Task Rationale for Religion

Task Rationale for Religion

Topic 2(a): Critically Analyse Mark 1:1-13 using Narrative Method. Focus on Characterisation, Especially On How and Why Jesus Was

Introduced This Way by Mark

Narrative criticism focuses on reading the text as literature along with all the components of literature and literary devices such as “voice, plot, character, and structure” (Rhoads, et.al. as quoted by Aune, 2003). It is therefore, provides a basis for the complete contextual analysis of the scri8ptturte and in biblical studies to understand the real event, characters and plot of any part of the gospel. In this way it is very clearly provided that there are a number of different elements and that requires clear understanding of the author, text and reader framework to understand characterisation, plot and episodes in the gospel.

Mark 1:1-13 is can be studied with the technique of narrative criticism in order to deal with the process of experience of reading the texts and analysing the meaning from the text. It is based on different themes explained in Mark as explained in the particular versus.

The first thirteen verses of the gospel provide complete information about the Jesus, His character and His authority. These introductory versus introduced us to the Jesus as the Son of God, Messiah. Instead of beginning from the introduction of his childhood as in the gospels of Matthew or Luke, Mark introduces Jesus as an adult and clearly indicated it as “beginning of good news” which not only indicates Christ as a good news, but also beginning of a time when everything will be good with Messiah, “the Son of God” (Flanagan,1997). Messiah also indicates the Hebrew origin that reflects the expectation of Jewish people to have someone for their guidance after the fall of Jerusalem and scattering of Churches. It was the time when they were wandering in the wilderness and have no idea about the right and wrong. There had been many changes in the apostles including Paul's. At this time, it was decided by the Lord to send a messenger to guide these people to the “straight path”.

Mark further explains this with quotations with verses from the Old Testament one is from Malachi 3:1, and the second in verse 3 is from Isaiah 40:3 (Carter, 2003). According to these verses John the Baptist appeared as the messenger of Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. John announced the coming of the Messiah, Son of God. It also reflects that quotations from Malachi and Isaiah clearly explained that coming of Jesus was already expected and known for over 400 years before his arrival (Carter, 2003). This was the good news for Jews, waiting for the guidance after destruction of their temples and losing their hope.

It was John the Baptist who came forward to prepare the Jews for the Messiah. He is the next important character and preached “baptism for repentance” and “forgiveness of sins” (Flanagan, 1997). All the Jews went to him for their confessions and baptism in the Jordan ...