Revision Three

Revision Three

I am coming to a point where I believe I can see the end in sight. I hope to complete the third revision within the next couple weeks. At that time I will make a link available to you if you would like to read the third revision. Please keep in mind that thus is still in a rough draft. I anticipate many more revisions and edits. If you are interested in reading this draft I will provide you a link to where you can email me. I would appreciate the following feedback after you have finished reading through the draft:

• Any spelling, grammatical or punctuation errors

• Any inconsistencies amongst the characters

• Any theological disagreements or questions

• Any confusion regarding flow or a section that just doesn’t make sense

• Your overall general opinion

Again, when my third revision is complete in the next couple weeks I will post this.

List of Characters Named in the Gospel of Mark

Jesus, the Messiah

The Twelve Disciples

Bartholomew,

James, the son of Alphaeus (The Less)

Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus

The sons of Zebedee, John and James (the Great)

Levi, the son of Alphaeus

Matthew

Philip

Simon, who is also called Peter and his brother Andrew

Simon, the Zealot

Thomas

Thaddaeus

People Named in Mark’s gospel

Alphaeus, the father of Levi

Alphaeus, the father of James (the Less)

Barabbas, the prisoner who was released by Pilate instead of Jesus

Bartimaeus, (also named Timaeus) who was the blind man Jesus healed

Jairus, the rich man who pleaded with Jesus to heal his daughter

James the Just, the brother of Jesus

James, the younger, son of Mary who went to anoint Jesus’ body

John, the Baptist

Joseph of Arimathea, who claimed Jesus’ body from the Romans and placed him in his tomb

Joses, the brother of Jesus

Jude, the brother of Jesus

Levi, the tax collector

Mary, the mother of Jesus

Mary Magdalene, who went to anoint Jesus’ body

Mary, the mother of James the younger, who went to anoint Jesus’ body

Salome, who went to anoint Jesus’ body

Simon, the brother of Jesus

Simon, the man who hosted Jesus while in Bethany

Simon of Cyrene, (father of Alexander and Rufus) the one who helped carry Jesus’ cross

Zebedee, the father of James and John

Old Testament Figures Named in Mark

Abiathar, the high priest during the time of David

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

David

Elijah, an old testament prophet

Isaiah, an old testament prophet

Moses

Jewish Religious and Political Leaders Named in Mark

Caesar, the Roman emperor

Herod Antipas, the king

Herodias, the wife of Philip who was with Herod Antipas

Herodias, the daughter of Herodias

Philip, the brother of Herod

Pilate, the Roman Prefect in Jerusalem who ordered Jesus’ crucifixion

Evil Spirits Named in Mark

Beelzeboul

Legion

Satan

The Abomination of Desolation

Contemporary Fictional Characters Mentioned in the Book

Chris, one of the two students in Professor Robert Sherman’s antiquity class who discovered the vase in Xi’an China.

Daniel, the old testament prophet

Dr. Brian Stillwater, a world renown linguistic with an emphasis in ancient koine Greek who was the first to translate the scroll.

Dr. Joseph Kramer, University professor and Middle Eastern Antiquities expert who assisted Professor Sherman in evaluating the vase and traveled with him to Jerusalem.

Dr. Michael Sui, the Professor of Chinese Antiquities who originally examined the Vase and provided background information for Professor Sherman.

Dr. Ursula Frond, from at the Israel Antiquities Research Group (IARG) who helped evaluate the vase and ultimate discovery of the scroll.

Gregg, group leader of the student group traveling to China who assisted Rich and Chris throughout their trip.

Judas Jones, the charismatic traveling evangelist

Ken, assistant group leader of the student group traveling to China who assisted Rich and Chris throughout their trip

Ponder, the Chinese guide who drove the two students around Xi’an and eventually to the friendship store where the vase was discovered.

Peter, owner of the Chinese of the Friendship store in Xi’an where Rich and Chris discovered the vase.

Rich, one of the two students in Professor Robert Sherman’s antiquity class who discovered the vase in Xi’an China.

President Brown, university president who awarded Professor Sherman his award.

Professor Jeremiah Hones, of the Jerusalem Historical Museum who introduced Professor Sherman to Dr. Frond.

Professor Robert Sherman, the college professor who won the Phineas A. Murphy Distinguished Professor award and then provided a travel opportunity for his class final exam which led to the discovery of the vase which encapsulated the scroll.

Yellow Jade, Chinese guide who arranged for Ponder to help Rich and Chris.

First Century Characters Mentioned in the Book (Many Fictional, Some Historical)

Adah, the wife of Mendel who lived in Nazareth and told the story about the disciples of Jesus

Alexander, the brother of Rufus, the son of Simon of Cyrene who had passed away just prior to Justus’ arrival

Alexandros (Alex), the son of the wealthy Greek, Lycos who Justus saved

Aliza, mother of Naomi, the young girl who brought Justus the small scroll

Ananias, the church leader in Pompeii

Ananus, one of the roadside thieves who terrorized Lycos, who came to look for Justus in Rome with James the younger

Antiochus IV, the

Aram, the father of Justus

Athanasius, the

Athena, the goddess of wisdom who competed with Poseidon to become the patron deity of Athens

Bartimaeus, the friend of Jacob and Ruth who had been healed by Jesus. He had also collected stories of Jesus and passed them onto Justus and Alex.

Boaz, the oldest son of Eleazar

The Boy and his Father (Q) in Capernaum. It was the father who also had collected sayings of Jesus

Charybdis, one of two fabled sea monsters who lived in the Straits of Messana that tormented ships

Eleazar, the family patriarch of Jacob, Joshua, Jehud, the husband to Johana

Elizabeth, The daughter of Justus and Miriam

Ester, The friend of Miriam who told Justus the story of the demoniac of Gerasenes

Heron, the young man chosen by Theophilus who would travel with Justus and Alex, guiding them along the trip locating sources for the traditions they were collecting

Jacob, the husband of Ruth, who together owned a home in Capernaum and helped Jesus

Jesse, the son of Justus and Miriam

John, the traveling companion of Justus who took him to Eleazar.

John Mark, the scribe of Peter who helped Justus when he walked out of Lycos home in frustration

Johana, the wife of Eleazar

Jonathan, the church leader in Tyre

Jotham, the youngest son of Eleazar

Justus, the Jewish Christian leader from Jerusalem who traveled to Rome to meet with the leader of the Roman Christian church. He was asked to travel throughout Galilee, Samaria and Judea to seek out oral and written traditions about Jesus in order to write down a fixed story about the wonders and miracles of Jesus.

Kassandra, the daughter of the wealthy Greek, Lycos who Justus saved

Leah, the wife of Rufus who provided stories to Justus about her mother, Salome

Lycos, the wealthy Greek man that Justus saves. He also funds Justus’ journey. (meaning "wolf". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology including a legendary ruler of Thebes.)

Matthan, the second son of Eleazar

Mara, the elderly woman who saw the Baptizer

Martha, the wife of Boaz, son of Eleazar

Matthias, the disciple chosen to replace Judas

Meli, the wife of the wealthy Greek, Lycos who Justus saved (her names translates as honey)

Mendel, the husband of Adah who lived in Nazareth and told the story about the disciples of Jesus

Miriam, the wife of Justus

Naomi, the young girl who brought Justus the small scroll

Nero, the emperor of Rome at the time

Olive, the wife of Jesse, daughter in law of Justus

Perez, the church leader in Jerusalem who called on Justus to speak before an anxious crowd

Phinehas, one of the roadside thieves who terrorized Lycos, but was saved and helped Jacob and Ruth

Poseidon, the goddess of wisdom who competed with Athena to become the patron deity of Athens

Rufus, the son of Simon of Cyrene who also saved Justus from arrest as a young boy in the Garden

Ruth, the wife of Jacob, who together owned a home in Capernaum and helped Jesus

Scylla, one of two fabled sea monsters who lived in the Straits of Messana that tormented ships

Sheatiel, the first traveling companion of Justus who took him from Jerusalem to Emmaus

Shipmaster, the captain of the ship who took Justus and Lycos back to Rome and then sailed Justus back during his trip back to collect the traditions of Jesus. He was also the shipmaster who took Sergius on his trip.

Simon bar-Giora, another Jewish leader who stood up to speak to the crowd in Jerusalem

Sergius, the old tutor of Alex with whom Lycos arranged to help Justus and Alex compile the stories of Jesus

Tamar, the wife of Jotham

The Teacher, the charismatic preacher that James (son of Alphaeus) took Justus, Alex and Heron to meet.

Theophilus, the leader of Church in Rome

The Quirky Itinerate Man, the man who spoke to Eleazar, his family and Alex and Heron about Megiddo