{"id":581,"date":"2011-04-25T16:10:42","date_gmt":"2011-04-25T22:10:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hushbeck.com\/blog\/?p=581"},"modified":"2011-04-25T16:10:42","modified_gmt":"2011-04-25T22:10:42","slug":"review-why-four-gospels-by-david-alan-black","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hushbeck.com\/blog\/2011\/04\/review-why-four-gospels-by-david-alan-black\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Why Four Gospels. By David Alan Black"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are two types of books that I particularly like.\u00a0 First are those books that clearly, concisely, and rationally lay out and defend a position from differing points of view.\u00a0\u00a0 Sadly, many books lack this attribute, in one form or another.\u00a0\u00a0 Many authors simply assume their position and don\u2019t even mention opposing points of view. When they do, it is often in such a straw man fashion as to be barely recognizable to their respective supporters. <\/span><\/span> <\/span>Secondly are books that argue in favor of a minority position.\u00a0 Even when I believe they are wrong, they \u2018keep me on my toes\u2019 so to speak; challenging me to consider evidence I may not have fully considered.\u00a0\u00a0 As James Burke points out in his BBC series, <\/span>The Day the Universe Changed<\/span><\/a>, we all have a basic built-in tendency to ignore any evidence that does not fit how we view things. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>Why Four Gospels<\/span><\/a>, David Alan Black has succeeded in both areas.\u00a0\u00a0 First, the majority view.\u00a0 No one disputes that there is a close literary relationship between the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, as they are just too similar, and in fact in some places match word for word.\u00a0\u00a0 While there are numerous variations, the majority view is basically that Mark was written first, and then was used in the creation of Matthew and Luke.\u00a0 The variations emerge because, while this would explain a lot, it does not explain all of the literary relationships, such as the places that Matthew and Luke agree, but differ from Mark.\u00a0 Based on this some argue that Luke was based on Matthew as well.\u00a0 Others postulate a hitherto unknown source called Q.\u00a0\u00a0 But whatever the variations, the majority all agree that Mark was the first to be written. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In a mere 78 pages, Dr. Black clearly, concisely, and rationally points out\u00a0 the problems with the majority position and lays out the evidence for a different point of view, a view in which Matthew was written first, and then latter used in the writing of Luke. The Gospel of Mark, rather than being written first, was the last of the three and based on the other two according to this view. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Now it is important to note that Dr. Black\u2019s book, while based on serious scholarship, is not, as he points out \u201cwritten for biblical scholars\u201d\u00a0 (p. v).\u00a0 Thus the book is very accessible to anyone with an interest in this question.\u00a0\u00a0 The layperson will find the argument summarized without scholarly jargon or a need to understand Greek, while those interested in exploring the questions raised in greater detail will find a twenty page Bibliography to get them started. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Of course the most obvious question is what leads Dr. Black to such a different conclusion than the majority. At its core, the difference comes from how one views the various types of evidence.\u00a0 Markan priority, the majority view, is based primarily on internal evidence; that is the detailed comparison and analysis of the passages that three Gospels share in common, along with the passages where they differ, to try and determine which was written first and who used whom.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That this method has not yielded a clear answer, but has many variations, and in some cases has had to invent new sources such as Q to make it work, is enough to call it into question for Dr. Black. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The view that Matthew was written first is based on external evidence, primarily the statements of the earliest church fathers, those closest in time to their writing.\u00a0 One of the real benefits of <\/span>Why Four Gospels<\/span><\/a> is that, rather than just discuss these references, it quotes all the relevant passages.\u00a0 The reason for this is pretty clear. \u201cWhenever the four Gospels are mentioned, Matthew always heads the list\u201d(p. 28).\u00a0 In fact, patristic evidence argues pretty clearly and consistently against the modern view of Markan priority and\u00a0 in favor of the view Dr. Black lays out. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Thus, whether or not one ultimately agrees with Dr. Black\u2019s view, <\/span><\/span>Why Four Gospels<\/span><\/a> preforms a valuable service.\u00a0 Its clear and concise arguments, its laying out of the evidence from the earliest Christians,\u00a0 its rational critique of the evidence\u00a0 behind the majority position, is sure to challenge, if not convince.\u00a0 If nothing else, it will challenge the existing notion of many biblical scholars that the earliest Christian sources are \u201cinconsistent, contra<\/span><\/span>dictory, and insecurely based\u201d (p. 33), a view that, while common among biblical scholars, is not shared by scholars of Classical Greece and Rome. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Thus Dr. Black\u2019s <\/span><\/span>Why Four Gospels<\/span><\/a> is an important work that should be read by every serious student of the New Testament. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are two types of books that I particularly like.\u00a0 First are those books that clearly, concisely, and rationally lay out and defend a position from differing points of view.\u00a0\u00a0 Sadly, many books lack this attribute, in one form or another.\u00a0\u00a0 Many authors simply assume their position and don\u2019t even mention opposing points of view. 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