Already I have shared my reservation using the words ‘insider’ and ‘outsider’. However the following points by Hays would help us to know how an outsider sometimes can have different perspectives, that would help an insider to have a better understanding. However, considering the context here, in our case, as outsiders to Christian tradition, our understanding about Muktinath and Muktiveda could help a Christian who is an insider to Christianity. I too learnt so many valuable teachings from the Christian tradition to have a better understanding about Muktiveda and Muktinath. The same is the case in my understanding about Hinduism. Though we can claim that a Hindu scholar and acharya could have a better understanding about his scriptures and tradition, still an outsider scholar’s objective view could give new perspective in our understanding as Hindus. Particularly I was very much benefitted by the writings of outside scholars about Hinduism. So a combination of mutual learning is essential for our bhakti in the Lord.
6-12-23, Gurukulam
…Mark 12 demands careful treatment in its own place, but at the end of Mark 10 we are given no indication whatever that Bartimaeus’ acclamation is misguided. His calling out to Jesus fits into a familiar Markan pattern: the marginalized outsider rightly recognizes Jesus and responds to him in faith. We have already encountered similar patterns in the stories of the leper (1:40-44), the woman suffering from hemorrhages (5:25-34), the Syrophoenician woman (7:24-30), the father of the boy with an unclean spirit (9:14-29), and the people who bring little children for Jesus’ blessing (10:13-16). The climactic event in this series-a climactic event still to come in Mark’s narrative-is the confession of the centurion at the foot of the cross (15:39). In none of these cases does Mark hint that the outsider’s perception of Jesus requires correction. Instead, in each case the audacious words and actions of the outsiders serve as correctives to the perspective of the “insider” characters in the story. Mark has taught his readers to pay respectful attention to what such outsiders say. Thus, after the persistently foolish misunderstandings of Jesus’ disciples (e.g., Mark 10:35-45), when we hear Bartimaeus cry to Jesus as “Son of David,” we should take heed what we hear.— Richard B. Hays, Echoes of Scripture in The Gospels, Texas, Baylor University Press, 2016, Ch 1 The Gospel of Mark: Herald of Mystery, p. 51
Already I have shared my reservation using the words ‘insider’ and ‘outsider’. However the following points by Hays would help us to know how an outsider sometimes can have different perspectives, that would help an insider to have a better understanding. However, considering the context here, in our case, as outsiders to Christian tradition, our understanding about Muktinath and Muktiveda could help a Christian who is an insider to Christianity. I too learnt so many valuable teachings from the Christian tradition to have a better understanding about Muktiveda and Muktinath. The same is the case in my understanding about Hinduism. Though we can claim that a Hindu scholar and acharya could have a better understanding about his scriptures and tradition, still an outsider scholar’s objective view could give new perspective in our understanding as Hindus. Particularly I was very much benefitted by the writings of outside scholars about Hinduism. So a combination of mutual learning is essential for our bhakti in the Lord.
6-12-23, Gurukulam
…Mark 12 demands careful treatment in its own place, but at the end of Mark 10 we are given no indication whatever that Bartimaeus’ acclamation is misguided. His calling out to Jesus fits into a familiar Markan pattern: the marginalized outsider rightly recognizes Jesus and responds to him in faith. We have already encountered similar patterns in the stories of the leper (1:40-44), the woman suffering from hemorrhages (5:25-34), the Syrophoenician woman (7:24-30), the father of the boy with an unclean spirit (9:14-29), and the people who bring little children for Jesus’ blessing (10:13-16). The climactic event in this series-a climactic event still to come in Mark’s narrative-is the confession of the centurion at the foot of the cross (15:39). In none of these cases does Mark hint that the outsider’s perception of Jesus requires correction. Instead, in each case the audacious words and actions of the outsiders serve as correctives to the perspective of the “insider” characters in the story. Mark has taught his readers to pay respectful attention to what such outsiders say. Thus, after the persistently foolish misunderstandings of Jesus’ disciples (e.g., Mark 10:35-45), when we hear Bartimaeus cry to Jesus as “Son of David,” we should take heed what we hear.— Richard B. Hays, Echoes of Scripture in The Gospels, Texas, Baylor University Press, 2016, Ch 1 The Gospel of Mark: Herald of Mystery, p. 51
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