ORIGIN OF GOSPELS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20596, 21 June 1930, Page 32 (Supplement)

ORIGIN OF GOSPELS.

RESULTS OF RESEARCHES. BY DR. H. KANSION. ♦. Tho numorous readers of the Heuald interested -in tho reccut discussions regarding tho'historicity of Jesus will welcome tho cheap and lucid account of recent study iu UlO origins of the Gospels by Dr. Vincent Taylor, who has already won an enviable position in British scholarship as a foremost 'authority. Setting aside differences in details tho usual view held by students is:—Thero was first tho preliterary oral material. Then came a collection of (mainly) sayings* of Jesus, known by tho symbol Q, the initial letter of Quellen. Tho Gospel of Mark follows. St. Matthew's Gospel was based upon the work of Mark and also on Q, as well as material of his own. Tho Gospel of St. Luke also found its source material in Mark, Q, as well as matter individual to' himself. Tho Gospel of St. John camo last, written probably to supplement the other Gospels. In 1921, and in 1924 in a more developed form Canon Streeter published the results of his researches, which have indeed placed tho problem in a now setting. Tho common opinion was that Luke had used Mark as a foundation, and into this ho had fitted material from Q, as well as from a special source of his own. Streeter believes that tho foundation was not Mark, but a composite documont compiled 20, years before by Luko himself from Q and his • special source, and that this first draft was expanded into our Gospel by extracts from Mark and the addition of tho Birth stories.

Following up Streeter's work, Vincent's results, aa given in his book, " The Gospels/' are as follows: —A.D. 30-65, tho period of oral transmission; 60-60, tho saying 3 and discourses collected in Q; about 65, a collection of sayings used by Mark; 60-65, Luke's original draft composed from Q and a special oral collection of saying arid parables given tho symbol L, the combination being called Pfoto-Luko;• 65-70, tho Gospel of Mark; 65-75, a special collection of sayings used later by the writer of tho First Gospel, tho collection being named M; 65-80, the birth-stories used in Luke; 80-85, the Gospel of Luke; about 85, tho narrative tradition found in Matthew; 85-90, the Gospel of Matthew; 90-100, tho Gospel of St. John.

Tho importance of these and similar recent researches is that not only are both Q and the Second Gospel first-class authorities, but also side by sido with them a3 containing trustworthy and early material must .be placed Proto-Luke. Research is showing that the Gospels contain mora very early material than some had supposed. D. Vincent's book has also masterly summaries of the characteristics of the ■ various Gospels, and deserves to be widely read as a concise and competent survey of tho recent work of scholars on tho Gospel literature.

" Tha Gospels," by Dr. Vincent Taylor,' 1 (Epworth Press). '