Kata Markon

[Steve Black <sblack AT axionet.com>]

Title: Mk , Homer, & J the Bap.

J the Baptist is a good place to start.

For the sake of argument, lets say the comparison between Mk & Homer at this point are not merely a coincidence (which I'm not actually convinced of).

Most, or at least many, see the story of Herodias, and "Mark's" whole story surrounding beheading of John as legend. It, so the argument goes, entered into the tradition at a "folk" level. and thus has many "folk" characteristics.

What the whole Homer thing would mean in this context would make more sense to me, and that is that  "Mark" did not introduce it, but inherited it. I would even suggest that perhaps this happened at an unconscious level , but perhaps not.

This fits with my understanding (which isn't universal) that "Mark", unlike say Luke, didn't "create" material - but rather creatively redacted it. This would also be a better explanation for the lack of literary "Homerisms". I have to be honest - the explanation given for this lack seems weak to me.

Peace.