Why I Love to Read the Book of Mark

            I must confess that as a student of the Bible, I continually struggled with using the book of Mark. I thought to myself, “How often can/should I use a book whose information (estimates about 97%) can be found in Matthew and Luke?” I think this was due in part to a failure to recognize what is unique about Mark. So, I thought I would share how I learned to love to read the book of Mark.

            Throughout Mark, there are multiple events in which Jesus is angry and multiple events in which people are afraid as a result of Jesus’ profound actions. Also, the word ‘immediately’ permeates this book more than any other book in the New Testament with 41 occurrences.

Mark 1:21-28 records Jesus expelling an unclean spirit. The result is people left in ‘shock and awe’ asking questions about Jesus. This event provoked conversation about Jesus, his teaching, and his authority.

After Jesus was immersed, we “immediately” see what happens next. The same is true after God speaks after Jesus’ immersion, after he calls his disciples, what they did on the Sabbath, and even the spread of Jesus’ fame was immediate. Immediately after the unclean spirit is cast out, more is revealed. Equally as quick, Jesus heard of the illness of Peter’s mother-in-law. Ladies and gentleman, that’s not even all of the occurrences of “immediately” in chapter 1.

Mark 1:39-45 is an event that is recorded elsewhere but the details unique to Mark harmonize with the entire book. As we see time and time again, a person needing healing comes to Jesus to be healed. Jesus is always eager to heal, willing to heal, able to heal, and in possession of the right to heal. Those are four facts I believe to be present in every case without fail. Uniquely though, Jesus becomes angry at this leper! (see 1:41, NIV-11). Possibly, it is because this leper is breaking the laws of Leviticus 13 that dictate the conduct of someone with skin diseases. More so, I believe Jesus is angry because the leper questions his willingness to heal. Of course Jesus is willing to heal! After the man is healed, Jesus rebukes (not softly speaks to) him and immediately (there’s our word again) drives the man out giving him verbal instruction what to do next. Most English versions try to soften Jesus’ actions in verse 43, e.g. “sent him away”, but Jesus’ action of driving the man out is the same word in verse 39 and other places that describe Jesus’ expelling of demons. Make no mistake about it, Jesus was A-N-G-R-Y and he did not ask the man politely to leave. This provoked conversation about Jesus, his teaching, and his authority.

In Mark 3:1-6, people watched and waited to see whether Jesus would heal. In our last example, the man questioned Jesus’ willingness to heal which produced an angry Jesus. Here, Jesus’ authority to heal is questioned, which results in the same thing, an angry Jesus. This of course is righteous indignation. Who in the world do these people think they are to question their Creator! Or, in my peers’ vernacular: “OH NO THEY DIDN’T!” Notice at the end of this event we see the “immediate” actions that followed. This provoked conversation about Jesus, his teaching, and his authority.

In Mark 4:35-41, there is a great storm while Jesus and his disciples are out at sea. The disciples wake Jesus up thinking they are perishing, Jesus rebukes the storm, and the storm ceased. Following, Jesus interestingly calls their faith not small, but “no faith”. The disciples are described as “afraid”, but this is not during the storm, but after witnessing the power of Jesus. This provoked conversation about Jesus, his teaching, and his authority.

            In Mark 9:14-29, we read of Jesus becoming angry or at least agitated when the father of the child questions his ability to heal (verses 22-23). Of course Jesus can! In Mark 10:13-16, Jesus becomes angry at his disciples for getting in the way of his eagerness to heal children. Jesus always becomes angry at those who get in the way of his perfect unblemished desires, an attitude rarely attributed to Jesus in this soft, politically correct, spineless generation.

            Fear was the feeling of the woman who touched Jesus’ garments without consent (5:33). Fear was the feeling of the disciples when they saw Jesus walking on water (6:50). Fear was what kept the disciples from speaking up, asking questions, about what Jesus had said concerning his death (9:32; 10:32). Fear was the feeling of Jesus’ opponents plotting against him (11:18). Just as in Exodus 14:31, when people witness the great power of God, the result is fear that leads to belief by those with good hearts.

I believe all of this is compelling internal evidence (in addition to the convincing external evidence) that Mark (or should I say the Holy Spirit) intended to end at 16:8. People who contest the original ending at 16:8 shout, “But it ends with people afraid!” or “But the story is incomplete!” My answer: How is fear not a perfect way to end a book that ascribed fear as the feeling of person time and time again who witnessed Jesus’ power and authority.

What good does it do to leave a book “without an ending”? I know why. This ending provokes conversation about Jesus, his teaching, and his authority. It provokes so many questions that are unanswered! You take for granted the information that is shared so “immediately” throughout. A book that is seemingly so eager to share what happens immediately after something else leaves us... hanging. Just like that movie, you loved, until the end, when it just… ends. It doesn’t seem to answer all the questions you have. Like those movies, this book leaves us wondering, asking questions, yearning to know more. Is Jesus the Messiah, were his words true, was his authority divine, did he rise from…