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Fresh insights into true discipleship
Some Christians today are tempted to leap straight from Palm Sunday to Easter Day without reflection on what comes in between, but this book challenges us to re-examine Holy Week, particularly through Mark’s Gospel.
Chapter by chapter the authors explore Mark’s day-by-day telling of the story, offering a wealth of information that sheds new light upon Jesus’ final days in Jerusalem. They emphasise how Jesus’ non-violent actions and demonstrations challenged the claims of the Roman Empire. His teaching about God’s kingdom enraged religious and political leaders, who compromised religious integrity by collaborating with imperial power. Crude interpretations that heap the blame for Jesus’ death on the entire Jewish people are convincingly refuted. True discipleship, following Jesus today through death to resurrection, is the central theme.
Borg and Crossan’s liberal theological perspective comes to the fore in the final chapter, on the resurrection. They suggest reading the resurrection as a parable, a story not dependent on the events having actually happened in order to speak a significant truth. Thus, resurrection speaks of God’s vindication of Jesus, saying “yes” to Him and “no” to the values of this world’s powers, which executed him.
Having challenged us to discover what “really happened” between Palm Sunday and Good Friday by immersing ourselves in historical events, they then invite us to set history aside to discover the significance of the resurrection. Those who believe the resurrection to be a historical event will not accept setting history aside, but they may welcome some of the suggestions made here concerning its significance.
Preachers and Bible study leaders will find lots of helpful, challenging material in this book. Although detailed, the writing is clear, with explanations of terms used. Study groups or individuals prepared to make the effort will find this a rewarding book, particularly with the help of its well designed study notes. It succeeds in making the reader go back to Gospel accounts again and again to discover fresh insights and challenges. It left this reviewer looking forward to the authors’ promised book on what the Gospels really teach us about Jesus’ birth.
Trevor Jamison ministers at Billericay, Brentwood and Ingatestone URCs, Essex |
