Catholic Bible Study – Lectio Mark: The Way of Discipleship

Host: Augustine Institute
Date: January 7, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Augustine Institute scholars guide listeners through a profound exploration of Mark’s Gospel, focusing specifically on chapters 7–10—the “Way” section wherein Jesus challenges his disciples’ understanding and calls them to a cruciform discipleship. The discussion delves into the narrative structure of Mark, the significance of Jesus' healings (the deaf man and the blind man), the disciples’ gradual recognition of Jesus’ mission, and the repeated predictions of the Passion. A major theme is the necessary shift from worldly thinking to divine understanding, as embodied in the journey of Christ and required of those who would follow him.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Structure and Flow of Mark’s Narrative

• Mark’s Episodic Nature

  • Mark’s Gospel is described as a “string of pearls”—each episode meaningfully connected to the others.
  • “Think of each episode like a pearl, but they’re all on a beautiful necklace, and they all string together, not separate.” [02:24]

• Importance of Context in Interpretation

  • Avoid isolating individual stories. Pay attention to the sequence and narrative thread for deeper meaning, especially with miracles and teachings that “frame” key episodes.

2. The Healing Miracles as Narrative Bookends

• Healing of the Deaf Man (Mark 7:31ff) and the Blind Man (Mark 8:22ff)

  • Both miracles involve friends bringing someone in need to Jesus, private healing, and references to spiritual openness.
  • Parallels: Jesus “spits” in both healings, uses touch, and commands “be opened” (apophatha).
  • “Before and after the story of the bread, Jesus heals a deaf man and then a blind man… We too would be deaf and blind if we didn’t see the connection here, right?” [06:21]

• The Blind Man of Bethsaida: A Two-Stage Healing (Mark 8:22–26)

  • First, the man sees only partially: “I see men, but they look like trees, walking.” [12:47]
  • Clarification: The two-stage healing is not a failure of Jesus or the man’s faith but a symbolic action representing the disciples’ partial spiritual sight.
  • “Jesus is healing this man in two stages, symbolically. And I believe that’s exactly what’s happening here… because that’s what Jesus is doing with his own disciples at this moment.” [15:10]

3. The Central “Way” Section: From Partial to Full Understanding

• The “Way” as a Motif
  • Begins at Mark 8:22 (Bethsaida) and ends at 10:52 (Jericho with Blind Bartimaeus).
  • Jesus is “on the way”—both geographically to Jerusalem and spiritually leading disciples to a complete understanding of mission and discipleship.
  • “The theme here... is the ‘way’ section. And on that way, Jesus is going to try to cure the vision of his disciples about who he is and what the Messiah must be and do.” [18:20]

4. Three Predictions of the Passion & Disciple Response

Each prediction follows a threefold pattern: 1) Jesus predicts his suffering, 2) the disciples misunderstand or reject, 3) Jesus teaches about true discipleship.

• First Prediction: Mark 8:31–33

  • Jesus reveals the Messiah must suffer, die, and rise.
  • Peter rebukes Jesus but is, in turn, rebuked: “Get behind me, Satan.” (Greek: apiso mou)
  • “It’s not like, get behind me and get away from me. It’s fall in line behind me and follow my lead. It’s not a rejection of Peter. It’s a reminder… that Peter has to follow from behind Jesus, not getting out ahead of Jesus.” [25:12]
  • Lesson: Metanoia (change of mind)—repentance is transformation of thinking, not just feeling sorry for sin.
  • “Metanoia is about changing my mindset, changing my way of thinking. And Peter’s way of thinking is a worldly way of thinking. Messiahs don’t get crucified.” [27:44]

• Second Prediction: Mark 9:30–37

  • Jesus again tells of his death and resurrection; the disciples don’t understand and are afraid to ask.
  • Instead, they argue about who is the greatest.
  • “They’re not hearing the word of God because they’re so concerned about their cares and temporal positions and power and prestige.” [34:01]
  • Jesus responds by teaching that true greatness is found in being “last of all and servant of all,” and by welcoming children.

• Third Prediction: Mark 10:32–45

  • Jesus speaks even more directly about imminent suffering: “They will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him and kill him.”
  • James and John request positions of glory, missing the point.
  • “They come to him after that teaching, and they say, Rabbi, we want you to do whatever we ask of you… Grant us to sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your glory.” [43:50]
  • Jesus explains that true leadership is service and that his throne is the cross.
  • “On Jesus’ right and his left when he’s enthroned in glory are two thieves crucified, because Jesus’ enthronement will be on the cross, and that will be a bitter cup for him to drink.” [47:18]

5. Discipleship as Cruciformity

• Following Christ means embracing the cross—not health, wealth, or worldly glory.
• “Discipleship is cruciformity. Discipleship requires cruciformity… There’s a false Christianity, a cheap Christianity that says health and wealth—name it, claim it. Jesus never promises health or wealth… God’s far more ambitious for us.” [30:55]
• The call is to repentance, change of heart, and self-denial—not to worldly victory, but to spiritual transformation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [02:24] On Mark’s Structure:
  “Think of each episode like a pearl, but they’re all on a beautiful necklace, and they all string together, not separate.”
• [06:21] On Healing Miracles Framing the Bread Miracle:
  “Before and after the story of the bread, Jesus heals a deaf man and then a blind man… We too would be deaf and blind if we didn’t see the connection here, right?”
• [12:47] On the Two-stage Blind Man Miracle:
  “I see men, but they look like trees, walking.”
• [15:10] On Symbolic Healing:
  “Jesus is healing this man in two stages, symbolically. And I believe that’s exactly what’s happening here… because that’s what Jesus is doing with his own disciples at this moment.”
• [25:12] On Jesus’ Rebuke to Peter:
  “It’s not like, get behind me and get away from me. It’s fall in line behind me and follow my lead. It’s not a rejection of Peter. It’s a reminder… that Peter has to follow from behind Jesus, not getting out ahead of Jesus.”
• [30:55] On the False Gospel:
  “There’s a false Christianity, a cheap Christianity that has a cheap gospel… Jesus never promises health or wealth… God’s far more ambitious for us.”
• [47:18] On the Meaning of the Cross:
  “On Jesus’ right and his left when he’s enthroned in glory are two thieves crucified, because Jesus’ enthronement will be on the cross…”

Timeline of Important Segments

• [00:03–04:50] — Recap of previous episode, context of “understanding,” and the bread miracles
• [04:50–07:30] — Connection between healing the deaf and blind: narrative bookends
• [12:47–17:10] — The two-stage healing of the blind man, symbolism for disciples
• [18:15–24:10] — Introduction to the “way” section; themes of journey and discipleship
• [24:10–29:00] — First Passion prediction, Peter’s rebuke, call to radical change of mind (metanoia)
• [29:00–38:00] — Disciples’ misunderstanding, teaching on taking up the cross, critique of prosperity gospel
• [38:00–42:30] — Second Passion prediction, disciples argue over greatness, Jesus confronts their ambition
• [42:30–49:00] — Third Passion prediction, James and John’s request for glory, Jesus’ teaching on servant leadership and the true meaning of greatness

Conclusion

This episode highlights the deep interconnectedness of Mark’s Gospel stories and reveals how the journey “on the way” with Jesus is also a journey of moving from spiritual blindness to clarity, from self-seeking to self-giving. The true path of discipleship is not one of worldly power or comfort, but of cruciformity—following Christ in self-denial, service, and ultimately, union with him in suffering and resurrection. Listeners are challenged to examine whether, like Peter and the other disciples, they are thinking as the world thinks, or allowing Jesus to change their hearts and minds for a deeper, more authentic discipleship.