The Gospels and Homer
Imitations of Greek Epic in Mark and Luke-Acts
By (author) Dennis R. MacDonald
Not available to order
Publication date:
05 November 2014Length of book:
440 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781442230538
These two volumes of The New Testament and Greek Literature are the magnum opus of biblical scholar Dennis R. MacDonald, outlining the profound connections between the New Testament and classical Greek poetry. MacDonald argues that the Gospel writers borrowed from established literary sources to create stories about Jesus that readers of the day would find convincing.
In The Gospels and Homer MacDonald leads readers through Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, highlighting models that the authors of the Gospel of Mark and Luke-Acts may have imitated for their portrayals of Jesus and his earliest followers such as Paul. The book applies mimesis criticism to show the popularity of the targets being imitated, the distinctiveness in the Gospels, and evidence that ancient readers recognized these similarities. Using side-by-side comparisons, the book provides English translations of Byzantine poetry that shows how Christian writers used lines from Homer to retell the life of Jesus.
The potential imitations include adventures and shipwrecks, savages living in cages, meals for thousands, transfigurations, visits from the dead, blind seers, and more. MacDonald makes a compelling case that the Gospel writers successfully imitated the epics to provide their readers with heroes and an authoritative foundation for Christianity.
In The Gospels and Homer MacDonald leads readers through Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, highlighting models that the authors of the Gospel of Mark and Luke-Acts may have imitated for their portrayals of Jesus and his earliest followers such as Paul. The book applies mimesis criticism to show the popularity of the targets being imitated, the distinctiveness in the Gospels, and evidence that ancient readers recognized these similarities. Using side-by-side comparisons, the book provides English translations of Byzantine poetry that shows how Christian writers used lines from Homer to retell the life of Jesus.
The potential imitations include adventures and shipwrecks, savages living in cages, meals for thousands, transfigurations, visits from the dead, blind seers, and more. MacDonald makes a compelling case that the Gospel writers successfully imitated the epics to provide their readers with heroes and an authoritative foundation for Christianity.
In this magnum opus, MacDonald brings together and expands upon his earlier work on the imitation of Homer in early Christian literature, responding to critique with a refinement of his methodology and a mountain of new parallels for consideration. MacDonald's primary thesis—that Homer's epics loomed incredibly large on the ancient literary scene, and that imitation of Homer was a basic element in Greco-Roman literary composition—is undeniable. That early Christian authors participated in Homeric imitation is confirmed by MacDonald's analyses. As always, reading New Testament texts with MacDonald and Homer is exciting and provocative.