Gospel of Mark: Bread and signs

Feeding the 4000, signs, and leaven

text: Mark 8:1-21

Outline:

A. 8:1-10, Bread of Jesus feeds 4000 (no bread, 8:2)

    B. 8:11-13, Demand of a sign

A'. 8:14-21, Leaven of Pharisees and Herod (no bread, 8:14)

Comments: Unlike the story of feeding of 5000 this story is presented in another context. Feeding of 5000 was done in the contrast to Herod's [deadly] birthday party. Here, the feeding of 4000 is a starting point for the future discussion of pharisees' leaven that followed by their demand of a sign. What other sign they want to receive but the bread coming from heaven?? That's the focus of the story as a whole.

Gospel of MARK: Two banquets

Two “banquets”

Text: Mark 6

Outline:

A. 6:1-6, Jesus is rejected at Nazareth

  B. 6:7-13, Jesus sends out His disciples

    C. 6:14-29, Banquet of Herod

    C’. 6:30-44, Banquet of 5000

  B’. 6:45-52, Jesus comes to His disciples by water

A’. 6:53-56, Jesus is accepted at Gennesaret

Comments: Let’s begin with the structure. A and A’ talk about Jesus reaching out to people in two different places (no other stories name the places), mentioning also “villages” (v. 6b, 56). B and B’ talks about Jesus sending out and coming to His disciples. C and C’ have stories of two banquets – one is Herod’s birthday, the second one where Jesus feeds 5000.

Advent Readings: Luke 3

Luke 3

The life of Jesus is intertwined with the life and rule of earthly authorities. The chapter begins with a historical setting: 15^th year of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was a governor of Judea, two Herodian brothers rule the territories of Galilee, Iturea and Trachonitis etc. Then, right before a description of Jesus’ baptism, St. Luke goes into a historical “jump” – incarceration of John the Baptizer by Herod (royal character). Then the chapter ends with the genealogy of Jesus.

There are many debates over genealogy itself and its difference from the one in Matthew. I think it is the “royal” context that unlocks the mystery of Lukian presentation. Unlike Herod or his brother Philip, who track their authorities to Rome, and even Caesar whose power doesn’t go further then a couple of centuries, the Royal authority of Jesus goes beyond the human appointments or people’s approval. His royal status goes back to God himself (Lk. 3:38).

That’s why when the voice comes from heaven saying “You are my beloved son,” the combination of Gen. 22:1 and Psalm 2, we should understand it as a statement of Divine inauguration of the King of kings and the LORD of lords!        

St. PETER'S PRISON STORY

St. Peter behind the bars story  

The Passage: Acts 12:1-23

Structure:

a. 12:1-2, Death of Jacob, brother of John, by an order of Herod (by sword)

  b. 12:3-5, group of soldiers

    c. 12:6-10, Lord’s angel

      d. 12:11, Peter is released   

    c’. 12:12-17, His angel

  b’. 12:18-19, group of soldiers

a’. 12:20-23, Death of Herod (by worms)