Parallels between Mark 6.14-29 and the Esther traditions.

[iskander]

Esther

Esther , note 1

[Kunigunde Kreuzerin]

And how plausible does it seem to you that Jewish commentators would find connections to Esther in a Christian text and choose to strengthen them rather than to supplant or redirect them?

I agree that such a scenario is rather unlikely.

But I could imagine friendly or fact-bound discussions between Jews and Christians about the Jewish scriptures and also about the book/books of Esther and the variants of the stories and traditions (the real “dialogues with Trypho”). In such circles Christians could tell about Mark’s and Matthew’s allusion to Esther and some Jews could be interested in. Impressive details like the head on the platter could find the way back in the Jewish storytelling.

(btw Esther Rabbah und Targum scheni accepted not only the MT, but also elements of the LXX - the two royal decrees, the scene with Esther and her two maids before the king and the dream of Mordecai).

[rakovsky]

You know the book of Esther predated Mark and parts of the storY of John the Baptist parallel Esther. One possibility could be real synchronicity. John B. was famous in the 1st c. and some of John's followers became Christians, so Mark could easily be including those real contemporary stories about John B in his gospel and they really could have some coincidences with Esther's story, since they both involved a king's romance and politicized marriages.