Mark Jennings, «The Fourth Gospel’s Reversal of Mark in John 13,31‒14,3», Vol. 94 (2013) 210-236
I argue that the author/s of the Fourth Gospel knew Mark, based on the reversal of certain Markan themes found in John. No attempt is made here to suggest the kind of literary dependence which is the basis of the Synoptic problem. Rather, my thesis is that the author/s of John may have used Mark from memory, writing deliberately to reverse the apocalyptic tendencies found in the Second Gospel. Isolated incidents of this possible reversal demonstrate little, but this paper proposes that the cumulative force of many such reversals supports the thesis of John's possible knowledge of Mark.
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THE FOURTH GOSPEL’S REVERSAL OF MARK IN JOHN 13,31‒14,3
Clearly, there are important differences between the thoughts of
the two evangelists. There are also some commonalities which may
point to a similar starting point. In both evangelists, the motif is con-
nected to mission. As has been pointed out, the meeting in Galilee for
Mark is the commencement of a new mission. In John, the disciples
continue the work of Jesus after his return to the Father. For both evan-
gelists, the mission involves doing what Jesus did — proclaiming the
gospel in Mark (13,10); doing the works of Jesus in John (14,12-14).
c) Prediction of Peter’s denial
We now turn to the prediction itself. The table below compares
John 13,37-38 and Mark 14,29-30 side by side. Luke 22,33-34 and
Matt 26,33-34 are also included, completing the fourfold tradition.
In the comparison that follows, identical textual agreements be-
tween John and Mark are represented by a solid underline. Where
the two evangelists use the same root words, this is represented by
a broken underline. John’s agreements with Luke are represented
by a rippled underline 53.
The prediction of Peter’s denial in the fourfold tradition
Mark 14,29-30 John 13,37-38
ὠδὲ ΠέτÏος ἔφη αá½Ï„ῷ· λέγει αá½Ï„á¿· ὠΠέτÏος· κύÏιε, διὰ Ï„á½· οá½
εἰ καὶ πάντες σκανδαλισθήσονται, δύναµαί σοι ἀκολουθῆσαι ἄÏτι; τὴν
ἀλλ᾽ οá½Îº á¼Î³á½½. ψυχήν µου á½‘Ï€á½²Ï ÏƒÎ¿á¿¦ θήσω.
καὶ λέγει αá½Ï„á¿· ὠἸησοῦς· ἀποκÏίνεται Ἰησοῦς· τὴν ψυχήν σου
ἀµὴν λέγω σοι ὅτι σὺ σήµεÏον ταύτῃ á½‘Ï€á½²Ï á¼ÂµÎ¿á¿¦ θήσεις; ἀµὴν ἀµὴν λέγω
τῇ νυκτὶ Ï€Ïὶν á¼¢ δὶς ἀλέκτοÏα σοι, οὠµὴ á¼€Î»á½³ÎºÏ„Ï‰Ï Ï†Ï‰Î½á½µÏƒá¿ƒ ἕως οὗ
φωνῆσαι Ï„Ïá½·Ï‚ µε ἀπαÏνήσῃ. á¼€Ïνήσῃ µε Ï„Ïá½·Ï‚.
Matt 26,33-34 Luke 22,33-34
ἀποκÏιθεὶς δὲ ὠΠέτÏος εἶπεν αá½Ï„ῷ· ὠδὲ εἶπεν αá½Ï„ῷ· κύÏιε, µετὰ σοῦ
εἰ πάντες σκανδαλισθήσονται á¼Î½ σοί, ἕτοιµός εἰµι καὶ εἰς φυλακὴν καὶ εἰς
á¼Î³á½¼ οá½Î´á½³Ï€Î¿Ï„ε σκανδαλισθήσοµαι. θάνατον ποÏεύεσθαι.
ἔφη αá½Ï„á¿· ὠἸησοῦς· ἀµὴν λέγω σοι ὠδὲ εἶπεν· λέγω σοι, ΠέτÏε, οá½
ὅτι á¼Î½ ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ Ï€Ïὶν ἀλέκτοÏα φωνήσει σήµεÏον ἀλέκτωÏ
φωνῆσαι Ï„Ïὶς ἀπαÏνήσῃ µε. ἕως Ï„Ïá½·Ï‚ µε ἀπαÏνήσῃ εἰδέναι.
Agreements between Matthew and Mark and Luke and Mark have not
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been noted, as such an analysis falls outside the scope of this paper. Similarly,
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