St. John the Evangelist - Ancient Faith, Modern Relevance

Greetings in Christ, risen from the dead! As I write this, we are still celebrating our Lord’s resurrection. Indeed, the resurrection of Jesus is of eternal significance and is to be celebrated throughout the year as the source of Christian faith, hope and love. Our right standing with holy God is a matter of Jesus having been "delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification" (Romans 4:25).

With this in mind, two new books have been added to our library by means of a kind gift. They are Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony by Richard Bauckham and The Resurrection of the Son of God by N. T. Wright. Both Bauckham and Wright are Anglican Christians. Bauckham teaches New Testament at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, while Wright, who has taught New Testament at McGill, Cambridge and Oxford, is bishop of Durham. Both authors have published many books; Wright, in particular, has written so many books at such a rapid pace since the mid-90s that it is difficult to keep track of his efforts. His works have included everything from light to heavy-weight studies of Christian essentials. Worthy of special notice is his ongoing Christian Origins and the Question of God project, now halfway through at three large volumes, of which The Resurrection of the Son of God is the most recent addition (2003). Wright’s intent in this series is to take on and refute any and all serious challenges to the historical and saving nature of the details, events and message proclaimed in the New Testament. Ambitious? Yes. [Perfect? Probably not. Consider Proverbs 10: 19 "When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent." Some aspects of Wright’s doctrine of justification have been judged to be erroneous; however, no charges have been brought against any of his many studies on Christ’s resurrection] And it should be said that both of these new books are not easy to read. The persevering person who needs to know will be rewarded by seeing the historical nature of the Gospels and the Resurrection fully considered and ably defended.

Bauckham’s book is probably the most detailed consideration of every person named, and unnamed, who could have been an eyewitness to the saving life and actions of Jesus in the Gospels. As well, Bauckham considers the traditional sources from beyond the New Testament who offer us information about the apostles and other Gospel personalities and the authorship of the Gospels (Papias, Polycrates and Irenaeus, circa 90-175 AD). Careful reflection focuses on where, how and why the Gospels refer to, and utilize, the presence of eyewitnesses and the implications of this usage for believing and nonbelieving readers. The ongoing role of these witnesses after the Gospels had been written and were in circulation is also considered. Other major topics which Bauckham regards are the varieties of oral tradition, eyewitness testimony and eyewitness memory (versus "anonymous community traditions"). Throughout, he seeks by evidence and reason to overturn the attacks upon the Gospels and the Gospel made by a Swedish scholar, Samuel Byrskog in 2002. The result is a study of the New Testament’s eyewitnesses that has been waiting two millennia to be written.

In similar fashion, Wright’s 800-page tome on the resurrection of Jesus leaves no stone (lying or thrown) unturned. His starting point is resurrection, history and Christian theology. Then he surveys life beyond death in ancient paganism and finds the Old Testament’s hope for life beyond death to be unique. Most of the rest of the book is a most painstaking consideration of every New Testament passage that mentions life after death and the resurrection of Jesus. Also included in the investigation is the teaching of the earliest extra-biblical Christian writings. Hope emerges in the person of Jesus as Israel’s Messiah and the world’s Lord.