Most of the following essays reveal my interest in the significance of literary forms--both the short literary forms in the Gospels, such as pronouncement stories, and an entire Gospel as a formed narrative. I am interested in the significance of these forms, not just in literary classification systems . … I am interested in literary form as a clue to how the text may engage hearers and readers--impact their thought and life--if they are sensitive respondents. The Gospel stories have been shaped in ways that give them particular potentials for significant engagement. Study of literary form can help us recognize these potentials.
--from the Introduction
Contents
Part I: Gospel Sayings and Stories
1 Tension in Synoptic Sayings and Stories
2 The Pronouncement Story and Its Types
3 Varieties of Synoptic Pronouncement Stories
4 Types and Functions of Apophthegms in the Synoptic Gospels
5 The Gospels and Narrative Literature
6 You Shall Be Complete--If Your Love Includes All (Matthew 5:48)
Part II: The Gospel of Mark
7 The Disciples in Mark: The Function of a Narrative Role
8 The Gospel of Mark as Narrative Christology
9 Reading It Whole: The Function of Mark 8:34–35 in Mark's Story
Part III: Paul's Gospel
10 Paul as Liberator and Oppressor: Evaluating Diverse Views of 1 Corinthians
11 Participation in Christ: A Central Theme in Pauline Soteriology
