Literal or symbolic?
Mark 4:10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that, they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!"
The symbolism: Those who do not understand the parables are spiritually "blind" and "deaf."
I guess I'll make a bold claim by saying that I believe Mark intended for the reader to take the miraculous events in his gospel symbolically (not literally), except maybe the resurrection. Keep in mind that the earliest Christian literature, Paul's letters (40s-50s AD), do not report miracles by Jesus. Mark (circa AD70) was likely the first gospel to be written (scholars believe Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source, then came John). So Mark is our earliest known source for any miracles performed by Jesus. I suspect that the tradition spread from there. In Mark's gospel, I think the ailing people that Jesus heals along his journey to Jerusalem are symbolic representations of people in the first century who rejected the idea of a crucified Messiah. The key to unlocking some of Mark's ambiguousness is at the center of the gospel, where Peter and Jesus rebuke one another. It's the point of the story where Jesus begins to tell his disciples to take up their cross and follow him. Only once in Mark's gospel does Jesus directly address another character as "Satan" - and it happens to be Peter (the rock?). Peter understood that Jesus is the Messiah, but he (like so many first century Jews) did NOT understand nor did he trust that the Messiah's mission was to be crucified. May I be so bold as to say that the pun on Peter's name in Mark's gospel is NOT a positive one (as portrayed in Matthew's gospel), but rather, the pun on Peter's name in Mark's story is a negative one: In the Gospel of Mark, Peter represents the seed scattered on ROCKY soil. When trouble and persecution comes, Peter falls away. Peter can see, but he doesn't perceive. Peter can hear, but he doesn't understand. Interestingly enough, the demons in Mark's gospel have something in common with Peter - they know who Jesus is. But when they identify Jesus as the Messiah, they are told to be quiet! Is it because they have a false idea of what the Messiah has come to do?
Literal or symbolic?
Mark 9:43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell...
The symbolism: Of course we shouldn't cut off our limbs and pluck out our eyes. These represent spiritual ailments, which prevent people from fully understanding Jesus and prevent them from taking up their cross to follow him.
Literal or symbolic?
Mark 2:1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
The symbolism:
Notice that Jesus heals the crippled man by forgiving his sins. And when the teachers of the law object to the idea of Jesus forgiving sins, Jesus tells the crippled man to get up and walk. So there is a link between the man's sin and his inability to walk. Were the crippled man's feet causing him to stumble?
Literal or symbolic?
Mark 10:46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
The symbolism: Remember when Joshua fought the battle at Jericho? How did Joshua's army (or in this case Bartimaeus) display their faith when in Jericho? By SHOUTING their way to victory (see Joshua ch.6)! And so, Bartimaeus shouts for Jesus and receives his sight. Now that he can "see," he is able to follow Jesus.
So what's the deal with Peter? Did Jesus not heal the ailments that prevented him from understanding that the Messiah had to die? What's the deal with all the other disciples who ran away when trouble and persecution came?
Perhaps the resurrection of Jesus was the healing touch that they dearly needed - and received - so that they might understand - yes indeed, the Messiah's mission really was to suffer and die - to be crucified - to give his life as a ransom for many.
So... what does it mean to be healed?
He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Perhaps the miracles really did happen. I don't know, but I doubt it. I'm happy to have read the wonderful story known as The Gospel of Mark.
Thanks for reading!
-matt
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