1) First Impressions
My first reaction to this story is that Jesus is the only one present for the event of his baptism and in the wilderness. I find it very interesting that John was there to baptize Jesus. Yet as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he was the only one to hear God’s voice and to see the Spirit descend from heaven. Jesus immediately went out into the wilderness. In the wilderness Jesus was tempted by Satan and ministered to by the angels. This pericope has the feeling of being very “other worldly” and not earthy.
Mark does a great job of letting the reader know who Jesus actually is by stating the fact from God’s perspective. God’s perspective has great authority.
2) Drawn Depiction (See Above)
It is very hard to draw in paint. I decided to draw in paint because there was so much going on in this story that I could add things as I wanted and it would not compromise the integrity of the depiction. Jesus became the central focus of the story. With the Holy Spirit playing a HUGE role also. Depicting Satan and the angels is not an easy task. I had to rely on my past experiences of others’ depictions of these creatures. Satan is given wings but they are bloody and mutilated because as tradition tells us, Satan is a fallen angel. Mark makes no statement on the likeness of these creatures and therefore I, as the artist, took some license. I created two scenes within the same picture because in this one pericope two things are going on. The first thing is Jesus’ Baptism and God claiming Jesus as God’s son. Second, Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.
3) Speaking the pericope. (Listen Above)
While speaking this pericope out loud, I felt that I needed to make it dramatic. I think as you listen to the story, I did a very limited amount of dramatization. I did a few things. First and foremost, when God speaks from heaven, I changed the sound of my voice electronically and added an echo. I added the echo because God was speaking from heaven and from Mark’s perspective that was somewhere in the sky. I also lowered the tone of my voice significantly. I wanted to find a way in which to make God’s voice seem other worldly. As far as other things that I noticed was the fact that “immediately” caused me to read that word with some urgency. Mark uses that word often and causes a sense of urgency throughout his Gospel until the Passion narrative. Also, I felt the need to say Satan’s name with some disdain, like it was a dirty word. I hope that comes across in your listening.
4) Changed Impressions
This process has changed my outlook on this pericope in a number of ways. I have felt the urgency of Jesus trek into the wilderness. I left God out of my picture because I did not want to put God in a certain place. I believe God to be all encompassing. I realized that while Satan is evil, it is very hard to depict evil without making it laughable (I do realize that my picture is laughable.) This pericope in Mark is the author’s first introduction to Jesus for the reader. It is a pivotal moment because there is a lot going for the reader and almost nothing for the people that have witnessed this event. From the narrator’s point of view, the reader gets much more insight than any other person. Only God and Jesus really know what is going on here in the story.
Way to go, Jason! Got the MP3 embedded and even did the God voice deal! Awesome!
Good to attend to the issue of perspective, but is it really God’s perspective, as you say? Without getting too deep theologically, isn’t it more appropriate to say that the reader is given Jesus’ perspective.
Clever deal with God’s voice, but why did you choose that? (Oh, right, Alanis Morrissette wasn’t available…) If you are listening for God’s voice today, is that what you are listening for?
The drawing: note that your device of capturing two scenes in a single drawing is quite common. You appropriately use distinguishing clothing to maintain continuity between the two scenes.
Again, getting to interesting theological ground, but you note that you leave God out of the picture, because you believe God to be all encompassing. Is this just your opinion? Or does Mark also leave God behind the curtain somehow?
>>> How does this God/Jesus stuff sort out in Mark?
October 4th, 2007 at 8:52 am
1) First Impressions
My first reaction to this story is that Jesus is the only one present for the event of his baptism and in the wilderness. I find it very interesting that John was there to baptize Jesus. Yet as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he was the only one to hear God’s voice and to see the Spirit descend from heaven. Jesus immediately went out into the wilderness. In the wilderness Jesus was tempted by Satan and ministered to by the angels. This pericope has the feeling of being very “other worldly” and not earthy.
Mark does a great job of letting the reader know who Jesus actually is by stating the fact from God’s perspective. God’s perspective has great authority.
2) Drawn Depiction (See Above)
It is very hard to draw in paint. I decided to draw in paint because there was so much going on in this story that I could add things as I wanted and it would not compromise the integrity of the depiction. Jesus became the central focus of the story. With the Holy Spirit playing a HUGE role also. Depicting Satan and the angels is not an easy task. I had to rely on my past experiences of others’ depictions of these creatures. Satan is given wings but they are bloody and mutilated because as tradition tells us, Satan is a fallen angel. Mark makes no statement on the likeness of these creatures and therefore I, as the artist, took some license. I created two scenes within the same picture because in this one pericope two things are going on. The first thing is Jesus’ Baptism and God claiming Jesus as God’s son. Second, Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.
3) Speaking the pericope. (Listen Above)
While speaking this pericope out loud, I felt that I needed to make it dramatic. I think as you listen to the story, I did a very limited amount of dramatization. I did a few things. First and foremost, when God speaks from heaven, I changed the sound of my voice electronically and added an echo. I added the echo because God was speaking from heaven and from Mark’s perspective that was somewhere in the sky. I also lowered the tone of my voice significantly. I wanted to find a way in which to make God’s voice seem other worldly. As far as other things that I noticed was the fact that “immediately” caused me to read that word with some urgency. Mark uses that word often and causes a sense of urgency throughout his Gospel until the Passion narrative. Also, I felt the need to say Satan’s name with some disdain, like it was a dirty word. I hope that comes across in your listening.
4) Changed Impressions
This process has changed my outlook on this pericope in a number of ways. I have felt the urgency of Jesus trek into the wilderness. I left God out of my picture because I did not want to put God in a certain place. I believe God to be all encompassing. I realized that while Satan is evil, it is very hard to depict evil without making it laughable (I do realize that my picture is laughable.) This pericope in Mark is the author’s first introduction to Jesus for the reader. It is a pivotal moment because there is a lot going for the reader and almost nothing for the people that have witnessed this event. From the narrator’s point of view, the reader gets much more insight than any other person. Only God and Jesus really know what is going on here in the story.
October 4th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Way to go, Jason! Got the MP3 embedded and even did the God voice deal! Awesome!
Good to attend to the issue of perspective, but is it really God’s perspective, as you say? Without getting too deep theologically, isn’t it more appropriate to say that the reader is given Jesus’ perspective.
Clever deal with God’s voice, but why did you choose that? (Oh, right, Alanis Morrissette wasn’t available…) If you are listening for God’s voice today, is that what you are listening for?
The drawing: note that your device of capturing two scenes in a single drawing is quite common. You appropriately use distinguishing clothing to maintain continuity between the two scenes.
Again, getting to interesting theological ground, but you note that you leave God out of the picture, because you believe God to be all encompassing. Is this just your opinion? Or does Mark also leave God behind the curtain somehow?
>>> How does this God/Jesus stuff sort out in Mark?
October 8th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
But doesn’t God rip the curtain at the end (15:38)? We really get two glipses of God, not in the form of Jesus. Kt