John's Transformation of Mark

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Johns Transformation of Mark brings together a cast of internationally recognised biblical scholars to investigate the relationship between the gospels of Mark and John. In a significant break with the prevailing view that the two gospels represent independent traditions, the contributors all argue that John both knew and used the earlier gospel. Drawing on recent analytical categories such as social memory, secondary orality, or relecture, and ancient literary genres such as rewritten Bible and bioi, the central questions that drive this volume focus on how John used Mark, whether we should speak of dependence, familiarity with, or reception, and whether John intended his work to be a supplement or a replacement of Mark. Together these chapters mount a strong case for a reassessment of one of the key tenets of modern biblical criticism, and open up significant new avenues for further research.

Reviews

A judicious study on the relationship of Mark and John. By evaluating the literary techniques and theological motifs that guided John in his reception of Mark, this collection of essays opens new insights and sets the agenda for the future. It is no longer the old question of whether John knew the Gospel of Mark, but how he used it. This book will be welcomed by all theologians for a deeper understanding of transfer processes in early Christianity. * UDO SCHNELLE, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany *
Johns Transformation of Mark is a timely volume, amassing a wide variety of scholars to reflect anew on the question of Johns relationship to the First Gospel. This collection of essays boasts contributions from notable Gospel scholars who offer both large- and small-scale comparisons, all concluding John does indeed transform Marks Gospel in forming its own. Bringing these essays together in one place, Becker, Bond, and Williams have crafted a must have volume for Gospel scholars and students! * ALICIA MYERS, Campbell University, USA *
A group of world-leading scholars gather to compare the Gospels of Mark and John and unexpectedly find unanimous agreement that John has used and transformed Mark! This excellent collection of their fresh analyses of specific passages, episodes and themes, complemented by methodological studies using intertextuality, social memory and analogies within ancient literature, will prove indispensable for research on the Gospels. It constitutes another major milestone in the shift of the current scholarly consensus to the view that, though not of the same type as the relation among the Synoptic Gospels, there is indeed a literary connection between John and Mark. * ANDREW T. LINCOLN, Emeritus Professor of New Testament, University of Gloucestershire, UK *

Author Bio

Eve-Marie Becker is Professor in the Department of Culture and Society at Aarhus University, Denmark Helen K. Bond is Professor of Christian Origins at the University of Edinburgh, UK Catrin H. Williams is Reader in New Testament Studies at the University of Wales Trinity St David, UK