Geert Van Oyen, «The Vulnerable Authority of the Author of the Gospel of Mark. Re-Reading the Paradoxes», Vol. 91 (2010) 161-186
The article proceeds in three steps. The paradoxes in Mark 8,35; 9,35; 10,43-44 tell in their own way that the mystery of the passion and resurrection of Jesus is to be experienced by the followers of Jesus in daily life. They are not only anticipations but also actualizations of that mystery. These paradoxes cannot be understood without the Christological foundation that God has saved Jesus from the dead. The use of paradoxes is in agreement with Mark’s theology and Christology which as a whole is presented as a paradoxical story.
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THE VULNERABLE AUTHORITY AUTHOR
OF THE
by losing one’s life in following him that one will save one’s life.
Losing this life, however, does not start when death is approaching.
It starts here and now in the reality of everyday life. Exactly how the
reversal from losing to saving will happen is not clear 19.
2. The second paradox (9,35b)
The second paradox (9,35b), probably like 8,35 originally an
independent saying (Bultmann and others), is about being the first
by being the last: (kaı kauısav efwnhsen toyv dwdeka kaı
ù ¥ ߥ ù ¥ ù
legei ayto˜v.) eı tiv uelei prwtov eınai estai pantwn esxatov
¥ ßı ¶ ¥ ˜ ® ¶ ¥ ¶
kaù pantwn diakonov. The verse has a chiastic construction (“first
ı¥ ¥
– to be†x “ to be – last and servantâ€) which emphasizes the
contrast 20. It is part of the unit vv. 33-37 (starting with an argument
about greatness, vv. 33-34), which is preceded by the second
passion and resurrection prediction (9,31) and a remark on the
incomprehension of the disciples (9,32).
This time the paradox is directed to the Twelve (v. 35a), but
maybe we should not put too much emphasis on this and rather
follow the suggestion of Adela Yarbro Collins that the “link [of
“ last of allâ€] with 8,34 suggests that the saying applies to all the
followers of Jesus, not only to the leaders†21. She rightly sees in the
mentioning of the Twelve that v. 35 is about “the style of
leadership †22. Most commentators agree, while in slightly different
wording, on this theme of the saying: “authority†(Santos), “la vraie
grandeur †(Focant), “a matter of rank†(Gundry), “about rank and
Legacies of Jesus and Paul (Louisville KY, 1996) 22-23. (On standards of
judgment, see also below).
Note that in 8,38 only the fate of those who will be ashamed is predicted.
19
What will happen to those who are not ashamed is not told.
GUNDRY, Mark, 509.
20
YARBRO COLLINS, Mark, 445.
21
YARBRO COLLINS, Mark, 444. Less probable is GUNDRY, Mark, 509: “to
22
provide a numerical framework for the upcoming contrast between first and
last, i.e. between first and twelfthâ€.
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