- Common Material shared between the gospel accounts
- Uniquely Matthew
- Uniquely Mark
- Uniquely Luke
- Uniquely John
Here is a summary of what I suggested in the last Gem: (I have reordered them in a better more sequential way).
- Colour the segments as usual which I have done for you above. As I mentioned last time this segment is a strangely diverse one. You will note from the colouring above that very little of this material is shared between the gospels. It appears that with the resurrection of Jesus, the gospel writers head off in different directions.
- Reconstruct the chronology of it all – we must ask ourselves the question, Has Robertson got the chronology or the order of events correct? While each of the parallel segments are different there appears to be a sequence to the order in which they happened which falls naturally from the Gospel accounts.
Namely:
- The angels comment and provide input on what had happened
- The women go and tell the disciples as the angels told them to do
- Peter (and John) go running to the tomb
- They see the grave clothes but no Jesus
- Mary Magdalene is the first to see Jesus (Mark’s account is a stand alone, but John orders it for us)
- The other disciples see Jesus
- The guards cook up their story to explain why there was no body
Matthew appears to place it after the women have gone to tell the disciples and after the disciples have seen Him. But could it be that this is a flash back because Matthew tells us this happened as the women were on their way. So really this should be reordered after # 2 above. Apart from the action of the guards the other events happened pretty much as Robertson has ordered the combined Gospel materials. Take note also of the other gospel writers’ accounts to see what is worthy to add from the other stories. You can also use the other accounts to determine the unique focus of Luke’s account. Pay attention to Luke’s segment (Luke 24:9-12).
We will concentrate on Luke’s short segment over the next few Gems. It is packed with interesting stuff in just a few short verses.
As I work my way through Luke’s short segment I intend to bring in the comparative material from the other gospels to point out either the extra material they add or the contradictory material that is evident between these accounts. I.e. I will move through these short few verses in Luke. There are some very interesting features or elements to highlight as we move through what these four Gospel writers have written for us. Some of it is highly significant. Having coloured the segments brings some of those features to light. I am confident that you have seen them too. When I have finished the comparative task I will bring together the threads or the themes that I have seen emerging in Luke.
Once again I offer you the chance to share with me the things you have seen during this exercise to ensure I cover the things you want to covered. Ha ha, also to ensure I have seen it all and have not missed something that you have picked up on and I have missed. Talk to me about what you have come up with. As I have suggested on other occasions, share your questions with me as well, to make sure I cover all the bases. I don’t intend to spend too long on these pericopes or segments paralleled above but sufficiently long enough to bring out the good things contained herein.
Victory attained by violence is tantamount to defeat for it is momentary.
Mahatma Gandhi
Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.
Margaret Thatcher
Trust is like a mirror, break it & you can put the pieces back together but the reflection will never be the same!
Anon
If you limit your story to the days between birth & death, you brace yourself for a sad ending. You are made for more than this life.
Max Lucado
The death of God’s Son is a greater testimony to God’s abhorrence of sin than if all humans had been damned forever.
John Piper
According to the laws of legal evidence used in courts of law, there is more evidence for the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ than for just about any other event in history.
Dr. Simon Greenleaf (a Harvard University Law professor )