Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 128, No. 4 (Winter 2009) 128

Noted biblical scholar Elizabeth Struthers Malbon asks a literary question in this landmark volume: how does the Markan narrative characterise Jesus? Through a close narrative analysis, she carefully examines various ways the Gospel discloses its central character. The result is a multi-layered Markan narrative christology, focusing not only on what the narrator and other characters say about Jesus (pro-jected christology), but also on what Jesus says in response to what these others say to and about him (deflected christology), what Jesus says instead about himself and God (refracted christology), what Jesus does (enacted christology), and how what other characters do is related to what Jesus says and does (reflected christology). Holding significant implications for those who wish to use Mark's Gospel to make claims about the historical Jesus, as well as for those who wish to use Mark's Gospel to construct confessions about the church's belief, Malbon's research is a groundbreaking work of scholarship. Introduction : Characterization Of Jesus As Narrative Christology -- Enacted Christology : What Jesus Does -- Projected Christology : What Others Say -- Deflected Christology : What Jesus Says In Response -- Refracted Christology : What Jesus Says Instead -- Reflected Christology : What Others Do -- Implications : The Markan Jesus, Mark's Jesus, And The Historical Jesus. Elizabeth Struthers Malbon. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. How does the Markan narrative characterise Jesus? Through a close narrative analysis, this book carefully examines various ways the Gospel discloses its central character.