352 - The Formation of the Resurrection Narratives

The Formation of the Resurrection Narratives
By Reginald H. Fuller
New York, Macmillan, 1971. 225 pp. $6.95.

The reader will find Fuller's new book an excellent introduction to the resurrection narratives of the Gospels, including their problems as well as their meaning for the contemporary preaching of the church. He is confronted with the fun scope of problems and issues which are presently being discussed in New Testament research, but this is done in such a way that even the non-specialist is able to follow. After outlining "the riddle of Easter in the introduction, Fuller goes through the various New Testament texts in a roughly chronological order. A detailed analysis of I Cor. 15:3ff. is followed by analyses of the resurrection narratives in Mark, Matthew, Luke, John, John 21, and pseudo-Mark (16:9-20). Another chapter raises the question, whether certain miracle stories in the Gospels are not really "transposed resurrection narratives" (Lk. 5:1-11; Mk. 4:35-41; 6:45-52; 6:32-44; 8:1-10; 9:2-8; 16:17-19). Finally, the matter of "the resurrection narratives in contemporary faith and proclamation" is brought up. A useful appendix contains translations of relevant texts from the New Testament Apocrypha.

Fuller shows quite convincingly how the various traditions came into being and how they were developed and expanded in response to new situations and the theologies of the New Testament authors. One very interesting feature is his attempt to provide a better place in the history of the Easter traditions for the story of the empty tomb (Mk. 16:1-6, 8). Rather than interpreting the story as a legend, based upon the appearance stories, he connects it with the traditions about Jesus' burial (Acts 13:29; Mk. 15:42-47) and reconstructs an incident in which, after the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene visits Jesus' tomb and finds the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. This incident immediately became kerygmatized in the light of the appearances of Jesus to the disciples. Thus

354 - The Formation of the Resurrection Narratives

Fuller is able to agree with Wilckens that the story of the empty tomb "stands right at the beginning of the history of tradition and is doubtless very early" (p. 56). The reviewer is not convinced of this, for two main reasons. The message of the angel in Mk. 16:6 presupposes the Easter kerygma of the church ("crucified/raised"); from this kerygma the angel draws the conclusion that "he is not here." This conclusion explains why the story was told. It is significant that Fuller prefers to use the Matthean version, which has the opposite order, "He is not here, for he was raised . . ." (for example, pp. 179f.). In addition, Fuller must admit that the non-kerygmatic incident of the discovery of the empty tomb, as he reconstructs it, has no meaning in itself but serves only as "a vehicle for the proclamation or the resurrection kerygma" ( p. 179).

The present volume is to be highly recommended to ministers, seminarians, and laymen. When facing a maze of problems, one appreciates a good guide who knows the way in and out again, as well as the way to a mature understanding which characterizes faith.

Hans Dieter Betz
School of Theology at Claremont
Claremont, California