Feeding the Five Thousand

Studies in the Judaic Background of Mark 6:30-44 par. and John 6:1-15

By (author) Roger David Aus

Publication date:

10 May 2010

Length of book:

218 pages

Publisher

UPA

ISBN-13: 9780761851523

The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand is found in all four Gospels, and is told in two of them twice. Roger David Aus primarily explores the many facets of early Palestinian Judaism which inform the story, especially in regard to the miracle-worker Elisha. He describes four major motifs in the narrative, as well as the Markan and Johannine redaction. In addition, he analyzes the account's Semitic background, genre and historicity, and its part in a miracle collection.

Chapter 1 Preface
Chapter 2 Introduction
Chapter 3 I. Famine, the Omer, and Barley Bread
Chapter 4 II. Similarities Between Elisha and aJesus, Especially as Wonder-workers
Chapter 5 III. Jesus as a Teacher with Disciples, and Elisha as a Teacher with Disciples
Chapter 6 IV. Denarii
Chapter 7 V. Baal-shalishah, Shalishah, and John 6
Chapter 8 VI. Jesus' Praying, and Elisha's Praying
Chapter 9 VII. Doubling, Garden Beds and Rows, According to Hundreds and Fifties, and Groups
Chapter 10 VIII. Eating to Satiety, and Saying Grace After Meals
Chapter 11 IX. Baskets Full of Left Over Pieces
Chapter 12 X. 5000 Men
Chapter 13 XI. Bethsaida as a Possible Site of the Feeding, and the Livia/Julia Cult
Chapter 14 XII. Markan Redaction in 6:30-44, and Johannine Redaction in 6:1-15
Chapter 15 XIII. The Markan and the Johannine Contexts
Chapter 16 XIV. The Semitic Background of the Feeding of the 5000, and Possible Hellenistic Parallels
Chapter 17 XV. Major Motifs in the Narrative
Chapter 18 XVI. The Genre
Chapter 19 XVII. The Historicity
Chapter 20 XVIII. Two Markan Feeding Narratives, and the Feeding of the 5000 as Part of a Miracle Collection
Chapter 21 Sources and Reference Works
Chapter 22 Author Index
Chapter 23 About the Author

A model of exegetical analysis that places Jesus' feeding of the five thousand, the only miracle reported by all four Gospels, primarily within the historical-literary tradition of Rabbinic Judaism. Otherwise ordinary details of the story come to life when seen alongside a rich array of comparative Jewish texts spanning the Hellenistic and Roman periods. This study especially illuminates how interpretive traditions relating to Elisha influenced early Christian understanding of Jesus.