No one
supposes that the writer of the second Gospel deliberately invented
what he has embodied in his work, and the certificate of character can
be received for nothing more than a general estimate of the speaker.
The testimony of the second Gospel is, according to this tradition,
confessedly at second hand, and consequently utterly inadequate to
attest miraculous pretensions. The tradition that Mark derived his
information from the preaching of Peter is not supported by internal
evidence, and has nothing extraneous to strengthen its probability.
Because some person, whose very identity is far from established, says
so, is not strong evidence of the fact. It was the earnest desire of
the early Christians to connect Apostles with the authorship of the
Gospels, and as Mark is represented as the interpreter of Peter, so
Luke, or the third evangelist, is connected more or less closely with
Paul, in forgetfulness of the circumstance that we have no reason
whatever for believing that Paul ever saw Jesus. Comparison of the
contents of the first three Gospels, moreover, not only does not render
more probable this account of the composition of the second synoptic as
it lies before us, but is really opposed to it. Into this I shall not
here go.
Setting aside, therefore, all the reasons for doubting the applicability
of the tradition recorded by Papias regarding the Gospel said to have
been written by Mark, I simply appeal to those who have rightly
appreciated the nature of the allegations for which evidence is required
as to the value of such a work, compiled by one who had neither himself
seen nor heard Jesus.
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