Jesus the Teacher :\ SOCIO-RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION OF MARK VERNON K. ROBBINS With aNew Introduction FORTRESS PRESS MINNEAPOLIS JeSus the Teacher JESUS THE TEACHER A Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation of Mark With a New Introduction First paperback edition 1992 Introduction and Preface to the Paperback Edition copyright @ 1992 Augsburg Fortress. All other material (except as noted below) copyright © 1984 Fortress Press. 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. Write to: Permissions, Augsburg Fortress, 426 S. Fifth St., Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440. Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright @ 1946, 1952, and 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Coup~il of Churches. Used with permission. Cover design: Carol Evans-Smith Cover art: Gustave Dor~, from The Dore Bible Illustrations Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Robbins, Vernon K. (Vernon Kay), 1939- Jesus the teacher: a socio-rhetorical interpretation of Mark I Vernon K. Robbins. - lst pbk. ed. p. cm. Originally published: Philadelphia: Fortress Press, © 1984. With new introd. Includes bibliographical references and indexes. ISBN 0-8006-2595-1 (alk. paper) 1. Bible. N.T. Mark-Criticism, interpretation, etc. I. Title. BS2585.2.R58 1992 226.3/06--dc20 91-42381 CIP The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences-Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z329.48-1984. Manufactured in the U.S.A. AF 1-2595 g6 95 94 93 92 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 IN MEMORIAM Norman Perrin My Doctoral Father ET IN HONOREM Earl W. Robbins and Mildred I. Hanson Robbins My Parental Father and Mother During their Fiftieth Year of Marriage Contents Abbreviations ix Preface to the Paperback Edition xiii Preface xv Introduction to the Paperback Edition xix 1. Comparative Analysis of the Gospel of Mark 1 Interpretation of the Gospel of Mark 3 Tools for Analysis 5 Socio-Rhetorical Forms in Mark 7 Interrelation and Conflict of Forms 10 Goals 12 2. The Formal Structure of Mark 19 Repetitive Form in Series and Scenes 20 Passion Predictions and Three-Step Progressions 22 Three-Step Progressions and the Formal Structure of Mark 25 The Outline of Mark 45 Conclusion 47 3. Conventional Repetitive Forms in Mark 53 Conventional Repetitive Forms in Prophetic Biblical Documents 55 Minor Repetitive Forms in Xenophon's Menwrabilia 60 Conclusion 68 4. The Introduction and the Initial Phase in the Teacher/Disciple Cycle in Mark 1: 1--3:6 75 Conventional Progressive Forms in the Introduction to Mark: Mark 1:1-13 76 The Initial Phase in the Story of Jesus and His Disciples 82 Summons and Response in Greek Literature 87 Summons and Response in Hellenistic Jewish Literature 94 The Teacher/Disciple Relation in Rabbinic Literature and Philostratuss Life of Apollonius of Tyana 101 vii viii ContentB The Initial Phase of the Teacher/Disciple Relationship: Mark 1:14--3:6 108 Markan Summons and Response as an Intermingling of Jewish and Greco-Roman Traditions 113 5. The Intermediate Phase in the Teacher/Disciple Cycle: Teaching and Learning in Mark 3:7-12:44 125 The Teaching/Learning Phase in Mark and Xenophon's Memorabilia 126 Teaching and Learning in the Hebrew Bible 128 Teaching and Learning in Plato's Dialogues and the Gospel of Mark 136 Teaching and Learning in Philostratus's Life of ApoUonius of Tyana 147 The Distinctive Characteristics of the Teaching/Learning Phase 155 The Merger of Jewish and Greco-Roman Patterns and Forms in the Teaching/Learning Phase in Mark 166 6. The Final Phase of the Teacher/Disciple Relation: Farewell and Death in Mark 13:1-16:8 171 The Final Phase in Mark and Xenophon's Memorabilia 172 Mark 13 and Conventional Preparation for Future Action in Biblical and Jewish Literature 173 The Temple Dialogue in Greco-Roman Literature 178 The Arrest, Trial, and Death that Separates the Teacher from his Disciple/Companions 180 Biblical and Jewish Tradition of the Suffering Righteous One, the Teacher, and the King 185 Greco-Roman Tradition of the Suffering Teacher-King 187 The Conclusion of Mark 191 Summary 193 7. Messianic Expectation and Cultural Fulfillment: An Explanation of the Preservation of Mark 197 The Rhetoric of Repetitive Forms in Mark 198 The Rhetoric of Conventional Forms in Mark 199 The Rhetoric of Progressive Forms in Mark 201 The Preservation of the Gospel of Mark 209 Bibliography 215 Index of Passages 231 Index of Modern Authors 239 Index of Subjects 242 Abbreviations ABR A ustralian Biblical Review AJT American Journal of Theology AnBib Analecta Biblica AnLBO Analecta Lovaniensia Biblica et Orientalia ANRW Aufstieg und Niedergang der riimischen Welt ASNU Acta seminarii neotestamentici upsaliensis B.C.E. Before the Common Era BETL Bibliotheca ephemeridum theologicarum lovaniensium BHT Beitrage zur historischen Theologie BJRL Bulletin of the John Rylands Library BR Biblical Research BZ Biblische Zeitschrift BZNW Beihefte zur ZNW CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarter:ly C.E. Common Era ConBNT Coniectanea biblica, New Testament CP Classical Philology EKKNT Evangelisch-katholischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament ETL Ephemerides theologicae lovaniensium ExpTIm Expository Times FB Facet Books FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments FThL Forum Theologiae Linguisticae GBS Guides to Biblical Scholarship GRBS Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies HDR Harvard Dissertations in Religion HTR Harvard Theological Review HTS Harvard Theological Studies HUCA Hebrew Union College Annual Int Interpretation IDBSup Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible-Supplementary Volume . JAAR Journal of the American Academy of Religion ix x Abbreviations JAC Jahrbuch fur Antike und Christentum JAF Journal of American Folklore JBL Journal of Biblical Literature JJS Journal ofJ ewish Studies JR Journal of Religion JRlI Journal of Religious History JSNTSup Journal for the Study of the New Testament-Supple ment Series JSOTSup Journal for the Study of the Old Testament-Supple ment Series KBANT Kommentar und Beitrage zum Alten und Neuen Testament KNT Kommentar zum N euen Testament LCL Loeb Classical Library LingBib Linguistica Biblica LXX Septuagint MBT Miinsterische Beitrage zur Theologie MT Masoretic Text NICNT New International Commentary on the New Testament NovT Novum Testamentum NovTSup NovT-Supplements NT New Testament NTAbh Neutestamentliche Abhandlungen NTL New Testament Library NTS New Testament Studies OCD Oxford Classical Dictionary OT Old Testament PRS Perspectives in Religious Studies PRS-SSS PRS-Special Studies Series RevB Revista Biblica RP Religious Perspectives RSR Religious Studies Review RTR Reformed Theological Review SANT Studien zum Alten und Neuen Testament SBL Society of Biblical Literature SBLSBS SBL Sources for Biblical Study SBLDS SBL Dissertation Series SBLMS SBL Monograph Series SBM Stuttgarter biblische Monographien SCHNT Studia ad corpus hellenisticum novi testamenti SHR-Numen Studies in the History of Religions-Numen Sup- Supp. plements Abbreviations xi SJLA Studies of Judaism in Late Antiquity SPB Studia Post-Biblica SRSup Studies in Religjon/Sciences religieuses-Supplem~nt SS Semeia Studies f II SUNT Studien zur Umwelt des Neuen Testaments TAPA Transactions of the American Philological Association TBAW Tlibinger Beitrage zur Altertumswissenschaft TDNT G. Kittel and G. Friedrich (eds.), Theological Diction- ary of the New Testament TH Theologie Historique TU Texte und Untersuchungen TUMSR 1Hnity University Monograph Series in Religion VT Vetus Testamentufln WMANT Wissenschaftliche Monographien zum Alten und Neuen Testament ZAW Zeitschrift fur die alttestaflnentliche Wissenschaft ZDA) Zeitschrift for deutsches Aitertufin und deutsche Lit eratur ZNW Zeitschrijt fur die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft , ZTK Zeitschrijt fur Theologie und Kirche