Sermon Outline (loosely followed)
I. Who is Jesus?
a. Son of God
Used in opening and not again until the crucifixion.
b. Son of Man
Jesus’ preferred way of referring to himself in Mark. “Son of man” initially just means “human” in the Hebrew Bible, but becomes the title of an eschatological judge in Daniel. This develops into the messianic hope in the Intertestamental Period.
c. Messiah/Christ
The Anointed One, initially used to denote priests and kings in the ancient world, it becomes a figure of Jewish eschatological hope. Only Peter correctly identifies Jesus as the Messiah.
II. Ministry
a. Works of power
1. healing
2. feeding the hungry
3. casting out demons
b. Teaching
1. public
Speaks in parables to the masses, not to make them understand, but to keep them from repentance.
2. private
Explains things to disciples (not just the apostles) in private, but chastises them for misunderstanding.
c. Messianic Secret
1. Disciples
Correctly identify Jesus as the Messiah, but Jesus tells them to keep quiet. They also seem to misunderstand everything else, especially parables.
a) Mark 8:14-21
Fulfilling Isaiah 6:9-10
b) Mark 8:27-30
2. Outsiders
Often correctly identify Jesus as the Son of God, though never using that precise wording.
3. Explanations
a) when?
One solution to these complex twists and turns is scheduling. Events need to happen in a certain order and on a certain timetable. We cannot understand Jesus as Messiah and Son of God until we see him suffer and die.
b) to whom?
Often, Gentiles are allowed to tell their people about Jesus, but not Jews. This could also be a practical concern to timing, that having Gentiles among his disciples could hasten the animosity of the Jews.
c) what?
The apostles are specifically charged with proclaiming the good news (10:7). However, they are specifically prohibited from telling anyone that he is the Messiah (16:20). Perhaps Jesus position as the Anointed One is not the good news. Perhaps the good news is that people are being healed and fed and given peace of mind.
III. Discipleship
a. Authority
b. Power
c. Planting seeds
William Placher points out that farming is a mysterious business. A farmer sows the seeds and waits. Something is happening under the soil, but you don’t know what until something shoots up out of the ground. The works of power and the teaching in parables might work like that. People don’t know the right titles, but they know they are fed and healed and given peace of mind. They are also told that the kingdom of God is near at hand. Perhaps that is the seed that is planted, the small realization that there is alternative to the oppression and poverty of the current rule.
d. Suffering
When you preach that alternative and reach for it, when those seeds begin to grow, you will probably suffer. You may even die. Some things are worth it.