Essays in the Judaic Background of Mark 11 - (Studies in Judaism) by Roger David Aus (Paperback)

About the Book

These five essays deal with the influence of Judaic haggadah or lore, especially in the form of "creative historiography" or "imaginative dramatization," on four enigmatic passages in the Gospels, and one in Acts.

Book Synopsis

These five essays deal with the influence of Judaic haggadah or lore, especially in the form of "creative historiography" or "imaginative dramatization," on four enigmatic passages in the Gospels, and one in Acts.

Review Quotes

In the five studies of this book, Roger Aus forcibly argues that rabbinic texts should not be neglected when interpreting the Gospels of the New Testament. Through detailed analyses of narratives in the Synoptic Gospels, John and Acts, he shows how the Jesus tradition of the New Testament frequently exhibits common points of contact with the traditions, the motifs, and the way narratives are presented in rabbinic texts. The author also treats the issue of dating the materials. He presents noteworthy arguments why rabbinic traditions should not be excluded from the study of the Gospels' history of tradition by simply pointing to the late origin of the present texts. There are only few scholars who can deal with rabbinic sources with such sovereignty as the author of these studies does. The essays presented here provide important impulses for the investigation of the early Gospel tradition.

In these sharply focused essays addressing perennially puzzling passages from the Gospels and Acts, Roger Aus combines an impressive command of rabbinic sources with imaginative, probing exegetical analysis to produce richly textured interpretations that challenge some cherished assumptions, while advancing our understanding of the ways in which "imaginative dramatization" (Judah Goldin) shaped early Christian discourse. These artfully executed studies are models of clarity and methodological precision that exemplify how the world of the rabbis can illuminate the world of the New Testament.

About the Author

Roger David Aus is pastor emeritus of the Evangelische Luther-Kirchengemeinde Alt-Reinickendorf in Berlin, Germany. He is the author of thirteen other books on the New Testament and a member of the Society of New Testament Studies, the Society of Biblical Literature, and the Gesellschaft fur Wissenschaftliche Theologie.