FREE ESSAY ON APOCOLYPTIC, A IN DEPTH LOOK AT THE GOSPEL OF MARK

APOCOLYPTIC, A IN DEPTH LOOK AT THE GOSPEL OF MARK

Mark is most likely the first of the Gospels to be written because it is the shortest and
tells of the ministry of Jesus. Mark stresses Jesus' message about the kingdom of God and
how it is breaking into human life as good news and that Jesus himself is portrayed as
the gospel of God. Jesus is explained as the Son of God who is sent down to rescue
everyone. His life is predestined as a sacrifice for humanity. 
The beginning of the book sets the tone of Mark by the actions of John the Baptist and
God as he speaks during Jesus' baptism declaring Jesus his son. Also in the beginning
Jesus is supposed to baptize the Holy Spirit and that the temptation of Satan fails. 
Examining the verse 14-15 of chapter 1 one can understand Jesus proclamation as Gospel:
fulfillment, the nearness of the kingdom and therefore the need for faith. From this
point on we see miracles being performed on the people. It almost seems as though he is
carrying out these miracles in order to make people either fear him, or prove to people
who he is. People then start to take a real liking to him as he helps them
unconditionally with all of their ailments. Jesus later appoints 12 disciples to carry
out his reign and to drive out the demons as he is doing. Though we see in chapter three
the introduction of the Apocalyptic thought. Jesus is accused of being Beelzebul which is
a word used for Satan, they say this because they do not have an explanation for him
driving out the demons. We also see in this chapter that Jesus say's that his family is
those that believe in God and follow his reign. This insinuates the idea that Jesus is in
all of us. 
Continuing the story we see Jesus is preparing for everything that is to happen. He is
aware of the disciples that are going to betray him, and that he is going to be sentenced
to death by Pilate. Then the Last Supper where he is to foretells the future. In chapter
13 we are told about the destruction of the Temple. This is very apocalyptic in tone
because it tells of the falling of all the great buildings right down to the last stone.
He says that there will be many wars, and many nations will fight but it will all be
built again, saying that intervention will only happen after destruction. What he is
talking about is the Romans coming to take over Jerusalem and to destroy the temple.
Though Jesus does not say when this is going to happen.
The book of Mark ends with Jesus being crucified and dying on the cross for everyone. He
was buried and then the following day as Mary Magdedalene, Mary Mother of James and
Salomon went to go anoint his body they found that his body was not there. They assumed
that Jesus had risen. He appeared to the eleven and said go out and proclaim what has
happened and those that believe will be saved and those that don't will be condemned.
This is the final portion of Mark and it's proclaims that those who do not believe will
be punished. This is a very similar attitude that was seen in Daniel as God the
punisher.