Authority and Servanthood in the Gospel of Mark, Part III
We’re back with our series on Mark’s gospel and today we’ll look at elements in the story that highlight the motif of servanthood. (For a review, go here for part one which talked about the historical background of Mark’s story and here for part two where we highlighted the motif of authority found in the Gospel.)
We’re back with our series on Mark’s gospel and today we’ll look at elements in the story that highlight the motif of servanthood. (For a review, go here for part one which talked about the historical background of Mark’s story and here for part two where we highlighted the motif of authority found in the Gospel.)
1. The terms servant, slave, and serve are used in a positive light in the gospel, describing the activity of angels (1:13), faithful followers of Christ (1:31; 9:35; 10:43-44; 15:41) and Jesus himself (10:45). In the wider context of the Roman world, the act of serving and the position of servant or slave were for the lower members of society and for women–these were not appropriate activities for a free man. In Mark, these actions display the full sense of Christian love and true discipleship. There is a perspective of mutuality rather than dominance where disciples are exhorted to take the position of servant rather than vie for places of honor.
2. The acts of service performed by many characters in Mark are juxtaposed against the self-serving and self-motivated actions of other characters. Those performing acts of service are the angels in the desert (1:13), Peter’s mother in law (1:31), the friends of the paralytic (2:1-5), the generous widow (13:41-44), the anointing woman (14:3-9), the host of the Passover (14:12-15), Simon of Cyrene (15:21), Joseph of Arimathea (15:42-46), and the women at the tomb (15:41). Compare these to the religious leaders who are rebuked by Jesus for their tradition which provides an escape clause for caring for parents (7:9-13) and who are described as "devouring" helpless widows (12:38-40). See also Jesus’ rebuke of the money changers and the presentation of Judas in the gospel for those who serve themselves and their own personal interests rather than serving others.
3. We saw in part two of this series that Jesus performed powerful and authoritative acts on behalf of some of the most helpless and least valued members of his society: children, widows, women, Gentiles, the sick and handicapped, lepers and the poor. Jesus’ service towards the most needy and unimportant (in the world’s eyes, at least) intensifies the others-centered nature of the service modeled by Jesus and expected of his followers.
4. In Mark 10:45, Jesus relates his death to service given on behalf of others. He has come to provide for the needs of others and this service is seen in his voluntary giving of his own life for all of humanity. Jesus renounced all concern for his own life, power, and position and goes to the cross in service of others, giving the ultimate example of mutual service and humility. The Authoritative One does not employ his authority and power for the benefit of himself, but goes humbly and willingly to his death so as to redeem mankind. We see his servant nature throughout the passion narrative: his willingness despite the burden he feels in Gethsemane (14:36), his peaceful arrest (14:48-49), his submission in the face of his accusers (14:61 and 15:2), and his relative silence and refusal to defend himself throughout the ordeal.
In Mark, service is characteristic of the life and actions of Jesus, is
a requirement of Jesus’ followers, and is viewed as a positive action and attribute. Next time, we’ll look a bit closer at a specific text in Mark (10:35-40) and what Jesus explicitly teaches his disciples about authority and servanthood.
