Marcan Portrayal of the «Jewish» Unbeliever

The Author: Neil R. Parker is an ordained clergyman in the United Church of Canada. He received his Th.D. in Biblical studies (New Testament) from the Toronto School of Theology and The University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He has translated several German articles in his area of specialty, which have been published in scholarly journals and collections of essays. Most recently, his translation of a Ph.D. thesis on Jonathan Edwards’s doctrine of free will was included in a multivolume anthology of papers on the work of this early American philosopher.

«This book originated as a doctoral dissertation under the direction of Prof. Heinz Günther of the Toronto School of Theology and Victoria University. By means of redaction criticism it surveys in detail the usage of scripture in the Gospel of Mark, especially Mark 4:11-12. The author is concerned to show that the ‘Jews’ in Mark’s narrative represent unbelievers in general and not the Jewish people in particular. They are a ‘literary-theological construct’, unfortunately not recognized as such by later Christian tradition. The notes and bibliography are extensive.» (John C. Hurd, Professor emeritus, Trinity College, Toronto)«Dr. Parker defended his thesis a few years back and the examination committee considered his work to be a considerable contribution and awarded him the title of Doctor of Theology. The committee noted that his ability to separate Marcan tradition from pre-Marcan tradition was one of the strong elements in the work. I believe the work should have a broader audience and would stimulate discussion among Marcan scholars. Therefore, I would recommend that it be published.» (Michael G. Steinhauser, Professor for New Testament, The University of Trinity College in The University of Toronto)«In this study of anti-Jewish polemic within primitive Christianity, Parker aptly draws attention to the different ways in which New Testament Writers interpreted specific texts in the Jewish Bible. The focus is on Mark’s Gospel and his use of texts like the highly charged words of Isaiah 6. Wealth of detail and useful insights emerge from Parker’s tradition-historical analysis, notably his comparisons of Isaiah 6 and Mark 4; Isaiah 5 and Mark 12; 1 Samuel 21 and Mark 2; Deuteronomy 24 and Mark 10. While recognizing that Mark frequently used Old Testament quotations and allusions to criticize contemporary Judaism, Parker repudiates the view that Mark is denigrating Jews as a people, insisting instead that his representation of the Jews is a literary-theological construct, designed to characterize the typical non-believer in his faith community.» (Joyce Rilett Wood, Toronto School of Theology, author of ‘Amos in Song and Book Culture’ (Sheffield Academic Press, 2002) and editor of ‘From Babel to Babylon: Essays on Biblical History and Literature in Honour of Brian Peckham’ (T & T Clark International/Continuum, 2006)«In this important monograph, Neil Parker argues convincingly to show Mark’s rhetorical manipulation of Jewish scriptures to effect a portrait of the Jew as the type of the unbeliever, and removed from God’s favor. With the greatest degree of meticulous scholarship, P. addresses a few of the most revealing texts which contrast pre-Markan and Markan texts related to God’s relationship to Israel. One prominent example is the pre-Markan conflation in Mk 1:2-3: Exodus 23:20/Malachi 3:1/ and Isa 40:3 where the people are called to repentance without any sense of rejection, and the Markan insertion in Mk 4:10-12: Isa 6:9-10 and Mk 8:17b-18a: Jer 5/Ezek 12:2, where it seems plain that God desires that the Jewish crowds gathered to hear Jesus, be unable to hear his message and turn their hearts to repent. In Mark’s redaction, it is only the disciples and those around Jesus who represent true believers, to whom the secret of the Kingdom of God has been revealed. This same sort of contrast is displayed in the pre-Markan account Mk 10:17-22, where the rich man’s faithfulness in following the commandments of Torah results in Jesus’ loving him and offering him discipleship, as contrasted with the foregoing Mk 10:2-10, a heavily redacted Markan text seems to use Jesus dismissal of the Deuteronomic permission for divorce as a kind of statement