Idiocy of the academy
Idiocy of the academy
The self-proclaimed expert on everything Biblical, Dick Harfield from Australia is an excellent source of Academic comedy as he illustrates the worst ability at reason in his sophistic approach to prove that Christianity is a fraud under the guide of scientific study.
In his "Hidden Meaning in Mark's Gospel" he sets his foundation in the opinion of David Rhoads, Joanna Dewey and Donald Michie that "Mark's story about Jesus was to a substantial extent a work of fiction."
This violates the rule Rule - Self-contained.
Dick surmises "The questions I asked myself are: why would Mark’s author write this story about Jesus instead of narrating actual events in the life of Jesus, and why was this story the one used to go out and seek converts? "
The proper question is what OT prophesies did Mark/Peter see Jesus fulfilling in the events shared. Dick's error is presuming that the sequence of the narrative is important rather than the Remez, Drash and Sod commentary on the OT in light of the light of Christ.
Unlimited omniscience objection
mark seems to know what happens everywhere. He depicts private scenes. Dick determines that this is evidence of a fictional nature. Dick ignores the fact that after the resurrection of Christ. there was a great fellowship and sharing of events that happened in Jerusalem. Only the most ignorant and willful skeptic would insist that the book was written in isolation of such a grand fellowship.
Use of literary devices objection
Dick asserts that Mark's use of literary devices common to Hebrew writing is evidence that it is fictional. "Real events do not occur in such a precise order." Dick is over-exercising his innate anachronistic biases as he imposes a structure on Mark that it should be sequential, then tears down the straw-man he has created. Why would someone impose the need for a sequential telling of the life of Christ, when it is obvious that he is commenting on the OT in light of the revelation of Christ and using common literary devices.
Improbable events and locations objection.
Dick insists that Baigent is more reliable than Mark and so the account of John the Baptist is fictional.
Dick insists that Mk 5:1 is an error because Gerasa is "several kilometers from the shore and across a river". Mark simply says that he entered the region or country (χώρα). Dick is sloppy in his academic dialog since he did not reference many authors who defend against there being a contradiction between Mark and Matthew. I am not attempting an academic dialog, merely taking notes for future reference. Welcome to my brain dump.
Dick claims that the name of the possessed man isn't given, therefore the account is false. The name of the demons is given as "Legion" and the name of the man is given as Bartimaeus. He also claims the name of Barabas is fictional because there is word play. Dick is ignorant of the word-play of all the names in the OT, and the Sod layer of meaning. Again this is simple straw-man error where he sets Barabas as fictional then links Bartimaeus to it.
Dick is only worth reading for seeing to what extents the one who has been given over will go to in order to deny God..
Maybe his structure is worth somethng as an observation. I'll get back to it.
Appendix A: The proposed framework structure of Mark A John explains the coming of Jesus (Mark 1:1-8) B The baptism of Jesus (1:9) C The voice of God from heaven, "Thou art my beloved son" (1:11) D The forty days in the wilderness as an allusion to Elijah and Moses (1:13) E The people were astonished at what Jesus taught (1:22) F Jesus casts out an unclean spirit (1:23-26) G Pharisees took counsel with the Herodians how they might destroy Jesus (3:6) H Demons, whenever they see Jesus, fall down and say that he is the Son of God. Jesus commands that they tell no one of this (3:11-12) I Jesus calls the 12 disciples (3:13-19) J Jesus rejects his own family: he has a new family, his followers (3:31-35) K Jesus rebukes the wind (4:36-41) L The demoniac, wearing no clothes (5:15), cries out that Jesus not torment him and Jesus sends out the demons (5:1-20) M Jesus comes into his own country (6:1) - Where he was brought up N The people misunderstand Jesus and he can do no mighty work (6:2-6) O Jesus sends out the disciples and curses those who will not receive them (6:7-11) - in sending the disciples with authority and expecting all to receive them, Jesus is asserting his own authority P Herod thinks that Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead (6:14) Q Herodias and her daughter conspire to kill John the Baptist (6:16-29) R Feeding the thousands, and related miracles and discourses (6:31-8:21) S Who do people say that I am (8:27) T Peter affirms faith in Jesus as the Christ (8:29) U Whosoever shall be ashamed of me: of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed (8:38) V The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes (8:31a) W Be killed and after three days rise again (8:31b) X Prophecy of second coming (9:1) - Jesus tells the disciples that some of them would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God coming with power. Hidden Meaning in Mark’s Gospel v1.1 Page 9 B' The Transfiguration of Jesus (9:2-3) C' The voice of God from heaven, "This is my beloved son" (9:7) D' Jesus talks to Elijah and Moses then to the disciples about Elijah (9:4-13) E' A great multitude was amazed at Jesus (9:15) F' Jesus cast out a dumb spirit (9:17-27) G' They shall kill the Son of man and he shall rise on the third day (9:31) H' Jesus clarifies his divine status, saying that he is not God: "Why call me good? There is none good but God" (10:18) I' Peter says the disciples have left all and followed Jesus (10:28) J' Those who have left their family for Jesus have a new family: all Jesus' followers (10:29- 30) K' Jesus rebukes the 'sons of thunder', James and John (10:35-45 - cf 3:17) L' Blind Bartimaeus cries out for mercy and casts off his clothes, then Jesus heals him (10:46-52) M' Jesus comes into Jerusalem (11:1-10) - Where he will die N' Jesus misunderstands the fig tree that can provide no fruit (11:13-14) O' Jesus casts out them that sold and bought in the Temple and curses them for making the Temple a den of thieves (11:15-17) - Jesus is asserting his authority P' Jesus asks whether the baptism of John is from heaven or of men, and the priests, scribes and elders can not answer (11:30-33) Q' Parable of husbandmen who conspire to kill the vineyard owner's son (12:1-9) X' Prophecy of second coming (chapter 13) - on clouds of glory, within the lifetimes of some of those to whom he was speaking R' The Last Supper (14:17-25) S' Art thou the Christ, Son of God (14:61) T' Peter denies Jesus three times (14:66-72a) U' And when he thought thereon, Peter wept (14:72b) V' The chief priests, elders and scribes delivered Jesus to Pontius Pilate (15:1) - Delivering Jesus is a similar concept to rejecting him. - Both parts of the pair involve chief priests, elders and scribes W' Jesus dies and on the third day rises again (15:37, 16:6) A' The young man explains the departure of Jesus (16:6-8)
