Kata Markon

["L. J. Swain" <larry.swain AT wmich.edu>]

Rick Frommich wrote:

> I would suggest that since the compiler of Mark only uses the
> expression two times it is worth investigating to see if they are
> connected somehow.  The second occurance of the term is found in
> chapter 16.  Here the expression is coupled with the phrase sitting on
> the right. In chapter ten the issue of who will sit on the right is
> one of serious contention. 35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
> came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for
> us whatever we ask of you."36 And he said to them, "What do you want
> me to do for you?"37 And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at
> your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."38 But Jesus said
> to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink
> the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I
> am baptized?"39 And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to
> them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with
> which I am baptized, you will be baptized;40 but to sit at my right
> hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom
> it has been prepared." RSV Mar 16:5 And entering the tomb, they saw a
> young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they
> were amazed. I would also suggest that the clothing is reminicent of
> the transfiguration scene and not indicative of the man being an angel
> in the traditional sense of that word. It would seem to me that the
> compiler of Mark is pointing to the young man as a kind of successor
> to Jesus who is now sitting in the place of power with regard to
> Jesus.  Could the compiler of the Gospel view himself in that role????
> If so, it might explain the subtle way in which he alludes to his
> role. Rick Richmond. This is my first posting to this list.  I have
> very much enjoyed reading the contributions.

Hopefully you'll post in the future. This is an example of what I mean
by the connections.  The issue in chapter 10 of who will sit with Jesus
is not simply an issue of who sits on the "right" hand, as the context
points out with the brothers asking to sit one on the right and one on
the left.  And Jesus' answer makes this clear as well. "but to sit at my
right hand or at my left...."  So the question seems to me to be less
clear cut than you suggest here.  Further, the description at the
resurrection scene of the figure in white sitting on the right is that
he is sitting on the right as one enters the tomb, not necessarily on
the right of Jesus.  This brings me back to the incidence of young men
in white in Mark, it seems intriguing to try and connect the two because
of the similarlity in vocabulary and expresion, and certainly such
incidents as these with young men, white cloth, and "right" should be
looked into.  Sometimes we're going to find a connection between them,
sometimes we're going to find that they aren't.  I suggest that just as
"right" sitting isn't really connected, neither are the young men.

Larry Swain