Galatians 1 & Mark 1
Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2020 3:46 pm
Mark's story of Jesus in the wilderness as midrash on Paul's time in "Arabia."
The adverb euthus/eutheos is rare in Paul, but Mark uses it constantly.
The KJV and many modern translations render the "splitting" (schism) of the heavens as opening, as though it were merely a pair of elevator doors parting so that the Holy Spirit could slip through. This fits a certain theology of divine transcendence. But σχιζομένους has to be rendered as tearing, dividing, rending, splitting, dividing.
Perhaps it is not only the Holy Spirit who descends, but also Satan, his beasts [θηρία], and some good angels too. (A therion in the NT is often Satan or his representative, such as the snake-like creature that Paul shakes into the fire in Acts 28.) The warring sons of the Most High bring their war to earth.
The Christ must divide and separate himself from the evil son of God.
Paul must divide and separate himself from the Law and the pillars.
Galatians 1:
15 But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased [εὐδόκησεν]
16 to reveal his son in me so that I might preach him among the gentiles, straightaway [εὐθέως] I did not consult with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.
15 But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased [εὐδόκησεν]
16 to reveal his son in me so that I might preach him among the gentiles, straightaway [εὐθέως] I did not consult with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.
Mark 1:
9 It happened that in those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 Immediately [εὐθὺς] coming up out of the water he saw the heavens splitting/opening [σχιζομένους], and the spirit like a dove descending upon him;
11 and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are my beloved son, in you I am well-pleased [εὐδόκησα].”
12 Immediately [εὐθὺς] the spirit thrust him out into the wilderness.
13 And he was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels were serving him.
9 It happened that in those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 Immediately [εὐθὺς] coming up out of the water he saw the heavens splitting/opening [σχιζομένους], and the spirit like a dove descending upon him;
11 and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are my beloved son, in you I am well-pleased [εὐδόκησα].”
12 Immediately [εὐθὺς] the spirit thrust him out into the wilderness.
13 And he was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels were serving him.
The adverb euthus/eutheos is rare in Paul, but Mark uses it constantly.
The KJV and many modern translations render the "splitting" (schism) of the heavens as opening, as though it were merely a pair of elevator doors parting so that the Holy Spirit could slip through. This fits a certain theology of divine transcendence. But σχιζομένους has to be rendered as tearing, dividing, rending, splitting, dividing.
Perhaps it is not only the Holy Spirit who descends, but also Satan, his beasts [θηρία], and some good angels too. (A therion in the NT is often Satan or his representative, such as the snake-like creature that Paul shakes into the fire in Acts 28.) The warring sons of the Most High bring their war to earth.
The Christ must divide and separate himself from the evil son of God.
Paul must divide and separate himself from the Law and the pillars.