Mark 1:2-3
Carlton Winbery (winbery@andria.lacollege.edu)
Thu, 20 Feb 1997 10:14:00 -0600
Carl Conrad wrote;
>>Brian E. Wilson wrote:
>>Mk 1.2 reads:
>>
>> KAQWJ GEGRAPTAI EN TW HSAIA TW PROFHTH, IDOY APOSTELLW TON ANGELLON
>>MOU PRO PROSWPOU SOU hOJ KATASKEUASEI THN hODON SOU.
>>
>> I have set my computer to search repeatedly through the Greek version
>>of HSAIAJ to find some sort of match to this quotation. After several
>>days, the machine is still busy, even though the cpu works at 75
>>megahertz. I have assumed the inerrancy of Mk 1.2. Can someone please
>>rescue my computer from an infinite loop?! I would like to use it for
>>something else! A friend tells me that he has the same problem with Mt
>>27.9 and hIEREMIAJ.
>>Brian E. Wilson
>
>Did you ever hear the old "MTA song" about the guy who can't get off the
>Boston subway? "He rides forever 'neath the streets of Boston: he's the man
>who never returned!"
>
>Others will advise you (hopefully) on the computer question, but regarding
>Mk 1:2, let me say that I don't think this is a question of inerrancy; Mark
>conflates two OT passages here: 1:2 is from Malachi 3:1 while the passage
>attached to it in 1:3 without interruption is from Isaiah 40:3. Mark
>intends to identify John the Baptist with Elijah and the key word actually
>appears in the line-ending EN THi ERHMWi in Isaiah 40:3, which he picks up
>in 1:4 BAPTIZWN EN THi ERHMWi. In my opinion, Mark is not actually
>mis-stating the source of his citation, although it would appear that
>Matthew later alters the phrasing to make this clearer; what Mark is doing
>is conflating two passages, using as an introduction the Malachi 3:1
>segment to speak of a "messenger" to appear before the Lord (Jesus), but
>the KEY part of his citation is in 1:3, where he makes that link between
>the phrase EN THi ERHMWi in OT Scripture--in Isaiah 40:3 and the historical
>appearance of John the Baptist EN THi ERHMWi in 1:4.
>
I would agree with Carl on the chosing of scripture quotes around a theme.
I would think tho that the theme is centered around the theme of hH hODOS
from both Malachi and Isaiah. This word will than be used in key places
the rest of the "way" thru Mark's gospel. Subsidiary themes will develop
such as "disciples," "following," and finally "going before." One of the
most dramatic emphases on the theme is in 12:14 where even his enemies
admit that he "truly teaches the way of God." All elements of this theme
come together in 10:32 where they are "in the way," he is "going before,"
and they are "following" tho fearing all the way. The ultimate promise is
that he would meet them in Galilee (14:28 & 16:7 at the end of the book).