Narrative Criticism Exercise
Circle your text: Matthew
NAME:
Cathy Rohrs
Mark Luke John
For your chosen text, answer the following questions. NOTE: Questions 1-6 should be quite brief answers.
#7 should be one sentence. #8 should be one-three sentences long.
1. What is the implied author’s point of view? (I.e., first or third person?)
2. How much does the author know? Is the author omniscient within the narrative? Does the author
know what people are thinking? What Jesus is thinking?
The author seems to know everything (omniscient) within the narrative. The author knows what Jesus and others think….Fairly
omniscient. Different from Mark (Jesus walks on water – “he intended to pass them”)
3. What ‘symbols’ are used in the narrative?
Archetypal symbols? It was a “dark and stormy night” when the disciples are in great danger….night,
Cultural symbols? Jesus went “up the mountain” to pray….ghost (first century interpretation of ghost. Appearance of
ghosts were man’s own fear. Maybe they thought it was an evil spirit that raised the storm. They all believed that ghosts and
spirits existed. Is the storm a cultural symbol? Is storm used metaphorically in the culture. Seas were typically seen to be
chaiotic places. He was descending into the stormy sea. This could be a symbol created by the author.
Symbols created by author? Peter “sinking” might be one, the sea could possibly be one if you reach a little far…. Boat?
The church? Wind & waves – chaos, fear. Peter is symbol of the whole church throughout the Gospel. Author tells narrative
and there are not a whole lot of times when Jesus is separate from the disciples – something important almost always
happens then. Women at the well, sending the disciples out by themselves. Tool the author uses.
4. Are there any ironical elements? At the story level, no. At the discourse level, the disciples have been here before in
chapter 8 when Jesus was asleep in the boat in the storm with the disciples…When the disciples saw Jesus, they were terrified.
Peter got out of the boat but then lost his faith. Boat seems to be a safe place. The disciples were safe in boat – Peter got out
of the boat (fell away when he denied Christ also) – just like us we take a chance then start to look around and wonder if we did
the right thing. Peter walks on the water to Jesus and he fears the wind (this part may have been added later) – the wind can
be called the spirit. Was he afraid of the spirit? Peter tested Jesus: if it is you, tell me to get out of the boat. BUT Jesus was
really testing Peter.
5. Are there any narrative patterns employed (E.g., repetition, contrast, comparison, causation, climax,
interrogation, inclusion, interchange, chiasm [poetic arrangement of elements in an ABCB’A’
pattern], intercalation)? Look for such patterns both within your pericope and with the larger
narrative of which your pericope is a part.
Intercalation of the Peter story before the larger “storm” episode is concluded. Repetition of boat-in-a-storm story from
chapter 8. Climax: Peter sinking. For my detailed and exciting discovery on chiasm within the narrative, see Appendix
A….Repetition – dismisses the crowd twice. Contrast – pre-church and post-church, terrified/stormy/alone before and after
calm/worshipped/recognized their lord. Chaos of sea and calm afterwards. (w and w/o Jesus is the contrast) Comparison –
see contrast. Causation – fear/lack of faith causing Peter to fall through the water, and “fail”. Phil 4:13 do all things … The
whole thing is started by Peter, the test.
6. With which characters in your text does the author encourage to be sympathetic?
The disciples.. Peter (afraid of water) – story level Jesus ( you don’t understand his appearance) – he might appear
suspicious.
Which characters do you regard with suspicion or hostility? How do we regard Peter?
Well, I guess Peter a little.. Jesus (who is this coming?), Peter got out of the boat and Jesus speaks sharply to him. Is Peter
showing off?
How did the author create such dispositions to the characters?
The disciples are in a horrible storm and could die without intervention (story level). Peter has already seen Jesus calm a
storm on the water (chapter 8) and feed 5,000 men plus women and children (chapter 15) with 5 loaves of bread (discourse
level). Peter is brave enough to get out of the boat and the huge waves beneath him don’t scare him, the WIND does. Hmmmmm
(story level). … Peter is a primary part of the story. The disciples were afraid just like they were in the last storm with Jesus.
7. By the end of your pericope, what does the author seem to want the reader to have learned or
experienced?
God gave Jesus extraordinary capabilities and is working through him (but I don’t think the author wants the listeners to
believe Jesus is God – that is just too much to take in, like trying to teach a baby about the importance of good nutrition)..
..Recognize that Jesus is the son of God (they acknowledge that in the boat). Jesus challenges us to get out of the boat and
keep our eyes on him. This boat representing the church, even though you need faith, you need to keep on having the faith and
the presence of Jesus. Jesus’ presence is the main thing. Peter and Paul were instrumental to the Church, even Peter can have
doubts or unbelief. During our own trials, we loose. “Son of” gives you an identity culturally.
8. How did the author accomplish what you just described in #7 in terms of how the narrative was
presented?
By presenting the whole book from a divine prospective with few intrusions, the author has predisposed us to believe what
is written and therefore read it with sympathy for God’s point of view. After reading more of the book, the reader might put
together that the symbol of Peter sinking could refer to his “falling away” in a different way than the others – he denied he
knew Jesus while the others just fled from Jesus at his arrest and trial. The author uses repetition (chapter 8 Jesus is woken
in boat and calms a storm), chiasm (Matthew 13.36 – 16.21), intercalation (Peter’s story), and setting (Jesus goes ‘up the
mountain” before coming to them on the sea – is the stormy sea then a symbol for our world?) to create a story that propels
us to want to keep reading because we are emotionally invested in the story. .
 Author makes the story seem personal – “oh, that’s me.”
 See answers one through 7.
 Important to keep our eyes on Jesus through our own wind and waves; don’t focus on the water, trust Jesus.
 If the boat is the church, Matthew had to do more than Mark had done because it was a generation past Mark. Not
physically present, but present. When Peter begins to fall, Jesus is right there to grab him.
APPENDIX A
Narrative Criticism Exercise
Cathy Rohrs
Dr. Hoffman,
I know we aren’t submitting our Narrative Criticism homework (I’m disappointed because I really enjoyed doing it and
spent some time on it – okay, I’m done wining now.). Can you look at a little work I did on chiasm and tell me what
you think? And could you remind me how to pronounce “chiasm?” Is it kai-ah-sm?
I found something suspiciously like chiasm when I was looking for pattern and repetition in the larger narrative. I
haven’t figured it all out yet but … Doesn’t Matthew love symbolic numbers, organized patterns, and doubling motifs?
There are 7 episodes A-G. Six doubled motifs then the ta-da! moment is the seventh episode. AND it has to do with
another of Matthew’s favorite things: “the law.”
Can you tell me if I’m just seeing things that aren’t there or if I might be on to something?
Chiasm in Matthew 13.36 – 16.21
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
F’
E’
D’
C’
B’
A’
Jesus reveals secret of the parable of the mustard seed to the disciples only
Jesus teaches in his home town but didn’t heal much due to their unbelief.
Herod kills John the Baptist (prolepses of Jesus’ death?)
Feeding 5,000 men. 5 loaves & 2 fish. (12 baskets left over)
Disciples in the storm/boat Peter walks on water “you of little faith” (“insider”)
Gennesaret – all who touched the fringe of his cloak were healed (crowd)
Jewish authorities ask: why no wash hands? Jesus: why do YOU break the rules?
Jesus called the crowd to him: “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles” (crowd)
Canaanite woman, daughter healed from demon, dogs & crumbs “great is your faith!” (“outsider”)
Feeding seven loaves & two fish to 4,000 men plus women (7 baskets leftover)
Pharisees and Sadducees test Jesus: give us a sign (prolepses of Jesus’ trial?)
On “the other side” disciples forgot bread: yeast of the Pharisees Jesus: “You of little faith”
Jesus asks “Who do you say that I am?” After Peter replies, he reveals the Messianic secret.
If “divine” is A, and “demonic” is B, this pattern could be something like:
ABBA B ABA A ABBA
(divine)
(demonic)
(demonic)
(divine)
(demonic)
(divine)
(demonic)
(divine)
(divine)
(divine)
(demonic)
(demonic)
(divine)