Q: In Matthew 27:8, the author says that a field was called the field of blood unto this day. Doesnt this demonstrate that the Gospel of Matthew was written long after the events it describes?
A: Yes; the question is, though, /how long/ after the events it describes? Suppose someone said, Ever since Billy Joel drove off the side of the road at this spot, its been known as Piano Mans Curve. Is it really possible to make a firm estimate, based solely on a statement like that, about how much time has elapsed between the time Billy Joel drove off the side of the road, and the point in time at which the person is speaking? Could we fairly deduce that such a statement couldn't be made 10, 15, or 20 years after the event, but *must* be more than 40 years later?
If one posits the death of Judas as occurring in A.D. 29 or 30, and the publication of the Gospel of Matthew as occurring c. A.D. 68-70, then something like 40 years would have elapsed between the event, and the issuance of Matthews statement. But even if the publication-date of the Gospel of Matthew is placed 15 or 20 years earlier, there would still be sufficient time to justify this expression.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
A: Yes; the question is, though, /how long/ after the events it describes? Suppose someone said, Ever since Billy Joel drove off the side of the road at this spot, its been known as Piano Mans Curve. Is it really possible to make a firm estimate, based solely on a statement like that, about how much time has elapsed between the time Billy Joel drove off the side of the road, and the point in time at which the person is speaking? Could we fairly deduce that such a statement couldn't be made 10, 15, or 20 years after the event, but *must* be more than 40 years later?
If one posits the death of Judas as occurring in A.D. 29 or 30, and the publication of the Gospel of Matthew as occurring c. A.D. 68-70, then something like 40 years would have elapsed between the event, and the issuance of Matthews statement. But even if the publication-date of the Gospel of Matthew is placed 15 or 20 years earlier, there would still be sufficient time to justify this expression.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
