Texts in Conversation
Mark 3:26 uses language that closely resembles the Testament of Moses, where the arrival of God’s kingdom coincides with the end of Satan. This similarity points to a common Jewish tradition in which divine rule is inaugurated through the defeat of evil.
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Testament of Moses 10
Assumption of Moses
Pseudepigrapha
And then His kingdom shall appear throughout all His creation, And then Satan shall be no more, And sorrow shall depart with him. Then the hands of the angel shall be filled Who has been appointed chief, And he shall forthwith avenge them of their enemies. For the Heavenly One will arise from His royal throne, And He will go forth from His holy habitation With indignation and wrath on account of His sons. And the earth shall tremble: to its confines shall it be shaken: And the high mountains shall be made low And the hills shall be shaken and fall.
Date: 20-50 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Mark 3:26
New Testament
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom will not be able to stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan rises against himself and is divided, he is not able to stand and his end has come. 27 But no one is able to enter a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can thoroughly plunder his house. 28 I tell you the truth, people will be forgiven for all sins, even all the blasphemies they utter.
Date: 60-75 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Pseudepigraphal traditions at many points cohere in meaningful ways with aspects of Jesus' teaching and ministry. After the death of the righteous Taxo and his sons, it is foretold that God's kingdom will appear throughout his whole creation. Then the devil will have an end (Testament of Moses 10:1). The association of the appearance of the kingdom of God and the demise of the devil is consistent with Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom and demonstration of its power through exorcism. Indeed, Jesus' command 'if Satan ... is divided, ... his end has come' (Mark 3:26) verbally matches the language of The Testament of Moses ..."
Evans, Craig A.
Ancient Texts for New Testament Studies: A Guide to the Background Literature
(p. 70) Hendrickson Publishers, 2005
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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