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The four biographies of the life of Jesus written during the first century A.D. are known as the Gospels of [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]], [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]], [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]], and [[Gospel of John|John]].  These works contain the most detailed information about the life of Jesus.  Perhaps the best-known material would be Jesus’ birth, [[crucifixion]], [[resurrection]], and [[ascension]] into Heaven.  The gospels contain all sorts of other information, naming Jesus’ close companions, identifying locations where his teachings were given or miracles were performed, describing Jewish customs in detail, referencing the topography of [[Jerusalem]], etc.   

The four biographies of the life of Jesus written during the first century A.D. are known as the Gospels of [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]], [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]], [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]], and [[Gospel of John|John]].  These works contain the most detailed information about the life of Jesus.  Perhaps the best-known material would be Jesus’ birth, [[crucifixion]], [[resurrection]], and [[ascension]] into Heaven.  The gospels contain all sorts of other information, naming Jesus’ close companions, identifying locations where his teachings were given or miracles were performed, describing Jewish customs in detail, referencing the topography of [[Jerusalem]], etc.   

While it is impossible to examine the gospels in detail here, it will suffice to show that they clearly presented themselves as historical documents, describing historical events in a falsifiable way and within a specific historical setting known to their audience.  The three [[synoptic gospels]], Matthew, Mark, and Luke, were written before A. D. 70, with a much earlier date possible concerning Matthew.  Their textual relations with one another, and their authorship, are complex topics, but a general summary based on the witnesses of history will prove useful.  As the Church Fathers recorded, the Gospel of Matthew was written by [[Matthew the Apostle]], who was an eyewitness to the events he described.  Mark was a follower of [[Peter the Apostle]], and he also had access to other sources, including Matthew’s Gospel, and probably Luke’s.  Luke was a follower of [[St. Paul|Paul]], who would have had access to disciples of Jesus, and even his relatives, through connections with [[Antioch]] and ultimately Jerusalem.  John’s Gospel was written last, around A. D. 90, by a disciple of the Lord and eyewitness to the events, referred to as the [[John the Apostle|‘beloved disciple’]] in the text. Thus, the gospel writers were either on the spot themselves, or they had access to people who were.

While it is impossible to examine the gospels in detail here, it will suffice to show that they clearly presented themselves as historical documents, describing historical events in a falsifiable way and within a specific historical setting known to their audience.  The three [[synoptic gospels]], Matthew, Mark, and Luke, were written before A. D. 70, with a much earlier date possible concerning Matthew.  Their textual relations with one another, and their authorship, are complex topics, but a general summary based on the witnesses of history will prove useful.  As the Church Fathers recorded, the Gospel of Matthew was written by [[Matthew the Apostle]], who was an eyewitness to the events he described.  Mark was a follower of [[Peter the Apostle]], and he also had access to other sources, including Matthew’s Gospel, and probably Luke’s.  Luke was a follower of [[St. Paul|Paul]], who would have had access to disciples of Jesus, and even his relatives, through connections with [[Antioch]] and ultimately Jerusalem.  John’s Gospel was written last, around A. D. 90, by a disciple of the Lord and eyewitness to the events, referred to as the [[John the Apostle|‘beloved disciple’]] in the text. Historians have established that the [[Gospel of John]] is entirely dependent of the Gospels, and is not in any way reliant on them, directly or indirectly, and it has been shown that there is no evidence as of yet to suggest this. Thus, the gospel writers were either on the spot themselves, or they had access to people who were.

 

 

 

The gospel accounts were written early on, within a few decades of the death of Jesus, which is comparable to the earliness of most other ancient documents of ancient history. Much of our accounts of [[King Herod]] come 150 years after his death from the ancient Jewish historian [[Josephus]], and our earliest biographies on [[Alexander the Great]] were written a staggering 400 years after his death. Therefore, the gospels are considered to be historical documents by scholars, and early enough to contain a number of authentic memories of his life and death.

===Pauline Epistles===

===Pauline Epistles===