Jesus gets arrested. That much is clear. But how it happened is less clear. Mark's version portrays a Jesus who has very little control.
He uses violent verbs to describe the arrest and tells us Jesus is basically manhandled and then deserted by his best friends.
He uses violent verbs to describe the arrest and tells us Jesus is basically manhandled and then deserted by his best friends.
John presents things a little differently. He notes that not only do the religious big wigs come to arrest Jesus, but they bring with them a speira, or band of some 600 soldiers.
Jesus, "knowing all that was going to happen, asked them, 'Whom do you seek?' and they said 'Jesus of Nazareth.' And he said to them, 'Ego eimi,' 'I am'" - which is the same titled used in Greek for Yahweh.
Upon hearing this, the crowd "drew back and fell to the ground." Another round of this takes place, sans the falling, and then Jesus instructs the crowd to let his disciples go and he is "arrested and tied up."
Comparing these two events may lead us to ask how the arrest actually took place. But that's the wrong question. The fact that the event took place is probably a better concern. After that we might ask: Why did the authors present their versions the way they did?
When we ask that, we find that Mark more than likely wrote to a persecuted community and presents Jesus as one who suffers, is rejected and left all alone. He, through the Spirit of God, presented Jesus in a way that most fit the needs of his community. He presented a Jesus they could relate to.
John on the other hand, views the events of Jesus' life through the lens of the resurrected Christ. This is why Jesus knows the future in John, and seems so incredibly in control. That's because after the resurrection the community realized who Jesus actually was. He was Yahweh in human form.
The unique angle of these stories tells us something about the heart of God: he is incredibly concerned about meeting us right where we are. That's why there are four gospels, each meeting our needs in different ways, at different times.
The unique angle of these stories tells us something about the heart of God: he is incredibly concerned about meeting us right where we are. That's why there are four gospels, each meeting our needs in different ways, at different times.
4 comments:
it's kind of like that movie Big Fish (the fact I'm making a movie parallel is rare, as I watch a movie a month at most) where a boy grows tired of hearing his dad's tall tales. The truth of the matter isn't all that important. That's incredibly difficult for some people to grasp, which is why you get people trying to harmonize all 4 gospels.
Thank you for this great reminder and a clear-headed explanation of what the gospels are all about - meeting people right where they are. This lightened my heart today. *smile*
Thanks Debbie!
Hey Charlie, I know what you mean by "the truth of the matter" = the accuracy of historical account.
For me it is about asking what type of truth is being expressed. The story from John is no less "true" than the one from Mark; it just expresses another kind of truth.
We would also be wise not to write off John's historical accuracy either (e.g. the report of Jesus traveling to Jerusalem three times vs. the synoptics one account).
Interesting issue though! Thanks as always for your comments!
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