Opening blind eyes: a revisioning of Mark 8:22-10:52.

Abstract

Keller argues that Mark uses the stories of the two blind men in his Gospel to serve as metaphors for his community. The "Man from Bethsaida" (8:22-26) represents where Mark's community is in their faith at present and "Bartimaeus" (10:46-52) where he wants them to be. Their stories and the material within the frame of 8:22-10:52 work together to help his community learn the lessons they need in order to advance from the fear they are experiencing to follow Jesus boldly "on the way."

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James Michener details a story about a day in December 1578 when Augustinian Fray Luis de Leon returned to his classroom in the University of Salamanca. People filled the room long before his lecture was to commence, for de Leon was Spain's leading Catholic theologian and a brilliant lecturer. Five years before, jealous colleagues had handed him over to the Inquisition saying he had been translating the Song of Songs into the vernacular and inviting ordinary people in Salamanca to read it. Moreover, after studying the Hebrew translation of the text, he had even questioned the legitimacy of the Latin translation. As a result of their accusations, Fray Luis was thrown into prison. Now, he was returning to his post but with a warning that he must be more cautious in his practices or face the consequences. Everyone expected the old man would share his reactions to the injustice that had been done to him. For surely, scattered among the listeners were some men who had caused his imprisonment. Instead, as he entered the room, he grasped the lapels of his robe and smiling said in a low clear voice, "And Gentlemen, as we were saying yesterday ..." resuming his lecture of five years before at the precise point of its interruption (458-59). De Leon's resolution took courage, especially in the face of persecution and suffering. It is the same kind of courage the writer of the Gospel of Mark hopes he can "encourage" in the hearts of his own community. For clues in his text suggest some of them have apostatized because they too have experienced persecution and even in some cases death (13:12), for the sake of the gospel.

References in Mark's text imply a situation of suffering. For example, when Jesus promises his followers a hundredfold in this life, he also guarantees them persecutions (10:29-30). It is a promise both Matthew (19:29) and Luke (18:29b-30) omit. Likewise, the assurance that "everyone will be salted by fire" (9:49) is also indigenous to Mark, who maintains that "Jesus and the gospel" (a hendiadys in Mark--7 i.e., one concept is identified by the other) are the reasons his community is suffering (8:35b). In fact, one scholar claims that Jesus' words in 8:34-35 envision men and women before a court where denial of association with him will bring release while affirmation of "Jesus and the gospel" result in martyrdom (Lane: 308), while another avers additional texts (3:28-29; 8:34-39:1; 9:42-48; 13:9-13; cf. 14:27-31, 53-72; 15:29-32) suggest this same scenario (Van Iersel: 35). Nevertheless, Mark states the gospel must be preached; it is a divine mandate (13:10). As a result of their preaching, however, Mark's community may be "handed over" (13:9, 11, 12) as Jesus was (3:19; 9:31; 10:33; 14:10, 11, 18, 21, 41, 42, 44; 15:1, 10, 15) and John the Baptist as well (1:14). Mark further underscores the possibility of their being 'handed over' by placing the flashback of the death of John (6:14-29) between the report of Jesus sending the disciples out to preach (6:7-13) and their return to tell him what they had done and taught (6:30-32). Similarly, by juxtaposing the eschatological discourse (13:5-37) with the passion narrative (chapters 14-15), Mark draws a parallel between the fate of the master and the fate of the disciple (Graham 1986: 18).

Obviously, some members of Mark's community thought the price was too high, and their response to the word (Jesus/gospel) was to endure for a while, but when tribulation or persecution arose on account of the word, to fall away (4:17), perhaps even denying him (8:38) out of fear. Other persons may have even betrayed members of the community to the authorities in the hope of averting torture and trial themselves (13:9). Such experiences created a spirit of fear and uncertainty, which began to take its toll on this fledgling group. Mark responds to this situation by re-presenting the Jesus story, narrating it in such a way as to force his friends to notice things they already know but prefer not to see, like the presence of the cross (8:34) (Flanagan: 15). Furthermore, in juxtaposing the narrative of Peter's denial (14:53-54, 62-72) with Jesus' confession (14:55-65) Mark emphasizes the two alternatives open to a disciple in a situation of trial and persecution (Graham 1985: 302). Clearly, he wants his community to follow the example of Jesus and avoid the mistakes of the first disciples (Witherington: 220-21). The demand contained in Jesus' first words in his text, "Reverse your mindset and believe in the gospel" (1:15) is addressed to them (Dowd: 13-14).

Blindness in Mark 8:22-10:52

Commentators agree that Mark is concerned with two interrelated issues his community needs to address: who Jesus is and what their discipleship entails. Nowhere are these two matters dealt with more clearly than in 8:27-10:45. For in this section, which is preceded (8:22-26) and followed (10: 46-52) by stories about the restoration of sight to blind men (and which forms the larger part of the central section of his work), Mark presents his community with what they will need to learn in order to see Jesus and hence their discipleship more clearly, and thereby endure. Thus when Jesus uses words such as anyone (8:34; 9:35), whoever (8:35; also 8:38; 9:37, 41, 42; 10:11, 15, 43, 44), or no one (9:39; 10:29-30) in his teachings, he widens the circle of addressees to include the evangelist's readers (Hurtado: 11). It is the most carefully crafted section in Mark's work.

Mark's use of blind men continues and amplifies the theme of blindness and sight he introduced in 4:1-34 and developed further in 8:14-21 (Johnson 1979: 374-75). Moreover, since blindness is a metaphor for ignorance in antiquity, and the recovery of sight a metaphor for the opening of the mind (Best:134), these men's stories, which are unique to Mark, serve as an example to his community. Likewise, Mark's use of anablepo ("to see after having been blind") in both narratives indicates that both men needed to see clearly and completely for the first time and to act accordingly once they received their sight, as he shows his community needs to do. These findings lead me to assert that these two men serve as a metaphor for Mark's community. The "Man from Bethsaida" (8:22-26) represents where Mark's community is in their faith at present, and "Bartimaeus" (10:46-52) where he wants them to be. Consequently, Mark nestles three passion predictions (8:31; 9:31; 10:32-33), some misguided and self-interested behavior on the part of the disciples and others (which are negative examples), and three corrective teachings on discipleship (8:34-38; 9:33-37; 10:38-45) within the frame of blindness and renewal of sight. His framework and examples work together to provide "a way" by which his community can advance from the fear they are experiencing to following Jesus boldly "on the way." To demonstrate my assertion, I will address the use of example in antiquity, examine both of Mark's stories of a blind man restored to sight, and show how Mark employs the technique of example in this section to elicit the attitudes his community needs to learn.

The Use of Example in Rhetoric

Anaximenes argues that speakers should use examples in speeches as a proof to support their statements (Rhet. Alex. 32.1438629-31). He claims the best examples are analogous to the case and the nearest in time or place to the hearers (Rhet. Alex. 8.1430a7-9). Likewise, for examples to have any impact they must also be well known to the audience (Rhet. Alex. 32.1439a1-5). If no such examples are available, speakers should employ others that are familiar to the audience and important (Rhet. Alex. 32.1439a14). Moreover, since conviction is produced by example (Aristotle, Ar. Rhet. 2.20.1394a9; cf. Quintilian, Inst. 3.8.66), orators should include examples from the past, since as Aristotle also asserts they help one "to divine and judge for the future" (Ar. Rhet. 1.9.1368a40; cf. Ar. Rhet. 2.20.1394a8). Examples can also be either positive or negative. Indeed, antithesis was a common feature in the rhetorical use of examples, since it provided an illustration that contrasted with the behavior proposed along with the errors committed by people in the past as a way to guide listeners so that they would avoid those actions (Anaximenes, Rhet. Alex. 8.1429a29-31; 14.143 1a26-27). In fact, the ancients thought that arguments from unlikes were the most useful in exhortation (Quintilian, Inst. 5.11.10).

The use of personal example was most important to ancient rhetoric because it was considered more persuasive than words and provided the audience with concrete models to imitate. Thus, orators expected the audience to enter or continue the program of instruction and formation as they had outlined them (Fiore: 91). According to Isocrates, a person's teacher was the best example:

   For however many models for imitation the teacher may give them from the
   authors they are reading, it will still be found that fuller nourishment is
   provided by the living voice, as we call it, more especially when it
   proceeds from the teacher himself [Adv. Soph. 16; see Castelli: 83-85 for
   further examples].

Pupils were expected to imitate their teachers, and teachers to model what they were teaching. For example, when Damis joined his teacher Apollonius of Tyana he said: "Let us depart, Apollonius, you following God and I you" (Philostratus, VA 1.19). Fiore lists further examples (33-35).

Mark harnesses the advice of these ancient rhetors on the use of example in persuasive speech-making and uses their techniques in his narrative. His educated audience (cf. 13:14) would be familiar with them.

Examples "On the Way" (8:22-10:52)

A Blind Man at Bethsaida (8:22-26) and a Few More at Caesarea Philippi (8:27-33)

Commentators agree that the story of the Blind Man at Bethsaida is linked with the passages that precede (8:14-21) and follow it (8:27-38). That his story comes immediately after Jesus' exasperated cries to his disciples, "Having eyes do you not see" (8:18), "Do you not yet understand?" (8:21) only accents its symbolic relationship. Through this linkage, Mark presents his community with the trajectory of a person whose gradual recovery of sight parallels the disciples' need for a similar two-stage healing in regard to their understanding of Jesus. The disciples' need is exemplified by Peter's half-sight/half-blindness in the story that immediately follows, and his blindness underscores their own need to see clearly as well. For 8:27-29 is best understood if it is realized that the Blind Man's imperfect vision in 8:24 corresponds to the disciples' understanding as it is depicted throughout Mark's Gospel (Johnson 1979: 383).

Several details regarding the blind man's story indicate the relationship between sight and understanding. First, he does not come to Jesus on his own (as Bartimaeus will do later), but is brought to Jesus by others who speak for him. They come, they bring, and they entreat Jesus to heal the blind man by touching him (8:22). Furthermore, the blind man cannot see well enough to follow, so Jesus takes him by the hand and leads him away from the others to be alone with him (8:23). The blind man is at first in complete darkness (Moloney: 48).

Second, the blind man's sight is gradually restored by Jesus. For example, when Jesus asks him "Can you see anything?" (8:23) the blind man replies, "I see people, but they look like trees walking" (8:24). This answer also suggests that although he could see at one time, he has been blind for a long time. As Derrett points out:

   a person who recovers sight after a long interval, and who first sees
   objects inverted, takes time to recover the interpretative power. The
   interval between darkness and the correct interpretation of an erect image,
   complete with distance and perspective, is a period of mental confusion
   with its own frustrations [36].

Thus, the blind man's story implies his cure was twofold: sight restored and interpretive power given (Derrett: 37). By the end of the story, when Jesus touches him a second time, the blind man is able to see into and understand everything with clarity (8:25), and he will continue to do so, as Mark's use of the imperfect tense of the verb indicates.

Likewise, Mark portrays the disciples in 8:27-31 as men whose insight is only partial at best. They comprehend only half the truth, as 8:31-33 shows. Ostensibly, they have just witnessed the healing of the blind man and so as they begin to go "on the way." Jesus helps them by asking them who they think he is (8:29a). Peter, acting as their spokesman answers: "You are the Christ" (8:29b). While his answer is correct, it is an inadequate confession of who Jesus is. To expand their awareness, Jesus introduces the concept of the "Son of Man," which expresses his understanding of what Messiah means (cf. 8:31, 9:9, 31; 10:33f, 45; 14:21). Peter balks and physically takes Jesus aside from "the way" (8:32b). His refusal to listen to Jesus speak about suffering as a component of his Messiahship (8:31) demonstrates Peter's partial sight because he cannot comprehend that the way of Jesus is the way of the cross.

Cunningham maintains that up to this point the focus in Mark's Gospel has been on Jesus the wonder-worker who remains a mystery to all (32). Thus, the placement of Peter's confession in Mark suggests that it is this kind of Messiah, the one who heals physically, mentally, and morally, and from whom they can benefit in these kinds of ways, that the disciples see, that Peter confesses, and that Mark's community follows (Best: 136). Perhaps this is also the kind of Messiah the people who brought the blind man to Jesus also see and the reason why Jesus asked him not to go back to the village. It is a "fuzzy" view of Christ. Like the Blind Man, the "interpretive powers" of both the disciples and Mark's community are in need of Jesus' touch.

As Best suggests:

   Theoretically Mark should show the disciples responding to the teaching of
   Jesus and therefore gradually losing their blindness and gaining insight
   into his mission; but had he done this there would have been a serious
   conflict with the facts. Everyone knew the basic traditions about the
   disciples: Judas had betrayed Jesus, Peter had denied him and the remainder
   had fled when he was arrested. Mark cannot show the disciples as receiving
   their sight prior to the resurrection, but by giving the relevant teaching
   which ought to produce sight he can help his own community who, unlike the
   historical disciples, are in the position of knowing the resurrection. He
   preserves the basic accuracy of the tradition in relation to the actual
   blindness of the disciples and yet at the same time instructs his own
   people in the nature of Jesus' suffering and the necessity of their own
   [137].

Consequently, Mark takes his blind community by the hand, since they too cannot see to follow, and he leads them away from others so that they can be with Jesus alone. He wants them to reflect on the question Jesus asked his disciples: "Who do you say that I am?" (8:29). Moreover, through the story of the "Blind Man from Bethsaida Restored to Sight," Mark tells his community: Come to Jesus, remain with Jesus and gradually you will be given clear and continuing sight, a sight that the disciples came to themselves. But like the disciples, you need to learn other things in order to change your attitudes and behavior, a fact demonstrated in the next few pieces of Mark's central section.

The Disciples and Others (8:31-10:45)

Rhoads proposes that Mark highlights two contrasting ways of life as Jesus and his disciples go "on the way": Jesus teaches what God wills for people, and the disciples exemplify what people want for themselves (359). Mark uses the disciples as negative examples: both their misunderstanding of the link between suffering and messiahship, and their behavior give Jesus the opportunity to discuss what faithful following entails (cf. Anax. Rhet. A/ex. 8.1429a29-31; 14.1431a26-27). Through the disciples, Mark instructs his community that those who follow Jesus' lead must be willing to suffer, serve others at their own expense, trust in Jesus, and pray.

To begin with, Jesus rebukes Peter when he protests Jesus' impending suffering and death, telling Peter that he is not thinking in God's way, but in the way of people whose mind shrinks from suffering (cf. 8:33c). This admonition is followed by a teaching in which Jesus reveals to his disciples, the multitude, and Mark's community the cost of discipleship. For those who wish to be his disciples are commanded to deny themselves (i.e., break loose of self-interest), take up their own cross (8:34), and keep on following his lead. These requirements are in contradistinction to Peter's confession, which implies a definition of Messiah that involves power and prestige. It is Jesus' second calling of his disciples (8:34a), but at this point the stakes are higher because the disciples, as Mark's community, must decide whether to continue to follow Jesus even though they know his way may lead to a shameful death (Dowd: 88). As Jesus explains to them: "Whoever would save their lives will lose them, and whoever will lose their lives for my sake and the gospel's will save them" (8:35). In fact, Mark underscores the inevitability of suffering and death five times in this section (8:31; 9:9, 12; 9:31; 10:33f; 10:45). Yet each time Jesus talks about his suffering and death, the disciples show their total incomprehension of what it means for Jesus (8:32, 9:10f), or what it means for themselves (9:33-37; 10:35-45) (Hooker: 204). Nevertheless, Mark's message is clear: Followers of Jesus must value Jesus and the gospel more than their own lives.

Jesus gives a further dimension of what it means to live an other-directed life after the second and third prophesies of his impending betrayal, death and resurrection (9:31; 10:33-34), and his teaching is in response to the disciples' self-centered behavior. When the disciples vie for the title of greatest (9:34), for example, Jesus takes a child, the least important person in that society, and teaches them by word (9:35) and gesture (9:36) that true greatness is achieved in serving the last and the least protected. It is a teaching that goes against the dictates of the time and underscores the fact that in following Jesus, disciples are going to be different. Likewise, the request of James and John for the best seats in the kingdom, (10:37; Cf. 1 Kings 2:19; Ps 110:1; 1 Esdras 4:29; Sirach 12:12; Josephus, Antiquities VI.xi.9.) as well as the rest of the disciples' reaction to their request elicits a further teaching. Again Jesus emphasizes humility and service, saying: "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be the slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (10:43-45). Evidently, these disciples presume following Jesus will give them status and power. Instead, they are reminded: Followers of Jesus are expected to consider their own interests last, and to serve others. Two other stories in Mark's central section round out additional lessons his community needs to learn: The Call of the Man of Great Wealth and its attendant discussion (10:17-31) and the Healing of the Boy the Disciples Couldn't Heal (9:14-29). The first story deals with the issue of trust. In it we meet a man who is used to deciding his own destiny, because he has the power and wealth to do so. His way is not the way of faith. Hence,

   he is blocked from a total commitment to Jesus because he wants to control
   his destiny, as he always has. Even in his enquiries about the best way to
   come to eternal life, he is simply asking [Jesus] what he must do. Thus,
   the means he has at his disposal to dictate such terms must go. The story
   is ultimately about the radical nature of true faith. One must have
   sufficient trust and faith in the person of Jesus of Nazareth to be able to
   pay the price--and its cost is no less than everything [Moloney: 58].

It is a price he cannot pay, so, as Mark describes "his countenance fell and he went away sorrowful" (10:22). For despite Jesus' invitation to follow him and his genuine desire to do so, this man is too attached to his wealth and the status and honor it provides to surrender this security and become dependent on Jesus and his word. In fact, his decision to turn away from Jesus reflects a greater love for his possessions than for the gift of life (cf. 4:19) (Lane: 368). Thus, his negative example counters the behavior Mark wants to elicit from his group (cf. Anax. Rhet. Alex. 8.1429a29-31; 14.1431a26-27). Clearly, Mark wants his community to learn that they must free themselves of everything (relationships, possessions, home and occupation) that will prevent them from taking Jesus and his call seriously, encouraging them to put all their trust in God as the sole source of their security and well-being. Jesus' additional remarks amplify this total commitment (10:23-31). While they may seem to be giving up all they have, reliance on God (and Jesus) will give them the strength to endure (10:27). Followers of Jesus are thus apprised that they will be asked to forfeit their security for Jesus' sake and that trust and dependence on Jesus and his word are an essential element of their discipleship.

The story of the demon-possessed boy teaches Mark's community another facet of their discipleship. For here Mark instructs his community about their call to continue Jesus' work and the power that backs it: belief and prayer. Like the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida, this boy's healing (9:14-29) takes place in two stages. First, the disciples fail (9:18) despite the fact that they had been given the power over unclean spirits (6:7,13). Second, Jesus succeeds (9:25-27). V 29 suggests a reason for the disciples failure: they have not prayed. Moreover, they assumed that the power to perform the healing was at their command and not dependent on their own faith-reliance on Jesus, the source of it (Montague: 11). Myers sheds light on the key idea behind this passage:

   And what is prayer? When Jesus next returns to this subject (11:230, he
   will explicitly connect prayer to "the power of belief." To pray is to
   learn to believe in a transforming of self and world, which seems,
   empirically, impossible--as in "moving mountains" (11:23). What is unbelief
   but the despair, dictated by the dominant powers, that nothing can really
   change, a despair that renders revolutionary vision and practice impotent.
   The disciples are instructed to battle this impotence, this temptation to
   resignation, through prayer. "Keep awake and pray, that you may not succumb
   to temptation!" Jesus will later urge them (14:38) [255].

Mark further enhances the importance of belief and prayer by contrasting the simple dependent cry of the boy's father, which acknowledges his lack of faith and looks to Jesus for help (9:24). to the unsuccessful self-reliance of the disciples. It is a contrast Mark wants his community to understand. For, as Johnson suggests, Mark's emphasis on the wavering confidence of the father and his comments on the blindness of the disciples (9:19; cf. 4:13, 35-41; 6:52; 7:18; 8:1-10, 14-21, 33; 9:9-13) indicate that his readers are also caught in a tension between faith and doubt (1978:200). Thus, followers of Jesus are instructed that in their floundering faith life, the father's prayer ("I believe, help my unbelief") must become their own.

Jesus the Teacher

The example of one's teacher is the most important example in antiquity, since one's teacher is a "living voice" (cf. Isocrates, Adv. Soph. 16). As such, Mark presents Jesus as the primary example throughout his Gospel. He is the model for the behavior he wishes his community to adopt. First, Mark shows that Jesus

   serves people in his healings and preaching without seeking acclamation for
   himself (e.g., 1:43; 5:34). He speaks the truth of God whether people favor
   him or reject him (12:14). He refuses to lord over others. As a result, he
   becomes a victim of those whom he condemns. In his execution, Jesus
   manifests the standards of the rule of God (15:1-37): He is least in the
   society as a human being ridiculed and rejected; he has relinquished power
   over anyone and he loses his life in the service of bringing good news to
   the world. At Gethsemane, Jesus is afraid to die, but his prayer reveals
   the orientation of his life--"not what I want but what you want" (14:36).
   Jesus is the opposite of self-oriented. He is God-centered for others
   [Rhoads: 362-63].

Second, Jesus teaches that God wants people to risk status, power, and even life to bring the liberating life of the kingdom to others, and he provides examples to correct their inappropriate behavior. His examples, which include children, slaves and servants, show his disciples what they are to be like and what they are not to be like. Finally, Jesus' greatest witness to what he teaches is his own life. His own courage and commitment to God's plan empower people to live for the gospel in the face of rejection and loss (Rhoads: 365). No wonder God endorses Jesus and commands the disciples to "listen to him" (9:7).

Bartimaeus, the Blind Beggar of Jericho (10:46-52)

Mark concludes his central section with the second cure of a blind man. This time he names him. In fact, Bartimaeus is the only recipient of a miraculous healing in Mark who is named, perhaps because he is Mark's quintessential example. In fact, all the themes in Mark are epitomized by Bartimaeus (La Verdiere: 166). For Mark charts Bartimaeus' growth, from a blind beggar sitting "by the wayside" at the beginning of the scene (10:46) to a seeing-disciple following Jesus "on the way" by the end of the scene (10:52). Moreover, Bartimaeus actively participates in his transformation. Hence, his movement from bystander to active participant must be instructive (Hooker: 252).

First, Mark specifies that Bartimaeus cries out to Jesus for mercy, despite the fact that those around Jesus tried to silence him (10:47-48a). Yet, the beggar persists in his resolve and "cried out all the more"(10:48b), until Jesus stops and calls him (10:49). Nothing will thwart Bartimaeus. Next, he throws off his mantle in response to Jesus' call (10:50), an action that suggests both a readiness to be with Jesus and a trust that Jesus will provide everything he needs, including sight. La Verdiere suggests his cloak is a symbol of his former self and way of life (161). In response, Jesus asks him "What do you want me to do for you?" (10:51a). It is the same question he asked James and John in the story immediately preceding this one (10:36). But unlike the "sons of thunder," who asked for status and privilege, Bartimaeus asks/prays to recover his sight (10:51b). Jesus rewards his faith, his confident trust in God and in the healing power of Jesus, "for he immediately received his sight" (10:52). Finally, in seeing, Bartimaeus truly follows Jesus "on the way," for in this Gospel "to really see" Jesus is to go with him to the cross. Hence, Mark uses this story to demonstrate to his community what faith is and the elements that they need to remain faithful disciples: persistent pleading, continual shouting when opposed, cheering up, coming to Jesus, being questioned by him, having him open one's eyes, and following him on the road (Schweizer: 225).

Learnings

Mark uses two stories of "renewed seeing" in his Gospel which frame the material within 8:22-10:52. It is all directed to enable his community to understand the things they need "to see" in order to move from the fear they are experiencing to following Jesus boldly "on the way." At the head of the frame, a blind man from Bethsaida is brought to Jesus, and--although he does not ask to be healed--Jesus heals him in stages (8:22-26), as he does his disciples throughout Mark's Gospel. Similarly, Mark's blind community has not asked for healing either, but Mark hopes that by being brought to Jesus through the medium of his work they will begin to "see" Jesus with clarity, and continue to do so. Bartimaeus, whose story closes the frame, cries out/prays continually for help and for the gift of renewed sight (despite those who would silence him), and Jesus immediately heals him with a word (10:46-52). Then, in truly seeing, he follows Jesus "on the way," a response Mark hopes his community will parallel.

Stories within the frame provide by example what Mark's community needs to learn in order to change their attitudes and behavior. First, they need to acknowledge that their initial profession of Jesus' Messiahship is inadequate. Like Peter and the disciples, they see a Jesus who heals physically, mentally, and morally, and from whom they can benefit. Second, they must accept the fact that following Jesus involves sharing in his suffering. This includes relinquishing life, status, and power in order to bring the good news of the kingdom to others. Third, like the demon-possessed boy's father, they must continually pray for the faith that they need in order to trust God's plan. Finally, they must believe that just as Jesus restored Bartimaeus' sight, he will give them "clear eyes" to see the path they must follow. For "whoever does not see Jesus, cannot follow him, and whoever does not follow him, cannot see him" (16:7) (Stock: 286).

Fray Luis de Leon's convictions eventually led to further suffering, for he was re-arrested, jailed and put to death by the Inquisition. And although, we have no record of what happened to members of Mark's community, we do know that many courageous early Christians died for their belief in Jesus and for the gospel. It is a matter of seeing.

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Myers, Ched. 1988. BINDING THE STRONG MAN. A POLITICAL READING OF MARK'S STORY OF JESUS. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.

Montague, George T 1981. MARK: GOOD NEWS FOR HARD TIMES. Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Books.

Rhoads, David. 1993. Losing Life for Others in the Face of Death: Mark's Standards of Judgment. INTERPRETATION: 358-69.

Schweizer, Eduard. 1970. THE GOOD NEWS ACCORDING TO MARK. Atlanta, GA: JohnKnox Press.

Stock, Augustine. 1989. THE METHOD AND MESSAGE OF MARK. Wilmington, DE: Michael Glazier.

Van Iersel, B. M. F. 1980. The Gospel according to St. Mark--Written for a Persecuted Community? NEDERLANDS THEOLOGISCH TIJDSCHRIFT: 15-36.

Witherington III, Ben. 2001. THE GOSPEL OF MARK. A SOCIORHETORICAL COMMENTARY. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.

Marie Noel Keller, Th.D. (Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, Illinois), a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, is Executive Director of the Institute on Sacred Scripture at College Misericordia in Dallas, Pennsylvania 18612-1098, and a staff member of Core Ministries (e-mail: [e-mail]). She regularly conducts teaching seminars in Israel, Italy, Turkey, and Greece, and gives talks and retreats on biblical topics to adult groups. Her most recent articles are Jesus the Teacher, CURRENTS IN THEOLOGY AND MISSION (December 1998); Pilgrimage: A Road to Emmaus, THE WAY (January 1999), and Discipleship in John: An Invitation to See, THE BIBLE TODAY (March 2000).