John, Elijah, or One of the Prophets: How the Markan Reader Understands Jesus Through John/Elijah by Donald Stephen Black A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Trinity College and the Biblical Department of the Toronto School of Theology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy awarded by the University of St. Michael's College. © Copyright By Donald Stephen Black 2012 John, Elijah, or One of the Prophets: How the Markan Reader Understands Jesus Through John/Elijah Donald Stephen Black Doctor of Philosophy University of St. Michael’s College 2012 Abstract A primary concern of the Gospel of Mark is the identity and fate of Jesus. In service to this, the Gospel develops a secondary interest in the identity and fate of John The Baptist. John, as Elijah redivivus, provides reasons to believe that Jesus is the Christ, provides a grid by which Jesus’ ministry and identity can be comprehended, and helps justify and explicate the unexpected death of the Messiah. This is accomplished through various literary devices throughout the narrative. For them to be fully effective it is necessary for the implied reader to be actively involved. The fact that Jesus’ identity and John’s identity are not adequately acknowledged within the narrative suggests that the plot moves towards a recognition of both of these figures. Jesus’ identity and John’s identity are related, in such a way that a recognition of John’s witness and identity leads towards a recognition of Jesus’ identity and fate. To understand John is to understand Jesus, and to misunderstand John is to misunderstand Jesus. Furthermore, John the Baptist is used to evoke the past and foreshadow the future in such a way as to place the whole of the story of Jesus into the divine purpose and salvation history. i The only one who appropriately grasps the identities and fates of Jesus and John is the implied reader. This illustrates the role of the implied reader in the narrative. The characters within the story do not adequately recognize either John or Jesus. It remains to the reader to do this. Hence, for the narrative to have closure concerning the theme of recognition relating to both Jesus and John, it will be a closure brought to pass by the reader, and not by the characters within the narrative. ii Acknowledgments This dissertation would not have been possible were it not for the endurance, patience, and support of my wonderful wife, Rhonda, as well as Sophie and Alethea, my wonderful daughters. They endured hardship, provided encouragement, and made this thesis possible. Also, I am in considerable debt to my mother who spent many long hours proof-reading the manuscript. I am also profoundly grateful for the direction and support that I received from my thesis advisor, Terence Donaldson. I also wish to express thanks for the many others who have supported me on this long journey. There are too many to mention, but I would be remiss if I did not specifically mention Harry Maier, Sallie McFague, Wendy Fletcher, Lloyd Gaston, Gerald Hobbs, Jim Lindenberger, and Patricia Dutcher-Walls. I am indebted to the wonderful support I have received from both the Toronto School of Theology and the Vancouver School of Theology. I also want to express my gratitude to Peter Elliott and Judy Hager. Without a chorus of patience and assistance from all these people, and many more, this dissertation would never have been completed. Thanks be to God! iii Table of Contents ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................... I ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................................... III CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1 1.1 INTRODUCTORY ISSUES ......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 THE STUDY OF JOHN/ELIJAH IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK ........................................................ 3 1.2.1 Early Historical Criticism .............................................................................................. 3 1.2.2 Source Criticism ............................................................................................................. 4 1.2.3 Form Criticism ............................................................................................................... 7 1.2.4 Redactional Criticism ..................................................................................................... 8 1.2.4.1 John the Baptist ....................................................................................................................................... 8 1.2.4.2 Elijah ..................................................................................................................................................... 15 1.2.4.3 Various Views ....................................................................................................................................... 21 1.2.5 Narrative Criticism ...................................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 2: NARRATIVE CRITICISM ................................................................................ 48 2.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 48 2.2 IMPLIED AUTHORS AND IMPLIED READERS ......................................................................... 48 2.2.1 Wayne Booth and Seymour Chatman ........................................................................... 48 2.2.2 Wolfgang Iser and Peter Rabinowitz ........................................................................... 51 2.3 NARRATION .......................................................................................................................... 57 2.3.1 A Narrator’s Reliability ............................................................................................... 57 2.3.2 A Narrator’s Characteristics ....................................................................................... 59 2.3.2.1 Omniscience .......................................................................................................................................... 59 2.3.2.2 Dramatized and Undramatized Narrators .............................................................................................. 61 2.3.2.3 Point of View and Focalization ............................................................................................................. 61 2.3.2.4 Audibility: Covert and Overt Narrators ................................................................................................. 64 2.4 CHARACTERS ....................................................................................................................... 65 2.4.1 Characterization and Traits ......................................................................................... 65 2.4.2 Round & Flat Character Types .................................................................................... 67 2.5 SETTING ............................................................................................................................... 69 2.6 TIME ..................................................................................................................................... 73 2.6.1 Order ............................................................................................................................ 73 2.6.1.1 Anachrony ............................................................................................................................................. 73 2.6.1.2 Analepses ............................................................................................................................................... 73 2.6.1.3 Prolepses ................................................................................................................................................ 77 2.6.2 Duration ....................................................................................................................... 79 2.6.3 Frequency ..................................................................................................................... 80 2.7 EVENTS AND PLOTS ............................................................................................................. 82 2.7.1 Events & Plots .............................................................................................................. 82 2.7.2 Connecting Events ........................................................................................................ 83 2.7.3 Hierarchy of Events ...................................................................................................... 85 2.7.4 Recognition ................................................................................................................... 86 2.8 IRONY ................................................................................................................................... 88 2.9 PROCEDURE .......................................................................................................................... 91 iv CHAPTER 3: A NARRATIVE CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST .......... 94 3.1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................