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8 - The Gospels

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2020

By
Jeannine K. Brown
Edited by
Calum Carmichael
Calum Carmichael
Affiliation:
Cornell University, New York
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Summary

The essay explores the contribution of a literary analysis to interpretation of the canonical Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The author begins by analyzing historical tendencies to read the biographies of Jesus atomistically, before moving to describe recent narrative approaches that focus greater attention on the overarching picture of how each story is told by means of plotting, characterization, and thematic development. The body of the essay involves two close, narrative readings, the first focused on Matt 4:23-9:38, which highlights the role of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7) and the miracle chapters (Matt 8-9) in this part of the first Gospel. The second reading addresses John’s Gospel and the ways that author deploys allusions and echoes from Gen 1-2 to accent the theme of the renewal of creation in the person and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.

Keywords

Canonical GospelsGospels genrenarrative criticismSermon on the MountcharacterizationChristologyplottingintertextuality
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Companion to the Bible and Literature , pp. 131 - 148
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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References

Further Reading

Bauer, David R., The Structure of Matthew’s Gospel: A Study in Literary Design, JSNT Supp. 31 (1998).Google Scholar
Burridge, Richard A., What Are the Gospels? A Comparison with Graeco-Roman Biography, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI, 2004).Google Scholar
Green, Joel B., Practicing Theological Interpretation (Grand Rapids, MI, 2011).Google Scholar
Green, Joel B., Brown, Jeannine K., and Perrin, Nicholas, eds., Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, rev. ed. (Downers Grove, IL, 2013).Google Scholar
Hays, Richard B., Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul (New Haven, CT, 1989).Google Scholar
Stanton, Graham. Jesus of Nazareth in New Testament Preaching (New York, 1974).Google Scholar
Vanhoozer, Kevin J., ed. Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI, 2005).Google Scholar

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  • The Gospels
  • Edited by Calum Carmichael, Cornell University, New York
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to the Bible and Literature
  • Online publication: 13 March 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108386081.009
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  • The Gospels
  • Edited by Calum Carmichael, Cornell University, New York
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to the Bible and Literature
  • Online publication: 13 March 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108386081.009
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • The Gospels
  • Edited by Calum Carmichael, Cornell University, New York
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to the Bible and Literature
  • Online publication: 13 March 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108386081.009
Available formats
×