Redemption and the Enthroned Mark (and his Earthly Repesentative, the Pope [Papa] of Alexandria)

Before I explain the roots of the Markan redemption rite from Secret Mark and the writings of the Church Fathers let me prove that Chekhov was right - Mark didn't introduce the idea of enthronement in Mk x.38 and redemption in Mk x.45 without a specific literary purpose in mind.

Mark wrote the greatest book in history. The reason the text seems so barbaric is because its literary structure has been butchered by later Catholic editors (Irenaeus) re-forming the text as an absurdly short document in order to force believers into using his three other bastard texts (don't blame me for the insult; I am only throwing back an insult he first cast against the original Gospel in the hands of followers of Mark).

Irenaeus' original Gospel of Mark did end in an enthronement. But the controversy with Alexandria never subsided. By the time of Nicaea the question of whether Jesus was enthroned in heaven or Mark on earth was only resolved by leaving the ending blank.

But notice what Irenaeus reports about a Markan redemption prayer:

For they affirm, that because of the "Redemption" it has come to pass that they can neither be apprehended, nor even seen by the judge. But even if he should happen to lay hold upon them, then they might simply repeat these words, while standing in his presence along with the "Redemption:" "O thou, who sittest beside God, and the mystical, eternal Sige, thou through whom the angels (mightiness), who continually behold the face of the Father, having thee as their guide and introducer, do derive their forms from above, which she in the greatness of her daring inspiring with mind on account of the goodness of the Forefather, produced us as their images, having her mind then intent upon the things above, as in a dream,--behold, the judge is at hand, and the crier orders me to make my defence. But do thou, as being acquainted with the affairs of both, present the cause of both of us to the judge, inasmuch as it is in reality but one cause."

Can the reader see the clear context of Markan persecution? And what of Mark sitting to the left of Jesus just as the surviving throne of St Mark declares (through Zech 6:9f) and the reported conclusion of the Marcionite gospel?

It all fits together. There was an Alexandrian papacy even at the time of Irenaeus (ie fifty years before Heraclas).

Let him who has ears hear ...