Practicum in Biblical Interpretation: Mark 8:31~9:1

Instructor: Dr. Claassens, Juliana

Practicum in Biblical Interpretation BI-341 

Mark 8:31~9:1

Beginning Journey at Home

      I am a foreigner in the U.S. Foreigners live marginalized lives in the U.S. First of all, a foreigner cannot be protected as a U.S. citizen under the law. Also, a foreigner is restricted in both political and economic activities. In my case, my English is spoken with a heavy Korean accent and my appearance is different from that of Americans. From the perspective of a marginalized foreigner, Americans are at the center of the U.S. Sometimes, I wish that I could be a part of that center. Although I have been in the U.S for three and a half years, I still feel that I am in the minority.   

      However, the assigned biblical text suggests totally different directions for those who want to be at the center. Jesus is ordering us to deny ourselves and to carry our cross. For me, to deny myself is to give up my desire to be in the majority. For Korean immigrants and other minority communities in the U.S also want to be the part of center. I think that being the part of center is primitive desire of the minorities. Is it wrong to have a desire to be at the center?

      I think that Korean immigrants and foreigners in the U. S. are already carrying fairly heavy crosses. Besides, today’s economic crisis makes their crosses heavier. Economic success is the one of ways to be part of the centrality in the U.S. To deny themselves seems to give up all desires to succeed in lives in the U.S. How can I apply this challenging text to my life, and to the lives of Korean immigrants?

Encountering The Biblical Text

      The assigned biblical text, Mark 8:31~9:1 opens with a shocking prediction of Jesus’ Passion. Between Jesus and Peter, there are differences on the understanding of the term “Son of Man”. Jesus’ invitation for people to join his suffering is also a hard concept to understand. 

      When I heard a sermon from a Sunday school preacher, I just got a vague image of myself carrying a cross. However, now, in the given biblical text, I see some important speed bumps to interpret. First of all, I need to investigate what the Son of Man is. I think that it is an important clue to understand who the Messiah is. Jesus’ invitation to join his suffering arrests my attention. Also, paradoxical amplifications on Jesus’ invitation need to be explained. Indeed, the given text is full of riddles.

      When I consider today’s economic crisis and the life of Americans, the given text is regarded as a reluctant text. In the given text, there is a rejection of glory without suffering. Perhaps, the given text can be used to justify today’s economic crisis for Americans who are in the majority. Both Americans and Korean immigrants want to avoid suffering difficulties. However, Jesus invites both communities to join Him in voluntary suffering.

A Close Reading of the Bible Texts

      I focus on the term, ‘the Son of God.’ In Mark 8:31~33, Jesus’ destiny is stated. In terms of a Christological question, I can discover discord between Jesus and the Disciples. Also, this misunderstanding is discovered in Mark 8:27~30. In Mark 8:27~30, Jesus ordered his disciples not tell when Peter confessed Jesus as Messiah (NRSV 8:30). It implies there is discord under the Disciples’ understanding about Messianic Expectation. ¹

      In Mark 8:31~33, the discord is plain to see. Jesus states his destiny as he says, “the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Then, Peter rebuked Jesus, and Jesus counterattacked Peter, “Get behind me! Satan.”

      When Jesus states his destiny, he identifies himself as ‘the Son of Man.’ For Jewish people, the concept of ‘the Son of Man’ has the apocalyptic image of the Old Testament. (Daniel 7:13~14)²  Peter and the Disciples hold an apocalyptic image of the Son of God overthrowing Rome’s power and establishing a new Davidic Kingdom.³

      However, Jesus declares that the Son of Man must suffer before glorification. The suffering Son of Man was not a new image. In Matthew, John the Baptist quotes the prophet Isaiah (Matthew 3:3). In Luke 4:18~19, Jesus reads Isaiah. Interestingly, in Isaiah 52:13~53:12, Isaiah predicted the Suffering and Glory of the Servant.⁴ I assume that Jesus follows Isaiah’s image because the authors of the Synoptic Gospels are using Isaiah’s references in their accounts.

      In Mark 8:38, there is Jesus’ statement about the coming of the Son of Man. This statement is connected with Mark 8:36~37 in order to emphasize the fact that those who want to “save their life” are losers at the end.⁵ However, to understand why Jesus follows Isaiah’s image, why the Disciples’ expectation follows Daniel’s apocalyptic image, I need to trace Mark’s context.

Reading Contextually: Finding the Passage in Its Place

      Biblical scholarship agrees that Mark’s socio-historical location is in the Jewish-Roman war of 66-70 C.E.⁶ In Mark 13:21~23, Jesus warns about the false messiahs and false prophets.⁷ They believe that only war (against the Roman Empire) is the way to bring the Kingdom of God. They convince the Jewish community to join their movement.⁸ It seems that the Markan community is lured to join a violent patriotic movement to shed Roman blood. In this context Jesus, the Son of Man and Messiah, should lead a violent patriotic movement. However, Jesus states that the Son of Man suffers many things and is killed.⁹ Also, Jesus invites the Markan community to join in suffering for the Kingdom of God in order to change their desire for war into a desire for proclaiming the Kingdom of God.

      Also, I want to focus on Jesus’ counterattack on Peter (Mark 8:33) in this context. As I mentioned, the Markan community was lured to join a violent movement, even though Jesus’ teaching was not to join a violent movement. This is an offer to accept alternative destiny for the Markan community. Interestingly, this offer is found in the third temptation story (Matthew 4:10).  For Jesus, the destiny of the Son of Man is God-given and no alternative choice. As Jesus rebuked Stan in the third temptation story, he rebuked Peter, because he was thinking the things of Man.¹⁰

      In the cultural context of Mark, there are economic, cultic, political, legal and ethic boundaries that oppress the poor, the marginalized, the sick and strangers (Gentile). Jesus denounces the leaders who oppress them. The Kingdom of God is an apocalyptic symbol of supernatural salvation for Mark.¹¹ According to Jewish apocalyptic tradition, Jesus’ ministry is divine intervention and Jesus’ cross event is the climax of breaking boundaries. As divine intervention, Jesus’ ministry leads the socio-historical transformation of the present world.¹² Therefore, proclaiming the Kingdom of God effectively break boundaries to transform a community’s socio-political nature.

      To transform a community’s socio-political nature requires many suffering in the world where is full of violence and greed. Indeed, proclaiming the Kingdom of God was too sensational to accept for rulers, the rich, and the high priesthood at Jesus’ time. They feared that they lost their power. Thus, they decided to persecute and to kill Jesus. Jesus already knew that, but he did not choose alternative. And Jesus invites us to join the movement for the Kingdom of God.

Engaging the Text, Other readers, and Our Community

      Today’s economic crisis in the world provides space for us to think about our yesterdays. In the past, we always tried to gain more than others. However, Jesus teaches us to share our possessions. We believed our economic system would last forever, but now we are witnessing a collapse of our economic system. The U.S government is spending much money to patch economic system. However, some economists claim that we need to transform our economic system to prevent more catastrophic future economic disasters. I agree with them.

      However, Jesus knew that new social system could not be a solution in his time. For the Kingdom of God, human beings should deny themselves in order to give up their sinful natures such as greed and violence. Therefore, Jesus chose to deny himself through suffering, being rejected and being killed. In the same way, the new economic system cannot be a solution in our time, because our greedy and violent natures will not be changed. If we want to transform our community, we need to deny our sinful natures.

      As I mentioned, I have desire to be at the center of the U.S. Actually, I want to be American. However, if I will be at the center of the U.S, one of them will be marginalized, because our resources are not enough to make all people be the centrality. I do not think that becoming the centrality is Jesus’ way. In order words, to be a centrality is to be oppressor. Jesus does not want us to be another centrality. However, Jesus promises not only suffering but also glory. Jesus’ paradoxical amplifications (Mark 8:35) urge us to join not only suffering but also the glory of God.

      I think that this economic crisis is a chance to transform not only Korean immigrants’ communities but also American communities. We are all suffering together. There is no boundary between Korean immigrants and Americans in regards to the global economic crisis. Some communities may manipulate the economic crisis to their own advantages, however, it will produce the same results.

      What if we all heed Jesus’ call to follow him on a road of service and suffering, and forfeit our desire for power? We can share what we have with others instead of claiming our possession. We can unite with other communities instead of struggling against other community to be the centrality. We can choose love and grace instead of violence and greed. I believe that the Kingdom of God among those who want to deny themselves and to take up their cross. In Mark 9:1, Jesus promises, “Truly, I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” (NRSV) I believe that we can see the Kingdom of God among us through our voluntary suffering to follow Jesus. I believe that our voluntary suffering transform our communities in someday. I believe that the transformed community is the Kingdom of God.