The Disciples According to Mark: Markan Redaction in Current Debate, Second Edition

Redaction criticism is the attempt to identify biblical authors' theological interests by examining their adaptation of sources. It has long been a standard method for interpreting the Gospels -- even Mark, whose sources and traditions are among the most uncertain. Comprehensively reviewing recent scholarship, Clifton Black presents the criteria developed by Mark's redaction critics for separating tradition from the Evangelist's redaction. He identifies three distinctive types of redaction-critical study of the disciples in Mark and systematically demonstrates that diverse redactioncritical interpretations of Markan discipleship have bolstered rather than controlled scholarly presuppositions to a degree that impugns the method's reliability for interpreting Mark. This second edition brings The Disciples according to Mark up to date through a new afterword that traces scholarly currents in Markan redaction and discipleship, responds to critics of the first edition, and assesses its precursors, inadequacies, and contributions.