Adam Winn - Reading Marks Christology Under Caesar: Jesus the Messiah and Roman Imperial Ideology

I N 2008 MY DOCTORAL DISSERTATION (Fuller Theological Seminary) was published by Mohr Siebeck under the title The Purpose of Marks Gospel: An Early Christian Response to Roman Imperial Propaganda. In that book I argue that Marks Gospel was written for the purpose of responding to the propaganda of the emperor Vespasian, propaganda that had created a crisis for the Markan community. As a part of that project I argued, following the lead of Robert Gundry, that Marks Christology was one that was characterized by power from beginning to end, and thus christological material in Mark that appeared to be related to suffering and death had to be reinterpreted or mitigated in some way. Given that I was swimming against a very strong current in Markan scholarship, it is not surprising that my book was strongly critiqued by fellow Markan interpreters. Initially this critique stung, but it was ultimately helpful and allowed me to see significant weaknesses in my reading of Marks Christology, weaknesses I note within this book. I am particularly indebted to the SBL Mark Group that generously listened to my presentation of Marks Christology of power and offered helpful criticism and direction. This criticism sent me back to the drawing board and led me to reconsider the nature of Marks Christology. But instead of leading me away from reading Mark as a response to Roman imperial realities (the central argument of my earlier book), this criticism pushed me further into the Roman imperial world in search of ways to make sense out of the disparate pieces of Marks Christology. This book is a result of that search. It is ultimately an acknowledgment that in my former work I missed the mark on Markan Christology. The present book seeks to correct my mistake, but I do so without departing from my earlier conclusions regarding Marks setting and purposenamely, that Mark was written to address a crisis in his church that was created by Flavian propaganda. My new understanding of Marks Christology is closely connected to this setting and purpose, but it offers a more balanced view than what appeared in my earlier work. Thus this book is like one who brings out of the house treasures both new and old.

Like all such projects, the generosity and work of many are responsible for the final product before you. I want to thank Robert Duke, my dean at Azusa Pacific University, for granting a reduction in my teaching load so that I could devote more time to working on this project, over half of which was written while I was working at APU. I would also like to thank Tim Crawford, my current dean at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, for being sensitive to this writing project while putting together my teaching load. As all professors know, numerous new course preparations are the enemy of productive writing, and I am thankful to Tim for a year in which new course preparations (at a new job no less!) were minimal. As a result I was able to complete this book in my first year teaching at a new institution.

I would also like to thank Elizabeth Struthers Malbon, Tim Brookins, Mark Lamas, and David Wilhite, all of whom read portions of this book and provided invaluable feedback and editorial work along the way. Elizabeth was particularly helpful in the current shape of my work on the Markan secrecy motif. This work began as an SBL paper that Elizabeth generously took interest in and for which she offered valuable critique, all of which no doubt played a significant role in the paper being published as an article in the Journal of Biblical Literature. It is particularly noteworthy that Elizabeth and I often come to different conclusions in our readings of Marks Gospel, including the Markan secrecy motif. But despite such differences Elizabeth was willing to help and encourage a young scholar. May she be a model to other senior scholars as they engage young scholars who are trying to find their way in a very difficult and at times unfriendly field. I hope to follow her example of grace, kindness, and generosity.

I would also like to thank Dan Reid, senior acquisitions editor at InterVarsity Press, for seeing the value in this project and for enthusiastically supporting it since the day I first proposed it. I also would like to thank Anna Gissing, who, upon Dans retirement, saw this book through the production process and gave crucial guidance along the way. Along with Dan and Anna, I would like to thank the editorial review board at InterVarsity Press, who were able to see what Dan saw in this project and elected to move forward with it. I would also like to thank all at InterVarsity Press for the hard work devoted to reviewing, editing, and promoting this bookall such efforts play a significant role in the resulting final product.

As the dedication to this book indicates, I owe great thanks to my father, Doug Winn, who modeled for me the ability to admit when he was wrong. Among the many lessons he has taught me, it numbers among the greatest. I am a much better person for having learned it.

I also want to thank both my wife, Molly, and my daughter, Brennan, who are daily my joy and inspiration. Your constant love and support are a blessing, without which I could never complete such a project.

Finally, I must thank the God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, from whom come all of the blessings noted above and countless more beyond these. May this book bring better understanding to the Gospel of Marks presentation of Jesus, as well as glory to the God who inspired that Gospel. For all the blessings and successes in my life, including any that might come from this book, I give him all honor, glory, and praise. Amen.