Jeffrey: Thanks for making your paper available. I copy and paste the concluding paragraph below for reference: ------------------------------ Given this, I think it reasonable to conclude that what Mark presents Jesus as urging the disciples to ask for in praying MH ELQHTE EIS PEIRASMON is not, as is usually supposed, succor from their being themselves tested, but divine aid to avoid their following the example of the faithless wilderness generation and subjecting God to a testing of his faithfulness. ----------------------------- I have serious doubts whether PEIRASMON refers to "subjecting God to a testing of his faithfulness" rather than to the temptation of the disciples. In the immediate context it appears Christ serves as an example of praying so that He Himself would not enter into temptation (v. 36). In fact, this is the second time Christ prayed so He would not enter temptation, the first time being when He had prayed and fasted for 40 days, and Satan came to tempt Him (1:13). No, the normal interpretation here seems contextually preferrable. Christ prayed so He would not enter into temptation and He encouraged His disciples to do the same. He knew that even though we may mean well (in spirit), our tired and weak flesh if unchecked by prayer will lead us into temptation and sin. Such indeed was the case with the disciples who failed to pray, fell asleep, and fell away with fear when the Master was arrested. Paul Dixon On Tue, 29 May 2001 19:52:16 -0500 "Jeffrey B. Gibson" writes: > A few days ago, I raised a question about an aspect of the > interpretation of Mk. 14:38 that I was pursuing as part of a larger > study of that verse that I've been working on. > > I have now completed a draft of that study and have made it > available > at: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crosstalk2/files/Articles%20for%20Review/Mk %201438endnote.htm > > I hope List Members will be interested enough in my work on this > verse > to have a look at the article -- AND to send me comments and > criticisms > on the thesis I moot there. > > Yours, > > Jeffrey Gibson > -- > Jeffrey B. Gibson, D.Phil. (Oxon.) > 7423 N. Sheridan Road #2A > Chicago, Illinois 60626 > e-mail jgibson000@home.com > > > > --- > B-Greek home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/bgreek > You are currently subscribed to b-greek as: [dixonps@juno.com] > To unsubscribe, forward this message to > leave-b-greek-327Q@franklin.oit.unc.edu > To subscribe, send a message to > subscribe-b-greek@franklin.oit.unc.edu > > Dr. Paul S. Dixon, Pastor Evangelical Free Church Iowa Falls, IA http://members.aol.com/dixonps --- B-Greek home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/bgreek You are currently subscribed to b-greek as: [jwrobie@mindspring.com] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-b-greek-327Q@franklin.oit.unc.edu To subscribe, send a message to subscribe-b-greek@franklin.oit.unc.edu