Of Conflict and Concealment: The Gospel of Mark as Tragedy: 5 (McMaster Biblical Studies)

Scholars have long debated the genre of the Gospels and many opinions have been put forward such as biography history epic or comedy. However do the Gospels actually reflect these ancient genres? This book addresses this question and arrives at the conclusion that the Gospel of Mark was written as an ancient form of tragedy. Why would this matter to ancient or modern readers? Tragedy addresses the fundamental question of humanitys suffering and offers a philosophical perspective that orients the reader towards personal and societal growth. The Gospel of Mark fits within the tradition of tragic writings and speaks to the same challenges that all humanity faces: life is full of trouble and suffering so how are we supposed to think about these things? The answer is to be found in Jesus who is both divine and human and who suffers as a result of engaging in conflict with the religious and political traditions of his time.