Transcript Pennsylvania State Pastors’ Conference

Preaching Mark and John in Year B
Mark G. Vitalis Hoffman
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg
CrossMarks.com
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Resources
Overview of Lectionary
Survey of Mark
 Narrative Criticism

Survey of John
Online
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Textweek.com
WorkingPreacher.org
ON Scripture: www.odysseynetworks.org/on-scripture
ELCA Year B: www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Worship/Lectionary/Year-B.aspx
United Methodist 2011-12 RCL:
www.gbod.org/site/c.nhLRJ2PMKsG/b.6396085/k.FBC/Revised__Common_Lectionar
y__20112012.htm
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Christian Resource Institute: www.crivoice.org/cydatesB.html

Narrative Lectionary:
www.workingpreacher.org/narrative_lectionary.aspx
Revised Common Lectionary
Bible Software

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
Accordance – Free at: www.accordancefiles1.com/exchange/tools.htm
BibleWorks – Free module: bibleworks.oldinthenew.org
Logos – Free in Logos4 (includes RC, RCL, UM Lectionaries; $5 for Logos3)
Downloadable for Outlook, iPhone, Google, Palm

Free: www.augsburgfortress.org/redbook/
($7.50 at UCC site)
TRANSFIGURATION
2011-2012
EPIPHANY
BAPTISM
ADVENT XMAS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
ASH
WED.
EPIPHANY
LENT
EASTER
HOLY
WEEK
PENTECOST
HOLY
TRINITY
EASTER
Advent starts November27
Christmas Day is a Sunday
January 1 is a Sunday
Epiphany = January 6 is a Friday
Baptism of Lord = Sunday, Jan. 8
Transfiguration = February 19
Ash Wednesday = February 22
Palm/Passion Sunday = April 1
Easter = April 8
CHRIST
KING
PENTECOST
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pentecost = May 27
Holy Trinity = June 3
(>> skip Proper 4 / Ord 10)
Reformation = October 28
All Saints = November 4
Thanksgiving = Nov 22
Christ the King = Nov 25
TRANSFIGURATION
2011-2012
EPIPHANY
BAPTISM
ADVENT XMAS
ASH
WED.
EPIPHANY
LENT
EASTER
HOLY
WEEK
PENTECOST
HOLY
TRINITY
EASTER
ADVENT
1)
2)
3)
4)
Mark 13:24-37 – Keep awake!
Mark 1:1-8 – John the Baptist
John 1:6-8, 19-28 - John the Baptist
Luke 1:26-38 - Annunciation
CHRISTMAS EVE
• Luke 2:1-20
CHRISTMAS DAY
• John 1:1-14
1st SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
• Luke 2:22-40 - Simeon & Anna
CHRIST
KING
PENTECOST
TRANSFIGURATION
2011-2012
EPIPHANY
BAPTISM
ADVENT XMAS
ASH
WED.
EPIPHANY
LENT
EASTER
HOLY
WEEK
PENTECOST
HOLY
TRINITY
EASTER
CHRIST
KING
PENTECOST
EPIPHANY
(Day: Matthew 2:1-12 – Wise Men)
Baptism: Mark 1:4-11
2) John 1:43-51 – Philip & Nathaniel
3) Mark 1:14-20 – Jesus begins ministry
4) Mark 1:21-28 – Man w/ unclean spirit
5) Mark 1:29-39 – Healing and preaching
6) Mark 1:40-45 – Healing a leper
7) Mark 2:1-12 – Forgiveness/Healing of paralytic
8) Mark 2:13-22 – Eating with sinners
9) Mark 2:23-3:6 – ‘Working‘ and healing on Sabbath
Transfiguration: Mark 9:2-9
TRANSFIGURATION
2011-2012
EPIPHANY
BAPTISM
ADVENT XMAS
ASH
WED.
EPIPHANY
LENT
EASTER
HOLY
WEEK
PENTECOST
HOLY
TRINITY
EASTER
CHRIST
KING
PENTECOST
LENT
1) Mark 1:9-15 – Baptism, Wilderness, Preaching
2) Mark 8:31-38 -Peter‘s Confession
or Mark 9:2-9 - Transfiguration
3) John 2:13-22 – Cleansing the Temple
4) John 3:14-21 - Nicodemus
5) John 12:20-33 - Jesus speaks about his death
Palm Sunday
• Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16
Passion Sunday
• Mark 14:1-15:47 or Mark 15:1-39, (40-47)
TRANSFIGURATION
2011-2012
EPIPHANY
BAPTISM
ADVENT XMAS
ASH
WED.
EPIPHANY
LENT
EASTER
HOLY
WEEK
PENTECOST
HOLY
TRINITY
EASTER
CHRIST
KING
PENTECOST
HOLY WEEK
M: John 12:1-11 - Anointing
T: John 12:20-36 – Re: Jesus’ death
W: John 13:21-32 – Foretells betrayal
Th: John 13:1-17, 31b-35 – Wash feet; Love!
F: John 18:1-19:42 - Passion
Sat: Matthew 27:57-66 - Burial
or John 19:38-42 - Burial
EPIPHANY
BAPTISM
ADVENT XMAS
PENTECOST
HOLY
TRINITY
TRANSFIGURATION
2011-2012
ASH
WED.
EPIPHANY
LENT
EASTER
HOLY
WEEK
EASTER
CHRIST
KING
PENTECOST
EASTER
Day:
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
John 20:1-18
or Mark 16:1-8
John 20:19-31 – Unbelieving Thomas
Luke 24:36b-48 – Road to Emmaus
John 10:11-18 – Good Shepherd
John 15:1-8 – True Vine
John 15:9-17 – Love command
Ascension: Luke 24:44-53
7) John 17:6-19 - Prayer for disciples
TRANSFIGURATION
2011-2012
EPIPHANY
BAPTISM
ADVENT XMAS
ASH
WED.
EPIPHANY
PENTECOST
LENT
EASTER
HOLY
WEEK
PENTECOST
HOLY
TRINITY
EASTER
CHRIST
KING
PENTECOST
#s are Proper #s; Add 5 for Lectionary #
Pentecost: John 15:26-27,16:4b-15 – Advocate/Spirit’s coming
Holy Trinity: John 3:1-17 - Nicodemus
4) Mark 2:23-3:6 – ‘Working’ and healing on Sabbath
5) Mark 3:20-35 – Divided kingdom; true family
6) Mark 4:26-34 – Parables of growing seed & mustard seed
7) Mark 4:35-41 – Calms storm on sea
8) Mark 5:21-43 – Girl and woman restored
9) Mark 6:1-13 – Rejection at Nazareth; Mission of 12
10) Mark 6:14-29 – Death of John the Baptist
11) Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 – Teaching & healing (omit 5000 fed & walk on water)
TRANSFIGURATION
2011-2012
EPIPHANY
BAPTISM
ADVENT XMAS
ASH
WED.
EPIPHANY
PENTECOST
LENT
EASTER
HOLY
WEEK
PENTECOST
HOLY
TRINITY
EASTER
CHRIST
KING
PENTECOST
#s are Proper #s; Add 5 for Lectionary #
12) John 6:1-21 – Feeding 5000, walk on water
13) John 6:24-35 - Bread I
14) John 6:35, 41-51 - Bread II
15) John 6:51-58 - Bread III
16) John 6:56-69 - Bread IV
17) Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 – True purity
18) Mark 7:24-37 – Syrophoencian woman; deaf man
19) Mark 8:27-38 – Peter‘s confession; passion; cross-bearing
20) Mark 9:30-37 – Passion; who is greatest
TRANSFIGURATION
2011-2012
EPIPHANY
BAPTISM
ADVENT XMAS
ASH
WED.
EPIPHANY
PENTECOST
LENT
EASTER
HOLY
WEEK
PENTECOST
HOLY
TRINITY
EASTER
CHRIST
KING
PENTECOST
#s are Proper #s; Add 5 for Lectionary #
21) Mark 9:38-50 - Another exorcist; temptations
22) Mark 10:2-16 – On divorce; welcoming children
23) Mark 10:17-31 – Rich man
24) Mark 10:35-45 – James & John‘s request >< Jesus
25) Mark 10:46-52 – Blind Bartimaeus
26) Mark 12:28-34 – Greatest command
27) Mark 12:38-44 – Widow‘s two coins
28) Mark 13:1-8 – Sign of the end
Christ the King: John 18:33-37 – Jesus before Pilate
TRANSFIGURATION
2011-2012
EPIPHANY
BAPTISM
ADVENT XMAS
ASH
WED.
EPIPHANY
LENT
EASTER
HOLY
WEEK
PENTECOST
HOLY
TRINITY
EASTER
CHRIST
KING
PENTECOST
Mark Luke Mark
Mark...
Mark/John John – Mark... John Mark
John John
John
John...
Jn, Lk
Luke Luke
Mark...
John...
John
Available at:
selectlearning.org
$50 includes study
guide
www.selectlearning.org/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68&products_id=549
Who was “Mark”?
• Traditional Author:
John Mark of Acts 12:12-25; 15:37;
Col 4:10; Phlm 1:24; 1Pet 5:13 (?);
connected with Barnabas and
Peter
• Location:
Rome… but maybe Decapolis,
Syria, or Alexandria
• Date:
Late 60’s-Early 70’s – i.e., around
time of Jewish War
Ἀρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου
Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ [υἱοῦ θεοῦ].
The beginning of the Gospel of
Jesus the Christ, Son of God…
What is assumed about the reader with
this opening statement?
In those days Jesus
came from Nazareth of
Galilee and was
baptized by John in the
Jordan.
And just as he was
coming up out of the
water, he saw the
heavens torn apart and
the Spirit descending like
a dove on him.
And just as he was
coming up out of the
water, he saw the
heavens torn apart and
the Spirit descending like
a dove on him.
σχιζομένους τοὺς
οὐρανούς
And just as he was
coming up out of the
water, he saw the
heavens torn apart and
the Spirit descending like
a dove on/into him.
τὸ πνεῦμα ὡς
περιστερὰν καταβαῖνον
εἰς αὐτόν·
And a voice came from
heaven,
"You are my Son,
the Beloved;
with you
I am well pleased."
14
Now after John was arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee,
proclaiming the good news of God,
15 and saying,
"The time is fulfilled,
and the dominion of God has come near;
repent,
and believe in the good news."
27
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of
Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his
disciples, "Who do people say that I am?"
28 And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and
others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."
29 He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah."
30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone
about him. 31 Then he began to teach them that the
Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be
rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the
scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise
again.
Mark 9.1-8
7Then a cloud
overshadowed them, and
from the cloud there
came a voice, “This is my
Son, the Beloved; listen
to him!” 8Suddenly when
they looked around, they
saw no one with them
any more, but only Jesus.
Mark 15.37-39
Then Jesus gave a loud
cry and breathed his
last.
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἀφεὶς
φωνὴν μεγάλην
ἐξέπνευσεν
Mark 15.37-39
Then Jesus gave a loud
cry and breathed his
last. And the curtain of
the temple was torn in
two, from top to
bottom.
τὸ καταπέτασμα τοῦ
ναοῦ ἐσχίσθη
Mark 15.37-39
Now when the centurion,
who stood facing him,
saw that in this way he
breathed his last, he
said,
"Truly this man was
God's Son!"
the heavens
torn apart
the curtain of the
temple was torn
in two
… the Spirit
descended…
into him
… and he
expired
“You are the Messiah.”
"You are my
Son, the
Beloved; with
you I am well
pleased."
“This is my Son,
the Beloved;
listen to him!”
"Truly this man
was God's Son!"
What did John
the Baptist
see?
What did the
disciples see?
What did the
centurion see?
What did you see?
see
Mark Allan Powell
What Is Narrative Criticism?
Introducing the NT 2.7
Historical
Jesus
Oral Traditions of
Early Church
Form
Criticism
Q
Source
Criticism
Gospel
Redaction
of Mark
Criticism
Gospel
of Luke
Gospel
of
Matthew
Manuscript
Traditions
Textual
Criticism
Historical
Jesus
Oral Traditions of
Early Church
Form
Criticism
Q
Source
Criticism
Gospel
Redaction
of Mark
Criticism
Gospel
of Luke
Gospel
of
Matthew
Historical
Jesus
Literary
Criticism
Oral Traditions of
Early Church
Q
Gospel
of Mark
Gospel
of Luke
Gospel
of
Matthew
• Focus on finished form of text
• Emphasis on unity of text as a whole
Narrative
Criticism
There’s this guy who dies and...
Story
Discourse
(Rhetoric)
Story
Discourse
•What is said
•How the story is told
Story
Discourse
•What is said
•How the story is told
•Characters, events,
places
•How it affects the
hearer
Story
Discourse
•What is said
•How the story is told
•Characters, events,
places
•How it affects the
hearer
•Attention to how
story turns out
•Attention to
temporal experience
of reading
The rhetorical / persuasive techniques of
the narrative creates opportunities for
the reader to ‘invest’ in the story
That is, the reader is being persuaded to
believe that the story is true
Point of view of Narrator (Mark)
= Point of view of Jesus
= Point of view of Reader
The use of
NARRATIVE INFORMATION
brings the
Narrator, Jesus, and the Reader
into even closer relationship
When it was noon, darkness came over the whole
land until three in the afternoon.
34 At three o'clock
Jesus cried out with a loud voice,
"Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?"
When it was noon, darkness came over the whole
land until three in the afternoon.
34 At three o'clock
Jesus cried out with a loud voice,
"Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?"
which means,
"My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?"
35 When some of the bystanders heard it, they
said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah."
When it was noon, darkness came over the whole
land until three in the afternoon.
34 At three o'clock
Jesus cried out with a loud voice,
"Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?"
which means,
"My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?"
35 When some of the bystanders heard it, they
said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah."
… “does not claim to be history. It is not
even referentially oriented. Rather, it is
pragmatically or rhetorically oriented. It is
not ‘about’ it characters; it is ‘about’ its
reader. The Gospel writer’s chief concern
is not the fate of either Jesus or the
Twelve in the story but the fate of the
reader outside the story.”
Robert M. Fowler, Let the Reader Understand, page 50
Narrative Criticism
Reader Response Criticism
Let the reader understand…
• 1.1 told from outset
• Baptism and Transfiguration
• Teaching
• Healings and other miracles
• CRUCIFIXION
• Resurrection
• Single explicit claim: 15.62
What “Messianic Secret”?
• Don’t tell about Jesus!
• Demons ordered to be silent:
1.34: “He would not permit the demons to speak, because
they knew him.”
• People who were healed:
1:44 “See that you say nothing to anyone”
•Disciples:
8:30 He sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
• Duh-sciples
• 9:9-10 As they were coming down the mountain, he
ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen,
until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning
what this rising from the dead could mean.
• Ignorance about feedings, children
• Request to sit with Jesus in power
• Inability to watch and prayer
• Betrayal and abandonment
To you has been given
the secret of the
dominion of God...
Why the secrecy?
• Jesus didn’t want to reveal himself too soon and cause a premature
end to his ministry.
• Jesus didn’t claim to be the Messiah but was confessed so
afterwards >> It must have been a secret! (Wrede)
• To downplay aspects of Jesus' identity Mark did not find helpful
(Achtemeier)
• The disciples serve as representatives of a ‘divine man’ Christology
that focuses on miracles and power, a kind of theology of glory.
Mark wants to replace it with a theology of the cross. (Weeden)
• Mark reflects the tension between Petrine and Pauline theological
perspectives. (Goulder)
• It is a critique of the male disciples in contrast to the female
followers. (Schussler-Fiorenza)
Note that these solutions function at the story or historical level.
DISCOURSE
We the readers
Jesus the revealed Messiah
Jesus the secret Messiah
STORY
The characters in the narrative
To whom is Jesus’ identity a secret?
Mark 16.1-8
Was crucified?
Has been crucified?
Was raised?
Has been raised?
Is risen?
Mark 16.1-8
μὴ ἐκθαμβεῖσθε·
Ἰησοῦν ζητεῖτε τὸν Ναζαρηνὸν
τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον·
ἠγέρθη, οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε·
Mark 16.1-8
Mark 16.1-8
So they went out and fled from the tomb,
Mark 16.1-8
So they went out and fled from the tomb,
for terror and amazement had seized them;
Mark 16.1-8
So they went out and fled from the tomb,
for terror and amazement had seized them;
and they said nothing to anyone,
for they were afraid.
Is this the end?
• Failure of the disciples and even the women
(worse than John the Baptist’s disciples - 6.29)
• Sense of an ending: a desire for structure and
closure
At the story level
… but at the discourse level
•Motivation
•Anticipation for as yet unfulfilled promises
• “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit”
• As they were coming down the mountain, he
ordered them to tell no one about what they
had seen, until after the Son of Man had
risen from the dead.
• Mark 13: … “the end is still to come.”
• “You will see him, just as he told you.”
DISCOURSE
We the readers
JESUS
STORY
The characters in the narrative
Where is Jesus?
JESUS
“What we call the beginning is often the end.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
The end is where we start from.”
T.S. Eliot
There is no closure to the story.
It is left open-ended,
It begs for disclosure!
“You will see him,
just as he told you.”
Who is the “you”?
The Beginning
The beginning of the Gospel of
Jesus the Christ, Son of God…
http://pharos.bu.edu/cn/pictures/Icon.StMark-2.gif
http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/pimage?41353+0+0
MGVHoffman
"John’s Gospel is the one, fine,
true, and chief gospel,
and is far, far to be preferred
over the other three
and placed high above them.
Martin Luther
2003/5
Director: Philip Saville
Starring: Henry Ian Cusick,
Daniel Kash and
Christopher Plummer
Available at Amazon, etc. for ~$12
Who?

Beloved Disciple = Author? Competitor to Peter?
 Literary device (beloved disciple as reader)?
 Lazarus? - 11.3,5,36: "Lord, he whom you love is ill."
 John of Zebedee? - 13.23; 19.26; 20.2; 21.7,20:
"One of his disciples -- the one whom Jesus loved -- was
reclining next to him"
 No explicit reference in the Gospel to John son of Zebedee
(21.2)
 Tradition of John and Mary (19.26)
 Thomas (the Twin)?

Relation to (John) "the Elder" of Johannine Letters
(2 John 1.1; 3 John 1.1 – perhaps a late editor?)
 Relation to "John" of Revelation (Rev 1.1, 4, 9; 22.8)
When?
Stages of composition
Early: 40-70CE - Jewish Xns
within synagogue
Oral, unorganized collection of
Jesus’ words and deeds
Middle: 70-80CE - Xns and
synagogue in tension
Distinctive units shaped
through decades of
preaching/teaching
(Signs Gospel?)
Late: 80-100CE - Xns over
against synagogue
Units organized consecutively
Redactions
>> ~90CE
Final editing:
Add chs 15-17, 21
Where?


Traditional: Ephesus
Galilee? Syria? Alexandria?
Why?

"That you may come to believe that Jesus is the
Messiah, the Son of God, and that through
believing you may have life in his name" (20:31)
For whom? > The Johannine Community




Founded by one of Jesus’ disciples
Members driven from their synagogues for
belief in Jesus (9:22–28; 12:42; 16:2)
Community’s defense is strong; internal ethic:
"love one another"
"Outsiders" misunderstand Jesus
(e.g., 2:19–22; 3:4; 4:11; 11:12; some believe)
•Prologue (1:1-18)
•Wedding at Cana (2:1-12)
•Dialogue with Nicodemus (2:23—3:21)
•Samaritan Woman at the Well (4:1-42)
•Healing of a Sick Man at Pool of Bethesda (5:1-18)
•Bread of Life Discourse (6:22-65)
•[Woman caught in Adultery (7:53—8:11)]
•Giving Sight to a Man Born Blind (9:1-41)
•Raising of Lazarus (11:1-44)
http://catholic-resources.org/John/Synoptic-Differences.htm
•Washing of the Disciples’ Feet (13:1-20)
•Last Supper Discourses, including "Paraclete" & "Vine and
Branches" The "Disciple Whom Jesus Loved"
•Great Prayer of Jesus (17:1-26)
•New Details at the Crucifixion (19:20-24, 26-28, 30-37, 39)
•Resurrection Appearance to Mary Magdalene alone
•Resurrection Appearance to Thomas (20:24-29)
•Resurrection Appearance at the Sea of Galilee
http://catholic-resources.org/John/Synoptic-Differences.htm
John and the Synoptics
90% of John is NOT in Synoptic Gospels
 Jesus’ long discourses focus on who he is

• Synoptic Gospels focus on God’s kingdom
• 5:19–47; 6:25–70; 7:14–52; 8:12–59; 10:1–18, etc.
Jesus is the messenger and the message
 Symbolism

• I AM statements (water, bread, life, truth, vine, way,
resurrection)
• Dualism: light/dark; life/death; truth/lies
Synoptics
John
Jesus’ ministry lasts about one
year
Jesus’ ministry spans three
Passovers (2:13; 6:4; 11:55)
Temple cleansing one week
before Jesus’ death
Temple cleansing at the
beginning of Jesus’ ministry
(2:13ff)
Jesus’ opponents are usually
called "the Jews" or "the
world"
Only a few "signs" but several
long monologues and
dialogues
Opponents of Jesus include
Sadducees, Herodians, etc.
Many miracles but few longer
speeches
http://catholic-resources.org/John/Synoptic-Differences.htm
Synoptics
John
Last Supper is the Passover Meal, Last Supper is before the
and Jesus is crucified on the Day
Passover (13:1; 18:28), and Jesus
of Passover
dies on the Preparation Day
before Passover
Love your neighbors;
Love you enemies
Love one another (focus within
the community)
Future Eschatology (Imminent)
Realized Eschatology (Present)
Main focus: "Kingdom of God"
Main focus: "Eternal Life"
http://catholic-resources.org/John/Synoptic-Differences.htm





Introduction / Prologue: 1.1-18
Book of Signs: 1.19-12.50
Book of Glory: 13.1-20.31
Conclusion: 20.30-31
Epilogue: 21.1-25
http://catholic-resources.org/John/Outlines-Gospel.htm
Key Themes in John
Incarnation (1:1–19; 6:41)
 Conflict (5:18; 6:60–71; 8:39–59)
 Testimony (1:19–28; 4:39; 5:31–47; 8:12–20)
 True Revelation (8:21–20)
 "Lifted up" and "glorified" (8:21; 12:27–36)
 Jesus reveals God because he is God
 Love one another (action, NOT feeling)
 The Paraclete/Spirit comforter (7:37–39)

John 1.1-18
… καὶ ἡ ζωὴ
ἦν τὸ φῶς
τῶν
ἀνθρώπων·



Pre-existence of Christ
Incarnation
Two natures—divine &
human—of Christ
1. Story located in time of Jesus
2. Story located in Johannine community
What happened in Jesus’ time parallels and
informs what is happening in John’s time.
Jesus and John the Baptist
1. Story located in time of Jesus
There was a relationship between John the
Baptist and Jesus that may have been
somewhat competitive
2. Story located in Johannine community
There are disciples of John the Baptist who
are somewhat in competition to the disciples
of Jesus
Jesus and Jewish Authorities
1. Story located in time of Jesus
There was a contentious and hostile
relationship between Jesus and the Jewish
authorities
2. Story located in Johannine community
There is a contentious and hostile
relationship between the Johannine
community and the Jewish authorities

Specifically and only to the "Jewish leaders and
authorities," rather than to the people as a
whole

Only or mainly to the people living in the
geographical territory of Judea, that is, "the
Judeans"

To all members (or some or any in general) of
the ethnic/religious group of people still called
"Jews" today

Consider ways in which you can let Mark and
John have their own ‘voice’
 Show Mark and/or John videos
 Bible Study focus (perhaps for Lent)
 Use reading guide (cf. CrossMarks.com)
When preaching with MARK...

Remember centrality of the cross
 Did Jesus need to die for me to preach this text?
 Mark functions as persuasion not coercion

Try to establish narrative connections
 How does the text at hand relate to the rest of the
narrative?
 How can I help the hearers to ‘invest’ in the text so
that they identify with narrator / Jesus
When preaching with JOHN...


Think in terms of a developing and
‘thickening’ drama (a meditative spiral)
How does Jesus’ story parallel John’s story
parallel our story?
 BUT how will you deal with antagonistic view (Jews)?
 BUT how will you deal with ‘insider’ focus?


How can the explicit and unambiguous nature of
John’s account help confirm faith in Jesus?
Command and promise (Law and Gospel)
Preaching Mark and John in Year B
Mark G. Vitalis Hoffman
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg
CrossMarks.com