Kata Markon

[JFAlward AT aol.com]

In a message dated 10/22/02 4:16:40 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
larry.swain AT wmich.edu writes:

<< However, until you begin to respond to the arguments presented against 
your position, this will be my last post on the subject. >>


Well, now, there you go.  It's all right for you to demand that I respond to 
your questions, else you will stop posting, but it is not all right for me to 
ask that Jeff respond to mine?  

When and if Jeff chooses to answer the many questions I have asked him, then 
I will be happy to try to answer your questions, but I don't want to try to 
do both at the same time, if that is all right with you.  What I want Jeff to 
respond to are these questions:

Does Jeff believe that

1.  Mark intended to his audience read sleeping disciples story at Mark 
14:32-41 in light of the sleeping servants parable at Mark 13:32-37?

2.  Mark's purpose in writing the first parable was in part to prepare his 
audience to understand from the second story that the disciples failed Jesus, 
again?

3.  Jesus had been kept Mark's audience waiting already seventy years, and 
Mark hoped with both stories to teach them that Jesus wanted Mark's audience 
to be patient and to continue to wait for him, i.e., not fall asleep, like 
the foolish disciples?

4.  That Mark had Jesus mention that the "body is weak" because will power 
alone is not enough to keep one's eyes open, because the body needs its 
sleep, and will take that sleep against one's will, and that prayer to God 
was necessary to keep awake while they waited for Jesus to return?

5.  That the connectivity between the dependent sleeping disciples story and 
the antecedent sleeping servants parable is broken if Gibson is correct?  The 
first parable is Mark warning his audience to remain awake while waiting for 
Jesus, and the second parable, rather than fulfilling the readers' 
anticipation of yet another failure on the disciples and being a warning to 
them not to fall asleep like the disciples, is instead a message about not 
testing God?


Now, I'm not asking for Mark affirm once again that he believes that his 
analysis of the Greek forces him to conclude that Jesus wanted the disciples 
to pray that they don't test God.  I already know that is what he has 
concluded, and that he believes he has evidence to back up that claim.  

What I would like is for Mark to answer yes or no to each of the questions 
above, if he doesn't mind, and if that's possible.  Then, once I know for 
sure what he believes, we can move forward from there, a step at a time, 
without misunderstanding or confusion, and without being sidetracked by 
arguments on the side with other members.  Of course, I expect and hope other 
members will offer their opinions, but I would prefer to focus on one person 
at a time.



Regards,

Joe
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Joseph F. Alward, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Physics
University of the Pacific 
Stockton CA 95201
email:  JFAlward AT aol.com

Web Page:  "A Skeptical View of Christianity and the Bible"
http://members.aol.com/jalw/joseph_alward.html