Part 6 The Gospels Start to Take Shape: Podcast 115

In this eight-part series we will be looking at a timeline from Jesus’ death and resurrection in 33AD up to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD and how the gospels and nearly all of the New Testament came together during this time.  This week in Part 6 we finally break into the 50’s and what might be the beginning of the Gospels themselves being committed to writing. 

Acts 15, “36Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” 37 Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”

“So Matthew published a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own language, while Peter and Paul were preaching in Rome and founding 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.  Then John, the disciple of the Lord, the one who leaned back on the Lord’s breast, himself published a Gospel while he resided in Ephesus.” quoting from Irenaeus (120-202 AD); Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., pp. 5.8.2-4

“The Elder used to say: Mark, in his capacity as Peter’s interpreter, wrote down accurately as many things as he recalled from memory – though not in an ordered form – of the things either said or done by the Lord.  For he neither heard the Lord nor accompanied him, but later, as I said, Peter, who used to give his teachings in the form of cheriai, but had no intention of providing an orderly arrangement of the logia of the Lord...Consequently Mark did nothing wrong when he wrote down some individual items just as he related them from memory.   For he made it one concern not to omit anything he had heard or to falsify anything.””  Quoting from Papias, Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., pp. 3.39.14-16