Outline. The Gospel of Mark Literary Characteristics PLOTTING IN THE PASSION NARRATIVE. Plotting in the Passion Narrative. What Is a Gospel?

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1 Class 3 PLOTTING IN THE PASSION NARRATIVE Outline Plotting in the Passion Narrative ú Your Explorations ú Further link and juxtaposition insights from Mary Ann Tolbert What Is a Gospel? An Exercise with Biblical Tools Next Weeks Exercise: Introducing New Testament Abstracts Literary Characteristics Vestiges of oral preaching paratactic narrative (and and and ) use of historical present (tense) vivid images and evocative sounds Apocalyptic drama with open ending gospel originally ended at 16:8 A strange motif: the messianic secret 1

2 Literary Characteristics One could call the Gospels passion narratives with extended introductions consisting of isolated units. The So-Called Historical Jesus and the Historic Biblical Christ (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1964; original 1892) p. 80, n. 11. Martin Kähler How the New Testament Came Together 4 BCE 29 CE JESUS Paul Mark Matthew John Luke Acts Oral Preaching An Outline I. Galilean Ministry (1:1-8:21) II. Peter s Confession, Prediction of Passion and Journey to Jerusalem (8:22-10:52) III. Ministry in Jerusalem (11:1 16:8) a. controversies in the Temple (11:1-13:37) b. passion narrative (14:1-15:39) c. resurrection report (15:40-16:8) 2

3 Our Exercise Tonight: Plotting in the Passion Narrative Identify your linked episodes Trace the links you see Suggest the significance of the links Our Exercise Tonight: Plotting in the Passion Narrative Mary Ann Tolbert offers several examples of links between episodes in the passion narrative, and ties to the parables of the sower and the vineyard. With your partner, select one that you didn t just discuss and be able to identify the rhetorical effect. Pastoral Context & Resulting Themes Response to turmoil of mid-1 st century Nero s persecution of Christians (64 CE) Jewish Revolt, destruction of Jerusalem (70 CE) deaths of eyewitnesses Challenges of discipleship pressure under persecution internal tensions over leadership Spread of message not only to Jews but also Gentiles THEMES Jesus as suffering messiah Real enemy = Satan (religious leaders = proxies) disciples failures messianic secret overtures to Gentiles 3

4 Christology: A Suffering Messiah three key titles Messiah Son of God Son of Man a suffering messiah not power and glory, but suffering and death earthly but also cosmic contest, resolved in signs of power (δυναμεις) and exorcisms willingness to do father s will resurrection Definition of Terms Gospel = English translation of ευαγγελιον (good news) ú In Jesus time, this is a political term Priene Calendar Inscription 9 BCE 4

5 Priene Calendar Inscription 9 BCE The Greeks of Asia resolve to reset their calendar from a lunar calendar to a solar one, beginning on the birthday of Augustus Caesar since [the birthday] of the god was the beginning of the good new[s] for the world that came by reason of him Definition of Terms Gospel = English translation of ευαγγελιον (good news) ú In Jesus time, this is a political term 1 st century CE: referred to preaching of and about Jesus 2 nd century: came to apply to written texts More like ancient biographies (bioi) than history ú the subject is distinguished or notorious ú the aim is to expose the essence of the person, which needn't require the entire life from birth to death eschatological history biography sayings revelatory discourses infancy stories passion accounts Mark Matthew, Luke, John Thomas Mary, Philip [John] James, Thomas Peter 5

6 More like ancient biographies (bioi) than history ú little interest in character development, essence is thought to be somewhat static throughout life ú unlike history, it is often anecdotal, and less concerned with cause and effect ú variety of social functions literary artistry propaganda teaching apologia (defense of the person against criticism or misunderstanding) encomium (praise of the worthy person to foster emulation) establishment of a line of tradition to authorize certain persons in the author's present Using Biblical Research Tools: The Elijah Project (Synoptic Workbook pp ) Each of you will receive a page from a concordance, plus one of the following tools: Biblical Apparatus Commentary Bible Dictionary Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT) Bias in Our Scholarly Sources TheologischesWörterbuch zum NeuenTestament (TWNT/TDNT) 6

7 Bias in Our Scholarly Sources TheologischesWörterbuch zum NeuenTestament (TWNT/TDNT) Gerhard Kittel Karl Georg Kuhn Using Biblical Research Tools: The Elijah Project (Synoptic Workbook pp ) Each of you will receive a page from a concordance, plus one of the following tools: Biblical Apparatus Commentary Bible Dictionary Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT) What questions arose in your group that you could pursue further? Exercise for Next Class Workbook pp New Testament Abstracts Abstract in this context is not vague, but a summary What s in NTA Where you can find NTA Directions for assignment Pick a pericope for your final paper Find 5 relevant sources in English Type up 1 page identifying your pericope and sources, using our course style sheet (not the format in NTA) 7