Week 6

Kingdom of God in Mark 


Introduction
The Gospel of Mark catapults us into the idea of the Kingdom of God almost immediately. Recognizing the Kingdom of God is crucial in understanding the Gospel of Mark. The Kingdom of God is presented as a present reality as part of Mark’s opening, in 1:15, Jesus says,“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” We do not have the birth narrative that is found in Matthew or Luke but instead an proclamation that this is a particular time for a particular purpose. It is near, it is now and Jesus is preparing his disciples and followers to live in that new kingdom.

As we read Mark we begin to see that the idea of the Kingdom of God is a major focus throughout. The phrase "Kingdom of God" appears 13 times. It appears as a proclamation and also within the context of parables.

The following is a list of the verses that it appears in:

1:15 - Proclamation of Christ's Ministry

4:11 - Kingdom of God is revealed to the disciples but is hidden by parables to all others.

4:26 - Kingdom of God is like a sower scattering seed on the ground.

4:30 - Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed.

9:1 - Kingdom of God is so close that some will not die until they see it.

9:47 - The idea of entering the Kingdom of Heaven is present here. The context however begs us to question if Jesus is speaking metaphorically of both the eye gouging and a literal entering of the Kingdom.

10:14 - Kingdom of God belongs to children

10:15 - The Kingdom of God must be recieved as a child. (See further reading for an article concerning this idea)

10:23 - Wealth makes it difficult to enter the Kingdom of God.

10:24, 25: A camel can go through the eye of a needle easier than a rich man entering the Kingdom of God

12:34 - The Kingdom of God is not far for the scribe who Jesus has had a conversation with.

14:25 - Jesus says he will not drink wine until he drinks it in the the Kingdom of God.

15:43 - Following the crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea asks Pilate for Jesus' body. Joseph is described as a member of the council who was "waiting expectantly" for the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God is a clear and present reality for those who sought it. Jesus does not limit the inclusion of people except for cases of selfishness and greed. The rich man will find it difficult not because he does not believe but because the love of God is central to Kingdom living as we see with the conversation with the scribe.

Yet, throughout Mark we see the conflict between the coming of the Kingdom and the present reality of the Empire. The Kingdom of God differentiates itself from an earthly kingdom by not functioning in the same way. We get this sense when we hear of the Kingdom through Jesus' parables. The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, it will not enter in the same way as an earthly kingdom.

Primary Sources
 Hearing the Good News: The Message of the Kingdom of Mark

  • Boyce presents a great overview of the Kingdom language present in the Gospel of Mark. Please refer to the worksheet as a reading guide. 
  • James L. Boyce is professor of New Testament and Greek at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

Discussion Questions
  • Boyce suggests that the Mark invites the reader into a new world, quite different then our own. Do you agree or disagree with this idea?
  • Is the "essential claim" in Mark the Kingdom of God?
  • The disciples were revealed the Kingdom but often appear confused. Why did they not understand?
  • Jesus uses parables to reveal the Kingdom of God. Why does Jesus do this?
  • Boyce suggests that hearing of the Kingdom motivates us to become disciples and thus continue to share and spread the Kingdom. Do you agree or disagree?

Secondary Sources



If you have not had the opportunity to watch this clip from week 4, please do so. This time bear in mind the idea of the Kingdom of God.


In case you missed this secondary source from week three, here is a short clip about the presence of the Kingdom of God as found within the Parable of the Sower in the Gospel of Mark. It is a dialogue between Yale Divinity Professor Emeritus David L. Bartlett and Minister Allen R. Hilton.

Further Reading
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