Discipleship in Marks Gospel
The main character in Marks Story is Jesus and Jesus was his disciples. And this was the main feature in Marks story which he wanted to say to his readers. We see the disciples playing a major role in the Jesus story.
Mark talked about the problems of the disciples, some the issues he raised was their lack of understanding of the teaching of Jesus (4.13; 10.13-16, 23-7). When Jesus spoke to them about his suffering they did not understand (8.33). and then also they did not understand the activity of Jesus. When Jesus upon hearing the disciples has failed to cast out a demon. He addressed them by saying: ‘O unbelieving generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?’ (9.19 cf.; 14.10,50). And this was quite disturbing about the disciples concerning their mission.
Save your time!
We can take care of your essay
- Proper editing and formatting
- Free revision, title page, and bibliography
- Flexible prices and money-back guarantee
Place an order
T.J.Weeden concluded, ‘that Mark is assiduously involved in a vendetta against the disciples. He is intent on totally discrediting them’. (Mark: Traditions in Conflict, p. 50). However, we can say this to factual, because there is a lot of evidence to this effect, just like, (Mark 6:30). The disciples returned from their mission successful. Though Peter denied Jesus three times, Marks says he repented by breaking down and crying (14,72). Mark wanted his readers to understand this about the disciples, one the phrase in (13,37), and thus bring to an end the formal teaching of Jesus in Mark, where Jesus said, ‘What I say to you [that is the historical disciples], I say to all [that is the whole Church, or at least the readers of Mark]’. In other words, what Jesus says to the disciples, Mark intends to be for his readers. Secondly, some of the stories of Jesus and units of sayings end with instructions to train the disciples (9.28, 29; 10.10-11).
When one notices these two things, it's anything but a major advance to seeing that a significant reason that Mark most likely had as a top priority was to discuss apprenticeship by discussing the followers. Maybe Mark is saying to his readers when you read my book about Jesus you will take advantage of it if you consider us to be one of those disciples. If this is correct, at that point we should pose a significant inquiry: 'What does Mark say about disciples and discipleship?
Mark says a disciple is someone called by Jesus to leave, or let go (of something or someone) to follow Jesus.
For Mark a disciple is someone called in order “to be with Jesus”
Discipleship is not only about being with Jesus, but also being sent for missions.
The cross is the only way of discipleship.
Finally, for mark, the way of discipleship was a failure. So to correct this attitude Mark proposes this measure.
The first is whoever wants to be first to must put himself last. This principle is very important in Marks's eyes because he mentioned this three times in three different places. He mentioned it first in (9:35, just after Jesus has predicted His “humiliation, death and resurrection” (9:31). With regards to the second principle marks say to be a follower of Jesus, you have to give up everything to (10:17-27), with those already following him sharing what they have given up to follow him (10:28-30). The finally Marks relationship community principle, is the discipleship are responsible for taking care of those who are weak among them. This principle came into place when Jesus was alone with his disciples and speaking to them ‘Whoever welcomes one of these children in my name, welcomes me...’ (9:36-7).
In Summary
Mark wrote to tell of “the Gospel about Christ Jesus, the son of God” (1:1). He did this to encourage the followers of Christ, its community and in its internal relationships as well as the missions of reaching out to the world, so Mark talks about discipleship by talking about the disciples, the key things Mark says are:
- A disciple is someone who is called by Jesus to leave, or let go (of something or someone) to follow Jesus.
- A disciple is someone called in order ‘to be with Jesus’.
- Discipleship involves not only being with Jesus but also being sent out on a mission.
- The journey of Jesus, as well as discipleship is the way of the cross.
- The way of discipleship is away of failure, but also forgiveness.
The Spirit as Eschatological Sign in Matthews Gospel
Matthew is efficient in his references to the movement of the Spirit in the ministry of Jesus. This has no uncertainty empowered the discernment that as a scholar he isn't too intrigued by issues of pneumatology. However, this comprehension of Matthew is very wrong when one thinks about that his references to the Spirit, few as they seem to be, happen at what are for the evangelist the pivotal occasions throughout Jesus' life; specifically, his introduction to the world, absolution, enticement, work of expulsion and passing. Every last one of these occasions is, all things considered, of basic significance to that example of repeat in God's redemptive movement that Matthew is so keen on showing. interfacing the Spirit exclusively, but then obviously, to these select and phenomenal occasions, Matthew has elevated the religious job of the Spirit.
In his, Gospel Matthew introduces a religious philosophy of the Spirit that is both keen and significant, it is a religious philosophy profoundly established in the eschatological expectations found in Israel's prophets and one continually intelligent of this Old Testament desire. In building his philosophy of the Spirit, Matthew, in a route closely resembling the householder of (Matthew 13:52), has gone to the fortune of Old Testament Scripture and delivered things both new and old. In particular, he has demonstrated how the new thing God is doing streams out of the old story that educates the prophetic message and this new work of recovery, similarly as with God's previous redemptive action, is because of the activity of God's Spirit. To be sure, for Matthew the nearness of the Spirit in Jesus' service takes the stand concerning the way that in
Jesus God is accomplishing another thing. The Spirit functions as an eschatological sign that the hour of redemption has arrived since, for Matthew, the Holy Spirit is above the creative and cleaning power by which God accomplishes his purpose in restoring his people to himself.
Theology of Prayer in the Gospel of Luke
There is a move of center between Jesus prayer life and his teaching on prayer. In the previous, the attention is on the cross, the underlying foundation of the kingdom. On the other hand, in the last mentioned, Jesus shows industrious prayer through which the followers are told how to live in the kingdom and to get ready for the coming kingdom. Concerning the previous, scholars contend that 'salvation history' speaks to Luke's theology of prayer, though I suggest that Luke's comprehension of Jesus' prayer is legitimately identified with the cross, teaching, and the kingdom of God. The cross is one of the focal thoughts in salvation history. In any case, I leave from past grant in my utilization of the expression 'salvation history.' Ott and his successors erroneously observe the kingdom of God essentially with a future reference and connection it with the idea of the 'deferral of the parousia.' Ott contends, given Conzelmann's work, that Luke's prayer writings are didactic, presented for those living during the time of the “delay of the parousia.”
For Conzelmann and Ott, the kingdom desire in prayer “delay” focuses on what's to come. This seeing, notwithstanding, needs rectification. Conn appropriately sees that Luke's view on prayer ought to be comprehended with regards to his eschatology, which isn't constantly “futuristic.” Schnackenburg additionally brings up that the “watchfulness” that is a significant topic in Luke can't be continued in a “futurist” eschatology. Likewise, Carroll recommends that Luke wrote contrary to the individuals who held a “cutting edge” perspective on the eschaton, contra Conzelmann, because Luke held to an up and coming eschaton. There are, actually, a few sections that show that the kingdom has just come (Luke 11:20; 14:16-25; 17:20; etc.).
By the by, it is increasingly exact to state that both “present” and “future” parts of the kingdom in Luke's Gospel show that Luke held to a two-dimensional perspective on the kingdom of God. If the kingdom of God has 'just' been built up in the service of Jesus (by the cross and revival), the 'postponement of parousia' must have not been a difficulty for the group of spectators of the Luke's Gospel. As Ε. E. Ellis states, 'because the eschatological the truth is available, the length of the interim until the culmination is of no critical significance.'88 Jesus petitions set himself up for the cross, and in like manner his devotees appeal to get ready to endure. The petition is simply the action of the Messiah to finish his strategic the kingdom of God and consequently, it ought to be the action of the supporters during the interim of the present and the future kingdom. Along these lines, Jesus' supplication life in Luke's Gospel is connected with the cross and apprenticeship.
J. M. Belief composed concerning Luke's theology that “there is no theologia crucis past the assertion that the Christ must suffer since so the prophetic scripture had foretold.” He comprehended the term theologia crucis as far as Paul's doctrine of atonement. C. K. Barrett, in any case, calls attention to that the essential meaning of theologia crucis for Luke speaks to an example of everyday life, where the believer practices the day by day order of cross-bearing. This transposition of Luke, as indicated by Barrett, is because of his peaceful worry for the guidance and advancement of his readers. Indeed, a large portion of Jesus' lessons on the kingdom of God in Luke's Gospel is situated in the focal segment (Luke 9:51-19:27) where the significant concern is teaching in the light of the demise and the revival of Jesus.
Assuming, at that point, for the disciple’s prayer is anticipating the coming kingdom of God, it additionally is thinking back on the cross through which the kingdom of God has just come. Along these lines Luke's introduction of Jesus’ prayer unquestionably likewise incorporates a pedantic reason. As Jesus’ prayer set him up to face the cross and initiate the kingdom, so the disciple’s prayer recalls the cross and set them up to enter the kingdom. Jesus asks the disciples to take up their cross day by day. Persistent prayer is how they do as such as they live between the two dimensions of the kingdom of God.
Thusly Luke's theology of prayer ought to be comprehended with regards to discipleship of the kingdom, the key origination of which is “taking up the cross every day” (Luke 9:23). Prayer texts that show Jesus’ prayer life are reliably connected with cross-bearing. Prayer texts that show Jesus’ instructing on prayer have expressly to do with kingdom establishment. Since cross-bearing in Luke's mind includes essentially a didactic concern, the two classes of the prayer writings can't be isolated. In general, persevering supplication is proposed as a method for the disciples to experience this interest during the period between the two parts of the kingdom of God.