Judy writes: Say Bill,
In my reading this a.m. I note that Luke 4:1 says
"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from
Jordan, and was LED by the Spirit into the wilderness"
(Luke 4:1)
So what do you think? Which is it that harmonizes with the rest of scripture
"being driven or being led?"
My answer may not please you, Judy, but Mark's
emphasis was different than Luke's; that's why he used a different word. Mark
has Jesus driven into the wilderness, using a word with a actively forceful
thrust on the part of the Spirit, but Luke uses a different word altogether
and the Spirit simply leads him. If your interest is to "harmonize" the
two, it is quite acceptable to translate Luke's word as "brought" -- the Spirit
brought him to the wilderness. This way you don't have one saying that the
Spirit was out in front leading and the other with him behind
driving. Either way, I am not upset by the difference here
because I see the two authors seeking to emphasize different themes throughout
their Gospel accounts, mainly because they were attempting to address different
audiences.
The following is an answer to a question from one
of my New Testament tests. It compares and contrasts the Gospels of John and
Mark. I thought I had done a similar one with Luke, but can't seem to find it.
Nevertheless this should suffice in demonstrating how different authors,
different audiences, and different themes make for a different presentation of
the same Christ Jesus.
Mark and John are paradoxically the most similar
yet strikingly different of the Gospels in their portrayals of Jesus. On the
one hand, they both begin their accounts with reference to Jesus� divinity.
Yet Mark chooses to introduce Jesus as the divine Christ, the Messiah come as
promised in times past, while John declares Jesus as the Word divine, the God
who was "in beginning." On the other hand, both are concerned to express Jesus
as a man, a human being not unlike the people of his day. In this though we
have in John, the Word taking on flesh and coming to his own, but his own not
receiving him; and in Mark, over and over we have the man, Jesus, leaving his
own, and this because they tried to
receive him. Jesus tells them to tell no one of who he is and what he�s done.
In Mark this is due no doubt to a broader misunderstanding of Jesus�
Messiahship, yet in John we seem to have Jesus shoving his Sonship
relationship with his Father down Jewish throats. John wants his readers to
know right off and through out who Jesus is: He is the Word, He is the Light, He is the Good Shepherd, the Door, the
Way, the Truth, the Life, the Son, I AM, God. Strangely, Mark tells us who
Jesus is right off and then wants us to read on asking over and over again, Who is this guy? Both Gospels bring
out the unique way Jesus had of evoking strong emotions, yet even in this the
emotions were starkly different. John�s Jesus evoked anger�they raged; they
plotted; they picked up stones. They wanted Him dead! Mark�s sparks fear
in the hearts of His audience�to know Jesus is to tremble, tremble! Tremble!
John�s Jesus loves his disciples and washes their feet. He is tender; he is
calm; he is trustworthy. Beloved John cuddles against his Master's chest.
Mark�s Jesus is trustworthy, too: but He is not safe. John's Jesus is patient,
seemingly never hurried. Mark's is "immediately" here and "immediately"
there. Still again the contrast turns: when Jesus is arrested in Mark, a
young boy runs away, naked and scared�Jesus is left to die, alone and
betrayed; in John, Jesus is kissed and an entire army is sent sprawling! He is
the King! And everyone knows it. Yet this King, with armies other worldly,
willingly subordinates Himself to die a destitute servant�stripped, whipped,
and nailed to a cross. Are these Jesus� different? Are both Jesus� real?
Herein lies the beauty of the Gospels, the marvel of Jesus. Both Jesus� are real, and the Jesus� of both
are the same. But the writers themselves are different; not only that
but they are different in whom they address; hence they are
different in the Jesus they stress.
I hope this will be helpful in thinking about why
Mark may have stressed one word, while Luke chose a different and entirely
unrelated word when recording the same event.
Anyway thanks,
Bill
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, March 04, 2005 7:49
AM
Subject: [TruthTalk] Being Led or Being
Driven
Say Bill,
In my reading this a.m. I note that Luke 4:1
says "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned
from Jordan, and was LED by the
Spirit into the wilderness" (Luke 4:1)
So what do you think?
Which is it that harmonizes with the rest of
scripture "being driven or being
led?"
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