Marcion achieved remarkable success in building a congregation structure and briefly gaining importance in Rome. It was probably no accident that all this was achieved by a man with experience in the difficult and complex maritime transport and shipbuilding industry. Marcion used the first canon, consisting of a corpus of 10 epistles from Paul and one proto-gospel of Luke. He finally lost the fight for importance in Rome, but his church survived for several centuries.
Competition fought him and his views also for centuries, as exemplified by publications such as Adversus Marcionem. Only propaganda was one thing, but it was not possible to use Marcion’s canon without changes. The changes were necessary and what was originally accepted had to be changed to prove the charges against Marcion. It was a difficult task because it was about eliminating the influence of a specific person, not undermining popular and widely spread ideas. Luke’s proto-gospel grew up with material from Matthew and the first two chapters and the influence of John. It was necessary because Marcion had a self-sufficient structure behind him that allowed for further expansion in terms of staff, finances and a unified message based on the canon. Rome was available for purchase, and only after Marion’s rejection did his competitors try to follow a similar organizational pattern.
This reconstruction of the development of the NT literature is consistent with the Farrer hypothesis and provides real and credible reasons for the development of the synoptic gospels.
Simply Power Struggle.
Looks like the order is: Mark, proto-Luke, Matthew, Luke. When it comes to Paul’s letters, the very example of 2Cor, where there are fragments of 5 different works, shows the methods of creating the present NT.
This is not mine. Probably from RMP blog.
There is a surprising number of narrative parallels between Luke and John. Why? Here are most of them.
Some thought John the Baptist might be the Christ (Luke 3:15//John1:20), but John denies he is (Acts 13:35//John 1:20; 3:38).
John had an extensive itinerant ministry (Luke 3:3//John 1:28; 3:23; 10:40).
Luke implicitly denies John is Elijah by omitting Mark’s reference to his hair shirt, while John has the Baptist pointedly deny he is Elijah (John 1:21).
John avoids having Jesus get baptized by John, while Luke avoids saying it was John who baptized Jesus.
Jesus’ ministry begins in the hill country near Nazareth (Lk 4:14-16//Jn 2:1-11) instead of the Sea of Galilee.
Possible three-year duration of Jesus’ ministry (Lk13:7//John’s references to 3 Passovers).
Miraculous catch of fish (Lk 5:1-11//Jn 21:1-14).
Special interest in the Temple, with discourses of Jesus or others there (in Acts).
Special interest in the mother of Jesus.
A single miraculous feeding (Lk 9:10-17//Jn 6:1-14). Luke locates it at Bethsaida, while John has Jesus ask Philip, a native of Bethsaida (as John has told us) where one might buy a great quantity of bread in the vicinity.
Jesus is favorable to Samaritans (Lk 9:51ff; 17:11-19; Acts 8:4-25//Jn 4:4-43).
Mary and Martha host Jesus in their home (Lk 10:38-42//Jn 12:1-2).
Even should Lazarus return from the dead, sinners would not repent (Lk 16:19-31//Jn 11).
A woman anoints Jesus’ feet, not his head (Lk 7:38//Jn 12:3).
The Jerusalem crowd hails Jesus as King (Lk 19:38//Jn 12:13).
Judas betrayed Jesus because Satan invaded him (Lk 22:3//Jn 13:27).
Jesus’ retreat outside Jerusalem, where he is arrested, is not called Gethsemane.
At the Last Supper Jesus neglects to say the Words of Institution (Lk 22:15-19a//Jn 13).
Jesus is as one who serves (Lk 12:37; 22:27//Jn 13:1-15).
Jesus predicts Peter’s denials at the Supper table (Lk 22:31-34//Jn 13:36-38), not on the way to the Mount of Olives.
It was the right ear of the priest’s servant that Jesus’ disciple hacked off (Lk 22:50//Jn 18:10).
At the trial Jesus is asked a double question about his messiahship and sonship (Lk 22:67, 70//Jn 10:24, 36).
At the trial, Jesus/Paul talks back to the high priest and gets slapped for it (Acts 23:1-5//Jn 18:19-23).
Jesus answers Pilate’s questions (Lk 23:3//Jn 18:33-38).
Pilate asserts Jesus’ innocence three times, and the crowd responds, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” (Lk 23:20-23//Jn 19:4-6).
Jesus is mocked and scourged (or threatened with scourging) before Pilate pronounces sentence (Lk 23:10-16//Jn 19:1-3).
Jesus was buried in a tomb never before used (Lk 23:53//Jn 19:41).
Two men/angels were posted at the empty tomb (Lk24:4//Jn 20:12).
Peter goes to the empty tomb but leaves not knowing what to make of it (Lk 24:12//Jn 20:9ff).
The Risen Jesus appears in and around Jerusalem, not Galilee (Lk 24:13ff//Jn 20:11-31).
We are told what Mary and her sisters told the disciples about what they saw at the tomb (Lk 24:9-11//Jn 20:20:1-12, 18).
Peter is restored to grace (Lk 22:31-32//Jn 21:15-17).
Jesus suddenly appears in the midst of the disciples in a locked room and shows his hands and _____. (Lk 24:36-40//Jn 20:19-20).
Jesus seeks to prove the reality of his resurrection in the flesh by asking for something to eat (Lk 24:41//Jn 21:5).
Jesus imparts the Holy Spirit after the resurrection (Acts 1//Jn 20:22).
Jesus will/does ascend to heaven (Lk 24:51; Acts 1:9//Jn 6:62; 20:17).
Both have a purpose statement aiming at securing the reader’s belief. Each insists on his accuracy, based on eye-witness sources, and mentions other books (actual or hypothetical) on the same subject. Each speaks of “we/us” then “I.”
Pierson Parker (“Luke and the Fourth Evangelist”) explains the parallels as the result of Luke and John (Mark) working together in evangelistic ministry. C.H. Dodd, Frederick Grant, and John Amedee Bailey (The Traditions Common to the Gospels of Luke and John) chalk it all up to fortuitous use of common oral traditions. F. Lamar Cribbs (A Study of the Contacts That Exist Between St. Luke and St. John) argues for Luke’s use of John or of the pre-Johannine Signs Gospel. Note that wherever Luke has a parallel to Matthew/Mark, he follows it, but where there is a Johannine version as well as a Matthean/Markan version, Luke skips Matt/Mk and parallels John instead (or opts for a version like none of the other evangelists).
We have late copies of all NT books. John is not important in my proposal.
Mark was first – bad support, scribe with raw koine but great popular story.
And Marcion – well organized manager with know-how and funds. Product was polished, prepared for wide diversed market. Luke’s coine is much better. Costs under control – unified training, one mesaage, good coaching. Impressive for teologians without such expirience.
Like Maciel. He was a monster but his project was impressive. Value about 50b, world wide huge organisation.
F. Lamar Cribbs (A Study of the Contacts That Exist Between St. Luke and St. John) argues for Luke’s use of John or of the pre-Johannine Signs Gospel. Note that wherever Luke has a parallel to Matthew/Mark, he follows it, but where there is a Johannine version as well as a Matthean/Markan version, Luke skips Matt/Mk and parallels John instead (or opts for a version like none of the other evangelists).
As I said before – John is not important in my proposal.
Transmission between the gospels- do you remember our discussion about Synoptic Apoc priority? You didn’t agree with HDetering(rip) but his proposal is supported by radical critics and orthodox bishops ;->
My proposal is not biblical – Simply I remember 3 lectures of Luke from Youtube and works of Goodacre M. I am reader nothing more. I dont know who was first with Q material L or M , and what is Q content – jewish tradition or hellenistic.
But the beginnig of popular movement is allways the same – no structure, no contol, absolutely free competition. Jesus is everything. To obtain any order the game is creating biggies and smarties, well organized. And we have new tools and new rules. First was Marcion, ROme was a mess – many people with different papers and theories. Thats the begining of NT and ortodox teology
In muslim world it was the same but religion was accepted by caliph and order was a result of govermental action- all stories well selected to get one proper scripture
So “testimonies”- pericopas were created as a part of uncontrolled competetive process and final choice was a result of market rivalization. The choice was dictated by current state of the game. not by the past memmory but by the needs
That is the story of historical Jesus from our gospels.
BDEhrman
FreedomBen
evgendob
Robert