Kata Markon

["Jeff Krantz" <jkrantz AT optonline.net>]

James makes good points.  But my reason for dating Mark after the fall of
the Temple derives as much from Peter's response to the withering of the
tree and Jesus' response to him, as from what I perceive to be the prophetic
nature of Jesus' act.

Peter, seeing the state of the tree (Temple), says, in a perfect tense, that
the tree has withered.  Peter speaks of the destruction (I think) of the
Temple as an accomplished fact.

Then Jesus responds rather strangely to Peter's astonishment.

He begins by reminding him of the power of prayer, despite the fact that we
never ever see Jesus pray for the destruction of the tree, or the Temple.
Only a "wish" of sorts.  Nothing directed visibly to God. (Apart from the
likelihood that any wish might have been indirectly understood to be
directed to a god.)  Still, Jesus goes on about prayer, when prayer has not
been a part of the combined pericopes so far.  Now, Mark may have linked
this saying about prayer's power to this story in part because of the
reference to the "mountain," perhaps another indirect reference to the
Temple (Mount), but then he goes on to have Jesus speak very directly and
pastorally to the followers in Mark's time about the necessity for
forgiveness as a prerequisite for prayer.

It seems to me that Mark is less interested in moving mountains here than in
responding to the Temple's destruction with pastoral instruction from Jesus.

I don't think this minimizes the likelihood that Jesus' understanding of the
passing of the time of the Temple was derived from his appreciation of the
social injustice and "Temple malpractice" he found there upon his first
entry, even in Mark.  Only to suggest that for Mark, the act in the Temple
had more meaning that simply an expression of outrage.  Just as Jeremiah
predicted the destruction of one Temple with his condemnation of the "den of
robbers", so did Jesus the other.

Thanks again for  this helpful exchange.

Jeff K.


Jeffrey Krantz
jkrantz AT optonline.net
http://www.agapenetwork.org
Mercer School of Theology