The Word in Focus with Dr Larry Taylor

Prominent biblical scholar R.T. France (1938-2012) wrote that the gospel of Mark is drama in three acts. After the prologue (1:1-13), Act One (1:14-8:21) takes place in Galilee. Act Three (11:1-16:8) takes place in Jerusalem, and Act Two (8:22-10:52) takes place as Jesus and his crew are traveling from Galilee to Jerusalem.  

In the middle of Act One, the narrative pauses with a series of parables (4:1-34) that invite us to reflect on the implications of this new upside-down kingdom of God Jesus brings.

In the middle of Act Three, Jesus sits with his apprentices (13:3-35) and invites them (and us) to reflect on the end of human-made religion. Once Jesus has died to defeat the works of the devil and ascended to his heavenly throne, all human-created religion is set aside. There is no further sacrifice needed. 

Exactly in the middle of the chiasm in Act Two (where we always find the main point – 9:30-50), Jesus teaches us what it means to be his followers – to walk the self-sacrificial way of the cross, to be with him, learning from him how to be like him. The way of discipleship, of spiritual formation.

Human empires are governed by evil principalities and powers. (see Daniel 7-9, Matthew 4, Revelation 6-18) All empires seek to ascend, just like Lucifer (Isaiah 28). They pursue ways to expand, conquer, coerce, control, gain more power and wealth. They use force and military might. They barrage the populace with lies, control the narrative with propaganda, and promote jingoistic exceptionalism. In Revelation 13, John envisions human empires, which he symbolically calls Babylon, as a satanically empowered monster arising out of the sea. 

Human-built religions join forces with empires and provide a quasi-moral justification for the warped xenophobic nationalism, exploitation, oppression, and killing. Human-built religions are chaplains to empires. In Revelation 13, John envisions human religion as a satanically empowered monster arising from the earth. Civil religion, also known as Christian Nationalism, supports and enables the empire.

The Kingdom of God, the Empire of Messiah, is completely different from every kingdom, empire, and nation-state that has ever existed. 

In the Kingdom of God, the way up is down. Citizens of God’s kingdom eschew violence, practice nonresistance, refuse to kill or particulate in state sanctioned killing, turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, care for the weak, displaced, and marginalized, love their enemies, and willing become servants of all. Serving with cruciform love, being continuously with Jesus, constantly learning from Jesus how to practically be like Jesus, is Heaven-based religion. Heavenly religion supports and advances the upside-down Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is global – it embraces people of every ethnicity, nationality, language, culture, and status.