The Gospel of Mark also could be called “learning in action” Gospel, everything you read is happening here and there, and in every occasion there is something to learn.
Take for instance “the healing of a boy with a spirit” (9:14-29). Here we read about a very frustrating experience for the disciples and for the rest of the people who gathered around them to see the exorcism of a boy who was demon possessed. The father expressed his frustration to Jesus and said: “I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so” (9:18) so Jesus uses the situation to teach some very important lessons about faith and the power of God.
First of all Jesus expressed a bigger frustration that he himself have, he said “You faithless generation” (9: 19) Jesus took away their focus on the disciples failure of casting out the demon, and pointed them out to the real issue they were unable to see, their lack of faith. Then the father of the boy knowing that he could not cover his lack of faith with the disciple’s failure anymore he try a new approach, he asked Jesus, “if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us” (9:22). Now the father wants Jesus to take responsibility for his lack of faith, and once again Jesus redirected the father’s focus and forced him to face his real problem; Jesus told him “If you are able! All things can be done for the one who believes” (9:23) finally, the father gave up and acknowledges that he wants to believe, but he is unable to do that “I believe; help my unbelief”
Have you ever acknowledged your lack of faith? I think our problem is that sometimes we are more willing to find excuses rather than to take responsibility and come to God asking for help to overcome our lack of faith. I also see in the question made by Jesus to the father “how long has this been happening to him?” another more deep question for the father and for us, how long have you been faithless just letting things be without any willingness to changes it?
Finally, the disciples were also confronted with their failure and lack of faith, and asked Jesus: “Why could not we cast it out?” (9:28) in others words if “all thing can be done for the ones who believes” how can we believe? Jesus answer could not been plainer: “this kind can come out only through prayer” or, if you want to be people of faith you need to be people of prayer….
That is why when He was teaching them a lesson from the withered fig tree, he told them: “Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea, and if you don’t doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (11:22-24)
Here is my question.
Of the four books Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, who are the authors, or who has the best case for being the author. I also read someplace that one of the four books was written based upon the other books so that it is not an independent work.
Thanks again.
David Yusten