a new 'Mythicist' commentary on Mark

Discussion about the New Testament, apocrypha, gnostics, church fathers, Christian origins, historical Jesus or otherwise, etc.
Beverly Devry-Smith
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a new 'Mythicist' commentary on Mark

Post by Beverly Devry-Smith »

Hi everybody! I'd like to be so bold as invite others to
take a look at my work-in-progress commentary on the gospel of Mark
from what could be termed a mythicist point of view.
I intend only to show clearly by this work that Mark is a 'fan-fiction'
taking poetry and ideas from the Jewish scriptures in Greek translation
to forge a didactic novels in a series of vignettes ironically depicting the Jewish
God incarnate yet unrecognized. Please check out my work at
https://cleverlydevisedmyth.blogspot.com
Thank you!
Giuseppe
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Re: a new 'Mythicist' commentary on Mark

Post by Giuseppe »

A very good work! Thank you and best prosecution!
Nihil enim in speciem fallacius est quam prava religio. -Liv. xxxix. 16.
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MrMacSon
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Re: a new 'Mythicist' commentary on Mark

Post by MrMacSon »

Beverly Devry-Smith wrote: Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:57 pm
Hi everybody! I'd like to be so bold as invite others to take a look at my work-in-progress commentary on the gospel of Mark
from what could be termed a mythicist point of view.
I intend only to show clearly by this work that Mark is a 'fan-fiction' taking poetry and ideas from the Jewish scriptures in Greek translation
to forge a didactic novels in a series of vignettes ironically depicting the Jewish God incarnate yet unrecognized.
Please check out my work at https://cleverlydevisedmyth.blogspot.com
Thank you!
Wow. There's a lot of work there. The url-link in your Opening Post lands on 'Chapter Six of Mark's Gospel', so maybe best for others to then click on the top url in the list on the right ie. https://cleverlydevisedmyth.blogspot.co ... ospel.html
Giuseppe
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Re: a new 'Mythicist' commentary on Mark

Post by Giuseppe »

Are the gospels misunderstood novels? They appear to be a kind of ancient "Fan-fiction" that is always in the process of continuing and yet carefully rewriting the Old Testament stories in the context of Rome's inimitable power, social/racial problems and to answer the theological crisis arising after the Herodian Temple's obliteration.
I would disagree only with the last phrase, since I think that all that midrash from OT is better explained as a defense of the essential Jewishness of Jesus against the threat of the his coming Gnostic co-optation (and relative his de-ethnicization and alienation from the his Jewish roots) in the first half of the second century. The Gnostics were successfully co-opting already Paul as their apostle. So a Gospel was necessary.
Nihil enim in speciem fallacius est quam prava religio. -Liv. xxxix. 16.
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MrMacSon
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Re: a new 'Mythicist' commentary on Mark

Post by MrMacSon »

Are the gospels misunderstood novels? They appear to be a kind of ancient "Fan-fiction" that is always in the process of continuing and yet carefully rewriting the Old Testament stories in the context of Rome's inimitable power, social/racial problems and to answer the theological crisis arising after the Herodian Temple's obliteration.
Giuseppe wrote: Thu Jul 12, 2018 3:31 am I would disagree only with the last phrase, since I think that all that midrash from OT is better explained as a defense of the essential Jewishness of Jesus against the threat of.. his coming Gnostic co-optation (and relative his de-ethnicization and alienation from the his Jewish roots) in the first half of the second century. The Gnostics were successfully co-opting already Paul as their apostle. So a Gospel was necessary.
"the essential Jewishness of Jesus" seems to be at odds with "his de-ethnicization and alienation from the his Jewish roots"

What do you mean by "all that midrash from OT" ?

Paul may not have been co-opted by the Gnostics. The Pauline texts may well have initially been Gnostic.



I agree that the gospels appear to reflect continuing "rewriting [of] the Old Testament stories in the context of the theological crisis arising after the Herodian Temple's obliteration" and ongoing social/racial problems, both due to Rome's inimitable power.
Beverly Devry-Smith
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Re: a new 'Mythicist' commentary on Mark

Post by Beverly Devry-Smith »

thanks everyone, I will post some rewritten excerpts on the forum here.
I do need to figure out how to do something about the full chapters being out of order on my blog,
but I think everyone will be surprised by my findings. I am going to ignore/be agnostic about
the provenance of the gospel, I don't speculate on when or why Mark was written — I just wanted to point out it's tendencies. Sp Gnosticism and such will be ignored. I focus mostly on how Mark is changing Judaism.
Giuseppe
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Re: a new 'Mythicist' commentary on Mark

Post by Giuseppe »

MrMacSon wrote: Thu Jul 12, 2018 4:05 am "the essential Jewishness of Jesus" seems to be at odds with "his de-ethnicization and alienation from the his Jewish roots"
''Mark'' could insist that the crucified was the one called ''king of the Jews'' only to reiterate again and again that the crucified one was not the ''Son of the Father'' (=''Barabbas'') of the Gnostics. Not because Jerusalem is been destroyed by the Romans.
What do you mean by "all that midrash from OT" ?
What Beverly Devry-Smith has called ''the process of continuing and yet carefully rewriting the Old Testament stories''.
Sp Gnosticism and such will be ignored. I focus mostly on how Mark is changing Judaism.
The Gnostic threat is the only possible explanation behind the Barabbas/'Son of Father' episode. So I can disqualify the total correctness of the your exegesis in advance. :whistling:
Nihil enim in speciem fallacius est quam prava religio. -Liv. xxxix. 16.
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Kapyong
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Re: a new 'Mythicist' commentary on Mark

Post by Kapyong »

Gday Beverley :)

Looks interesting, will read.

Have you seen the work of Michael Turton ?
He covers some similar ground on G.Mark :

"Historical Commentary on the Gospel of Mark"
http://www.michaelturton.com/Mark/GMark_index.html

Kapyong
Beverly Devry-Smith
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Re: a new 'Mythicist' commentary on Mark

Post by Beverly Devry-Smith »

I was my intention to go over all the things I felt Michael Turton didn't touch on.
And to make a free resource concerning the LXX use by the evangelists.
My main conclusion is that the text now called Mark is a mockery of 'Simon Peter' or whatever he is supposed to represent.
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Peter Kirby
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Re: a new 'Mythicist' commentary on Mark

Post by Peter Kirby »

Beverly Devry-Smith wrote: Thu Jul 12, 2018 5:45 am I do need to figure out how to do something about the full chapters being out of order on my blog,
I think it's fine to maintain the reverse order that is natural to blogs. It's an understood convention.

(At least, while it's still being written. Maybe republish again when it's done.)
"... almost every critical biblical position was earlier advanced by skeptics." - Raymond Brown
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