Abstract
The studies on the literary genre “gospel” are often compared with the so-called Greco-Roman bíoi and popular literature. The points of contact are numerous and undeniable. As well as the differences and peculiarities of the gospels, whose link with the Hebrew Bible is a unicum to be taken into account. In particular, the typology, with its network of references, makes the canonical gospels a text proceeding through continuous phenomena of association and repetition with the ancient Scriptures. As result, the narrative takes on particular tones insofar as it indulges little in the chronicle, concentrating rather on the richness of meaning hidden in entire story of Christ. Consequently, the gospels are evidence of a mixed genre, having some characteristics of the Greco-Roman bíoi and contemporary popular Lives, together with constant re-elaboration of OT elements re-read and applied in a typological key. And it could not be otherwise because the events and the protagonist of the gospels perfectly intersect the horizontal and vertical dimensions of a story merging with the eternal. 
Highlights
There are many different and well-known types of language within Scripture, from saga to epic, from psalm to oracle, from proverb to parable, to name but a few, but it remains a matter of absolute consideration that the “gospel” is a very particular form of language.[1]
The literary genre “gospel,” created by Mark,[5] containing historical data, has no historiographical claim, at least according to the canons of modern historiography
It is true that the gospels share some important points of contact with the Greco-Roman bíoi, such as the scansion of the protagonist’s life according to génos, práxeis and paideίa
Summary
It is not possible to understand a text without recognising its literary genre.[2] Without offering a detailed status quaestionis on the matter, it’s important to recall no unanimous agreement among scholars on how to understand the literary genre “gospel,” so that some still call it a sui generis literary genre.[3] in recent years there has been some interest in whether the gospels belong to the literary genre of the so-called Hellenistic, or rather Greco-Roman, bíoi. The literary genre “gospel,” created by Mark,[5] containing historical data, has no historiographical claim, at least according to the canons of modern historiography. Narratologia e cristologia (Bologna: Dehoniane 2003) 43: “conformemente all’uso del tempo l’autore avrebbe specificato con una prefazione la creazione di un nuovo genere letterario.”
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