Christian Texts and History • Irony, Irony. No Escaping Irony.

The parable seems to raise three questions, with the focus clearly on the latter question:

- Who is the sower?
- What is the seed?
- What are the four different types of soil?

4

Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.(A) 2 He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them 3 “Listen! A sower went out to sow. :(B)

JW:
For me the most interesting question is WHO is the primary intended "hearer" of this text critical parable?

The candidates:

• The crowd
  
  The disciples
  
  The reader
  
  Everyone

As always we have the magical Irony that Jesus is telling a parable to the Disciples (especially Simon/Peter), about the Disciples! And they don't know it!! ("For they are honorable men"). Contrast to:

12:12 When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.(C)

As always the Disciples are negatively compared to the villains of the story:

• The Disciples don't understand the Parable is against them. The Priests, elders and scribes do.
  
  Herod believes in resurrection, the Disciples do not.
  
  The evil spirits know who Jesus is, the Disciples (and JtB) do not.
  
  The strangers have faith in Jesus. The Disciples do not.

Ad Nazorean. If there is anything reMarkable about the Gospels it's the literary skill of this author. As always you see different pieces of the above in other Gospels supporting that GMark is the original Gospel narrative.


Joseph

Statistics: Posted by JoeWallack — Fri Jan 10, 2025 10:32 am

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