Abbigal Kamalova

RLG203

February 22, 2023

Narrating the Death and Resurrection of Jesus

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a significant event in Christian belief which has

been narrated in various forms by the four Gospel writers. The death and resurrection of Jesus

are events that were not depicted in contemporary stories during Jesus’ lifetime (PBS, Cran).

However, the Gospels written after his death were crucial in keeping the history of Jesus alive

and providing the narrative of these events (PBS, Cran). Through the Gospels it is depicted how

these events are perceived and remembered by the early Christian community. According to

Feldmeier, ancient writers enjoyed significant freedom to create narratives that they believed

conveyed the truth and allowed the expression of symbolism, and typology (Feldmeier, p.38).

This reflected in the four Gospels, as the authors pursued to convey the truth about Jesus

through their writing. As a result, while there are similarities between the Gospels, there are

also notable differences that arise from each author’s perspective. Separated by several

decades, the authors of the Gospels each wrote for tiny communities that were developing

their own distinct understating of Jesus independently of one another (PBS, Cran). Therefore,

historians utilize the Gospels as historical references for the life of Jesus of Nazareth relying on

narratives of Jesus’s ministry (Feldmeier, p.39).

The Gospel of Mark is the oldest in the New Testament and was late used as a reference by

Matthew and Luke when composing their own Gospels, with Mark serving as the foundation

(PBS, White). As a result, Matthew and Luke depended on Mark as the core, translating into

them being understood together (PBS, Fredriksen). Nevertheless, scholars have noted that

certain sections in Matthew and Luke’s writings are nearly identical when translated into Greek,

suggesting that there may have been another source besides Mark (PBS, Fredriksen). This

source, known as Quelle or Q, was likely written in Greek, and possibly composed in Palestine,

containing stories about Jesus that could explain the similarities between Matthew and Luke’s

Gospels (PBS, Cran). Furthermore, the synoptic Gospels, which refer to the first three Gospels in

the New Testament, share many similarities that have contributed to the rise of the “synoptic

problem” (Stephen Carlson website). Thus, the synoptic problem relates to the literary

connections between these three Gospels (Stephen Carlson website). The synoptic problem has

been explored through research leading to the development of the two-source hypothesis

(Stephen Carlson website). The hypothesis suggests that the similarities between the three

synoptic Gospels can be attributed to the use of the primary sources of Mark, and Q theory,

which contributed to the understanding of the synoptic problem (Stephen Carlson website).

Contrary to the three synoptic Gospels, the Gospel of John diverged from its approach and

distinctive content from the three synoptic Gospels, thereby promoting its differentiation (PBS,

Cran).