Who Wrote the Gospels!?

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John…..and Q!?

The Gospel of Mark

Most scholars believe the Gospel of Mark was written somewhere

between 65 and 70 CE. Your textbook uses the year 70 CE.

Why these dates? Mark knew of important conflicts going on in the decade of the 60’s, Nero’s persecution, and the Jewish War in 66 CE (Mark: 13:7-8)

Mark knew about the destruction of the Temple (13:1-2; 11:12-14). It is a central theme in his gospel

It is the shortest of the 4 gospels, and the earliest to be written

Mark’s Audience

Mark wrote for a gentile audience (meaning non-Jewish), but was a Jew

He tends to over explain common Jewish customs and practices, indicating his audience was not well schooled in these practices

He most likely wrote in Galilee or Judea

Markan Focus

Mark’s gospel focuses on the humanity of Jesus, meant to discredit a common belief that Jesus was not human, but was fully divine

For this reason Mark focuses on the suffering of Jesus. He was a human being who suffered greatly.

This message is intended to show his audience that suffering is an essential part of being a Christian. We must suffer as Christ did

The Great Markan Tragedy

Mark patterned his gospel after a Greek tragedy:

1) Establish the power of the character (Mark 1-8)

2) Reveals the fate of the character (starts Mark 8:27; his fate is distinctly mentioned 8:31)

3) Details the fall of the tragic hero (Mark 11-16)

Mark’s Titles for Jesus

Son of Man (Mark 13)

Son of God (Mark 15:39)

Christ

Rabbi

Lord

Teacher

Mark s the Number 3

The number three is central in Mark: Peter denies Jesus 3 times

He provides 3 passion predictions

Peter falls asleep 3 times

The Gospel of Matthew

The Church used to believe Matthew was written by an eyewitness; Matthew the Apostle, therefore the Gospel of Matthew was heavily favoured in the early church

We know this is not true (more reasons to be discussed in a second)

Matthew is generally dated between 80 and 100 CE. Your textbook dates it around 90 (I would date it in the 80’s) Why? Matthew’s sources, and his knowledge of the temple being destroyed in 70 CE

Matthew’s Audience

Matthew was a Pharisaic Jew who wrote for a Jewish audience. He was trying to create continuity, so that Jews could see themselves in the gospels and its messages.

For Matthew Jesus was the JEWISH Messiah

Matthean Focus

Matthew’s gospel is very distinct from the other three gospels.

His organization mimics the Five Books of the Torah:

He wrote in 5 distinct discourses (speeches) of Jesus

Jesus is seen as the fulfillment of the promises God made to Israel in the Torah (Typology)

Jesus is portrayed as a new Moses (his story mirrors the Exodus)

More than 130 passages in Matthew directly or indirectly refer to the Hebrew Bible

Matthew is concerned with the building the Church

Matthew’s Number

14!

14 is the number of David

In his genealogy Jesus is the 14th generation from David

The Gospel of Luke

The author of Luke wrote his gospel as a two-part work: the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles.

From his writing it is clear that “Luke” was a well educated, gentile convert

His Greek is AMAZING!

Luke is believed to have been written sometime in the 80’s CE. Your textbook uses the date 85 CE as an approximation. Most common dating is between 90-100 (possibly even later)

Luke most likely wrote from a larger city in the Roman Empire, most likely Syria. He did not live in Palestine

Luke’s Audience

Luke is thought to have been writing to Christians who need clarification or a better knowledge of the foundations of their faith, and as an introduction for Gentiles

“For Gentiles, by a Gentile”

He tries to show his audience the continuity between Judaism from the Hebrew Bible and Christianity. Jesus is portrayed as an observant Jew

Luke shows Jesus as a philosopher

Lukan Focus

Luke focuses on the Holy Spirit being always present

He also stresses the mercy and compassion of Jesus (we will look at this in more depth)

Jesus message is for EVERYONE (rich, poor, Jew, Gentile, man, woman)

Extremely concerned with church institutionalization (Acts of the Apostles)

Luke’s 3 Stage History

1)God makes promises to Israel in the Hebrew Bible

2)Jesus fulfills the promises God made to Israel

3)The Church transmits teachings

The Synoptic Gospels

The Synoptic Gospels consist of Matthew, Mark, and Luke

The are called Synoptic because they all share much of the same synopsis of Jesus’ life, and have common sources

John is not a Synoptic gospel

The Synoptic Problem

The synoptic problem refers to trying to decipher and figure out the consistencies and the inconsistencies between the Synoptic Gospels

Watch and copy the diagram I’m drawing on the Board….

Triple Tradition: refers to sayings/words that ALL THREE (Matthew, Mark and Luke) have in common

Double Tradition: refers to sayings/words that Matthew and Mark have in common (double tradition material does not appear in Mark)

Where does the double tradition information come from?

Note: From the diagram on the board, you can see that Matthew and Luke did not use each other as a source.

Triple Tradition Example:The Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-Law

Matthew 8:14-15 Mark 1:29-31 Luke 4:38-39

WhenJesus enteredPeter’s house,

He saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever;

he touched her hand,

and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve him.

As soon as they left thesynagogue, the enteredthe house of Simon and Andrew,with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, andthey told him about her at once.He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up.

Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

After leaving the synagogue he enteredSimon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law wasSuffering from a high fever, andthey asked him about her.

Then he stood over her and rebuked the fever, andit left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them.

Double Tradition Example:

Matthew 7:12 Luke 6:31“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”

“Do to others as you wouldHave them do to you”

The Gospel of Q!

Q comes from the German word “Quelle” meaning source

Q is a hypothetical “Sayings source” (because we don’t have any surviving copies)

Scholars think it is the original gospel

Knowing that double tradition material came from the same source, Q was reconstructed.

Scholars used other sources, such as the Gnostic gospel Thomas, to make Q as complete as possible.

Having a copy of Q has astronomically improved and changed Biblical scholarship

Our Double Tradition With An Addition…

Matthew 7:12 Q 6:31 Luke 6:31“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”

And the way you want people to treat you, that is how you treat them.

“Do to others as you wouldHave them do to you.”

Then There is John…

John was the last gospel to be written between 90 and 100 CE. Most likely around 95 CE. Has been dated as late as 110 CE.

John uses a lot of symbolism and imagery

Early tradition held that John was written by the Apostle John along with the book of Revelations. However, the apostle John did not author these writings.

The Beloved Disciple

John’s gospel mentions “the beloved disciple” often written in the gospel as “the one whom Jesus loved”

The Beloved Disciple is thought to refer to the Johanine school (those who followed the teachings of the author of John)

The three Epistles of John are believed to be written by this same school

There is much debate whether they authored Revelations, or whether it was another “prophet” named John

John’s Audience

John’s gospel makes the strongest attempt to present Jesus as the divine Son of God.

This is due to it’s late authorship, at the time when the church was deepening its understanding of Jesus’ true identity.

John’s gospel is more theological than the Synoptic’s—it doesn’t give as accurate historical account.

Understandably than, it is written for members of the early Christian church—for Christians, by a Christian

John’s Focus

John has a unique theology known as “Logos Theology”

A great example of this is the opening of his gospel, John 1:1-3:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.”

The word than becomes flesh, John 1: 14

“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

John’s Imagery/Titles for Jesus

The Bread of Life

The Light of the World

The Good Shepherd