108_Luke Confuses the Reader

Not only does Luke’s author borrow material from prior gospels, modifying the stories to craft his own narrative, he also creates new scenes and parables out of whole cloth. Perhaps none are more famous than the character of Lazarus, the follower of Jesus who becomes a symbol of the resurrection of the faithful… but Luke’s Lazarus is far different than one might remember. Unlike the later retelling in the gospel of John, Luke’s Lazarus is never resurrected. He dies, and he stays dead.

As Luke borrowed details from both Mark and Matthew and made his own changes and additions, things begant to get a bit confusing. Jesus reacts to statements which haven't been made and multiple parables which have nothing at all to do with one another come crashing together like stampeding swine cahrging toward the Sea of Galilee. Worse yet, he can't keep his theology straight as Jesus tells his followers that a specific sin invites terrible wrath, and then immediately copies a line that states that exact sin will be forgiven. 

Throughout the bible we encounter the imagery of the lofty being brought low while the lowly are elevated. While this is typical of the promise of a reversal of fate, it does sometimes appear in a more literal sense, such as when Luke copies Matthew’s famous Sermon on the Mount but changes the location to a lowly plain. But this isn’t the only change that Luke will make to Matthew’s story. His genealogy, nativity, quotes, and overall theology will all be modified to bring Jesus back to a more gentile-friendly state.

Concluding Matthew’s gospel brings us more modifications on the gospel of Mark, the influence of the Book of Daniel and his time in the lion’s den on the story of the crucifixion and resurrection, as well as a curious detail that demonstrates that the other criminal, Barabbas, was not a figure from history, but a symbol from scripture.

As Matthew’s author copied and expanded Mark’s gospel, he adapted Jesus for an audience that held the Hebrew Bible in higher regard. Thus the messiah became more loyal to Jewish law, more reverent to temple requirements, and more like Moses than originally described.

Among the most popular stories from the life of Jesus is the Sermon on the Mount. 3 chapters of lessons from the most famous teacher in history… though this sermon isn’t found in the earliest gospel. Now did earlier christians know anything about it. That doesn’t mean the teachings didn’t exist, as the lessons found in that sermon were certainly recorded… they just didn’t come from Jesus.

As with his ministry and miracles, the final days of the life of Jesus are rife with allegory and seem to be constructed from scenes borrowed from prior literature. But is there some kernel of truth behind the myth? Is there fact behind the fiction? Surely his trial and death must shed some light on the actual events… unless that too was taken from older stories.

From the transfiguration on the mountaintop to his overturning of tables in the temple, the arrival of Jesus at Jerusalem is filled with memorable scenes that demonstrate his character and illustrate his teachings. But many of those scenes and even his words, were not original to his story. Instead they seem borrowed from earlier tales of prophets, teachers, and even mythical figures.

Jesus lays out his fate to a crowd of disbelieving disciples who reject the idea that their savior must suffer and die, but prior to this is he repeats his calming of the sea and multiplication of bread and fish miracles. The reasoning behind this repetition can be found in the differences in the details, and in the repeated use of the sea in a story set in the Judean desert.

Decades after christianity began, an unknown author completely changed scripture by penning a Greek tragedy about the messiah. So popular was his work that in spawned numerous rewrites and imitations during the subsequent decades. His biography of Jesus would set the stage for storytellers for the next 2000 years, and the amazing adventures of the miracle-working prophet would be expanded by later authors. But where did this anonymous author get the idea for his gospel? The apologist would say that it was passed down orally from eyewitnesses, but the truth is far more complex than that.