This is a new and original study of Mark which challenges several important currently held views. The opening chapter examines the whole question of the methodology in the study of Mark's gospel, especially recent literary approaches. Raisanen incisively criticises those who seek to understand Mark's story world without reference to Mark's 'real life' concerns. Raisanen goes on to consider the collection of motifs in Mark generally known as the 'messianic secret'. He argues that there is no common explanation covering them all, but that they should all be interpreted seperately; and that the...

The book offers a selection of the author's seminal recent articles, focusing on Jesus, Paul, and questions of principle. It contributes to the Jesus quest by questioning the authenticity of some sayings and stories usually counted to the "bedrock" of the tradition. It analyses the ambiguous relationship of early Christians, especially Paul, to their Jewish heritage. It suggests new ways of handling fundamental questions of principle in biblical interpretation.
The book is likely to stimulate thought and discussion, challenging widely held views. The author reflects on the use of New...

This collection of essays in honour of Heikki Raisanen, New Testament professor at the University of Helsinki, consists of 22 essays written by his colleagues and students on Jesus, the gospels, Paul, early Christianity, and biblical interpretation. Raisanen's own research has been characterized by methodological awareness combined with a keen interest in ethical issues. Both these aspects come to expression in his insistence on "fair play" as a correct scholarly attitude involving an honest dialogue, a real encounter, and a recognition of diverging opinions. In this spirit, most of the...

""Anyone who has studied Paul knows that probably the most complex problem he develops is his view of the law and its purpose. The beauty of Raisanen's work is that he recognizes and respects this complexity without himself becoming too dense to understand. Raisanen finds that Paul's radicalized, negative criticism of the law is peculiar to him, unparalleled in the NT and without precedent in Jewish thought. With careful, patient examination of various contexts, Raisanen leads his readers to see that Paul has an oscillating, even inconsistent view of the law. . . . This book is well-written...

This fascinating and comprehensive book, first published in 1990, is, as the original subtile put it, 'a story and a programme'. The story is that of the many attempts over the last two hundred years to write a theology of the New Testament, from the pioneering J. P. Gabler to the present day. Writing in Theology, Robert morgan describes it as 'surely the best available survey in any language and particularly useful for those less familiar with the German tradition'. However, the book contains more than a survey: the 'programme' maps out the way that New Testament theology should proceed in...

Who was the apostle Paul? That question has provided grist for the scholarly mill for millennia. This fifth volume of the Jesus Seminar Guides opens with summaries of the traditional understanding of Paul that examine its inconsistencies and contradictions and reveal its bankruptcy. The authors then move beyond that traditional framework provided by Augustine and Luther to more radical approaches as they struggle with questions such as: who was the historical Paul, how is Paul's message related to Jesus', what problem was Paul trying to solve, and what was his concept of God?

This collection of major essays by the distinguished Finnish New Testament scholar will prove an invaluable sourcebook for students of this much-debated complex of problems.