Kata Markon

[Steve Black <sblack AT axionet.com>]

Title: Chaper 13

Professor L.W. Hurtado" wrote:

> Well, it does seem likely that the author of Mark expected/hoped
> for the coming of the Son of Man sooner than has proven to be the
> case!!  But, on the other hand, the dominant thrust of chap 13 is to
> REFUTE and DISCOURAGE any notion that the end is immediate
> (13:5-8, 10, 13b, 21-23), but must be preceded by (1) all sorts of
> traumas that are merely what characterizes an indefinite time
> period (the single most repeated theme is warning against being
> led astray and alarmed at the disasters)

There seems to be a double movement of thought in this chapter. There seems to be a very clear wait and endure; be vigilant to the end, the time is not yet, and so forth. Yet on the other hand, there seems to be points in the discourse where this gives way (v. 14 & v. 29-30), and the nearness and immediacy of the end is emphasized. This dialect I find interesting. I wonder where in that continuum "Mark" saw his community?

Another thought....

Verse 29 seem a little out of place. If V 24-27 do refer to "the end" as I think (but which is obviously being contested by many here), Verse 29 suggest that the end is very very near, but it seems that the end has already happened in 24-27. This could, I guess, support the idea of his referring to the temple in V 29, and not to the end. It seems, however,  awkward to refer to something here mentioned so long before in the discourse. It could just be sloppy writing, which I think "Mark" is sometimes guilty of.

Another possibility...

The theme of the temple ties this chapter in with the over all theme of the gospel - but I still get the feeling that this whole chapter is an intrusion.  (Not an original thought) Theologically (this may just be a symptom of the Apocalyptic genre) this chapter seems much more deterministic than the rest of the gospel. (note the use of the word "elect", which appears three times here- but no where else in GMark). I get the feeling "Mark" had an apocalyptic document which he may of reworked a bit, and in doing so, creating some internal tensions. "Mark" I think is sometimes sloppy in putting diverse materials together. (See v 30 and v 31 both have the linked words "pass away", but don't seem to  really belong together) It seems the overall gospel would be "cleaner" if you were to cut out verses 5-29.  (I hate cut and paste hermeneutics - but oh well...) This would of course change my whole argument against Professor Hurtado, because, of course, he'd be 100% dead on.