From Gethsemane to the Cross
Jesus in Mark and John
by Vincent Sapone, © After-Hourz.Net 2004
John Dominic Crossan wryly observed: "If you read the four gospels vertically and consecutively, from the start to finish and one after another, you get a generally persuasive impression of unity, harmony, and agreement. But if you read them horizontally and comparatively, focusing on this or that unit and comparing it across two, three or four versions, it is disagreement rather than agreement that strikes you most forcibly. And those divergences stem not from the random vagaries of memory and recall but from the coherent and consistent theologies of individual texts. The gospels are, in other words, interpretations.” (JRVp.X)
Here we shall compare and contrast the Markan and Johannine images of Jesus starting with his prayer before being arrested and finishing with his final words and death on the cross. In other words, we will look at Mark and John piece by piece in a horizontal fashion. Crossan's statement will prove true as Mark contains a painfully human image of Jesus which stands in stark contrast to the serenely transcendental image of Jesus presented by the Gospel of John. Crossan himself used four categories to explain this: ground, cup, flight, death. here we expand this and use seven. 1. Cup. 2. Flight. 3. Ground. 4. Interrogation. 5. Cross. 6. Drink. 7. Death
Act 1: Cup
Mark 14:32-42 features Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is deeply disturbed and in distress. His soul is overwhelmed to the point of death and he falls to the ground (Luke alters this to have Jesus kneels and asks, if possible, that this cup be taken from him.
In GJohn, Jesus has a long-winded prayer (ch. 17) right before his arrest (which is where the synoptic authors place their accounts) but Jesus is in control in John. He says to the Father, "Glorify me" and instead of praying as he does in the synoptics, he prays for the disciples, future believers and he speaks of the glory he brought the Father on earth and of his marvelous accomplishments.
Jesus in the Gospel of John cannot falter and ask, if its possible take away this cup. For John, Jesus is always in control of everything and this is the purpose for which he came. He knows asking "if its possible take it away" is useless as this is why he is here." Here is how John responds to the synoptic image of Jesus: John 12:27-28 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!"
Also in John 18:11 Jesus tells Peter to put away his sword and asks, "Am I not to drink the cup the father has given me?"
In Mark Jesus --greatly disturbed-- asks that the cup be taken away. In John Jesus literally scoffs at the heretical notion of asking that the cup be taken from him.
Act 2: Flight
In Mark 14 the men of the arresting party seize Jesus (v.46) and the disciples flee (v.50). In John 18 its made explicitly clear that Jesus knows in advance (v.4) what will happen and he is certainly not seized by captors (v.6). Jesus knowing in advance says to the party, 'who do you want' and they respond with 'Jesus of Nazareth'. Jesus then says, "I am he" and instead of being seized (as Mark has him) the arresting party "draws back and falls to the ground" in John. Jesus then lets the men arrest him (v. 11). In Mark the disciples flee from the captors (v. 50). In John Jesus tells the soldiers to let the men go, and naturally, they--soldiers with weapons and all-- must adhere to and follow the commands of Jesus.
In Mark Jesus is seized or captured and the disciples run. In John Jesus lets the soldiers accompany him to his glorification and lets his disciples go free.
Act 3 Ground
The preceeding two points also have a further element on posture. Let's compare the posture of Jesus in the synoptics in Gethsemane: In Mark Jesus "falls to the ground" in distress. Matthew softens this slightly (not easily seen in the English version) as he did with the verb "to be sorrowful" above. Matt used the aorist tense of the verb and substituted "on his face" which softens Mark's portrait. Luke, on the other hand has Jesus kneel down and pray. He will not have Jesus fall to the ground deeply disturbed as in Mark. Go here for further comparison and analysis of Gethsemane.
In John when Jesus' captors come and he identifies himself as Jesus of Nazareth to his captors (John 18:4-6) they immediately step back and fall to the ground.
In Mark it is Jesus who is prostrate on the ground. In John it is the arresting pary (a detachment of soldiers, their commander and Jewish leaders) who all fall to the ground.
Act 4: Interrogation
In Mark 15 Pilate asks Jesus if he is the king of the Jews and Jesus says, "Yes, it is as you say." (v.3) This is all Jesus says according to the Marcan portrait. After a silence Pilate goes on, "Aren't you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of." But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.
In John however, Jesus is the one in control and conducting the interview. Look at this scenario from John 18:
Pilate "Are you the king of the Jews?"
Jesus: "Is that your own idea or did others talk to you about me?"
Pilate: "Am I a Jew? It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?
Jesus:"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."
Pilate: "You are a king, then!".
Jesus: "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
Pilate: What is truth?"What is more astounding is Pilate is convinced that Jesus is the king of the Jews and goes on to ask if they want him to release Jesus. In chapter 19 Pilate then hears from "the Jews" that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God (v. 7). At this Pilate is frightened and goes back to Jesus one more time:
Pilate: "Where do you come from?"
Jesus [No Response]
Pilate Do you refuse to speak to me? Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?"Jesus then corrects Pilate:
Jesus: "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above."
Amazingly the text says at this point: "From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free". The comparison is then made. In Mark Pilate is the authority who is questioning a largely silent Jesus. In the Gospel of John, however, it is Jesus again who is in charge and who really leads the conversation.
In Mark, Pilate interrogates Jesus. In John, Jesus interrogates Pilate.
Act 5: Cross
In Mark 15:1 Jesus is aided in carrying his cross."A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross." In John it explicitly states (presumably in contrast to the synoptic notion), that "Jesus carried his own cross" (19:17). He certainly does not need help to accomplish what he has come here to do.
In Mark, a painfully human Jesus is granted assistance carrying his cross. In John, the serenely transcendental and always-in-charge-Jesus requires no assistance at fulfilling the cup the father poured for him.
Act 6: Drink
In Mark 15:36 Jesus is offered a drink. "One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink." In John 19:28-20 Jesus says, "I am thirsty" and naturally, this crucified criminal being executed in the most shameful and brutal manner of the time, is given a drink.
In Mark Jesus is offered a drink. In John Jesus says, "I am thirsty" and someone brings him a drink.
Act 7: Death
In Mark Jesus offers a psalm of lamentation (my God..my God) and then (15:37), "With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last." In John, knowing that all was completed, Jesus says, "It is finished" and with that he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Not only do the arresting party and Pilate have no power over Jesus, death itself does not have any power over Jesus.
In Mark, Jesus lets out a loud cry and breaths his last breath. In John, knowing that all is fulfilled, Jesus chooses to give up his spirit.
Seven Section Points:
- In Mark Jesus --greatly disturbed-- asks that the cup be taken away. In John Jesus literally scoffs at the heretical notion of asking that the cup be taken from him.
- In Mark Jesus is seized or captured and the disciples run. In John Jesus lets the soldiers accompany him to his glorification and lets his disciples go free.
- In Mark it is Jesus who is prostrate on the ground. In John it is the arresting pary (a detachment of soldiers, their commander and Jewish leaders) who all fall to the ground.
- In Mark, Pilate interrogates Jesus. In John, Jesus interrogates Pilate.
- In Mark, a painfully human Jesus is granted assistance carrying his cross. In John, the serenely transcendental and always-in-charge-Jesus requires no assistance at fulfilling the cup the father poured for him.
- In Mark Jesus is offered a drink. In John Jesus says, "I am thirsty" and someone brings him a drink.
- In Mark, Jesus lets out a loud cry and breaths his last breath. In John, knowing that all is fulfilled, Jesus chooses to give up his spirit.
As John Dominc Crossan Observes, "Two radically different interpretations of the same event[s]. Mark descibes the Son of God almost out of control, arrested in agony. fear, and abandonment. John describes the Son of God in total control, arrested in foreknowledge, triumph, and command." (BOC, p. 142)