The Gospel of Mark: The Longer Added Ending?

Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it. ~ Mark 16:9-20


I very nearly chose not to include these last verses because they were not written by the gospel writer of Mark and were added later. Much of this sounds as if it were from one of the other gospels.

But in some ways there almost seems to be a commentary here by the writer on the writing of Mark itself.

Especially telling is the line about Jesus upbraiding the disciples for their lack of faith and stubbornness. How often in the rest of Mark did it feel like the disciples needed a stern talking to!?

There are certainly questions that are raised here as well: as believers, why aren't we speaking in tongues, picking up snakes, and getting away unscathed from drinking poison?

For that, there is no clear answer.

Which, honestly, Mark would be fine with, as his Gospel isn't out to give clear answers.

Only to point clearly to the good news of the Messiah.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God.


Holy God, thank you for the gospel - the good news - of your Son. Open my mind and heart to this good news and enliven me with your Spirit of servanthood that I might share this good news with a world in need. Amen



Engagement Questions:


Thank you for this time together with the Gospel of Mark. Let me know what other devotional books or themes would be meaningful to you.




 




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