I uploaded the latest NT Pod on Saturday, a little later in the week than usual. I hadn't got enough writing done and so had to hold off for a bit. I hope to be releasing episode 17 a bit earlier in the week this week. The topic is something that is utterly pervasive but which has no basis at all in the text, the idea that Jesus' ministry lasted three years. It's very commonly stated in devotional and other literature, you find it in fiction and film and so on. But hey, I don't need to repeat everything I say here. This is just to add a note in my NT Blog given that I know some access the podcast by this route (See also NT Pod; Subscribe in a reader; Subscribe via iTunes U). The little clip at the end is of Ted Neeley, "Gethsemane", from Jesus Christ Superstar (dir. Norman Jewison, 1973), "After all I've tried for three years . . . " I couldn't get it out of my mind, like a lot of Jesus Christ Superstar songs, when I was recording this episode.
Mark, without making this issue the most important issue in Christianity, I beg to differ with your analysis on John. Have you not overlooked the significance of 4:35? Both 2:23 and 6:4 mention the Passover, occurring in March/April, and 5:1 may refer to the Feast of Weeks around May/June. Then, 4:35 mentions that the summer harvest in May/June is four months away, putting the context of 4:35 around January/February. Hence, another, unrecorded Passover must have gone by between 4:35 and 5:1 so that the period between 2:23 and 6:4 is two years. Thus the total time of Jesus' ministry would just be over three years. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteCor Bennema