They Say
"They say...." is an introduction many of us use to give more credence to what we are about to claim. But when pressed to identify who "they" are, often we can't and so it is with many books of the Bible. For example, "they say" the Gospel of Matthew was written by the Disciple Matthew, but the NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) states in the introduction, "the author of the first Gospel is anonymous."
As for the Gospel of Luke, "they" did not come to the conclusion that Luke was "the most likely candidate" to have been the author until A.D. 170-180, according to the NIVSB.
The authors of both Matthew and Luke depended heavily on the earlier written Mark and much of all three are word for word but, here again the NIVSB states "there is no direct internal evidence of authorship" and that, "The conclusion (that Mark was the author) was drawn from this tradition." Furthermore, in Mark Chapter 16 after verse 8 the NIVSB states, "The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20." Therefore, who wrote those verses cannot be known.
1st and 2nd Samuel, "Who the author was cannot be known." -- NIVSB
1st and 2nd Kings, "Although Jewish tradition credits Jeremiah, (as the author) few today accept this as likely." -- NIVSB
1st and 2nd Chronicles, "According to ancient Jewish tradition, Ezra wrote Chronicles, but this cannot be established with certainty." -- NIVSB
"Most scholars conclude that the author/compiler of Ezra and Nehemiah was also the author of 1, 2 Chronicles." -- NIVSB
These are just a few of the books of the Bible for which no one can be sure who wrote them but "they say" most of what believers think the prophet Samuel, Saul, and King David said and did. In the Gospels" they say" most all of what Jesus said and did. But there are a great many disparities and some outright contradictions among what "they say" about Jesus, especially the events surrounding his birth and resurrection.
In Mark 16:14, none of the 11 disciples believed the word of others who said they had seen Jesus resurrected.
In John 20:24-27, Thomas would not believe the others when "they said" they had seen Jesus after his death unless Jesus proved himself and Jesus gave him proof. But, "they say" I am condemned to hell because I won't believe without proof.
Oren Piper
Siloam Springs
Editorial on 12/04/2019