Re-thinking ‘Eyewitnesses’ in the Light of ‘Servants of the Word’ (Luke 1:2)

Abstract

In promoting the concept of ‘eyewitness testimony’ as the basis of the development of the gospels, Richard Bauckham questions the usefulness of continuing with the historical critical method as a means of disclosing the Jesus of history. Alternative methodologies which he employs in this task are of no definitive value, however, if the concept of ‘eyewitness testimony’ is itself of dubious value. Linguistic, semantic and contextual aspects of Luke’s Preface suggest that the author could not have had ‘eyewitnesses’ in mind when he invoked the role of autoptai.