The Good of Peter's Denial

This detailed study presents an interpretation of the account of Peter's denial of Jesus in its actual format and in the global context of Mark's gospel. Borrell uses elements of recent literary theory which are applicable to the Marcan texts relating to Peter's denial of Jesus (Mark 14:54.66-72, 14:27-31). In the context of a synchronistic reading of the entire gospel-and particularly of the Passion account in which the denials appear-Borrell presents both a study of the narrative form of the texts and a study of the figure of Peter as portrayed in the texts. His work examines the narrative and rhetorical functions of Peter's denial and explores what type of reader response the writer of the gospel is trying to elicit.