I just finished watching a lecture on this topic by Mike Licona. His main point is that ancient biographers used compositional devices that gave them flexibility to change what they were reporting to emphasize something. Sometimes the same author told the same story in ways that would appear to contradict themselves, but they were actually using one of those devices.
For instance, compression is where the author combined several events that took places over a period of time and made it appear to happen at the same time. Transference is used sometimes where someone sends a messenger and the author has the person who sent the messenger saying the words rather than the messenger. Dislocation is where the author takes an event or part of an event and places it in a different context.
Mike Licona identified eight of these devices, but he only talked about those three in the video. When we look at the Gospels, we can see that the authors were using these device, which account for many of the supposed contradictions.
EDIT:
Here is a transcript of an interview on the same topic.
For instance, compression is where the author combined several events that took places over a period of time and made it appear to happen at the same time. Transference is used sometimes where someone sends a messenger and the author has the person who sent the messenger saying the words rather than the messenger. Dislocation is where the author takes an event or part of an event and places it in a different context.
Mike Licona identified eight of these devices, but he only talked about those three in the video. When we look at the Gospels, we can see that the authors were using these device, which account for many of the supposed contradictions.
EDIT:
Here is a transcript of an interview on the same topic.
Comment