The Beginnings Of Gospel Story Author:Benjamin Wisner Bacon PREFACE No man can pretend to have seriousIy examined the historical basis of the Christian faith who has not to some extent applied the ordinary processes of historical criticism to the Gospel of Mark, the earliest extent embodiment of the evangelic story. The present volume is offered as an example and aid to serious and impartial but non-tech... more »nical investigation in this field. The form adopted combines critical analysis of the substance with exegesis in detail. It is chosen for the purpose of exhibiting the results of the higher criticism. Thc recent general acknoledgment that in Mark we have the oldest canonical Gospel, an embodiment of the accepted outline of Jesus career, already stereotyped when Matthew and Luke were written, has brought forth a succession of splendid contributions to the purely exegetical interpretation of this Gospel. To say nothing of the great German authorities, our own Good and Sweet have added greatly to the resources of philological exposition, and Menzies has given new light from the historical side. But that which the intelligent layman most requires has not been placed within his reach. The richest fruits of modern biblical study have come from the field of the higher criticism. Documentary analysis of the sources has been eagerly pursued by authorities such as Wernle, SchmiedeI, Weiss, Wellhauscn, Harnsck, Loisy, Sir John Hawkins, Burtan, and Burkitt. The recent lives of Christ by Nath. Schmidt, 0......« less