Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman Why are the Gospels so Late?
15 snips
Aug 19, 2025 Delve into the intriguing delay behind the writing of the first gospel, nearly 30 years post-Jesus. Uncover the historical implications of such timing and how it affects our understanding of his teachings. Enjoy lighthearted anecdotes about job experiences that offer a glimpse into the speakers' lives. Explore the impact of oral tradition and memory on the authenticity of gospel narratives. Gain insights on the communication challenges faced in multilingual early Christianity, raising fascinating questions about reliability and historical context.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Scholarly Consensus On Gospel Dates
- Most critical scholars date Mark ~70, Matthew/Luke ~80s, and John ~90–95 CE.
- These dates form a broad consensus and rest on textual and historical clues.
How Scholars Date Anonymous Texts
- Dating anonymous ancient texts uses terminus post quem and terminus ante quem evidence like quotations and manuscript dates.
- Scholars narrow Gospel dates by citations (e.g., Justin Martyr ~150) and internal references (e.g., Mark and Jerusalem 70).
Why John Is Considered The Latest Gospel
- John is placed later partly because of its advanced theology and tradition that it was last.
- A tiny manuscript (P52) and ancient testimony support an early-2nd-century circulation of John-type texts.
