Lecture 1. Mark 9:14-29, The Possessed Boy, Aland 163, Part 1 1

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1 Gospel of Mark, Week 9, Page 1 of 8 Lecture 1. Mark 9:14-29, The Possessed Boy, Aland 163, Part 1 1 Context Immediately follows Transfiguration This is a literary context We cannot know the original historical context of the story. V. 15, Amazed (exethambēthēsan) Both Matthew & Luke omit this line. No reason is given for the crowd s amazement. Does Mark imagine some kind of afterglow from the transfiguration? Exod 34:29-30 mentions the people s fear / awe (ephobēthēsan) at the radiance of Moses face when he descended from Sinai with the tablets of the Law. Mark (unlike Matthew & Luke) has not mentioned the face of Jesus. Is the amazement evidence that Mark in fact knew the tradition about Jesus face? V. 16, What were you arguing about? The Marcan Jesus asks for information. (Remember, Who touched me? ) Neither the Matthean nor the Lucan Jesus asks this question. [V. 17, Teacher Major Marcan theme (Week 5, Lecture 6) ] a mute spirit In v. 25 Jesus will rebuke the spirit as mute and deaf Often people who are deaf do not speak clearly. But someone can be mute, and hear just fine! V. 18, detailed symptoms Almost certainly epileptic seizures In Matthew the boy is moon-struck (selēniazetai from selēnē, moon ) In English we still use the word lunatic (based on the Latin word luna, moon ) In Luke, it is simply a spirit that seizes the boy. The demonological interpretation of epilepsy was doubtless influenced by sufferers loss of control over themselves, the sense they conveyed of being victims of an attack from the outside--an impression still preserved in the modern English term seizure (... when it grabs him...). Physicians, however, tended to reject such demonological explanations and to attribute epilepsy to a variety of physiological causes such as a superfluity of phlegm in the brain, disturbances in sexual function, climatic factors, and diet (Marcus ). [Luke, sometimes considered to be a physician, does not attribute this case to physical causes.] becomes rigid The root meaning of the word is to dry up. (Same as the man with the withered hand). 1 Music: Excerpt from Al-Horishonim, available in MP3 from Tara Publications.

2 Gospel of Mark, Week 9, Page 2 of 8 This is behind the KJV and pineth away. When cut branches, originally flexible, lose their sap and dry out, they become rigid. Lecture 2. Mark 9:14-29, The Possessed Boy, Aland 163, Part 2 Christological note Everybody there including Jesus, assumes the trouble is caused by a demon. Those with extremely high Christology have suggested Jesus was only pretending to believe a demon was causing the trouble; that he really knew there was a medical explanation. There is no evidence for this in the text. V. 21 How long has this been happening? Once again, the Marcan Jesus asks for information. Neither the Matthean Jesus nor the Lucan Jesus asks this question. An interesting exercise would be to 1) note every informational question asked by the Marcan Jesus 2) see what Matthew and Luke did with that question Post lecture note. I did the project. Mark has 11 informational questions. Matthew omits 8 of them; Luke omits 7. Details in Appendix I. V. If you are able... This opens the way for a discussion of the father s belief. Jesus response is ambiguous All things are possible for one who believes. 1) Jesus can do all things because Jesus believes? 2) Jesus can do all things for people who believe? The second interpretation is correct The father refers to his own faith, not the faith of Jesus. Elsewhere in Mark the faith of the recipient is important. Daughter, your faith has made you well (5:34) Your faith has made you well (Bartimaeus, 10:52) When Jesus saw their faith (the paralytic, & those carrying him, Mark 2:5) A Minor Agreement The entire episode (Mark 9:21-24) is omitted by both Matthew and Luke. Those who argue that Mark is the first Gospel, have to explain why Luke is closer to Matthew. The power of the Matthean / Lucan Jesus is not limited by lack of faith. See Mark 6:5, Jesus could not do any mighty works because of their lack of faith. Matthew 13:58 says simply that he did not do many might works Luke completely omits the sentence. Verses 26-27, Similarities with Raising Jairus Daughter Is the child really dead, or does it only seem to be dead? (5:39; 9:26) Jesus grasps the child s hand (5:41; 9:27a) The child arises (5:42; 9:27b)

3 Gospel of Mark, Week 9, Page 3 of 8 Both NT words for rise are used in both stories egeirō (5:41; 9:27), basic meaning to wake up; to awaken [someone else] anhistēmi (5:42; 9:27). basic meaning, to stand up; to make [someone] stand up Verse 29, only by prayer Textual variant: many manuscripts add and fasting (see KJV). The UBS Greek NT gives the omission of and fasting an A rating. Curiously, Jesus has not prayed! But Jesus answer raises as many questions as it answers, since Jesus himself, despite his prescription of prayer as the antidote for an epileptic spirit, is not described as praying before he expels the demon. It may be that his prayer is implied, or that Mark has already identified him sufficiently as a man of prayer that he need not do so here (see 1:35; 6:46; cf. 14:32-42). It is still striking however, that in 9:29 he lays down a rule for exorcism that he himself is not described as fulfilling. And why does the account of the exorcism identify faith as the crucial factor in miracle working, when Jesus private instruction to the disciples singles out prayer? (Marcus, ). A Solution? Marcus goes on to suggest that the words of the father count as a prayer. 9:24, I do believe; help my unbelief (addressed to Jesus, not to God). I would explain the discrepancy by appealing to Mark s modest literary skills. Both Matthew and Luke omit the saying about the necessity for prayer. I think they agree with me about Mark s literary skills. The Matthean Jesus answers the disciples question with because of your lack-of-faith. 2 Private explanation to disciples is the same as the public explanation to the father. Lecture 3. Mark 9:30-32, Second Passion Prediction, Aland 164 General Observations This is the least detailed of the three passion predictions found in Mark. We have no way of knowing whether they are in chronological order. We have no way of knowing if they were originally separate, or three versions of one event. The Imperfect Tense of the Verbs The imperfect tense of the verbs denotes continual or repeated action did not want anyone to know (was not wishing, 9:30) was teaching, was saying (9:31) did not understand (continually / repeatedly not understanding, 9:32) 2 The Greek word oligopistia occurs nowhere else in the entire Greek Bible except Matt 17:20 The related word oligopistos of little faith appears to be a Q word which Matthew liked: Matt 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; Luke 12:28 (= Matt 6:30, Q). It occurs nowhere else in the entire Greek Bible

4 Gospel of Mark, Week 9, Page 4 of 8 were afraid (continually / repeatedly were fearful) This is over-translating, but this is clearly the nuance in the Greek. V. 30, he did not want anyone to know... both the introductory verse (9:30) and the concluding one (9:32) make little sense on the historical level... It does not seem credible that Jesus would repeatedly hold forth in clear terms on the subject of his forthcoming death and resurrection... that his disciples would repeatedly misunderstand these references, and yet that they would repeatedly refrain from asking him about them (cf. Wrede, ). Our passage, then, is probably not a historical reminiscence but a piece of Markan theology reflecting the idea that the necessity of Jesus death and resurrection became clear only in the post-easter period; before that epoch, even Jesus disciples could not understand it... (Marcus, ). Lecture 4. Mark 9:33-37, True Greatness, Aland 166 V. 33, Setting Capernaum, his base for ministry. In the house. Jesus house (see 2:1)? Peter s house? What were you discussing on the way? The Marcan Jesus asks an informational question. This question is omitted by both Matthew and Luke! V. 35 sitting down Jesus assumes the position of a teacher Omitted by both Matthew & Luke V. 36 taking a child There is a child present when Jesus is in this private setting with his disciples! Is this a literary child, created by Mark for the purposes of illustration? Is this a historical memory? Mark will not mention the women present until 15:40. How family friendly was the Jesus movement? embracing Only the Marcan Jesus is depicted as embracing the children Matthew & Luke omit this human touch This word occurs only 4x in the entire Greek Bible, Mark 9:36; 10:16, children both times! Proverbs 6:10; 24:33 both times it is the sluggard who folds his arms and does nothing.

5 Gospel of Mark, Week 9, Page 5 of 8 V. 37. the one who sent me This is a reference to God. This is prophetic language. This is not Johannine pre-existence language. The Marcan Jesus is sent from Nazareth, not from heaven. The Marcan Jesus did not exist in heaven before he began his ministry. Verse 38. Teacher A frequent Marcan theme. Lecture 5. Mark 9:38-41, The Strange Exorcist, Aland 167 In your name probably using the name of Jesus as a magic spell (Marcus, ) Does not follow us. Does this reflect stage 2 or stage 3, rather than stage 1? Notice, he does not say: does not follow you. V. 39, Do not forbid him The verb is plural. The question was raised by John. He appears to be acting as spokesman for the 12. It is good for Catholics to realize that others besides Peter can function n this role. Verse 40, Whoever is not against you... There is a positive version of this saying in Q, Matt 12:30 Luke 11:23 He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters (RSV). This would be an example of what scholars call Mark-Q overlap. 9:41, a literal translation in difficult... in a name, because Christ s you are in the name, because you belong to Christ... The definite article is not necessary after prepositions (BDF 3 275; Marcus, ) Some scribes have smoothed it out by adding my (influenced the KJV). The UBS Greek NT gives the omission of my an A rating. Lecture 6. Mark 9:42-50, Against Scandal, Aland One of the standard grammars of NT Greek used by scholars is by Blass, Debrunner, and Funk.

6 Gospel of Mark, Week 9, Page 6 of 8 General Observations Most modern bibles do not have verses 44 and 46. their worm does not die... These are scribal additions to the text, based on verse 48, which was written by Mark. Modern bibles: 1) omit them; 2) print them in brackets; 3) print them in footnotes. Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration to make rhetorical point see Mark 11:23, whoever says to this mountain Be taken up and cast into the sea... Origen was reputed to have castrated himself after he took these words of Jesus in what one Church Father (Eusebius?) calls an absurdly literal sense. The X-rated Interpretation Most problematic for the X-rated interpretation, Mark 9:43 does not say that the person who amputates his foot will enter eternal life as a eunuch but as a lame person, and it implies that if he abstains from offenses of the foot, he will be able to enter it with both feet--an interesting picture to contemplate if foot means penis [cf. Gundry, 524] (Marcus ). Gehenna is the Valley of Hinnom Ravine south of Jerusalem. Became a garbage dump. According to popular belief, the place of God s final judgment. Used in Gospels as place of punishment in the next life (BDAG 4, ad verbum) Catchword Composition The mention of fire in v. 48 leads to the proverb about fire & salt in v. 49. The proverb everything will be salted with fire is found only in Mark. The mention of salt in v. 49 leads to a riddle about salt in v. 50a. The riddle in 50a leads to the command in 50b. This command is found only in Mark. V. 50, Salt becomes unsalty Possible reference to Dead Sea Salt, that contains other materials that leave a stale taste once the pure salt has been dissolved away (Marcus, 693). I have never seen Barclay s plausible teabag solution in a reputable scholar s work. 4 The standard dictionary of NT Greek used by scholars is by Bauer, Danker, Arndt, and Gingrich.

7 Gospel of Mark, Week 9, Page 7 of 8 Appendix: Informational Questions in Mark 5 What is your name? (5:9, To the demons in Gerasa) Who touched my garments? (5:30) How many loaves do you have? (6:38; 8:5) Do you see anything? (8:23) What were you arguing about? (9:16) How long has this been happening? (9:21) What were you discussing on the way? (9:33) What do you want me to do for you? (10:36, to James and John) What do you want me to do for you? (10:51, Bartimaeus) Where is my guest room where I am to eat the passover with my disciples? (14:8) Synopsis Mark Matthew Luke 137 5:9 omits keeps 138 5:30 omits keeps 146 6:38 omits omits 153 8:5 keeps omits entire story 156 8:23 omits entire story omits entire story 163 9:16 omits omits 163 9:21 omits omits 166 9:33 omits omits :36 keeps omits entire story :51 keeps keeps :8 omits keeps Informational Questions Questions Omitted (obviously rhetorical) Why do you question thus in your hearts? (2:8) Which is easier... take up your pallet and walk (2:10) Can wedding guests fast when the bridegroom is with them? (2:19) Have you not read what David did...? (2:25-26) Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath...? (3:4) How can Satan cast out Satan? (3:24) Who are my mother and my brothers? (3:33) Why do you make a tumult and weep? (5:39) Do you not understand this parable? How then...? (4:13) Is a lamp... under a bushel...? (4:21) What parable shall we use for it? (4:30) Why are you afraid? Have you no faith? (4:40) Are you also without understanding? Do you not see...? (7:18-19) Why does this generation seek a sign? (8:12) Series of rhetorical questions (8:17-22) Who do men say that I am? (8:27) 5 I found some references by searching the RSV for the words: who, what, how. I could not search for question marks in BibleWorks, as? counts s as a wild card. Therefore I exported the text of the RSV to MS Word, and there I was able to search for question marks!

8 Gospel of Mark, Week 9, Page 8 of 8 Who do you say that I am? (8:29) For what does it profit a man...? (8:36) What can a man give in exchange for his life? (8:37) How is it written... treated with contempt? (9:12) Faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? (9:19) If salt... how will you season it? (9:49) What did Moses command you? (10:3) Why do you call me good? (10:18) Are you able to drink the cup...? (10:39) Is it not written...? (11:17) Was the baptism of John... from men? (11:30) What will the owner of the vineyard do? (12:8) Have you not read...? (12:10) Why put me to the test? (12:15) Whose likeness and inscription is this? (12:16) Is this not why you are wrong...? (12:24) Have you not read...? (12:26) How can the scribes say... son of David? (12:35) So how is he his son? (12:37) Do you see these buildings? (13:2) Why do you trouble her? (14:6) Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? (14:37) Are you still taking your rest? (14:41) Have you come out as against a robber...? (14:48) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (15:35)