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| | *[[Gospel of John]] - an entirely independent eyewitness account by [[the Apostles|the Apostle]] [[John]], and the most profound and theological. | | *[[Gospel of John]] - an entirely independent eyewitness account by [[the Apostles|the Apostle]] [[John]], and the most profound and theological. |
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| − | The first gospel chronologically was by Mark, probably a [[Gentile]], who is fearless of authorities and irreverent towards all other than Jesus. Matthew then reused 97% of Mark's gospel,<ref>"Matthew adopted all but 304 of Mark's 11,025 words." [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/new-testament-studies/article/abs/matthews-use-of-mark-did-matthew-intend-to-supplement-or-to-replace-his-primary-source/2893B4D82A9178BDD6693A64A9237E53 New Testament Studies, published online by Cambridge University Press]</ref> omitting merely some of its boldness and irreverence, while adding more content. The [[Gospel of John]] was completely independent, and thus a corroboration of what is found in the other Gospels. | + | The first gospel chronologically was by Mark, probably a [[Gentile]], who was fearless of authorities and irreverent towards all other than Jesus. Matthew then reused 97% of Mark's gospel,<ref>"Matthew adopted all but 304 of Mark's 11,025 words." [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/new-testament-studies/article/abs/matthews-use-of-mark-did-matthew-intend-to-supplement-or-to-replace-his-primary-source/2893B4D82A9178BDD6693A64A9237E53 New Testament Studies, published online by Cambridge University Press]</ref> omitting merely some of its boldness and irreverence, while adding more content. The [[Gospel of John]] was completely independent, and thus a corroboration of what is found in the other Gospels. |
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| | The Gospels were originally written in [[Greek language|Greek]], the common [[lingua franca]] (common or commercial language among diverse peoples) of the Roman Orient. No original Gospels have been found in [[Aramaic]]; the only known Aramaic Gospels are translations from Greek versions. None of the Gospels quotes from Hebrew [[Scripture]]s; only two out of four (Matthew and Luke) quote from Scriptures by using the Greek translation (the [[Septuagint]]). Some say that the Gospel according to Matthew was written particularly for [[Jews]]; the Gospel according to Mark was written particularly for [[Roman]]s; the Gospel according to Luke was written particularly for [[Greeks]]; and the Gospel according to John was written for everyone. The different styles may simply reflect the different backgrounds and ethnicities of the authors. | | The Gospels were originally written in [[Greek language|Greek]], the common [[lingua franca]] (common or commercial language among diverse peoples) of the Roman Orient. No original Gospels have been found in [[Aramaic]]; the only known Aramaic Gospels are translations from Greek versions. None of the Gospels quotes from Hebrew [[Scripture]]s; only two out of four (Matthew and Luke) quote from Scriptures by using the Greek translation (the [[Septuagint]]). Some say that the Gospel according to Matthew was written particularly for [[Jews]]; the Gospel according to Mark was written particularly for [[Roman]]s; the Gospel according to Luke was written particularly for [[Greeks]]; and the Gospel according to John was written for everyone. The different styles may simply reflect the different backgrounds and ethnicities of the authors. |
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| | A longstanding theory is that a common source, called "Q", was used by [[Matthew]], [[Mark]], and [[Luke]] in their Gospels.<ref name="Zondervan">https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/synoptic-gospels</ref> [[John]] appears entirely independent, more than 90% of his material is new and not found in the other Gospels.<ref name="Zondervan"/> | | A longstanding theory is that a common source, called "Q", was used by [[Matthew]], [[Mark]], and [[Luke]] in their Gospels.<ref name="Zondervan">https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/synoptic-gospels</ref> [[John]] appears entirely independent, more than 90% of his material is new and not found in the other Gospels.<ref name="Zondervan"/> |
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| − | Another theory is that Mark was the source for the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, as Mark uses [[Jesus]]'s native [[Aramaic]] and unpolished [[Greek]] while the other Gospels are more refined and translate the Aramaic into Greek. | + | Another theory is that Mark was the source for the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, as Mark uses [[Jesus]]'s native [[Aramaic]] and unpolished [[Greek]] while the other Gospels are more refined and translate the Aramaic sayings into Greek. |
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| | ==Non-canonical Gospels== | | ==Non-canonical Gospels== |
| | In addition to the four Canonical gospels, other texts claiming to record the accounts of Jesus's earthly ministry have survived in part or in whole. Most notable among these is the [[Gospel of Thomas]], which contains additional sayings and teachings. Recently, a [[Gospel of Judas]] surfaced, but this text is decidedly a later one, and its claim for any original authority is very slim. These Gospels are considered apocryphal by modern Christianity, and therefore not authoritative texts. | | In addition to the four Canonical gospels, other texts claiming to record the accounts of Jesus's earthly ministry have survived in part or in whole. Most notable among these is the [[Gospel of Thomas]], which contains additional sayings and teachings. Recently, a [[Gospel of Judas]] surfaced, but this text is decidedly a later one, and its claim for any original authority is very slim. These Gospels are considered apocryphal by modern Christianity, and therefore not authoritative texts. |
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| − | A number of other "gospels" were written sometime between the second to the fourth centuries, most well after the dates when the disciples lived. They include the Gospel of the Ebionites, Gospel of the Hebrews, [[Marcion of Sinope|Gospel of Marcion]], Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Thomas, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, and the Infancy Gospel of James.<ref>Donald Harman Akenson, Surpassing Wonder: The Invention of the Bible and the Talmuds, 216.</ref> | + | A number of other "gospels" were written sometime between the second and fourth centuries, most well after the dates when the disciples lived. They include the Gospel of the Ebionites, Gospel of the Hebrews, [[Marcion of Sinope|Gospel of Marcion]], Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Thomas, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, and the Infancy Gospel of James.<ref>Donald Harman Akenson, Surpassing Wonder: The Invention of the Bible and the Talmuds, 216.</ref> |
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| | Among fragments that still survive are the gospels according to the Hebrews (much prized by the early Jewish Church), according to the Egyptians, of the Ebionites, of Philip, of Matthias, of Peter, of Thomas (almost complete), of Nicodemus, of Bartholomew, of Pseudo-Melito, of Joseph of Arimathaea, of James, of Pseudo-Matthew, of Barnabas and a whole collection of infancy gospels.<ref>James. M.R, The Apocryphal New Testament (Clarendon, Oxford, 1924)</ref> | | Among fragments that still survive are the gospels according to the Hebrews (much prized by the early Jewish Church), according to the Egyptians, of the Ebionites, of Philip, of Matthias, of Peter, of Thomas (almost complete), of Nicodemus, of Bartholomew, of Pseudo-Melito, of Joseph of Arimathaea, of James, of Pseudo-Matthew, of Barnabas and a whole collection of infancy gospels.<ref>James. M.R, The Apocryphal New Testament (Clarendon, Oxford, 1924)</ref> |