Suspended Endings in Ancient Literature-A Context for the Evaluation of the Ending of Mark\u27s Gospel

In response to this second, literary level argumentation, this paper will attempt to provide evidence which will support the view that Mark 16:1-8 can be properly interpreted on the literary level as the ending intended by the author. In addition, in response to the objection that the use of a sudden, unexpected, inconclusive ending (such as 16:8 would be) demonstrates a modern literary device which would be foreign to ancient authors, this paper will consider the endings of other ancient literary works and examine how these endings function in relationship to the narrative as a whole and to the expectations of its readers. From biblical literature, the NT narratives of Matthew and Acts will be considered. From classical secular literature, Homer\u27s Iliad and Virgil\u27s Aeneid will be considered. An attempt will be made to show that these narrative works, like the Gospel of Mark, also have suspended endings, that is, an ending that brings the story to a close when the reader has been led to anticipate a longer, fuller story. As we will demonstrate, a suspended ending can merely bring partial closure to a story, all the while leaving it open-ended or, as is the case with the Gospel of Mark, it can be more radically abrupt confusing, or inconclusive, leaving the reader to ponder the more problematic closure. If other ancient works of narrative make use of this literary device, then the contention of Knox that it is only a mark of modern sophistication can be shown to be erroneous