My take is the spittle and mud are just typical Markan enhancements, which tend to be shallow and pedantic.
By far the majority of unique words and phrases in found in Mark fall into the category of filling in details. Mark informs us of all sorts of little tidbits and name traditions unknown to the other Gospels, expanding upon the base documents he built from. Some examples
Mark often adds to stories some words Jesus or others used to fill details. For example
Even the use of Aramaic translations, which are given to us formulaically, fall in the same category of mundane background info
There are more, but that gives you an idea of where I'm coming from. Mark's unique bits tend to answer the peanut gallery's most pedantic questions only. Mark 8:23-26 looks like a rewrite of Mark 10:51-52 and parallels (e.g., Matthew 9:27-31, 20:29-34,17:14-18, Mark 9:14-27) but losing completely the key elements of faith (e.g., Matthew 9:29 Κατὰ τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν) and following Jesus or the way (Mark 10:52 τῇ ὁδῷ) when sight is gained. This tells us it's a story of being blind to "the way" disguised as a healing miracle.
If there is any value in the spit and mud, the detail added to the touching of the eyes we see in Matthew for example, it would be to perhaps describe contemporary practice of certain itinerant Christian preachers/healers in circles of Mark's sect his readers might recognize. This is just another Markan element, nothing more.
By far the majority of unique words and phrases in found in Mark fall into the category of filling in details. Mark informs us of all sorts of little tidbits and name traditions unknown to the other Gospels, expanding upon the base documents he built from. Some examples
●Levi is the son of Alphaeus τὸν τοῦ Ἀλφαίου (2:14)
●David at from the alter when Abi'athar was high priest ἐπὶ Ἀβιαθὰρ ἀρχιερέως (2:26)
●The region beyond the Galilee where Jesus preached is called the Decap'olis ἐν τῇ Δεκαπόλει (5:20)
●Bartimaeus is the son of Timaeus ὁ υἱὸς Τιμαίου Βαρτιμαῖος (10:46)
●two copper coins are worth one Roman bronze quarter (about 3/8ths of a cent) ὅ ἐστιν κοδράντης (12:42)
●with Jesus were Peter, James, John and Andrew Πέτρος καὶ Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωάννης καὶ Ἀνδρέας (13:5)
●The nard was worth more than three hundred denarii ἐπάνω δηναρίων τριακοσίω (14:5)
●Simon of Cyrene is the father of Alexander and Rufus τὸν πατέρα Ἀλεξάνδρου καὶ Ῥούφου (15:21)
●The mother of the sons of Zebedee (Matthew 27:56, 20:20) is named Salome Σαλώμη (15:40)
●one Mary is the mother of Joses ἡ Ἰωσῆτος (Matthew 27:71 "the other Mary" ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία) (15:47)
●David at from the alter when Abi'athar was high priest ἐπὶ Ἀβιαθὰρ ἀρχιερέως (2:26)
●The region beyond the Galilee where Jesus preached is called the Decap'olis ἐν τῇ Δεκαπόλει (5:20)
●Bartimaeus is the son of Timaeus ὁ υἱὸς Τιμαίου Βαρτιμαῖος (10:46)
●two copper coins are worth one Roman bronze quarter (about 3/8ths of a cent) ὅ ἐστιν κοδράντης (12:42)
●with Jesus were Peter, James, John and Andrew Πέτρος καὶ Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωάννης καὶ Ἀνδρέας (13:5)
●The nard was worth more than three hundred denarii ἐπάνω δηναρίων τριακοσίω (14:5)
●Simon of Cyrene is the father of Alexander and Rufus τὸν πατέρα Ἀλεξάνδρου καὶ Ῥούφου (15:21)
●The mother of the sons of Zebedee (Matthew 27:56, 20:20) is named Salome Σαλώμη (15:40)
●one Mary is the mother of Joses ἡ Ἰωσῆτος (Matthew 27:71 "the other Mary" ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία) (15:47)
Mark often adds to stories some words Jesus or others used to fill details. For example
● they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." προσέπιπτον αὐτῷ καὶ ἔκραζον λέγοντες ὅτι Σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ (3:11)
● for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." ὅτι ἔλεγον, Πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτον ἔχει (3:30)
● and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" εἶπεν τῇ θαλάσσῃ, Σιώπα, πεφίμωσο (4:39)
● "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the baptizer" Τί αἰτήσωμαι ἡ δὲ εἶπεν, Τὴν κεφαλὴν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτίζοντος (6:24)
● And he said to them, "Do you not yet understand?" καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς, Οὔπω συνίετε (8:21)
● And he asked them, "What are you discussing with them?" καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτούς, Τί συνζητεῖτε πρὸς αὐτούς (9:16)
● he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?" ἐπηρώτα αὐτούς, Τί ἐν τῇ ὁδῳ διελογίζεσθε (9:33)
● "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!" Τέκνα, πῶς δύσκολόν ἐστιν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν (10:24)
● for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." ὅτι ἔλεγον, Πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτον ἔχει (3:30)
● and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" εἶπεν τῇ θαλάσσῃ, Σιώπα, πεφίμωσο (4:39)
● "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the baptizer" Τί αἰτήσωμαι ἡ δὲ εἶπεν, Τὴν κεφαλὴν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτίζοντος (6:24)
● And he said to them, "Do you not yet understand?" καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς, Οὔπω συνίετε (8:21)
● And he asked them, "What are you discussing with them?" καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτούς, Τί συνζητεῖτε πρὸς αὐτούς (9:16)
● he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?" ἐπηρώτα αὐτούς, Τί ἐν τῇ ὁδῳ διελογίζεσθε (9:33)
● "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!" Τέκνα, πῶς δύσκολόν ἐστιν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν (10:24)
Even the use of Aramaic translations, which are given to us formulaically, fall in the same category of mundane background info
● Bo-aner'ges, that is, sons of thunder Βοανηργές ὁ ἐστιν Υἱοὶ Βροντῆς (3:17)
● "Tal'itha cu'mi"; which means, "Little girl Ταλιθα κουμ, ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενον Τὸ κοράσιον (5:41)
● "Corban," that is, an offering Κορβᾶν, ὅ ἐστιν Δῶρον (7:11)
● "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened" Εφφαθα, ὅ ἐστιν, Διανοίχθητι (7:34)
● "Abba, father, all things are possible for you" Αββα ὁ Πατήρ, πάντα δυνατά σοι· παρένεγκε (14:36) [1]
Notes:
[1] The phrase Αββα ὁ Πατήρ suggests contact with the Pauline epistles, specifically Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6. Note, Matthew 26:36 lacks Abba, reading only Πάτερ μου.
● "Tal'itha cu'mi"; which means, "Little girl Ταλιθα κουμ, ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενον Τὸ κοράσιον (5:41)
● "Corban," that is, an offering Κορβᾶν, ὅ ἐστιν Δῶρον (7:11)
● "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened" Εφφαθα, ὅ ἐστιν, Διανοίχθητι (7:34)
● "Abba, father, all things are possible for you" Αββα ὁ Πατήρ, πάντα δυνατά σοι· παρένεγκε (14:36) [1]
Notes:
[1] The phrase Αββα ὁ Πατήρ suggests contact with the Pauline epistles, specifically Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6. Note, Matthew 26:36 lacks Abba, reading only Πάτερ μου.
There are more, but that gives you an idea of where I'm coming from. Mark's unique bits tend to answer the peanut gallery's most pedantic questions only. Mark 8:23-26 looks like a rewrite of Mark 10:51-52 and parallels (e.g., Matthew 9:27-31, 20:29-34,17:14-18, Mark 9:14-27) but losing completely the key elements of faith (e.g., Matthew 9:29 Κατὰ τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν) and following Jesus or the way (Mark 10:52 τῇ ὁδῷ) when sight is gained. This tells us it's a story of being blind to "the way" disguised as a healing miracle.
If there is any value in the spit and mud, the detail added to the touching of the eyes we see in Matthew for example, it would be to perhaps describe contemporary practice of certain itinerant Christian preachers/healers in circles of Mark's sect his readers might recognize. This is just another Markan element, nothing more.
Statistics: Posted by Stuart — Mon Dec 30, 2024 10:10 am