28 Luke] Found here: http://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/1366/what-are-thearguments-in-favor- of-matthean-priority Article entitled: “Farmer’s Argument for Matthean Priority” Edited by Geoff Trowbridge. Found here: http://www.maplenet.net/~trowbridge/farmer.htm [Editorial note - The sixteen main points of William R. Farmer’s argument, as well as many of the examples and elaborations, have been lifted verbatim from his book, The Synoptic Problem, Mercer Univ. Press, 1981. However, I have freely reworded and reworked many details where appropriate for the sake of brevity. For a full appreciation of Farmer’s work, consult the aforementioned book, or his more recent The Gospel Of Jesus, Westminster John Knox Press, 1994 - G.T.] Farmer puts the three synoptics in this order: Matthew, Luke, then Mark. Three Good Sources on the Synoptic Problem from an Evangelical Perspective: • David Alan Black and David R. Beck (editors). Rethinking the Synoptic Problem. Grand Rapids, Michigan USA: Baker Academic, 2001. • James Breckenridge. Evangelical Implications of Matthean Priority (article). Found in the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (JETS) 26/1 (March 1983) pp. 117-121. He argues for Matthean priority from a conservative evangelical framework while keeping the results and input of form criticism clearly in mind. • David Laird Dungan. A History of the Synoptic Problem: The Canon, the Text, the Composition, and the Interpretation of the Gospels. New York City, NY USA: Doubleday, 1999. • John Wenham. Redating Matthew, Mark & Luke: A Fresh Assault on the Synoptic Problem. Downers Grove, IL USA: Intervarsity Press, 1992. Galatians: Three Possible Dates (AD 49-55)
As we noted, opinions about the date of the epistle of Galatians vary widely. They range from AD 49 just before Paul’s second missionary journey (suggested by Frank Viola), to AD 51-52 while Paul was in Philippi or Corinth on his second journey (my view), or as late as AD 55 while Paul was in Ephesus on his third journey (advocated by Arthur Ogden). Those who read my First Century Events manuscript will notice that the date of Galatians was not pinpointed. Two possible dates were given: AD 53 and AD 55. Since that was written, however, a lot more study has been done to tighten the range of possible dates. Below are the results of that study: It is important to keep the dates for the three missionary journeys and the Jerusalem Council clearly in mind as we look at the possible dates for Galatians. Here is how we are sequencing these events that are mentioned here in Acts and Galatians: Acts 14 – First Missionary Journey (AD 45-48) Gal. 2:11ff – Peter visits Antioch and Judaizers come (AD 48-49) Acts 15 & Gal. 2:1-10 – Jerusalem Council (AD 49) Acts 15-18 – Second Missionary Journey (AD 49-54) Acts 18-21 – Third Missionary Journey (AD 54-58) Barnes Notes (commentary): Chrysostom says it was written just before the epistle to the Romans (AD 57-58). Theodoret and Lightfoot thought it was written at Rome during his imprisonment there (AD 61- 63). However, there are many good reasons why such a late date is simply not possible, which we will look at here. Tertullian and Epiphanius both believed this
