Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-09-20
AN OLD DISCUSSION.


The discussion as to the chronological
order Of the four Gospels is evidently
not yet ended. 1t has been the opinion
Of practically all Bible scholars, that
the Gospel Of John is the latest. but
now a German critic ventures another
hypothesis. He claims that Johns
Gospel is the first, and that the other
three are rather supplements to It
than Independent biographical sketches,
This Is an astonishing theory-one that
VIII not obtain general acceptance until
supported by strong proofs.
one view on this subject Is that
the first three Gospels were composed
with common tradition, oral or writ
ten, as foundation. This tradition
may have circulated in the various
churches and become modified, accord.
ing to the peculiarities Of the different
classes of people 10 whom the tradition
came and by whom It was further
transmitted This tradition, It is sup
posed, was committed to writing by
Matthew and Mark before the fall of
Jerusalem, and by Luke after the year
~ OF our era, The Gospel OF John. in
TINS view, Is the last IL was written
by one familiar with the first three.
and who wrote with the idea OF sup
pementing and perfecting the nara.
tive already committed to writing.
This theory, the German savant sim.
ply reverses. He argues that the Apps.
tie John, at the urgent request Of HIS
fellow-disclples, about the year so, wrote
an account Of the life and teachings of
Jesus. But he did not attempt
an exhaustive biography. He mere.
~ wrote a group of sayings
and doings Of Jesus chiefly clustered
around the annual visits of the Master
TO Jerusalem at the Easter season. The
purpose was to prove His Messiahship.
Then Luke undertook to fill out the
account, after thorough research. The
other Gospels We're similar attempts.
Next after Luke, we are told, came
Matthew, written at time when Paul
and Peter were laboring together in
the city Of Rome, in the beginning OF
the sixth Christian decade and shortly
before the death of Peter. Matthews
purpose was largely to supplement the
work Of Luke, especially in supplying
from the sayings and doings of the
Lord those things which would be
apt to convince the Jews that Jesus
of Nazareth was the true Messiah, as
promised by the prophets and seers Of
old. The latest of the Gospel writer's
was Mark, written soon after the death
of Peter In Rome. In contrast TO the
other Gospels its origin was more of
an accidental character, the author In.
deed adding TO what had been written
by the others, but chiefly aiming to
furnish a compendous Infringement of
the life OF the Lord,
The order is to be inverted, it ap-
pears, 1t is to be. John, Luke Mat
thew and Mark, instead Of, as now,
Matthew Mark, Luke, and John.
The objection to this theory win be
that 1t is against both internal evil
dence and tradition, Internal evidence,
however, is valuable rather as addl-
tional support to an already estab-
llshed theory, than as a basis Of a new
speculation. The testimony OF the early
church is different That is evidence
and must not lightly be set aside. But.
after all, the essential point is the an
thenticity rather than the order OF
those sacred writings, and that being
established the news discussion Is Of
comparatively little moment.