St. Mark of Ephesos as a Spiritual Writer: Theological Considerations of an Autograph Manuscript (abstract) (original) (raw)

Kappes’ monograph has the potential of reframing theological discussion. It brings out ancient treasures of the tradition, rendering them relevant to modern philosophical, theological and Mariological discussion and situating them within the ecumenical landscape. Kappes applies new discoveries to old disagreements, showing that the Greek Fathers were especially clear about the complete holiness and purity of the Theotokos. His work is a fine example of historical theology, presuming the integrity of the Christian tradition, and bringing an original approach to an old question, shedding new light on the Person and Mission of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Anyone interested in questions of historical theology, Catholic-Orthodox dialogue, metaphysics or Mariology should read this book. Kappes shows that there can be no doubt about Hopkins’ assertion that Mary is and must become ever more our atmosphere, our better world in which to wend and find no sin! Only then will the Church, as St. John Paul II so ardently yearned, breathe with both lungs.

This commentary demonstrates that the Gospel of Mark is a result of a consistent, strictly sequential, hypertextual reworking of the contents of three of Paul’s letters: Galatians, First Corinthians and Philippians. Consequently, it shows that the Marcan Jesus narratively embodies the features of God’s Son who was revealed in the person, teaching, and course of life of Paul the Apostle. The analysis of the topographic and historical details of the Marcan Gospel reveals that they were mainly borrowed from the Septuagint and from the writings of Flavius Josephus. Other literary motifs were taken from various Jewish and Greek writings, including the works of Homer, Herodotus, and Plato. The Gospel of Mark should therefore be regarded as a strictly theological-ethopoeic work, rather than a biographic one.

Although previous scholars have discussed and come to widely accepted conclusions about the background to the gospel of Mark in terms of authorship, purpose, characteristics, structure, date, settings, and recipients of Mark's gospel, its genre as well as Sources of Mark's Gospel; which is a fact that this paper does not dispute. Yet, the essence of this paper is to reexamine some salient issues regarding the background of the gospel of Mark in terms of the author and recipient. John Mark is widely regarded as the author of the fourth gospel, but not so for the reason stated here in this paper. Although the recipient of the book is attributed to Galilee, Syria, the Decapolis and Rome; this research supports a Rome possibility because of the universality of the place and the influence of Paul on John Mark. This is the gap that we are filling here.

The Gospel of Mark is foundational to a minimal historical approach. The methodological approach of this brief introduction is to provide the position of critical scholarship for comparison to the early church perception of the Gospel of Mark. This study is to follow the critical position to the brink of faith that Jesus is the Son of Man. Furthermore, critical academics leave Mark open to the resurrection when female disciples found Jesus’s tomb empty. The accounts of the early church stand firm and yet in contrast to critical scholarship that continues to search for conclusions.