Nothing shows more clearly the nature of the Gospels as human documents than the stylistic habits of the writers.
If we consider Luke’s way of introducing an incident, for example, we find that time and again he begins his story of an incident with words such as ‘One sabbath’ or ‘Another time’ or One day’. It may be that he was at a loss. He could not give chapter and verse or location so he used a vague formula. This chimes exactly with our understanding of Luke as a reporter collecting what facts he could about Jesus before they became forgotten. It also underlines his inexperience as a reporter as compared with his style as a doctor when he describes a patient.
Mark is altogether different. The key-word in his Gospel is ‘immediately’ His Gospel has pace. Jesus is an action man, always moving on to the next thing. Perhaps this is because he listened carefully to Peter’s recollections which are unlikely to have been polished productions but had the meat of the matter in them.
Bringing stylistic issues into the open is in no way belittling. Indeed, it may well serve to underline the authentic, even breathless nature of the Gospels as we have them. The biblical writers had different ways with words. Those differences were not annihilated when they came to write the Gospels; they became part of the inspirational process. Just as Keats, say, is unlike Blake or just as Byron is unlike Browning, the style makes them what they are. The style not only heightens the narrative or the meditation. Excellence has diverse aspects.
If we take this further, we find that each biblical writer deserves his own individual attention. With the individual comes the manner of dress. The content and the style come together in a way that makes the Gospels rewarding reading.
LIKEABLE LANGUAGES
Yesterday I was talking to a woman from Pakistan whose daughter is preparing to tackle GCSE. She is proficient in English just as her mother is at home with Urdu and Arabic. We talked about the dominance of languages other than English in the local market. I called to mind a parish that makes Bibles in Pushtu available for newcomers. I also remembered a retired vicar who had made himself able to say a few words of greeting in almost every language under the sun.
People like to hear their own language – just as they like to hear their own name. But I am constantly impressed with the readiness of men and women from East Africa, shall we say, to cope with Swahili, with English and with their home dialect. Pidgin English is a means of making English serviceable, as neighbours back from the Pacific have demonstrated.
I remain convinced, duffer as I am, that Italian is the most beautiful language on the planet. But English wins on utilitarian grounds. Air traffic controllers speak English.
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