What if the Writings of the Two Men Paul Seperated Himself From Had Instead Written the Majority Narrative of New Testament?

Yesterday morning as I continued my read from the Book of Acts, specifically the moment where a rift occurred between Paul and John Mark, I seemed directed to further explore the nature of the writings of Mark and more importantly the absence of Barnabus.

Paul, Silas and Barnabus, the latter two considered "men who were leaders among the brothers" (Acts 15:22b) had begun to intentionally share the story of the Messiah with the gentiles.

Yet at one point, Barnabus apparently linked back up with John, also called Mark and invited him along. It seems Barnabus, like the Jesus they were proclaiming, believed in second chances. Mark had apparently parted ways with Paul in some "sharp disagreement" which flags for me, what might have been the old nature of this one who had been redeemed from a life of arresting, even murdering Christians.

After all, Paul, earlier known as Saul was cited as holding the clothes of Stephen as he was being stoned.

As I read, I had to wonder if some of the hard edges of the evangelical Christians with whom I was raised did not emerge from the words and persona of the old Paul? My suspect comes at times when I deal with the "Old Me" that still at times can exert itself! Paul soon shed the name Saul, perhaps given the recall of a King most Jews would remember from the days of David.

My wonder compelled me to look deeper into the writings of Barnabus. In all my years of study, I had never read anything much of Judas' writings (later called Barnabus, also a smart move). The reason, his words are no longer included in the Bible, though at one time, as I learned today, once followed John's, Revelation!

"The document can be divided into two parts. Chapters 1−17 give a Christ-centred interpretation of the Old Testament, which it says should be understood spiritually, not in line with the literal meaning of its rules on sacrifice (chapter 2: the sacrifice God wants is that of a contrite heart), fasting (3: the fasting God wants is from injustice), circumcision (9), diet (10: rules that really prohibit behaviour such as praying to God only when in need, like swine crying out when hungry but ignoring their master when full, or being predatory like eagle, falcon, kite and crow, etc.; and that command to chew by meditating the cud of the word of the Lord and to divide the hoof by looking for the holy world to come while walking in this world), sabbath (15), and the temple (16). The passion and death of Jesus at the hands of the Jews, it says, is foreshadowed in the properly understood rituals of the scapegoat (7) and the red heifer (8) and in the posture assumed by Moses in extending his arms (according to the Greek Septuagint text known to the author of the Epistle) in the form of the execution cross, while Joshua, whose name in Greek is Ἰησοῦς (Jesus), fought against Amalek (12). The last four chapters, 18−21, are a version of The Two Ways teaching...

Another writer referenced Barnabus' writings as what "appears to be a gospel harmony, focusing on the ministry and passion of Jesus.

My conclusion was that I had missed a very succinct incapsulation of the Good News of the gospel given its removal from the canon. How much more have I missed?

As well, that led me to look comparatively at the history behind the writings of his companion, what we know as Mark's Gospel. "A significant majority of scholars consider it to have been the first Gospel written and a primary source for both Matthew and Luke. Mark writes with a powerful and energetic literary style, full of drama, mystery, and color. Like the other Gospels, he provides a unique portrait of Jesus, with a special insight into who Jesus was and what he came to accomplish."

Yet, as I now understand, there was also some hesitancy in including Mark's Gospel in the canon, even accusation of plagiarism of Mathew & Luke's writing, though now known to be the earliest of the three. Uhmmm!

I have to wonder what impact these men, specifically Barnabus might have had upon the tone and nature of Christianity had this rift not occurred among these four passionate early adopters!