Hey EcceHomo. Welcome.
An interesting question. There are discrepancies between the views of Paul expressed in Acts and the views Paul expresses in his letters. The sequence of events described also don’t jibe. The simplest conclusion is that the writer of Acts knew stories about Paul but not the letters. However many scholars detect a Pauline influence on Mark. But whether or not the author knew the actual letters is impossible to say. Mark neither quotes them nor refers to them. He expresses some ideas that are similar.
Conflicting written stories were not a big problem for the church until Sola Scriptura. This was due to the fact that the content created within the church was treated selectively. Thus, from Paul’s letters, only that which could be complementary to the selected material from the Acts of the Apostles or other writings was selected. The Epistles and Acts were written separately, and that alone made them contradict each other. Finally, it was decided that both letters and Acts were needed. Information about Paul’s death in Rome comes only from the fabulous Acts of Paul. Even fairy tales are useful to enlist the Apostle to your own ranks. Luke just offered his own version of Paul. Such as was needed to combine the traditions of the Apostle with the traditions of Jesus’ disciples.
Paul doesn’t seem to know what Paul believes some of the time. Probably why half his letters are disputed as geniune. So, conflicts between Acts and Paul letters will be likely. But there definitely seems to be a huge gap between the content of the gospels and Paul’s letters. I would say that even if the gospel writers had seen letters by Paul or pretending to be from Paul – it didn’t influence them. In fact, it probably spurred them on to write out a proper ‘Gospel’ to try and solidify all the wide ranging beliefs going about. Remember, the gospel writers would have known Paul never met ‘Jesus’ or knew anything about him first hand. He was a late-comer who had quickly seen a resurrected ‘Christ’ and was trying to create a church while not even talking about Jesus’ life or ministry or character or the people he loved and worked with. All four gospels are so different in content and focus I don’t see how they could be influenced by Paul. Especially not Mark. Please could you tell me what to search for to find these ‘many scholars’ that think Mark has similar theology to Paul, because it’s a new one on me. (I’m not being sarcastic. I’m well aware I have limited knowledge. I’m geniunely asking for references to go read if you have any to see if I’ve missed something.)
Robert: Some see Mark’s negative depiction of the original disciples as implicit support for Paul.
Comment: I’ve always held differently. When Clement’s Secret Mark passages are added to canonical Mark, the young man in SM, along with the unnamed young men in Mark 14 and 16, as well as possibly the rich ruler in 10, create a character similar to the Beloved Disciple in John. I think he is intended to show readers the way to salvation through the baptismal ritual. Additionally, this role may be a key to the reason the young man has no name in Mark and its secret fragments, for we are to learn from and emulate him. He is the reader’s paragon like John’s BD, and we can see ourselves in him and can attach our own name to him.
So I see Mark’s negative depiction of the original disciples as an attempt to dissuade readers from following them and their version of Christianity in favor of following Mark’s unnamed young man, who probably played a greater role in longer Mark than Clement lets us in on.
I’m sure most folks disagree, but I’m not alone. Marvin Meyer comes to mind in that regard.
Steve Campbell, author of Historical Accuracy
PART ONE
Assignment: Write a gospel
Student Question: Based on what?
Answer:
Based on the good news of a military victory by Rome over Jewish Apocalypticism with its militant messianism
Student Question:
Who is the hero of this gospel?
Answer:
Take one of the rebel leaders–and be sarcastic about him. Turn him around 180 degrees.
Student Response:
The Battle of Beth Horon was a military engagement fought in 66 CE between the Roman army and Jewish rebels in the early phase of the First Jewish–Roman War. During the event, the Syrian Legion Legio XII Fulminata with auxiliary support headed by Legate of Syria Cestius Gallus was ambushed by a large force of Judean rebel infantry at the passage of Beth Horon, on their retreat from Jerusalem towards the coastal plane. The rebel Judean forces headed by Simon Bar Giora, Eleazar ben Simon and other rebel generals succeeded in inflicting a humiliating defeat, killing some 6,000 Roman troops and capturing Legion’s aquila, with much of the Roman Army fleeing in disarray from the battle field. The defeat of the Roman Army had major implications in prolonging the rebellion, leading to the short-lived Judean self-governorship in Judea and Galilee.
Simon Bar Giora?
Eleazar ben Simon?
Josephus who did have a 180 degree turn?
Answer:
I want the one who disrespected me. I sent diplomats to Gailee and he stole their horses. As if that was not brazen enough. He engaged in battle with me–the Battle of Galilee.
Jesus of Galilee.
Student Response:
180 degrees from a rebel leader who did not have good news of a military victory; for, the Battle of Galilee was lost, not won.
This is going to be historical fiction, then–to accommodate the sarcastic twist?
Answer:
Not fully fiction. The meaning will be true. The moral of the story will be true.
What is the moral of the Wicked Tenants story?
Student Response:
The tenants should not attack representatives and offspring of the Landlord.
Answer:
When you are a client kingdom of an empire, you should neither attack nor kill Legion XII: Fulminata, sons of Rome.
PART TWO
What is Paul’s most important letter(?): Romans? 1 Corinthians?
Answer:
Ask Google.
Result:
Paul’s letter to the Romans is arguably the single most important piece of literature in the history of the world. Martin Luther: “This epistle [i.e., Romans] is really the chief part of the New Testament, and is truly the purest gospel.
and
Romans, THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
** you do not have permission to see this link ** › bible › romans
Of all the letters of Paul, that to the Christians at Rome has long held pride of place. It is the longest and most systematic unfolding of the apostle’s …
Student:
As a gospel writer, we must consult that before finalizing any gospel being written.
CONCLUSION:
How much of Romans appears in the Gospel of Mark, Matthew, Luke, John, Thomas?
Paul’s and Mark’s soteriologies are similar but their christologies diverge. I have to ask, if their christologies, the nature of who Christ was, are different how much influence can Paul really have had on Mark? As far as their soteriologies there just weren’t that many Christians at that point. There would naturally be some overlap in their thinking. My comments shouldn’t be interpreted as denial of the possibility. It’s so easy to wind up playing connect the dots with this stuff. It is fun to consider the possibility that Mark was in the Roman community to whom Paul had written his original letter!
BDEhrman
FreedomBen
evgendob
Robert
1 Guest(s)