Kata Markon

["George Young" <gwyoung AT morgan.ucs.mun.ca>]

In addition to the proposed purpose(s) put forward by Eszter Andorka (fairly
well 'sanctioned' purposes, I should add), there is also the possibility
that Mark was written as a satirical polemic against both the Jews/Jerusalem
community, on the one hand, and this new Jewish sect (Jesus/Christianity),
on the other.  The striking similarities between Mark and the Mennipian
Satire (first pointed out by Bahktin; cf. also the stylistic similarities
between the GMark and Petronius' Satyricon, particularly the Cena or Dinner
episode), and its subsequent canonical demotion by the Christian community
(i.e., its 'place' between Mt. and Lk.), as well as many other things (e.g.,
its controversial content and organization, evidenced by Papias' rather poor
apology that Mark is not a fictional account, or misleading, and so forth,
as well as the outright rejection of GMark by Epiphanius in the 4th century,
who believed that the GMark was written by an apostate Christian, as well as
similarities between some of Celsus' critiques of Jesus/Christianity and
certain polemics found in GMark [most notably the notion of 'secret
knowledge/passages,' very much like our present 'Secret Gospel of Mark,' and
so on), all this suggests that the purpose of Mark may not have been to
promote Christianity, but rather to sabotage it through subtle satire and,
in some instances, outright mockery.  I realize this is a departure from the
canonical explanations of Mark's purpose (I also admit that attempts to
determine the 'purpose' of Mark are inherently tenuous; after all, can we
really know the Mind of Mark?), but it is a hermeneutical departure that
seems to make more sense to me.

George W. Young, PhD
Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies
Queen's College Faculty of Theology
210 Prince Philip Drive
St. John's  NF
CANADA   A1B 3R6
Tel. (709) 753-0116
Fax. (709) 753-1214
email: gwyoung AT morgan.ucs.mun.ca

----- Original Message -----
From: Eszter <ESZTER.ANDORKA AT student.kuleuven.ac.be>
To: Kata Markon <gmark AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2000 4:56 AM
Subject: [gmark] Re: The purpose of Mark's gospel.


> Hello Jeff,
>
> I do not think that Mk would be secondary to Mt and Luke. In contrary, I
> believe that Mk was a source of both. (Maybe not exactly the same Mk that
> we know, but a not much different edition.) But your question was about
> the purpose of the gospel. Let us see:
>
> I can interpret "purpose" on two ways. First about the use, setting or
> function of Mk in the life of the marcan community. I would agree those,
> who claim that 1. Mk was a kind of christian paschal haggadah, a text to
> be read (recited) in the night of pesach for the entire community; 2.
> this event had an initiative function for the catechumens, who had been
> baptised than , probably at dawn. The text has several hints into both
> directions. You can consult for ex. the book of Benoit Standaert:
> L'Evangile selon Marc. Not a brand new book (early 80ies), but very
> detailed in this regard.
>
> "Purpose" of Mk can mean the particular bias of the author, in the sense
> that he (I think he was male) wanted to form his community, react onto
> conflicts and challenges experienced by the community and its members. The
> marcan scholarship provides numerous possible answers. Some of them:
>
> 1. Inner conflict of christians. Mk wants to side with one of the groups.
> (ex.: Weeden, Kelber)
>
> 2. Inner conflict of christians. Mk wants to mediate. (ex.: Betz, Robbins)
>
> 3. Christians in the situation of persecution. (Maybe related with the
> Jewish War.)
>
> 4. A rather peaceful period, after persecution - temptation of being like
> others.
>
> etc.
>
> Combinations of these are also possible, maybe needed. I would say: yes,
> there were hardships in the recent past of the community. I think the
> conflict had to do with the antijudaist tendencies of Rome in the late
> 60ies. The members of the community reacted on different ways, some toook
> on more conflicts and suffering, some less. Mk tries to encourage the
> christians in their threatened existence, (see 8,31ff) and changing social
> sitaution (3,33), but wants a kind of openness toward those who failed:
> 14,66ff.
>
> Besides we can detect the traces of a conflict on authority within
> christian circles. I think Mk is not a friend of James and his followers,
> neither wants to accept a full authority of the 12, but this is not his
> main point. I also think that the texts discussing the issues of Jewish
> law and customs were not burning, actuel problems of the marcan community.
>
> If you follow the Griesbach-hypothese, you can still take any of these
> answers (,only that you need to explain, why was Mt and Lk unsufficient
> for these purposes).
>
> I hope it helps.
>
> Eszter Andorka
>
>
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