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gmark - Re: Sleeping Disciples

gmark AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Kata Markon

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  • From: JFAlward AT aol.com
  • To: gmark AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Sleeping Disciples
  • Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 18:19:47 EDT


In a message dated 10/21/02 1:09:12 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
larry.swain AT wmich.edu writes:

<< So when Jesus says, Watch and Pray so that you may not enter
testing.....can you explain just how watching and praying PREVENTS the
"temptation" to sleep? >>

You appear to have made my argument into a straw man, Larry. I do not claim
that Jesus asked the disciples to "watch" in order to do anything. Watching
to prevent temptation was the furthest thing from my mind, and from Mark's.
The disciples were supposed to "watch" for Jesus' coming betrayer, who might
come suddenly without warning, just as the servants were supposed to watch
for the master might return without warning in the sleeping servants parable
in Mark 13:32-37. Watching would play absolutely no role in preventing the
disciples from succumbing to temptation to close their eyes.

Your second misrepresentation of my argument concerns praying to avoid
succumbing to the temptation to sleep. You want me to have argued that Jesus
wanted them to pray not to have the temptation to sleep, but that would be
silly. The temptation to sleep would naturally be present, and there is no
problem with having the temptation to sleep. The problem comes in
surrendering oneself to that temptation. Jesus wanted the disciples to pray
that God give them the strength to avoid *succumbing* to the temptation--pray
to avoid the temptation to close their eyes and sleep.






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