Kata Markon

["Jeffrey B. Gibson" <jgibson000 AT mailhost.chi.ameritech.net>]

Philip B Lewis wrote:

>
> Jeffrey:  GMark does not have any "instructed prayer".  Jesus is presented
> in the posture of prayer three times: 1. as he withdrew from Simon's house
> where he had healed S's mother in law, 2. as he went into the hills from
> which he would watch the disciples struggling against a strong east wind
> (N.B.) and 3. on the Mt. of Olives after the Eucharist.  In this last
> readers were expected to understand that they, like Jesus, were to be
> submissive to God's will.
>

No "instructed prayer" in GMark? Really? What then do you make of Mk 14:38? 
And
what about Jesus' own prayer in the Gethsemane scene about the "hour" and the
"cup"?

> N.B. However, GMark does imclude "No sign will be given to this generation,"
> Mk.8.12, which is expanded by Matt. to "this evil and adulterous
> generation", to which your argument refers.  In GMark's *thematic*
> organization, the saying counter-balances the "sign" given to Israel of
> Jesus' walking on the sea ala the Angel of God's Presence who stood between
> Israel and Pharaoh's hosts in the exodus from Egypt.  So your association of
> "this generation" with the culture from which believers were to be protected
> through prayer is a good insight.

Yes, the "this generation" theme does appear in GMark. But I must say that I'm
not so certain about your notation of the "sign demand story" as a counterpart
to the sea walking, let alone your interpretation of the event, not only 
because
this is nowhere described as a SHMEION, but because, even if it is still 
thought
to be a "sign" in the same sense of SHMEION that the SHMEION APO TOU OURANOU 
is
a "sign",  it is  something given to only the disciples not to Israel.

But this is another debate entirely.

Yours,

Jeffrey

--
Jeffrey B. Gibson
7423 N. Sheridan Road #2A
Chicago, Illinois 60626
e-mail jgibson000 AT ameritech.net