User:Ret.Prof
 |
This user has an academic degree in History - BA . |
|---|
|
This user has an academic degree in Biblical Scholarship - M.Div. |
|---|
|
This user has an academic degree in Law - LL.B . |
|---|
.
.
Welcome to the UserPage of Retired Professor
.
.
My main area of expertise is Biblical Scholarship
.
.
|
|
| Personal Life | |
|---|---|
| Birthdate: | Autumn a long time ago |
| Nationality: | World citizen: Have resided in the USA, Canada, India, South Africa and Europe |
| Profession: | Priest, Pastor & University Professor |
| Religion: | Christian |
| Marital status: | Married to a great woman |
| Languages: | English - plus a little Xhosa, Hindi & Urdu |
| Wikipedia Career | |
| Username: | User:Ret.Prof |
| Registered on: | 04 June 2008 |
| First Live edit: | 04 June 2008 |
| Present Status: | Most long-suffering of mortals (See talk page) |
[edit] About me
Several months ago while working though the sources re the Historical Jesus I stepped into a problem area. Since 2004, the Hebrew Gospel Tradition has been an area of serious conflict. When things got ugly I decided to handle the situation as follows:
- Step back - I stepped back from editing to let things cool down.
- Resume editing - I have resumed editing. WP:BRD I hope to find common ground and clearly define our areas of disagreement.
- Mediation - In about six months I will request help in working through conflict areas.
- Arbitration - Finally, if any areas of conflict remain, I will suggest Arbitration.
The Hebrew Gospel has been debated since the year 385. (See subpage User:Ret.Prof/ History of the Hebrew Gospel) It is truly a difficult topic. However, it is both interesting and important. I suggest that we work though it in a good natured and scholarly fashion having fun as we edit this hot topic. We must remember that our job is not to settle this long standing dispute but rather to write a clear article from a NPOV with no original research.
[edit] About my understanding of the Hebrew Gospel Tradition
I have spent the past several months reading up on the scholarship in this area. The two opposing positions are as follows.
- In the time of the Early Church, there was a Hebrew Gospel being circulated under the title Gospel of the Hebrews. It was written by Matthew and was different from the Gospel of Matthew found in the Bible.
vs
- No such gospel ever existed. And if it did, it was composed in Greek by somebody other than Matthew.
[edit] Summary of the scholarship 'in support' of the Hebrew Gospel Tradition
Simply put, "Jesus was a Jewish Rabbi and one of his followers, Matthew wrote an account about him in the local dialect." (See Occam's razor) There is substantial historical evidence in support of this position including 75 ancient witnesses who testified to the fact that there was a Hebrew Gospel in circulation. Google Link Twelve of the Church Fathers testified that it was written by the Apostle Matthew. Google Link No ancient writer, either Christian or Non Christian, challenged these two facts. Google Link
|
References |
|---|
| References adduced by Ret.Prof (talk · contribs) |
[edit] List of Primary sources[edit] List of SECONDARY sources from the Early ChurchThe Gospel of the Hebrews has been lost, but much is known, through secondary sources of the Early Church.
[edit] List of SECONDARY and TERTIARY sources up to and including 2011
[edit] 29. ^ The Gospel According to the Hebrews, Edward Byron Nicholson 1879 (POD 2009)"The Gospel according to the Hebrews: its fragments translated and annotated, first published 1879, is a highly creditable work. The list of fragments and of references has never been so completely made as by Nicholson" - Review of The Gospel according to the Hebrews 1879 by Robert Vaughan, The British quarterly review, Volume 71-72, Hodder and Stoughton, 1880. p 277 Google Link
[edit] 30. ^ The Hebrew Gospel and the development of the synoptic tradition, James R Edwards, 2009
[edit] 31. ^ The Secret Legacy of Jesus: The Judaic Teachings, Jeffrey J. Bütz & James Tabor, 2010
|
[edit] Summary of the scholarship 'in opposition' of the Hebrew Gospel Tradition
This position argues that there never was a Hebrew Gospel written by Matthew. Furthermore, if there was, it was never called the Gospel of the Hebrews.
|
References "opposed" to the Hebrew Gospel tradition. |
|---|
| References adduced by Ret.Prof (talk · contribs) |
|
There are none. No Ancient writer to the time of Jerome (either Christian or non Christian) ever opposed the Hebrew Gospel Tradition. Google Link On the contrary, some 75 ancient witnesses testified to the fact that there was a Hebrew Gospel in circulation. Google Link and twelve of the Church Fathers testified that it was written by the Apostle Matthew. Google Link No book ever published on the Hebrew Gospel or the Gospel of the Hebrews has ever supported the opposed position. However, there have been books written on other topics that devote a few page to the Gospel of the Hebrews as an aside. These have been used as sources opposing the Hebrew Gospel Tradition. Wilhelm Schneemelcher in his massive two volume study called New Testament Apocrypha devotes five pages to the topic. pp 172-176 Vol. 1 *Caution* Wikipedia editors must be aware that this work is a translation of Schneemelcher's "Neutestamentliche Apokryphen" written in 1963. The translation causes problems, particularly with translation of material from the Church Fathers. [edit] Not composed in Hebrew but in GreekSchneemelcher puts forward the argument that the Gospel of the Hebrews was composed in Greek not Hebrew. He says the title proves this to be the case.
Author Hans-Josef Klauck in Apocryphal gospels: an introduction devotes 5 pages to our topic. Again Hebrew composition is not directly disputed but it is implied. Ron Cameron in his work The Other gospels devotes 4 pages to our topic. He argues that the Gospel of the Hebrews was not composed in Hebrew because of its title. Clearly the title indicates that the gospel was composed by Greek speaking Jewish Christians. [edit] Not written by MatthewSchneemelcher does not actually dispute that Matthew wrote the Gospel of the Hebrews but it is implied. See also Jewish Humbug Author Hans-Josef Klauck in Apocryphal gospels: an introduction devotes 5 pages to our topic. Again Matthew's authorship is not directly disputed but it is implied. Again Matthew's authorship is not directly disputed by Cameron but it is implied. |
[edit] Summary of the references
If one reads the material carefully and objectively, one will be surprised to see a remarkable amount of common ground. Indeed there about 90% agreement.
[edit] Areas of agreement
- An extant copy Both groups agree that the Gospel of the Hebrews actually existed. None have suggested that this gospel was a scholarly neologism.
- Circulation Scholars generally agree that this gospel was widely circulated. It was well known in the early church.
- Lost Gospel There is also agreement that this gospel was lost after the time of Jerome.
- Place of composition There is general agreement that the place of composition cannot be ascertained.
- Canonical Matthew Scholars agree it is not a translation of the Gospel of Matthew found in the Bible.
- Date of composition The exact date of composition cannot be ascertained.
- Theology Scholars agree that this book reflects Jewish-Christian theology.
[edit] Areas of disagreement
- Language of Composition Scholars agree that there were two gospels. One Gospel of the Hebrews was in Hebrew while the other was in Greek. However, they disagree about which was the original and which was the translation.
- Authorship Many scholars argue that Matthew composed this gospel, while others disagree.
