Cognitive Dissonance And Social-Memory Assessment Of Jesus’s Temple Prophecies
Abstract
Scholars reconstruct the tradition history of the temple prophecies in Mark 13:2, 14 par .; 14:58 par .; Q 13:34-35; and Luke 19:41-44; 21:20-24; 23:27-31 in various ways. Cognitive dissonance theory provides a useful guide in constructing the sayings’ tradition history, and it suggests a sequence of responses addressing a perceived threat of disconfirmation beginning with Mark 14:58. Additionally, our findings are situated in a social memory framework. Our interdisciplinary methodology and its results are consistent with either scientific realism or social phenomenalism, so disagreement over the historicity of Jesus’s prophecy, whether it is historical, false, etc., can ultimately be set aside in the study of these temple prophecies in early Christianity.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Biblical Studies and Interpretation
Religion
Theology
History
Judaism
Christianity
Historical
Religious
and Philosophical Studies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Biblical Theology Bulletin Journal of Bible and Culture
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 4–17
- Publication date
- 1 February 2026
- Language
- EN