Hello everyone,
I know this is a broad question, but I haven’t find any answer from online or some books (apparently I haven’t read enough) for this question, so I want to know how do you think about it.
I personally have three options to answer this question. First, it’s because the writers used evidence from different eyewitnesses (Luke mentions eyewitnesses in the beginning of his gospel, though I doubt that the gospel writers could really find some eyewitnesses). Second, it’s because the writers used various oral traditions. Third, the gospel writers wrote many contents by themselves for their theological agenda. And of course there could be a fourth option because the writers could partly repeat the story from tradition or eyewitnesses, partly create something new.
It seems they had a variety of different sources, and put varying interpretations even on what they shared–they came from different communities with different outlooks. I highly recommend Burton Mack’s Who Wrote the New Testament? It covers this question in detail from a historical view. Very interesting.
Adding #15: Julius Caesar adopts a son, Octavian, Augustus Caesar: Jesus Christ adopts a son, John the Beloved
It is only in the Gospel of John, 19: 26-27, that John the disciple is established as Jesus’ heir.
It is not James, the brother of Jesus or brother of our Lord.
Woman, behold thy son (John, the beloved).
The Greek word gynai means Woman, My Lady, Wife.
Wife, behold your son (John, the beloved).
John is Octavian.
Posthumously, Octavian became the adopted son of Julius Caesar (Jesus Christ) and Calpurnia.
My Lady Calpurnia, behold, in my death, you now have an adopted son: I give you Octavian.
Octavian, beloved disciple, here is your mother.
Furthermore:
Octavian as John, the Evangelist, symbolized by the eagle.
John the Evangelist, the author of the fourth gospel account, is symbolized by an eagle
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This ancient Roman cameo depicts an eagle, symbol of imperial Roman power – Octavian, Augustus Caesar, John, the Beloved of Jesus
Mark Antony as Mark, the Evangelist, symbolized by the lion.
Mark the Evangelist, the author of the second gospel account, is symbolized by a winged lion –
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Mark Antony’s coin depicts a lion.
Adding #16a: Symbol of John the Evangelist is the eagle: Symbol of Octavian, Augustus Caesar is the eagle.
Adding #16b: Symbol of Mark the Evangelist is the lion: Symbol of Mark Antony is the lion.
Mark Antony had a view of Julius Caesar:
Mark the Evangelist or Patron or Historian had a view of Julius Caesar
Octavian, Augustus Caesar had a different view of Julius Caesar:
John the Evangelist or Patron or Historian had a different view of Jesus Christ, that the Synoptics did not have.
BDEhrman
FreedomBen
evgendob
Robert