Political-Theological Clashing

As Jesus approached Jerusalem, he is associated by others as Son of David, and then he associates himself in effect by riding on the colt of a donkey, playing off of Zechariah 9:9, “Behold your King comes to you… riding on a donkey, a colt…”

Jesus perceives himself as the Son of Man and as the Son of David, the king messiah. We can assume as much by reading the text. At the very least, from a critical perspective, Jesus engages with the perception of him as such.

Basically, Jesus and Son of David and Jerusalem and Messiah and Death, are now inseparable - in his consciousness, in popular perception according to the text, and of course to the New Testament and Christian theology.

G-d's House

In Jerusalem, Jesus is constantly clashing with various religious authorities and institutions, above all the Temple and priests, and among the members of the Sanhedrin, and also with the scribes, which perhaps are mainly the Pharisees.

He flips the tables at the Temple courts (Mark 11), driving out the merchants and spoke out against them, and then it says (18): The leaders of the priests and scribes heard and searched for a way to destroy him, for they feared him, as the crowds were amazed by his teaching. The narrative is that of his career and dying.

This is the beginning of the end, you could say. In chapter 9:31 Jesus predicts this would happen, and in chapter 10:44 he says his mission is to serve and give his life to atone for many. 

In chapter 12 Jesus speaks to the priests and scribes and elders in Jerusalem in parables, and tells of the Vineyard, which is a homily on Isaiah 5, here the vineyard is the people of Israel, the owner is G-d who sends his chosen messengers as prophets, and they are rejected by those guarding the vineyard who end up killing the beloved son of the owner. 

Jesus then quotes Psalm 118:22-23 “Have you not read that which is written of the rock that the builders rejected that became the cornerstone? This was from G-d and it is marvelous in His eyes.” (10-11)

Jesus implies that he is the Son of G-d, which is provocative enough, and that he is the cornerstone of the Temple, another theme which will surface again, and that he will be killed by them.

It is clear to his “ideological enemies” that he speaks of and against them, which drives them crazy and makes them even angrier...

The Plot Thickens

We have been reading the Gospel of Mark with few different aspects in mind: one has been the convergence of various figures and metaphors and beliefs and identities; another has been the self-conscious process of Jesus himself; and all these are what we suspect to be the instance where the themes come together and so form what will be considered from then on messianism.

Another aspect, which includes the above aspects, is a messianic theological discourse of sorts, beyond messianism, or messianism taken to the next level. It is presented itself as a theological discussion, and feels a bit detached from the plot, as if it might be less original (12:35-37):

Jesus taught at the Temple and said: “How is it that the Scribes say that the Messiah is the Son of David? For David himself says, by the Holy Spirit, The LORD spoke to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I put your enemies as your footstool; thus David himself calls him ‘Lord’, how is he then his son?”

Jesus has quoted Psalm 110. He is connecting messianism to near divinity. We have seen the idea of Jesus as Son of God, a great prophet, like Elijah or Moses, and his self-conscious perception as the apocalyptic Son of Man figure.

Here, whether original or not, the idea pokes at divine proportions, that Messiah King is more than Seed of David. The Son of God idea could be metaphoric until now, which would explain why this passage is relevant: he is not just like a son of God, but is, as Messiah, and a David, ontologically the Son of God.

Notice that Jesus says “the Scribes say that the Messiah is the Son of David…” If original and authentic, this is evidence that a popular opinion of the day was that there is a Messiah, that people are anticipating, a Son of David, and then Jesus enters this pool of ideas, and points specifically to the idea that the Messiah is more than a special man, something towards divine nature...

What is special about this passage, from the perspective of the development of messianism, is that it is a glance into the internal discourse of ideas already then, a question that will engage the Christian vs. Jewish debate of Messiah from the very beginning, and also the internal messianic debate of Judaism throughout the middle ages. (As we shall see later!)

If we read the text alone in its narrow context, we might dare to ask, if this is a clash between two streams of thought as to the identity of the Messiah - the Son of David, David’s seed, the king, a normal but very good person… vs. the Messiah - the Son of Man, the celestial king redeemer, who is quasi-divine.

Jesus may be arguing that the Messiah is the Son of Man vs. the Son of David, or he may be arguing that the Messiah is more than just the Son of David.

On Tribulations

Well, we have to mention the monologue of Mark 14 because it is part of this sequence - going up to Jerusalem, embracing the Davidic identity while maintaining the Son of Man identity, introducing death consciousness, the city and the Temple, etc.

But the Son of Man apocalyptic identity is here strengthened. That is the point. Jesus is embracing or is being embraced by these different motifs together as one, until they are inseparable. So.

In chapter 13 of Mark Jesus delivers a speech to the disciples while sitting on the Mount of Olives east of the city. It is a monologue that is entirely the apocalyptic Son of Man, referencing a few phrases from Daniel, the abomination of desolation, and the elect, for example.

Only once does Jesus mention the Messiah: “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand…”

The peak is verses 24-27 directly referencing Daniel 7: “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.”

Besides Daniel 7, these are partial references apparently to Deuteronomy 30:4 “even if you are distant, at the edge of the heavens, from there the LORD your G-d will gather you and from there take you”, Isaiah 13:10 “The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light, the rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light”, Joel 2:31 “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD”, and Zechariah 2:6 “Come flee from the land of the north declares the LORD, for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven…”

Jesus, and / or the editors of the Gospel of Mark, have entirely associated him with the Son of Man as the apocalyptic quasi-divine redeemer, while the Messiah is secondary. In other words, the idea of THE messiah grows into the Jesus as Son of Man narrative. And that is a new theological idea.