Chapter 1
1 Definition
1.1 The Fluid Nature of Genre in Antiquity
1.2 Lives / Vitae / Bioi: a Dynamic and Flexible Genre
1.3 Reconstructing and Evaluating Character: Approaches in Ancient Lives
1.4 The Selective Nature of Ancient Lives
1.5 What Can Be Read as a Life?
2 History of Research: What are the Gospels?
2.1 From the Beginning to 1992
2.2 Continuing Debate: Arguments Against the 'Biographical Hypothesis'
2.3 Reconsidering the Uniqueness of the Gospels
2.4 Ongoing Debate: Alternative Perspectives
2.5 Ongoing Debate: Towards Acceptance of the 'Biographical Hypothesis'
2.6 Further Theories: Genre Mosaic
2.7 Growing Acceptance of the 'Biographical Hypothesis'
3 Conclusion
Chapter 2
1 Life: A Well-Suited Genre
1.1 Prologue
1.2 Mighty Signs (Deeds)
1.3 Words: Encounters, Discourses, and Teaching
1.4 Death
1.5 Post-Death Events
2 Conclusion
Chapter 3
1 Rewriting in Antiquity
1.1 Defining Ancient Practices as Rewriting
1.2 Rewriting and the Composition of Jewish texts
2 Rewriting Characters
2.1 Philo of Alexandria
2.2 Cornelius Nepos
2.3 Plutarch
3 Conclusion
Chapter 4
1 John's Knowledge of Mark: History of Research
1.1 Supplementation / Complementation Theory
1.2 Windisch: Supplanting Theory
1.3 Gardner-Smith: A New Consensus
1.4 Dodd: Confirming the Consensus
1.5 Not All Are in Favour of Independence
1.6 Strengthening of the New Consensus
1.7 Dissolution of the Consensus: Increasing Recognition of John's Use of Mark
1.8 New Avenues
2 Early Followers of Jesus: Communities and Communication
3 John's Rewriting of Mark: Jesus at the Centre of the Narrative
4 Conclusion
Chapter 5
1 Lives, Usefulness, and Persuasion
2. Persuasion in John
3 Conclusion
Chapter 6
1 Summary: Life, Rewriting, and Shaping the Ideal Account
2 Findings: Life, Creative Adaptation, Biographical Impulse
3 Concluding Remarks