Eve-Marie Becker, «Mk 1:1 and the Debate on a 'Markan Prologue'» filologia-neotestamentaria, Vol. 22 (2009) 91-106 page 93

Eve-Marie Becker, «Mk 1:1 and the Debate on a 'Markan Prologue'», Vol. 22 (2009) 91-106

On the basis of observations to the syntactical structure and the literary style of Mk 1:1-15 as well as to the literary genre of the Markan Gospel, this paper questions those concepts of subdividing Mk 1 according to which Mk 1:1-13/15 is classified as a 'Markan prologue'. It is argued instead, that already Mk 1:4 opens up the Gospel narration and that only Mk 1:1-3 has to be regarded as a literary unity: Mk 1:1-3, however, is in no case part of a 'Markan prologue' or a 'prologue' in itself. These verses are rather more to be understood as a prooemium to the overall prose-text of the Gospel narrative, consisting of a 'Buchüberschrift'/title (1:1) and an opening introductory close (1:2-3).

TAGS

Prologue of Mark

Page 93/106
‹
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
›

Mk 1:1 and the debate on a ‘Markan prologue’ 93 Jakob Griesbach’s first synopsis (1776)13 which defined the structure of the synoptic Gospels paradigmatically. Similarly to this Heinrich A. W. Meyer, e.g. subdivides Mk 1 into 1:1-15 as a literary unit in his com- mentary (21846)14. Gustav Wohlenberg (1910) suggests a division of Mk 1:1 and 1:2-13, which he defines as “Einleitung”15. But at that time neither Griesbach nor Meyer, and neither Holtzmann nor Wohlenberg, used the term ‘prologue’ in that respect. The classical ‘Einleitungswissenschaft’ in the 20th century, that follows up those diachronic questions like Literar- kritik and Formgeschichte, avoids the term ‘prologue’ as well16. (2) The creation of the term ‘prologue’ is linked to another discourse, namely to ‘redactional criticism’ in the early 20th century, which focuses on the Gospel writers’ theology17 rather than on their sources. Thus, it is not accidental that the inventor of the term ‘prologue’ for classifying the Markan introductory part (Mk 1:1-13) was Benjamin Wisner Bacon (1907)18, Professor at Yale University and at his time also known in the context of the ‘Leben-Jesu-Forschung’ (1907-1912)19, who shares this ba- 13 Cf. J. J. Griesbach, Synopsis Evangeliorum Matthaei, Marci Et Lucae. Textum Graecum Ad Fidem Codicum Versionum Et Patrum Emendavit Et Lectionis Varietatem Adiecit (Halle 1776): Sectio XIV: Mk 1:1-8 (page 20-24), Sectio XV: Mk 1:9-11 (page 24- 25), Sectio XVI: Mk 1:12-15 (page 25-28). 14 Cf. H. A. W. Meyer, Kritisch exegetischer Kommentar über das Neue Testament. Ers- ter Abtheilung zweite Hälfte. Die Evangelisten des Markus und Lukas (Göttingen2 1846) 12-16 (Mk 1:1-4; 5-8; 9-11; 12-13; 14f.). 15 G. Wohlenberg, Das Evangelium des Markus (Kommentar zum Neuen Testament Bd. II; Leipzig 1910) 29 and 35-49. 16 Cf. e.g. A. Jülicher/E. Fascher, Einleitung in das Neue Testament (Grundriss der Theologischen Wissenschaften; Tübingen7 1931) 296-312; W. G. Kümmel, Einleitung in das Neue Testament (Heidelberg21 1983) 55f. speaks of “Einleitung” 1:1-13. Cf. also H. Conzelmann/A. Lindemann, Arbeitsbuch zum Neuen Testament (UTB 52; Tübingen13 2000) 315, who take 1:1-15 together; U. Schnelle, Einleitung in das Neue Testament (UTB 1830; Göttingen 1994) 242 subdivides in the first edition of his book Mk 1 into 1:1-13 and 1:14-15 and does not use the term ‘prologue’ either. But cf. the next note. 17 Cf. also William Wredes criticism of the historical criticism’, in: W. Wrede, Das Mes- siasgeheimnis in den Evangelien. Zugleich ein Beitrag zum Verständnis des Markusevan- geliums (Göttingen3 1963) 1: „Die historische Kritik hat eine überaus mühevolle Arbeit an den literarischen Quellen der Geschichte Jesu gethan… Minder gross erscheint der Gewinn, der für die Hauptaufgabe, die historische Verwertung der Quellen, seither zu verzeichnen ist“. 18 Cf. B. W. Bacon, “The Prologue of Mark. A Study of Sources and Structure”, JBL 26 (1907) 84-105. – Cf. the quite short remarks in: Klauck, Vorspiel im Himmel?, 19-21. 19 Cf. A. Schweitzer, Geschichte der Leben-Jesu-Forschung. 9. Auflage, Nachdruck der 7. Auflage (UTB 1302; Tübingen 1984) esp. 562, 586 with reference to: B. W. Bacon, The Beginnings of Gospel Story (London 1909); Jesus, the son of God or Primitive Christology, London 1911. Schweitzer characterizes Bacon’s position as following: “B. W. Bacon will nur das Religiös-Ethische und Menschliche in der Mission Jesu anerkennen und neigt dazu, Jesu die messianischen Ansprüche abzusprechen”, 586.