Mark's relation to Gnosticism...
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 7:57 am
Of course "Gnosticism" is a somewhat loaded term, and covers a wide range of different views, but in this case I generally mean non-orthodox worshipers of Jesus who believed that the God of the Jews was evil or an oppressor of some kind and that there was a higher God of love and goodness, who was the Father of Jesus.
I believe I have an understanding of the relationship of the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John to Gnosticism. Matthew and Luke are reactionary to Gnosticism -- produced in response to Gnostic teachings. Both appropriate Marcion's Gospel. The Gospel of John is actually Gnostic, or at least certain layers of it are. The canonical version of John is an orthodox revision of a prior Gnostic work that was itself a compilation of multiple Gnostic interpretations of the Markan story.
But what was Mark? I've long though that Mark was the first narrative about Jesus being a person on earth. Mark was the first narrative to claim that Jesus was crucified under Pilate. Mark doesn't shows obvious signs that it was written in reaction to Marcionism or other forms of Gnosticism, at least not that I see.
But, was Mark written in reaction to Gnosticism or was Mark written as an advancement of Gnostic ideas? Is Mark completely unaware of Gnosticism?
Mark clearly makes extensive use of the Jewish scriptures, but does so in a peculiar way. In most case Mark uses the scriptures in a covert way, building upon them without overtly citing them. The disciples don't understand who Jesus is or what his teachings mean. Peter is identified as Satan. None of the disciples are present at the Crucifixion.
Is the use of the Jewish scriptures a connection to Judaism or meant as a refutation of it? The events of the narrative come from the scriptures, but was this meant to show that the Jews didn't understand their own scriptures? That was certainly a later charge.
So does Mark use the Jewish scriptures to refute the Gnostic claim that Jesus wasn't foretold by the Jewish scriptures?
Does Mark use the Jewish scriptures to support the Gnostic claim that the Jews didn't understand their own scriptures?
Does Mark use the Jewish scriptures in a way that had nothing to do with Gnosticism one way or another?
I believe I have an understanding of the relationship of the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John to Gnosticism. Matthew and Luke are reactionary to Gnosticism -- produced in response to Gnostic teachings. Both appropriate Marcion's Gospel. The Gospel of John is actually Gnostic, or at least certain layers of it are. The canonical version of John is an orthodox revision of a prior Gnostic work that was itself a compilation of multiple Gnostic interpretations of the Markan story.
But what was Mark? I've long though that Mark was the first narrative about Jesus being a person on earth. Mark was the first narrative to claim that Jesus was crucified under Pilate. Mark doesn't shows obvious signs that it was written in reaction to Marcionism or other forms of Gnosticism, at least not that I see.
But, was Mark written in reaction to Gnosticism or was Mark written as an advancement of Gnostic ideas? Is Mark completely unaware of Gnosticism?
Mark clearly makes extensive use of the Jewish scriptures, but does so in a peculiar way. In most case Mark uses the scriptures in a covert way, building upon them without overtly citing them. The disciples don't understand who Jesus is or what his teachings mean. Peter is identified as Satan. None of the disciples are present at the Crucifixion.
Is the use of the Jewish scriptures a connection to Judaism or meant as a refutation of it? The events of the narrative come from the scriptures, but was this meant to show that the Jews didn't understand their own scriptures? That was certainly a later charge.
So does Mark use the Jewish scriptures to refute the Gnostic claim that Jesus wasn't foretold by the Jewish scriptures?
Does Mark use the Jewish scriptures to support the Gnostic claim that the Jews didn't understand their own scriptures?
Does Mark use the Jewish scriptures in a way that had nothing to do with Gnosticism one way or another?