robert j wrote:I agree with your conclusion that "with anger" is the more original reading here. However,
JoeWallack wrote:The leper is supposedly physically cleaned of leprosy but more importantly is spiritually "cleaned" because of faith.
Just how much faith did the leper show? It seems mixed at best, having faith that Jesus could heal him, but expressing some doubt that Jesus would be willing.
And a leper comes to Him, imploring Him and kneeling down, and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You are able to cleanse me." (Mark 1:40)
JW:
1
40 And there cometh to him a leper, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
41 And being moved with anger, he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou made clean.
To the Reader, the leper is being described as being
humble,
cometh to him a leper,
beseeching him, and
kneeling down to him, and saying unto him,
If thou wilt. "Mark's" (author) Jesus is insulted at the supposed questioning of Jesus' willingness to heal. This is
primarily about Jesus' reaction and secondarily about the faith of the leper. Per Aristotle's
Poetics good Greek Tragedy is plausible. Plausible reasons/motivations are given for actions. This helps the audience identify with the character as they think it is possible and could happen, even to them. GMark is commonly (mis)thought to be all about everyone's reaction to Jesus when it is about
everyone's reaction including Jesus'. Here Jesus' reaction is to a recipient of healing. At the corresponding 3:5 Jesus' reaction is to the Jewish leaders audience. At 6 Jesus' reaction is to his home town audience. In classic Greek Tragedy the hero will lose to Fate. In GMark Jesus loses to fate. The ability of his Disciples to not have faith is stronger than his ability to give them faith. GMark is fate, and not faith, accomplices.
This is all a preQue to Paul and his "crucify your Passions". Paul's use of "passions" = strong negative emotions such as anger. "Mark's" Jesus' successful ability to crucify his passions from his Teaching & Healing Ministry could not be properly observed, reflected on and acted upon by Jesus' fellow characters because they were a part of The Play. Only
after it all supposedly happened could someone, not part of the performance, appreciate and understand the significance (explicitly used by Paul in
Galatians). In classic Greek Tragedy the hero loses to fate, but this loss lesson is the reason the audience will not. Jesus can win in the future, just don't be like Peter.
Note the literary style of "Mark" where the beginning (1:41) and ending (3:5) of Jesus' Galilean mission is framed by his anger (probably the best Internal evidence for "anger" being original to 1:41.)
Joseph
Son Control - Mark's 2nd Amendment. Was "son of God" Added Later to Mark 1:1? The Greek Patristic Evidence.