Summary When I wrote my book, The Two Gospels of Mark: Performance and Text, I assumed that the received text of the Joseph of Arimathea scene in the Gospel of Mark (Mk 15:42-46) preserved the performance of Mark’s play. I assumed that the audience heard …
Read MoreDramatic enactment of the Gospel of Mark by actor Max McLean
A YouTube search yields several dramatic readings of the Gospel of Mark, including an excellent one by actor David Suchet. But the dramatic enactment of the Gospel of Mark by actor Max McLean is in a class of its own. McLean dramatizes dialogue, of course. …
Read MoreThe fig tree episode in the Gospel of Mark is an editorial overwrite
Summary The episode of the cursing of the fig tree in the Gospel of Mark is not good theater. It follows the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and brackets the Temple Incident (TI). The fig-tree episode should have some relationship to either the triumph or to …
Read MoreReconstruction of the Pilate scene in the Gospel of Mark
Executive Summary In the Pilate scene in the Gospel of Mark, Mark invoked a name, “Pilate,” that had meaning to the audience of his play. We can assume that Mark expected the audience (in Rome 90-95 CE) to bring their knowledge of Pilate, that he …
Read MoreMark 13:14 is not by Mark
In my book, The Two Gospels of Mark: Performance and Text, I excluded Mark 13:14 from my proposed original Olivet Discourse. In the book, I did not have room to explain why. Here I give the reasons I think Mark 13:14 is not by Mark. …
Read MoreIs “Andrew” in the Gospel of Mark the name of the author?
Introduction When I wrote the book, The Two Gospels of Mark: Performance and Text, I concluded that the character “Andrew” (Greek: “Andreas”) was never on stage in the performance of the Gospel of Mark. “Andrew” is not necessary to the action, he does nothing individual, …
Read MoreWhat 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. …
Read MoreWhat 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 …
Read MoreIn the Gospel of Mark, why does Jesus appear in Galilee, and not in some other place?
The most obvious reason is: the Sea of Galilee is in Galilee. That allows Mark to have characters who are fishermen, and to stage scenes that involve boats. Second, Galilee is near enough to Jerusalem that Jesus and his entourage can plausibly, in the world …
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