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In proto-Mark the "released" were the "two robbers" and not Barabbas

Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2020 11:08 am
by Giuseppe
The readers know already my view on Barabbas: a late anti-marcionite corruption to denigrate the Marcion's Son of Father.

Now I can realize who was "released" originally in proto-Mark, once Barabbas is excluded as absolutely a late anti-marcionite addition.

The two robbers are mentioned too much after the readers have already realized that Jesus was crucified.


Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
16
The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers.
17
They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him.
18
And they began to call out to him, "Hail, king of the Jews!"
19
Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him.
20
And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
21
A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.
22
They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).
23
Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.
24
And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
25
It was the third hour when they crucified him.
26
The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27
They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.


Removing the anti-marcionite interpolations (easily recognizable as meant to identify Jesus with the Jewish Christ), I gain:

Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Then they led him out to crucify him.

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.
22
They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).
23
Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.
24
And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
25
It was the third hour when they crucified him.
26
They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.

By removing the anti-Basilides interpolation, i.e. the mention of the Cyrenaic, I gain still:


Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Then they led him out to crucify him.

They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).
23
Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.
24
And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
25
It was the third hour when they crucified him.
26
They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.

Now it is even more evident the redundancy raised by the mention of the crucifixion of the two robbers. That redundancy is sign of interpolation.

Hence the solution is the following:


Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released two robbers to them. And he handed him over to be crucified.

They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).
23
Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.
24
And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
25
It was the third hour when they crucified him.

By semplifying still:

Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released two robbers to them. And he handed him over to be crucified in the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).

Hence the original opposition was not between Jesus and Barabbas, but between Jesus and the two robbers.

But who were the two robbers, then?

They were Moses and Elijah. The irony would be that Pilate is doing what the historical Marcion did: the Law and Prophets are "released" to the only Jews, while the Son of Man is given to Gentiles.

Now, note what the Judaizers did.

By having the two robbers crucified, and by introducing Barabbas, the message is changed: the Law and Prophets share the glory of the Son of Man. They are given to gentiles, too (==they are crucified). The Law and Prophets seem "to curse" the Crucified Jesus (==the crucified robbers insult Jesus), but really they confirm his messianic status.

In whiletime, Jesus Bar-Abbas ("Jesus Son of Father") becomes the new evildoer in the place of the Law and Prophets (Moses and Elijah).

I love this interpretation. :cheers:

Re: In proto-Mark the "released" were the "two robbers" and not Barabbas

Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2020 11:21 am
by Giuseppe
Note also a striking corollary:
  • YHWH was known to have "given" the Law and Prophets to the Jewish people
  • But in proto-Mark (a marcionite allegory), Pilate is allegory of YHWH or his agent
  • THEREFORE: it is 100% expected that Pilate released the two robbers, Moses and Elijah. So the Law and Prophets are given to the Jews, a second time, by YHWH unmasked: the evil demiurge.