Although Matthew comes first in Biblical order, the gospel of Mark is widely agreed to be the oldest of the Gospels. Matthew and Luke were probably compiled slightly later, drawing both from the oral traditions of the life of Jesus. John is the last of the Gospels, the most theologically mature, and the strongest in its emphasis on God's loving sacrifice of his only son, Jesus, and the ways in which this sacrifice redeemed all mankind. The first three canonical Gospels are often called the "synoptic" Gospels, as they tell slightly different versions of the same underlying story of Christ's life and ministry on earth. | Although Matthew comes first in Biblical order, the gospel of Mark is widely agreed to be the oldest of the Gospels. Matthew and Luke were probably compiled slightly later, drawing both from the oral traditions of the life of Jesus. John is the last of the Gospels, the most theologically mature, and the strongest in its emphasis on God's loving sacrifice of his only son, Jesus, and the ways in which this sacrifice redeemed all mankind. The first three canonical Gospels are often called the "synoptic" Gospels, as they tell slightly different versions of the same underlying story of Christ's life and ministry on earth. |