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Primacy Proofs Refuted (Six and counting)
#6
Thomas--

I can give you a Set of Meta-Reasons for considering Mark 9: 49 being an Aramaic original. The Analysis of the word(s) will have to come from someone else.

Mark 9: 42 - 50 (RSV):

[42] "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

[43] And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.
[45] And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.
[47] And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,
[48] where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
[49] For every one will be salted with fire.
[50] Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its saltness, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

I started with verse 42 for a reason: It's a Herod Story. We are invited to think that the following section is connected to 42 since it begins with "And". Is 42 connected to 43+? I tend to think so. Why? The Story from 43 on looks back to something that has already happened, as does 42, which references Herod building the Port at Caesarea with "Millstones of a donkey..." to provide a Safe Haven for shipments (Grain from Egypt) in the face of a bitter famine. The Priests were worried that giving food to people would ingratiate Herod to the people.

The Moffatt Translation has the following for verse 47:

"...better get into God's Realm with one eye..."

Moffatt, especially in Matthew, often uses the phrase "Realm of Heaven" instead of "Kingdom of God" and I believe that this points to an understanding that in some of the Stories, "Realm of Heaven" points to a real, physical place:

Matthew 5: 20 (Moffat):

[20] For I tell you, unless your goodness excels that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never get into the Realm of heaven.

That is, only Priests can get into the "Realm of Heaven".

Moffatt also has a note concerning Mark 9: 49:

"The Greek word [[.....]] literally means 'salted,' the metaphor being taken from the custom of using salt in sacrifices (cp. e.g. Levit, ii. 13; Josephus, Antiquities, iii, 9, 1). "There is fire to be encountered afterwards if not now; how much better to face it now and by self-sacrifice insure against the future" (Professor Menzies)"

Is there any other idea that provides support for this "looking back"?

Luke 9: 59 - 62 (RSV):

[59] To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."
[60] But he said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
[61] Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home."
[62] Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

With this we can see through the Greek back to something else "in some other language". Something has happened and Jesus has "set his face" towards Jerusalem. Others who claimed support now must March to Jerusalem or turn away. Many do turn away and they will never make it to "The Realm of Heaven". If the salt has lost its flavor, how will you season it? If you put your hand to the plow and look back, you cannot be fit for the "Realm of Heaven".

Thomas, I'm sorry I cannot give the Aramaic Analysis you need here except to point to the Story that could not have come from the Greek. In this case, however, I'm reasonably certain that this Story does indeed "look back" to an event that came before the current narration.

CW
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Re: Primacy Proofs Refuted (Six and counting) - by Charles Wilson - 01-07-2015, 05:37 PM

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