History & Theology in Mark's Gospel

by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.


Introduction: Questions for Preliminary Reflection:

I) Presuppositions: Is Mark’s Gospel Historical?

II) Four-fold Role of the Evangelists as Authors:

  1. Selectors - from among the many things Jesus said and did, they chose which stories they wanted to include and which to omit.
  2. Arrangers - they (re)organized the materials in a particular sequence, not necessarily chronologically but often in thematic blocks.
  3. Shapers - they adapted and edited the individual stories from their sources, so as to emphasize the themes they wanted to stress.
  4. Proclaimers - they were not objective historians, but preached the "good news" about Jesus in ways appropriate to their audiences.  

III) Key Events in Mid-First Century Rome & the Roman Empire:

IV) Examples where Mark is NOT Historically/Chronologically Accurate:

V) Mark’s Theological Contributions:

VI) Conclusion:


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