Mark's Interpretation of the Death of Jesus‪.‬

Two articles on the significance of Jesus' death in Mark appeared in this journal in 2006. (1) Each of these studies opens up intriguing perspectives on the topic, yet aspects of each are problematic. The article by Sharyn Dowd and Elizabeth Struthers Malbon is treated here first because of its more comprehensive character. The most problematic aspect of their study is their interpretation of the ransom saying in 10:45, "for the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom in behalf of many." They rightly place this saying in the context of the request of James and John and the Markan Jesus' teaching on discipleship that responds to it. In focusing on the context, however, Dowd and Struthers Malbon infer that "what 'the many' need--and, in fact, what the Markan Jesus urges his followers to provide--is ransoming from 'their great ones who are tyrants over them' and 'those whom they recognize as their rulers [who] lord it over them' (10:42)." (2) They quote with approval Ched Myers, who argued: