The Synoptic Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke) didn't teach theology - they merely recorded history.
Perhaps the writers each made their own indirect theological contribution however, through the way they saw the story - through the way they told it, the plot they saw, the characters they saw as important, the things they emphasised, words, people, places, events, themes, other details - the things they included and the things they ommitted, the ways in which their account differs (without contradicting) another Gospel writer.
Luke had traveled with Paul. So had Mark. It wouldn't be surprising then to see their accounts portray a basis, in the story of Jesus, for the focus of the Gospel-outreach ending-up being strongly towards Gentiles, more so than Matthew's account, seeing Matthew's pastoral concern may have been primarily with Jews.
Perhaps the writers each made their own indirect theological contribution however, through the way they saw the story - through the way they told it, the plot they saw, the characters they saw as important, the things they emphasised, words, people, places, events, themes, other details - the things they included and the things they ommitted, the ways in which their account differs (without contradicting) another Gospel writer.
Luke had traveled with Paul. So had Mark. It wouldn't be surprising then to see their accounts portray a basis, in the story of Jesus, for the focus of the Gospel-outreach ending-up being strongly towards Gentiles, more so than Matthew's account, seeing Matthew's pastoral concern may have been primarily with Jews.
No comments:
Post a Comment