Christology a primitive Mark which will not contain of the this portrait of a supernatural Jesus. Primitive Mark 'p^j^g ^^^^ jg probably the most Irra- tional hypothesis of the nature of the primitive Mark which has ever been suggested, — that which would con- fine Its contents strictly to the matter common to all three Synoptics, as if each Gospel must be supposed to have transferred Into its substance every word which stood In this common source of them all. Even In the broken sentences of the absurd " telegraphese " Gos- pel,* which on this hypothesis Is supposed to represent the primitive evangelical document, the portrait of the divine Christ Is Ineffaceably imbedded. In It, as In the larger Mark, the stress of the presentation Is laid
2 Cf. E. A. Abbott and W. G. Rushbrooke, The Common Tradition of the Synoptic Gospels, etc., 1884, p. xi: "Is It not possible that the condensed narrative which we can pick out of the three Synoptic rec- ords represents the ' elliptical style ' of the earliest Gospel notes or Memoirs, which needed to be 'expanded' before they could be used for the purpose of teaching . . . ?"
150 The Designations of Our Lord
on the Messiahship of Jesus, which is copiously and variously witnessed. Peter in his great confession de- clares Him the 'Christ' (8"^) and the declaration is accepted by Jesus Himself; as also, when adjured by the High Priest at His trial to say whether He is the ' Christ,' He acknowledges that He is, in the highest sense (14'''^'°-). The implied claim to kingly estate He also expressly makes (15"'^") ; as also the involved claim of being the promised ' Son of David ' ( 10^'''^^) , — although His conception of the Messiahship was so little exhausted by this claim that He takes pains to point out that the Messiah was acknowledged by David himself to be his ' Lord,' using the term obviously in a high sense (iz^"*). That He was familiarly spoken of by His disciples as ' Lord ' is also made evident (ii") ; and He Himself asserts that His Lordship is high enough to give Him authority over the religious ordinance^ of Israel (2-^). The tradition applies, in- deed, the term ' Lord ' to Him in citations from the Old Testament, where it stands for Jehovah Himself ( i^) . The evil spirits greet Him by the high title of 'Son of God' (5^), and the same title is suggested to Him as a synonym of the Messiah in His accusa- tion (14^^), and in neither case is it repelled. He Himself indeed in a parable represents Himself as in a unique sense the ' Son ' and ' Heir ' of God, differen- tiated as such from all " servants " whatsoever (12^'"^) ; and receives the testimony of heaven itself that He is God's 'Son' and His 'beloved Son' (i^^ 9^). He speaks of Himself, however, with more predilection as the ' Son of Man ' ; and under this self-designation He asserts for Himself power over the religious ordi- nances of Israel (2-^), and even the divine prerogative
The Synoptic Jesus Primitive 151
of forgiving sins (2^°), although He anticipates for Himself only a career of suffering, predicting that He will be betrayed (14^") into the hands of men (9^^) who shall mock and scourge and kill Him (lo^'^). Afterwards, however, He shall rise again (10^^) and ascend to the right hand of power (14'^^), whence He shall return in clouds with great power and glory (13-'^), the glory of the Father and the angels (8'^). It is clear that the designation ' Son of Man ' is derived from Daniel y^^-^"* (13"*^ 8"^ 14^^) and the portrait presented under It is that of a being of more than human powers and attributes. In complete harmony with this portrait He is represented as calling Himself also 'the Bridegroom' {2^^'-^), charged as that term was with Old Testament associations with Jehovah (cf. ' Lord ' of i^) ; and in immediate connection with this high designation, too. He speaks of His death, thus instituting a close parallel between this designa- tion and that of the ' Son of Man.' In both alike, indeed, He evidently is regarded as presenting Himself as a personage of superhuman, or rather of divine quality, who has come to earth ( 1 2^^) only on a mission and who suffers and dies here only to fulfill that mission.^
3 There may be compared with this sketch the minimizing account which von Soden {History of Early Christian Literature, 1906, p. 144), gives of the christology of the primitive " Mark," which according to him was of somewhat wider compass than what we have allowed it. " Somewhat more frequently," he says, " than in the Logia of St. Mat- thew, stress is laid upon the Messianic character of Jesus — for instance, in the narrative of the Baptism (ii° seq. )^ Jn the cry of the possessed (i-*), in the simile of the bridegroom (2^^), in the question concerning the Davidic sonship of the Messiah (i2'^^s^^-)> perhaps in the claim to forgive sin (a^°) ; again, on the part of the disciples in their confes- sion (8^9), and in the petition of the sons of the Zebedee (lo^'^) ;