John Mark Hicks

The key question in reading Mark 13:24-37 is its relation to Mark 13:5-23. In the first section Jesus alerted his disciples to a coming conflagration in which they must beware of deceivers and persecutors who will attempt to enlist them in the service of the Jewish revolt of 66-70 C.E. Does Jesus continue this motif […]

This story is the first of five where Jesus enconters conflict. Jesus becomes controversial in the eyes of some, particularly the religious leaders. Jesus forgives sin, eats with sinners, defies the traditions about fasting, and heals on the sabbath. Jesus does not conform to the traditons of the elders and he assumes a role in the […]

The “Son of Man” is Jesus’ own self-description—he uses the title twelve times in the Gospel of John (1:51; 3:13, 14; 5:27; 6:27, 53, 62; 8:28; 9:35; 12:23; 13:31; in 12:34 his language is quoted back to him). It ranks second behind “Son” (in the sense of Son of God) as Jesus’ favorite self-description in […]