- THE CANONICAL GOSPELS
It is generally agreed that the four gospels included in the New Testament were written towards the end of the 1st century CE.
- Gospel of "Mark" (written around 70 CE)
It is generally agreed that the Gospel of "Mark" was written first, probably towards the end of or soon after the Jewish War (66-70 CE), when the Roman emperor Titus crushed a Jewish rebellion and destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem.
- Gospels of "Matthew" and "Luke" (written circa 80-90 CE)
"Matthew" and "Luke" are based on the gospel of "Mark."
"Mark," "Matthew," and "Luke" all have the same point of view and tell more or less the same story. They are thus collectively called the synoptic gospels.
"Matthew" and "Mark" elaborate in the own ways on some of what "Mark" says but are also intent on addressing questions or problems that were raised by readers of the earlier Gospel.
For example, both "Matthew" and "Luke" attempt to answer questions about Jesus' genealogy by giving his line of descent from King David (Matthew 1: 1-16) and from God (Luke 3: 23-38).
They also seem to 'fit' the story of Jesus to various prophecies contained in the Old Testament.
- Gospel of "John" (written about 90-100 CE)
"John" tells a different story to the one told by "Mark," "Matthew," and "Luke" and sometimes contradicts what they say.
For example, he states that on the road to Calvary, Jesus carried his cross himself (19:17), whereas "Mark" (15: 21), "Matthew" (27: 32),and "Luke" (23: 26) all agree that a passer-by named Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry Jesus' cross for him.
- ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
The Gospels, written during the last 30 years of the century, purport to describe what happened during the first 30 years of the century, with a gap of about 40 years between.
What occurred in this "gap" is more or less covered in the Acts of the Apostles, parts of which were written probably around 60 CE, before the Jewish War, and before the Gospels. Other parts were written and inserted later.
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