Human commitment in Mark 15:1-16:8

Socio-Rhetorical Examples

Definition of human committment.

No disciples are present in Mark 15:1-16:8, since they have fled. Three women standing at a distance emerge in the narrative as faithful followers of Jesus through the time of his death. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem, and they had served his needs during that period of time (15:40-41). They do not flee when he is arrested and tried, like the other discples. Rather, they stay close enough to see what happens to him, and when they see his body laid in a tomb, they make preparations to anoint his body for a proper burial (15:47-16:1). The irony of the story is that when they are told to tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus has risen and is going before them to Galilee, they flee in fright and tell no one (16:6-8). In the end, then, even their commitmemt is unclear. Interpreters have wrestled with this aspect of Mark, and they differ over their perception of the commitment both of the women and the disciples of Jesus, all of whom fled at one time or another in relation to Jesus' trial, death, and resurrection. In this instance, however, statements of Jesus earlier in the story make certain dynamics of human commitment a bit clearer than dynamics concerning human redemption. Those who wish to come after Jesus must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow him (8:34). Exactly what their "cross" may be is not evident. Nevertheless, the nature of the commitment is quite clear. It is necessary to commit oneself in a mode that does not fear death but is willing to do what must be done in a context of a complete threat to one's life. The text undergirds the seriousness of this commitment with the statement by Jesus that, when the Son of man comes in the glory of his father with the holy angels, he will be ashamed of those who are ashamed of Jesus and his words (8:38). In the context of eschatological time, then, the text gives a basic definition of human commitment with certain guidelines.


From V. K. Robbins, Exploring the Texture of Texts, (Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International, 1996), p. 127.

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