Jonathan Robinson. T&T Clark, 2023. 239 pages. This review was originally written for Laidlaw College’s Stimulus magazine which can be viewed HERE. I received a free copy of this book for review purposes. Jonathan is a NT scholar at New Zealand’s Carey Baptist College.

Markan Typology explores typologies detected in several miracle stories of Mark’s Gospel. Its findings offer an intriguing and compelling case for a richly textured Christology in Mark. Since this Gospel has historically been neglected by scholarship, Robinson’s work is a welcome addition to the growing body of literature that now recognises its theological depth. Robinson argues for “hitherto unnoticed allusions, as well as a consistent typological approach” (xi) within the selected miracle accounts. His case is that each of the four near-successive miracle stories are shaped by corresponding accounts found in the Old Testament Scriptures, and that each of these reveal consistent convictions that Jesus is the climax of redemptive history as well as a figure who is identified with God in an unparalleled manner.

The introductory chapter includes range of preliminary matters including the nature and use of typology, the function of miracle stories and Scripture in Mark, and the state of the fields on Markan genre and intertextuality. Particularly important for Robinson’s thesis is the attention to the use of typology by Mark. Robinson explains how its use reveals theological assumptions, such as the authority of earlier Scriptural texts and their value in establishing the authority and meaning of a later subject by identifying it with the former. Markan typologies are argued to not only identify Jesus as the fulfilment of God’s involvement in world history, but to identify him with God himself. Robinson differentiates this “theomorphic typology” from alternative understandings of this latter kind of typology, with which he interacts throughout his work: the divine identity hypothesis of Richard Bauckham and the exalted human figure category of Daniel Kirk.

Following this, chapters two and three explore earlier uses of typology within the Israelite and Christian traditions (including well-recognised uses within Mark). This establishes the viability of detecting new typologies in the selected miracle stories, and lays out the ways that typology had previously be used and which might be reutilized in Mark 4:35–6:45.

Chapter four explores the stilling of the storm in Mark 4:35–41 together with the similar story of Jesus walking on water in 6:45–52. After comparing it to ancient accounts of miraculous sea rescues and describing the common comparison to Ps 107 (LXX 106), Robinson suggests a narrative with much more correspondence: Jonah 1. The conclusions to this chapter argue that the narrative allusions to Jonah 1 are intended to identify Jesus not only as a “greater Jonah” who is sent to the gentiles like Jonah, but also with Jonah’s God through the role that both God and Jesus play in their respective narratives.

Chapter five follows a similar pattern, setting Jesus’ roles as healer and resuscitator (Mark 5:21–43) alongside those of Elisha (1 Kgs 17:17–24; 2 Kgs 4:18–37). As in chapter four, comparable stories from the ancient world are recounted and passed over in favour of a biblical antecedent which has previously eluded biblical scholarship. Robinson demonstrates a striking series of correspondences in the narrative features and lexical choices, among other indicators in the narrative. Similarly to the previous chapter, Jesus is found to be a “greater Elisha” and although there is here “less apparent assimilation to God” (122) he is nonetheless found to be presented in some suggestive respects a divine figure. Chapter five presents a “more novel” (123) and more complex case than the previous two miracle stories. This interpretation sees Jesus as an exorcist in Mark 5:1–20 as reflecting David overcoming Goliath (1 Sam 16:14–18:9)—with Goliath being understood as a “Nephilim” through the “Watcher tradition” of, for example, 1 Enoch that linked the Nephilim (the “giants” of Gen 6:4) with evil spirits. The extra-biblical intertextual sources on this subject(s) were particularly fascinating.

The last exegetical chapter finds correspondence between the feeding miracles of Jesus (Mark 6:30–44; 8:1–10) and three OT texts: Elisha’s feeding miracle in 2 Kgs 4:42–44, Psalm 23 with its divine shepherd theme, and the feeding miracle with Moses in Numbers 11. The conclusions to this chapter reveal themes found in earlier chapters.

A final chapter ties together Robinson’s findings and reiterates conclusions argued in previous chapters. The first is that Mark utilizes typology in three ways, presenting Jesus as the fulfilment of salvation history, as one who acts God’s role in Scriptural narratives, and as the exemplar for the church in its mission to Gentile nations. Second, Markan typology is shown to reveal a different characterization of Jesus to earlier proposals—those being that Jesus was an exalted human figure, or someone sharing in the divine identity, or a pre-existent being. Third and finally, Robinson sums up the ways by which Mark’s typology portrays Jesus as a divine figure.  

Markan Typology offers a detailed, compelling case. It reiterates the growing recognition that the second Evangelist was a theological-narrative genius. It also provoked some questions in this reviewer.

For one, what are the implications for our understanding of the historical Jesus?

Where so many narrative details are posited as holding typological meaning, one wonders to what degree the “literary Jesus” of Mark aligns with the “historical Jesus” who initiated Christianity.

Another question relates to redaction criticism. If Matthew and Luke are thought to have drawn from Mark, and since they typically give shortened narrative accounts, paying attention to what has been shaved off and what has been retained might reveal some interesting results that stimulate further reflection on the portrayals of those Gospels.

Those questions extend beyond the scope of Markan Typology.

But for those wanting to grasp something of the mastery of Mark’s presentation of Christ, this book provides a stunning tour and is well worth deliberative attention.

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Markan Typology is available from Fishpond for NZ$95 – academic books come with a hefty price to them! (although $95 isn’t too bad compared to others I have seen) If you have access to the Otago University library or the St John’s Theological College library, you should find a copy to borrow there.