Book Of Mark Essay Research Paper INTRODUCTIONTo

Book Of Mark Essay, Research Paper

INTRODUCTION

To truly understand the Bible takes a lot of research. One process used to interpret scripture is OIAP. OIAP stands for observation, interpretation, application, and praxis. This process helps you to understand scripture in its text. The passage that is going to be researched in this paper is Mark 14:32-42. My intent through this research is not only to understand the text, but also know how to apply its meaning to today’s society. I hope to know more about who Jesus was during His time here on earth. I want to research the human aspect of Christ. It is impossible to understand what Jesus actually felt without understanding his human side. I hope to find out how much of his godliness he retained when he came to earth as a man.

OBSERVATION

In observation we analyze the scripture with no help from outside sources. We also stay within the book of Mark, trying not to use what we already know about future events in the Bible. It is easier to understand how the characters in scripture felt if we immerse ourselves in the text. “That, I concluded, is the problem with most of our writing and thinking about Jesus. We read the Gospels through the flash-forward lenses of church councils like Nicea and Chalcedon, through the churches studied attempts to make sense of him”(Yancey, 24). While observing the text we need to act as if we were never taught anything about Jesus or the Bible.

The characters mentioned in this text are Jesus, the disciples, Abba Father (God the Father), and Jesus’ betrayer. Peter, James, and John are specifically mentioned. The betrayer is not mentioned by name in this scripture, but is named as Judas later in the book of Mark. God the Father is only mentioned in Jesus’ prayer.

The main characters repeatedly mentioned are Jesus, Peter, James, and John. This scripture focuses on Jesus and who he sees and speaks to. The rest of the disciples are mentioned, but not present after the first verse. God the Father never responds to Jesus as far as the author states.

This text takes place in Gethsemane, around the time of Jesus’ death. It is a time that Jesus wishes to be alone to pray before his upcoming hardships. He finally gets away from the crowds to a quiet place.

This scripture begins with Jesus taking Peter, James, and John with him to a quiet place. Jesus then asks them to stay and watch as he goes a little farther to pray alone. He then prays to God the Father asking if he’ll let the hour pass from him. Jesus then comes down to the three disciples and finds them sleeping. Jesus lectures Peter and then goes back to pray. He comes back a second time and finds them sleeping again. On the third time of his return he finds the three sleeping still. He tells them that he is done and “the hour has come” and that “the betrayer is at hand.”

The author seems to speak from an omniscient point of view. He uses the third person, never mentioning himself in the text. I don’t believe he knew everything that was happening though. I think he was an omniscient implied author, not an omniscient person that knows everything that’s happening. He never reveals anything about Jesus prayers following the first time he returns to the three sleeping disciples, other than he spoke the same words. It is assumed that the readers know where Gethsemane is, or at least the relative area of this event.

Some key terms to look at in this text are “the hour might pass from Him” as well as “take this cup away from me.” Also two phrase to learn from later would be “not what I will, but what you will”, and “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus repeatedly catches his disciples sleeping, but still does nothing harsh to discipline them or keep them awake. He only tells them to pray so that they will not enter into temptation. This also has foreshadowing of Jesus death and betrayal. In this text Jesus says he is sorrowful before he goes to pray to God. When he returns he seems ready to accept his death. We are not told in Mark what changes Jesus’ attitude.

The main relationship discussed in this passage is between Jesus and his Father when Jesus prays to him, though the author actually does not focus much on it. He only writes about Jesus asking for help. Two brothers, James and John are mentioned, but their relationship has little relevancy to this text. Another aspect is the three not doing the job they were asked to do. It’s like hiring guards that never do their job, because they’re always sleeping.

This scripture mentions Jesus’ prayer to God and foreshadows Jesus’ betrayal and death. The main focus is on Jesus’ fear and the sleeping disciples. The author spends a lot of time talking about the three disciples. I’m not yet sure of the importance of the sleeping disciples. More importantly what I’m interested in is Jesus’ request for God the father to change his mind. Doesn’t Jesus know why he has to go through his suffering. If he does know the reason for his own sacrifice, why would he ask God to take the cup from him. These are the questions that I wish to discuss in interpretation.

INTERPRETATION

The questions asked in observation cannot be answered for sure. This is a question that deals with the deity of Jesus Christ. How much Godliness did Jesus give up to become human. There are many theories behind