Re: "a" or "the" ?? (Mark 15.39)

From: Jim West (jwest@highland.net)
Date: Fri Mar 27 1998 - 18:05:55 EST


At 05:00 PM 3/27/98 +0400, you wrote:
>
>Mark Goodacre has given a good response to this. I decided at first not to
>answer the above, but I would like to add to Mark's good statement the fact
>that the intent of those who questioned Jesus according to Mark 12:13 was
>to "trap" him in his speech.

Absolutely! And when Mark wishes to indicate that a speaker is being less
than genuine he points it out to the reader! Thus, where Mark does not make
such a statement, we are not to read one into it. The evidence you present
in this segment supports my response.

> Mark makes it clear that their intent was not
>to witness to the claim that Jesus taught the way of the Lord. Yet one of
>Mark's themes is the way of the Lord. Whether Mark was thinking irony or
>not, my senses tells me that this is a situation that is ironic.
>

Yes, but thats the problem. Your sense may say so to you- but is that what
Mark said? By the evidence you mention above, when Mark wishes us to know
what is in the mind of a speaker, he tells us.

>Now if you want an example of eisegesis go back and read ">Lets all be
>careful >lest we assume that Mark is reporting actual historical events.<

Not eisegetical at all. Mark is Gospel- not biography. The first vers of
the book tells us the literary genre- not history, but story.

>That certainly assumes an attitude by Mark that is nowhere indicated in the
>text.

I disagree. Again, see 1:1

> I agree with Ernst Best when he says, "Mark appears to deal with
>traditions that come to him rather conservatively." I do not take that to
>mean that every word is historical, but surely there is an historical
>kernel there somewhere. I will say no more in this string lest we go too
>far afield. Irony, though, is clearly part of Marks witness to Jesus and
>does affect his language.
>

But, dear sir, it is not quite so clear unless we make it so. When Mark
wishes to say something, he does. When he does not, he doesn't.

>
>
>Carlton L. Winbery

Best,

Jim

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jim West, ThD
Petros TN

jwest@highland.net



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat Apr 20 2002 - 15:39:18 EDT