Mt 7:28

Jim West jwest at Highland.Net
Tue Aug 4 07:32:53 EDT 1998


At 08:41 AM 8/4/98 -0400, you wrote:

>>Another difficulty.  The crowd is offended- so the priests dont want to
>>arrest him.  This weighs against my thesis- but, so far, is the only place
>>that does.
>
>Do you really believe this, Jim? Most will read this to mean that the high
>priets and scribes feel that their hands are tied in acting against Jesus
>because the crowd is strongly in Jesus' favor. So they must bide their time
>and wait for a more favorable opportunity--arrest him stealthily when the
>crowds are not present.

I'm sorry- I did not express myself clearly here.  My intention was to say
this it was not likely that "offended" would be a good way of understanding
the verb in question here- thus, in this instance, my thesis is undermined.
The crowd is, in fact, amazed at Jesus and for that reason the priests did
not arrest him.



>>I didn't know I was a Heideggerian (though I am by confession an unabashed
>>Bultmannian)  :)
>
>Were you not aware that Bultmann's theology was heavily influenced by
>Heidegger? 

yes, of course.  :)

>The celebrated "demythologization" scheme certainly leaned on
>Heidegger. Personally, however, I'm more impressed by the enduring
>achievement of Bultmann's synoptic criticism than by the theology.
>

I have always been a fan of his sermons most of all.

In all of this I have merely suggested that the traditional way of viewing
the reaction of the crowd may not be correct.  It may be; but it may not.
The texts cited can, in many instances, be read either way, it seems to me.

But, as always Carl, your insights are extremely useful.

Best,

Jim

++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jim West, ThD
Adjunct Professor of Bible
Quartz Hill School of Theology

jwest at highland.net




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