The Telic Conjunctions of Isaiah 6:9-10 in Mark's Mythopoeic. Essays in Honor of Stanley E. Porter's 60th Birthday
Abstract
This paper examines the meaning of Isa 6:9-10 in Mark 4:11-12 from the perspective of mythopeic, or a literary approach to myth-making as practiced by Northrop Frye. The first part of the paper addressed the use of the conjunctions "hina" and "mepote" by arguing that they convey purpose, meaning that the goal of the parables is to intentionally keep some people on the outside, denying them the mystery of the kingdom of God.
In the second part of the paper, this exclusivism is explained in light of the evangelist's mythic cosmic drama wherein the division of humanity into "insiders" and "outsiders" is influenced by a synergy of suffering and Scripture. So, the language of the Isa 6:9-10 is not referential or representative of an objective value between the insiders and outsiders, but rather it is applied to reality like a mathematic symbol.