2006-11-26

Another view of the origin of the Gospel of Mark

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

by Neil Godfrey

Again about a year or so ago I woke in the middle of the night with “a brilliant revelation” that I had to work out on keyboard asap. I had been exploring the range of views in the scholarship on the date and theology of the Gospel of Peter and it occurred to me that the Gospel of Mark, with so many cryptic unexplained references and incidents, might very well be best explained as a response to the sort of gospel narrative that we find in the Gospel of Peter. I was not arguing that the Gospel of Peter as we have it pre-dates GMark, but if GPeter was setting down in ink a previously known oral gospel then many apparent anomalies in GMark are resolved.

Alas, I have since in my mind revised this idea, but have not yet had time to put down my retractions in any essay yet. I did once begin to do this and on re-reading my GPeter-GMark piece began to wonder again if my retraction would hold water. Anyway, for what it’s worth, I’ve attached a link to my original essay on a GPeter related trajectory of the GMark and other synoptics. It did at least provoke some kind comments and thoughtful responses when first released. I may write something opposite tomorrow, but will leave this idea stand for at least discussion and thought nonetheless.

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Neil Godfrey on Comments on Eric Zuesse’s Christ’s Ventriloquists: The Event that Created Christianity: “One can do one’s head in with such thoughts! ;-). I see the gospels being composed in the second century…” Apr 25, 20:26
Clarke W Owens on Comments on Eric Zuesse’s Christ’s Ventriloquists: The Event that Created Christianity: “I’d be interested to know what assumptions follow from this or that conclusion about Paul. For example, if we accept…” Apr 25, 13:50
Steve Ruis on Questioning the Hellenistic Date for the Hebrew Bible: Circular Argument: “It is sad, but true . . . in the hard sciences, also.” Apr 25, 13:18
Gordon Rouse on Origin of the Cyrus-Messiah Myth: “What do you make of the Servant songs (Question to Russell and/or Neil)? Is the Cyrus passage considered one of…” Apr 25, 06:31
ABuddhist on Comments on Eric Zuesse’s Christ’s Ventriloquists: The Event that Created Christianity: “I, and I assume other people, would be fascinated to read a blog post from you describing how Paul’s letters…” Apr 25, 01:04
Tony on Dear Bart Ehrman, Others are noticing that you have not been on the top of your game lately . . .: “Ad hominem arguments are lazy, hack and slapdash don’t give a counter argument that one can weigh their views against.…” Apr 25, 00:23
Neil Godfrey on Do the Dead Sea Scrolls Invalidate a Hellenistic Origin of the Hebrew Books of the Bible?: “Someone just pointed out to me that Stephen Goranson on another forum was announcing that I “refused” to post his…” Apr 24, 23:55
Neil Godfrey on Origin of the Cyrus-Messiah Myth: “In that context and with respect to your recent comment on Aaron’s rod, I have to ask if you have…” Apr 24, 18:50
Russell Gmirkin on Origin of the Cyrus-Messiah Myth: “Another possible indication of the late date of the Cyrus prophecy is that it appears in Isa. 44-45. Second Isaiah…” Apr 24, 11:15

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