The Commentary Research Analysis Assignment[1]
Name: Kerri
Piercy
Course: Religion
102K
Date due: 3/29/02
Date Turned in: 3-29-02
Assigned Passage:
Mark 2:1-12
Grade: 99
Due at the end of the
week for Exam 2 (both regular and summer terms). Check your class Schedule page
for exact dates. Covers the activities of weeks 5-10 below. Use document submitted for Translation
Analysis assignment above; add the required items of this assignment to it. The
format of the assignment is more in the style of notes accumulated from study.
No final conclusions need to have been reached at this point on any of the
items; the important issue is to have identified the interpretative issues
present in the scripture text, and to project tentative conclusions reached
from your study. Counts as 25% of the Analysis Paper grade. Remember:
virtually no online commentaries qualify for use in this assignment, e.g.,
Matthew Henry's, People's Comentary, Geneva Bible etc. The required
materials (one volume commentaries, Bible
dictionaries, and commentary series) can be obtained from local
libraries, nearby university libraries, and especially your minister's personal
library. Let me encourage you to check with your pastor / priest and enlist
his/her help in locating and using the commentaries, Bible dictionaries etc.
This is basically a note-taking and reflection phase of the paper assignment.
Include the following items:
1.
Identify the marginal readings of words, phrases, clauses and
sentences from the translations.
Use the footnotes, that
is, the superscripted letters in the text of the NRSV from
the New
Oxford Annotated Bible as the starting point to identify these
alternative readings of the scripture text. These footnotes from the NRSV will
be the grading standard for the assignment. The NOSB study notes at the very
bottom of each page are not a part of the marginal readings; do not refer to these
for item 1! For an explanation of the different types of marginal readings in
the NRSV text go to item #4 Translator's Footnotes on page xvi and to #1
Variant Readings and Alternative Readings on page xvii. These are found
under How to Use This Study Bible Profitably in the front of your NOSB.
Also see the illustration in the marginal readings hyperlink. Check in the commentaries
for your passage for explanations of the nature and background of these variant
readings in the underlying Hebrew/Greek text of your passage. This material
will be placed in content footnotes in the body
of the final draft of your paper at the appropriate point in your outline of
the passage.
Summarize your findings here: There is only one footnote in the scripture passage of Mark 2:1-12, this being in verse 3. After the words, “then some people,” there is a footnote that has the Greek abbreviation and the word “they.” Not much information was found regarding this phrase, but it probably means that the original Greek text used the word “they” instead of “some people” to describe the men who brought the paralytic to Jesus. The modern translators may have included this to clarify the vagueness of who the “they” was in the Greek text.
2. Identify the literary genre of your biblical passage.
For a general
definition of genre click
here. For how this applies to biblical studies click here. First, identify the basic
literary form in which your passage is located: gospel, history, letter,
apocalypse. For the listing of the forms for the Hebrew Bible click
here. For the listing of the forms for the New Testament click here.
Describe the nature of this genre. Discuss the implications of this for
interpreting your passage. Use Bible dictionaries etc. for background
information. Next, identify the literary subgenera of your passage.
Remember: not every scripture passage falls into an identifiable sub forms. The
page NT-Genre will not list every possible sub-form. Use the commentaries
for your passage to find the precise identification for your passage. Describe
the nature of this literary sub form, using Bible dictionaries etc. for information.
Discuss the implications of this for interpreting your passage. This
material will be placed in the Introduction
of the final draft of your paper.
Summarize your findings here:
Broad Genre: This scripture passage in Mark falls under the broad genre of “Gospel.” There are three other books in the New Testament that are also classified as gospels. These are Matthew, Luke, and John. The word “gospel” comes from the Old English word “goodspell,” meaning a good story (mercer 342). Now, it has come to mean “good news” or in verb form, “to preach” the good news (mercer 342). In Mark, and in the New Testament, it can mean the “message of salvation” (inter 641). In some cases the word has come to mean the books that contain the stories of Jesus’ life, message, and death (mercer 342). These gospel books set out to spread the message of salvation by use of Jesus Christ in historical events (interpreter 629).
Mark 2:1-12 definitely is good news and portrays the goal of the gospels in its content. The passage uses an event where Jesus is proclaiming his news to many people to show them salvation. Although the gospel books are somewhat historical in context, the history used in these books greatly stresses the message of Christ in every event (inter 629). Gospels are distinctively different and not to be confused with historical or biographical works. These works are aimed only at retelling history and the stories of peoples’ lives, whereas the Gospels have a specific emphasis in mind (inter 629). The writers of the gospels were evangelists, meaning they did not seek to create a biography, as modern writers would be expected to do, but to record only the parts of Jesus’ life that pertain to salvation (harper 352).
This scripture passage is prime example of this aspect of the logic of the gospel books. The story told in these verses deals strictly with Jesus’ teaching and emphasis on salvation, forgiveness, and healing. Details, such as why Jesus was in Galilee, exactly where in Galilee he was, and what influenced him to speak, are not included in this passage, only his ministry process is. The entire passage is dealing with Jesus and his ministering to a crowd of people in Galilee. His ministry in this passage deals specifically with faith and the forgiveness of sins, which were prominent features of salvation. Those to which Jesus was ministering are also featured a great deal. Their reactions and thoughts are recorded, not their background and biographical details.
Sub-Genre: What takes place within Jesus’ ministry in this passage is an instance of a healing type of miracle, which makes the sub-genre “Healing Miracle.” Many miracles are contained within the New Testament. Typically a miracle is “an extraordinary event which is believed to be the result of divine intervention, interrupting the normal or expected course of things” (mercer 577). Miracles are different between the Old Testament and the New Testament books. Miracles are divided into three categories. These are exorcism, healing, and nature miracles. The passage of Mark 2:1-12 falls under the healing type.
Healing in the Bible was often used as a display of God’s power and sensitivity toward the suffering people, and is seen as a gift of God (mercer 217). This is extremely true in the case of this scripture passage, in which God heals a paralytic due to the faith of the men who had brought him to Jesus. Healings and disease go hand in hand in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, disease was often times seen in relation to the victim’s transgressions, but may not be the same in the New Testament (Mercer 217). Like in this passage, most of Jesus’ ministry was related to the needs of the sick (mercer 217). The healing of the paralytic in this passage is obvious in its classification in this sub-genre. Jesus definitely performs a miracle in this story because the crowd was so surprised that he made the paralytic able to walk again. As stated in the scripture, they were “amazed” at his actions.
Exorcism would not fit this passage because it deals with Jesus exercising the demons out of people and nature would not fit because, obviously, nature has nothing to do with this story. This passage fits the sub-genre of healing miracle very well. Jesus heals a sick paralytic and performs a miracle. This was undoubtedly an extraordinary event.
3. Analyze the internal thought
structure of your biblical passage.
Compare the paragraph
divisions of your passages starting with those translations used in the phase
one assignment. Remember: neither the ancient Hebrew nor the Greek texts
contained paragraphs. Paragraphs in modern translations are an editorial effort
to break the understood thought structure in a scripture pericope down into
smaller sub units of thought expression. Thus they can be helpful suggestions
of the internal literary structure of a passage. The category one type
translation will have the fewest number of paragraphs, if they are listed at
all. The category three type translation will have the greatest number of
paragraphs, because of their orientation to modern readers' comprehension of
the meaning of the scripture text. Consult commentaries
on your scripture passage for further suggestions. Draw your own conclusions
about the internal thought structure of your passage. Develop a working
outline of the passage. This will serve as the organizing structure for the
Body
section of the final draft of your paper. Include this outline in this phase
two assignment. Elaborate on the rationale for your outline.
Summarize your findings here: In examining the formatting of different translations of the passage, it can be seen that there are some differences in the grouping of ideas within it. The New Oxford Annotated Bible does not divide the passage, but leaves it as one paragraph. The NIV Disciple’s Study Bible, on the other hand, divides it into three small paragraphs- verses 1-5, 6-7, and 8-12 (1231). A more complex division seems to fit the passage and is as follows:
Outline:
I. Ministry to the Crowd (vv. 1-5)
A. Jesus Preaches to the Crowd (vv. 1-2)
B. Jesus Forgives the Paralytic (vv. 3-5)
II. Conflict Among the Crowd
A. Scribes Question Jesus (vv. 6-7)
B. Jesus Shows His Authority (vv. 8-12)
Rationale: This passage seems to move along quite nicely in its transitions from verse to verse. The first five verses are grouped together because they deal in particular with the time in which Jesus is ministering to the crowd. The first two verses set up the scene pretty well, explaining the great amount of people that were present, and the crowdedness of the house in which Jesus was speaking. These verses tell the reader that he was speaking the word, or the “good news.” Clearly, he is ministering. In verses 3 through 5, the paralytic and the men who brought him to Jesus become part of the crowd. Verse 3 tells of the men bringing him, and verses 4 and 5 tell of the men and how their faith led to the forgiveness of the paralytic. This is included under the broad heading of “Ministry to the Crowd” because Jesus uses this to speak to the crowd as well.
In verses 6 through 12 the tone of the passage changes and conflict among the scribes and Jesus’ sayings sets in. Verses 6 and 7 have the scribes questioning Jesus’ ability to forgive sins, saying that only God can do that. This provides for a very smooth transition into verses 8 through 12 where Jesus shows his authority in his answer to their question. He compares forgiving sins to asking the paralytic to get up and walk (nosb 60nt). He then heals the man, the crowd is amazed, and they praise him for what he has just done.
The verses of this passage each lead to the next one. When Jesus is teaching, the word spread that he was there. The paralytic and his friends heard of this and their faith lead to the forgiveness of sins. Jesus’ forgiving of the paralytic’s sins lead to accusations of blasphemy because only God had that power. This lead to a response from Jesus in which he displayed his true authority and physically healed the paralyzed man. This miracle act of healing then led to the crowd’s final astonishment.
4. Identify a possible key
theme of the passage.
Check the scripture
passage headings for your passage listed in the translations used in the phase
one of the assignment. Consult commentaries on your scripture passage for
further suggestions. Write out a key theme in phrase structure. This
will serve as the heading for the above outline of your scripture passage, thus
it should have a clearly defined logical relationship to the wording in the
points of your outline. This statement will serve as the heading for the Body
section of your paper. The heading, as well as the outline points, should grow
naturally out of the perceived meaning of the scripture text. The reader of
your paper should be able to read this key theme heading statement and know
immediately your basic understanding of the scripture text's meaning. For an
example, click 
.
Provide an explanation for the phrasing of your key theme heading statement.
Summarize your findings here: When looking at various headings for the passage of Mark 2:1-12, most of them tend to be basically the same in context. The NOSB uses “Healing Paralysis and Forgiveness of Sins.” The NIV Disciple’s Study Bible uses “Jesus Heals a Paralytic.” The best possible heading would have to be more encompassing than these and should be…
Heading: “Jesus Heals a Paralytic and Ministers to Crowd”
Rationale: While some Bible’s will include the forgiveness of sins in their heading, it isn’t necessarily needed. Healing is not just a physical action. Physically, Jesus healed the paralytic’s condition, but spiritually, Jesus healed him by the alleviation of sins. The word “heals” in the heading can cover both aspects of its meaning. It is necessary to include “Ministers to Crowd” in the heading because this is the overall affect of what takes place. Technically, the healing only took place in the paralytic, but through that healing, Jesus was able to show his authority and the importance of faith to everyone present in the crowd. If he had not forgiven the paralytic of his sins, the scribes would not have questioned Jesus and the healing may not have taken place. Jesus was able to use the faith of the men as an illustration in his message to the people.
5. Elaborate on the interpretative
issues present in your biblical text.
These issues should
have been identified in the phase one assignment above [see item 4]. Consult
with commentaries
on your scripture passage to find answers as well as to identify additional
issues present in your scripture passage. Write out these perceived issues
as questions or statements. Insert your research notes underneath these
questions or statements. This should be the longest segment of your phase
two assignment. Be sure to provide referencing of your quotes from commentaries
etc. so that inserting footnotes in the final draft of the paper will go more
quickly. This material will serve as an important source of information for
'fleshing out' the exegesis section in each point of the outline of your scripture
text in the final draft of the Body
section of your paper. For an example, click .
Summarize your findings here:
Verse 1: It is said in this verse that the news was spread that Jesus was at home. Who exactly spread this? Who were the people who reported his arrival and how did they know he was back? Most of the gospels agree that when Jesus was present, it was widely known among the people there (tyn 118). So was this the case here. It was the same situation that a typical rumor would cause today. There was a great deal of excitement there in Capernaum and when it was heard that Jesus was there, it caused crowds to gather (inter 668). Generally it can be assumed that different people throughout the area heard of his arrival, and then told others until it was well know that Jesus was back.
Verse 2: The NLT mentions a house in this verse. If they were truly at a house, was this house Jesus’ home and where was it located in the town? As mentioned in step 6, commentators are uncertain as to who the owner of the house was, but it could have possibly been Simon Peter’s. Nothing is to be found about the location of the home within the area of Jesus’ ministry. It is said that Jesus was speaking or preaching the word or message. What exactly was the message he was giving and why was he giving it? Also, as mentioned in step six, the message of Jesus here was the message of salvation and the kingdom of God, as were most of his messages during this time of Galilean ministry. He sought to show his authority and teach people about the “good news.” This being in the first part of his ministry, he wasn’t extremely emphatic in wanting attention, yet he used the paralytic to display his power.
Verse 3: This verse says the paralytic was being carried by four men. Do we know who these men were, and if so, who were they and where were they from? Did they know the paralytic? The Tyndale Commentary refers to the men as being friends of the paralytic, but does not say anything about where they were from (tyn 119). Since they were friends of the paralytic, they of course, knew him. They were acting out of faith, so they could have possibly come a good distance, yet not too far because they were able to hear the news of Jesus’ arrival.
Verse 4: A crowd is mentioned in this verse and it is implies that the crowd was rather large. Approximately how large was the crowd, who were they, and where were they from? Were they the ones who had heard of Jesus’ arrival? Naturally, these people were the people from the area who had heard of Jesus’ arrival and were interested in his message. Exactly how large the crowd was, is not certain, but the verse says it filled the house and there was no room left. A typical house back then usually contained from 1 to 4 rooms and a courtyard, so the crowd couldn’t bee too large or they would not have had room for them. The men somehow lowered the man through the roof. How did they get on the roof, and how did they dig the hole? The house probably had an outside staircase leading to the roof, the roof probably having been made of branches and soft sod (NA 58). Making an opening in a roof like this would have not been very difficult.
Verse 5: The faith of the men is mentioned, but how much faith did they have? Why does the faith of the men matter in this situation? It is implied that Jesus helped the paralytic due to their faith. Is this true? What did the men do that made their faith visible? Why does he forgive his sins? Commentators talk like it was very common for Jesus to heal because of peoples’ faith. They Tyndale commentary mentions that the faith of the men was very evident because they were stubborn in giving up hope for their friend (tyn 120). This could be an example of another instance in which faith is mentioned in the book of James (conc 276). In James 2:26, it says that “faith without is also dead” (nosb nt390). This means that one’s faith is dead unless their actions show it. These four men must have had great faith because they went out of their way to get their friend to Jesus. They knew that if they got him there, Jesus would heal him. Commentators tend to agree that Jesus healed this man because of the faith of the friends who brought him there, as this was the case in many other healing miracles in the book of Mark.
Verse 6: Who were the scribes? What was so controversial about what was said, that made them question Jesus? Scribes were correctly defined as “teachers of the law,” who were theological men (tyn 120). The Interpreter’s Bible Commentary suggests that tradition may have played a role in the questioning of Jesus, because these men were blinded by it (inter 671). These men believed only God could forgive sins, but Jesus was human. When he claimed to be able to forgive sins, it cause the scribes to question him.
Verse 7: The word “blasphemy” is used in all four translations, but the meaning of it is not given. What does it mean? Interpreters of the word “blasphemy” have a hard time confining the definition to just one meaning since there is so much disagreement about it, but it literally means, “to speak impiously against” (merc 943). When Jesus claimed to have the power to forgive sins, he was thought by the scribes to have been speaking against God since only he had that power. ?” Do the scribes think Jesus and God are separate beings? At this time in Jesus’ ministry, it is obvious that the people see Jesus strictly as a human being, thus being separate from God, who was a supreme being. Who are the scribes referring to when the say “God?” Exactly what they mean when they mention God is uncertain, but they are correct in that all the scriptures teach that only “one God” can forgive sins, but they were not aware that Jesus was now able to act on God’s behalf since his reign was drawing near (na 59).
Verse 8: In two translations it is said that Jesus’ awareness had something to do with his spirit. What does this mean in relation to what he was thinking? Since Jesus was truly a divine being, he had the power of divine insight, enabling him to sense the thoughts of those around him (inter 671). This may perhaps be what is meant when the word “spirit” is included in this verse or it that word could be in reference to Jesus’ mind (na 59).
Verse 9: Why does Jesus pose this question? What is its significance in this passage?
The scribes thought that it was easier to forgive than to heal, but Jesus showed them, through this rhetorical question, that both these things were equal in his eyes (na 59). This shows that the simple speaking of the words, “your sins are forgiven,” contains the same power as when Jesus heals someone (inter 672).
Verse 10: Jesus wants to show the scribes that he or the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. Does this mean the scribes were in disbelief regarding this issue? What exactly did the words “son of man” mean? Yes, it is evident that the scribes were definitely in disbelief on this issue. As mentioned earlier, they did not connect Jesus with God in any way. They saw God as divine and Jesus as being strictly human. The words “son of man” are very controversial in their meaning, as well as their usage in the New Testament. Jesus may have used this phrase because it leaves a sense thought in the listener’s mind. It could mean the son of a human or of a supernatural being (na 59), or he may have also been trying to avoid the term “messiah,” which would cause disruption.
Verse 11: In this verse the paralytic is healed and he goes home. Where was this man’s home? Was it near or far? Nothing can be found regarding the location of the paralytic’s home. The main emphasis in this verse seems to be on the fact that the healing gave immediate results and the man was able to go home.
Verse 12: The crowd was clearly amazed after this took place and they said they had never seen it before. If this was Jesus’ home, why had they never seen him do things like this? Perhaps the crowd had never seen healing like this because this was at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Whether or not the scribes were amazed with the healing is uncertain. Mark was probably referring to the crowd, in general, when he wrote this (na 60).
6. List the time
and place references found inside (=Internal History)
your biblical passage.
The time elements
include temporal adverbs, phrases and clauses. They generally answer a reporter's
'when' question. These provide a sense of when this scripture narrative took
place They suggest time movements (e.g., scenes) within a narrative. The place
references include geographical names along with other spatial markers inside a
scripture text. They generally answer a reporter's 'where' question. They
provide clues regarding where this scripture narrative took place. Elaborate on
the possible significance of these time/place markers for understanding the
meaning of your scripture passage. This material will be inserted in
appropriate places in the 'fleshing out' of the exegesis section in each point
of the outline of your scripture text in the final draft of the Body
section of your paper.
Summarize your findings here:
Verse 1: There is a disagreement on the number of days it was before Jesus came to Capernaum. Two translations say it was several days, while one says some days, and the other says a few days. Which translation is more accurate in it’s description? There is not a confirmed number of days. The words “after some days” could have been weeks (Anchor 223). It can also simply mean “through a period of time” (WB 81). The NLT states that Jesus had arrived in the town, but the others state that he was home. Was it his home or is the NLT translation correct? Both the Anchor Bible Commentary (223) and the Word Biblical Commentary (81) call this incident of returning or coming back, a “broken construction” which is common in the book of Mark. This literally means “coming again” (Anchor 223). The NASB and the RSV state that it was simply reported that he was home and the other two translations state that the news spread about his arrival? Is there some disagreement here? Does the word “reported” imply that the news spread? The words “at home” may refer to the opinion that this was the home for his Galilean ministry (Broadman 278). Whose home this is, is uncertain, but is more than likely Simon Peter’s (WB 81). Not much can be found about how the news spread.
Verse 2: The NLT says that Jesus was staying in a house and it was packed with visitors while the others do not mention a house or visitors, they simply say the people were gathered together. Was he in a house or was he just in a room or building? Although some do not mention a house, it is fairly agreed upon that they were at a house. Different words are used to describe the area around the door. Could there be disagreement about the location? “Not even at the door” could mean “out in the street,” leading commentators to believe the house was fairly modest (anchor 223). TEV states that he was preaching the message to them and the others say he was preaching the word. Does TEV disagree with what he was preaching or could it mean the same thing? The New American Commentary (58) says the message or “word” was the “good news” that God’s reign was near in Jesus’ ministry.
Verse 3: TEV and the NLT mention the four men first and the other two simply state that “they came.” Does the word “they” mean that it was the four men mentioned in the other passages? “They” does mean the four men, but this is only mentioned in Mark, maybe because it came from a witness (anchor 223). These two translations refer to the man as being paralyzed and the others call him a paralytic. Are the others assuming a paralytic means a paralyzed man? Paralytic and paralyzed man are basically the same in meaning, just worded differently and there is no evident reason why. ? The NLT mentions that he was carried on a mat. Is this correct? Why do the others leave this out? The NLT is correct by mentioning the mat because almost all commentators agree on this. Some call it a pallet and others a “poor man’s mat.”
Verse 4: The NASB and the NLT say they dug through the roof and the others say the made a hole or an opening. Are they assuming we know how the opening was made? It is agreed on that an opening was made, but different translations say different ways in which it was made, and some leave it out completely. The NASB and RSV refer to the thing on which the man was lying as a pallet, but the others refer to it as a mat. Is there a difference? Both “pallet” and “mat” can be used because various commentators use both words. It was basically a stretcher or a “poor man’s mat” (anchor 224). The NLT translation does not refer to the man as paralyzed in this verse, but instead, as being sick. What is the reason for this change? We are assuming “sick” was referring to the paralyzed man because all commentators agree that he was paralyzed. Maybe the NLT should be clearer in its meaning.
Verse 5: The TEV states “how much faith” and the others only mention that Jesus saw their faith. Why do the other translations not mention the fact the Jesus was looking at the amount of faith, or was this what he was looking at? Jesus had to be looking at the amount of faith because commentators agree that this led to the healing. Faith was often related to healing and forgiveness in the Gospels (broad 279). This faith was more like a nonverbal request to Jesus for healing (WB 85).
Verse 6: The NASB and RSV use the word “scribes,” the NLT uses “teachers of religious law”, and the TEV uses “teachers of the law.” Do these descriptions mean the same thing? All the translations are probably correct because different commentaries use these same descriptions. Different words are used to describe the teachers’ processes such as reasoning, questioning, saying to themselves, and thinking to themselves. Do these mean the same thing? Is there disagreement as to what they were doing? Commentaries also agree t hat the action of the scribes was internal and unspoken just as the above request for healing was. Although there may be some disagreement as to what actually went on in their minds, the Word Biblical Commentary (87) uses “reasoning” so this is probably accurate.
Verse 7: The NASB says the man is blaspheming, but the others say “it” is blasphemy. Does this mean the same thing? The charge of blasphemy was tentative (anchor 224), and this may have something to do with the difference in wording. When referring to who can forgive sins, why do the NASB and RSV pose this as a question and the others make a statement about it? Is there uncertainty about what was really said? The fact that this is posed as a question also refers to this tentativeness because the charge was based on the grounds of what Jesus had said.
Verse 8: The NASB and RSV say Jesus was aware in his spirit and the others do not mention the spirit. Is there a disagreement about how Jesus was thinking or how he came about this idea? Some translations use “spirit” and others do not because “in his own mind,” which is used in the other translations, literally means “spirit” (anchor 224). With this in mind, the actual word does not have to be used, and there is probably very little disagreement here, as far as the meaning is concerned. These same two translations again refer to the process as something in the hearts of these men, but the others refer to it as thinking? This goes back to the previous question. The TEV states “ think such things” and the NLT states “think this is blasphemy.” Is the TEV assuming the “things” are blasphemy? Here, Mark uses the technique sometimes called “Markan” insertions where he almost exactly restates a phrase from the beginning, at the end (wb88). The “reasoning things in their hearts” is probably similar to the way in which Jesus reasoned earlier in the verse.
Verse 9: The questions Jesus asked the men in this verse are worded differently by each translation? Is this justifiable since it is Jesus speaking? What did he actually say? Which translation is the most accurate? There may be some disagreement as to what Jesus actually said, but all commentators tend to agree that the question he asked was rhetorical, meaning he didn’t expect a spoken answer in return. It was more of a display of his power and authority.
Verse 10: The NASB and RSV say that Jesus wants them to know, but the others say that he wants to prove. Do these mean the same thing? Know and prove probably meant close to the same thing. Essentially they refer to the fact that Jesus wanted to show his authority as stated above. In only the NLT does he refer to himself as the Son of Man. Do the other translations assume the reader knows he is the one being referred to? The phrase, “Son of Man” is very controversial and this may be why the NLT uses it. It is disputed as to whether or not “man” is heavenly or ordinary and other things such as these (broad 280). It is also disputed on whether or not this title refers to all of mankind in general or not (wb 89).
Verse 11: The NLT leaves out the phrase, “I say to you” or “I tell you” that the others put in. This translation, however, adds “because you are healed” and the others do not. Is this phrase significant? Should it be included in all four translations? Not much is found regarding these two phrases. Based on the context clues, it seems that “I say to you” or “I tell you” is not needed anyway since it is clear that Jesus is speaking.
Verse 12: The words “amazed” and “stunned” are both used to describe the crowd’s reaction to what took place, but these words probably had a very similar meaning as they do today. This verse is worded very differently in the NLT compared to the other translations, as well as this version of the Bible has contained the most diversions in wording throughout the entire passage. Why is this? It seems unclear right now.
7. Identify the external history issues (i.e., the history of the
composition of your text) related to your passage.
This has to do with
identifying who wrote this scripture text; where was this
scripture text written; for whom was this scripture text written; what
occasion prompted the writing of this scripture text. Refer to sources
discussing the scripture book in which your passage is located. Use Introductions, Bible
dictionaries and commentaries as sources of information. Do
not stop with describing just the 'traditional' view; include the full range of
modern scholarly viewpoint. Include all your research notes in this phase two
assignment, along with your tentative conclusions. This material will be
summarized into one or two paragraphs in the historical section of the Introduction of the final draft of your paper.
Summarize your findings here:
Who wrote the scripture
book your passage is in?
As far as the authorship of this passage is concerned, it is uncertain since the book of Mark is written by an anonymous person. It is said that the author’s name was Mark, but this can not be confirmed. This goes back to ancient traditions when the title of the book reflected that the author was Mark (na 25). Some also believe that Mark and Peter worked together to write. Others completely disagree because of various accounts in the book of Mark, in which Peter is mentioned in somewhat negative ways. Another significant factor is the testimony of Papias and that he attributed the book to Mark (na 26).
Where was the document written?
When determining where the gospel of Mark was written, most scholars tend to believe it was in or near Rome because there are countless occasions in the rest of the New Testament where Mark is connected to Rome in some way (na 28). However, recent opinions have suggested that the setting was in Palestine or Syria (na 28).
To whom was the document written?
The only problem with this is the audience to which the author writes. Clues seem to indicate a Gentile, not Jewish background of the recipients, which stands in contrast with the setting of Palestine (na 28). The main thing that scholars have used to determine the Gentile background is the frequent explanations of Jewish customs in the book of Mark.
When was the document written?
The date in which the book of Mark is written is very controversial. The most popular belief is the Mark was written somewhere between 65 and 75 A.D., but many refute this idea because of Nero’s reign (na 28). Mark’s writings do not reflect a persecution, just the anticipation of one (na 28). If he had written during Nero’s persecution (about a decade after 64 A. D.), there would be some reference to it, but there isn’t. There does not seem to be a majority rule on what dates Mark wrote this book. If Papias’ statements are correct, the gospel of Mark may have been developed just after Peter’s martyrdom (inter 630).
Why was the document written?
Mark’s purpose in writing this book is not just one main purpose, but several unified purposes. One concern he had was for Jesus’ teachings. He wanted to collect different teachings of Jesus, develop his own understanding of his teachings, tell about being Jesus’ disciple, and clarify Jesus’ teachings about the future (na 30-31). Another possible cause is the fear among the Christians who were about to be persecuted. The authorities could have already been harsh with the Christians due to the fire in the summer of 64 A.D.
8. Identify the literary
setting of your passage in the biblical document in which it occurs.
This has to do with identifying
where your passage fits into the literary scheme of the entire scripture book
in which your passage is located. [For example, the Sermon on the Mount in Matt
5-7 is the first of five major speeches in the first gospel and serves to
introduce the basic teachings of Jesus about the Kingdom of God in much the
same fashion as Moses delivering the Torah to the children of Israel in the wilderness.] For sources of information, consult the
introductions of commentaries -- both the one volume
and series
--, Bible
dictionaries, etc. containing outlines and explanatory
discussion in the scripture book where your passage is located. Some of my
outlines of both OT and NT
books are posted at Cranfordville. Elaborate on your tentative conclusions
in this phase two assignment. Your final conclusions will be summarized as
a part of the literary section of the Introduction in the
final draft of your paper.
Summarize your findings here: The passage of Mark 2:1-12 plays a significant role in the rest of the book.
First of all, the entire book of Mark is devoted to preaching the good news (tyn 70), so these verses do this. Jesus preaches to the crowd here. God’s main purpose was to call the sinners, not the righteous people, to him, and this scripture shows this, in that he heals the paralytic (tyn 68). Back then, sickness or disease was often associated with sin, so the crowd may have thought he was a sinner, and therefore, maybe of a lesser status than the rest of the crowd.
The preaching in this passage was a part of Jesus’ early Galilean ministry and helps to bring about the Kingdom of God (tyn 86). In most of Jesus’ pronouncements, there is evidence of the kingdom of god to come, like in this story when the scribes oppose Jesus. This is one of the first instances of opposition among the authorities (harp 360), and foreshadows the events of his death when most everyone will turn against and betray him.
The healing miracle in this passage
is used to display the true nature of Jesus as a divine person with great power
(tyn 88). A lot of the stories at the
beginning of the book are used for this purpose- to establish Jesus’ character
as someone with authority. Part of
Mark, from chapter 8, verse 27 on, is considered to be a Passion Narrative and
Mark 2:1-12 prepares for this. It also
preserved the material that is valuable in polemies with Jesus and others.