The Gospel of Mark makes extensive use of the term “immediately” (Greek: εὐθὺς euthys). By one count, Mark uses εὐθὺς 42 times, while the other three canonical gospels use it a combined total of only 18 times. So why does Mark use this term so frequently?
There are several reasons scholars have proposed to explain Mark’s pervasive use of “immediately”:
1. To portray the urgency of Jesus’ ministry
Many scholars believe Mark uses “immediately” so often in order to create a sense of urgency about Jesus’ ministry and mission. In Mark’s telling, Jesus hits the ground running as soon as his ministry begins. Mark 1:12 says “The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.” Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law and she immediately serves them (Mark 1:31). A leper approaches Jesus begging to be healed, and “Immediately the leprosy left him and he was clean” (Mark 1:42). Throughout the book, Mark portrays Jesus as a man of action who wastes no time getting to the task at hand.
Mark wants his readers to feel this sense of urgency. Jesus proclaimed the imminent coming of God’s kingdom, so there is no time to waste in spreading the good news. By using “immediately” so often, Mark creates a quick, fast-moving narrative that adds to the feeling of urgency. There is no time for lengthy introductions or drawn-out descriptions in Mark – the action starts right away.
2. To emphasize Jesus’ authority and power
The suddenness of Jesus’ actions also serves to underscore his authority and power. When Jesus heals or commands, things happen instantly. He has the power to produce immediate results. Mark 2:8 notes that Jesus “immediately knew in his spirit” why the scribes were questioning him, emphasizing his supernatural knowledge and insight. In Mark 1:42 when Jesus commands the leprosy to leave the man, it does so immediately, showing Jesus’ power over disease. Jesus’ ability to produce immediate outcomes demonstrates his divine authority over both physical and spiritual realms.
In Mark’s gospel, Jesus is often shown to be impatient with those who doubt his power. In Mark 9 when a man asks Jesus to heal his son if he can, Jesus replies, “if you can! All things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23). Jesus expects trust and faith, not doubt and cynicism. The suddenness of his healings reinforces his expectation of trust.
3. To emphasize the in-breaking of the kingdom of God
Mark uses “immediately” to reinforce that the kingdom of God has drawn near in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus began his ministry proclaiming, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). The coming of the kingdom was not a gradual process but was breaking into the world suddenly and dramatically in Jesus himself. Jesus said people should “repent and believe in the gospel” immediately (Mark 1:15), for there was no time to waste with the kingdom’s arrival.
Throughout Mark, “immediately” underscores that God’s reign is invading the fallen world, and things will never be the same again. The old order is being overturned. Mark uses the adverb to linked Jesus’ words and deeds directly to the in-breaking of the kingdom into history. The sudden healings, exorcisms, and other miracles are evidence that the reign of God has come in power through Jesus.
4. To link episodes together in the narrative
“Immediately” also serves an important function in Mark’s fast-paced narrative style. The repeated usage of the term links scenes together rapidly, moving the reader briskly from one episode to the next. Mark wastes no time on elaborate scene setting or descriptive detail. Instead, story follows story in quick succession: “immediately” this happened, and then “immediately” Jesus did that.
Mark’s narrative style has been described as similar to a “breathless enthusiasm.” Mark’s use of “immediately” contributes to this sense of narrative momentum. The word propels the reader headlong through the account of Jesus’ ministry, miracle, conflict and journey to the cross.
5. To show anticlimax after miracles
Another subtle but significant use of “immediately” occurs after Jesus’ miracles and other climactic events. Frequently, Mark uses the term to transition from the high point of a miracle straight back to Jesus’ ministry or journey. This has the effect of quickly undercutting or playing down the spectacular nature of the miracle.
For example, Mark 1:42 notes that immediately after the leper is healed, Jesus “sent him away at once.” Rather than basking in the miracle, Jesus shifts focus back to his preaching ministry. Mark 5 records the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter. But “immediately” afterwards in verse 43, Jesus orders that no one be told of the miracle.
By following up miracles “immediately” with Jesus redirecting attention away from the miracle itself, Mark emphasizes that Jesus’ true purpose is ministry and preaching rather than simply performing wonders.
6. To emphasize immediacy for readers
Some scholars argue that Mark’s frequent use of “immediately” serves to heighten the sense of immediacy for readers. By pulling readers rapidly through the narrative, Mark transports readers straight into the urgent action. “Immediately” reduces the distance between the historical events and the reader, making the narrative more vivid and compelling. The suddenness of the action and transitions in Mark function to make readers feel like participants in the gospel drama.
In this view, Mark is inviting readers to become part of the story. Through techniques like the repeated use of “immediately,” readers find themselves following alongside Jesus on his journeys rather than simply observing at a distance. The narrative urgency created by “immediately” allows readers to enter imaginatively into the gospel account.
7. To conform to oral storytelling techniques
Some scholars have noted that Mark’s use of “immediately” matches common techniques used in oral storytelling and folktales. Short, punchy words like “suddenly” and “immediately” function as transitional hooks to keep the audience engaged and the story moving forward during oral delivery.
Since Mark likely based his account on the oral reports of the eyewitnesses Peter and others, some argue Mark naturally absorbed some of the language usage from the oral tradition. The fast-paced narrative movement in Mark, punctuated with “immediately,” mirrors the technique of storytellers to capture and hold an audience’s attention.
Oral cultures valued memorability, unlike today’s book culture which values precise details. The repetition of “immediately” in Mark would have made his gospel account easier to remember during oral transmission.
8. To portray Jesus as the Suffering Servant
Some scholars see a connection between Mark’s use of “immediately” and Isaiah’s description of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53:7: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
Like Isaiah’s Servant, Jesus in Mark’s gospel does not hesitate or delay in going to his suffering and death. When the hour of darkness comes in Gethsemane, Jesus is ready. When the armed crowd arrives to arrest him, he goes with them immediately (Mark 14:43). Jesus knows his mission as the Suffering Servant, and Mark uses “immediately” to reinforce Jesus’ obedience in embracing the cross at the proper time.
In this view, Mark’s frequent use of the term underscores that Jesus was always moving swiftly and directly toward his sacrificial death on behalf of sinners. He embraced his mission immediately and without reluctance.
9. To reinforce Jesus’ divine mission
On a broader level, Mark’s recurring use of “immediately” serves to reinforce Jesus’ divine sense of mission and purpose. As the Son of God who preexisted before his incarnation, Jesus knew exactly why he had come and what he aimed to accomplish. He wastes no time in carrying out the Father’s will through his teaching, miracles, and ultimately his atoning death and resurrection.
From the very outset of Mark, Jesus understands his identity and mission. His baptism unleashes an immediate sequence of events on the march toward the cross. When observers misunderstand or attempt to thwart his mission, Jesus continues on steadily and unfazed. Mark uses “immediately” to underscore Jesus’ divine sense of messianic purpose in redeeming lost sinners.
10. To emphasize the reliability of eyewitness testimony
Since early tradition identifies Mark’s gospel with the preaching of the apostle Peter, some see “immediately” as emphasizing the reliability of eyewitness testimony. As someone personally present during the events, Peter stressed the rapid sequencing of what happened during Jesus’ ministry. The frequent use of “immediately” lends historical credibility and verifies the firsthand nature of the account.
The word implies the precise, eyewitness memory of the apostle Peter who preached these accounts to the early church. Mark faithfully recorded Peter’s testimony, including his repetitive use of “immediately” to underscore the exact order of events.
In this view, Mark’s recurring “immeadiately” puts readers in touch with the primitive church’s earliest traditions and preaching about Jesus – traditions rooted in the testimony of those who saw it all firsthand.
Conclusion
Mark’s extensive use of “immediately” likely arises from a combination of these interrelated factors. “Immediately” serves to emphasize the urgent eschatological mission of Jesus in proclaiming the kingdom of God. It underscores his divine power and authority as evinced through his miracles and ministry. The repetition of the term moves the action forward quickly in Mark’s fast-paced narrative style. And it heightens the vividness and sense of immediacy for readers of Mark’s gospel account. Through simple but deliberate techniques like the repetition of “immediately,” Mark sought to paint a compelling literary portrait of the power, passion and purpose of Jesus Christ.