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2 - Why Write a Dialogue Gospel?
Themes from the New Testament
from Part I
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 August 2019
Summary
Dialogue gospels are part of the wider network of texts and traditions that shaped early Christianity. This chapter offers examples of thematic and linguistic connections between the dialogue gospels and texts that came to be incorporated in the New Testament. These examples include the Johannine Farewell Discourse as a possible inspiration for the genre as well as specific links between John 13.31-17.1 and its non-canonical counterparts; links between the canonical resurrection appearances and dialogue gospels; and the Pauline influence, specifically the emphasis on the risen Jesus and the construal of the makeup of the cosmos. Common concerns include Jesus’ departure and its consequences, the nature of his resurrection, and how to overcome hostile cosmic beings that inhabit the space between heaven and earth. The chapter then looks at the shared themes of parables, mysteries and the question of who is worthy of receiving Jesus’ teachings. This wide-ranging demonstration of intertextual connections draws attention to the proximity of dialogue gospels and certain New Testament texts.
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- Eschatology and the SaviourThe 'Gospel of Mary' among Early Christian Dialogue Gospels, pp. 69 - 126Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2019