Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science
Paul in 2 Corinthians informs readers that his escape from Damascus was an escape from the governor under King Aretas. Luke in Acts informs readers that Paul’s escape from Damascus was an escape from Jews hiding in ambush at the city gates. Pervo exposes the nonsense of Luke’s narrative and suggests why he chose to … Continue reading “Paul’s basket escape from Damascus: the nonsense of the Acts narrative”
In response to those who dismiss a priori the likelihood of interpolations in the letters of Paul, Walker lists the following:
So the truth is out. Professor Francis Moloney and Jeffrey Archer tell us how the gospels were written. Note: No eyewitnesses! No oral traditions! No historiography!
16. Papias on John A second (hitherto unknown) inner circle In this chapter Bauckham argues that the author of the Gospel of John was John the Elder, and that it was this John who was the Beloved Disciple (BD). He begins by comparing the Synoptic “sources” with John’s. He reminds us that it was Peter, … Continue reading “Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Chapter 16”
12. Anonymous Tradition or Eyewitness Testimony Eyewitnesses: a superfluous hypothesis? Bauckham argues that the primary sources of the gospel authors (following best historical practice by ancient standards) were the eyewitnesses. He therefore takes issue with Dunn when he says: [ I]t is almost self-evident that the Synoptists proceeded by gathering and ordering Jesus tradition which … Continue reading “Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Chapter 12a”
Added about a day after the original post: Knew it would be a mistake to rush that last chapter. (wifta: ‘what i forgot to add’). Had originally intended to address Bauckham’s Theissen reference: Certainly something happened when the traditions were appropriated by the writers of the Gospels, but it could not have been so discontinuous … Continue reading “Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Chapter 11/WIFTA”
(P.S. on chapter 9: another interesting thing I learned in the previous chapter was that the notion of “translating” a text among some ancients was nothing like our concept. Josephus says he was going to make a translation of the Hebrew scriptures, no more or less, but of course he does do much more and … Continue reading “Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Chapter 10”
The Acts of Paul show a remarkable series of affinities with the pastoral epistles, particularly 2 Timothy. There are differences as well, but they are the sorts of differences that one expects to find in stories repeated orally. Someone is labelled as a coppersmith, now was that Alexander or Hermogenes? Paul always teams up with … Continue reading “Pastoral Epistles & the Acts of Paul (+ canonical Acts)”
To those who might wonder if Papias’s reference to “living and abiding voice” is one of the multiple Johannine resonances in his Prologue (c.f. the final chapter of John’s discussion of whether and how long the beloved disciple would “remain” with them; and further note other Johannine touches such as both the names and the … Continue reading “Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Chapter 2c”
Bauckham argues that Papias, towards the end of the first century, seized opportunities to question disciples of “elders” who knew personally two eyewitness disciples of Jesus — Aristion and John the Elder — who were at that time still alive in Asia. Other eyewitness disciples of Jesus, specifically Andrew, Peter, Philip, Thomas, James, John and … Continue reading “Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Chapter 2b”
This is the first part of a detailed review of Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony by Richard Bauckham (2006). It is in response to the discussion begun by Chris Tilling on his Chrisendom blog, and remarks I have seen from a variety of quarters indicating that this work is having quite … Continue reading “Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Chapter 1”