Kata Markon

[Richard Anderson <randerson58 AT comcast.net>]

Title: [gmark] Re: Mark 4:12

I noticed something that I think  suggests the  possible priority of Matt and Luke over Mark.    In Luke 24:45-47 Jesus appears to the ten disciples and John adds the story the Doubting Thomas story to explains why only ten. Verse 45 states: "Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. . . ."

 It looks like Mark, like John, felt a need to expand what Luke had written. Mark take this phrase to explain that the disciples did not understand because "their hearts were harden" and provides examples. Mark uses the Greek words 'porosis' and 'poroo' to criticize the disciples and also the Pharisees but not the scribes or Sadducees. Neither Matthew nor Luke use these words. Mark is equating the hardness of heart of the Pharisees with the disciples making the criticism devastating. This concept is unique to Mark. When one recognizes that in Matthew, Jesus states "on this rock I will build my church" the criticism by Mark becomes even more stinging in its effectiveness. Mark is challenging the authority of Matthew (because of Peter) and Luke (because of the Jerusalem community}. Both Luke and Mark use the phrase "they did not understand" [agnoeo] but only Mark goes out of his way to explain why they did not understand. 

  I guess my question is: In Greek would either 'porosis' or 'poroo' be understood or used to describe the features of a rock? Would someone reading Mark understand 'porosis' or 'poroo' as a comment on   Peter and  what Jesus said: "on this rock I will build my church"?

Richard H. Anderson 

 Wallingford PA