Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman Does Mark Have a Vendetta against the Twelve Disciples?
Jan 28, 2025
Bart Ehrman, a six-time New York Times bestselling author and renowned Bible scholar, delves into the surprising negative portrayal of the disciples in the Gospel of Mark. He highlights their flaws, such as Peter's denial and Judas's betrayal, challenging the expectation of their enlightened understanding. The discussion contrasts the disciples' misconceptions with the recognition of Jesus' divinity by unexpected figures. Ehrman also explores themes of secrecy and the significance of Gentiles grasping the messianic message, revealing Mark's complex narrative strategy.
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Mark's Portrayal of Disciples
- Mark portrays the disciples negatively, highlighting their lack of understanding of Jesus' true identity.
- This negative portrayal serves Mark's purpose of explaining Jesus as a crucified Messiah.
Passion Predictions and Disciples' Misunderstanding
- Bart Ehrman shares a mnemonic device (8:31, 9:31, 10:33-34) used in graduate school to remember Jesus' passion predictions in Mark.
- These predictions reveal the disciples' failure to grasp Jesus' destiny, even after recognizing him as the Messiah.
The Disciples' Lack of Understanding
- The disciples' lack of understanding isn't stupidity but reflects the difficulty of accepting a crucified Messiah.
- Mark emphasizes this to show how radical the idea of a suffering Messiah was.