British New Testament Society

Synoptic critics routinely claim that particular kinds of agreement or divergence in the wording or sequence of parallel Synoptic pericopae could not have been produced by means of the Synoptic Evangelists’ independent reference to oral Jesus traditions. However, such claims have never been tested transparently against authentic examples of generically similar oral- traditional literature. In 2002-03 I conducted fieldwork in northern Jordan where I collected Arabic-language oral-traditional narratives concerning the missionary Roy Whitman, who founded the Jordanian evangelical Christian community in the 1920s. In the course of my investigation I discovered similarities in language and narrative order among independent recitations of traditional stories comparable to those found among many Synoptic narrative parallels. In this paper I discuss three examples of Synoptic similarity which many New Testament scholars have supposed could be produced only by resort to literary copying: cases of five-word verbatim agreement, agreement in parenthetical material, and agreement in relative narrative sequence. I argue that, since each of these kinds of similarity may also be observed in the Whitman narratives, we are obliged to grant that the Synoptic examples of those kinds of agreement might have been produced independently by reference to the oral tradition of the early Church.

Scholars engaged in the exegesis of Mark 4:12 focus much of their attention on the issue of the ‘strength’ or otherwise of the purposive function of ἵνα in this verse: does it signal purpose or result? Frequently in the past the agenda has been driven by theological presuppositions. This paper examines the role of the particle in introducing an echo of an ironic oracle from Isaiah and the concomitant inferences which would be drawn by the first readers of Mark’s gospel.

In Mark’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene is described as one of a group of women who followed and served Jesus in Galilee before accompanying him to Jerusalem. Luke also mentions the presence of women during Jesus’ mission but adds that these women have been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, and he notes that Mary was once possessed by seven demons. For some scholars Mary Magdalene is a foundational figure supporting the leadership roles of women in the church, and Luke’s portrayal is an attempt to downplay her significance as a disciple. Luke’s account, moreover, has influenced the reference to the exorcism of Mary Magdalene in the secondary ending to Mark, and western church tradition has identified Mary with the sinful woman who anoints Jesus because of the account of Mary’s demon-possession. Mary thus becomes an example of a sinful woman or a prostitute. John’s Gospel, however, develops the portrayal of Mary Magdalene as a witness to the resurrection. In the Gospel of Peter, Mary is described as a disciple, and in the Gospel of Mary she reveals the hidden teachings of Jesus to the male disciples. This paper assesses the historicity of Luke’s account of the exorcism of Mary Magdalene, and aims to trace lines of development in the portrayal of Mary Magdalene in the canonical and apocryphal gospels. To what extent is it possible to reconcile the contrasting portraits of Mary Magdalene, and in what ways do these traditions respond to one another?

The ending of Mark's Gospel at 16.8 is generally considered to be one of the Gospel's most distinctive features, with the women fleeing from the tomb and saying nothing to anyone because of their fear. The reception history of Mark’s Gospel reveals notable ambiguity amongsts commentators concerning the role of the women. And contrary to the modern tendency to ignore Mark 16.9-20, these verses sometimes had a significant impact in discussions about how to interpret Mark's account of the empty tomb.

This paper will provide a sample of the differing interpretations of Mark 16.1-20, including some representations in art, music and literature, with a particular focus on the 'afterlives' of the women who are mentioned. After illustrating a range of patristic interpretations – from the positive response of Pseudo-Jerome (the earliest commentator on Mark) to criticism of the women's lack of faith (Peter Chrysologus) - I will then compare these with some artistic interpretations of the women, thereby raising issues about the role of artists as biblical interpreters. The examples discussed highlight the significant use, influence and impact of Mark 16.1-20 in a wide variety of contexts.

In the saying in Matt 10:32-33 and Luke 12:8-9, those that acknowledge and deny Jesus before those on earth will be acknowledged and denied reciprocally in heaven. However, Matthew indicates that Jesus will be before his ‘Father in heaven,’ while Luke expresses that this same action will be executed before ‘angels of God.’ Since Matthew’s text reflects the possibility of an omission of angels when this is the only occasion they are omitted from a shared source, this paper investigates the possible contributions this redaction makes to Matthew's gospel narrative in light of similar judgment traditions, editorial tendencies, and the debate surrounding the significance of Matthew's ‘I’ and Luke’s ‘Son of Man.’ As a result, it is proposed that Matthew's redaction shifts his emphasis onto the role of the Son of Man as eschatological judge and his accompanying angels. Simultaneously, Matthew's use of ‘Father in heaven’ in Matt 10:32-33 strengthens the narrative value of the relationship between Jesus, the Father, and the disciples in Matt 10, a result that might not have been possible had the text resembled Luke 12:8-9, with ‘angels of God.’

It will be proposed in this paper that the author of Matthew’s gospel references the Song of Moses (Deut 32.1–43) in order to underscore Jesus’ divine sonship, which is portrayed as a foil to that of Israel. The paper will begin by sketching the Song’s distinct perspective on Israel’s national sonship. Next, the widespread use of the Song in Second Temple Jewish and NT documents will be briefly surveyed, followed by the rationale for positing its influence in Matthew. The majority of the paper will then be devoted to investigating how the Song is engaged in specific Matthean texts, including Matt 12.39, 17.17 (Deut 32.5, 20) and Matt 1.20 (Deut 32.18). Particular attention will be devoted to Matt 1.20 / Deut 32.18 in this endeavour, since these passages are not commonly linked with one another. It will be argued that several features of the Song are reflected in the opening chapters of Matthew, including the rare imagery of Israel’s divine begetting, as well as language pertaining to creation and Israel’s filial responsibilities. The paper will conclude by suggesting some christological implications for Matthean studies based on the results of the preceding analysis.