spamandham

Just as importantly I would think, is that attempts to determine the genre of Mark have resulted in the conclusion it's unique from period biographies.

Ben C Smith

Have you read Talbert yet? I am pretty sure I recommended him to you a while ago.

Ben.

spamandham

I have read the introduction to "What is a Gospel"....enough to know he argues for a new subcategory of biography that is unique to the gospels, but not enough to know all the details why.

Equinox

Roland wrote:

I don't think so. I think it's an interesting idea. I've long thought that the trial of Jesus was a good example of what you are looking for. The standard Christian apologetic is that it was directly revealed by God to the gospel writers. However, the accounts disagree between the writers, so what what that holy ghost doing? Your longer list is better than my single example - Gethsemane is a good addition - the same logic holds there (except that Jesus could have quickly told someone before he was arrested - but that raises all kinds of other problems, such as the idea that this is "adding to the Bible", since it doesn't say Jesus quickly told them).


Maybe a good way to do this would be to read the NT systematically with this in mind. Bibles are generally only about 15% NT, depending on who's bible you use. The OT may provide some too, but it's probably best to leave that for later. I'm not sure if you'll end up with a useful list, but who knows until it's tried?

Equinox

Ben C Smith

He argues that the gospels are heroic biographies, and that analogies can be found amongst pagan biographies. (Can you cite the part about the new subcategory for me? Thanks.)

And here is Burridge, page 255 of What Are The Gospels (or via: amazon.co.uk):

The first implication of all this is that any idea of the gospels as unique, sui generis works is a nonsense....

Ben.

Clivedurdle

On Exodus I would put the authorship in Babylon as part of a nation building exercise.

Bible Unearthed.

mens_sana

Was there a trial?

Solitary Man

What about Vines?

Toto

What about Vines? Why do you keep dropping his name? I responded to your previous mention here. What do you think he shows?

Solitary Man

I'm sorry, are we talking about the genre of Mark, or do you wish to continue with ad hom ("evangelical scholar") and avoidance of actually reading it yourself?

Maybe I should have been clearer: Hey Ben, what do you make of Michael Vines' work on the genre of Mark?