The continuation of Mark

Abstract

The study commences with a review of the many isolated suggestions advanced in support of a Marcan source under lying part of Acts. Whilst these are seen to have little coherence, the opposite theory recently propounded by Parker that Acts is ignorant of the Marcan Gospel is also found to he wanting; in probability. Following a brief general survey of prevalent attitudes to source criticism of Acts today, it is demonstrated how the present study has a certain advantage in this field, by being able to provide some objective control on the evidences for in knowing something of Mark's own language and method, and Luke’s treatment of it, we have some guidance as to the nature of one source in Acts, had Mark ever been used in the formation of Acts by Luke. As a partial check against a 'freak’ result, vocabulary of Matthew and John is also tested: this in effect heightening the connections between Mark and part of Acts. Armed with a knowledge of Mark's distinctive vocabulary, the thesis, develops the two major issues involved: firstly, does Mark's Gospel bear any evidence that its author intended to continue with an 'Acts' of any description? – after examination of key passages this possibility is left open. Secondly, assuming the hypothesis, the text of those passages in Acts which appear from statistical evidence to most possibly have Marcan affinities are analysed in detail, using the material gained from the examination of Marcan language as the basis for all discussion. At the same time the author's own attitudes to his material has constantly to be evaluated, and although the final conclusion remains necessarily speculative, the probability of a Marcan source underlying at least Ac. 3:1-11, 10:9-16 and 12:5-10 seems unavoidable. The work concludes with three Appendices, a Bibliography and an Index.