The exception to
which we refer is Marcion's Gospel, which was, we think, based upon our
third Synoptic, and consequently must be accepted as evidence of the
existence of that work. Marcion, however, does not give the slightest
information as to the authorship of the Gospel, and his charges against
it of adulteration cannot be considered very favourable testimony as to
its infallible character. The canonical Gospels continue to the end
anonymous documents of no evidential value for miracles. They do not
themselves pretend to be inspired histories, and they cannot escape from
the ordinary rules of criticism. Internal evidence does not modify the
inferences from external testimony. Apart from continual minor
contradictions throughout the first three Gospels, it is impossible to
reconcile the representations of the Synoptics with those of the fourth
Gospel. They mutually destroy each other as evidence. They must be
pronounced mere narratives compiled long after the events recorded, by
unknown persons who were neither eye-witnesses of the alleged miraculous
occurrences nor hearers of the statements they profess to report. They
cannot be accepted as adequate testimony for miracles and the reality of
Divine Revelation.
Applying similar tests to the Acts of the Apostles we arrived at similar
results.
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