John’s Gospel as Ancient Biography

Anna S. Grottoli shows that the author of the Gospel of John not only knew about Mark’s Gospel but also actively utilised it. She reveals that in keeping with the practices of ancient Lives-writing, the Johannine author repurposed Markan material to create an ideal portrayal of Jesus’ person and work.

After demonstrating that the Gospel of John participates in the spectrum of Ancient Lives, Anna S. Grottoli convincingly shows that the author of the Gospel of John not only knew about Mark’s Gospel but also actively utilised it. She reveals that the Johannine author repurposed Markan material to create an ideal portrayal of Jesus’ person and work. By focusing on an aspect of Lives-writing previously underestimated in Gospel studies, she demonstrates how authors of Lives rewrote their source material in transformative ways, rather than simply copying it unimaginatively. The author of John’s Gospel, she argues, rewrote Markan material in keeping with the rewriting practices of the time and according to his thematic and theological interests. Ancient biographers typically intended their updated narratives to help readers and hearers fully grasp the subject’s intrinsic character and ‘way of life’. This is also the case with John; the need for this book – and therefore its existence – stems from the author’s interest in enabling the audience to encounter Jesus in the rich and profound way the author originally envisioned.

Chapter 1
1 Definition
1.1 The Fluid Nature of Genre in Antiquity
1.2 Lives / Vitae / Bioi: a Dynamic and Flexible Genre
1.3 Reconstructing and Evaluating Character: Approaches in Ancient Lives
1.4 The Selective Nature of Ancient Lives
1.5 What Can Be Read as a Life?
2 History of Research: What are the Gospels?
2.1 From the Beginning to 1992
2.2 Continuing Debate: Arguments Against the 'Biographical Hypothesis'
2.3 Reconsidering the Uniqueness of the Gospels
2.4 Ongoing Debate: Alternative Perspectives
2.5 Ongoing Debate: Towards Acceptance of the 'Biographical Hypothesis'
2.6 Further Theories: Genre Mosaic
2.7 Growing Acceptance of the 'Biographical Hypothesis'
3 Conclusion
Chapter 2
1 Life: A Well-Suited Genre
1.1 Prologue
1.2 Mighty Signs (Deeds)
1.3 Words: Encounters, Discourses, and Teaching
1.4 Death
1.5 Post-Death Events
2 Conclusion
Chapter 3
1 Rewriting in Antiquity
1.1 Defining Ancient Practices as Rewriting
1.2 Rewriting and the Composition of Jewish texts
2 Rewriting Characters
2.1 Philo of Alexandria
2.2 Cornelius Nepos
2.3 Plutarch
3 Conclusion
Chapter 4
1 John's Knowledge of Mark: History of Research
1.1 Supplementation / Complementation Theory
1.2 Windisch: Supplanting Theory
1.3 Gardner-Smith: A New Consensus
1.4 Dodd: Confirming the Consensus
1.5 Not All Are in Favour of Independence
1.6 Strengthening of the New Consensus
1.7 Dissolution of the Consensus: Increasing Recognition of John's Use of Mark
1.8 New Avenues
2 Early Followers of Jesus: Communities and Communication
3 John's Rewriting of Mark: Jesus at the Centre of the Narrative
4 Conclusion
Chapter 5
1 Lives, Usefulness, and Persuasion
2. Persuasion in John
3 Conclusion
Chapter 6
1 Summary: Life, Rewriting, and Shaping the Ideal Account
2 Findings: Life, Creative Adaptation, Biographical Impulse
3 Concluding Remarks

• By (author) Anna S. Grottoli