[00:00:01] Do the Synoptics Present an Early Character of the Jesus Movement?
[00:00:06] A Platinum Post by Ryan Fleming I'm pleased to publish this Platinum post for all you Platinum members by Ryan Fleming. It's a challenging argument that core elements of the Synoptic Gospels were written before the writings of Paul. Feel free to respond what do you think?
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[email protected] even though there is text in the Gospels that was certainly added after the destruction of the temple in 70 CE, there are 10 important points that suggest that core texts existed before Paul wrote his letters and that the Synoptics present the general character of an early Jesus movement in Judea.
[00:01:03] 1 There are 44 important commonalities between the synoptics and Paul's seven authentic letters, too many to list in this post. These important commonalities, along with specific references to associated New Testament verses, are described in www.wellspringbooks.com apostlepaul.HTML.
[00:01:28] the purpose of baptism is more primitive in the Gospels, the cleansing the soul of sin, whereas the Pauline letters suggests it represents burial and resurrection in Christ. See Romans, chapter 6, verses 3 to 5.
[00:01:42] If the Gospels were later, surely there will be some mention of the more elaborate meaning in Paul's letters, a tempting motivation to use baptism as a type of prophecy of the death and resurrection of Jesus.
[00:01:54] But there is no hint of this in the Gospels.
[00:01:58] 3 Paul's seven letters strongly emphasize that the Mosaic Law is no longer applicable. The Synoptics hint at this, but they also show conflict. Again, see the list of differences previously cited, which suggests an early doctrine compared to an outright rejection of the law in Paul's letters.
[00:02:19] Number four in the Synoptics, Jesus is critical of leaders and authority of the Jewish religious orders. See the chief priests, the scribes, the keepers of the Mosaic Law.
[00:02:31] This is an early motif of the movement.
[00:02:34] Paul's letters place blame for Jesus death squarely on the Jews. See 1 Thessalonians 2, 1415, which is similar to the later Gospel of John, which expanded animosity to the Jews in general.
[00:02:49] Number five in the Synoptics, Jesus is referred to as a human form, son of God. But the Synoptics do not imply he is God or equal to God.
[00:03:00] The concept that a man can be a son of God exists in the Hebrew Bible. See 2 Samuel 7. 14. See Psalm 2. 7 or Psalm 89. 26, 27.
[00:03:13] But this did not make the person divine the Messiah. The Christ in Greek is also not meant to be divine in the Hebrew Bible.
[00:03:22] The concept of divinity for a human Son of God was strictly pagan and Greco Roman.
[00:03:28] The Synoptics clearly describe Jesus as a separate independent entity with independent thoughts and lack of awareness of God's thoughts. So see Mark 10:18, chapter 14, verse 36, chapter 15, verse 34 see Matthew, chapter verse sorry, chapter 4, verse 10 or chapter 19, verse 17 chapter 24, verses 36 to 37, chapter 26, verse 39, chapter 42, verses 27 to 46 or see Luke 4:8, 18, 19 and chapter 22, verse 42.
[00:04:06] This seems to be an earlier motif compared to Paul's letters, which puts Jesus equal to God. See Philippians 2. 6.
[00:04:15] There is a natural progression from a more primitive theology in the Synoptics to Paul equating Jesus with God and eventually to the higher highly developed theology in the later Gospel of John. So see John 1:14, chapter 5, verse 18, chapter 8, verse 58, or chapter 10, verse 30.
[00:04:36] Introducing the idea that Jesus was equal to God or assigning divinity to a Jewish Messiah or divinity to a Hebrew Bible concept Son of God must have introduced extreme conflict and obvious contradictions with earlier texts describing Jesus as a separate entity.
[00:04:55] It's very interesting that Jesus comments why do you call me good? No one's good but God alone, which is quoted in Mark 10:18, in Matthew 19:17 and in Luke 18:19 is completely missing from the Gospel of John.
[00:05:13] In fact, all the separateness verses in the synoptics noted above are missing from the Gospel of John, including Jesus. Confusing question from the cross why have you forsaken me?
[00:05:25] Number six.
[00:05:27] The Gospels include people that existed before Paul such as Pontius Pilate or Caiaphas or Antipas, while James, the brother of Jesus is only mentioned as a side note. But in Paul's letters James is a very important figure in the Jesus movement in Jerusalem.
[00:05:43] If the core text of the Gospels had been written after Paul, then the Gospels would surely have had more mention of James and at least that Jesus appeared live after the crucifixion to his own brother.
[00:05:56] First Corinthians 15:5,8 lists an important chronology of who Jesus appeared to first the 12 apostles in chapter 15 verse 5, then a multitude in chapter 15 verse 6, then James in chapter 15 verse 7 and then Paul in chapter 15 verse 8.
[00:06:14] One could infer that the core of the Synoptics was written soon after Jesus appearance to the eleven disciples but before the late appearances chronicled by Paul.
[00:06:25] Furthering point number six, Paul never mentions that Jesus appeared live to Mary Magdalene.
[00:06:32] The later Gospel of John is the only Gospel to state that Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, ignoring the controversial alternate ending of Mark found in chapter 16 verses 9 to 20, which many scholars believe was added centuries later.
[00:06:49] This further demonstrates consistency between Paul's letters and the Synoptics and a further inference that John was written after Paul.
[00:06:58] The Synoptic Gospels offer conflicting messages regarding whether Jesus teaching should be spread to the Gentiles, which appears to be an early stance compared to Paul's letters.
[00:07:07] If the core of the Synoptics was written after Paul's letters, then it should have incorporated a more uniform message regarding applicability toward Gentiles.
[00:07:17] The Gospel of Mark, perhaps closest to the core text, again ignoring the controversial alternate ending, ignores the issue completely, as if it were not an issue thought of yet.
[00:07:28] Then Matthew chapter 4, verses 14 to 16 seems to be the first to address this by hinting that Gentiles may be more acceptant of Jesus teaching.
[00:07:38] But then Matthew 10:5 goes on to say go nowhere among the Gentiles.
[00:07:45] Matthew 28:19 and Luke 24:47 appear to be tacked on endings similar to Mark 16:9, 20 instructing to preach to all nations.
[00:08:00] Matthew 24:14, Mark 13:10 and Luke 21:2533 presents a messianic view of Jesus proposed second coming that's more in line with Jewish views expressed in the Hebrew Bible.
[00:08:15] Again recall in point number five above that the Synoptics were not necessarily equating the Messiah as a divine figure and number 10 the synoptic gospel accounts of the Lord's Supper. So that's Matthew chapter 26 verses 17 to 28 or Mark chapter 14 verses 18 to 23 or Luke 22 8:19 are more primitive than Paul's account. In 1 Corinthians 11:23 26 Paul is reciting a known practice ritual he says do in remembrance while the Synoptics are narrating a real time Passover meal at a table. They're eating and they're drinking.
[00:08:57] Matthew and Mark quote Jesus stating that the cup is the blood of the covenant, a clear reference to the existing Hebrew Bible Passover covenant, a Jewish covenant.
[00:09:07] Paul changes this to a new covenant associated with the Christian movement and never mentions Passover.
[00:09:14] The earliest versions of Luke leave out any reference to covenant, but much later scribal changes for example, In Luke chapter 22, verses 20 to 21, add the expression do this in remembrance and new covenant.
