Kata Markon

[Keith Dyer <kdyer AT whitley.unimelb.edu.au>]

Subject: The function of the parables in Mark
From: Keith Dyer <kdyer AT whitley.unimelb.edu.au>
Date: 11th March, 2002

Arstein Justnes asked on 06/03/02

> 
> one of my former students is now writing a thesis on the literary =
> funtion of the parables in the gospel of mark. are you aware of books or =
> articles that may be helpful for her?
> 
> arstein justnes
> ass prof
> ansgar school of theology=20
> norway
> 

I think Mary Ann Tolbert's book, Sowing the Gospel: Mark's World in
Literary-Historical Perspective (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1989; and the
literature cited therein) would be a good place to begin surveying this
topic, Arstein. Tolbert focuses on the role of the parable of the sower and
the parable of the vineyard as hermeneutical keys to Mark's narrative,
citing parallel examples from the popular romance novels of the day.

I wasn't convinced by the main argument, but the location of Mark amongst
the 'low-brow' literature of the day (rather than the Greek classics) was
very refreshing and illuminating.

Keith Dyer
Whitley College, Melbourne