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arrangement (teachers and students).78 This can be compared to Luke Timothy Johnson’s
example cited earlier of the stories circulated by a family about their grandmother.
Is this, however, the best approach to view the way oral Jesus tradition was transmitted
in the early Church? For Bultmann, the gospel tradition was made up of layers heaped onto it
by generations and communities.79 But like Goodacre, Dunn has noted that this model of linear
transmission is not feasible with oral tradition.80 Oral tradition consists of too many variables to
assume it moved in this fashion, leading Dunn to state that “the model of linear development,
layer upon layer, edition following edition, is no longer appropriate.”81
Another problem in Bultmann’s model is the
concept of a pure original version of tradition
that it held.82 Dunn is quick to point out the
distinction between the things that Jesus
actually did and the tradition of those
actions.83 The things that Jesus did would have
been witnessed by many different people. Each
of these people would have been affected by Jesus in different ways. For some Jesus’ words
would have been emphasized while for others it was his deeds. Jesus would have also most
assuredly repeated teachings and parables for different audiences further affecting variety of
78
Ibid.
Dunn, “Altering the Default Setting: Re-envisaging the Early Transmission of the Jesus Tradition,” 144.
80
Bauckham, locations 4050-4051, Kindle edition.
81
Dunn, “Altering the Default Setting: Re-envisaging the Early Transmission of the Jesus Tradition,” 172.
82
Ibid, 153.
83
Ibid.
79