The Journey to the Cross

The Gospel of Mark has a unique structure. The first half (1:1 to 8:26) is all about the ministry of Jesus. There is no birth story or childhood tales in Gospel of Mark.  The gospel opens with the words “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah …” followed by the appearance of John the Baptizer, who is shown to be a fulfillment of a prophecy by Isaiah (1:2-3). After which the verses are full of miracles, healings and teachings on how to live. The stories come thick and fast, short, concise tales one after the other — blind people see, women and children are healed, multitudes are fed, caring for people supersedes the sabbath, the disciples are sent out to expand the message of Jesus and Jesus’ mission is shown to be for all. 

 

Mark 8: 27 is a turning point as the journey to the cross begins. Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah and from there the journey moves away from Galilee and towards Jerusalem. The focus of the second half has less public ministry and more preparation for what is to come — rejection and death.

 

(I should note that sometimes a threefold structure is used, the second pivotal point being in chapter 11 when Jerusalem is arrived at. But personally, I prefer seeing it as two halves.) 

 

It is like a mountain the reader climbs for the first 8 chapters which culminates at the summit with sight being restored by Jesus in a twofold process. Firstly, sight is restored but with no clear vision, then after a second touch from Jesus full vision is attained. Ito me, this feels like a prophetic placement of the story which is immediately followed by Peter’s revelation, “You are the Messiah” (8:29). Peter sees something significant. 

 

And from there is all downhill. It is fitting in this unique structure that the final words of the gospel in the earliest manuscripts are “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb.” (16:8) In my mountain analogy they had reached the bottom!

 

That is just a very brief introduction to the structure of Mark to set the scene for today’s lectionary reading (8:31-38) which took place after Peter’s declaration. Jesus begins the preparation of his followers by talking about suffering and dying. Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and issued a challenge, “if any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (8:35).

 

And, as it is Lent, I want to linger here. It is not pleasant to think of the cross and crucifixion. In Western culture we have sanitized the cross — it has become an ornament or a piece of jewelry. Not denying that there is a spiritual significance (indeed we have a community cross) but nevertheless you can go and buy crosses in T. J. Maxx!  Crosses are big business thus are readily accessible in many commercial outlets. 

 

So, one of the things I want to highlight is the impact this phrase would have had on the crowds hearing it. A ripple of shock and horror would have gone through them. In that society the word “cross” was not spoken, it was shameful,  it was disgusting. Cicero (106-43 BCE) said that the mere mention or thought of the word cross was unworthy of a Roman citizen or free person. (Cic.Rab.Perd. 5:16) I don’t think there is anyway, in the twenty-first century we can imagine the gasp of horror this phrase used by Jesus would have elicited. I can’t think of any contemporary examples that would have the same impact — occasionally I hear something which causes me to gasp and think that is not okay to say. It might upset me a bit but still not the same impact.

 

Not only is Jesus uttering a word that should not be uttered but is asking others to embrace. Furthermore, Jesus is stating that the only way to become a follower is to look into the face of something which is shameful and degrading. And that is without considering the physical pain of crucifixion (it is the root of our word excruciating). Jesus is asking a lot of the crowds who follow him.

 

So, why am I looking into this horrific practice — I have read a lot about crucifixion this week, its history and ongoing practice which continues to present day in rare cases. In Jesus’ time only the cross bar was carried not the full cross. The upright poles remained fixed and were used multiple times. In Roman times it was a punishment mainly for those considered the dregs of society — slaves, disgraced soldiers, foreigners and latterly Christians. (In Roman times Constantine 1 abolished it in 4^th Century) 

 

Perhaps, if nothing else it confirms me in my position as a nonviolentist. I am against the death penalty and find none of the four ways of execution currently practiced in USA any less horrific. 

 

Yet, it is part of our tradition, so it has to be dealt with. I find the phrase which is oft used “glory in the cross” horrific. There is nothing glorious about the cross and I don’t think the crowds listening to Jesus’ statement would have thought so.

 

For me, perhaps, one of the ways to deal with it, is to acknowledge what a low point crucifixion was, truly it is the bottom of the mountain. So, I want to look it in the face and not rush to Easter Sunday even if it leaves me “trembling and bewildered …”. The cross shows the depravity of human nature. It shows that hatred of something or someone different can have disastrous effects. (And that can be seen in contemporary culture). I hope the cross reminds us to be a little kinder, a little more accepting of others and less quick to judgment. 

 

Listen!

 

Transfiguration is the focus of today’s lectionary gospel passage (Mark 9.2-9) 

 I do think that the authors of each gospel carefully placed the stories they chose to tell to support the particular emphasis of their message. The text today begins with the words “after six days …”. Therefore, I wanted to see the context. What happened six days before this in the Gospel of Mark? 

 

The preceding chapter begins with a miraculous feeding story, a restoration of sight, Peter’s declaration of Jesus as Messiah, then Jesus began to teach telling them of his death and resurrection. Peter, who had recognised Jesus as Messiah, took Jesus aside and rebuked him for speaking of death and Jesus retorted “Get behind me Satan…” (8.33). What a relief it must have been to Peter a few days later to be chosen to be one of the three disciples to go with Jesus and thus witness the transfiguration! Despite Peter’s interruption, Jesus continued the theme of death and his followers also losing their physical lives, but their souls will be enhanced. Then comes the verse that I think maybe key in the placement of the story of the transfiguration — “some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the realm of God come with power.” (9.1)

 

Mark’s gospel is a quite early one. There has been much debate on the date. Dates mainly range from 52 CE to 7OCE with a few outriders. (Google it to see the various debates). It is likely that Mark’s Gospel was partially written to Christians to strengthen them in a time of persecution. James (apostle) was martyred in 44 CE and James (brother of Jesus) in 62CE. The persecution under Nero (54-68) intensified in 64CE and continued for another 300 years. 

 

So, I think it would have been important for the author of Mark to show that some of the disciples saw the realm of God even if it was only a glimpse. A special and memorable occasion that was recorded for all time. 

 

James, John and Peter were named as being chosen to accompany Jesus up a high mountain. And they watched Jesus transfigure before them. The image I get is that they struggled to find human language to describe fully what they saw — no real word for it “dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them.” (3)

 

Then the disciples saw two other figures with Jesus. Peter impetus as ever — I love the humanness of Peter — jumped in with the suggestion of making three dwellings. A cloud overshadowed them, and a voice spoke “This is my child, the Beloved, listen to them.” (7)

 

It is a great story. Did the disciples have a physical experience or was it a mystical one? I have no way of knowing nor do I think it matters. What is important is they had a glimpse of the realm of God that strengthened and encouraged them. A significant event that remained strong enough within the oral tradition that it eventually became part of the cannon of Scripture. 

 

When I read a text, I always like to find relevance for our spiritual lives today.  A couple of things were highlighted for me today. 

The first was the experience of a glimpse of the realm of God which the disciples received. I think that happens for many of us on our spiritual journeys. In our Celtic terms it was a thin place, where the distance between humanity and God seems narrower. I have experienced that, and I know others have too. It is not a long-drawn-out experience, but a brief glimpse of something more. A special time, the explanation of which is often beyond human language. A highlight in one’s spiritual journey which remains as something that strengthens and encourages for a long time. Such times are important.

 

The second thing I noticed was the importance of hearing the teaching of Jesus over their more familiar religion. As I read I became aware that on this occasion the voice didn’t say follow Jesus but simply to listen. Jesus teaching changed a lot of previously held concepts of God. The God revealed by Jesus wasn’t the warrior or tribal God, but a God of love and relationship. The teaching of Jesus was primarily a message of love. So the mandate is listen to Jesus as he teaches on caring for the marginalized people, preferring each other, being peacemakers, etc, etc. It is a message that is found in many ways in lots of different day to-day situations. 

 

So, for my musings during this week I’m going to reflect with joy on those special times, those thin places when the realm of God felt so close. And I’m going to listen for (and hopefully hear) the voice of Jesus in whatever context and situation it may be found.