Comparison to Graeco-Roman Chreiai

Martin Dibelius compares the Gospels’ call stories to the Graeco-Roman chreiai (singular chreia)—anecdotal accounts in which an individual acts in a specific way in a specific situation. Parallels include:

• The chreia typically end with the individual making a pithy, striking statement that establishes him as a hero in the story (Dibelius, Tradition to Gospel, 152–55). The Gospel call stories resemble such accounts in that they conclude with Jesus pronouncing a memorable statement (e.g., Luke 5:1–11; compare Mark 1:16–20; 5:18–19; Luke 9:57–62; John 1:35–51).

• The chreia often describe a call story of a Greek philosopher and his disciple (Dibelius, Tradition to Gospel, 159–60; Droge, “Call Stories,” 821; Robbins, “Mark 1:14–20,” 220–36). For instance, Diogenes Laertius’ Lives of the Philosophers describes how Socrates commands Xenophon to follow him (Lives 2.48; compare 7.2–3; Xenophon, Memorabilia; Plutarch, Lives of the Philosophers; Lucian, Demonax).

• According to Watson, elaborating on a chreia was encouraged in the Graeco-Roman world (e.g., the Progymnasmata of Hermogenes). Watson suggests that this practice is found in the Gospel call stories (Watson, “Chreia/Aphorism,” 105).

• Both the Gospels’ call stories and the chreia at times record unsuccessful calls in which a prospective disciple decides not to follow the teacher or master (e.g., Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 6.36; compare Mark 10:17–22; Luke 9:57–62).