Gospel Reading and Reception in Early Christian Literature

Before the early Christian evangelists were Gospel writers, they were Gospel readers. Their composition process was more complex than simply compiling existing traditions about Jesus, then ordering them into a narrative frame. Rather, these writers were engaged in a creative and dynamic act of theological reception. 'Gospel reading' refers to this innovative and often artistic use of source materials — from Israel's Scriptures to pre-existing narratives of Jesus— to produce updated, expande...