Grace Thompson
The four canonical Gospels of the Bible are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are considered authentically part of the New Testament by Christians worldwide. They are eyewitness accounts of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, written in Greek several decades after his death around 30 CE. Each Gospel is written for a particular community, with the authors shaping Jesus' story and message to meet the needs of their faith communities.
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What You'll Learn
- The Gospels are eyewitness accounts of Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection
- They were written in Greek decades after Jesus died (c. 30 CE)
- The authors of the Gospels were Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
- Mark, Matthew and Luke are called synoptic gospels due to their close links
- The Gospels are theological documents, written to inspire and nurture faith
The Gospels are eyewitness accounts of Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection
The four canonical Gospels of the Bible—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are eyewitness accounts of Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection. They are considered authentically part of the New Testament by Christians worldwide. These Gospels are not biographies in the traditional sense, but theological documents written by people of faith to inspire and nurture faith in Jesus Christ. They present the "Good News" of Jesus Christ, including his teachings, suffering, death, and resurrection.
The Gospel of Mark is considered by some to be St. Peter's Gospel, as tradition holds that Mark served as a scribe, recording the teachings and recollections of Peter, an eyewitness to Jesus' life and resurrection. Luke, the author of the third Gospel, was a follower of St. Paul and is identified as a physician. He gathered details from eyewitness accounts, likely including the input of Paul, who was instructed by the resurrected Christ.
Matthew, an apostle of Jesus, and John, another apostle and the "beloved disciple," were also eyewitnesses to Jesus' life and resurrection. John's Gospel emphasizes the divinity revealed in the humanity of Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as a new Moses bringing a new law, fulfilling and transcending the old ways of the Jewish Covenant and Law.
The Gospels were written in Greek, decades after Jesus' death around 30 CE. Mark's Gospel likely emerged in Rome around 70 CE, while the Gospels of Luke and Matthew appeared between 75 and 85 CE. The Gospel of John was written later, around 95-100 CE, possibly for the Christian community of Ephesus. These Gospels offer valuable insights into the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and provide a foundation for Christian faith and doctrine.
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They were written in Greek decades after Jesus died (c. 30 CE)
The four canonical Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are the only ones considered authentically part of the New Testament by Christians worldwide. They are eyewitness accounts of the life and ministry of Christ, written in Greek, decades after Jesus died (around 30 CE).
The Gospel of Mark, which probably emerged in Rome around 70 CE, is believed to be the first gospel. It is considered by some to be St. Peter's Gospel, as Mark is thought to have served as a scribe, recording Peter's teachings and recollections. Mark's Gospel is written with a sense of urgency, with sentences running into each other and a swift pace. It is believed to have been written for a community experiencing persecution for following Jesus.
The Gospels of Luke and Matthew appeared between 75–85 CE, possibly for communities in Antioch and Palestine (Israel), respectively. The authors of these gospels drew heavily on Mark's account and added material from other sources, including stories and sayings of Jesus. Luke's Gospel was probably written for gentile (non-Jewish), Greek-speaking Christians, as it includes an infancy narrative with shepherds present at Jesus' birth, indicating that Jesus is for everyone.
The Gospel of John, written around 95–100 CE, was the last of the four to be composed. It was likely written in several stages for the Christian community of Ephesus, which had been meditating on and discussing the meaning of Jesus and his message for decades. John's Gospel emphasizes the divinity of Jesus and portrays him as the suffering and vindicated Son of Man, the Christ, and Son of God.
While the four Gospels are written in Greek, there is some debate about whether any of them were originally written in Aramaic or Hebrew. Papias, an early Christian writer, suggested that Matthew wrote in "the Hebrew tongue," which could refer to either Hebrew or Aramaic. In recent times, some scholars have returned to the idea that at least some of the Gospels may have had a non-Greek origin.
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The authors of the Gospels were Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
The four canonical Gospels, according to the Bible, are purported to be written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These are the names by which the four books are known. However, it is debated whether these authors were real people or code words for anonymous writers.
The Gospels are not biographies but theological documents, written by people of faith to inspire and nurture faith. They are written with the confidence that the risen Christ remains with his disciples in new situations, times and cultures. They are eyewitness accounts (or, in the case of Luke, based on eyewitness accounts) of the life and ministry of Christ.
The authors of the Gospels were two of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, John and Matthew, and two "apostolic men", Mark and Luke, whom Orthodox Tradition records as members of the 70 Apostles. Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector who was called by Jesus and left his life behind. John and his brother James, the sons of Zebedee and nicknamed “Sons of Thunder”, were fishermen along with Peter and Andrew. John is often referred to as “the beloved disciple” and was given charge of Mary as Jesus hung dying on the cross.
The identities of Mark and Luke are harder to establish. However, tradition tells us that Mark the evangelist is the “John Mark” from the Acts of the Apostles, a companion of Paul and Barnabas. Mark was a cousin of Barnabas, according to Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Luke was a follower of St. Paul and a physician.
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Mark, Matthew and Luke are called synoptic gospels due to their close links
The four canonical Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are central to Christianity. They are eyewitness accounts (or, in the case of Luke, based on eyewitness accounts) of the life and ministry of Christ. Mark, Matthew, and Luke are referred to as the Synoptic Gospels because of their close links with each other. The term "synoptic" means "with one eye" and is used to describe these three Gospels because they contain many of the same stories, sometimes presented in the same sequence.
The Synoptic Gospels share a great deal of content, with the majority of Mark and roughly half of Matthew and Luke coinciding in content and sequence, often nearly verbatim. This shared material is called the triple tradition and includes stories, teachings, and parables such as the parable of the strong man, eternal sin, the parable of the sower, and the parable of the mustard seed. While the three Synoptic Gospels have a lot in common, they also have unique pericopae (passages) and substantial differences in style.
The Gospel of Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels and is believed to have emerged in Rome around the year 70 CE. Mark's Gospel has a sense of urgency, with sentences that seem to run into each other and a swift pace. It focuses on the passion and death of Jesus, portraying him as the suffering "Son of Man." Nearly 90% of Mark's content is found in Matthew, and about 50% of Mark appears in Luke. Mark's Gospel was written for a Roman audience.
The Gospel of Matthew, which emerged between 75-85 CE, was written for a community that included Jewish Christians and gentile (non-Jewish) Christians. It begins with infancy narratives, told mainly from the perspective of Joseph, and includes extensive quotations from the Old Testament. Matthew's Gospel is longer than Mark's and includes unique content such as the "Sermon on the Mount."
The Gospel of Luke, which also likely emerged between 75-85 CE, emphasizes the themes of Jesus' Jewish piety and his role as a rejected prophet. Luke was a follower of St. Paul and is identified as the author of the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. He was also a physician. Luke's Gospel is structured carefully, first outlining the ministry of Jesus and then the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles. It includes an emphasis on Jesus' acts of compassion toward Gentiles and Samaritans.
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The Gospels are theological documents, written to inspire and nurture faith
The four canonical gospels of the Bible are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They are eyewitness accounts of the life and ministry of Christ, sharing the 'Good News' of Jesus Christ, his life, teachings, suffering, death, and resurrection. Decades after Jesus died (around 30 CE), the gospels were written in Greek for particular communities by people of faith. They are not biographies in the traditional sense but theological documents written to inspire and nurture faith.
Mark, Matthew, and Luke are called synoptic (meaning 'with one eye') Gospels due to their close links with each other. The Gospel of Mark, written around 65-70 CE, is a short, vivid account that reflects the teachings of Peter and presents Jesus as the Son of God and the suffering Messiah. It is believed to have been written in Rome for a community of Gentile Christians facing persecution. The Gospel of Matthew, written in the 80s, presents Jesus as the fulfilment of prophecies in Hebrew Scriptures and as a teacher and law-giver. It includes infancy narratives and is believed to have been written for a community of Jewish Christians. The Gospel of Luke, also written in the 80s, includes an infancy narrative and hints that Jesus is for everyone. It is believed to have been written for Gentile Christians.
The Gospel of John, written around 95-100 CE, offers a portrait of Jesus with a special emphasis on his divinity. It was written for the Christian community of Ephesus, which had meditated and reflected on the meaning of Jesus and his message. John's Gospel answers the question, "Who is Jesus?" by presenting him as the suffering and vindicated Son of Man, the Christ, and the Son of God.
The authors of the Gospels shaped Jesus' story and message to meet the needs of the faith communities for whom they wrote. The Gospels are not simple biographies but works with theological depth, written from within the heart of the faith community to strengthen the faith of believers. They are testimonies of faith in Jesus Christ, witnessing to him, instructing the community, and seeking to change the reader forever. The differences in detail among the Gospels are irreconcilable, and each has its own distinctive understanding of Jesus and his divine role.
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Frequently asked questions
The 4 Catholic Gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The Gospels are named after their traditional authors. Mark and Luke are believed to be the "John Mark" and Luke, the companion and physician of Paul, respectively. Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector who was called by Jesus, and John was one of the fishermen brothers nicknamed the "Sons of Thunder" and referred to as "the beloved disciple".
The 4 Gospels are eyewitness accounts of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They are written in Greek and present the "Good News" of Jesus Christ, including his teachings and suffering.
