To be sure, Mark still appears problematic to many readers: Jesus utters confounding teaching (4.11–12), suppresses his identity (1.34; 3.12; etc.), and even seems to question God (14.36; 15.34). For their part, his disciples misunderstand Jesus's message again and again (4.13; 6.52; 8.17–21; etc.) and disappear when he faces death (14.27,50).
