Note 2 — Chapter XIII · RESURGENCE OF THE HISTORICAL PROBLEM

Writing before the appearance of Dr. Petrie’s treatise, Mr. Wright did not contemplate that development of the later school which gives the earliest possible dates for the Gospels; but we may feel sure that he would give it small quarter. Himself essentially orthodox, and making without question all the primary assumptions of historicity, he dates the Epistle of James before the year 50, Paul’s Epistles to the Thessalonians in the year 52; Mark about 70; Matthew “not much” later; Luke in 80; and John later still.2 He is not tied to the synoptics: when they become unmanageable he vigorously rectifies them by the aid of the Fourth Gospel. But on his own lines he is so candid that he can always be read with pleasure; and his arguments are well worth consideration.