Jesus as the Messiah in Mark’s Gospel.  In this thread within a thread within a thread, I’m discussing the portrayal of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark as the Son of God whom no one knows.  For background, see my preceding post on the topic.  One of my overarching points is that Mark goes out of his way to portray Jesus as the Son of God. Even though the title does not occur very often in the Gospel. Only at really crucial points of the narrative, in the first episode of Jesus’ life (his baptism), in the final episode of Jesus’ life (his crucifixion), and at the very middle of the Gospel (the transfiguration).

My other point is that even though both Mark and God himself, in the narrative, declare straightforwardly that Jesus is the Son of God, no one understands it. When they do start to understand it, they misunderstand it.

No One Around Jesus Got Him

That no one “gets” it is obvious if you read the first eight chapters carefully.  Everyone around Jesus – his townsfolk, his family, the leaders of his people, and even his own disciples – shows they have no clue who he really is.  In exasperation at one point, Jesus asks his disciples, “Don’t you understand yet?” (Mark 8:21)

That begins to change precisely …

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