About the Gospel writers
What do we know about the writers of the Gospels?
The Church describes how the Gospels came to us in a short document called the Instruction on the historical Truth of the Gospels. It describe three distinct points in the development of the Gospels.
First, while he was alive, people listened to Jesus. They watched him and thought about what he said. Some chose to 'follow' his words and actions: they became his disciples - students who learned from their Rabbi or teacher.
After Jesus died and rose again, these 'eye witnesses' told others about Jesus, so that soon those who had not even met Jesus came to believe in him. In turn, these new believers told others and the message of Jesus was on its way.
Finally, decades later, and in communities miles from where Jesus had actually lived, what was understood to be important, meaningful, transformative in the life of Jesus was written down. But it was written down with a particular vision: to persuade a new audience, the people the writer could see out their window, that Jesus was God in human form. And so they crafted their words, deliberately and carefully, so that the message of Jesus would find a place in the mind and hearts of their listeners. We call this process one of recontextualisation - it is a process of finding meaning in a new context.
The Church writes about how the Gospel writers wrote. 'From the many things handed down they selected some things, reduced others to a synthesis, (still) others they explained as they kept in mind the situation of the churches. With every (possible) means they sought that their readers might become aware of the reliability of those words by which they had been instructed. Indeed, from what they had received the sacred writers above all selected the things which were suited to the various situations of the faithful and to the purpose which they had in mind, and adapted their narration of them to the same situations and purpose. Since the meaning of a statement also depends on the sequence, the Evangelists, in passing on the words and deeds of our Saviour, explained these now in one context, now in another, depending on (their) usefulness to the readers. Consequently, let the exegete seek out the meaning intended by the Evangelist in narrating a saying or a deed in a certain way or in placing it in a certain context.'
Importantly for us, they make clear that all this does not make the accounts less truthful. 'The truth of the story is not at all affected by the fact that the Evangelists relate the words and deeds of the Lord in a different order,[23] and express his sayings not literally but differently, while preserving (their) sense.' HTG IX Truth has to do with maintaining meaning, maintaining essence or sense. If we (or our pupils) are asking 'Is this true?', we are asking the wrong question; the important question is 'What does it mean?'
Look at the photo below. Notice the three groups of people. The world of Jesus is pretty obvious! Our world is too, represented by the tall, unpainted, character dolls. But in between us and Jesus is another world: the world of the person who wrote what we read.
When we read the Gospels we see the world of Jesus through the eyes of the writers whose words we have in front of us. They did not write for us a biography or a historical report; they wrote what they thought would be most 'useful' to their community. We read about the life of Jesus through their lens.
We must, therefore, be careful that we know a little about the author and their community. What were they worried about? What we the challenges they faced? What did they know about the promise of a messiah? How did they find meaning in the life of Jesus? Our task is to unlock what each writer wanted to say, and then to find how that message might find a place in the world today.
The Church describes how the Gospels came to us in a short document called the Instruction on the historical Truth of the Gospels. It describe three distinct points in the development of the Gospels.
First, while he was alive, people listened to Jesus. They watched him and thought about what he said. Some chose to 'follow' his words and actions: they became his disciples - students who learned from their Rabbi or teacher.
After Jesus died and rose again, these 'eye witnesses' told others about Jesus, so that soon those who had not even met Jesus came to believe in him. In turn, these new believers told others and the message of Jesus was on its way.
Finally, decades later, and in communities miles from where Jesus had actually lived, what was understood to be important, meaningful, transformative in the life of Jesus was written down. But it was written down with a particular vision: to persuade a new audience, the people the writer could see out their window, that Jesus was God in human form. And so they crafted their words, deliberately and carefully, so that the message of Jesus would find a place in the mind and hearts of their listeners. We call this process one of recontextualisation - it is a process of finding meaning in a new context.
The Church writes about how the Gospel writers wrote. 'From the many things handed down they selected some things, reduced others to a synthesis, (still) others they explained as they kept in mind the situation of the churches. With every (possible) means they sought that their readers might become aware of the reliability of those words by which they had been instructed. Indeed, from what they had received the sacred writers above all selected the things which were suited to the various situations of the faithful and to the purpose which they had in mind, and adapted their narration of them to the same situations and purpose. Since the meaning of a statement also depends on the sequence, the Evangelists, in passing on the words and deeds of our Saviour, explained these now in one context, now in another, depending on (their) usefulness to the readers. Consequently, let the exegete seek out the meaning intended by the Evangelist in narrating a saying or a deed in a certain way or in placing it in a certain context.'
Importantly for us, they make clear that all this does not make the accounts less truthful. 'The truth of the story is not at all affected by the fact that the Evangelists relate the words and deeds of the Lord in a different order,[23] and express his sayings not literally but differently, while preserving (their) sense.' HTG IX Truth has to do with maintaining meaning, maintaining essence or sense. If we (or our pupils) are asking 'Is this true?', we are asking the wrong question; the important question is 'What does it mean?'
Look at the photo below. Notice the three groups of people. The world of Jesus is pretty obvious! Our world is too, represented by the tall, unpainted, character dolls. But in between us and Jesus is another world: the world of the person who wrote what we read.
When we read the Gospels we see the world of Jesus through the eyes of the writers whose words we have in front of us. They did not write for us a biography or a historical report; they wrote what they thought would be most 'useful' to their community. We read about the life of Jesus through their lens.
We must, therefore, be careful that we know a little about the author and their community. What were they worried about? What we the challenges they faced? What did they know about the promise of a messiah? How did they find meaning in the life of Jesus? Our task is to unlock what each writer wanted to say, and then to find how that message might find a place in the world today.
What does all this mean?
First, it helps us understand the differences in the Gospels.
Those who wrote the Gospels did not know Jesus personally. None of them were eye witnesses: they did not wander around with Jesus with pens and paper writing down everything he said and did! Instead, When we look at the Gospels it is easy to see that Luke heard stories that Mark, Matthew and John did not, the Good Samaritan for example. Similarly, Matthew and Luke heard stories that Mark did not, the sermon on the mount for example. We also see that even when they tell the same story, the details are sometimes different; the crucifixion of Jesus and the feeding of the 5000 for example.
Second, it helps us understand why each writer wrote....their purpose in writing.
The Gospels are not intended to be biographies or historical reports. Each of the Gospels was written to do just one thing: help a specific people come to believe that Jesus was the messiah, God in human form.
Third, knowing about how the Gospels came to us helps us know how to interpret them.
When we read the Gospels we should look for meaning, for truths that come from belief, not the kind of truths scientists or lawyers look for. We should look for truths that were the reason for the development of Christianity then, and those that keep it alive today. This kind of truth is held in the message of the story, not in the detail.
And finally, it reminds us that we have to learn about two worlds when we read the Gospel: the world of Jesus and the world of the author. It is their words that we 'see through' when we read about Jesus. The Bible Doctor is here to help with both!
First, it helps us understand the differences in the Gospels.
Those who wrote the Gospels did not know Jesus personally. None of them were eye witnesses: they did not wander around with Jesus with pens and paper writing down everything he said and did! Instead, When we look at the Gospels it is easy to see that Luke heard stories that Mark, Matthew and John did not, the Good Samaritan for example. Similarly, Matthew and Luke heard stories that Mark did not, the sermon on the mount for example. We also see that even when they tell the same story, the details are sometimes different; the crucifixion of Jesus and the feeding of the 5000 for example.
Second, it helps us understand why each writer wrote....their purpose in writing.
The Gospels are not intended to be biographies or historical reports. Each of the Gospels was written to do just one thing: help a specific people come to believe that Jesus was the messiah, God in human form.
Third, knowing about how the Gospels came to us helps us know how to interpret them.
When we read the Gospels we should look for meaning, for truths that come from belief, not the kind of truths scientists or lawyers look for. We should look for truths that were the reason for the development of Christianity then, and those that keep it alive today. This kind of truth is held in the message of the story, not in the detail.
And finally, it reminds us that we have to learn about two worlds when we read the Gospel: the world of Jesus and the world of the author. It is their words that we 'see through' when we read about Jesus. The Bible Doctor is here to help with both!
What do we know about each writer? Look at our posters!