This is a book with a double thrust. Dr Mosse presents an unremittingly logical assault upon the Synoptic Problem which develops into a general treatment of the major issues in New Testament history. Repeatedly affirming the testimony of Papias and the Early Fathers, Mosse offers a carefully integrated case for early dates and traditional authorship of the three Synoptic Gospels and Acts in opposition to the redundant hypothesis of Q. This in turn leads into a study of Paul's later career, including a detailed discussion of the dates and provenance of his later epistles.Along the way he addresses cruces such as the chronology of Jesus' ministry in "Mark" and "John"; the day and date of the crucifixion; the identification and dates of Paul's visits to Jerusalem; Paul's ever-changing Corinthian itineraries; the date and addressees of Galatians; and many others. All this is supported by a wealth of reference material including a full chronology of the New Testament and a historical survey of all the epistles in their probable sequence. The end product has a wide appeal which will attract New Testament specialists as well as students of theology, preachers and laity seeking to refresh their understanding of modern New Testament scholarship.
Industry Reviews
"'Martin Mosse has written a lively and provocative study of the composition of the Synoptic Gospels within the context of primitive Christianity. Historical clues found within the New Testament are followed in his attempts to locate the origins of the earliest Gospels. The broad sweep of his investigations and the relentlessly pursued logic of many of his arguments are to be welcomed. Mosse flies many worthwhile kites which will deserve analysis by perceptive readers' J. Keith Elliott, Professor of New Testament, University of Leeds 'This is a fine piece of work, creatively challenging a number of paradigms in New Testament scholarship and making use of all kinds of early Christian evidence to reconstruct a full and persuasive chronology for the biblical documents. Like Bishop John Robinson's work on the dating of the New Testament books and events, it asks us to start by being a bit more sceptical about accumulated scholarly habits and return for a fresh look at the literary and historical evidence. It will certainly provoke controversy, and is unlikely to convince everyone; but it is argued with energy and clarity and insists, rightly, on the significance of many neglected sources and arguments. A real achievement. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury 'Mosse's book has given me new confidence in our Gospel texts which will have a real impact on my preaching. His skilful use of Occam's Razor and what seemed to me irrefutable logic have persuaded me that we should jettison all references to Q at the earliest opportunity. He has also made a convincing case for traditional authorship of all four Gospels, and early dates of the Synoptics.' Tom Kennar, Curate, Warblington with Emsworth"
