Kata Markon

[Peter Head <pmh15 AT cam.ac.uk>]

Thanks Michael for your suggestions:


> > > As a discussion point: Imagine you have 10-12
> > lectures on Mark. What topics
> > > would you cover?
>
> 1. Mark as history and midrash -- To what extent is
> Mark a construction off 2 Kings and other OT texts
> (Brodie, _The Crucial Bridge_, for example), how does
> it incorporate history, and how do we know?

I am struggling with where to deal with historicity issues. Especially 
whether to give it a separate lecture, or to let it emerge via Genre, 
Setting, Discipleship type lectures. Probably if I do one it would be on 
Mark's sources and history rather than the kind of Tom Brodie stuff you are 
thinking of here. Hmmm.

> 2. Mark as a work of Hellenistic narrative -- what
> genres/techniques/motifs/structures does GMark share
> with other narratives of its day?

Yeah, Genre deserves a lecture. I think I'll try to do Genre and Original 
Form (Roll vs Codex) in one lecture. This also relates (at least partly) to 
history questions.


> 3. Mark in early Christian history -- how is Mark
> related to other texts (Paulines, Q, Thomas, Hebrews,
> Synoptics and John)

To me this is not such a big deal. Should it be?


> 4. Mark as narrative -- use of irony, doublets, and
> other literary features, structures, and motifs.
> Characters and their roles (disciples, minor figures,
> Jesus)

Yes, although it would be possible to introduce narrative issues into other 
lectures (e.g. disciples, Christology, God etc.), I am thinking that it 
would be helpful to students to have a straightforward intro to some 
narrative approaches and terminology.

> 5. Mark and Mark's Jesus from a theological standpoint
> -- Adoptionist? Theos Aner, Son of God? What is the
> Kingdom of God?

Yes, something on Mark's Christology definitely. I think also a lecture on 
Mark's God would be useful (Mark's view of Kingdom of God as subset of 
Mark's view of God). As mentioned these have opportunities for various 
narrative issues too (simple characterisation etc., let alone Danove).


> 6. The history of the text of Mark -- where has it
> been redacted, interpolated and edited? How can we
> tell?

Yes, not perhaps in exactly these terms; but something on the Text of Mark.



> 7. The date of Mark

No, not enough evidence (or significance) to warrant a lecture. Deal with 
it under Setting.


> 8. Orality in Mark. Was Mark meant to be performed?

No, doesn't need a lecture. Deal with this under Genre.



> 9. Community and Geography in Mark: where was Mark
> written? What was its community like?


Yep. The Setting of Mark.


> 10. The Social World of Mark: Jewish culture,
> Hellenistic culture, Roman rule, peasants.....

No, this is a second year class, they should know the basics. And they'll 
pick up lots more in their reading classes.


> 11. Just for fun: Controversies in Mark (4:11-12, the
> Naked Young Man of Mk 14, the Ending of Mark....

Hmmm. Maybe!

So, thanks for this. I'm just seeing what I've committed to by now:

1. Intro: Outline of Mark and Overview of Reception
2. The Greek of Mark
3. The Text of Mark
4. The Disciples in Mark
5. The Setting/Occasion of Mark
6. The Christology of Mark.
7. The Genre of Mark
8. The Narrative of Mark
9. The God of Mark
?? Historicity

Cheers

Pete



Peter M. Head, PhD
Sir Kirby Laing Senior Lecturer in New Testament
Tyndale House
36 Selwyn Gardens                                       Phone: (UK) 01223 
566607
Cambridge, CB3 9BA                                      Fax: (UK) 01223 566608
http://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Tyndale/staff/Head/Staff.htm