Thomas and the Gospels: The Case for Thomas's Familiarity with the Synoptics

234 Pages·2012·17.766 MB·English

by  Mark Goodacre

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Publi2s0h1eb2dy
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Library ofC ongress Cataloging-in-PubliDcaattiao n
GoodacMarrke S,.
Thomaasn tdh Geo sp:et lhscase e foThro mas'fsa miliarityw itthh Sey oopIt ics
Mark Goodacre.
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1G.o spoefTl h oma(sC opGospelt)i-c Critiicnitsemr,p reettca.t ion,
2.B iblNe. .T G.o spe-lCsr iticisimn,t erpretatioent,c3 .S- ynoppticr oblem.
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Contents
Preface Yi
Ab bryejatjon< ix.
1.. FirIsmtp ressions 1
.ii
2. VerbatAigmre emnetb etweTenh omaasn dt heS}'ll optics 26.
11
J..D iagnostSihca rds � r.;
a�
5
4- MattbeRaend acotnii n Thoma< !i6.
s..I u kanR edactioni n Thoma< 82.
& A SpeciCaals eT:ho mas7 9a ndL uke .2l
]..T heM issiMnigd deli nT homas !.2.2.
a..O raliLtyi,,etr cay,a nd 1J1 omas 12..8.
!)... DatinTgh omaasn dt hGeo spels !H
l!l... SecreAcuyt,h oraitnydL, eg itimation:
How andW hy ThomasU sedth eS yn optics 172
ConclusiTohneF: i ftGho spel? 193
Bibliography
!.2l.
IndeoxfA uthors 211
IndeoxfS ubjects 2lli
Indeoxf AnciTeexntts 219
v
Preface
Thiiss a booakb ouThto maasn d tGhoes pelTsh.a" ta ndi»sw ortuhn der­
lining.b oTohkie s njoutsa tb outth eG ospoefThl o masbu,ta lsaob out the
Synoptic GoIstep xepllso.tr herese latiobnesthwiepThe on maasn dt hSey n­
optic Gospeelxsp,l oraantt hiaowtni laltt imerse quisroem ed etaidliesd­
cussiooftn h eS ynoptGiocssp els themTsheimlsav keests.h eb ooku nusual.
Ins pioteft hef act itthr aetm aionnse o ft hem ostv exeqdu estiino ntsh e
studoyfC hristoiraingi nnso,ta s ingmloen ograpinh Engliesxhp lores the
casteh a'Thto maksn ewt heS ynoptGiocs pels.
Manys tudioefts h eG ospoef'Thl o mawso rk hatort dr tyo u nderstand
thee volutoifot nh iesn igmatteixcbt u,t they raemmbaiivnal aebnotut th e
idetah aThto mawsa sfa miliwairt thh eSy noptGiocs pelIstm. a yb et he case,
thougthh,a 'Thto masr'elsa tiownisththih pe Synopticsa g partoevwitadoye s
thes tudoyft hGeo speOln.c eo neh asc onsidetrheeed v idenfcoe'Thr omas's
knowledogfet heS ynoptGiocs pelqsu,e stiaobnosu hto w,w hena,n dw hy
thea uthours ed the Synoptifcosl lnoawt.u rally
Although mraenayd ewilrls, q uituen derstandwaibslhty o,d ipi nto
selecctheadp tetrhsi,s book attotc eomnpsttsr aunca tr gumeinn to rder
In
alontgh ef ollowliinnge sc.h apt1e (r" FiIrmsptr essioIne sx"p)l,ot rhee
wayt hatth ei ssuaep peaornse arlayc quaintwaintcihet l,o okiantgs ome
oft heg eneraarlg umenotfsf erfeodanr independ'Theonmt asan,dd rawing
attenttioto hne t ellairnggu mefnrto m'Th omasp'asra llteoel vse rsyt rand
ofS ynoptdiact [an.c hapt2e (r" VerbaAtgirme emenbte twe'Theno maasn d
theS ynopticIsa »r)g,ut eh atth erhea sb eena missisntge inp manyd is­
cussioonfThs o masr'esla tiontsoth hieSp y noptaincdst hatth ev erbatim
agreemenstusgg esatd irect relabteitownes'Thehnoi mp aasn dt hSey noptic
GospelIsnc. h apt3etr os6 I a rguteh atth irse latioinsso hnieop fTh omas's
vi
Preface
familiawriittthyh eS ynoptics, esbtya" bDliiasghneoSdsh taircd (sc"h apter
3)of M attheraend act(icohna pt4e)ar n dL ukarne dact(icohna p5te)ar p ­
peariinnThg omaswi,t ahs pecciaaslse a vefdo irt osw nc haptTheor,m a7s9
andL uke (cha6p)tO.en reo ft hec haracteroifThs otimcsa sa'pspr opriation
oft heS ynoptiisct sh ep henomenoofn" TheM issiMnigd dl(ec"h ap7te)r,
wherteh em iddlsee ctioofnS ynoptsiacy inagsn dp arablgeosem si ssing
int heT homasipnaer alsloemle,t imleesa viann gi nconcinPnhietnyo.m ­
enal ikteh ilse atdo q uestioanbso utth em anneorf Th omask'sn owledge
oft heS ynopticwsh,i ch raises aqbuoesutotir oanlsia tnydl iterianct yh e
earlCyh ristmioavne menItn.c hapt8e( r" OralLiittye,r aacnydTh, o mas1" )
explorer etnheew setdr esosn o raHitnyr ecesncth olarasnhdis pu ggestth at
ther olpel aybeydl itersahcoyu lndo tb eu nderestimaantdte hdat,th eraer e
difficultwiiettshh es earfcohrp rimitoirvael tradiinTht oiomnasIs n.c h ap­
te9r ( "DatiTnhgo maasn dt heG ospelIsa "r)g uteh atth eSy noptGiocs pels
postda7t0Ce E andt haThto mapso stda1t3eC5sE ln. chapt1e0r( "Secrecy,
AuthoriatnydL, e gitimaHtoiwoa nn:d W hy Thomauss etdh eS ynoptiIc s")
contetnhda Thto marse workmeadt erfiraolm tShyen optGiocs peilnso rder
tol enlde gitimtaohisc ys ayintgosp ,r oviand ea uthentic-soSuynndoipn­g
tivco icfeo r sietcsr leitv,i Jnegs us.
Thibso oki s ambitioonulsoy n ien resptehceat t,t emtpota rguteh e
case Thfoorm asf'asm iliawriittthhy e S ynoptGiocsp elas c,a steh aItt hink
iss trontghearin t i su sualpleyr ceitvoeb de I.h avneo ta ttemptesdo ltvoe
altlh ep roblefmasc ebdy schoolfta hreGs ospoelfTh omasan,d I h avter ied
tok eetph dei scussfioocnu soend thisi skseuayen i, s stuhea atsa s tudeonft
theS ynoptPirco bleIfm i ntdo boene o fp articiunltaerr est.
Sincmey previobuoso kw asa na ttaocnk a well-belaonvdet di me­
honoreelde meinn tN ewT estamesnttu ditehseQ, h ypotheIsh iasv,fe a ced
a dilemmianw rititnhgib so okt haitsl ikEel izabBeetnhn etptrse dicament
ass hep onders CMorl.l inpsr'osp os"aAnl .u nhappayl ternative is before
youE,l izabFertohm.t hidsa yy ou mubseat s trantgoeo rn eo fy oupra rents.
Yourm other wills eneye ovue ra gifa yionu d on otm arrMyr .C olliannsd,
Iw ilnle vesre yeo ua gaiifn y oud o�I t hintkh atth ec asaeg ainQs hte lps
onet os ee tcahsee f orTh omasf'asmi liawriittthyh eS ynoptibcustI, an1
awarteh atth iissa v ietwh awti lall iensaotmeeo fm y readewrhso,r emain
attachetdoQ .B utI r isakl ienaottihnegifr s I p retetnodo wnershoifap
hypotheasgiasi nwshti cIham a publiocp ponenMty. s olutiboansb een
top rocebeydw orkinognt heb asiosft heg enerahlellycd o mmongr ound
ofM arkapnr iorfiotwryh ,i cIhh ave baenee nn thusiaadstviocc aatnedt, o
pointtop ossidbilffiec ultwiiettshh ues eo ft heQ hypothetsobi osl sttehre
vii
Preface
casfeo rTh omasi'nsd ependebnuctae tt, h esa met imteo r elegdaitsec ussion
ofL uke'fsa miliawriittMhya tthetow thef ootnoIt heos.p et hatth ec ase
hasn obte ene xpoundweidt phr idaen,d t haittw ilnlo tb er eceiwvietdh
prejudice.
E..xcepwth ere othesrtwaitEsenedg ,l itsrha nslaatrimeoy no sw n.
I wouldl ikteo t hanmky colleaing utehse ReliDgeipoanr tmeantt
DukeU niversaist yw,ase linl thGer aduaPtreo graimnR eligiofno,rt heir
encourageamnedni tn terwehsitlI e h avbee enw rititnhgib so okI. w ould
likteoo ffsepre citahla nktsot hose hwahvore e aadl olr paorftt hse m anu­
scriapntd, have omfafneyhr eeldp fcuolm mentasn dc riticiessmpse,c ially
LoreRno ssoSnt,e phCeanr lsoKne,nO lsonM,i chael GroJnedfifnrP,ee y­
tersoann,dA ndreBwe rnhaArndd. t hbei ggetshta nk-yiosu to VEimo­la,
ilayn,d L aurefno trh eliorv seu,p porantd,p atience.
I wisIh hadm anagetdofi nisthh is bboeofko rMei chaeGlo ulder's
deatinh Janua2ry0 10Al.t houghhew asn ota scholoafrt heG ospeolf
Thomahsi bsr illicaonntt ributtoit ohnsest udoyfC hristoiraing isntsiu,ln l­
derestimoarti egdn orbeydt oom anyh,a vien fluencmeyd o wnt hinkiinng
manyw aysH.e woualldw aayssk a boutth per ogreosfst heb ooka ndw ould
love dtios cuistIs. c annonto wp resehnitm w itah c opyb,u Itc ana tl east
dediciattt oeh imse moryw,i tghr atitaunddge r eaatff ection.
viii
Abbreviations
AB AnchoBri ble
ABD AnchoBri bDliec tionary
AfT AmericJaonu rnoaflT heology
Ant. josephAusn,t iquitijese wosf the
BA BiblAircchaale ologist
BBR BullfoertB iinb lRiesceaarclh
BETL Bibliotehpehcem�e ritdhuemo logiclaorvuamn iensium
BTB BiblTihceaoll Boguyll etin
BZ BibliZsechiet schrifr
BZNW Beihezftur Z NW
CBQ CathoBliibcl Qiucaratle rly
ET EngliTrsanhsl taion
ETL Ephemertihdeeso lolgoivcaanei enses
ExpT ExposiTtiomreys
HE EusebiHiussto,r ieac clesiastica
HTR Harvard TheoloRgeicvaile w
HTS HarvaTrhde ologSitcuadli es
ICC InternaCtriiotniCacolam lm entary
IQP InternaQt iPornoajle ct
JBL JournoafBl i blLiictaelr ature
JSHJ Jourfnoathrle S tudoyfth eH istojreiscuasl
JSNT Jourfnoathrle S tudoyfth eN ewT estament
JSNTSup Journalf otrh Set udoyft hNee wT estamSeunptp lemSeenrti es
JSP Jourfnoathrle S tudoyfth eP seudepigrapha
JTS JournoaflT heolSogtiucdaile s
JosephJuesw,iW sahr
f.W
ix
Abbreviations
KJV King JameVse rsion
L SpeciLaukla mna terial
LD Lectdiiov ina
LNTS LibraorfNy e wT estamSetnutd ies
LXX Septuagint
M SpecialMa nheamnat erial
NA,, NestAllande,· NovumT estamentGruame ce2,7 tehd 1.9,9 3
NH NagH amm adi
NHS NagH amm adi Studies
NIV NewI nternatiVoenrasli on
NovT NovumT estamentum
NovTSup SupplemetnoNt osvu m Testamentum
NRSV NewR evisSetda ndaVredr sion
NTS New TestamentS tudies
PJBA Proceedoifnt ghsIe r iBsihb liAcssaolc iation
P.Oxy. Oli.')'ThynchusP apyri
QC wordisnd oubtlrea diptaisosna cgeosm motno M atthaenwdL uke
QD wordisnd oubtlrea diptaisosange dsi ffeirnMi antgt heawn dL uke
R redact(iwoinGt ohs preelfe rences)
RBL RevieowfB ibliLciatle rature
RHR Revudee l 'histdoeisrr eel igions
RRT ReviienRw elsig oina ndT heology
RSV Revised Standard Version
SBL SocieotfBy i bliLciatle rature
SBLDS SBLD issertaSteiroine s
SBLSymS SBLS ymposiSuemr ies
TU Texteu ndU ntersuchuznugrGe ens chicdhetrae l tchristlichen
Literatur
SJT ScottJiosuhrn aolfT heology
vc VigiJciharei stianae
WMANT WissenschaMftolniocgrhapeh ien Azlteunmu ndN eucn
Testament
WUNT WissenschaftlichUen tersuchuznugmNe ne ueTne stament
ZNW Zeitsfchiirrd iinefte utestamenWtliissdree nschaft
X
CHAPTER 1
FirIsmtp ressions
TheG ospoeflTh omaisst hneo nc anonigcoaslp pealre xcelleInth caesb. e en
studimeodr et haalnl t heo thenro ncanongiocsaple plustt ogethaenrdf, o r
goodr easoAnm.o'n ga lolf t hee xtagnots petlhsad ti dn ot maiktie n ttoh e
NewT estamecnatn on, itsth hieos n et hahta st hbee sctl aitmoa ntiquity,
theo nloyn et hat protvhiepd oetse ntfioaerlx tendreedfl ectoinot nh es ay­
ingso ft heh istorJiecsaulHs o?w evemru chw em ayw istho d rawa ttention
tot hei mportaonfcu en derstantdhiedn egv elopmoefCn htr istiiannt ihtey
seconcde nturreya,c hibnagc ikn ttoh fier scte ntuirssy t iflalmr o re attrac­
tivteo m osth istoroifaCn hsr istoiraing iTnhse.r ies r omancient hei dea
thatth is stoer xetc,e ndtilsyc overed,p rcoovuialds dep eciwailt netsots h e
earlipehsats eC horfi stianity.3
Form anyt,h et extta keistp sl aciena d ynamieca rlCyh ristwioarnl d
inw hicvha rieatnydd iversare ittyh ec hiecfh aracterWiosrtdilsci sk".eo r­
thodoxayr"ef irmoluyt o ff avoTra.l okf " Christiainsii tnIi.ne dse"e tdh,e
discovoefrt yh eG ospeolfTh omapsr ovidaec da talfyostrth ed evelopment
oft hipse rspecitniw vhei cihtn owp layssu chm aaj orro lTeh.e i mpetfuosr
1. BarDt .E hrmajnes,u As:p ocalypPtriocp hofet th Nee wA 'lillen(nOixwfno Orxdf:or d
University1 9P9re97s)1s.d,, escrib es itas •withoquute stitohnem ostsignifi ca ntChr istian
boodkisco vered inm odernt imes.·
2.I tmsa icno mpetitfoorra ttse ntoin in historical jesus studiesd on otf eaturesay ings
froJmes usm'i nisOtr-yu.r n lyom ajoerx tafnratgm ento fti lGeo spelo Peft erf,oe rx ampdleea,l s
wittlill epa ssiaonnd r esucrtrieon.
3·S eSet evLa.Dn a vi"1e11so,m aThse: FourtSyhn optic Gospel;B A4 6/(t1 9863-)9n:-,
14f,or an illustroaftt lliikinosdn ofe ntllusi"Thaes mG:o speolf Thomasw asbu redi awafoyr
1600y eaarnsdh asbe enw ishaewday faonrot h3e0r.I ts hounlowd b et akveenr sye riously.
:\loto nliysi t f oau rsytnlolp tgiocs p-eilit saQ ,t oo( 14).
1
Thomaas ntdh Geo spels
thinse wa pproaicnhs ,o mes enseistm sa nifeswtaosT, r ajectthorroiuegsh
EarlyC hristibayJ naimteRsyo binsaonnd H elmuKto estfierrs,pt u blished
4
in 1971T.heb ookw asi np arat d evelopmoefan tn di np aratr eacttioo n
RudolBfu ltmanvni'esw nso,w p ackagfeodra newe raE.a rlCyh ristdiia­n
versiltoyo mlsa rgaen,d n ewldyi scoveeraerdlC yh risttieaxntt ask teh eir
placiena w orlodf c ompetitnrga jectTorhiGeeo ss.p oefTl h omuansa,v ail­
ablienf ultloB ultmann whhewe ans w ritihnigss e minHails tooftr hySe yn ­
optTircda itiIl!oOWn !ri steosn ewp rominence altohnehg yspiodteh etical
sourcQe,a st woe arlwyi tnessteoas p assion-sfaryeien,gs -batsreadj ectory
ine arlCyh ristiawnhiitccyho, n traswtietthdh epa ssion-cenPtaeurUende,­
influencveedrs ioonfCs h ristitahnaitt y lwaotnte hre da y.
Trajecth.aso riinefslu enac geedn eratoifos nc holarosnhC ihpr istian
origiannsdi, t lse gaicspy e rhamposs tp ronouncientd h ek eyc ontributions
ofs cholars likFeu nRkao6nb deJ roth Dno miniCcr ossamno,s'fat m ousf or
thepirro mineinn cteh Jee suSse minawrh,o8h avaep pliaem do detlh aptr i­
oritiQz aensd Thomianhs i storJiecaslur se searTchher. e sponshiibslteo ri­
caJle sussc holnaorw w orks outcsaindoen ibcaolu ndariest,h oaswnehd o
ignotreex ltisk Teh omaarsce h astifsoetrdh eciarn onibcaila Tsh.e ayr se een
ase ngagiinnag k inodf s tubbocrno,n fessiaotntaelm pstk etwto h efi elbdy
ignormiungc ho ft heb esetv idence.
Manyo ft hem ajobro okpsu blisohneT dh omianst h el asgte neration
are indetboat m eodd eolf C hristoiraingi ntsh aitsi nspibryeT dr ajectories.
Perhamposs tim poranttly,S tephPeant tersionnf'lsu enGtoispaeolfl T homas
anjde saursg utehse c asfeo arn e arlayu,t onomoTuhso mtahsae tn abluess
tor eassietswssi tnestsot heh istorJiecsaaulns d t hmeo vemenhtei nspired.9
4· JameMs.R obinasonndH elmKuotes teTrra,j ectotrhiroeuEsga hr Clhyr isti(aPnihli­ty
adelphFioar:t r1e9ss7,1 ).
5·R udoBlufl tmaHisntno,r yo ft hSey noptic Tr(aEdTizt;ni deo dn. O;xford : Blad:well,
196I8ti) sw. o rtnho titnhgaB tu ltmaanlnr �tdooyk fu ll advantoafthege P.Oxy. fragments
thawte rlea tdeirsc ovetreobde e arGlrye efkr agmentwairtyn estsote hsGe o sptolf 71•omas.
6.Se ef,oer x ampRleo,b eFrutn Hko,n etsot/es lls:j esfuosar N ewM illenni{uSmaF nr an­
cisHcaor:p erSanFr1a9n9c6i)s.c o,
7·J ohDno minCroicssan , TheH istorjesiucsa:Thl e L ifoefa M editerranean jewiPseha s­
ant( SaFnr anciHsacrop:e rSanFra1n9c9iisc1od),e; m71• ,e BirtohfC l1ristDiiasnciotvye:r ­
ingW hatH appeniendt heY ears ImmediaAtfteelrty h Exece utioon fJe s(uSasn F rancisco:
HarperSanFra1n9c9i8s)co.,
8.R obeWr.tF unkR,o yH oovearnd, tJheesS uesm in1alr1F,ie v Geo spelThse:S earfcohr
thAeu thenWtoircd osfj es us( New YoMrakc:m ill1a9n9,3 ).
9·S tephJe.Pn a tter71•seo Gno,sp eolf 71J omasa ndj esu(sFo un dationsan dF aceStos­;
nomaC,A :P olebr1i9d9ge3,) .
2
a e chr :1€noyr skypiT'rJ y