Deardorff, James W.

Problems of New Testament Gospel Origins a Glasnost Approach

1992 0-7734-9807-9
This study takes a fresh approach to the Gospel origins problem, in which embarrassing implications of certain patristic evidence, as well as of the internal Gospel evidence, is paid special attention. All traces of theological commitment are set aside, while noting where previous analyses went astray in failing to do so. The main findings are that Papias' Logia was the key source document, and that a modified form of the traditional Augustinian hypothesis as well explains the priorities among the synoptic gospels. Limited sections of Mark also receive priority, however, through a novel stolen-writing hypothesis that explains the motivation for the writing of Mark and why it suddenly follows Matthew's order so well after Matthew's 12th chapter and so poorly before that point.