Featured The Chronology of the Bible

Matthew, Mark, Luke are called “synoptic” gospels (see together) because they follow a similar Chronology.

John writes his gospel according to repeating, contrasting themes, not chronology.

Each writer had a specific audience and purpose in mind and arranged the material to fit his purpose.

Matthew was writing, most likely, to Jews and focused on the fulfillment of OT prophecy concerning the Messiah. Mark may have had a Gentile audience in mind, is shorter and uses the word “immediately” often which demonstrates constant action. Luke, the only Gentile, was writing to his patron, Theophilos, and was more of a thorough historian that we might expect of western thought.

John writes in big, repeating theological themes. His gospel was several decades after the others and represents a maturity of thought that addressed issues that had arisen during that time.

None of that diminishes the role that of Holy Spirit and inspiration of what was written.

peace to you

 

Classical Rhetoric 101: The Five Canons of Rhetoric - Arrangement

What Is Arrangement?
Arrangement is simply the organization of a speech or text to ensure maximum persuasion. Classical rhetoricians divided a speech into six different parts. They are:

1. Introduction (exordium)
2. Statement of Facts (narratio)
3. Division (partitio)
4. Proof (confirmatio)
5. Refutation (refutatio)
6. Conclusion (peroratio)

 

Yes, the trend among the scholars seems to be moving toward all the NT, including the writings of John before 70 AD

 

I would add, that as far as I am aware, there is no NT writer that mentions the great persecution by Nero against the Christians, which took place in 64 A.D.. Could this fact place all of the NT Books to have been written before this date?

 

Several NT passages mention persecutions and tribulations that they were currently going through. This could refer to Caligula (emperor from 37-41), Claudius (41-54), or Nero (54-68). Using similar logic that you mention, I personally believe that the entire NT (including Revelation) was written prior to the destruction of the Temple, which was in AD 70. Although Jesus predicted the destruction of the Temple at the beginning of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, Mark 13, & Luke 21), there is no mention of the Temple's destruction as a historical event in the NT.

 

Paul is supposed to have died during the persecutions by Nero. So all of his Letters have to be before this time. The same is for Peter.

Some Christians were killed during Caligula’s reign (37-41). But the Christians were considered a sect of Judaism during that period, and under the next Emperor, Claudius (41-54). Judaism was a legal religion, and, so, the Christians were not singled out for general persecution until the time of Nero (54-68).

THE EMPEROR CALIGULA AND THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYRS

Nero's was by far the worst.

 

Agreed. The persecution under Caligula was bad, but nothing like Nero's persecution. Thanks for the sermon by Dr. Hymers. Very interesting and detailed history of this period.