The fact that Clement of Alexandria adopted the name “Titus Flavius Clemens” implies approval of the original Clemens. So it’s no surprise that Clement allows good Christians to be wealthy. Clement cites the Gospel of Mark as primary among the synoptics. These two details are consistent with the picture I paint in The Two Gospels…
Think-Blog
What does “Herodians” mean in the Gospel of Mark?
Executive summary “Herodians” appear in the text of Mk 3:6 and 12:13. I believe that they were added by an editor. During the performance of the Gospel of Mark, there were no Herodians onstage. Herodians do not speak or contribute anything distinctive to the action. The name is a distinction without a difference. Because Mark’s…
Matthew created Mt 8:5-13, which characterizes the centurion as a man of faith, in order to retain him at the crucifixion
In the Gospel of Mark, the author gave the Roman centurion the last word at the crucifixion: “Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” (Mk 15:39 NRSV) I suggest that Matthew wanted to avoid the ambiguity of…
I doubt the existence of a church at Corinth
I Corinthians and 1 Clement are epistles addressed to a church at Corinth. 1 Corinthians is ascribed to Paul and 1 Clement is ascribed to the leader of the Roman congregation. Both letters concern factions within a congregation (1 Cor 1.11 and 1 Clem 1.1). It is odd that both Paul of Asia Minor, and…
The history of the Basilica of Saint Clement in Rome is consistent with my scenario
The archaeology and early history of the Basilica of Saint Clement in Rome are consistent with my book, The Two Gospels of Mark: Performance and Text. The archaeology links Pope Clement I to a church that began as a first-century private house. Tthe papal name “Clement I” was retroactively applied to the period in which…
What was the title of Mark’s play?
Here I investigate the title of the play behind the Gospel of Mark. In antiquity, comedies and mime plays seem to have been named for the profession or a particular quality of the main character, e.g., “The Grouch” or “The Girl from Samos.” Sometimes, the name referred to a plot development, “The False Accuser.” The…
Sergius Paulus (Acts of the Apostles) = Titus Flavius Clemens (Mark’s world)?
Summary Acts 13:7 mentions “the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God” (NRSV here and hereafter). In other words, an elite Gentile, the highest civilian official of Cyprus, is interested in (proto-)Christianity. The character “John whose other name was Mark” of Jerusalem has…
Breaking bread in the Roman world: The panis quadratus
What does “breaking bread” mean in ancient texts (Mark 14:22, Acts 2:42, 2:46, etc.)? Look at one of the contemporary types of bread, the panis quadratus. The top is scored into equal sections. Usually there are eight sections, but an image from Pompeii shows a candidate for office distributing larger breads with 12 sections. The…
In the Gospel of Mark, why does Jesus appear in Galilee?
In the Gospel of Mark, why does Jesus appear in Galilee, and not in some other place? There are three good reasons why Jesus appears in Galilee. First, the Sea of Galilee borders the Galilee. Mark can have characters in his story who are fishermen. He can stage scenes that use a boat, such as…
Questions and comments about the book
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