REAL debate thread for RELIGION

[Valandil]

Originally posted by GrayMouser
Yes, the disciples were there, but neither of the people who wrote Mark or Matthew were ( so for Mark, it's at least second-hand, and for Matthew at least third-.)
And note Matthew and Mark disagree over the details of the story

Matthew was one of the twelve. Luke and Mark were the two gospel writers who were not. Mark was likely a 'John-Mark' who was possibly a relative of one of the early apostles (I'm thinking Peter - but I forget). Mark's account is the shortest and generally considered the first to be written. Matthew and Luke likely referred to it while writing their gospels. Luke was a physician, a traveling companion of Paul (a later convert to Christianity) and is generally considered the most thorough researcher of the gospel writers. (EDIT: Mark was also likely a traveling companion of Paul - if only briefly - and later of Barnabus - another early church leader and co-traveler with Paul)

Matthew was the tax collector who left his tax table to follow Jesus - as he recounts in his own gospel, IIRC.

John's gospel, btw - is totally different from the rest. But that's a tangent. Just wanted to let you know that Matthew the gospel writer was one of the 12.