Mark
Introduction

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16

Contradictions
Absurdities
Injustice
Interpretation
Science and History
Cruelty and Violence
Prophecy
Intolerance
Family Values
Women
Language
Sex
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Interpretation in Mark

  1. The phrase "as it is written in the prophets" is not found in the oldest and best Greek manuscripts which say, rather, "as it is written in Isaiah." Scribes made the change to correct the mistake of attributing the quotation to Isaiah, since the first part of the quote (v.2) is not from Isaiah, but from Ex.23:20 and Mal.3:1. 1:2

  2. Peter, who Catholics believe was the first pope, was married. 1:30

  3. "Jesus, moved with compassion"
    Some of the earliest manuscripts of Mark say that Jesus was moved with anger, not compassion. Bart Ehrman in Misquoting Jesus (p.133-138) argues that the original text probably said that Jesus reacted with wrath rather than compassion, and was later changed by scribes to make the verse less problematic. 1:41

  4. "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?"
    This is the only verse in the New Testament where Jesus is referred to as a carpenter. And in the earliest manuscript of Mark, the verse says, "Is not this the son of the carpenter?" Apparently it wasn't in any of the Gospels at the time of Origen, who said that "in none of the Gospels current in the Churches is Jesus himself ever described as being a carpenter." 6:3

  5. Jehovah's Witnesses and birthdays 6:21

  6. Does Hell exist? 9:43-48

  7. Is polygamy OK? 10:11

  8. "Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery."
    If divorced people are adulterers, and the punishment for adultery is death (Lev.20:10), should we kill those who get a divorce? 10:11-12

  9. Is Jesus God? 10:18, 15:34, 16:19

  10. Does God approve of slavery? 10:42-43

  11. Do angels have sex? 12:25

  12. Will Jesus' second coming be visible to all? 13:26

  13. "And Pilate marveled if he were already dead." Maybe he wasn't! 15:44

  14. Verses 9-20 were are not found in the earlier manuscripts and are therefore considered later additions. So the gospel of Mark ended without anyone seeing the resurrected Jesus or any of the cool stuff about snake handling, drinking poison, or damned non-believers. 16:9-20