A Look At The Gospels

So when were the gospels written?  Who wrote them, aren't they anonymous?  Do we need to look elsewhere for the historical Jesus?  Questions are being raised about the trustworthiness of the four gospels in the Bible from The History Channel to CNN to Comedy Central. 

The genre of the gospels is known as bios.  This was ancient biography which focused on the key events and teachings of a person.  It is actually not surprising that the four gospels are anonymous (the names of the authors are not included in them) because they were probably originally written to their own churches where the people already knew them.  

Matthew
-Early church tradition is unanimous for the Apostle Matthew as the author.

-Both Papias (A.D. 135) and Irenaeus (A.D. 175) testify that it was written by Matthew. 

-Irenaeus says that this gospel was written while Peter and Paul were still living.  

-It was probably written around A.D. 60.

-Matthew was a tax collector who became an Apostle.  

Mark
-Papias (A.D. 120) states that Mark wrote down the words of Peter.  

-Papias received this tradition from the Apostle John.  

-Church tradition says that Peter was in Rome in the early to mid 50's.

-This gospel was probably written from Rome around A.D. 55.  

-The shortest gospel, it was also probably the first gospel written.  

Luke
-Church tradition is unanimous for Luke as the author.

-Luke was a companion of Paul.

-Eusebius (A.D. 325) says Paul quoted from Luke saying "According to my gospel".  

-It was probably written around A.D. 61.

-It is the longest gospel containing the most parables.

-Luke was a physician, an excellent historian, and also wrote Acts.  

John
-Church tradition supports John as the author.  

-Irenaeus (A.D. 175) states that Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John testified that John was the author of this gospel. 

-Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 200) said that John wrote last of all the canonical gospels when he was old in age.

-John probably wrote from Ephesus.

-Probably written around A.D. 85.  

All four of the gospels included in the New Testament canon were written in the first century.  They were written by an Apostle or by an associate of an Apostle.  The Apostles were given special authority from Jesus.  Other so called gospels were written after the first century, not by the Apostles or an associate of the Apostles, were Gnostic (an ancient Christian heresy), and were often just plain strange.  

The Biblical gospels are trustworthy
and reliable.  They along with the rest of the Bible are the Word of God.  Do not listen to Bart Ehrman, Elaine Pagels, or Marcus Borg.  Anyone wishing to find the historical Jesus needs only to look to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.