Gospel Of Mark

Throughout the Gospel of Mark, the word “follow” is used twenty-one times. The word is either spoken by Jesus himself, frequently used in the phrase “Follow Me,” or is used in the third person perspective to describe people physically following Jesus. The usage of the word “follow” is not to be interpreted in the same way each time, however. There are two different meanings for the word within the Gospel of Mark. Each of these meanings also hold variances within themselves; different “shades” of meaning for the same stylistic variant of the word.

The first (and most obvious) meaning for the word “follow” is the common definition; to go after or behind someone or something. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) In Mark, this meaning is usually used in the third person perspective to describe people following Jesus. For example, Mark 3:7 says “Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him…” This meaning is used in the following

passages of Mark as well: 2:15, 5:24, 5:37, 6:1, 10:32, 10:52, 11:19, 14:13, 14:51, and 14:54. Likewise, this meaning is present at times when Jesus uses the phrase “follow me” to influence someone to come along with him. Mark 2:14 holds an example of both styles of this meaning; “As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.”
A shade of this meaning of follow (also listed under the definition of “follow” by Merriam-Webster Dictionary) is to come after something in time or place or as part of a series. This shade of meaning is used in Mark 11:12; “On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.”

The second meaning of the word “follow,” (as used in Mark) refers to discipleship.

This stylistic variant is spoken by Jesus himself, often signaled by the phrase "follow me.” All who wished to follow Christ were confronted by his absolute authority. To “follow” meant to submit to his personal lordship. This is practiced in Mark 1:17; “And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’”

One shade of meaning for this style of the word “follow” is expressed in Mark 9:38. It is written, “John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’” In this verse, John expressed his unsettlement over the fact that the man was not one of the “followers” of Jesus. By this, John is not accusing the man of being an unbeliever; he was pointing out that this man was not part of their crowd. He was a follower of Jesus, but not in the same assembly as the disciples; and thus we have another “shade” of this

meaning.
Another shade for this variant also pertains to discipleship, but on a deeper level. Following in this sense meant complete identification with the life of Jesus. Forsaking family, home, and means of income in order for the disciples to share Christ's life and ministry. Ultimately, Jesus required them to participate in the act of cross-bearing. This is exhibited both in the passage mentioned above (Mark 1:16-20) and in Mark 8:34. It is written, “He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’”
My assigned passage, Mark 10:21, falls under this category. This verse, saying “Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me,’” is a primary example of the sacrifice-for-service relationship that was present in the lives of the disciples. This specific meaning of the word “follow” affects the passage as a whole because it emphasizes the above mentioned relationship. This verse is the precedent for a message from Jesus to his disciples the how worldly wealth can affect spiritual future. This passage sets the stage for Jesus to explain the discipleship shade meaning of “follow.” (Mark 10:28, in this same passage, is another example of the discipleship meaning mentioned above.)