Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: MVS104@psuvm.psu.edu Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: The missing body/Empty tomb Message-ID: Date: 25 Apr 91 03:24:41 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Penn State University Lines: 17 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Just a slightly related question. About all of this "crucified and raised from the dead" discussion... Why is it that John's rendition says that his side was pierced, but none of the others do? Also, the side-piercing becomes a plot element later, with Thomas, toward the end of the rendition. Why was this left out in the others (or perhaps written into John's for the effect)? M.Schulte [How would we at this point of time answer such a question? I think in the last few decades scholars have tended to place more value in John. At one point many believed that he had no independent historical tradition, but was based on the Synoptics with a lot of elaboration. I think most now believe that John had some independent sources of information. Thus there's nothing impossible about him knowing details that the others didn't. Of course whether any of these sources are to be believed or the whole resurrection thing is a legend is an issue that scholarship alone doesn't answer. --clh]