The scandal of Jesus, as spoken of in Mark

One of the things I did for the RCIA class I led today -- subject: "Jesus" -- was to list and categorize the things said to, about, and finally by Jesus, in St. Mark's Gospel. It wound up looking like this:

What did Jesus’ enemies say?

WORDS OF INDIGNATION

• Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins? 
• Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners? 
• He is out of his mind. He is possessed by Beelzebul. 
• Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands? 
• By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them? 
• Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil? It could have been sold for more than three hundred days’ wages and the money given to the poor. 

WORDS OF TRICKERY

• Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife? 
• Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion. You do not regard a person’s status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?

WORDS OF CONDEMNATION

• Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you? 
• What further need have we of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think? 
• Are you the king of the Jews? … Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of. 
• Crucify him… Crucify him. 
• He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.

What did Jesus’ disciples say?

LACK OF FAITH

• Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? 
• Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey? 
• Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food and give it to them to eat? 
• Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place? 
• Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb? 

QUESTIONS FOR THEIR TEACHER

• Then who can be saved? 
• Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? 
• Tell us, when will this happen, and what sign will there be when all these things are about to come to an end? 

PROTESTATION OF FAITH

• We have given up everything and followed you. 
• Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you… Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left. 
• Surely it is not I? 
• Even though all should have their faith shaken, mine will not be… Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you. 

PROFESSION OF FAITH

• You are the Messiah.

What did the people say?

WORDS OF WONDER

• What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him. 
• We have never seen anything like this. 
• Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him?

WORDS OF CURIOSITY

• John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him. 
• He is Elijah. 
• He is a prophet like any of the prophets.

QUESTIONING

• Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 
• Which is the first of all the commandments?

WORDS OF FAITH

• If you wish, you can make me clean. 
• If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured. 
• But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. 
• I do believe, help my unbelief! 
• Jesus, son of David, have pity on me… Son of David, have pity on me… Master, I want to see.

WORDS OF GLORY

• Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest! 
• Truly this man was the Son of God!

What did the demons say?

WORDS OF CONFESSION AND FEAR

• What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God! 
• You are the Son of God. 
• What have you to do with me Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!

What did God the Father say?

WORDS OF FATHERHOOD

• You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased. 
• This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.

What did Jesus say?

WORDS OF PROPHECY

• This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. 
• Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners. 

WORDS OF CALLING AND ENCOURAGEMENT

• Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men. 
• Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come. 
• Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith? 
• Do not be afraid; just have faith. 
• Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while. 
• Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid! 

WORDS OF HEALING AND FORGIVENESS

• Child, your sins are forgiven. 
• I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home. 
• Little girl, I say to you, arise! 
• Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction. 
• But who do you say that I am? 
• Go your way; your faith has saved you. 

WORDS OF REVELATION

• The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death he will rise. 
• For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. 
• My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 

WORDS OF COMMAND

• Take it; this is my body. 
• This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. 
•  Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Of all the groups I've split the above into, Jesus' own disciples seemed to have the least understanding of who He was. When they did express faith in Him, it was usually by way of praising themselves. There's probably a lesson in that.

Labels: RCIA

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