On Wed, 30 May 2001 13:53:38 -0500 "Jeffrey B. Gibson" writes: > Glenn Blank wrote: > > > > Hence, while there is possibly a hint of allusion to Psalm 78:38 > > in Mark 14:38c, one need not look so far afield for its relevance to the > > exhortation to watch: Peter's self-confidence in in v 29 against the > > backdrop of the disciples' complacency in v 37a would provide all > > the motivation necessary for adding v 38c to his exhortation. > > I wonder if this is not reading modern understandings of the human > personality into the text. The only arguments raised so far have come exclusively from the context. > In any case, a datum that we have to take into account here is the > presentation through out Mark's Gospel of how the disciples, who > should be loyal to Jesus, keep sliding over to the side of "this generation" > and "those outside" who, like the wilderness generation are characterized > by the same sort of unfaithfulness displayed by the wilderness generation, > until here they end up going over completely. Moreover, Peter has already > shown himself at Mk 8:27-31 to thinking the "things of men" when it comes > to accepting "the way" God demands of all who would follow him. So > in the light of this, the idea that the disciples on the verge of fully doubting > and rejecting the sufficiency of God's ways, of becoming like the > wilderness generation, is underscored since, in Mark's story world, it is > what they have been giving themselves over to all along since Peter's > "confession" (cf. the story of James and John asking for seats of glory). Agreed that there are two lifestyles being contrasted by Christ, faithfulness versus unfaithfulness, but does Mark even refer to the unfaithful generation that perished in the wilderness? If not, then what is the basis for taking Mk 14:38 as a warning against the disciples testing God like that wicked generation? > > Then there's the larger issue of whether PEIRASMOS **ever** means > "temptation". But B-Greek readers from long ago know where I stand on that one. In James 1:13 it says God PEIRAZEI ... OUDENA. In Gen 22:1, however, it says hO QEOS EPEIRASEN ABRAAM. How can God both PEIRAZEI no one, and PEIRAZEI Abraham? Only if the the word has two different nuances: tempting toward sin and testing for faithfulness, respectively. Paul Dixon --- 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