Choose one event from the Passion narrative that is described by both Mark and John, comparing and contrasting Mark’s version and John’s version of this event. How might the differences reflect the authors’ characteristic portrayals of the person of Jesus? Possible points for analysis include:
- Jesus’ last meal with his disciples (Mark 14:17-31 / John 13:1-38)
- Events at the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-52 / John 18:1-14)
- Legal proceedings against Jesus (Mark 14:53-15:15 / John 18:12-19:16)
- Carrying the cross & crucifixion (Mark 15:16-32 / John19:16-27)
- Jesus’ death and events immediately after his death (Mark 15:33-41 /John 19:28-37)
Both the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of John contain a narrative about Jesus’ last meal with his disciples though the two accounts differ. In Mark’s version of the event, Jesus sends two disciples into the city to prepare for the Passover Meal, which commemorates the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. In this account, Jesus predicts Judas’ betrayal while the disciples are eating. Also during the meal, Jesus speaks the blessing prayers over the bread and wine, proclaiming that they are His own body and blood. After the Last Supper, when the disciples are on their way to Gethsemane, Jesus predicts Peter’s denial of Him three times.
John’s version of the Last Supper is very different than Mark’s narrative. In John’s account, Jesus’ Last Supper meal is not a Passover meal. It takes place before Passover. During this meal, Jesus pours water into a basin and washes the feet of his disciples. After this He tells them, “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do,” (13:15). Jesus predicts Judas’ betrayal in the next few verses. After, he gives the disciples a new commandment, Love one another as I have loved you,” (13:34). Lastly, Jesus predicts Peter’s three-time denial of Him. John’s version does not contain the Eucharistic blessing prayers like Mark, a synoptic gospel, does.
One of the Gospel of Mark’s main themes is the portrayal of Jesus as the suffering Messiah. One possible reason that Mark includes the Eucharistic ritual at the Last Supper is to emphasize Jesus’ identity as the Messiah as revealed to the disciples. He is the Son of God who fulfills the Scripture. John does not mention this event in his gospel possibly because he focuses on a different portrayal of who Jesus was. Jesus is portrayed as the incarnate Word of God in the Gospel of John. As a result of this, John’s version of the Last Supper includes two teachings or commandments that the disciples should follow after He is gone. This event and the washing of the feet are both unique to John’s account. The washing of the disciples’ feet further emphasizes John’s theme of the divine becoming human in the person of Jesus, the Savior of the world.
Meaghan's Mind 
Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial are present in all four Gospels; the inclusion of such details that made Jesus’ first followers appear less than fully committed to his mission across multiple sources strongly implies that both of these were aspects of the “event” level that were preserved all the way through the oral, written, edited, and canonical levels of the tradition. While Mark (and Matthew and Luke) feature the institution of the Eucharist prominently at the Last Supper, John emphasizes Eucharist elsewhere in his Gospel, particularly in the Bread of Life discourse in John 6. Another possible reason for the difference is that the death of Jesus unfolds in John according to a slightly different chronology–Jesus’ Last Supper in John is not a Passover meal (as you note), because Jesus dies on Friday as the Passover Lamb.
[…] disciples (Mark 14:17-31 / John 13:1-38): Krista R. (2:00), Norman M. (2:00), Quentin M. (2:00), Meaghan F. (3:30), Pat H. (3:30), Sarah Z. (2:00), Chris B. (2:00), Matt G. (2:00), Adam P. (3:30), Erin P. […]