THE PARABLES OF JESUS IN THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK: A PENTECOSTAL ENGAGEMENT

Abstract

This thesis undertakes the task of reading the parables of Jesus in the Gospel according to Mark narratively and articulating an authentically Pentecostal theology of the Markan parables – one that honors the distinctiveness of the Markan text, is purposefully informed by the early Pentecostal spirituality, and placed in dialogue with the wider Christian tradition regarding the nature, content, purpose, and effect of the parables. Having comprehensively reviewed the current state of the scholarly treatments of Jesus’ parables in Mark, including the only two available Pentecostal treatments to date, the study provides a careful examination of the early Pentecostal periodical literature, uncovering the contours of the use, conceptualization, and integration of the Markan parables in the movement’s earliest stages. Furthermore, the thesis engages the Markan narrative through a close reading of Jesus’ parables in light of their organic placement within the narrative thread, which inevitably determines their literary context and theological substance. It also seeks to identify the impact of the parables on the constructed ideal hearers as well as their probable responses. Informed by these discoveries, the study presents, in its final chapter, a robustly Pentecostal constructive account of Jesus’ parables in Mark, exploring the parables’ theological profile and implications for the Pentecostal context and beyond.

Date of Award	27 Mar 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Bangor University
Supervisor	Chris Thomas (Supervisor)