Mystical holiness in Mark’s Gospel

Pieter G.R De Villiers

doi:10.4102/hts.v72i4.3697

Pieter G.R De Villiers

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v72i4.3697

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Abstract

The article discusses holiness as a theme in the Gospel of Mark from the perspective of biblical spirituality. It first establishes the framework within which holiness is understood by discussing holiness in spirituality, in the early Christian context of Mark and in terms of Mark’s focus on the identity of Jesus. The article then focuses on holiness in terms of the human pole in the divine– human relationship by investigating how holiness is about awe and fear before Jesus as the mystery of God’s kingdom (Mk. 4:11). It then analyses holiness in terms of the divine pole in the divine–human relationship by investigating Jesus as the Holy One of God. It concludes with an analysis of Jesus’ reaffirmation, interiorisation, radicalisation and embodiment of holiness and of Mark’s mystagogical approach to holiness within the lived experience of his community.

Highlights

Holiness is in more than one way an important theme in Mark’s Gospel
The beginning of the Gospel reports the promise of the Holy Spirit (Mk. 1:8), the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Jesus (Mk. 1:10) and the healing of a demoniac (Mk. 1:24) during holy worship on the holy Sabbath in the Holy Land
The Gospel reflects new ways of understanding holiness that would later become typical of an own Christian identity (Donahue 2006:85–86). These readings reflect a hermeneutical process in which the lived experiences behind, in and in front of their sacred texts unlocked new forms of holiness in the spiritual journeys of believers and their identities

Summary

Introduction

Holiness is in more than one way an important theme in Mark’s Gospel. The beginning of the Gospel reports the promise of the Holy Spirit (Mk. 1:8), the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Jesus (Mk. 1:10) and the healing of a demoniac (Mk. 1:24) during holy worship on the holy Sabbath in the Holy Land. Mark reveals with this remark how John mirrored the divine presence in his own person and offers an example of the holiness that Jesus embodied: he is the one who lives in the presence of God, who is holy and righteous, fearless and powerful, and different and awesome.

Results

Conclusion