| Would the authors of the gospels and
| |
| | are supported by convincing objective
|
| letters in the New Testament have a
| |
| | evidence.
|
| motive to fabricate their account? Did
| |
| | According to Catholic tradition, Luke was
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| they have any personal gain from writing?
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| | martyred or died a natural death and was
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| Obviously, if a motive can be established
| |
| | buried in Greece. In 356-357 AD his
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| for inventing the testimonies, the
| |
| | relics were taken to Constantinople.
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| trustworthiness of the document becomes
| |
| | Later his head was supposedly taken to
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| more questionable. Conversely, if the
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| | Rome where it is kept in St. Peter's
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| authors had nothing to gain, or even
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| | Basilica.
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| something to lose, the document's
| |
| | Before writing his gospel at an advanced
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| credibility is increased.
| |
| | age, John moved to Ephesus in Asia Minor
|
| So what happened to John Mark, Matthew,
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| | shortly before the destruction of
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| Luke, John, and Paul after writing their
| |
| | Jerusalem. At this strategic location he
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| gospels and letters? Although there is
| |
| | had a special relationship with other
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| only limited historical record about what
| |
| | churches in the area, as we know through
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| happened to these men after completing
| |
| | his letters to the seven churches in the
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| their writings, one can with certainty
| |
| | book of Revelation as well as through
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| state that none of them retired wealthy
| |
| | references in writings of the early
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| from the proceedings of any of their
| |
| | church. After a period of exile to the
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| books. Contrary to that, the historical
| |
| | island of Patmos, he is believed to have
|
| record shows that the early Christian
| |
| | died of old age, around 100 AD, in
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| church and their leaders went through
| |
| | Ephesus, where he was buried. The ruins
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| centuries of persecution, and the
| |
| | at the Basilica of St. John are claimed
|
| apostles spent their days traveling in
| |
| | to mark the site of the tomb.
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| poverty proclaiming their message.
| |
| | As for Paul, some claim that after his
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| More specifically, after completing his
| |
| | imprisonment as described at the end of
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| gospel and the death of Peter in Rome
| |
| | the Book of Acts, he visited Spain for a
|
| (66-67 AD), tradition claims that John
| |
| | period of at least two years.
|
| Mark went to Alexandria in Egypt where he
| |
| | Subsequently, he returned to Rome where
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| was martyred in 68 AD. According to the
| |
| | during Nero's persecution in 66/67 AD
|
| research of Dr. William Steuart McBirnie:
| |
| | (about the same time as Peter) he was
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| "In the year 68 AD Easter fell on the
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| | beheaded.
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| same day as the Serapis festival. The
| |
| | So no lucrative book deals for these
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| furious mob had gathered in the Serapion
| |
| | writers, no lofty retirement on the
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| and then descended on the Christians
| |
| | French Riviera. The testimony of these
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| while they were celebrating Easter at
| |
| | men did not end with the completions of
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| Baucalis. St, Mark was seized, dragged
| |
| | their gospels and letters. Their
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| with a rope around his neck in the
| |
| | subsequent lives continued to proclaim
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| streets and then incarcerated for the
| |
| | the message. They lived in poverty, under
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| night. In the following morning the same
| |
| | the continuous threat of persecution, and
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| ordeal was repeated until he gave up the
| |
| | at the end, most of them paid the
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| ghost." Other sources confirm this
| |
| | ultimate price of an early death by
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| account as well as his burial site.
| |
| | martyrdom. What earthly motive could any
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| What happened to Matthew, the tax
| |
| | of them have ever had for fabrication or
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| collector, is subject to multiple
| |
| | even making the smallest change to the
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| conflicting traditions. His name is
| |
| | truth in their testimonies? They were
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| linked to various travels throughout
| |
| | writing for their Lord; they were writing
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| Greece and Asia, but most agree on Asian
| |
| | to built treasures in heaven. Lying,
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| Ethiopia, Persia, Macedonia, and Syria.
| |
| | exaggerating, spinning the truth,
|
| All but one of these traditions claim an
| |
| | becoming famous, or gaining any wealth,
|
| untimely death as a martyr for Christ.
| |
| | was not on their agenda.
|
| Unfortunately, none of these traditions
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| |
|
