Narrative Space, Angelic Revelation, and the End of Mark’s Gospel

This article draws on spatial theory to analyse the final chapter of Mark’s Gospel, describing a setting full of religious and cultural significance. The analysis reveals a narrative of building tension, leading to a decisive angelophany. Three main arguments are advanced. Firstly, Mark takes a charac...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Williams, Guy J. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage 2013
In: Journal for the study of the New Testament
Year: 2013, Volume: 35, Issue: 3, Pages: 263-284
Further subjects:B Narrative Space
B Resurrection
B Angel
B Tomb
B Mark (ending of)
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:This article draws on spatial theory to analyse the final chapter of Mark’s Gospel, describing a setting full of religious and cultural significance. The analysis reveals a narrative of building tension, leading to a decisive angelophany. Three main arguments are advanced. Firstly, Mark takes a characteristic and subversive approach to space by deliberately bringing events into the challenging (typically, unclean) setting of a tomb. Secondly, Mark explores the borderland between life and death through themes of space and time. Thirdly, the understanding of the tomb space ultimately is transformed, making it the site of a well-constructed angelic revelation, and casting the women visitors as prophetic recipients of the Gospel commission. In light of these points, Mk 16.1-8 may be considered a carefully built and decisive ending to the Gospel, based upon the author’s thoughtful manipulation of narrative space.
ISSN:1745-5294
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the New Testament
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0142064X12472118