" is relegated to the status of a proper name. To Au_Mark the title was an embarrassing relic of nationalistic Judaism.
Jesus as crucified
Whilst the fact of the crucifixion was accepted by all the early followers of Jesus, the reactions it provoked varied considerably. It is not mentioned directly in sQ, so it is reasonable to suppose that it was an embarrassment to James et al.. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Paul positively exulted in it, seeing the cross as a thing of power (1 Cor 1:17) and the crucifixion as a central plank in his theology (1 Cor 1:23; 2:2). Paul saw the death of Jesus as a deliberate act performed in order to save sinners (Rom 5:6-8). Of course Mark has a detailed description of the crucifixion and the events which led up to it. But as a concept, an event with a purpose, Au_Mark saw it entirely through the eyes of Paul.
Vicarious death
Paul claimed that "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures" (1 Cor 15:3). This is probably an allusion to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, even though the Servant does not seem to have been identified with the Jewish Messiah by anyone prior to the first century CE. Paul's story of the 'Last Supper' (1 Cor 11:23-26), with its request to "Do this..... in remembrance of me", ensured that the vicarious death of Jesus was already firmly established in the 60s, both in oral tradition and in ritual practice.
Justification by faith
Paul developed the doctrine of justification by faith from Gen. 15:6 (Gal 3:5; Rom 4:3,9,22). Abraham pre-dated the Mosaic laws and therefore provided an ideal hero in Paul's arguments against stricter Jews. Mark has no explicit reference to the doctrine, but has frequent references to the benefits of believing. In contrast sQ has no reference to believing (Greek PISTEUW).
Hellenistic dying/rising god myths
There were several stories about dying and rising gods. Prominent among such gods were Osiris, Adonis and Attis. The dying of Osiris was celebrated on the 17th. of a certain month and his rising on the 19th. (A.D.Nock, "Early Gentile Christianity and its Hellenistic Background"). Such stories (perhaps in conjunction with Hos 6:2) were probably behind Paul's claim that Jesus "...died ...was buried and ... was raised on the third day" (1 Cor 15:3-4).
Miracle stories
The proclamation of Jesus as Messiah would inevitably have led to his being credited with the ability to perform miracles.
[1] We do not know who initialized this process, hence the differently coloured line in the diagram. In order to present Jesus as a successful teacher, Au_Mark had to portray Jesus as a miracle worker, for belief in miraculous powers was taken for granted in the Graeco-Roman world.
[2] There was no reference to miracles in sQ, as might be expected from a relatively primitive document.
Jesus as Son of Man
After the crucifixion, Jesus' disciples had to re-think his role, for a crucified Messiah did not make much sense to them. They chose the role of "one like a son of man" from Daniel 7:13-14.
[3] One day soon the Son of Man would return on the clouds and be given his kingdom. This title passed into sQ, and later via oral tradition into Mark.
But there is no reference to the title in the letters of Paul.
Criticism of James and Peter
In Gal 2, Paul is clearly critical of James and Peter. From Acts 15, making allowances for Au_Luke's attempts to paper over the cracks, it is clear that the criticism was mutual. Au_Mark inherited this critical attitude from Paul. It can be seen in the way Peter is called "Satan" (Mark 8:33), and later is represented as denying his master (Mark 14:66-72). But this pales into insignificance beside Au_Mark's treatment of Jesus' brother James,
[4] who is assigned a vanishingly small part in the Markan story.
The "gospel" that Jesus Christ the Son of God died for our sins and was raised from the dead
This is the heart of Paul's message (Gal 2:20; Rom 1:2-4; 1 Cor 11:24; 15:3-4). It was taken over lock, stock and barrel by Au_Mark (Mark 1:1,15; 8:31; 10:45; 14:22-25; 15:39). It became the jewel in the crown of Protestant evangelical theology.
But it was absent from sQ.
Notes for this page
1. J.K.Elliott, Questioning Christian Origins(London; SCM, 1982) p.47
2. E.D.Freed, The New Testament: A Critical Introduction (London; SCM, 1994) p.198
3. For the 'Son of Man' as a title current among early disciples of Jesus, see S.G.F.Brandon, The Fall of Jerusalem and the Christian Church (London; SPCK, 1951) p.81.
That the title was never used by Jesus of himself is evident from the fact that in the earliest strata of the New Testament the coming of the kingdom is never directly related to the coming of the Son of Man. Jesus certainly proclaimed the former (Luke 10:9-11 and 11:2, both sQ). If he had also proclaimed the latter he would undoubtedly have presented a harmonized picture. Au_Matt, writing ca. 80 CE, was the first to bring the two together in one saying (Matt 16:28 c.f. 13:41).
4. E.Trocme, The Formation of the Gospel according to Mark (ET: London; SPCK, 1975) p.130 ff.
