The source

Most scholars seem to agree that Mark, Luke, and Matthew used a common source, a sayings source.  A list or record of Jesus sayings.  This now lost source is called Q, from the German Quelle, meaning source.

The stories about John Belushi in this book were written down at about the same time distance as the stories about Jesus in the Gospel of Mark.

Though the oldest written fragments of the Gospels are on papyrus from 100-200 CE, most scholars seem to agree Mark was written around 70 AD.

Richard Bauckham, author of this book:

and this one:

makes a strong case, I believe, that one of Mark’s main sources was Peter.  Directly or indirectly, who knows.  But in Mark we’re getting something like Peter’s version. Peter himself is a character in the story.  Mark tells stories only Peter (or only Peter and a few others) could have known.

“Get behind me Satan!”

There are times in Mark when Jesus is angry and frustrated with Peter.  In a way Mark tells Peter’s version of a story of a complicated bromance with Jesus.

How much was Mark getting his stuff from Peter?  Or other eyewitnesses to Jesus? Here is a lowkey fiery debate on this topic.  Gets very hot around 19:54 as these guys try to jab each other over how many people were literate in Palestine two thousand years ago.  (Hard not to root for the American tbh.)

Luke alone has receipts:

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.  With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

It feels infuriating that Paul says that the time he’s writing 1 Corinthians (15:6) there are 251 at least (?) eyewitnesses still alive who saw Jesus after the crucifixion:

New International Version
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

New Living Translation
After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.

and yet Paul doesn’t bother interviewing any of them!  Paul was a better philosopher than a reporter I guess.

Going back to the source is a passion here at Helytimes.