Explain what a study of St. Marks Gospel can tell Christians about the nature of discipleship.

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Explain what a study of St. Marks Gospel can tell Christians about the nature of discipleship.

        St. Mark is an invaluable source of information for Christians in learning about the nature of discipleship.  St. Mark provides Christians with many parables told by Jesus that enlighten his followers as to what they have undertaken in becoming a disciple of Jesus, they learn that to be a disciple is not an easy way of life as they may receive ‘persecutions’ and other hardships.  However as one would expect St. Mark also retells his readers of the rewards of discipleship as told to the twelve apostles by Jesus.  One of the major themes of St. Marks Gospel is discipleship; while disciples are expected to follow the example set by Jesus it is extremely difficult to be infallible.  Due to this, weaknesses and flaws are to be expected in any disciple, St. Mark was realistic and instead of ignoring these flaws he used them to teach his readers of how not to act.  

   The definition of a disciple is ‘someone who believes in and helps to spread the teachings of another’, usually a religious leader, in the time of Jesus.  The usual method for people to become a disciple was for them to choose and attach themselves to leader or rabbi. Jesus however did not follow this usual pattern; instead he himself went out and called the disciples.  Marks Gospel tells of Jesus calling first four of the twelve apostles, the calling of these disciples is split into two distinct stories.  The call of the first disciples (Simon-Peter, Andrew, James and John), (Mk 1:14-20) has many meanings, the immediate reaction; ‘at once they left their nets and followed him’, shows that the quality of trust and faith is an important aspect of any disciple.  Jesus called two different sets of brothers, one of which is believed to come from a wealthy background (‘hired men’), showing that discipleship is universal and that it does not discriminate against anyone, whatever the background.  This idea that discipleship is universal continues in the calling of Levi (Mk 2:13-17), who himself was a tax collector and thus was seen as an outcast.

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   The first time that Jesus’ followers are referred to as disciples is after the call of Levi when he was questioned about fasting.  From Jesus’ response to this it was obvious that he was not interested in following the traditional ideals and theories used by previous rabbis, and that he was planning on changing the idea and meaning of discipleship.  Although Jesus had many disciples and followers he called on twelve (Mk 3:13-19), ‘designating them apostles’, so ‘that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out ...

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