Gospel Writing: A Canonical PerspectiveThat there are four canonical versions of the one gospel story is often seen as a problem for Christian faith: where gospels multiply, so too do apparent contradictions that may seem to undermine their truth claims. In Gospel Writing Francis Watson argues that differences and tensions between canonical gospels represent opportunities for theological reflection, not problems for apologetics. Watson presents the formation of the fourfold gospel as the defining moment in the reception of early gospel literature -- and also of Jesus himself as the subject matter of that literature. As the canonical division sets four gospel texts alongside one another, the canon also creates a new, complex, textual entity more than the sum of its parts. A canonical gospel can no longer be regarded as a definitive, self-sufficient account of its subject matter. It must play its part within an intricate fourfold polyphony, and its meaning and significance are thereby transformed. In elaborating these claims, Watson proposes nothing less than a new paradigm for gospel studies — one that engages fully with the available noncanonical material so as to illuminate the historical and theological significance of the canonical. |
Contents
1 | |
13 | |
LessingReimarus | 62 |
The Coincidences of Q | 117 |
Luke the Interpreter | 156 |
Thomas versus Q | 217 |
Interpreting a Iohannine Source In GEger | 286 |
The Iohannine Interpreter | 325 |
Reinterpreting in Parallel In GTh GPet | 341 |
Canonical Hermeneutics | 510 |
Image Symbol Liturgy | 553 |
on Jesus and the Canonical Gospel | 604 |
Bibliography | 620 |
645 | |
653 | |
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Common terms and phrases
angel apostles Augustine Baptist canonical gospel Capernaum Christ Christian christology church cited claim Clement of Alexandria commentary context Diatessaron disciples divine earlier Egerton Egerton Gospel Epiphanius Eusebius Evang evangelist Father figure finds first flesh follows four gospels fourfold canonical fourfold gospel fragments Gaius Galilee GEger Gnostic Gospel according Gospel of John Gospel of Thomas GPet Haer heaven Hebrews hermeneutical Hippolytus historical hypothesis identified Iesus influence interpretation Ioan Iohn Irenaeus Irenaeus’s Jesus Jews Johannine John king Kloppenborg later Lessing’s Lord Lord’s Lukan Luke’s Mark Mark’s Markan Markan priority Mary material Matthean Matthew and Luke Moses narrative noncanonical oral Origen Papias Papias’s parable parallel passage Peter Pharisees Pilate question reference reflect Reimarus reinterpretation represent Revelation Sabbath sayings collection scriptural seek sequence significant Spirit story synoptic synoptic gospels Testament testimony theological tion tomb tradition truth words writing written