Calling of the first disciples in Mark 1.16-20 and Genesis
Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2013 5:00 am
I´m working a little bit on Mark 1, 16-20 (Calling of the first Disciples) and have a little question.
Many scholars agree that Elijah's call of Elisha (1 Kgs 19.19-21) is the model for Mark. I think also that Mark had this in his mind. But it´s not perfect to me. There are similarities but also differences between the calls of Elijah and Jesus, on the one side, and the reactions of Elisha and the fishermen, on the other. It fits not very well as a model.
It seems a little bit to me that in the centre of the scene in Mark stand not just a tale about the first disciples. It´s also about the power of Jesus´ voice und the prompt reactions of the disciples. Therefore I was looking for a model of this theme. I don't know if it's too crazy but in the moment I´m thinking about Genesis 1, the Bereshit story. There is a voice ("God said, 'Let there be light'") and a prompt reaction ("there was light").
I found also a few similarities between the scenes in Genesis and Mark, so "God saw" ("that the light was good") and Jesus "he saw" ("Simon and Andrew" and "James the son of Zebedee and John his brother"), both "eiden" in Greek (Septuagint and Mark). Then there is also "God said" and "Jesus said" ("to them, 'Follow me ...'), both "eipen" in Greek (Septuagint and Mark). Also "God called" ("the light Day") and Jesus "he called" ("them"), both "ekalesen" in Greek.
There is also a little crazy thing in Genesis 1, 26 "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds ..." Here are the fishermen first and you know Mark used "sea" for the Lake of Gennesaret. He used also the phrase "I will make you become fishers of men" - in Greek "kai poiêsô humas genesthai halieis anthrôpôn" and it seems also a bit that here is a word play in the relation between "make man in our image" and "fishermen" to "fishers of men".
So I´m thinking about the idea that Mark took Elijah's call of Elisha, but he interpreted it in the light of Genesis 1 to show the divine power of Jesus´voice. But when I was searching in the net I haven't found this idea.
If anyone has a little bit from the literature on this theme, I would be interested to hear it. And - do you think that the whole thing is too crazy?
Many scholars agree that Elijah's call of Elisha (1 Kgs 19.19-21) is the model for Mark. I think also that Mark had this in his mind. But it´s not perfect to me. There are similarities but also differences between the calls of Elijah and Jesus, on the one side, and the reactions of Elisha and the fishermen, on the other. It fits not very well as a model.
It seems a little bit to me that in the centre of the scene in Mark stand not just a tale about the first disciples. It´s also about the power of Jesus´ voice und the prompt reactions of the disciples. Therefore I was looking for a model of this theme. I don't know if it's too crazy but in the moment I´m thinking about Genesis 1, the Bereshit story. There is a voice ("God said, 'Let there be light'") and a prompt reaction ("there was light").
I found also a few similarities between the scenes in Genesis and Mark, so "God saw" ("that the light was good") and Jesus "he saw" ("Simon and Andrew" and "James the son of Zebedee and John his brother"), both "eiden" in Greek (Septuagint and Mark). Then there is also "God said" and "Jesus said" ("to them, 'Follow me ...'), both "eipen" in Greek (Septuagint and Mark). Also "God called" ("the light Day") and Jesus "he called" ("them"), both "ekalesen" in Greek.
There is also a little crazy thing in Genesis 1, 26 "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds ..." Here are the fishermen first and you know Mark used "sea" for the Lake of Gennesaret. He used also the phrase "I will make you become fishers of men" - in Greek "kai poiêsô humas genesthai halieis anthrôpôn" and it seems also a bit that here is a word play in the relation between "make man in our image" and "fishermen" to "fishers of men".
So I´m thinking about the idea that Mark took Elijah's call of Elisha, but he interpreted it in the light of Genesis 1 to show the divine power of Jesus´voice. But when I was searching in the net I haven't found this idea.
If anyone has a little bit from the literature on this theme, I would be interested to hear it. And - do you think that the whole thing is too crazy?