Good News according to Mark

A casual reading of the parallel gospels causes one to realize that there are many differences in the synoptic writings. It is now accepted by Bible scholars that Mark was the first gospel written. It is indeed the shortest and along with the lost manuscript Q forms the core of the other gospels. It is revealing to recognize the way Matthew and Luke edit Mark. A few examples reveal Matthew and Luke's intentions. For instance, Mark frequently relates how Jesus was often angry. Mark 3:5,21;10:14;11:15. Matthew and Luke omit or sanitize these verses. Why? Maybe they didn't want to portray Jesus with this all too human emotion. Mark 3:7-22 says that Jesus healed 'many'. Matthew and Luke when relating this story, say that Jesus healed 'them all'. Evidently they didn't want their readers to doubt Jesus' power. Mark says that Jesus' relatives thought him a madman. Matthew and Luke omit this incident. Did they not want people to consider that Jesus' own family doubted him? We begin to see a pattern of Matthew and Luke downplaying Jesus' humanity and playing up his divinity. Mark 6:2-3 says Jesus was a 'carpenter'. Matthew 13:55 says Jesus was a 'carpenter's son.' Being a carpenter was a lowly position, but being the son of a carpenter was less of a smear. Mark6:4-13 says Jesus was 'unable to perform a single miracle.' Later gospels say 'not many miracles.' They refuse to admit Jesus' limitations. Mark 10 has Jesus say, "Why do you call me good?" Matthew 19 quotes Jesus, "Why do you ask me about the good?" Is Matthew editing this verse to play down Jesus' humility? In Mark 10:32-45, James and John quarrel about their place in the kingdom. Matthew in 20:20, changes this episode to deflect demeaning attitude from the apostles and has their mother Salome make the request. Mark 11:1-11 quotes
Daniel but changes 'donkey' to 'colt.' He doesn't want Jesus seen riding on an animal of derision but on an animal emblematic of Roman royalty. Mark 11 tells the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree. The other gospels omit this incident showing Jesus' human frustration. Mark 14:50 tells us that 'all' the disciples abandoned Jesus. The later writers copying Mark saw fit to omit this story that paints the disciples in bad light. Mark 15 praises women for their devotion to Jesus and their important place in his ministry. The later gospels downplay or eliminate women's role. All of these redactions make obvious that each word of the Bible is not to be taken literally or as inspired verbatim. We see the human element at play. Moreover, we realize that layers were added to the original story. Mark mentions neither a virgin birth or a resurrection. His Jesus is totally human. The later gospels develop his divinity. So what is the good news of Mark? Jesus was just like us. He accessed the kingdom of God within, and so can we. The Holy Spirit is our birhtright, even it we don't realize our dividne potential We don't need to find God, we are never lost. We live and move and have our being in God.