Mar 3, 2008

Ruminations on the Gospel of Mark

So the Gospel of Mark might have been written around 68 AD. One theory has it that Mark, the author, was an associate of Peter who wrote down many of Peter's teachings (and in this case, remembrances of Jesus). Some also think that Mark might have been the young man who ran away naked after being seized by the Romans.

It is possible that Mark might have been all of the above. In Jewish culture, a young man was roughly 12 or 13 years old. If he had been that age, and let's say that happened roughly around 32 AD (or even 28 AD), that would make Mark around 48 years old at minimum. So it is highly possible that Peter's disciple Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark.

My professor argues that Mark was written in Galilee for Galileans. Not so sure...there is a strong Roman presence in Mark. I'm thinking Mark wrote it for the persecuted Christians in Rome under Nero.

So is Mark a story of Jesus or can we accurately treat it as an eyewitness report, since the majority of Mark would have been from the perspective of Peter? Story vs first hand account, or report, is the question. My professor argues that Mark is a story, written through the lens of one or multiple people, and that the book was shaped by many factors (Roman persecution, nationality, age, etc). Obviously he doesn't subscribe to the belief that the Holy Spirit might have had a hand in things.

Pretty interesting that God used a disciple of an apostle to write a Gospel. So I guess Peter must have laid hands on Mark and baptized him in the Holy Spirit. But I guess that when Mark died, the Holy Spirit died with him. Or at least his "apostles'" power, since as everyone knows, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were only for the apostles and the early church.

Right?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

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Date: March 20
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Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Hi Stu. I actually came across your blog by reading about your "Expelled" experience. I even wrote a bit about some of your comments on my own blog. You're famous now!

This post was interesting food for thought...regarding this bit--"Pretty interesting that God used a disciple of an apostle to write a Gospel. So I guess Peter must have laid hands on Mark and baptized him in the Holy Spirit. But I guess that when Mark died, the Holy Spirit died with him. Or at least his "apostles'" power, since as everyone knows, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were only for the apostles and the early church."

Why would Mark have to be "baptized in the Spirit" by Peter to write the book? And, if we go with that line of thinking, does that mean Luke would have had to be "baptized in the Spirit" also? Who would have laid hands on him? Paul?

I'm not sure about the gifts being for today or not...it's not something I have a strong stance on one way or the other, but I'll freely admit I tend to automatically wrinkle my nose when I hear certain pastors/churches/televangelists talk about the gifts of the Spirit. :)

Cheers!

Airtightnoodle's Blog

Stuart B said...

That last paragraph was me taking a shot at some people, especially the part about how the Holy Spirit's gifts were only given through the laying on of the apostles hands.

I grew up believing that the gifts weren't for today, that they had ceased. Since then, I have actually looked at the texts, and have come to the conclusion that they are just as alive as ever!

I'm more infamous than famous right now.

Anyways, in order for someone to write with any spiritual authority, they had to have been baptized in the Spirit, which happened at Pentecost. In fact, throughout the whole Bible, the Spirit came upon each author, as it is recorded. Hence, God "cowrote" the Bible.

The gifts are different, of course. When I refer to direct Spirit gifts, I'm thinking prophecy, laying on of hands, healing, speaking in tongues, etc. Pentecostal powers. Otherwise, every believer who has the Spirit (but not the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, 2 very distinct things) will receive the love, joy, peace, etc, that are the Fruit of the Spirit. Fruit vs Gifts.

So...helpful?