Freedom in the Gospel of Mark : a socio-political reading of the exousia theme with particular reference to the Res gestae divi Augusti

Abstract

Throughout the course of history in the Western world, the concept and praxis of freedom has been the subject of much political discussion and debate. The practical outcomes have in many ways fallen short of the rhetoric, as is evident all too often. This thesis discusses the concept of freedom from the perspective of the Christian context as it is articulated in the Gospel of Mark. In this Gospel, the social and political context of the first century Mediterranean world is reflected. The articulation of the concept of freedom in Mark's Gospel is discussed against the background of Roman political ideology of this period. The Res Gestae of Augustus, which according to the sources was completed not long before Augustus died in 14 CE, reflects the Roman ideology of freedom (libertas) which was promulgated throughout the Mediterranean world in the first century CE. There is evidence to suggest that, soon after the death of Augustus, the text of the Res Gestae was inscribed on monuments throughout the eastern part of the Mediterranean world. However it was not until early in the twentieth century that sufficient fragments of the text were discovered from three different locations, which made possible a reconstruction of the original text. The Gospel of Mark stands in the same socio-political environment as the Res Gestae, even though it was written some fifty to sixty years after the Res Gestae was composed. This Gospel reflects a world in which the domination of Rome, politically, economically and culturally, impacted on the eastern sector of the Roman empire, and in particular as it impacted on the Jews living in the region of Palestine. It is against this background of domination that the message of freedom in the the Gospel of Mark is articulated. Throughout this thesis, discussion will focus on the literary dimensions of form, style and genre as well as the content in each of the texts, as a means of exploring the message contained in both the Res Gestae and the Gospel of Mark. The rhetorical dimension in these texts is of special importance as it indicates the particular situation, or as Lloyd Bitzer (1968, 1-14) explains, the particular 'exigency' to which each of the authors of these texts felt compelled to respond. As a minority group in the Roman empire, Christians were subjected to the oppressive structures and practices of imperial domination, which posed predicaments for these Christians and raised questions as to how best to respond as Christians in a non-Christian environment. The Gospel of Mark encapsulates in narrative form the essence of the message of freedom that Jesus of Nazareth proclaimed. It provides both a theological reflection on the socio-political situation and sets out the praxis for a Christian response.