I was drinking coffee at IKEA when I reflected on the question of why the gospel writers wrote so little of the resurrection compared to the bulk of materials on his birth and ministry. Does it mean that the resurrection details were less important in the minds of the gospel writers? This is definitely not so because the resurrection is the cornerstone of Christian faith.
I have heard N. T. Wright talking about this before in his audio recordings, but I did not really pay much attention to it to remember clearly what his reason was. I have my own speculation to offer. Could it be that more was written about Jesus' ministry because most believers in the same generation of the apostles have already taken the resurrection as something 'given' or a 'fact' due to their experience in the Spirit. Did they experience God so real in the Spirit that they equated this experience to the genuineness of Jesus' resurrection because this experience that they were having was only made possible through the Easter event?
What the believers of that time did not know, experience or eyewitness personally was seeing and hearing Jesus during his ministry or the events leading to his birth. Thus, the gospel writers were actually spending more time and space to record down the details of Jesus' birth and ministry for the sake of the believers. This, however, is definitely a personal speculation. Just a thought to pen down for future reflection and consideration,
I have heard N. T. Wright talking about this before in his audio recordings, but I did not really pay much attention to it to remember clearly what his reason was. I have my own speculation to offer. Could it be that more was written about Jesus' ministry because most believers in the same generation of the apostles have already taken the resurrection as something 'given' or a 'fact' due to their experience in the Spirit. Did they experience God so real in the Spirit that they equated this experience to the genuineness of Jesus' resurrection because this experience that they were having was only made possible through the Easter event?
What the believers of that time did not know, experience or eyewitness personally was seeing and hearing Jesus during his ministry or the events leading to his birth. Thus, the gospel writers were actually spending more time and space to record down the details of Jesus' birth and ministry for the sake of the believers. This, however, is definitely a personal speculation. Just a thought to pen down for future reflection and consideration,
Comments
Glad to hear my thoughts do have some sense. ;-)
I am also thinking that perhaps Luke and John have more accounts or details of the resurrection because they need to explain this to a mainly Greco-Roman audience.
Whereas for Mark and Matthew, I speculate, again, that they were more catered for a largely Jewish audience who were generally more readily to accept the account of the resurrection compared to the Greeks.
Mere speculations again. ;-)