Latest Posts:
- How early are the Gospels? A video by David Pallmann
For those interested in the origins of the Gospels, David Pallmann has recently posted an extended YouTube video, “When Were the Gospels Written?: A Critical Examination.” Over the last several years he has posted videos arguing for Matthean Priority, Gospel reliability, and the traditional authorship of the Gospels, along with videos addressing many other important topics. These are extended treatments, and this present release is a good five-hours, so well suited for streaming at the gym. Consistent with his past videos, he leverages the writings the church fathers and demonstrates broad familiarity with contemporary scholars. There are a few points on which we differ (e.g., he holds to a Matthew-Luke-Mark-John publication order of the Gospels, while I argue for Matthew-Mark-Luke-John) and some evidence that I might downplay; regardless, this is a great video.
- How would the apostles respond if Cornelius asked for a published Gospel?
Following the conversion of Cornelius and those gathered in his home in Caesarea Maritima, how would Peter and other Christian leaders have responded, if Cornelius had then asked that a written Gospel be provided, which captured the message of Peter concerning the life and teachings of Jesus?
As a centurion of the Italian Cohort, stationed at the provincial capital of Caesarea Maritima (Acts 10), Cornelius would not only be responsible for supervising part of the security contingent, but also the military staff which provided secretarial, judicial, interpretive, correspondence, and clerking services to the local governor, prefect, or whomever.1 The military contingent would also have a role in the collection of taxes and custom duties, traffic control, intelligence gathering, etc.2 Furthermore, centurions “could be requested to investigate crimes” and to uphold “law and order throughout the countryside.”3 Official records would need to be produced, reviewed, and approved, and Cornelius would have a role in such.4
Accounts from the era indicate that the rank of centurion could be granted to experienced soldiers, to soldiers with literary skills, or to those who joined the army with a high social status.5 While Brian Campbell reports that there was a variety of literacy levels within the centurion ranks, it seems apparent that those who had achieved this rank would either be literate or have ready access to those who were.6 For centurions serving in administrative roles under a provincial ruler, literary skills would be even more essential, in contrast to those centurions strictly serving in battle-ready legions.
My point in surveying the administrative world of a centurion assigned to a provincial capital, such as Caesarea Maritima, has been to impress on the present reader that it is entirely reasonable to speculate that these converts in Caesarea Maritima would be eager to have a written copy of the story of this Jesus in whom they had just believed, tailored for a Greco-Roman audience such as themselves, especially if there was a potential that they might be reassigned to duties elsewhere. Given the close proximity between Caesarea Maritima and Jerusalem, some of these recent converts would no doubt be aware that Matthew’s Gospel had recently been published for the benefit of the Jewish community and would be eager to request that one of Peter’s traveling companions publish a comparable selection of Peter’s sermons.7
If Cornelius were to make such a request, would we anticipate that his request would be honored or rejected?
NOTE: Comments and dialog are welcome. The “Leave a Reply” field will be accessible below for 10 days after this post was published. Afterwards, please feel free to continue to comment via the contact page. (This is my attempt to manage the spam bots.)
- On the Premise of Matthean Priority, Which Gospel Came Next?
If the arguments for the early publication of Matthew in A Trustworthy Gospel are accepted, then what are the implications for the next Gospel to be published? Matthew has a characteristically Jewish orientation, presenting Jesus as the long-expected Messianic king, who came to save his people from their sins. Mark and Luke both echo the “repent and believe” message of salvation, while orienting such towards a Greco-Roman audience.1 But which of these Gospels followed Matthew? In my upcoming book (am keeping the title under wraps for a bit), I explore exegetical insights and harmonization benefits under the premise that Mark was published shortly after Matthew.
In this article I want to touch on part of the rationale behind the premise that Mark was published shortly after Matthew.
A Common Motivation
If it is accepted that the apostles in Jerusalem were not hesitant to produce a written Gospel for the benefit of early Jewish believers, including those who had been scattered due to persecution (Acts 8:1), then should we not also envision the apostles as recognizing the value in producing a Gospel for the benefit of the earliest Greco-Roman believers? The conversion of the Greco-Romans in Caesarea Maritima (Acts 10–11) marks a key milestone in the accomplishment of the Great Commission, which required that the apostles “make disciples of all nations,” both “baptizing them” and “teaching them to observe all” that the Lord had commanded (Matt 28:19–20). Accordingly, just as a Gospel was required for Jewish believers, in order that they might be taught key elements of what Jesus had commanded, so also was there a pressing need to produce a Gospel for the Greco-Romans.
The Testimony of Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria
If it is accepted (1) that apparent contradictions in the testimonies of Irenaeus and other church fathers concerning the origins of the Gospels can be reconciled by treating references to Rome as referring to the empire, rather than to the Imperial Capital,2 and (2) that Irenaeus was referring to Peter and Paul’s physical departure (exodon) into other lands rather than euphemistically referring to their deaths,3 then this suggests an early publication of Mark, roughly correlating with Acts 12.
Irenaeus reports that
Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews … while Peter and Paul were preaching in Rome, the empire, and laying the foundations of the Church. After their departure to other lands, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. Luke also, the companion of Paul …. Afterwards, John … did himself publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia.4 [Italics are my additions to the classic translation by Roberts.]
With regard to Clement, my interest is limited to what Clement specifically says about the circumstances of Mark’s publication. (I will defer, until another day, engaging with Clement’s claim concerning the publication sequence of the Gospels, as recorded by Eusebius, Hist. eccl. 6.14.5–7, which is commonly leveraged by advocates of the Two Gospel Hypothesis.)
but that the Gospel according to Mark came into being in this manner: When Peter had publicly preached the word at Rome, the empire, and by the Spirit had proclaimed the Gospel, that those present, who were many, exhorted Mark, as one who had followed him for a long time and remembered what had been spoken, to make a record of what was said; and that he did this, and distributed the Gospel among those that asked him. And that when the matter came to Peter’s knowledge he neither strongly forbade it nor urged it forward.5
To connect the dots, my supposition is that John Mark was one “of the brothers,” briefly mentioned in Acts 10, who had been accompanying Peter on his preaching circuit and who then traveled with Peter from Joppa to Caesarea Maritima (Acts 10:23). This, even though John Mark is not formally introduced until Acts 12:12. Significantly, Acts 12 is a key transition passage, as James is killed, Peter is imprisoned and then miraculously released, John Mark is introduced, and then as Barnabas, Saul, and John Mark depart for Antioch. Consistent with the testimonies of Irenaeus and Clement, I therefore align the publication of Mark’s Gospel with the events in Acts 12, and with Mark leveraging the recently published Matthew.
A New Book on Mark’s Gospel!
Am pleased to share that I received today the formal offer of publication from Wipf and Stock for a book on Mark’s Gospel, not merely exploring the publication proposition above but, more significantly, exploring the exegetical insights and harmonization benefits that emerge out of this framework. I hope to have copies in-hand for November’s ETS meeting in Denver!
NOTE: Comments and dialog are welcome. The “Leave a Reply” field will be accessible below for 10 days after this post was published. Afterwards, please feel free to continue to comment via the contact page. (This is my attempt to manage the spam bots.)
- Doug Bookman on inerrancy, the ark, and early Gospels
For those interested in an extended academic lecture on the doctrine of inerrancy, focused on contemporary challenges to the traditional definition of the doctrine, click on the footnote links for a 3-session lecture from Dr. Doug Bookman from Shepherd’s Theological Seminary, speaking at Bob Jones University last November.1 In the lecture, he:
- surveys historic views of biblical inerrancy up through the development of the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy in the 1970s/1980s
- highlights alternate views of inerrancy that have been advocated and conflicts within the Evangelical Theological Society over such
- warns of the presuppositions of redaction criticism (i.e., that the Gospels are the work of redactors and not eyewitnesses) and the danger of genre criticism (which asserts that the Gospel authors were allowed to insert non-historical embellishments, given that some secular Greco-Roman biographraphers did such)
- speaks of the significance of eyewitness testimony for validating the historical narrative in the Gospels
- affirms the legitimacy of seeking to harmonize the Gospel narratives, etc.
Bookman also provided a summary of his lecture on the BJU Theologically Speaking podcast (here). The lecture echoes concerns that others (Phil Fernandes, Bill Roach, etc.) have been expressing in recent years over some of the proposals for a less comprehensive view of inerrancy that have been proposed within ETS and the broader evangelical community.
For my friends out at the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter, Dr. Bookman speaks favorable of the library display in the ark at roughly 36 minutes into the 2nd lecture. (’tis also my favorite room!)2
Shortly thereafter, he also briefly commends my book, A Trustworthy Gospel, at a little after 38 minutes. Although, Bookman favors a date even earlier than I suggest in the book!
NOTE: Comments and dialog are welcome. The “Leave a Reply” field will be accessible below for 10 days after this post was published. Afterwards, please feel free to continue to comment via the contact page. (This is my attempt to manage the spam bots.)
- My favorite room in the ark: the library
On a rural hilltop in northern Kentucky sits a 500 ft multi-story replica of Noah’s ark. To adequately conceptualize what life aboard this immense “rescue boat” might have been like, I heartily encourage an extended visit to the Ark Encounter—walk the ramps, experience the exhibits, consider the evidence for a worldwide flood, and reflect on what might have led to this worldwide judgment. Every time we visit a National Park and see the layers of rock laid down by water, we are reminded of this event. As the psalmist famously said, “the heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps. 19:1–6). The rocks do as well!
My favorite exhibit though is the library. It brings out the reality that throughout history God has always been intentional in communicating to humanity through the written word and that this includes the preservation of his word. God told Moses and the other prophets to write down the law of the Lord, the testimonies of what God had done, the precepts, and the commands, for it is by these words that the servant of the Lord is warned and led to the redeemer (Ps. 19:7–14).
As I continue to contend that Jesus’ apostles were faithful to promptly publish his story and teachings as part of the Great Commission for the benefit of the early Christian community (Matt. 28:19–20), I frequently reflect on that library in Kentucky. It is well worth the journey!
NOTE: Comments and dialog are welcome. The “Leave a Reply” field will be accessible below for 10 days after this post was published. Afterwards, please feel free to continue to comment via the contact page. (This is my attempt to manage the spam bots.)