Kata Markon

["Siang Nuan Leong" <faithlsn AT hotmail.com>]

Dear Markan scholars,

Since the completion of my Th.M. thesis on Mark I have very much a burden in 
me to develop my findings in the Th.M. thesis further. I hope that I can 
make some significant contributions to the study of Mark in particular, and 
to the Gospels in general, as I feel that I have hit on some important 
considerations in the functioning of the historic present in Mark, with 
direct implications to the understanding of the focal message of Mark. From 
my observation of the Markan text, the episode-initial historic presents 
function predominantly to organize the gospel narrative into segments and 
hierarchical arrangements, whereas the mid-episodic historic presents 
highlight subtle semantic interrelationships that are intended by the author 
to focus the reader/audience on main message of the gospel. Both kinds of 
historic presents though working differently ultimately fulfill the single 
semantic function of pointing the reader/audience to what the author is 
getting at through the narrative. I will be attempting to condense what I 
have learnt from my Th.M. thesis and present it in the SBL International 
meeting in Singapore (26 June - 1 July 2005).

For some time now, I have been trying to find a suitable place of study and 
a PhD supervisor who is interested in what I am doing and who can help me 
develop my understanding of the gospel of Mark, and perhaps that of the 
other gospels, further. The understanding of the function of the historic 
present in Mark with its ultimate semantic role, has led me away from the 
technicalities of the historic present into the overwhelming narrative of 
Mark, which is seen to have a strong polemical message delivered in a subtle 
and hidden manner. The polemic message of Mark attacks the exclusive concept 
of religion held by the Jewish religious leaders, and even by Jesus' own 
disciples, which hinders others from entering the kingdom of God. The 
message of Mark speaks for the universal nature of the good news to the 
outcast and those deemed "unclean" from the perspective of the elitist 
Jewish leaders. What has surfaced through the reading of Mark are the 
cutting satirical elements aimed at Jesus' adversaries -- elements that 
would make the knowing reader laugh and the ones attacked seeth with rage 
(just that I wonder how many of Jesus' adversaries understood that Mark was 
referring to them).

My understanding of Mark stems from a more text-based approach that pays 
attention to the interrelationships between the various parts of the whole 
narrative. Currently, I am very lacking in the areas of the historical and 
social approaches, as my previous training was not too geared towards those 
areas. Even so there are sufficient elements in the text to guide the 
careful reader into the above reading, together with the hints afforded by 
the historic presents.

If the above understanding of Mark can be established there could be serious 
implications on our way of reading the other gospels as well.

I write to you scholars who have been in the scholarship world of Mark for 
some (or a long) time with the hope that you can give me some advice on the 
business of pursuing a Ph.D. course geared at developing the above thesis. I 
would appreciate information on prospective schools, supervisors and 
scholarships available for the task, for I am in "labor-pains" in trying to 
give birth a concept that has been in my heart since my Th.M. studies but 
perhaps with certain time constraints to complete the task.

Thank you for any kind of help and advice you can render me.

Yours sincerely,
Siang Nuan Leong
Singapore Bible College

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