Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman The Surprising Reason Luke Removed Atonement from His Gospel
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Feb 17, 2026 Bart Ehrman, New Testament scholar and bestselling author, explains why Luke systematically removed atonement language from Mark. He contrasts Mark’s ransom and sacrificial wording with Luke’s service- and repentance-focused rewrites. Short takes cover contested Last Supper lines, how Luke reframes the crucifixion, and the theological consequences of shifting from sacrifice to forgiveness.
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Raymond Brown Backed Bart's Early Article
- Early in his career Bart sent an article to Raymond Brown, who recommended publishing it.
- The editor initially rejected it, but it later found a home in a major European journal.
Luke Rejects Atonement Language
- Luke removes Mark's language of Jesus dying as a ransom or sacrifice for sins.
- Instead Luke frames Jesus' death as a prompt for repentance so God can forgive you.
Last Supper Lines Likely Later Additions
- The Last Supper atonement lines in Luke 22:19–20 are absent from earliest manuscripts.
- Ehrman argues these verses were likely later additions by scribes, not original to Luke.
