The Hidden Wisdom of God and the Mystery of the Kingdom of God (Part 2)
The Exoteric Content of the Kingdom Mystery
Mark never directly states what the mystery of the kingdom of God is, nor does he explain how it can be perceived in any of the parables in Mark 4 or in the miracle parables on the sea and the feeding miracles. Instead, Mark demonstrates through Jesus' explanations that the parables have allegorical meanings and that the search for these meanings will be rewarded with insight. Through the theme of the disciples' blindness regarding Jesus' identity and the symbolism of the healing of the blind, Mark establishes that Jesus' private teachings about his passion and resurrection are meant to open the disciples' ears and eyes.
Most readers have never fully understood this theme. For our purposes, what is more interesting about the cycles of discipleship teaching is what we see when we compare them with the exoteric aspect of Paul's hidden wisdom, because we find the same themes.
The Conflict Between Divine and Human Wisdom
The interactions between Jesus and the disciples in Mark represent the same conflict between divine and human wisdom that Paul develops in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 and 1:26-31. The disciples embody the same type of resistance and misunderstanding that Paul encounters in Corinth. In reaction to Jesus' first prediction about what will happen to him, Peter takes Jesus aside and rebukes him (Mark 8:32). Evidently, Peter is scandalized by the "word" with which Jesus speaks about his destiny as the Messiah, much like the typical Jewish response to a crucified Messiah that Paul characterizes in 1 Corinthians 1:23.
Jesus, in turn, rebukes Peter, contrasting the human perspective with the divine view of the cross, as Paul does in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25: "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God" (1:18). Mark identifies these two opposing worldviews in Jesus' rebuke: "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man" (Mark 8:33). This is the same distinction Paul makes in 1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4 between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of this age.
The Way of the Cross
For both authors, "the things of God" imply a uniquely divine way of thinking, in which a crucified Christ makes sense. By opposing this thought, Peter upholds what Paul calls "the wisdom of the world" and "the spirit of the world" (1 Corinthians 1:20; 2:12). In response to this opposition, Jesus teaches the way of the cross: "And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it'" (Mark 8:34-35).
We have already encountered a notable parallel to this teaching in 2 Corinthians 4:8-11, where Paul describes how he and his collaborators are constantly "being given over to death for Jesus' sake." Paul's term "given over" (παραδίδωμι) is the same verb used by the Son of Man in the second and third passion predictions in Mark (9:31; 10:33).
The Disciples' Misunderstanding
The other two cycles of discipleship teaching describe the reactions of the Twelve as a whole, and these responses are remarkably similar to the sectarian and worldly thinking of the Corinthians. In the second cycle, following the passion prediction, Jesus and his disciples come to a house in Capernaum, and Jesus asks them, "What were you discussing on the way?" The narrator informs us, "But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest" (Mark 9:33-34). This same issue motivates the Corinthians to divide their loyalty among Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and Christ (1 Corinthians 1:11-12; 3:3-4).
The Twelve's concern for personal honor and status extends to the third cycle of discipleship teaching, when James and John secretly ask Jesus, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory" (Mark 10:37). It is evident that these two disciples are seeking greatness and honor, just as the Corinthians boast in human leaders (1 Corinthians 3:21). Pursuing honor in this way exposes them to shame if their leader loses honor. Mark describes this conduct when Peter is scandalized by the cross and stigmatizes it through Jesus' response: "For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38).
The Hidden Wisdom in Paul and Mark
The alignment between Paul's hidden wisdom and Mark's mystery of the kingdom underscores a shared theological insight: divine truths are often hidden beneath the surface, accessible only to those who are spiritually mature or enlightened. Both Paul and Mark emphasize that God's strength is manifested in human weakness, and his glory is revealed through suffering and death. This inversion of conventional wisdom is a hallmark of the divine mystery, challenging believers to look beyond the literal and immediate to perceive the deeper spiritual realities.
By exploring these parallels, we gain a deeper understanding of the theological richness in the New Testament. These insights challenge us to seek the hidden truths of God's kingdom, encouraging a spiritual maturity that can grasp the profound wisdom embedded in the teachings of Jesus and Paul.
Conclusion
The hidden wisdom of Paul and the mystery of the kingdom of God in Mark highlight the profound and often paradoxical nature of divine truth. This truth is not immediately apparent but is revealed through spiritual insight and maturity. For Paul, this wisdom involves a transformative process of becoming conformed to the image of the risen Christ through suffering and death. For Mark, it involves understanding the true nature of Jesus and his mission through a progressive unveiling of his identity.
By exploring these themes, we gain a deeper appreciation of the rich theological insights embedded in the New Testament. These insights challenge us to look beyond the surface and seek the deeper, often hidden, truths of God’s kingdom and his redemptive plan for humanity.
This blog post is based on content from Scott Brown's paper, L'esoterismo in Paolo: La sapienza nascosta di 1 Cor 2,6-3,4.
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