NOTE: The next page begins the 'theology' if you want to skip this discussion (SUMMARIZES the Bible 'dating' sections).
Below is displayed our first hard-look at greek syntax sequencing summarized to NT book level.
ROWS LISTED DOWNWARD: These are the NT books (sort discussed below).
COLUMNS LISTED ACROSS: These are potential 'dating' syntax signatures (the major ones). PAU is derived from 1TH,Gal and 1CO. LKE is a combination of Luke and Acts. JHN is a combination of John and the epistles. PAS is the pastorals. Ordering is discussed below.
CIRCLE-1: The numbers are percentages for the columnar signature relative to the writing. So, for example the top row, 1TH has 15% of its verses best matching the Matthew signature.
CIRCLE-2: This is the 'Paul' signatures, highest for 1TH and slowly decreasing down to ROM. Note JAM (James) has a high Paul signature, illustrating 'time', not authorship. James was likely written about the time of 1CO.
CIRCLE-3: These are the Johnines. They overlap both the MAT and JOH signatures, suggesting a longer period of 'time'. We'll explore this later for REV, where early REV is during JOH and later REV is during MAT (effectively two apocalypse writings put together at chapter 7).
CIRCLE-4: You'll notice a Pauline signature for both 2TH and 2TI, but an even stronger pastoral signature later. Both Paul writings were likely expanded significantly.
ORDERING: The ordering is determined first by identifying the columnar extremes, in this case PAU and PAS (both sit on the 'outside' of the other signatures). The middle columnar signatures are then sequenced to best reflect ordering across for each book listed downwards. It's not unlike the little square puzzle with movable letters. Moving a columnar signature left/'earlier' or right/'later' completely shifts the rows upwards or downwards. The position shown above best applies the signatures to the books, effectively 'dating' the books. For your curiousity, compare the above book writing sequence to your favorite scholar's estimated sequence. And this one is primarily mathematical.
Some Comments:
1. The Pauline writing period extended from 1TH through much of ROM, with COL and 1PE written during the subsequent 'Mark' writing period. Both 2TH and 2CO, though having Paul writing signatures, appear to have been expanded much later during the pastorals.
2. James and Jude are fairly early. James is most interesting, having a large Paul dating signature. James likely wrote before his death in response to Paul.
3. The 1PE signature (column) is also interesting ... scan down to Titus, where it is significant (20% of verses). I think there's a connection between Titus and Peter ... Peter spent time in Barnabas' sisters house (mother of John Mark). And Barnabas was from Cypress .. went there with John Mark after Paul got mad. Titus later shows up as the 'overseer' for Cypress. Think about it.
4. Paul's early epistles 'echo' during MAT, suggesting a consolidation at that point. His later epistles have an even stronger 'echo' during the pastorals, suggesting a second and probably final consolidation (our smoking-gun).
What we're going to do next, is delve deeper into the writing segments (few of the NT books are written in a single period). For each, we'll discuss the segment and its theology.
Next page please.