Fortress Introduction to the Gospels

Second Edition

MARK ALLAN POWELL

FORTRESS PRESS

MINNEAPOLIS

FORTRESS INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPELS

Second Edition

Copyright © 2019 Fortress Press, an imprint of 1517 Media. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical articles or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Email copyright@1517.media or write to Permissions, Fortress Press, PO Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209.

First edition published 1998.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and used by permission. All rights reserved.

The symbolic drawings of the four evangelists drawn by Rudolph Koch (1878–1934) are from Christian Symbols, translated by Kevin Ahern and published by Arion Press. These images are considered to be in the public domain.

Cover image: Peace, Be Still by He Qi. Used by permission

Cover design: Alisha Lofgren

Print ISBN: 978-1-4514-8525-7

eBook ISBN: 978-1-5064-6050-5

For Michael and Sharon Powell

Contents

Figures

Preface to the Second Edition

Introduction: Four Stories of Jesus

1. From Jesus to Us

2. The Gospel of Mark

3. The Gospel of Matthew

4. The Gospel of Luke (and the Book of Acts)

5. The Gospel of John

6. The Other Gospels

List of Abbreviations

Glossary

Bibliography

Index of Biblical and Other Ancient Writings

Index of Modern Authors

Palestine in the Time of Jesus

Figures

1. Four Pictures of Jesus

2. From Jesus to Us: Six Stages in the Transmission of the Gospel Tradition

3. Modern Biographies of Jesus

4. Suggested Solutions to the Synoptic Puzzle

5. Contents of Q: Material in Luke and Matthew but Not in Mark

6. Typical Forms of Material in the Gospels

7. An Exorcism Story (Mark 1:21–28)

8. Mark 1:1–8 from the Printed Greek New Testament

9. Some Well-Known English Bible Translations

10. Reception: Evaluating Four Different Responses

11. Possible Sources for Mark’s Gospel

12. Material Unique to Mark’s Gospel

13. The Passion of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark

14. The Story of the Epileptic Child (Mark 9:14–29)

15. Intercalation in the Gospel of Mark: A Few Examples

16. The “Kingdom of God” in the Teaching of Jesus

17. The Way of the Cross in the Gospel of Mark

18. When Will Jesus Return (according to the Gospel of Mark)?

19. Material Unique to Matthew’s Gospel

20. Passages from Mark Omitted by Matthew

21. Matthew’s Use of Mark

22. The Structure of Matthew’s Gospel: Two Views

23. The Bias against Gentiles in the Gospel of Matthew

24. The Presence of God in the Gospel of Matthew

25. Worship in the Gospel of Matthew

26. A Passage from the Talmud

27. Disciples of Jesus as People of Little Faith in the Gospel of Matthew

28. Passages from Mark Omitted by Luke

29. Material Unique to Luke’s Gospel

30. The Journey Motif in Luke

31. Two Christmas Stories: ...