Was the Gospel of St Luke 'written' by MARY?

The Daily Mail Online ^ | April 14, 2014 | Ellie Zolfagharifard

[GreyFriar]

Dr. Adam Bradford believes third Gospel was originally a legal document. He says it was written by Luke, a Greek physician, as a letter of support for St Paul who was imprisoned for the political crime of supporting Jesus. Details about Jesus' childhood could only have come from Mary, he claims. He argues feminine words in the scripture give away the true author.

[GreyFriar]

Dr. Bradford has an interesting and, to me, a plausible theory. However, I think that Luke interviewed Mary about Jesus and used that in his text, rather than Mary actually writing the text. I make no comment on his theory of Joseph as an architect instead of being a carpenter.

[GreyFriar]

Gospel of Luke ping

[50sDad]

A “carpenter” in Christ’s time would include a variety of skills, not just a cabinet and furniture maker as we might think. Christ repeatedly used construction idioms in His parables: towers, barns...the cornerstone. However, I am always suspect of the radical theories that seem to always show up and threaten traditional theology right around Easter every year.

[GeronL]

carpenters probably made their own plans

[Cicero]

When Jesus was crucified, he appointed the disciple John to act as her son—which is to say, to take care of her.

Mary was with the disciples several times after the Crucifixion, and according to early tradition frequently met with them. No doubt she told all of them stories about the boyhood of Jesus.

So, yes, Mary certainly contributed toward the stories told in the gospels—basically all of them—whether directly or indirectly.

[SkyDancer]

Here we go again.

[Popman]

Details about Jesus' childhood could only have come from Mary,

Maybe Luke simply asked her....Doh...

They traveled together after all...

It's not like they were strangers...

[Raycpa]

The stories in the first chapters of Luke undoubtedly had to come from Mary. Luke could have interviewed Mary or possibly John (who was made Mary’s son at the cross) or other family member.

On this note, I have a theory that a common source for the synoptic gospels is one or more of the scribes who were often present when Jesus spoke.

[353FMG]

“However, I think that Luke interviewed Mary about Jesus....”

.
That has been the assumption by theologians and church leaders for many centuries.

[xone]

The stories in the first chapters of Luke undoubtedly had to come from Mary.

Yeah, no way the Holy Spirit could have known those stories, had to be a Marian interview.

[Raycpa]

As far as Mary being the author, very improbable. If I recall, parts of Acts which was written by Luke indicate the Luke was present with Paul on missions and that Luke was a gentile.

[OneWingedShark]

I make no comment on his theory of Joseph as an architect instead of being a carpenter.

Given the location the term 'carpenter' could refer to a [stone] mason rather than the works-with-wood type.

As for being an architect, I would rather bet that there wasn't nearly as clear a separation between the guy-who-designs and the guy-who-builds that there is today except for the truly huge projects of the time (e.g. the Temple).

[chajin]

I make no comment on his theory of Joseph as an architect instead of being a carpenter.

IIRC the word is tekton, which doesn't mean "carpenter" in the medieval-to-modern sense of "furniture maker," more generic in terms of construction. There was a lot of Roman infrastructure being built in the area around Nazareth at the time of Jesus' childhood, so there would have been steady work for people with tekt-nical skills.

[Raycpa]

Yeah, no way the Holy Spirit could have known those stories,

It is possible because Paul claims he received the gospel from no man. However, Luke attributes his gospel to " those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word". Luke 1:2

[Secret Agent Man]

yup. and i believe it.

[Alex Murphy]

Let me guess - she wrote it in Latin, with an infallible quill that never runs out of ink nor ever makes a mistake.

[xone]

Reports from the eyewitnesses delivered to Luke that he put in order for his bud Theophilus. Doesn't sound like Luke was doing his own original research.

2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you,

[Raycpa]

Regarding Jesus as carpenter:

I don’t recall Jesus ever calling himself a carpenter. He is described by others as a carpenter.

Jesus calls himself a shepherd.

[AnAmericanMother]

Just the usual run-up to Easter by the usual suspects.

This is not news - that Luke got a great deal of his information from Mary has been a tradition of the Church for many years.

- St. Luke painting the portrait of the Blessed Virgin, by one of my favorite Netherlandish painters, Maarten de Vos. It's probably a self-portrait, and it's a window into the trade of a painter in the 16th century - the easel, the painter's stick, the assistant grinding colors in the background . . . This scene was painted over and over again by the Low Country artists - very domestic! And of course while a painter is doing your portrait, you have nothing to do but TALK . . . . :-)

This is supposed to be the original portrait:

[Genoa]

Luke himself said he got information from others (Luke 1:1-4). The theory that he got information about the Nativity from the Lord’s mother is nothing new. Who would have known better than she?