English

Messiah and emperor : "Son of God" in the inclusio of Mark 1:10-11 and 15:38-39

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Master of Theology, New Testament, Thesis Abstract: This study challenges the understanding of "Son of God" as a simple title with a static meaning in the Gospel of Mark. Conversely, I argue that Mark gives dynamic development to the Son of God identity through a broad inclusio spanning from 1:10-11 to 15:38-39 in order to narrate how Jesus's messianic enthronement effectively deposes the Roman emperor. I examine the contrasting messianic and imperial connotations of Son of God in each of these two passages using a mixture of historical, narrative, and rhetorical-critical methods before finally assessing the effect of this juxtaposition in Mark's narrative as a whole. An emphasis is placed on indications of the author's own intentionality, as well as discerning what would constitute a credible narrative for his first-century audience. After surveying the scholarship on the issues above in Chapter One, I retrace the historical origins of divine sonship in Mark 1:11 via Psalm 2:7 in Chapter Two. I observe that Psalm 2:7 belongs to a coronation liturgy for the Davidic king, through whose enthronement YHWH will overcome the raging of the nations and

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