Rewriting the Feeding of Five Thousand

Steven A. Hunt received his PhD from the University of Sheffield. He is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. Focusing on the New Testament, he specializes in narrative approaches to the Gospel of John and socio-rhetorical approaches to the letters of Paul. His most recent publications include articles on John’s characterization of Nicodemus, Lazarus, Abraham, and Jesus.

«In critical dialogue and making excellent use of previous and contemporary scholarship on the feeding miracle in the Fourth Gospel, Steven A. Hunt argues that John had read and thoroughly digested all three of the Synoptic Gospels. This first-rate book is highly recommended to all Johannine scholars who are still wrestling with the question of John’s dependence on the Synoptics. A provocative, scholarly and readable book.» (Gilbert Van Belle, Professor Ordinarius of New Testament, Faculty of Theology of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium)«Like a canny detective, Steven A. Hunt re-opens the file on John’s relationship to the Synoptics and, on the incident of the loaves and fishes, goes over the data with an unmatched combination of comprehensiveness, precision, and patience. In the end the jury’s task is easy. The simplest explanation that accounts for the data – the preferred explanation in scientific method – is that John used the Synoptics.» (Thomas L. Brodie, Director, Dominican Biblical Institute, Limerick, Ireland)«A compelling case for John’s use of the Synoptics! Steven A. Hunt definitely convinced me that, in John 6:1-15 anyway, the author’s use of the Synoptics amounts to ‘transformative imitation’ (to use his words). Any future study of the relationship between John and the Synoptics cannot neglect this important contribution.» (D. Francois Tolmie, Dean, Professor of New Testament, Faculty of Theology of the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa)