Kata Markon

["Phil Campbell" <philcam AT tpg.com.au>]

Title: Re: gmark digest: January 03, 2001

Picking up on your last point, though, a mistake of this magnitude would certainly have put a tarnish on his reputation as a PROPHET... which he was commonly held to be.

Doesn't the fact that the SKY IS DARKENED a few pages after the Mark 13 statement give some sort of hint that the apocalyptic battle and enthronement are taking place AT THE CROSS? All the way through Mark's gospel, we're being enticed towards an enthronement. And the description of the crown, the robe, the palace, the sign above the cross, are fine instances of double irony. They ironically mock him as king... but he REALLY IS. Hence, the darkened noon sun is a pointer back to the apocalyptic imagery of Mark 13 - (a small instance of apocalypse-become-literal) - to "tag" the event as that spoken of. And by Acts 2, Peter can say (quoting Joel's apocalypse) that THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED!

 

Phil Campbell

Mitchelton

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Steve Black

To: Kata Markon

Sent: Thursday, 4 January 2001 6:24 pm

Subject: [gmark] Re: gmark digest: January 03, 2001

It seems a forced interpretation of "ALL these things" to refer exclusively to the temple. I made bold the "all" because on a purely literary level it does seem to suggest every thing that has previously been mentioned in this discourse.

Also, the idea of this passage referring to Jesus' enthronement, and not to the second coming isn't convincing. Its hard (not impossible, perhaps, but I think you have to jump through a few hoops) to take this passage as speaking of anything short of the end of time...

"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
   -obvious apocalyptic imagery
And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. "
       -Yes, borrowed from Dan 7, which is a very apocalyptic source. The context here suggested something that the implied reader will see as in the future, not the past (as would be if it were only the enthronement being spoken of).

So I still hold with the idea (and this isn't anything new or particularly revolutionary) that Mark's Jesus is here making a mistake  regarding the timing surrounding the end of the world. It seems to me to be the most honest and straight forward reading. (A reading Albert Schweitzer would be happy with)

I suggested this is really an issue of christology. Paul believed Christ was without sin (2 Cor. 5:21), as did the writer to the Hebrews (Hebrews 4:15), yet no where are we told that any believed him "without mistake". Once again - an issue of christology.

Peace

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