In Mk 1:21 – 3:6 Mark portrays Jesus as someone who has authority but “not as the scribes”, someone who commands unclean spirits and they obey him, some who heals the sick, paralytic, and leper, someone who has authority to forgive people of their sins, and as someone in command of the Sabbath. Mark even paints him calling people who are hated members of the community like Levi the tax collector. Also Mark connects Jesus to King David when he tells the story of Jesus telling the Pharisees that King David fed his people similar to what he’s doing now. The crowds seem to be fascinated by Jesus and his healings and follow him around wherever as suggested by “people came to him from every quarter” (Mk 1:45). His early disciples just blindly followed him with not much thought when Jesus said “follow me” and Levi “got up and followed him” so simply. And lastly the leaders like the scribes and Pharisees didn’t seem excited about Jesus and his ministry. They would question his decision to eat with the tax collectors, his fasting and Sabbath practices. They questioned his authority to forgive, calling it a “blasphemy”. And ultimately they had hardness of heart and “conspired with Herodians . . . to destroy him” The words and deeds of Jesus are consistent aretological devices that argue for his divinity. And the Good News or Gospel, of the Kingdom of God that Mark presents doesn’t seem to be in line with the Jewish leaders at the time. The kingdom of God and the good news is for the sick, sinful, hated, and is something that requires “new wine skin” so that you may acquire it and the Jewish leaders weren’t happy about this.

The motif of secrecy and Jesus as source of misunderstanding is evident in the passage found in Mark 4:1-34. The soils of the parable even highlight the secrecy of his ministry and the reason why people will “look but not perceive and . . . listen but not understand” his parables. The path, rocky ground, thorns and the good soil represent the different types of people who will hear this words or see his teachings and not understand or perceive it. The parable highlights that only the good soil will bear fruit and increase the yield, and I liken the good soil as those who do understand. The mission is to proclaim the good news at any cost. Those who don’t take hold are simply people who heard the call but didn’t bear fruit for various reasons. Those that hear the word and proclaim the good news despite the cost, which in John the Baptist’s case is arrest” are those who landed on good soil and bore 30, 60, and even 100 fold. This message was crucial for the context in which Mark was writing too. After the fall of the temple and the rise of the early Christian persecution many were falling away because of fear i.e. thorny/rocky soil. Mark is charging the early Christians to take root and be good soil and to multiply. The mission is to proclaim the Good News despite the turmoil they face. The following seed parable even highlights this, the obedience of a single person aka mustard seed, will grow to be the branches on which birds nest on. The image of a promise of harvest was hope for the early Christians at the time.