A Divine Momentum. (Mark 1-2)
January 27, 2011
Mark’s gospel is the shortest, but man does he pack it in! Chapter one is a whirlwind tour through Jesus’ early ministry. At the beginning he is being prophesied, by the end of it he’s renowned, so much so that can no longer move freely around Galilee.
Every time I read this book its relentlessness strikes me. Chapter two slows down a little but it’s still story after astounding story. Bam bam bam. We’re being rapidly confronted with the irresistible call of Jesus; at least his disciples seemed to find it irresistible (1:16-20, 2:13-14).
Yes, there is a sense of divine momentum in this beginning. An irresistible outpouring of God.
So I thought I’d try another wordfall, like I used for my last post on psalms. I read Mark 1 and write down the words that seem to embody the feeling and the drama of the chapter, then assemble them like they’re falling down the page. Like God is being poured out with a graceful speed and a liberal scattering.
Mark 1
good news
Son of God
prepare
repentance
forgiveness
baptised
Spirit descending
pleased
wilderness
tempted
angels
time is fulfilled
repent
believe
fishermen
followed
immediately
Sabbath
authority
a new teaching
fame
fever
lifted her up
left her
sunset
gathered
cured
cast out
they knew him
morning
dark
he prayed
searching
let us go on
make me clean
freely
proclaimed
and people came to him from every quarter…
Scripture This 