Kata Markon

["Ron Price" <ron.price AT virgin.net>]

Rikki Watts wrote;

>I argued that Mark's opening sentence, as was common in ancient
>literature, set out his agenda (cf. Isa 40.3; Mal 3.1/Ex 23.20).

Rikki,
  I like the idea that Mark's opening sentence set out his agenda.
  But at the risk of sounding pedantic I think it's significant that the
majority of translators consider the first sentence to end at the end of
verse 1. (See UBS Greek NT, 3rd. edn. p.118.)
  If the reading hUIOU QEOU is accepted, this means that the purpose of
Mark is probably to present Jesus as the Son of God. In my reading of
Mark a more complete description of the aim would be to write the story
of Jesus (which had never been done before), and explain that whereas
the first disciples thought of him merely as the Jewish Messiah (8:29),
there were clear indications for those perceptive enough to see them
that he was actually the Son of God.
  The references to Isaiah etc. were, in my opinion, part of the
introduction and not the primary aim of the gospel. After all, there is
considerable evidence that Mark was written primarily for Gentiles, for
whom arguments based on the OT would not necessarily have carried a
great deal of weight.

Ron Price

Weston-on-Trent, Derby, UK

e-mail:  ron.price AT virgin.net

Web site:  http://homepage.virgin.net/ron.price/index.htm