I suppose we're not allowed to conjecture that Mark was composed after the Temple had already been "thrown down," and the prediction, such as it was, was inserted into Jesus' mouth.

I think that this is interesting. But to be honest, I can come up with many different ideas - but none seem conclusive or even probable....

1. It could be a prediction of the events relating to the crucifixion and resurrection. Possible, but not likely....(i don't like preterism).

2. It could be predicting the end of Judaism as God's 'official' way of doing things....opening up to the gentiles -warning against Judaizers (as in Paul) etc....

3. It could also - as in 2 - be predicting a betrayal of Christians at the hands of Christians themselves - sort of like when Catholics massacred the Heugenots....

Oh well...
this is what I've come up with so far.....

Congratulations to jmcanany for the best and most nearly successful attempt so far.

A narrowing down of his 3 options would represent excellent progress.

The winner will be the one who clearly matches key sections of Mark 13 with key sections of Mark 14, thus demonstrating beyond reasonable doubt the inner workings of the mind of Christ.

As I said previously anyone can do this ... it is not necessary to be either a theist or a Christian. So where are all the Sec Web biblical scholars who don't fear a challenge?

Blessings and Peace

Hilarius

After a careful reading of the appropriate chapters, I think it was prediciting the rift between John and Paul, caused by the coming of Yoko onto the scene which ultimately led to the Beatles disbanding, and indirectly several years later, the murder of John.

Would you like to see my complete analysis?

And what do I win?


Norm

[This message has been edited by fromdownunder (edited March 21, 2001).]

H -
despite it being my least favorite,
#1 seems to be what you're after - the thing about "don't go back for your cloak" and the young man's running away naked are just too funny.

But, really, how does this display the "inner workings of the Mind of Christ?"

Hello jmcanany

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be facing imminent death?

Have you wondered who would hold your hand at that last moment?

Have you thought that no one can pass through that departure gate with you ... that at that point you will be totally alone?

If you asked your friends and supporters to remain awake and they fell asleep ...

If you had told them that no-one would know when the hour would come ...

Now in the garden at night you tell them the hour has come ...

All the things you were thinking about in Mark 13 are coming to pass ...

Not one of them remains awake with you ...

Christ shares with us that foreboding that none of us can avoid ...

You have heard Peter say I will not deny you ...

Peter denies you three times ...

You are totally alone ... in human terms

On the Cross even the Father will appear to have deserted you ...

These are the thoughts we will all face during those last moments of consciousness before you die ... we are privileged to share these thoughts with Christ in Mark 13 ...

The question is ... do we pass through that final departure gate alone ... ?

Will Christ be there to meet us on the other side ... ?

Christ was facing this in Mark 13 ... as the conclusion of the story occurs at Easter do we have the assurance that we will not be alone as we depart this life ... ?

Christ shared all these thoughts ... he knows what we have to face ...

Will he actually join us on the last journey and give us peace as it approaches ... ?

Not only there to meet us ... but to hold our suffering hand as we leave those we love ... ?

Blessings and Peace

Hilarius

Toto

....Nope.

H-
does that mean I win?

Hi jmcanany

I don't know whether you watch the television series "Survivor".

At the moment you have got much closer than anyone else and if there are no other entries in the competition there is a high probability that you will be the last one standing when the Tribal Council meets.

Unless there is a late entry by another Survivor who has either posted already or is somewhere on the island lurking you are well ahead and have certainly won yourself immunity from being voted off the island for the next 72 hours.

To secure a certain win you would need to compare the passages in Mark 13 with those in Mark 14 which confirm your winning thoughts, and I have given you a number of clues to where you will find these.

There is extraordinary synergy between many of the mysterious statements of Christ in Mark 13 and their working out in Mark 14 that gives extraordinary credibility to the prediction you have chosen. These need to be quoted and compared in detail.

This does not require you to be Christian. You can just as easily produce the analysis as an agnostic or Atheist, so it is still possible for anyone to survive the last Tribal Council, when I will adjudicate the results. God willing, this will occur in Easter week.

Blessings and Peace

Hilarius

This has to be one of the most ridiculously self-serving threads I have ever seen. Hilarius, no one cares what you think of their interpretations of various passages in the Bible.