Our lenses are three.
We need them all.
If we hope to see
Wide and far and small.

Lens #3: Looking at the Bible through a microscope

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for, Grasshopper! We want to look at the Greek in this story and discover new insights regarding this story. This is an important part of Bible study, but it’s the third step, not the first. Most of the questions regarding this Biblical text have already been answered by looking at it through the first two lenses. But now let’s get out our microscopes and start looking at some of the finer details of this story.

I’m studying this passage using two translations: RSV and NIV. I notice that NIV has translated the word ἀκάθαρτος as evil while the RSV translated it unclean (Mark 5:2, 8, 13). As I mentioned in the previous section, the subject of purity is very important in this part of Mark’s Gospel. While the word evil is clearer to the modern reader, it does conceal the idea of ritual impurity which is intrinsic to the word ἀκάθαρτος.

Another thing that stood out for me in looking at this passage was the use of words like amazed, astonished, and afraid. These words are thematically important in this section. When Jesus calms the storm, Mark describes the disciples’ reaction with a very colloquial expression in Greek: καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν φόβον μέγαν. Literally, “they were afraid with great fear.” (Mark 4:41)

RSV “And they were filled with awe”

NIV “They were terrified”

Later, the demoniac begs Jesus not to torture him. And the Gerasenes are afraid (ἐφοβήθησαν) of Jesus. This is hardly the reaction we expect to “Jesus meek and mild.” And I think the vocabulary here fills this scene with a sense of foreboding and fear.

The word for amazed is important in this passage although I’m not sure you need to know Greek to appreciate it. θαυμάζω means “to be amazed” and it is used at the end of the story about the Gerasene demoniac:

RSV And all men marveled.

NIV And all the people were amazed.

It appears again later in this section of Mark, but this time it is Jesus who is amazed (Mark 6:6):

RSV And he marveled because of their unbelief.

NIV And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

That phrase ties together this whole section of Mark. Faith is also a keyword for all these stories.

What other things did you discover looking through the microscope?

Up to this point, Grasshopper, we have learned the importance of Seeing Double, Letting Go and Getting Focused. Much of our learning has taken place without resorting to grammars and lexicons.

But before we go I have to let you in on a little secret. There are not three lenses but four.

Grasshopper Greek

Go to the final lens: the fourth