Apocryphal Gospels and Historical Jesus Research:

2016 ◽  
pp. 173-185
Author(s):  
Stephen J. Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Historical Jesus ◽  
Apocryphal Gospels

What is a ‘Gospel’? Recent Studies in the Gospel Genre

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-199
Author(s):  
Judith A. Diehl
Keyword(s):  
Literary Criticism ◽  
Gospel Of Mark ◽  
Historical Jesus ◽  
Biblical Scholarship ◽  
Ancient Literature ◽  
Apocryphal Gospels ◽  
Analogical Approach

This article is a brief review of two main paths of biblical scholarship with respect to the ‘gospel’ genre. The NT Gospels appear to be similar to other ancient literature in some ways, yet distinctive enough in content, form, theology and purpose to set them apart from other literature. The analogical approach shows how the Gospels were written in a form similar to other written documents of that time and culture. In contrast, the derivational approach attempts to show that the Gospels are unique and exclusive in all of literature. While the search for the ‘historical Jesus’ is not over, literary criticism has now set the Gospels within the concept of ‘story’, with all its literary implications. Scholars have suggested that the ‘Gospel of Mark’ is the first of its kind, becoming the foundational paradigm of the Gospel genre. Further, the discovery of ancient ‘apocryphal gospels’ has encouraged scholars to compare the NT Gospels to the non-canonical documents.The challenge of clearly identifying the ‘Gospel genre’ continues, as scholars try to understand the nature of both canonical and non-canonical stories of Jesus.

One Jesus and Four Primitive Gospels

1968 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helmut H. Koester
Keyword(s):  
Historical Jesus ◽  
Synoptic Gospels ◽  
Historical Material ◽  
Apocryphal Gospels

To deal with the problem of the “historical” Jesus is to deal with the synoptic Gospels (with occasional appropriations of Johan-nine material).To use the apocryphal Gospels does not seem to be advisable, since their inclusion is beset with a number of notorious difficulties. First of all, any attempt to recover historical material from the vast sea of noncanonical tradition has proved to be an arduous labor yielding only negligible results.

scholarly journals Review article: Jesus’ resurrection in Joseph’s garden

2010 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Estelle Dannhauser
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Faith Community ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Historical Jesus ◽  
Life And Death ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Community Church

The article is a lengthy review of the book Jesus’ resurrection in Joseph’s garden by P.J.W. (Flip) Schutte. The book represents a quest to trace the relationship between Jesus’ resurrection, myth and canon. Schutte finds the origin of events underlying the biblical canon in proclamation. His focus in the book is the proclamation of the death and resurrection of Christ, which, in its developmental stages, hinged on the life and death of the historical Jesus. Proclamation developed into a mythical narrative that became the foundational myth for the Christ cult, validating its existence and rituals. With the growth and institutionalisation of the faith community (church), came an increased production of literature, causing the power-wielding orthodoxy to identify a body of literature containing the ‘truth’ and ‘correct teaching’, thus establishing the authoritative canon. In, through, behind and beyond Jesus of Nazareth, Schutte has perceived a canon behind the canon: a God of love. In Jesus, the man of myth with historical roots who has become to us the observable face of God, Schutte confesses the kerygma to open up before him. The proclamation therefore extends an invitation to join in a mythological experience and an encounter with God whose love is preached in the metaphor called Easter.

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