Date: Mon, 2 Dec 1996 17:45:44 -0500 (EST) From: Andrew Lincoln To: Stevan Davies cc: crosstalk@info.harpercollins.com Subject: Re: Mark and GThom Steve, Thanks for your interesting comments on Mk 7:14-23 and GThom14c,45b. I haven't got time to pursue it properly but it strikes me initially that the parallels in Matthew might complicate the analysis in an interesting way. Matt 15:17,18, unlike Mark 7:18,20, and like GThom 14c does have "mouth" in its discussion. And of course Matthew 12:34,35 (in its use of Q - Lk 6:43-45), unlike Mark, has a version of the same saying as GThom 45b - "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man out of his good treasure [the good treasure of his heart - Luke] brings forth good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil." Given the existence of a version of this saying in Q, it would not be necessary to say, on the view that Thomas is dependent on Mark, that "he revised Mark to produce this seemingly primitive form". He could have had it available from elsewhere. Isn't the argument that Mark put GThom 14c and 45b together also undercut somewhat? It's not that clear to me that Mk 7:20-23 need or are derived from GThom 45b and Matthew can have both his parallel to Mk 7:20 -23 in Matt 15:18-20 and his parallel to GThom 45b in Matt12:34,35 without thinking either was superfluous or, on the assumption that he was using Mark, thinking that Mark had already conflated them. Just some very quick thoughts. Andrew