Re: Why do the gospel writers never identify themselves?

Fordtunate Son

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Dec 17, 2024, 4:52 PM

That's a complex an intriguing question. I'm not sure that they don't accurately reflect the true author.

In the case of other books in the Bible, the author(s) are more in question for a variety of reasons...for instance, books like Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel span hundreds of years. That would make for some very old authors, if it's only one guy.

A lot of Paul's letters are unquestioned as authentically by Paul.

As for the 4 Gospels, specifically, I think they are different enough to come from different authors. Each includes some stories the others don't, each has a slightly different perspective and style, and each seems to be written at different times for different communities.

If they were all the same I'd find that less believable. And if they were all the same, then why publish all four? You'd only need one if they were identical.

As far as authorship specifically, the names might show who was most influential either at the time the books were written OR, at the time they were assembled into the Bible. That's a harder call.

I mean, Mark might have written his work early and his name stayed on it, or, someone may have come along much later and said "This sounds like what Mark thought," put his name on it. Tough to say.

The works stand alone regardless of how they are titled, imo. What I find really interesting, is who they were written TO.

Mark is super casual compared to John. John talks all about high-concepts like The Light and The Word; Mark, not so much. To broaden the scope, Hebrews is a clear attempt to bring old-school Jews into the fold. The name is a giveaway, of course, but the content in written in terms, and in arguments, that are aimed at a specific community that is not "All in" just yet.

The name itself could be for the appeal of a community in itself. Say an anonymous author writes a work for Luke's community after Luke has died. To give it credence, he just calls it 'Luke.' The community would have known if it passed the sniff test. They'd either say "Yeah, that sounds like what Luke said or did," or they would have said; "That sounds bogus. Luke never talked like that."

There's a great example of that in the Apocryphal Gospel of Mary:

Chapter 9

1) When Mary had said this, she fell silent, since it was to this point that the Savior had spoken with her.

2) But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, Say what you wish to say about what she has said. I at least do not believe that the Savior said this. For certainly these teachings are strange ideas.

3) Peter answered and spoke concerning these same things.

4) He questioned them about the Savior: Did He really speak privately with a woman and not openly to us? Are we to turn about and all listen to her? Did He prefer her to us?

5) Then Mary wept and said to Peter, My brother Peter, what do you think? Do you think that I have thought this up myself in my heart, or that I am lying about the Savior?

6) Levi answered and said to Peter, Peter you have always been hot tempered.

7) Now I see you contending against the woman like the adversaries.

8) But if the Savior made her worthy, who are you indeed to reject her? Surely the Savior knows her very well.

9) That is why He loved her more than us. Rather let us be ashamed and put on the perfect Man, and separate as He commanded us and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Savior said.

That is an incredible view into the Jesus's Inner Circle. You see disagreement, doubt, emotion, and agreement, everything in 9 short verses.

That's believable.

A group of apostle robots saying "God came to us all in the exactly same way and we all understand him in exactly the same way because we as individuals are all exactly the same" is not as believable, to me.

How many other times did the Apostles disagree among themselves, or question what Jesus meant, you know? They were trying to figure it all out, too.

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did without so daddy could do college.

I worked for 2-1/2 years while taking 12-15 hours then did my Sr year in six months (42 hours). I'd transferred in six months work, two quarters, from G'ville Tech.

I think Liska and Schutte passed me to get rid of me. I threated to take Eubanks out and pave the parking lot with his asz over a exam I missed because my wife had a miscarriage. He told me I didn't belong.

His issue was that he was trying to decide how to build a house and I was the expert in the room being I'd spent the last 12+ years of my life building houses. It started when he asked a certain student named James if he should use roof trusses on 24" center to center spacing.

The kid's daddy was a builder and it was clear he didn't know his butt from a hole in the ground. Eubanks decided on using 24" CC spacing to save money.

I interrupted and injected some questions and facts. 24" spacing is fine if you're selling the house but if you're going to live in it you'll notice the sheetrock sagging in about 7 years according to how well the attic is insulated and moisture control inside your house. That isn't an issue in AZ but in the humid south it can damage the value of the house. 'Put your ceiling joist/trusses on 16" centers.'

Eubanks got ill as hell. He didn't take to learning from a student. Engineers, right?

BTW. 24 semester hours spring of 88 and two (2) nine hour summer sessions. Dr Book refused to sign my class signup sheet. The good Doctor said, and I quote, "I don't know what type of game you're playing but you'll never do it!"

I told him that if the Wright Brothers believed that we'd still be taking boats to Europe.

Also, I took Eubank's construction and finance course and exempt the final. When he called my name on the exempt list I said, 'I never exempted a final exam before, you busted my cherry.' Which was a lie but I wanted in his grad level funding and finance class next semester so I made amends for the hard times we'd had in the past. I got an A in that class too.

College wasn't fun and games for me.

Why do the gospel writers never identify themselves?