A Virtual File Cabinet for Our Studies of Christian Origins & Hebraic Faith
From ChatGPT on 6/18/2025. Prompt: Do critical bible scholars find a literary consistency between the Gospel of Mark, 1 Peter, and 2 Peter as would be expected if they were all written by John Mark? Cite all sources. See the related posts on this site for more info on John Mark and the issues with the […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT on 6/9/2025. Here is a comparative chart showing how Luke differs from Paul, Matthew, Mark, and John, based on the analysis of Bart D. Ehrman and other critical scholars: COMPARISON CHART: Luke vs. Paul and the Other Gospels Topic Luke Paul Mark Matthew John Christology Exaltation at resurrection (Acts 2:36); avoids pre-existence Jesus […]
Continue ReadingBelow are extracts from Bart Ehrman’s slides used in his lecture series on Luke at BSA titled Luke’s Maverick Gospel: A Vision of Reversals, Lecture 5: The End that Has Not Come. Minor formatting, emphasis, and several scriptural full-text insertions are mine. The Apocalyptic Message of the Jews The Apocalyptic Message of Jesus The Apocalyptic […]
Continue ReadingFrom a BSA post on 4/12/2025. Did Mark’s and Luke’s resurrection accounts intentionally contradict Paul? By: Michael L Waddell Many people have been puzzled by Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (emphasis added): For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins […]
Continue ReadingJesus says this in Mark 4:11-12 (NRSV): “And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that ‘they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT Critical scholars often debate the extent to which the Gospel of Mark reflects or uses ideas from Paul’s letters. While there is no consensus that Mark directly “uses” Paul’s letters, scholars suggest thematic and theological parallels. Below is a list of passages where scholars see such connections, arranged in the order of writing […]
Continue ReadingThe post contains extracts and ideas about the authenticity of the saying attributed to Jesus in Mark 12:13-17. Mark 12 – NRSV 13 Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and […]
Continue ReadingThis post is to compile issues in the Gospel of Mark that show the writer was not from Canaan and was not an experienced, practicing Jew. In Mark 6:14, Mark calls Herod “king,” which is incorrect. Matthew and Luke give him his correct title, “tetrarch.” Mark 6: 14-16 – King Herod heard of it, for […]
Continue ReadingExtracts below are from Bart Ehrman’s post: Mark: The First Gospel in 19th Century Research dated February 8, 2019. Over the years, three arguments have proved widely convincing for establishing Mark’s priority to Matthew and Luke: Patterns of Agreement – The reason then that Matthew and Luke rarely agree against Mark in the wording of […]
Continue ReadingIn the Patreon Zoom Meeting on 11/30/2024, James Tabor pointed out numerous synoptic scriptures where Matthew’s rendition of Mark is summarized, expanded, or simplified when compared to Luke and Luke is often verbatim of Mark. That is, Luke uses Mark with minimal edits but Matthew rewrites his sources. Two examples are in the following two […]
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