An Intercalation Revisited: Christology,Discipleship,and Dramatic Irony in Mark 6.6b-30

Abstract

The intercalation in Mk 6.6b-30 deals with many themes, including suffering, discipleship and martyrdom. Its primary focus, however, has been overlooked by most commentators, namely Christ’s identity. At the beginning of the inserted ‘B’ story, Mark offers several candidates who, to varying degrees, resemble Jesus: John the Baptist, Elijah, a prophet like no other and Herod. Ultimately, though, it is the disciples in the framing ‘A’ story who best exemplify Christ. They replicate his ministry in remarkable ways by teaching, preaching and healing, yet their depiction is also ironic since they fail to understand the man they emulate. The intercalation therefore serves as an important stepping stone in the readers’ understanding of Christ and the disciples. Mark 6.6b-30 summarizes Christ’s identity at the point in the Gospel and prefigures his ultimate fate while simultaneously portraying the disciples in favorable terms in order to accentuate their fall in subsequent episodes.