Who Wrote the Gospels?

by Randel McCraw Helms

Book Overview

According to Helms, the gospels were written to convert or confirm their highly colored arguments of powerful authors, not just transparent windows upon the historical Jesus. If we adjust our focus... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0965504727
• ISBN13: 9780965504720
• Release Date: September 1997
• Publisher: Millennium Press
• Length: 178 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Stellar scholarship

Is the entire concept of the Holy Spirit the result of a mistranslation? How was the hoax known as the prophetic Book of Daniel perpetrated? Why do all of the gospels contradict each other in so many fundamental ways if they are all accounts of the same events, not so far removed? In this book you will be treated to such discussions, taken seriously, and, thankfully, presented in an intellectually honest manner that is not watered down in order to keep from offending fundamentalists. Helms is quite the scholar, and this thin book is jam packed with valuable information. All Christians should be made aware of many of the things discussed in this book, and yet so few Christians know anything about such things. This is not surprising though, that the church keeps such eye-opening facts out of Sunday sermons. Many Christians can go on about the alleged story of Jesus' life, but know little-to-nothing about the early history of their faith, such as the fact that the gospels were actually written decades after Jesus' alleged year of death, or about much of what the bible actually says, such as the fact that the second coming was actually supposed to happen while Jesus' apostles were still living. For the already skeptical, this book will prove a fascinating read. For the devout, this book may very well play a part in a life-changing experience, though I doubt many true believers would actually read this book!

Persuasive and easy to read

This book is a perfect beginning point for anyone interested in modern scholarship into the origins of the Christian Bible, and of the origins of traditional Christianity. Helms' writing is clear, his arguments cogent, and his scholarship is commendable. While not as detailed, subtle and penetrating as Burton Mack's "Who Wrote the New Testament," this book is far more approachable and understandable for regular people who may not be academically oriented.While it may come as a suprise to many, it has been known for centuries that the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were not written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. Instead, these are "traditional" names given to anonymously-written works over a hundred years after they were written. This much is not controversial among biblical scholars. What is controversial is the attempt to assign actual authorship to these anonymous works, and to place them in the proper historical, social, cultural, and theological context. Helms does an excellent job of showing how these Gospels were not simply eyewitness accounts, or even second-hand accounts, of Jesus' time. Rather, they are products of complicated theological advocacy written generations after Jesus' time. Each Gospel is shown to reflect the author(s) own theological interests and agenda, as each sought to advance their own vision of the emerging religion. While I do have a few quibbles and reservations about some of Helms' more speculative speculations, I found his arguments to be convincing generally.Christianity as we have come to know it, is the historical product of a historically brief period between the traditional dates of Jesus' ministry and the Council of Nicaea in the early 4th century. During the intervening centuries, Christianity began as a diverse and conflicting collection of religious associations and movements, passed through a period of competition and acrimony among sects, and ended in the triumph of one particular brand of Christianity which has come to be labeled "orthodox." Helms book illuminates an important part of this historical process, by showing how the Gospels reflect the viewpoints, concerns and agendas of these anonymous early Christian writers during the period of competition between the various visions and interpretations of Christianity.An enlightening and worthwhile read for anyone interested in Christianity or the history of religion in general.

A Well Reasoned Guide

to some of the inconsistencies of New Testament prophecy. Helms presents a clear case when exposing the theological program of the real NT authors. I found the explanation of the apocalyptic/gnostic contradictions of John particularly fascinating. The book was written in an easy to read style, and did an excellent job (I thought) of maintaining its focus on the subject matter without getting overly bogged down in technical jargon. Overall a well-written beginner's guide for anyone wanting a starting point from which to explore the New Testament's historical grounding.

EXCELLENT AND PROVOCATIVE

This book is especially appropriate now when a number of Evangelists and Christians believe the "last days" are approaching and they quote Daniel and Mark in support of their beliefs. Helms clearly shows how Mark based many of his apocalyptic beliefs and statements on the Book of Daniel. In his analysis he also points out several historical inaccuracies of the Old Testment and contradictions between the Gospels in the New Testament. When Jesus failed to return during the life time of his followers (as Mark said he would), Matthew and Luke had to rewrite the stories to make them fit their own troubled times. Helms also presents a strong and fascinating case that the author of Luke was a woman. "Who Wrote The Gospels" is readable, clear, and enlightening.

Well-written, succinct literary analysis

Dr. Helms covers new ground in this excellent literary deconstruction of the Gospels. His goal is to see what we can learn of the actual authors of the Gospels, then secondarily to see what we can logically deduce from those findings. What's revealed is the human side of the fledgling Jesus movement that will certainly remain controversial. Why no one else has done this to the Gospels before is clearly a mystery. I highly recommend this book for anyone at all curious as to who the writers of the Gospels might really have been.