The Function of Exorcism Stories in Mark's Gospel

The Function of Exorcism Stories in Mark's Gospel
Author: Andreas Hauw
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2019-05-29
Genre:
ISBN: 1532662637

This book investigates stories of Jesus’ exorcisms in the Gospel of Mark. The story of Jesus’ first public ministry in the synagogue (Mark 1:21–28) and the Beelzebul controversy story (3:20–30) are examined to understand the other acts of exorcism that Jesus performed (5:1–20; 7:24–30; 9:14–32). Both Mark 1:21–28 and 3:20–30 highlight Jesus as a teacher and as an eschatological exorcist. The latter stresses Jesus’ own understanding of exorcism and relates his identity with that of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the first two exorcism stories in Mark’s Gospel confirm Jesus as the bearer of the kingdom of God. The motif of discipleship, which is evident in both stories, contributes to delineating Jesus’ christological identity as the Son of God, as indicated by the incipit of Mark’s Gospel (Mark 1:1). Markan exorcism stories in Mark 5:1–20; 7:24–30; and 9:14–29 further develop the presentation of Jesus’ exorcisms and other primary motifs. The motifs of authority, identity, and mission confirm the christological identity of Jesus within gentile territory, and are an important part of his mission to the gentiles. Jesus’ specific mission in Mark 9:14–29 presents the exorcism that Jesus performed in the context of his role in both death and resurrection. In this way, Jesus as the bearer of the kingdom of God defeats the kingdom of Beelzebul.

The Function of Exorcism Stories in Mark’s Gospel

The Function of Exorcism Stories in Mark’s Gospel
Author: Andreas Hauw
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Total Pages: 236
Release: 2019-05-29
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1532662653

This book investigates stories of Jesus' exorcisms in the Gospel of Mark. The story of Jesus' first public ministry in the synagogue (Mark 1:21-28) and the Beelzebul controversy story (3:20-30) are examined to understand the other acts of exorcism that Jesus performed (5:1-20; 7:24-30; 9:14-32). Both Mark 1:21-28 and 3:20-30 highlight Jesus as a teacher and as an eschatological exorcist. The latter stresses Jesus' own understanding of exorcism and relates his identity with that of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the first two exorcism stories in Mark's Gospel confirm Jesus as the bearer of the kingdom of God. The motif of discipleship, which is evident in both stories, contributes to delineating Jesus' christological identity as the Son of God, as indicated by the incipit of Mark's Gospel (Mark 1:1). Markan exorcism stories in Mark 5:1-20; 7:24-30; and 9:14-29 further develop the presentation of Jesus' exorcisms and other primary motifs. The motifs of authority, identity, and mission confirm the christological identity of Jesus within gentile territory, and are an important part of his mission to the gentiles. Jesus' specific mission in Mark 9:14-29 presents the exorcism that Jesus performed in the context of his role in both death and resurrection. In this way, Jesus as the bearer of the kingdom of God defeats the kingdom of Beelzebul.

The Messianic Secret

The Messianic Secret
Author: William Wrede
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
Total Pages: 318
Release: 2022-01-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0227176839

William Wrede was among the first to recognise the creative contribution of the Gospel writers. His work thus laid the foundation for the work of the Form Critics, Redaction Critics and Literary Critics whose scholarship dominated New Testament studies during the twentieth century. This highly influential work was throughout this period the departure point for all studies in the Gospel of Mark and in the literary methods of the evangelists. It remains highly relevant for its ground-breaking approach to the classically complicated question of whether Jesus saw himself and represented himself as the Messiah.

The Moral Life According to Mark

The Moral Life According to Mark
Author: M. John-Patrick O’Connor
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 217
Release: 2022-04-21
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0567705617

M. John-Patrick O'Connor proposes that - in contrast to recent contemporary scholarship that rarely focuses on the ethical implications of discipleship and Christology - Mark's Gospel, as our earliest life of Jesus, presents a theological description of the moral life. Arguing for Mark's ethical validity in comparison to Matthew and Luke, O'Connor begins with an analysis of the moral environment of ancient biographies, exploring what types of Jewish and Greco-Romanic conceptions of morality found their way into Hellenistic biographies. Turning to the Gospel's own examples of morality, O'Connor examines moral accountability according to Mark, including moral reasoning, the nature of a world in conflict, and accountability in both God's family and to God's authority. He then turns to images of the accountable self, including an analysis of virtues and virtuous practices within the Gospel. O'Connor concludes with the personification of evil, human responsibility, punitive consequences, and evil's role in Mark's moral landscape.

Jesus and Magic

Jesus and Magic
Author: Richard A. Horsley
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2014-10-27
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1498201725

It has become standard in modern interpretation to say that Jesus performed miracles, and even mainline scholarly interpreters classify Jesus's healings and exorcisms as miracles. Some highly regarded scholars have argued, more provocatively, that the healings and exorcisms were magic, and that Jesus was a magician. As Richard Horsley points out, if we make a critical comparison between modern interpretation of Jesus's healing and exorcism, on the one hand, and the Gospel stories and other ancient texts, on the other hand, it becomes clear that the miracle and magic are modern concepts, products of Enlightenment thinking. Jesus and Magic asserts that Gospel stories do not have the concepts of miracle and magic. What scholars constructed as magic turns out to have been ritual practices such as songs (incantations), medicines (potions), and appeals to higher powers for protection. Horsley offers a critical reading of the healing and exorcism episodes in the Gospel stories. This reading reveals a dynamic relationship between Jesus the healer, the trust of those coming for healing, and their support networks in local communities. Horsley's reading of the Gospel stories gives little or no indication of divine intervention. Rather, the healing and exorcism stories portray healings and exorcisms.

Scapegoats

Scapegoats
Author: Jennifer Garcia Bashaw
Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishers
Total Pages: 309
Release: 2022-05-24
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 150646937X

Christians today tend to read the New Testament as victors, not as victims. The Gospels then become one story about individual salvation rather than distinct representations of Jesus's revolutionary work on behalf of victims. Scapegoats revisits the Gospels through the lens of the scapegoats' stories where the kingdom of God is revealed.

Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels

Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
Author: Joel B. Green
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Total Pages: 968
Release: 1992-02-18
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780830817771

Edited by Joel B. Green, Scot McKnight and I. Howard Marshall, this reference work encompasses everything relating to Jesus and the Gospels.

Proving Jesus' Authority in Mark and John

Proving Jesus' Authority in Mark and John
Author: Gary Greenberg
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Total Pages: 244
Release: 2018-12-17
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1527523594

This innovative study of the Fourth Gospel introduces important new perspectives on synoptic problems and challenges many theories about the nature of the Gospel of John’s sources and composition practices. Its analysis shows that the author of John knew a written version of Mark’s gospel, had strong theological objections to how Mark depicted the nature and story of Jesus and the gospel message, and composed his gospel as a theologically corrected rewriting of Mark’s, using the latter’s gospel as a narrative guideline for his own composition. By focusing on several seemingly different stories in Mark and John that deal with issues relating to how Jesus proved his authority, the book places each of the incidents in their narrative, sequential, and theological context, demonstrating that John knew Mark’s specific stories in the same sequential order that appeared in Mark, and that John’s stories represented theologically altered rewrites of the ones in Mark. The study examines the nature of John’s objections to Mark, what changes John would want to make to Mark, and the formulaic editorial techniques John used to transform Mark’s gospel into John’s gospel. Of particular interest, it shows how John transformed Mark’s stories about proof through exorcisms into Johannine stories about proof through words.

Writing on the Gospel of Mark

Writing on the Gospel of Mark
Author: W.R. Telford
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 595
Release: 2019-05-21
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9004397566

This thorough manual for advanced students and their supervisors, and anyone researching or writing on the Gospel of Mark, is the opening volume in an important new series of Guides to Advanced Biblical Research. Together with an essay on the current state of research and a discussion of the future of Markan study, it provides a chrestomathy of samples of Markan research together with a review of recent dissertations and a full, annotated bibliography.