the intent of Mk. 14:38

Jeffrey B. Gibson jgibson000 at home.com
Wed May 30 16:25:21 EDT 2001


dixonps at juno.com wrote:

>
> Agreed that there are two lifestyles being contrasted by Christ,
> faithfulness versus unfaithfulness, but does Mark even refer to the
> unfaithful generation that perished in the wilderness?  If not, then what
> is the basis for taking Mk 14:38 as a warning against the disciples
> testing God like that wicked generation?
>

Have a look at Mk. 8:11-13 where you have the concatenation of "generation"
and "testing" as well as echoes in the seeking of proofs of what the
wilderness generation did. Then there's Jesus himself recapitulating the
wilderness generation's experience of being tested to see whether they would
remain faithful or put God to the test in Mk. 1:12-13 (note the reference to
40, wilderness, and "testing").

> >
> > Then there's the larger issue of whether PEIRASMOS **ever** means
> > "temptation". But B-Greek readers from long ago know where I stand on
> that one.
>
> In James 1:13 it says God PEIRAZEI ...  OUDENA.  In Gen 22:1, however, it
> says hO QEOS EPEIRASEN ABRAAM.
> How can God both PEIRAZEI no one, and PEIRAZEI Abraham?  Only if the the
> word has two different nuances: tempting toward sin and testing for
> faithfulness, respectively.

We've gone round on this one before. It may be that this is the exception
which proves the rule on the meaning of PEIRASMOS.

Yours,

Jeffrey


--
Jeffrey B. Gibson, D.Phil. (Oxon.)
7423 N. Sheridan Road #2A
Chicago, Illinois 60626
e-mail jgibson000 at home.com





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