Papias and the New Testament:

by Monte A Shanks

Who was Papias, who did he know, and what did he believe about the writings that now comprise the canonical New Testament? Very little can be objectively known about him, his ministry, and his work, and yet he demands the attention of any scholar, student, or layperson who desires to understand the origins of the New Testament. This book explores Papias as a source and what he wrote about the origins of certain New Testament books. It also analyzes what other patristic and medieval authors understood about him. Shanks argues that the surviving "Fragments of Papias" are indeed a valuable resource because they document a very early Christian belief that certain books of the New Testament originated from some of the original followers of Jesus Christ. This evidence cannot be quickly dismissed in proposals about the origins of these books.

324 pages, Paperback

First published July 6, 2013

Reviews

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful book for understanding Papias and the New Testament. Shanks takes a conservative view on authorship and works hard to promote John the Son of Zebedee as the author of the Fourth Gospel against the Hengel/Bauckham "John the Elder" theory.

For anyone interested in Papias, canonicity, patristics, or reception of the New Testament this is a helpful book for research purposes although I think some of Shanks' arguments could be improved.