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Jesus' Lack of Emotion in Luke

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Jesus' Lack of Emotion in Luke JESUS‘ LACK OF EMOTION IN LUKE: THE LUKAN REDACTIONS IN LIGHT OF THE HELLENISTIC PHILOSOPHERS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Notre Dame in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by David G. George ______________________________ Gregory E. Sterling, Director Graduate Program in Theology Notre Dame, Indiana April 2009 JESUS‘ LACK OF EMOTION IN LUKE: THE LUKAN REDACTIONS IN LIGHT OF THE HELLENISTIC PHILOSOPHERS Abstract by David G. George This dissertation will argue that the author of Luke has redacted Mark in terms of the characterization of Jesus. In the characterization of Jesus, the Lukan redactor has removed strong emotion (and the actions which would result from these strong emotions). Further, Luke has sometimes ―transferred‖ these emotions to other characters or groups. These redactions include the traditionally-viewed negative emotions grief, neediness, stern speech, and especially anger. They also include some of the more traditionally positive emotions including compassion, love, and general affection. It will be shown that Luke consistently depicts (with two exceptions in the special ―L‖ material) the persona of Jesus (and only the character of Jesus) as bereft of strong emotion. This dissertation will further attempt to explain why these redactions and transferences have occurred by examining the Lukan redactions in light of the philosophical traditions. Evidence will be presented from the Hellenistic, Jewish, and Roman philosophical traditions on the subject of emotions in order to show that with David G. George notable exceptions (i.e., Aristotle), the primary philosophical view of the emotions was depreciatory and disapproving. This dissertation will conclude that it is primarily the Stoic tradition (and in particular the popular rendering of these in the Roman imperial authors) that leads the author of Luke to present his auditors with a Jesus character (quite to the contrary of Mark) without emotion, an exemplum of apatheia. Dedicated to Dr. James H. Charlesworth My Mentor who inspired me to pursue doctoral studies and Denise, Derek, Dominick and Dana My Family who offered tremendous support along a difficult journey and Lois J. George My Mother who taught me the value of education and a love of literature ii CONTENTS LIST OF GREEK TEXTS ................................................................................................. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................ vi CHAPTER 1 JESUS‘ EMOTION IN THE GARDEN AND THE EXTRAPOLATION OF THE LUKAN REDACTIONAL PATTERN .............................................................. 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Research Methodology ................................................................................................... 4 An Extrapolation from an Examination .......................................................................... 7 The Emotions in Contemporary Scholarship ................................................................ 18 Introduction to the Pathē: Towards a Translation and Definition ................................ 21 A Cursory Introduction to the Philosophers on the Emotions ...................................... 27 CHAPTER 2 THE EMOTIONS IN HELLENISTIC PHILOSOPHY ............................ 33 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 33 Part I: The Four Traditions ........................................................................................... 35 The Presocratics ........................................................................................................ 35 Plato and Platonism................................................................................................... 40 Cicero .................................................................................................................... 43 Plutarch ................................................................................................................. 45 Aristotle and the Peripatetics .................................................................................... 48 Epicureanism............................................................................................................. 54 Stoicism..................................................................................................................... 58 Stoic Disputations with Hellenistic Philosophy .................................................... 66 Psychology, Ontology and the Emotions .......................................................... 67 Neopythagoreanism, Skepticism, and Cynicism .............................................. 73 Part II: The Roman Stoics ............................................................................................ 80 Seneca and Epictetus................................................................................................. 85 Roman Poetry............................................................................................................ 92 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 99 CHAPTER 3 THE EMOTIONS IN HELLENISTIC JUDAISM .................................. 102 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 102 Philo ............................................................................................................................ 104 4 Maccabees ................................................................................................................ 122 Other Hellenistic Jewish Literature ............................................................................ 133 Josephus ...................................................................................................................... 138 The Josephan and Philonic redactions ........................................................................ 149 iii Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 162 CHAPTER 4 LUKE‘S REDACTIONS OF MARK: THE CHARACTER OF JESUS 166 The Lukan Portrait of Jesus ........................................................................................ 166 Luke‘s Redactional Program....................................................................................... 168 Anger....................................................................................................................... 174 Stern Speech............................................................................................................ 188 Grief / Neediness..................................................................................................... 207 ―Positive‖ Emotions ................................................................................................ 213 Jesus‘ Emotions in the Special Lukan Material .......................................................... 231 Luke‘s Infancy Narratives....................................................................................... 233 Positive Emotions in Special ―L‖ Parables ............................................................. 234 Jesus Weeps ............................................................................................................ 238 The Widow‘s Son at Nain ....................................................................................... 240 The ―L‖ Evidence ................................................................................................... 242 The Preponderance of the Evidence: Luke‘s Redactional Pattern Emerges .............. 242 CHAPTER 5 LUKE‘S REDACTIONS OF MARK: THE SUPPORTING CHARACTERS ............................................................................................................. 251 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 251 Luke‘s Transference Technique .................................................................................. 257 Luke‘s Supporting Cast............................................................................................... 265 Fitzmyer‘s Thesis Revisited ........................................................................................ 280 CHAPTER 6 LUKE‘S REDACTIONS OF MARK IN LIGHT OF HELLENISTIC PHILOSOPHY ............................................................................................................... 282 Conclusions: The Lukan Redactions in Light of Roman Stoicism ............................ 282 Anger Revisited ...................................................................................................... 284 Stern Speech Revisited ........................................................................................... 287 Grief / Neediness Revisited .................................................................................... 289 ―Positive‖ Emotions Revisited ................................................................................ 293 Provisional Judgments and Topics for Further Inquiry .............................................. 301 Luke‘s Authorial Audience Revisited ....................................................................
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