Bible Class 06
Al Krummenacher
Know Your Bible Class 06
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Know Your Bible 06 - the Text
Know Your Bible 06 Text
Know Your Bible - Week SIX - Origins of the New Testament
The Books of the New Testament
Form over Function
The Traditional Approach
Gospel History Epistles Apocalyptic
Matthew Acts Romans Revelation
Mark 1 &2 Corinthians
Luke Galatians
John Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1&2 Thessalonians
1&2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1&2 Peter
1&2&3 John
Jude
Chronological Order of New Testament Books
The Challenges
Trying to Establishing when the books of the Bible were written
• Competing Oral Traditions
• No one one signed and dated their documents
• Pseudonymous writing was common
• Political and Theological preferences
Who Wrote the Gospels?
Earliest Sources of the Synoptic Gospels
• “Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account . .” Luke 1:1
Some possibilities:
• Mary, Mother of Jesus
• Apostles: Matthew, Peter, Paul, James, John
• Friends: Mary & Martha of Bethel
• Sanhedrin: Nicodemus
The Synoptic Gospels
“Synoptic” = With one Eye, or One Viewpoint
Matthew original text probably by Jesus’ disciple, Matthew
Mark original up to 16:8, probably by John Mark, a friend of both Peter & Paul
Luke original text probably by Luke, a friend of Paul
The Second Ending to Mark’s Gospel
Originally ended with Mark 16:8
“So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”
• Mark 16:9-20 (added later) different vocabulary and borrows upon Matthew & Luke’s account.
• Irenaeus quotes Mark 16:9 in his book “Against Heresies”, (180 CE).
• Clement of Alexandria (35-110), Origen (185-253), Eusebius (310-340),
Codex Sinaiticus (330-350) and Jerome (347-420)
all claim Mark 16:8 as the ending of Mark’s Gospel.
Mark 16:9-17 became universally added to Mark’s Gospel when the King James Version was published, 1611 CE.
Why was Matthew's Gospel placed before Mark’s gospel?
Theological not Chronological
Mark was always deemed “insufficient” by early scholars
No genelogogy
No birth story
Fewer stories about Jesus
Awkward ending at 16:8
Matthew’s Gospel has Jesus’ genealogy going back to Abraham
Many other connections to the Old Testament
Who Wrote The Gospel of John?
• Polycarp, who as a boy knew the Apostle John personally, told Irenaeus that John, the Elder of Ephesus, wrote the Gospel of John.
• Was this Elder of Ephesus the same Apostle John?
Who Wrote The Epistles?
• Universal Agreement that the Apostle Paul wrote 7 of the Epistles
• No consensus on who wrote the rest of the Epistles
How do we know what we know?
Early Attestation
Clement of Rome (35-100)
Polycarp (70-155)
Marcion (85-165)
Justin Martyr (100-165)
Irenaeus (140-200)
Clement of Alexandria (150-215)
Origen (185-253)
Eusebius (310-340)
Codex Sinaiticus - Written 330-350 CE. Discovered 1844 in St. Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt. Earliest complete manuscript of the New Testament
Contains most OT books (Septuagint)
Contains most Apocryphal books
Contains all New Testament books
Contains over 27,000 scribal notes, corrections, and re-arrangements
Attestation
Book Written Earliest Citation Earliest Manuscript
Mark 64 Irenaeus (140-200). 150-225
Matthew 78 Irenaeus 150-225
Luke 85 Justin Martyr (100-165) 175-250
John 90 Irenaeus 125
Acts 85 Irenaeus 200-225
The Undisputed Letters of Paul
Letters of Paul Written Earliest Citation Earliest Manuscript
1 Thessalonians 45-52 Marcion (85-165) 175-225
Galatians 54-56 Marcion 175-225
Philemon 55-57 Marcion 175-225
Philippians 55-57 Marcion 175-225
I Corinthians 55-57 Marcion 175-225
2 Corinthians 57-59 Marcion 175-225
Romans 57-59 Marcion 175-225
Other Early Epistles Written Earliest Citation Earliest Manuscript
Hebrews 60-115 Clement (35-100) 175-225
1 Peter 70-100 Polycarp (70-155) 300
Other Later Epistles
Other Later Epistles Written Earliest Citation Earliest Manuscript
Colossians 80-100 Marcion (85-165) 175-200
2 Thessalonians 80-100 Marcion 175-225
Ephesians 80-100 Irenaeus (140-200). 175-225
Titus 80-100 Irenaeus 200
1 Timothy 80-100 Irenaeus 300
2 Timothy 80-100 Irenaeus Sinaiticus
James 80-120 Origen (185-253). 200-225
Jude 90-110. Clement (150-215) 300
1 John 100-110 Polycarp 200-225
2 John 100-110 Irenaeus Sinaiticus
3 John 110-140 Irenaeus Sinaiticus
The Revelation
Manuscript Written Earliest Citation Earliest Manuscript
Revelation 80-100 Justin Martyr (100-165) 150-200
Know Your Bible WEEK 6