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Mark at the Threshold
Applying Bakhtinian Categories to Markan Characterisation
Series: - Biblical Interpretation Series, Volume: 95
Author:
The discussion concerning Markan characterisation (and Markan genre) can be helpfully informed by Bakhtinian categories. This book uses the twin foci of chronotope and carnival to examine specific characters in terms of different levels of dialogue. Various passages in Mark are examined, and thresholds are noted between interindividual character-zones, and between the hearing-reader and text-voices. Several generic contacts are shown to have shaped the textâs âgenre-memoryâ â in particular, the Graeco-Roman popular literature of the ancient world. The resultant picture is of an earthy, populist Gospel whose âvoicesâ resonate with the âvulgarâ classes, and whose spirituality is refreshingly relevant to everyday concerns.
Geoff R. Webb received his PhD (D.Theol.) in New Testament studies from the Melbourne College of Divinity in 2004. He has been an extramural lecturer at Whitley College in Parkville, Australia and is currently Principal at The Salvation Army's Residential Seminary in Lahore, Pakistan.
Introduction
1. Bakhtinian categories â dialogue, genre-memory,
chronotope & carnival
Bakhtin, Dialogue & Mark First-level dialogue
Second-level dialogue
Third-level dialogue
Bakhtin, Genre-Memory & Mark
Bakhtin, Chronotope & Mark
Multi-level dialogue and synchronic and
diachronic approaches
Bakhtin, Carnival and Mark
The wider context â carnivalesque series
and their impact
Application of Bakhtinian categories to Mark
2. âAdventureâ chronotope and comic carnival
in Mark 1 â 8
The âadventureâ chronotope
Comic carnivalesque and the worst-kept secret
Bakhtin and the cleansed leper (Mark 1:40-45)
Dialogue with the text
Character-zones
Jesus & the leper
Priests Significance of the dialogical voices
Bakhtin and the Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5:1-20)
Dialogue with the text
Character-zones
Disciples Jesus
Gerasene demoniac
Unclean spirits (the Legion)
Swineherds and other crowd
Significance of the dialogical voices
Bakhtin and the SyroPhoenecian woman (Mark 7:24-30)
Dialogue with the text
Character-zones
The daughter
The SyroPhoenecian woman & Jesus
Significance of the dialogical voices
3. âThresholdâ chronotope and comic carnival
in Mark 6:14-29 & 16:1-8
Bakhtin, Threshold and Mark
Bakhtin & the beheaded Baptizer (Mark 6:14-29)
Dialogue with the text
Character-zones
Minor characters
The disciples
Jesus
The Baptizer
Herod
Herodias â the daughter â Herod
Significance of dialogical âvoicesâ
Bakhtin and the empty tomb (Mark 16:1-8a)
Dialogue with the text
Character-zones
Young man
The women
Significance of dialogical âvoicesâ
4. âRoadâ chronotope and comic carnival
in Mark 8 â10
Bakhtin and the âroadâ section of Mark
Bakhtin and the transfigured Jesus (Mark 9:2-8)
Dialogue with the text
Character-zones
Jesus
Elijah and Moses
Peter, James and John
The divine voice
Significance of the dialogical voices
Bakhtin and the blind disciples (Mark 10:32-52)
Dialogue with the text
Character-zones
Jesus
Other disciples
Followers
James and John
Bartimaeus
Crowd
Significance of the dialogical voices
5. âThresholdâ chronotope and tragic carnival
in Mark 11 - 16
Tragic carnival and the Passion narrative
Bakhtin and Jesusâ betrayal, trial and crucifixion
(Mark 14:43 â15:41)
Dialogue with the text
Character-zones
Jesus
Disciples
The betrayer
Arresting âcrowdâ
The chief priestâs servant and
the Gethsemane bystander
The naked young man
High priest
Jewish leaders
(Chief priest, elders and scribes)
Peter
Guards/Attendants
False witnesses
Maid & courtyard bystanders
Pilate
Crowd/passersby
Barabbas
Soldiers
Simon of Cyrene
Robbers/bandits crucified with Jesus
âSomeoneâ with the sour wine
The divine âvoiceâ
Centurion
The women
Joseph of Arimathea
Significance of the dialogical voices
A not-so-final conclusion
Bibliography
Index
Graduate students and senior scholars in biblical studies, and all those interested in the works of Mikhail Bakhtin.