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In the second century, the Church Father Saint [[Irenaeus]] records that St. Matthew wrote the First Gospel and that the Four Gospels were already universally accepted by the Christian Church as Inspired Scriptures: "We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith ... Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome, and laying the foundations of the Church. After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. Luke also, the companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel preached by him. Afterwards, John, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned upon His breast, did himself publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia."<ref>Against Heresies, Book III, Chapter 1, Saint Irenaeus. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103301.htm</ref> Saint Matthew the Apostle therefore wrote in the lifetime of Sts. Peter and Paul, and St. Mark shortly thereafter wrote his own Gospel based on the preaching of St. Peter.

In the second century, the Church Father Saint [[Irenaeus]] records that St. Matthew wrote the First Gospel and that the Four Gospels were already universally accepted by the Christian Church as Inspired Scriptures: "We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith ... Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome, and laying the foundations of the Church. After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. Luke also, the companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel preached by him. Afterwards, John, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned upon His breast, did himself publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia."<ref>Against Heresies, Book III, Chapter 1, Saint Irenaeus. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103301.htm</ref> Saint Matthew the Apostle therefore wrote in the lifetime of Sts. Peter and Paul, and St. Mark shortly thereafter wrote his own Gospel based on the preaching of St. Peter.

Archbishop [[John_Chrysostom|St. John Chrysostom of Constantinople]] gives an additional reason why Four Evangelists wrote, rather than just one. "5. And why can it have been, that when there were so many disciples, two write only from among the apostles, and two from among their followers? (For one that was a disciple of Paul, and another of Peter, together with Matthew and John, wrote the Gospels.) It was because they did nothing for vainglory, but all things for use. What then? Was not one evangelist sufficient to tell all? One indeed was sufficient; but if there be four that write, not at the same times, nor in the same places, neither after having met together, and conversed one with another, and then they speak all things as it were out of one mouth, this becomes a very great demonstration of the truth."<ref>Homily 1 on Matthew, Saint John Chrysostom: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/200101.htm</ref> This is in accord with the ancient Biblical principle that "at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established" (Deut 19:15).

Archbishop [[John_Chrysostom|St. John Chrysostom of Constantinople]] gives an additional reason why Four Evangelists wrote, rather than just one. "5. And why can it have been, that when there were so many disciples, two write only from among the apostles, and two from among their followers? (For one that was a disciple of Paul [i.e. Luke], and another of Peter [i.e. Mark], together with Matthew and John, wrote the Gospels.) It was because they did nothing for vainglory, but all things for use. What then? Was not one evangelist sufficient to tell all? One indeed was sufficient; but if there be four that write, not at the same times, nor in the same places, neither after having met together, and conversed one with another, and then they speak all things as it were out of one mouth, this becomes a very great demonstration of the truth."<ref>Homily 1 on Matthew, Saint John Chrysostom: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/200101.htm</ref> This is in accord with the ancient Biblical principle that "at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established" (Deut 19:15).

==Audience==

==Audience==