MARK'S USE OF THE GENESIS JOSEPH CYCLE=

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Beverly Devry-Smith
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Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:54 pm

MARK'S USE OF THE GENESIS JOSEPH CYCLE=

Post by Beverly Devry-Smith »

-Genesis 41:44= Pharaoh rewards Joseph by having "a herald proclaim [κηρυξ εκηρυξεν] (his arrival) ahead of him [εμπροσθεν αυτου]."
-Mark 1:2= (an anonymous bat-qol (from YHWH?) declares that God will: "Send out [αποστελλω] a messenger to prepare the way before (=ahead of) you [εμπροσθεν σου]"
-Mark 1:4= John "was proclaiming" [κηρυσσων] and in verse 7 "he proclaimed" [εκηρυσσε]
-Note also how Pharaoh's statement of praise to Joseph at Genesis 41:40b (="Only (in being on) the throne will I excel you!") is so similar in content to Mark 1:8 where John enthuses: "I indeed [εγω μεν] baptize with water, but he will with spirit..."
-Gen 41:8= Pharaoh "sent out [αποστειλας] to all the interpreters [εξηγητας]... but there were none reporting [απαγγελλων]." (=i.e. 'able to explain the correct exegesis')
-Gen 41:42b= Pharaoh "dressed [ενεδυσεν] Joseph in an expensive outfit [στολην βυσσινην] and put a gold collar [κλοιον] around [περι] his neck [τραχηλον]."
=Mark 1:6 borrows yet transforms the above by quoting from 1Kings concerning Elijah's distinguishing characteristics= John was "dressed [ενδεδυμενος] in camel hair [τριχας καμηλου]" and "around [περι] his waist" was animal-skin loincloth. (=A multivalent allusion!)
-Gen 41:1-2= "It came to pass [εγενετο] after two years of days [ημερων] that Pharaoh saw [ειδεν] (in a dream)... behold [ιδου]!—as if from out of the river [εκ του ποταμου] came up [ανεβαινον] seven oxen."
-Mark 1:9-10= "It came to pass [εγενετο] in those days [ημεραις] ... "coming up [αναβαινων] from the water [απο του υδατος], he saw/beheld [ειδε] ... the spirit [το πνευμα]..."
-Mark 1:5= "in the Jordan river [εν τω ... ποταμω]
-Gen 41:9= realizing he had failed his old cell-mate Joseph, the winetaster told Pharaoh: "My sin [αμαρτιαν] I (now) call to mind [αναμιμνησκω] today!" (=this is where and why Mark mentioned John's baptism was meant only for "calling to mind previous sins" (=Mark 1:5b= εξομολουμενο τας αμαρτιας αυτων)
=== note how there might be some affinity between how the oxen were " a sorry sight" while John admits himself to be "unfit" compared to the Messiah.
-Gen 41:29, 31= Joseph explains that prosperity "is coming" [ερχεται] but warns as well that afterwards shall take arrive a famine that is "very strong, exceedingly" [ισχυρος γαρ εσται σϕοδρα]
-Mark 1:7= John tells the crowds how: "There is (some)one coming [ερχεται] after me [οπισω] who is stronger [ο ισχυροτερος]..."
-Gen 41:19 = "There arrived after them [οπισω αυτων] another 7 (symbolic dream) oxen."
-Gen 41:57= "And all the regions [και πασαι αι χωραι] went (to buy grain from Joseph)"
-Gen 41:55 = Egypt's king decrees: "You go forth [πορευεσθε] to Joseph and whatever he says, do it!" (=this line is quoted by Jesus' mother Mary at John 2:5!)
-Mark 1:5= "there went forth [εξεπορευετο] all the region [πασα η χωρα]...
-Mark 1:8 = John declares that Jesus possesses "the holy spirit" [πνευματι αγιω]
-Gen 41:38= Pharaoh questions where they'll be able "to discover a man with the Spirit of God in him [πνευμα θεου εν αυτου]?"

===Of course there is more, much more!
But for that see my forthcoming book "Cleverly Devised Myth", available in spring 2019!
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