One characteristic of biblical prose narrative is its terseness. The biblical prose writer tells the story, keeping to its essentials and leaving out unnecessary details. The fast pace of the Marcan narrative quite exemplifies this characteristic of biblical prose. Chapter 1 develops fairly quick: the brief announcement of the Jesus story in 1,1 opens up to the ministry of John the Baptist and the theme of his preaching. Then the object of his proclamation is presented shortly thereafter. Once the story is focused on "the One-mightier-than-I" it never leaves him. After the baptism and the sojourn in the desert (drawn in brief sketches), we find Jesus of Nazareth calling his disciples and bringing them along in his healing and preaching ministry. Summary statements combined with brief narratives help the story unfold.
The focus on Jesus is a characteristic of the gospel genre. The Gospel of Mark gives emphasis to this in its own unique way, challenging the reader to recognize in Jesus of Nazareth the One who ushers into human history that wholeness and peace which everyone longs for. In recalling the story of Jesus of Nazareth, the gospel writer also tries to answer a question: If Jesus is the Messiah, why was he rejected? In the sections we are about to read, Mark sets forth a recollection of controversies between Jesus and the established leaders of his time and puts them in a series that ends in a foreboding note: the plan to kill Jesus (3,6)
1. Overview of the Passage. In this “reading session” we shall begin to have a better look at Jesus of Nazareth. We understand things by comparison and contrast. In the five conflict stories that you are about to read, the person of Jesus is placed in contrast with the institutionally accepted teachers of life. In this presentation, we shall have a glimpse of the values, convictions and ideas that make up the interior life of Jesus.
The content of this reading selection can be described thus:
| Chapters and verses | Description of Contents |
| 2:1-12 | Regarding Forgiveness of Sins |
| 2:13-17 | The Associates of Jesus |
| 2:18-22 | Regarding Fasting |
| 2:23-28 | Regarding the Sabbath |
| 3:1-6 | Healing on a Sabbath |
2. Read the passages slowly and attentively. Obscure and difficult passages should not trouble you at the moment.
