The gospels and Homer
Subtitle: imitations of Greek epic in Mark and Luke-Acts
By: Dennis R. MacDonald
Series: The New Testament and Greek literature -- volume I
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Published: 2015
Place of publication: Lanham
Language: eng
Number of pages: 425
ISBN-13: 9781442230521; 9781442230538
Subjects: Bible; Relation to the New Testament; Criticism, interpretation; Lukanisches Doppelwerk; Markusevangelium; Intertextualität; Greek literature; Odyssey (Homer); Iliad (Homer); Extra-canonical parallels
Description: "In The Gospels and Homer MacDonald leads readers through Homer&#x2019;s Iliad and Odyssey, highlighting models that the authors of the Gospel of Mark and Luke-Acts may have imitated for their portrayals of Jesus and his earliest followers such as Paul. The book applies mimesis criticism to show the popularity of the targets being imitated, the distinctiveness in the Gospels, and evidence that ancient readers recognized these similarities. Using side-by-side comparisons, the book provides English translations of Byzantine poetry that shows how Christian writers used lines from Homer to retell the life of Jesus. The potential imitations include adventures and shipwrecks, savages living in cages, meals for thousands, transfigurations, visits from the dead, blind seers, and more. MacDonald makes a compelling case that the Gospel writers successfully imitated the epics to provide their readers with heroes and an authoritative foundation for Christianity."--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 413-420) and index.
Table of contents: title: Machine generated contents note:; title: Mark and Homer --; title: Mimetic Composition in the Roman Empire --; title: Mimesis Criticism --; title: In Defense of Mimesis Criticism --; title: Bible or Homer? --; title: Cultural Limitations of Intended Readers --; title: Mark's Mimetic Markers --; title: History of Interpretation --; title: Mark's Mimetic Motivation --; title: Mark's Sequence of Homeric Imitations --; title: About This Book --; title: Introduction --; title: Iliad 2.1-335. Agamemnon's Dream and the Portent at Aulis --; title: Cornelius's Vision (Acts 10:1-8) --; title: Peter's Vision of Unclean Animals (Acts 10:9-23) --; title: Cornelius Reports His Vision (Acts 10:24-33) --; title: Peter Reports to the Church at Jerusalem (Acts 11:4-18) --; title: Iliad 5.302-515. Apollo Heals Aeneas --; title: The Healing of Aeneas (Acts 9:32-35) --; title: Iliad 6.242-265. Hector Refuses Wine to Numb His Pain --; title: Jesus Refuses Wine Mixed with Myrrh (Mark 15:22-23) --; title: Iliad 6.266-502. Hector's Farewell to Andromache --; title: Symeon's Prayer for Baby Jesus (Luke 2:28-35) --; title: Paul's Farewell to the Elders (Acts 20:18-38) --; title: Paul's Farewell to the Tyrians and Caesareans (Acts 21:4-14) --; title: Iliad 7.123-183. Casting Lots for a Challenger to Hector --; title: Judas's Death and Casting Lots for Matthias (Acts 1:12-26) --; title: Iliad 9.1-174. The Embassy to Achilles --; title: The Council at Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-35) --; title: Iliad 16.433-683. The Death of Sarpedon and Glaucus's Wound --; title: Jairus's Daughter and the Hemorrhaging Woman (Mark 5:21-43) --; title: Iliad 18.95-121. The Courage of Achilles --; title: Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection (Mark 8:31, 9:30-31, and 10:32b-34) --; title: Jesus Goes to Jerusalem Despite Certain Death (Luke 9:51 and 13:31-33) --; title: Iliad 18.205-227. Achilles Takes on the Trojan Army --; title: Stephen Takes on the Sanhedrin (Acts 6:8-7:60) --; title: Iliad 21.139-210. Achilles' Aristeia --; title: The Defeat of the Seven Sons of Scevas (Acts 19:13-20) --; title: Iliad 22.33-65. Priam's Plea --; title: Jesus Weeps for the Fall of Jerusalem (Luke 19:39-44) --; title: Iliad 22.79-89. Hecuba's Plea --; title: The Daughters of Jerusalem (Luke 23:26-31) --; title: Excursus 1: Jesus' Death in Pre-Markan Tradition --; title: Iliad 22.90-288. Achilles and Hector Face Off --; title: Taunts at the Cross (Mark 15:29-32) --; title: Iliad 22.289-363. The Death of Hector --; title: The Death of Jesus (Mark 15:33-38) --; title: Iliad 22.364-404. Achilles' Gloat --; title: The Centurion's Gloat (Mark 15:39) --; title: Iliad 22.405-515. The Weeping of the Trojan Women --; title: Women Watching from Afar (Mark 15:40-41) --; title: Iliad 24.169-442. Hermes' Flight to Priam --; title: Jesus Walks on Water (Mark 6:45-52) --; title: Iliad 24.443-801. The Rescue of Hector's Corpse --; title: The Rescue of Jesus' Body (Mark 15:42-16:1) --; title: Stunned Guards and an Opened Tomb (Matt 28:2-14) --; title: Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40) --; title: Peter's Escape from Agrippa (Acts 12:1-17) --; title: Excursus 2: The Death and Burial of Jesus and Byzantine Imitations of the Iliad --; title: Introduction --; title: Odyssey 1.1-10. The Invoking of the Muse --; title: Invocation of a Prophet (Mark 1:1-3) --; title: Odyssey 1.11-324. The Empowerment of Telemachus --; title: The Holy Spirit Comes to Jesus (Mark 1:9-11) --; title: Odyssey 1.335-420. Telemachus's Boldness --; title: Jesus' Authoritative Speech (Mark 1:14-15 and 21-27) --; title: Odyssey 2.1-128. Telemachus's Case against the Suitors and Penelope's Loom --; title: Dorcas the Weaver (Acts 9:36-42) --; title: Odyssey 2.143-259. Telemachus's Rejection by His Neighbors --; title: Jesus Confronts His Neighbors (Luke 4:14-36) --; title: Odyssey 2.260-387. Athena Acquires a Ship and a Crew --; title: Jesus Calls Fishermen (Mark 1:16-20) --; title: Odyssey 2.427-3.124. The Feast of Nestor --; title: Jesus Feeds Five Thousand (Mark 6:30-44) --; title: Jesus Disembarks to a Warm Reception (Mark 6:53-56) --; title: Odyssey 3.125-378. Nestor's We-Voyage from the Troad --; title: Dispute between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:36-41) --; title: Paul's We-Voyage to Miletus (Acts 20:13-15) --; title: Odyssey 3.464-468. The Bath of Polycaste --; title: The Repenting Woman (Luke 7:36-50) --; title: Odyssey 4.1-144. The Feast of Menelaus --; title: Jesus Feeds Four Thousand (Mark 8:1-9) --; title: Odyssey 4.83-85 and 489-586. Menelaus's We-Voyage from the Troad --; title: Paul's We-Voyage to Tyre (Acts 21:1-3) --; title: Odyssey 4.557-847. The Suitor's Plot to Kill Telemachus --; title: The Plot to Kill Jesus (Mark 3:6) --; title: Odyssey 5.1-255. Odysseus the Carpenter --; title: Jesus the Carpenter (Mark 6:1-6) --; title: Odyssey 5.268-473. Odysseus's Shipwreck --; title: Paul's Shipwreck (Acts 27:1-44) --; title: Odyssey 6.1-247. Nausicaa's Discovery at the Shore --; title: The Barbarians' Discovery at the Shore (Acts 28:1-6) --; title: Odyssey 6.251-7.328. Odysseus's Untriumphal Entry into the City of the Phaeacians --; title: Jesus Enters Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-14) --; title: Odyssey 8.1-385. Hephaestus, the Lame Sinner --; title: The Sinful Paralytic (Mark 2:1-12) --; title: Odyssey 8.454-555. Odysseus's Praise of Demodocus --; title: The Blind Man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26) --; title: Odyssey 9.1-61. Odysseus's We-Voyage from the Troad --; title: Paul's First We-Voyage (Acts 16:9-12) --; title: Excursus 3: The We-Voyages and the Authorship of Luke-Acts --; title: Odyssey 9.62-107. Lotus-Eaters --; title: The Disciples as Foolish Companions (Mark 8:13-21) --; title: Odyssey 9.105-566. Polyphemus the Cyclops --; title: The Stone at Jesus' Tomb (Mark 15:46-16:4) --; title: Odyssey 10.1-77. The God of Winds --; title: Jesus Awakes in a Storm (Mark 4:35-41) --; title: Odyssey 10.76-136. Laestrygonian Cannibals --; title: No Sign for This Generation (Mark 8:10-12) --; title: The Water Carrier (Mark 14:12-17) --; title: Odyssey 10.135-465. Circe --; title: The Demoniac in the Tombs (Mark 5:1-20) --; title: Odyssey 10.466-551. The Last Supper with Circe --; title: Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-42) --; title: Odyssey 10.552-574. The Death of Elpenor --; title: The Naked Young Man (Mark 14:50-52) --; title: Eutychus's Death and Revival (Acts 20:7-12) --; title: Odyssey 11.1-151. Elpenor and Tiresias --; title: Bartimaeus, the Blind Seer (Mark 10:46-52) --; title: Odyssey 11.152-224. Anticleia --; title: The Flesh and Bones of the Risen Jesus (Luke 24:36-43) --; title: Odyssey 11.298-304. Dioscuri --; title: The Request of the Boanerges (Mark 3:13-17 and 10:35-40) --; title: Calling Fire from the Sky (Luke 9:51-56) --; title: Odyssey 11.385-464. Agamemnon --; title: The Beheading of John the Baptist (Mark 6:14-29) --; title: Odyssey 11.465-590. Achilles and Tantalus --; title: Excursus 4: Er's Visit to the Netherworld --; title: The Rich Man's Torments (Luke 16:19-31) --; title: Odyssey 12.1-15. The Burial of Elpenor --; title: The Young Man at the Tomb (Mark 16:5-8) --; title: Excursus 5: The Ending of Mark's Gospel and the Jewish War --; title: Odyssey 12.16-305. Eurylochus's Protest and Vow --; title: Peter's Protest (Mark 8:31-33) --; title: Jesus' Disciples Sleep as He Prays (Mark 14:27-31) --; title: Odyssey 12.333-419. Disaster at Thrinacia --; title: Peter's Vow (Mark 14:32-41) --; title: Peter's Broken Vow (Mark 14:66-15:1) --; title: Odyssey 13.1-115. The Gifts of the Phaeacians --; title: The Gifts of the Maltese (Acts 28:7-11) --; title: Odyssey 13.306-406. Odysseus's Secret Identity --; title: Jesus' Secret Identity (Mark 1:22-34) --; title: Odyssey 15.403-484. Eumaeus's Nurse --; title: The Syrophoenician Woman (Mark 7:24-30) --; title: Odyssey 16.172-303. Odysseus's Transfiguration --; title: Jesus' Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-13) --; title: Paul and Barnabas Mistaken for Gods (Acts 14:8-18) --; title: Excursus 6: Euripides' Madness of Heracles --; title: The Frothing Demoniac (Mark 9:14-29) --; title: Odyssey 16.363-417. The Plan of the Murderous Suitors --; title: The Murderous Vinedressers (Mark 12:1-9) --; title: Jesus' Enemies Fear the Crowd (Mark 14:1-2) --; title: Gamaliel's Speech (Acts 5:33-42) --; title: Odyssey 17.1-260. Odysseus's Traitorous Slave --; title: Judas Iscariot (Mark 3:19) --; title: Odyssey 17.263-373. Odysseus's Faithful Old Dog --; title: Symeon's Dying Wish (Luke 2:25-30) --; title: Odyssey 17.374-387. Odysseus in Disguise among the Dining Suitors --; title: Jesus Eats with the Pharisees (Luke 7:36-50, 11:37-54, and 14:1-24) --; title: Excursus 7: Euripides' Phoenissae --; title: The Greedy Brothers (Luke 12:13-21) --; title: Odyssey 17.453-497 and 20.172-184. Odysseus's Silence --; title: Jesus' Silence (Mark 14:60-62 and 15:2-5) --; title: Odyssey 17.534-547. Penelope's Curse --; title: The Widow's Penny (Mark 12:40 44) --; title: Odyssey 18.1-123. Irus the Beggar --; title: Jesus' Anger at the Leper (Mark 1:40-45) --; title: Jesus or Barabbas? (Mark 15:7-20a) --; title: Jesus Heals a Man with Dropsy (Luke 14:1-6) --; title: Odyssey 19.35-271. Penelope's Request for Signs --; title: The Disciples' Request for the Sign of the End (Mark 13:1-4) --; title: Odyssey 19.296-319. Odysseus the Prophet --; title: Jesus the Prophet (Mark 13:24-26) --; title: The Prophetic Fig Tree (Mark 13:28-37) --; title: Odyssey 19.320-505. Eurycleia's Recognition --; title: Peter Recognizes the Messiah (Mark 8:27-30) --; title: The Anointing Woman (Mark 14:3-9) --; title: Resentment at the Hospitality of the Anointing Woman (Mark 14:4-7) --; title: Odyssey 22.1-86. The Slaying of the Suitors --; title: Jesus Ousts Thieves from the Temple (Mark 11:15-18) --; title: Jesus Reveals His Identity to His Enemies (Mark 14:61-64) --; title: Odyssey 22.135-477. The Punishment of Melanthius --; title: The Hacking of the Slave's Ear (Mark 14:43-49) --; title: Odyssey 24.205-361. Laertes Recognizes His Son by His Scar --; title: Recognitions of the Risen Jesus (Luke 24:13-32) --; title: Odyssey 24.362-411. Odysseus Reveals His Identity to Laertes' Slaves --; title: Jesus Reveals His Identity to the Eleven (Luke 24:33-43).