BEMA Episode Link: 85: Mark — Roman Gospel
Episode Length: 39:32
Published Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2018 01:00:00 -0700
Session 3
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings examine the gospel narrative of Mark, noting his distinct audience and the intentional methods he used to communicate the euangelion to them.

Discussion Video for BEMA 85

Transcript for BEMA 85

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 85: Mark — Roman Gospel

Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

This episode explores the Gospel of Mark as a deliberately crafted Roman Gospel, written by a Jewish author (John Mark) for a Roman audience. Unlike Matthew’s Jewish-focused Gospel, Mark restructures the narrative of Jesus’s life and ministry to speak directly to Roman cultural values and worldview. The episode demonstrates how Mark intentionally plays to the four pillars of Hellenism (education, healthcare, entertainment, and competition) while culminating in a radical reinterpretation of the crucifixion as Jesus’s coronation ceremony—a direct confrontation to Roman imperial power and the idea that Caesar is lord and god.

Key Takeaways
  • Mark’s Gospel is distinctly written for a Roman (Western) audience, making it the most Western book in the Bible
  • The fast-paced narrative with frequent use of “immediately” caters to Roman preferences for efficiency and action over Eastern methods of buried treasure and long contemplation
  • Mark deliberately structures stories around the four pillars of Hellenism: education (Jesus as teacher), healthcare (Jesus as healer), entertainment (crowds amazed), and competition (Jesus as champion)
  • The crucifixion narrative in Mark follows the nine steps of a Roman imperial coronation ceremony, particularly Nero’s coronation, reframing Jesus’s execution as His moment of greatest triumph
  • Mark’s Gospel ends abruptly at 16:8 with women “trembling and bewildered,” leaving Roman readers to confront their own fear about accepting Jesus as Lord instead of Caesar—an open-ended invitation that runs counter to everything Roman power represents
  • The detail about Simon of Cyrene being the father of Alexander and Rufus connects directly to Roman church members who would have heard this Gospel read, making the narrative personally relevant to its original audience
  • Mark presents the fundamental challenge: Romans must choose between Pax Romana (peace through empire, force, and fear) and the Kingdom of Shalom (peace through trust and a radically different kind of power)
Main Concepts & Theories
The Context of Hellenism and Jewish Responses

Before diving into Mark, the episode reviews the Jewish responses to Hellenism (Greek worldview that puts humanity at the center instead of God):

  1. Herodians: Integrated Greek culture with Jewish faith—”I’ll take a little theater, a little luxury, a little leisure… and my synagogue”
  2. Sadducees: The corrupted priestly class that compromised with Hellenistic values
  3. Essenes: The separatist priests who retreated to the desert to preserve Torah study and copying
  4. Zealots: Violent resistance fighters who sought to overthrow Roman occupation by force
  5. Pharisees: Non-violent but zealous devotees who sought to preserve Jewish identity through strict Torah observance
Understanding Euangelion (Gospel/Good News)

Euangelion was not originally a religious term but a Roman political announcement. A herald would stand in a public space and proclaim the euangelion—the good news of a new king and a new kingdom. This announcement promised that life was about to change for the better under new rule. The Romans spread their euangelion through:

  • Currency (coins with the emperor’s image and titles)
  • Advents (ceremonial arrivals)
  • Parousias (royal presences/visits)
  • Coronations (public displays of power and legitimacy)

The Gospel writers co-opted this imperial language, declaring Jesus as the true King with a better Kingdom—a direct challenge to Caesar’s claim to ultimate authority.

Mark’s Audience and Agenda

Primary Audience: Romans (not just Greeks or general Gentiles, but specifically those shaped by Roman imperial worldview)

Cultural Challenge: Romans valued:

  • Efficiency and directness (not Eastern “buried treasure” learning)
  • Victory and conquest
  • Strength demonstrated through force
  • Entertainment and spectacle
  • Competition and being the champion

Mark’s Strategy:

  • Fast-paced narrative with constant movement (“immediately” appears frequently)
  • Shorter, more condensed than other Gospels
  • Stories structured around the four pillars of Hellenism
  • Crucifixion reframed as coronation to redefine power and victory
The Four Pillars of Hellenism in Mark’s Gospel

Mark deliberately structures his narrative to engage each pillar:

  1. Education (Gymnasium): Jesus portrayed as an amazing teacher with profound wisdom
  2. Healthcare (Asclepion): Jesus shown as an incredible healer of all conditions
  3. Entertainment (Theater): Crowds are “amazed” (not just fearful or perplexed)—they’re entertained by the spectacle
  4. Competition (Circus/Colosseum): Jesus presented as the ultimate champion who wins every contest against any human competitor

This structure keeps Roman readers engaged while subtly leading them toward a radically different understanding of power.

The Crucifixion as Coronation: Nine Steps Parallel

Thomas E. Schmidt (Oxford scholar) documented the typical Roman coronation ceremony, particularly Nero’s detailed coronation. Mark structures the crucifixion narrative to mirror these nine steps exactly:

Step 1: Praetorian Guard Gathers

  • Coronation: Guard assembles in courtyard (Praetorium) to hail Caesar
  • Mark 15:16: “The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace, that is the praetorium, and called together the whole company of soldiers”
  • Significance: Why would the entire Praetorian guard gather for one Jewish peasant? Mark is signaling a coronation.

Step 2: Royal Robes, Crown, and Scepter Placed on Caesar

  • Coronation: Emperor receives purple robe, wreath crown, and scepter
  • Mark 15:17-19: “They put a purple robe on Him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on Him… they struck Him on the head with a staff”
  • Significance: The “mockery” is actually coronation regalia—purple (royal color), crown, and staff (scepter)

Step 3: Procession Through the Street

  • Coronation: New Caesar led through procession lined with incense altars
  • Mark 15:20: “They took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him”
  • Significance: The procession to Golgotha mirrors the imperial coronation parade

Step 4: Sacrifice Follows Caesar Who Carries Instrument of Death

  • Coronation: Sacrificial animal (bull in Nero’s case) follows; emperor carries the instrument that will kill it
  • Mark 15:21: “Simon from Cyrene… was passing by… and they forced him to carry the cross”
  • Significance: Jesus is both the emperor figure AND the sacrifice; Simon carries the instrument of death

Step 5: Arrival at Capitoline Hill; Wine Mixed with Myrrh Offered and Refused

  • Coronation: Procession arrives at Capitoline Hill (“Head Hill”—the highest point in Rome where temples stood); Caesar offered expensive wine mixed with myrrh but refuses it, pouring it out to demonstrate his preeminence and need for nothing
  • Mark 15:22-23: “They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means the place of the skull [head]… Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh but he did not take it”
  • Significance: Multiple layers here:
    • Golgotha doesn’t mean “place of the skull” but “place of the head” (matching Capitoline Hill)
    • Wine mixed with myrrh was among the most expensive wines in the ancient world, sold by Idumean-Nabateans from Avdat—this was wine for kings, not cheap vinegar
    • This happens BEFORE crucifixion, not during (other Gospels record cheap vinegar offered on hyssop—possibly used toilet paper—DURING crucifixion)
    • Jesus refuses the royal wine, showing his preeminence through suffering

Step 6: Sacrifice Killed; Caesar Pronounces Death or Life on Prisoners

  • Coronation: Sacrificial animal killed; Caesar walks through prisoners declaring “you live, you die” to demonstrate power over life and death
  • Mark 15:24: “They crucified Him. Dividing up His clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get”
  • Significance: Jesus IS the sacrifice being killed; He embodies both the power over death and the one who submits to death

Step 7: Emperor Ascends Temple Steps with High Priest on Right and Army Commander on Left

  • Coronation: Caesar climbs temple steps flanked by religious and military leaders
  • Mark 15:27: “They crucified two rebels with Him, one on His right, and one on his left”
  • Significance: Jesus “ascends” (lifted up on cross) flanked by two others, but they are criminals, not religious/military elites—a mockery of imperial authority

Step 8: Caesar Proclaimed “Lord and God”; People Sing Praises

  • Coronation: At the top of temple steps, crowds chant “Hail Caesar, lord and god”
  • Mark 15:29-32: “Those who passed by hurled insults at him… ‘Let this Messiah, this King of Israel come down now from the cross that we may see and believe’”
  • Significance: Instead of worship, Jesus receives mockery—yet the titles are accurate: Messiah, King of Israel. The irony is profound: they speak truth while intending insult

Step 9: Wait for Sign from the Heavens

  • Coronation: Crowds await heavenly sign (Nero’s coronation featured an eclipse that sent crowds wild with affirmation)
  • Mark 15:33: “At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon”
  • Significance: The heavens do respond—but with darkness, not light. This is an anti-coronation sign, a judgment on the imperial system itself

Critical Theological Point: Mark is not trying to “prove” Jesus is king by showing he had a coronation like Caesar. Rather, he’s demonstrating that Jesus’s coronation looks radically different—it redefines power itself. Where Caesar’s power comes through victory, conquest, and the sword, Jesus’s power comes through sacrifice, servanthood, and the cross. This is Shalom defeating Empire.

Wine Offerings: Harmonization vs. Intentionality

Traditional Western Bible interpretation would “harmonize” the apparent contradiction:

  • Mark: Wine mixed with myrrh offered BEFORE crucifixion (expensive, royal wine)
  • Other Gospels: Cheap vinegar offered DURING crucifixion on hyssop branch (possibly used toilet paper)

Harmonized Explanation: Two separate incidents—expensive wine offered first, cheap wine offered later

Eastern/Contextual Explanation: Mark is deliberately highlighting the expensive wine because it’s part of the coronation ceremony parallel. The other Gospel writers, with different audiences and agendas, highlight the mockery during crucifixion. Both can be historically true, but Mark’s emphasis serves his specific rhetorical purpose.

The Radical Ending of Mark’s Gospel

Mark 16:8 appears to be the original ending: “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone because they were afraid.”

Manuscript Evidence:

  • Earliest manuscripts end at verse 8
  • Later manuscripts add various endings:
    • Short addition with Pauline language about “imperishable proclamation”
    • Verses 9-20 (longer ending with different Greek vocabulary and style)
    • Some manuscripts have both additions
  • These additions reflect later Christian discomfort with such an abrupt, unsettling ending

Why This Ending Makes Sense for Mark’s Audience:

For a Roman reader accepting Mark’s Gospel, the implications are terrifying:

  • Affirming Jesus as Lord means Caesar is NOT lord—this is treason
  • Nero was actively persecuting Christians at the time Mark was likely written
  • Choosing Jesus’s coronation over Caesar’s means their Roman life as they know it is over
  • They have much to fear—persecution, social rejection, economic loss, possible death

Mark leaves the ending open-ended, much like the parable of the prodigal son, inviting readers to write the next chapter themselves. What will you do with this Gospel? Will you, like the women, tremble and remain bewildered? Or will you overcome fear and proclaim Jesus as the true King?

Modern Application: The ending still challenges Western/American readers today. We face Pax Americana (American peace through military and economic dominance) just as Mark’s audience faced Pax Romana (Roman peace through imperial force). The question remains: Do we believe real power looks like Jesus on the cross, or like the empire with its weapons, wealth, and worldly victory?

Empire vs. Shalom: The Tale of Two Kingdoms

This framework runs throughout BEMA and is crucial to understanding Mark:

Empire:

  • Power through force
  • Peace through fear and military dominance
  • Security through control
  • Mistrust of others
  • Taking what you need regardless of others
  • “The stick”
  • Victory defined as conquest and subjugation

Shalom:

  • Power through servanthood and sacrifice
  • Peace through justice and right relationships
  • Security through trust in God
  • Trust in community
  • Ensuring everyone has what they need
  • “The voice”
  • Victory defined as restoration and flourishing of all

Mark’s entire Gospel builds to this confrontation: Which kingdom represents true power? The crucifixion-as-coronation forces the question—can you accept a crucified king? Can you believe that Shalom triumphs over Empire through what looks like defeat?

Western vs. Eastern Approaches to Scripture

Mark represents a fascinating hybrid:

Eastern Approach (Jewish, Matthew’s Gospel):

  • Values “buried treasure” in the text
  • Learning happens through discovery and experience
  • Longer narratives that require contemplation
  • Parables, chiasms, and literary complexity
  • The midrash—”the long walk around the block when the answer is right next door”
  • Process is as important as conclusion

Western Approach (Roman, Mark’s Gospel):

  • Values efficiency and direct answers
  • “Can you just tell me?” mentality
  • Shorter, faster-paced narratives
  • Keep audience entertained and moving
  • Get to the point quickly
  • Conclusion is more important than process

Modern American Christianity: We tend to prefer Mark for the same reasons Romans did—we are cultural descendants of the Western worldview. We value efficiency, entertainment, and clear answers. This is why deconstructing our Roman urge is so important for reading the rest of Scripture well. Mark accommodates Western thinking while simultaneously challenging its core assumptions about power.

The Detail of Simon, Alexander, and Rufus

Mark 15:21 mentions: “A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country and they forced him to carry the cross.”

This seemingly odd detail in the middle of the crucifixion narrative becomes profound when we know:

  • Paul’s letter to the Romans (written to the same audience Mark addresses) sends greetings to Rufus (Romans 16:13)
  • Alexander and Rufus were apparently known members of the Roman church
  • When Mark’s Gospel was first read aloud to the Roman church, Alexander and Rufus would have been present
  • Imagine the emotional impact: “Our father carried the cross of Jesus”
  • The congregation would have turned to look at them, connecting the historical narrative to their present community

This detail personalizes the Gospel for its original audience and demonstrates how carefully Mark crafted his narrative for the specific people who would hear it.

Examples & Applications
Historical Application: Early Christians Facing Nero

When Mark’s Gospel was likely written (mid-to-late 60s AD), Nero was emperor and actively persecuting Christians. Nero blamed Christians for the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD and subjected them to horrific public executions:

  • Burned alive as human torches to light Nero’s garden parties
  • Torn apart by wild animals in the arena
  • Crucified publicly as entertainment

For a Roman to read Mark’s Gospel and accept Jesus as Lord instead of Caesar wasn’t a private spiritual decision—it was a life-threatening public declaration. The trembling and bewilderment of the women at the tomb perfectly captures what any Roman convert would feel.

Modern Application: Challenging Pax Americana

Just as Mark’s audience lived under Pax Romana (peace enforced by Roman military might and imperial control), modern Western Christians live under Pax Americana (peace maintained through American economic and military dominance). Mark’s Gospel challenges us to ask:

  • Do we trust in military strength or in God’s Kingdom?
  • Do we seek security through force or through justice and right relationships?
  • When our nation goes to war, do we consider whether we’re acting as Empire or working toward Shalom?
  • Are we willing to look weak (like Jesus on the cross) in pursuit of true peace?
  • What does it cost us to say “Jesus is Lord” when our national identity often functions as our true lord?
Church Application: Redefining Success and Power

Many churches operate on Empire principles while claiming Shalom values:

  • Building bigger buildings and larger budgets (conquest/expansion)
  • Competing with other churches for members (competition)
  • Measuring success by numbers rather than transformation (victory through metrics)
  • Wielding power through control and top-down leadership (force rather than trust)
  • Marketing and entertainment to keep people engaged (playing to the pillars of Hellenism)

Mark’s Gospel invites churches to embrace a crucifixion-shaped power:

  • Success might look like decrease rather than increase (John the Baptist: “He must increase, I must decrease”)
  • Power is demonstrated through service and sacrifice, not control
  • Victory comes through faithfulness in weakness, not worldly metrics of success
  • The most important work might be hidden, costly, and look like failure to outsiders
Personal Application: American Christianity’s Roman Problem

Most American Christians are culturally Roman:

  • We prefer Mark’s Gospel because it’s efficient and entertaining
  • We want quick answers and clear applications
  • We value strength, success, and victory defined by worldly standards
  • We trust in political power and economic security
  • We get uncomfortable with ambiguity and open-ended questions

Mark accommodates our preferences while simultaneously confronting them. He gives us the fast-paced, entertaining Gospel we want, then ends by asking: “But are you willing to embrace a king whose moment of greatest triumph looked like utter defeat? Are you willing to tremble and be bewildered as you step away from the security of empire?”

Practical Exercise: Reading Mark as a Roman

Try this when reading Mark’s Gospel:

  1. Notice the pace: Count how many times “immediately” appears. Feel the breathless movement from story to story.

  2. Identify the four pillars: As you read, note when Jesus is:
    • Teaching (education)
    • Healing (healthcare)
    • Amazing crowds (entertainment)
    • Winning/triumphing (competition)

  3. Read the crucifixion as coronation: Slowly read Mark 15:16-33 with the nine coronation steps in mind. What new insights emerge when you see this as Jesus’s moment of triumph rather than defeat?

  4. Sit with the ending: After reading Mark 16:8, don’t immediately flip to other Gospel accounts or read verses 9-20. Sit in the trembling and bewilderment. What does it feel like to have the story end there? What is Mark asking of you?

  5. Journal the challenge: Write honestly about where you trust in Empire rather than Shalom. Where do you seek Pax Americana instead of God’s Kingdom? What would it cost you to truly say “Jesus is Lord” over every other allegiance?
Potential Areas for Further Exploration

  1. Comparative Gospel Study: Do a detailed comparison of how Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell the same stories differently based on their audiences. What does each writer emphasize or omit? How do these differences reveal their agendas?

  2. The Q Source: Research the scholarly discussion about the hypothetical Q source (German Quelle = “source”). What material is shared verbatim between Gospels? What does this tell us about early Christian communities?

  3. Roman Imperial Cult: Study the Roman practice of emperor worship, including:
    • Titles given to Caesar (Savior, Lord, Son of God, Prince of Peace)
    • How the imperial cult functioned in Roman provinces
    • Why Christian claims about Jesus were inherently political and subversive
    • Persecution under different emperors and how Christians responded
  4. Nero’s Reign and Christian Persecution: Investigate:
    • The Great Fire of Rome (64 AD) and Nero’s scapegoating of Christians
    • First-hand accounts from Tacitus and other Roman historians
    • How this persecution shaped early Christian theology and practice
    • The dating of Mark’s Gospel in relation to these events
  5. Manuscript Traditions and Textual Criticism: Explore:
    • How do we know Mark 16:9-20 wasn’t original?
    • What are the earliest manuscripts we have?
    • How do textual critics make decisions about original wording?
    • What other significant textual variants exist in Scripture?
  6. Hellenism’s Lasting Impact: Examine:
    • How Greek philosophy shaped Western thought
    • The tension between Hebraic and Hellenistic worldviews throughout church history
    • Modern expressions of the four pillars in Western culture
    • How to read Scripture through non-Western lenses

  7. The Prodigal Son’s Open Ending: Study Luke 15:11-32 and its open-ended conclusion (does the older brother enter the feast?). How is this similar to Mark’s ending strategy? What is Luke’s agenda with this parable?

  8. Power and Weakness in Paul’s Letters: Investigate passages like:
    • 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (“My power is made perfect in weakness”)
    • 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (the “foolishness” of the cross)
    • Philippians 2:5-11 (the kenosis hymn—Christ emptying himself)
    • How does Paul’s theology of the cross align with Mark’s presentation?
  9. Early Christian Worship in Rome: Research:
    • What was church like in first-century Rome?
    • How would Gospels have been read and received?
    • The role of oral tradition before written Gospels
    • House churches and social dynamics
  10. Modern Examples of Empire vs. Shalom: Analyze contemporary issues through this framework:
    • Immigration policy and treatment of “the other”
    • Economic systems and wealth inequality
    • Criminal justice and incarceration
    • International relations and military intervention
    • Environmental stewardship vs. exploitation
    • How would Jesus’s coronation-through-crucifixion speak to these issues?

  11. The Roman Centurion’s Confession: Study Mark 15:39 closely—”Surely this man was the Son of God!” Why is it significant that a Roman soldier is the first to confess Jesus’s true identity at the moment of His death? How does this fit Mark’s agenda?

  12. Avdat and the Nabatean Spice Trade: Investigate:
    • The historical site of Avdat in the Negev desert
    • The Nabatean civilization and their control of the spice trade
    • Wine mixed with myrrh as a luxury item
    • How this archaeological/historical detail enriches our understanding of Mark 15:23
Comprehension Questions

  1. How does Mark structure his Gospel differently than Matthew, and why? What does this reveal about their respective audiences?

    Answer: Mark writes a fast-paced, action-oriented Gospel using “immediately” frequently, while Matthew uses more teaching blocks and genealogies. Mark targets Romans who value efficiency, entertainment, and direct answers (Western thinking), while Matthew writes to Jews who value teaching, contemplation, and buried treasure in the text (Eastern thinking). Mark plays to the four pillars of Hellenism (education, healthcare, entertainment, competition) to keep his Roman audience engaged, while Matthew focuses on showing how Jesus fulfills Jewish prophecy and welcomes those marginalized by religious society.

  2. Explain how Mark structures the crucifixion narrative to parallel a Roman coronation ceremony. Why is this significant for his audience?

    Answer: Mark deliberately follows the nine steps of a Roman coronation (particularly Nero’s): (1) Praetorian guard gathers, (2) royal robes/crown/scepter given, (3) procession through streets, (4) sacrifice follows bearing instrument of death, (5) arrival at “head hill” with royal wine offered and refused, (6) sacrifice killed and power over life/death demonstrated, (7) ascent with figures on right and left, (8) proclamation as lord/god, (9) sign from heavens. This reframes Jesus’s execution not as defeat but as His moment of greatest triumph—His coronation. For Romans who defined power through conquest and victory, Mark confronts them with a radically different kind of power: Shalom defeating Empire through what looks like weakness. Jesus is crowned king precisely in His crucifixion, not despite it.

  3. Why does Mark’s Gospel likely end at 16:8 with women “trembling and bewildered”? What is Mark inviting his readers to do with this ending?

    Answer: The earliest manuscripts end at verse 8 without resurrection appearances or the disciples’ commission. This abrupt, unsettling ending makes perfect sense for Mark’s Roman audience. Any Roman who accepts this Gospel and declares “Jesus is Lord, not Caesar” would feel exactly like those women—trembling and bewildered with much to fear. Under Nero’s persecution, this wasn’t a private spiritual choice but a potentially deadly public declaration. Mark leaves the ending open-ended (like the parable of the prodigal son), inviting readers to write the next chapter themselves. Will they overcome fear and proclaim Jesus as the true King? The later additions (verses 9-20) reflect discomfort with this challenge, but Mark’s genius is in forcing the question: What will YOU do with this Gospel?

  4. What is the significance of the detail about Simon of Cyrene being “the father of Alexander and Rufus” in the crucifixion narrative?

    Answer: This seemingly odd detail becomes profound when we realize Paul’s letter to the Romans greets Rufus (and likely Alexander), indicating they were known members of the Roman church. When Mark’s Gospel was first read aloud to the Roman congregation, Alexander and Rufus would have been present, hearing “your father carried the cross of Jesus.” The community would have turned to look at them, connecting the historical narrative to their present reality. This shows how carefully Mark crafted his Gospel for the specific people who would hear it, making the story personally relevant and emotionally powerful for his original audience.

  5. How does Mark’s Gospel challenge both ancient Romans and modern American Christians regarding power, security, and empire?

    Answer: Mark confronts Romans with a king whose greatest triumph looks like defeat, challenging their belief that power comes through military conquest, force, and imperial dominance (Pax Romana). He presents Shalom (power through service, trust, and sacrifice) as defeating Empire (power through force, fear, and control). For modern American Christians, the challenge is identical: Do we trust in Pax Americana (American economic and military dominance) or in God’s Kingdom? Do we define strength by worldly standards (success, growth, winning) or by faithfulness to Jesus’s crucifixion-shaped power? Are we willing to look weak like Jesus on the cross? The question remains: Which kingdom represents true power, and what will it cost us to choose it?

Brief Personalized Summary

Mark’s Gospel emerges as a masterfully crafted message to Romans, written by a Jewish author who understood both worldviews intimately. Rather than being the “short, easy Gospel” we often reduce it to, Mark represents a sophisticated rhetorical strategy: meet Romans where they are (fast-paced, entertaining, playing to Hellenistic values) while gradually confronting the very foundations of their worldview.

The genius of Mark’s approach becomes clear in the crucifixion narrative, where he transforms Jesus’s execution into a coronation ceremony. By meticulously following the nine steps of a Roman emperor’s coronation, Mark forces an impossible question: Can you worship a crucified king? Can you accept that true power looks like weakness, that victory comes through sacrifice, that Shalom defeats Empire precisely where Empire claims its greatest triumph?

The abrupt ending at Mark 16:8—women trembling and bewildered, saying nothing to anyone because they were afraid—initially seems like an incomplete manuscript. But it’s actually Mark’s most powerful move. He refuses to resolve the tension, instead leaving Roman readers (and all of us) to write the next chapter ourselves. For Romans under Nero’s persecution, accepting this Gospel meant potential death. For modern Western Christians living under Pax Americana, accepting this Gospel means rejecting much of what our culture tells us about power, security, and success.

Mark’s Gospel is both a gift and a challenge. It’s a gift because it meets us where we are as Western thinkers who value efficiency and clear answers. It’s a challenge because it uses those very preferences to confront our deepest assumptions about what makes someone or something powerful. The question echoes across two millennia: Are you willing to follow a king whose throne is a cross?

As you read Mark’s Gospel with fresh eyes, pay attention not just to what Jesus does, but to how Mark tells the story. Notice the pace, the focus on the four pillars, the building tension between Empire and Shalom. And when you reach that trembling, bewildered ending, resist the urge to immediately flip to the other Gospels or to read verses 9-20. Sit in the discomfort. Let Mark’s question land: What will you do with this Gospel of a crucified king?

The tale of two kingdoms—Empire and Shalom—reaches its climax at the cross. Mark invites you to choose which one you truly believe represents power. And he warns you: choosing rightly might leave you trembling and bewildered, with much to fear in a world that worships Empire. But that’s exactly where faith begins.

These study notes are designed to help you engage deeply with BEMA Episode 85 and the Gospel of Mark. Return to them as you read Mark’s Gospel, and let the questions they raise transform how you understand Jesus’s life, death, and the radical nature of God’s Kingdom.

Original Notes

  • Review
    • Hellenism: all about you. Man is now at the center of everything.
    • Euangelion: There is a new king and a new kingdom and your life is about to be great.
    • Matthew is a Jewish gospel written to a Jewish audience. The kingdom is for more than just Jews and we need to be careful where we find ourselves. Jews’ organized religious practices had forced some people to the margins. AOWs are marginalized but there is also an entirely different group that is marginalized as well.
  • About Mark
    • Mark is the second gospel. There are some, many even, that believe it was the very first gospel to be written.
    • There was probably a Q source involved in the writing of Matthew and Mark.
    • Who? Mark (aka John Mark) is a Jew writing to a Roman audience. This gospel is not even written to simply an audience influenced by greek thought. This is a uniquely Roman gospel.
  • Why do we think it was uniquely Roman?
    • The gospel’s pace. Story A, “immediately Jesus did…”, Story B, “immediately Jesus did…”, Story C, “immediately Jesus did…”, etc.
    • Romans don’t want a treasure hunt like the Jews do. Romans want answers now and they need to be entertained.
    • Mark is a fast paced take of everything that Jesus did.
    • Mark very much plays to the four pillars of Hellenism:
      • Education: Jesus the teacher.
      • Healthcare: Jesus the healer.
      • Entertainment: Jesus the entertainer. The crowds were in awe or amazed.
      • Athletics: Jesus the winner. Whenever there is competition, Jesus wins.
    • It is because Mark plays to our fancy as Americans and Matthew has a better message for us that we spend our time in Matthew instead of Mark throughout Session 3.
  • Mark’s Crucifixion Story
    • Why does Mark point out that Jesus is offered wine mixed with myrrh? Why does that matter to the reader?
      • Wine mixed with myrrh was some of the most expensive and best tasting wine in the world at that time.
      • Jesus is offered incredibly expensive wine which is meant for kings that he then refuses. He’s also offered wine at a different point in Mark’s crucifixion story than in the other gospel accounts. Why?
    • Roman Emperor Coronations and Euangelions
      • We have accounts of multiple coronations but Nero’s is the best. Nero’s coronation would also have coincided in time with when Mark’s account of the gospel would have been written down leaving the following fresh in the minds of Mark’s readers.
      • The following nine steps were a part of a Roman Emperor’s coronation.
        1. The Pretorium Guard gathers together.
        2. Royal robes and a wreath crown are placed on the Emperor and a scepter is placed in his hand.
        3. The new Caesar is led through the streets lined with incense.
        4. Caesar is followed by an animal which will eventually be sacrificed (Nero had a bull, others had different animals) and Caesar the Emperor carries the instrument of death for the sacrifice.
        5. The procession arrives at Capitoline Hill (meaning “Head Hill”). Rome is a city of seven hills, Capitoline Hill being the tallest. It is believed that when building on Head Hill was being built, they apparently found the head of Romulus who founded Rome. By his head, they do not mean simply his skull but his actual head complete with flesh and hair. Caesar is then offered wine with myrrh which he refuses to show his need for nothing.
        6. The sacrifice is then killed, Caesar the pronounces life or death on a large host of prisoners. Prisoners are lined up and Caesar then, one by one, determines if each prisoner lives or dies. “You live. You die. You die. You live. You live. You die.” etc.
        7. The Emperor ascends the steps of the temple with the high priests of the 24 Legal Religions of Rome on his right and the leading commander of his armies on his left.
        8. Caesar is then proclaimed “Lord and God” by others.
        9. The crowds await a sign of Caesar’s coronation. Eg. there was an astronomical phenomenon, like a comet, that coincided with Nero’s coronation.
      • Mark’s record of the crucifixion
        1. 14:16: The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Pretorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers.
        2. 14:17: They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him.
        3. 14:20: Then they lead him out to crucify him.
        4. 14:21: A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.
        5. 14:22: They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).
        6. 14:24: And they crucified him.
        7. 14:27: They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left.
        8. 14:29: Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
        9. 14:33: At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
      • This is not a moment of defeat but Jesus’ greatest moment of victory. A Roman soldier is the first to proclaim that Jesus is God.
    • The Ending of Mark
      • Fearful women ending would represent the same reaction any Roman who accepts Mark’s message would have accepting Jesus on Caesar. Marty says, “Any Roman who reads Mark’s gospel and accepts it is going to feel just like those women. If they affirm the truth that Jesus is a better king, their Roman life as they know it is over. They have much to fear. If you believe in Jesus’ coronation and not Nero’s (remember that Nero burned the Christians) you will be “trembling and bewildered” like the women in Mark. So, much like the parable of the prodigal son, Mark leaves this ending open ended and unwritten inviting the Roman readers to consider what they believe to be the truest true about the world and what brings real peace. This is our great challenge as Roman readers. Do we really want to choose the Triumph of Jesus? It runs counter to everything that our worldview says is power. They had to deal with “Pax Romana.” We have to deal with “Pax Americana” in our world. To this day it still runs contrary to what we believe is true power. Yet Mark confronts our worldview and invites us to consider as we possibly sit trembling and bewildered and afraid of the implications whether or not we would like to believe this gospel of a new king and a better kingdom. Just having some context allows Mark’s gospel to come to life as we read it and as we understand what he’s trying to accomplish.”
      • Finally, a note about Paul’s letter to the Romans. In his greetings to the Church, Paul mentions Rufus. If we look back at verse 21, we see that two men, Alexander and Rufus, are mentioned as the sons of Simon from Cyrene who carries the cross for Jesus. Imagine being Alexander or Rufus reading John Mark’s gospel for the first time and welling up with pride as they hear the part their own father played in the crucifixion of our Christ.

Edit | Previous | Next