Abstract
The goal of this article is to look at the literary-theological function of the Jewish religious leaders hardening in Mark 3:1-6. In this text, the concept of “hardness of heart” is used in order to indicate their continued unbelief and rejection. The hardening may also be signaling their presumed end, namely divine judgment (cf. 12:1-2). Although Jesus proclaims the arrival of the kingdom in his authoritative teaching and miracles, the Jewish religious leaders refuse to Jesus’ message, as Pharaoh, whose heart is hardened, refuses to obey God’ s commend. Just as his hardening and rejection allows the plagues to be multiplied as a great judgment (Ex. 7:3) and the catastrophe at the sea (Ex. 14:4, 8, 14), the Jewish religious leaders’ unbelieving rejection by their hardening will allow God’ s judgment. Thus, with regard to the Jewish religious leaders, the concept of “hardness of heart” identifies their unbelief and hostility. It is not simply innocent incomprehension, but an intended rejection.
Highlights
In Mark 1:14-15, the passage ending the prologue and introducing Jesus’ ministry, Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God and called for the people to respond with “repentance and faith in the gospel”
The enthusiastic response of the disciples who left everything to follow (1:16-20; 2:14) and the crowd that searched Jesus out (1:32-33, 37, 45; 2:2; 3:7-8), was contrasted with the hostility of the Jewish authorities whose hearts were hardened toward Jesus (3:5-6)
When Jesus announced the forgiveness of a paralytic’s sins, they assumed that Jesus was blaspheming (2:7)
Summary
In Mark 1:14-15, the passage ending the prologue and introducing Jesus’ ministry, Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God and called for the people to respond with “repentance and faith in the gospel”. Due to the hardness of their hearts, the opponents failed to believe through the evidence of Jesus’ divine actions, that he was the Son of God (cf 2:10; 3:5), and they refused him (3:6). Luke uses other terms, “they were filled with fury” (Lk. 14:11) that Mark does not use, in reference to the Pharisees’ reaction against Jesus. Mark takes this concept, which was known commonly within the larger New Testament world[2], and gives it prominence, perhaps for a theological reason, rather than merely noting the usage of “hardness of heart”. This article is an attempt to present the literary and theological functions of “hardness of heart” as a particular term in Mark 3:1-6
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