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The Reason for the Cock-Crowings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 February 2009

J. Duncan M. Derrett
J. Duncan M. Derrett
Affiliation:
Blockley, Glos, England
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Extract

In NTS 25/4 (1979), pp. 523–525 John W. Wenham attempts to unravel the formerly obscure variants in Mark 14. 30, 68 and 72. With the use of common sense, and a detective skill with the traces of alternative readings, he finds that the shorter readings are right. At verse 30 one should understand ‘before the cock crows, thou shalt deny me thrice’; at verse 68 no reference to the cock should appear; and at verse 72 we read ‘and the cock crew’ and ‘before the cock crows, thou shalt deny me thrice’. This is, after all, what St John says.

Type
Short Studies
Information
New Testament Studies , Volume 29 , Issue 1 , January 1983 , pp. 142 - 144
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1983

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References

NOTES

[1] van Vliet, H., No Single Testimony (Utrecht, 1958).Google ScholarForkman, G., The Limits of the Religious Community (Lund, 1972), pp. 134–5 (comparing 2 Cor. 13. 1–2 with CD IX.16–23).Google Scholar

[2] Derrett, , Law in the New Testament (London, 1970), p. 299 n. 2, p. 300 n. 3 (à propos of the parable of the Wicked Vinedressers, which dramatizes the point). Three instances set a trend, which may be alarming: Maimonides, Code, Hilkôt Mamrîm: XIV, III, ii, 8.Google Scholar

[3] It could be argued that τρίς after άρνήση, as at John 13. 38, is more emphatic, but cf. 2 Cor. 11.25,12.8.Google Scholar

[4] Yoma, b. 21a, lines 3–6. For the blessing to be uttered on hearing the cock crow see b. Ber. 606, lines 29–30. One may journey when it has crowed twice: Derek Erez Rabbah XI. 1.Google Scholar

[5] Matt. 8. 12, 22.13,25. 30. See Volz, P., Jüdische Eschatologie von Daniel bis Akiba (Tübingen/Leipzig, 1903), under‘Finsternis’.Google Scholar

[6] John 13. 30. On night and darkness see 1 Thes. 5. 5. On the power of darkness cf. Mark 15. 33 par., Luke 22. 53; Rom. 13. 12, 2 Cor. 6. 14–15, Col. 1. 13.Google Scholar

[7] Of the Hebrew translations of the gospels available to me only that of Lindsey, R. L. (A Hebrew Translation of the Gospel of Mark, Jerusalem, N.D.) retains the pun.Google Scholar

[8] Cullmann, O., peter, : Disciple-Apostle-Martyr (London, 1953) (an English version of the author's Petrus), especially ch. 1. It has not been grasped that for Peter that night was visualized by Mark as if it were the Eve of the Day of Atonement. See Mishna, Yoma 1.1–8, and Derrett, op. tit., p. 410. Peter–s sin was the greater in that he denied at a time when he should have affirmed.Google Scholar