Table of Contents
Preface vii
Prologue: Scripting Jesus: The Storyteller's Art 1
Act I Casting Characters
Chapter 1 Acting the Part 19
Messiah
Chapter 2 Logos and Wisdom's Child 39
Chapter 3 Divine Man 51
Chapter 4 Savior 66
Act II Crafting Scenes
Chapter 5 Orality, Memory, and Performance 87
Chapter 6 Heralding the Crucifixion 106
Chapter 7 Marking the Passion 124
Chapter 8 Casting Spells 161
Chapter 9 Spinning Parables 188
Chapter 10 Potting the Nativity 226
Act III Staging Gospels
Chapter 11 The Misunderstood Messiah 259
The Gospel of Mark
Chapter 12 The Righteous Teacher of Torah 290
The Gospel of Matthew
Chapter 13 The Martyred Sage 318
The Gospel of Luke
Chapter 14 The Man from Heaven 345
The Gospels of John and Thomas
Chapter 15 Gospels and More Gospels 374
Epilogue: Tales of Fancy, Acts of Faith 405
Appendices
A The Geography of Jesus's World 423
B Solving the Synoptic Problem 428
C The Gospel of Peter 432
D A "Transcript" of Q 437
E Mapping the Narrative World of Luke 449
Notes 455
Ancient Writings Index 499
Subject Index 507
