Raised from Ignorance to Knowledge: Recognition and the Resurrection Appearances of Luke 24 Public
Thompson, Alexander (Spring 2019)
Published
Abstract
Luke 24 depicts several resurrection appearances of Jesus to his disciples in and around Jerusalem. This work argues that these appearances should be interpreted as recognition scenes, following the wider literary tradition of recognition described by Aristotle and prevalent in Greek, Roman, and Jewish literature. Chapter 1 offers a history of interpretation of Luke 24, paying particular attention to questions of literary form in order to propose the recognition type-scene as a more appropriate category of interpretation. Chapters 2 and 3 trace the use and development of recognition scenes in Greco-Roman and Jewish literature respectively, focusing on the form of the scenes and their function in the wider narratives. Chapter 4 offers an exegetical analysis of Luke 24 using the elements of the recognition type-scene to demonstrate the form of the appearances as recognition scenes. It also uses the recognition tradition to cast light on a range of interpretive issues in Luke 24 including the density of affective language, the use of evidence, and the focus on scriptural interpretation. Chapter 5 then locates the recognition scenes of Luke 24 as the climax of the gospel, demonstrating how recognition brings the plot, characterization, and themes of the narrative to a powerful closure. Recognition functions as the cognitive, affective, commissive, and hermeneutical climax of the narrative for the characters internal to the narrative and for the readers. Chapter 5 also articulates how recognition was adapted by Luke to support a wider theological vision where the resurrection of Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s plan. Overall, the work argues that the use of recognition in Luke 24 represents a conscious use of a widespread literary technique in order to create a fitting and artful climax to the narrative of Luke’s Gospel, earning it a lasting place in the Western literary imagination.
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 1
Chapter 1: History of Scholarship and Methodology 5
1.0: Emergence of Critical Scholarship on Luke 24 5
1.1: History of Religion Scholarship 6
1.2: Form Criticism 9
1.3: Redaction Criticism 13
1.4: Narrative Criticism 14
1.5: Recognition in Other New Testament Scholarship 17
1.6: The Limits of Previous Scholarship on Recognition in Luke 24 19
1.7: The Form of the Resurrection Appearances in Luke 24 21
1.7.1.: Epiphany 21
1.7.2: The Appearance Gattung 23
1.7.3: The Commissioning Gattung 24
1.8: The Recognition Type-Scene 24
1.8.1: Type-Scene Definition 25
1.8.2: Aristotle and the Definition of Recognition 27
1.8.3: The Recognition Type-Scene 30
Chart 1: Anagnorisis as Type-Scene in Recent Scholarship 31
1.8.4: Contemporary Issues in the Study of Recognition 33
1.9: Summary 37
Chapter 2: Recognition Scenes in Greek and Roman Literature 38
2.0: Introduction 38
2.1: Homer’s Odyssey as the Foundation of Greek Recognition Scenes 38
2.1.1: Odysseus and Telemachus 40
2.1.2: Odysseus and His Servants 41
2.1.3: Odysseus and Penelope 43
2.1.4: Odysseus and Laertes 45
2.1.5: The Function of Recognition in the Odyssey 46
2.1.6: Summary 50
2.2: The Relation of Epiphany and Recognition 51
2.3: Recognition in Fifth-Century Tragedy 53
2.3.1: The Orestes-Electra Recognition Scene 54
2.3.1.1: Aeschylus’ Libation Bearers 55
2.3.1.2: Sophocles’ Electra 56
2.3.1.3: Euripides’ Electra 58
2.3.1.4: Summary 61
2.3.2: Recognition in Other Ancient Tragedies 62
2.3.2.1: Euripides’ Iphigenia among the Taurians 62
2.3.2.2: Euripides’ Helen 64
2.3.2.3: Euripides’ Ion 66
2.3.2.4: Self-Recognition in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex 68
2.3.3: Summary 70
2.4: Recognition in Other Genres 71
2.4.1: Recognition in Ancient Comedy 71
2.4.2: Recognition in Ancient Fiction 76
2.4.2.1: Greek Romances 77
2.4.2.2: Other Fictions 82
2.4.3: Summary 87
2.5: Recognition in Ancient History and Biography 87
2.6: Conclusion 95
Chapter 3: Recognition in the Hebrew Bible and Hellenistic Jewish Literature 97
3.0: Introduction 97
3.1: The Poetics of Recognition in the Hebrew Bible 98
3.2: Genesis as the Foundation for the Biblical Recognition Tradition 100
3.2.1: Judah and Tamar 101
3.2.2: Joseph and His Family 105
3.2.3: Recognition and Deception in Genesis 112
3.2.4: Recognition in Genesis' Anthropomorphic Theophanies 115
3.2.5: Summary 119
3.3: Other Recognition Scenes in the Hebrew Bible 121
3.4: Recognition in Other Biblical Anthropomorphic Angelophanies 124
3.5: Recognition in Hellenistic Jewish Literature 126
3.5.1: The Reception of Biblical Recognition Scenes in Hellenistic Jewish Literature 127
3.5.2: New Examples of Recognition in Hellenistic Jewish Literature 133
3.5.3: Summary 141
3.6: Conclusion 141
Chapter 4: Recognition in the Resurrection Appearances of Luke 24 143
4.0: Introduction 143
4.1: Introductory Matters 144
4.1.1: The Structure of Luke 24 145
4.2: The Empty Tomb (24:1-12) 149
4.2.1: The Discovery (vv.1-4a) 150
4.2.2: The Angelophany and Interpretation (vv.4b-7) 151
4.2.3: The Women's Report (vv.9-11) 154
4.2.4: Peter's Visit to the Tomb (v.12) 156
4.2.5: Summary 158
4.3: The Emmaus Recognition Scene (24:13-35) 158
4.3.1: The Meeting (vv.13-16) 160
4.3.2: The Dialogue of Cognitive Resistance (vv.17-27) 162
4.3.3.: Hospitality, Tokens, and Recognition (vv.28-31) 169
4.3.4: Attendant Reactions and Proclamation (vv.32-35) 174
4.3.5: Summary 178
4.4: The Jerusalem Recognition Scene (24:36-49) and Ascension (24:50-53) 180
4.4.1: The Meeting (v.36) 181
4.4.2: Cognitive Resistance (v.37) 182
4.4.3: First Set of Tokens (vv.38-40) 186
4.4.4: Further Cognitive Resistance and a Second Set of Tokens (vv.41-43) 189
4.4.5: Interpretation and Commission (vv.44-49) 193
4.4.6: The Ascension (vv.50-53) 198
4.4.6.1: The Departure of Jesus (vv.50-51) 199
4.4.6.2: Recognition and Attendant Reactions (vv.52-53) 203
4.4.7: Summary 205
4.5: Conclusion 206
Chapter 5: Recognition in Luke 24 and the Wider Narrative of Luke-Acts 209
5.0: Introduction 209
5.1: Narrative Analysis of Luke 24's Role in Luke's Gospel 210
5.1.1: Plot and Characterization in Luke's Gospel 211
5.1.2: Luke 24 as the Conclusion of the Plot and Characterization of Luke's Gospel 221
5.1.3: The Cognitive Function 223
5.1.4: The Affective Function 228
5.1.5: The Commissive Function 231
5.1.6: The Hermeneutic Function 234
5.1.7: Summary 238
5.2: Luke 24 and the Acts of the Apostles 242
5.3: The Coherence Between Recognition and Other Lukan Themes 241
5.3.1: Sight and Blindness 241
5.3.2 Hospitality and Table Fellowship 244
5.3.3: Recognition, Reversal, and Repentance 247
5.3.4: Summary 249
5.4: Recognition in the Theology of Luke-Acts 250
5.5: Conclusion 255
Conclusion 256
Bibliography 263
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