The Resurrection of the Messiah: A Narrative Commentary on the Resurrection Accounts in the Four Gospels
Overview
Francis J. Moloney provides a narrative reading of the resurrection stories in Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John. His focus is almost entirely upon the text itself. Guided by current scholarship, he uncovers the perennial significance of the four resurrection narratives that are accepted and read as sacred Scripture in the Christian tradition. Without disregarding the historical background that must be understood for an appreciation of the story, a narrative commentary attempts to trace the intended impact of that story upon its readers. This reading and interpretative process uncovers the literary structure of a passage, and then follows the unfolding of the narrative itself, allowing it to speak for itself. The thrust of the book is to uncover the unique theological and pastoral message communicated by means of the narratives.
Top Highlights
“As Christian disciples continue to fail and flee in fear, they are told that God’s action in and through the risen Jesus overcomes all such failure. Jesus is going before them into Galilee. There they will see him. The conclusion to Mark’s Gospel is not a message of failure but a resounding affirmation of God’s design to overcome all imaginable human failure (see 16:1–8) in and through the action of God’s beloved Son (see 1:1–13).” (Page 18)
“For Matthew, the forgiveness of sins stands at the center of Jesus’ mission.’18” (Page 39)
“The rising of the sun might indicate that something more than the women imagine, quite outside their control, is about to be revealed. Mark 16:2 is a first indication to a reader/listener that the darkness that enveloped the earth as the agonized Son called out to the Father asking why he had abandoned him (see 15:33–37) has been overcome.” (Page 8)
“When and how does Jesus’ meeting with the failed disciples, women and men, take place? The answer to that question cannot be found in the story, but the very existence of the story tells the reader/hearer that what Jesus said would happen, did happen.” (Pages 15–16)
“The passive form of the perfect tense of the verb indicates that God had already entered the story” (Page 9)