The Purpose of Mark’s Gospel
An Early Christian Response to Roman Imperial Propaganda
by Adam Winn
In this book, Adam Winn addresses the long debated question of the purpose of Mark’s gospel. After placing the composition of Mark in Rome at a time shortly after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, he seeks to reconstruct the historical situation facing both the Markan evangelist and his community. This reconstruction focuses on the rise of the new Roman Emperor Vespasian and the aftermath of the Jewish Revolt in Rome. A significant feature of this reconstruction is the propaganda used to gain and secure Vespasian’s power-propaganda that included oracles and portents, divine healings, and grand triumphs. Of particular interest is the propagandistic claim that Vespasian was the true fulfillment of Jewish messianic prophecies. Winn argues that such a claim would have created a christological crisis for the fledgling church in Rome-a crisis that called for a compelling Christian response. Winn seeks to demonstrate that Mark’s gospel could be read as just such a response. He demonstrates how the major features of Mark’s gospel-his incipit, Christology, teaching on discipleship, and eschatology-can be read as a counter resume to the impressive resume of Vespasian. In the end, this project concludes that Mark was composed for the purpose of countering Roman imperial propaganda that had created a crisis for its author and community.
- By (author) Adam Winn
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Jesaja 53 als theologische Mitte der Apostelgeschichte
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Luke-Acts and Jewish Historiography
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Die Wunder an den Widersachern
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The Temple Keys of Isaiah 22:22, Revelation 3:7, and Matthew 16:19
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Peter – Apocalyptic Seer
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Spirits and the Proclamation of Christ
1 Peter 3:18-22 in Light of Sin and Punishment Traditions in Early Jewish and Christian Literature
Volume 305
Der Kolosserbrief im Kontext des paulinischen Erbes
Eine intertextuelle Studie zur Auslegung und Fortschreibung der Paulustradition
Volume 271
Jesus’ Death and the Gathering of True Israel
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Schopfungspoetik im Johannesevangelium
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Desire in Paul’s Undisputed Epistles
Semantic Observations on the Use of epithymeo, ho epithymetes, and epithymia in Roman Imperial Texts
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