When Were The Gospels Put Into Written Form?

[Shutterbug]

Hi Folks. I have had discussions with people who place the age of the written gospels at 200 AD., long after the last eye witness disciple passed. I appreciate there exists in some form thousands of letters written by a variety of people testifying to the same message we have today. I appreciate the books are based on verbal testimonies and why they begin with "the gospel according to ..."

Cheers,'
John

 

[Dylan569]

Beginning with Exodus 4:1ff, the spokesmen of God were authenticated by miracles, true miracles, not the fraudulent claims to miracles seen today.

Mat 10:1, 8 NRSVue Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness… (8) Cure the sick; raise the dead; cleanse those with a skin disease; cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.

Heb 2:1-4 NRSVue Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. (2) For if the message declared through angels proved valid, and every transgression or disobedience received a just penalty, (3) how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was confirmed for us by those who heard him, (4) while God added his testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to his will.

In none of the 27 books of the New Testament can I find the slightest hint that the temple had already been destroyed. That happened in 70 AD, so I find no reason whatsoever to believe any of the 27 books were written after 70 AD.

Even annotations found in the liberal Oxford Study Bibles admit that at least Revelation 11:1-2 was written prior to 70 AD. I believe John wrote the entire book, not a book pieced together by multiple writers, therefore I believe Revelation itself was written prior to 70 AD.

 

[Shutterbug]

Thank you, Dlylan. The destruction of the Temple is a marker as that date is known. To my knowledge, Revelations is considered written while John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos, who passed away very late in the first century.

My question had to do with Muslims making the claims of second century by unknown writers with Christian scholars in disagreement adding to the mix of confusion. It is curious they claim the words of Allah cannot be changed, yet the Torah and the Gospel (Injeel) were allowed to be corrupted so the Quran could be sent to correct the errors. Rather strange justification as the first two are in agreement while the third sends a different message.

 

[B-A-C]

Hi Folks. I have had discussions with people who place the age of the written gospels at 200 AD., long after the last eye witness disciple passed. I appreciate there exists in some form thousands of letters written by a variety of people testifying to the same message we have today. I appreciate the books are based on verbal testimonies and why they begin with "the gospel according to ..."

This is a tricky subject, but most believe....

Book of Matthew | Guide with Key Information and Resources

Discover how Jesus is the fulfillment of the whole biblical story in the book of Matthew in the Bible. Explore the book’s literary design and key themes with videos, podcasts, and more from BibleProject™.

bibleproject.com

Gospel of Matthew - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Summary of the Gospel of Matthew - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org

Can you summarize the Gospel of Matthew? When was Matthew written? What is the Gospel of Matthew all about?

www.gotquestions.org

Between 50 and 90AD for Matthew.

Gospel of Mark - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

When Was Mark’s Gospel Written? | Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Evangelist St Mark. In seminary we had to study modern Biblical scholarship, and one of my great blessings was that at Bob Jones I learned to be skeptical of the fundamentalists, but at Oxford I learned to be skeptical of the modernists. The fundamentalists...

dwightlongenecker.com

Mark is usually given about 70AD.

Gospel of Luke - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Summary of the Gospel of Luke - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org

Can you summarize the Gospel of Luke? When was Luke written? What is the Gospel of Luke all about?

www.gotquestions.org

Luke was written sometime between 55 and 80AD. Several sources say about 65AD.

Gospel of John - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Summary of the Gospel of John - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org

Can you summarize the Gospel of John? When was John written? Who wrote the Gospel of John? What is the Gospel of John all about?

www.gotquestions.org

Most think John was written between 90 and 100AD.

 

[Shutterbug]

Thanks, BA. My opinion is that while perhaps not formally compiled, the texts existed within a generation of the ascension of Jesus. Cheers.

 

[Rhema]

Hi Folks. I have had discussions with people who place the age of the written gospels at 200 AD.

And yet, in his book Against Heresies, an early "Church Father" named Irenaeus stated:

It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. For, since there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the Church is scattered throughout all the world, and the pillar and ground 1 Tim. 3:15 of the Church is the Gospel and the spirit of life; it is fitting that she should have four pillars, etc.... LINK​

Obviously the Gospels had to have existed before Irenaeus could contend for them.

Same with Justin around 150-60 CE, who explicitly quotes these books. (LINK).

I appreciate the books are based on verbal testimonies and why they begin with "the gospel according to ..."

Sure, because even Justin, when quoting, did not know the names of the actual authors. It took Irenaeus to finally make up the names. (See second link above.)

Revelations is considered written while John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos, who passed away very late in the first century.

New scholarship gives a different perspective. Yet Revelation was not formally accepted into the canon until the Synod of Hippo Regius in North Africa (A.D. 393), the consensus being split circa the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.

(It is still not in our canon.)

I would highly recommend this book:

The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development…

Completing his New Testament trilogy, eminent theologia…

www.goodreads.com

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls and they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.​

- Acts 2:41-42 KJV

It would be absurd to think that the stated "apostles' doctrine" would not have been written down.

Are you familiar with "Q"?

Agape,
Rhema

 

[Rhema]

It is curious they claim the words of Allah cannot be changed, yet the Torah and the Gospel (Injeel) were allowed to be corrupted so the Quran could be sent to correct the errors. Rather strange justification as the first two are in agreement while the third sends a different message.

I think you'd find Nick's post of interest here:

Post in thread 'Quran A false Writing'

Jun 8, 2025

I thought you might find this short interesting.

• Christ4Ever

• 

 

[Shutterbug]

I think you'd find Nick's post of interest here:

I have seen videos of Muslims debunking Christianity as well. They sound convincing to those who do not know Jesus.

 

[Gothedral]

Since Adam and Eve learned to write. The Holy Spirit of Truth is Testimony enough. I share that because I'm simple minded. This is a great question for the Saint Timothy science people.

 

[Garee]

Hi Folks. I have had discussions with people who place the age of the written gospels at 200 AD., long after the last eye witness disciple passed. I appreciate there exists in some form thousands of letters written by a variety of people testifying to the same message we have today. I appreciate the books are based on verbal testimonies and why they begin with "the gospel according to ..."

Cheers,'
John

It's the gospel of Christ not the gospel of the dying mankind apostles. . sent messengers

Not the gospel of Matthrew, Mark, Luke and John. It's an lying oral tradition of dying mankind that assigns the gospel power needed resurrect as coming from the persons feet of the apostles and not according to the work of Christ not seen.

God using two witnesses (Paul and Apollos) to represent his witness

! Corinthians 3:6&;And these things, brethren, I have in a figure (parable) transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, (sola scriptura) that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.;For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

Changing the meaning of the one word from sent messenger (Apostle) to highly Worshipable puffed up ones that lord it over the understnding of the non-venerable pew warmers. or its show time watchers

it violates the loving commandment not to add new meaning to one word it can change the authority of all the commandments as words (sola scriptura)

Deuteronomy 4;Ye shall not add unto the word (singular) which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it,(singular) that ye may keep the commandments (all the commandments) of the Lord your God which I command you.

Therefore, giving the idea that the word apostles used in apostolic time period called the church or apostolical succession of men (called patron saints) making it without effect.

The fist apostle was Abel the first martyr the second born. Used to represent the doctrine a person must not wonder wonder wonder but bemust born from above. God replaced that martyr and gave a new second born Enos to be passed down fro generation to generation.

It was then and not one second before that born again men could call on God not seen (Genisis 4)

Genisis 4:25-26 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another (born again) seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.

 

[B-A-C]

My opinion is that while perhaps not formally compiled, the texts existed within a generation of the ascension of Jesus

That could be. But does a generation mean 40 years, or does it mean the next group of people, no matter how long they lived?
Obviously Matthew and John knew Jesus first hand, being apostles.

But what about Mark and Luke? There is no mention of it in the Bible, but yet they knew some of the apostles and were mentioned by them.
The general consensus is... all of the apostles were younger than Jesus. Jesus died when He was 33. It's possible some of the apostles were in their teens when they were chosen by Jesus, and maybe in their early 20s when Jesus (died and ascended) was resurrected.

So it's definitely possible that these people were still alive, 40 or 50 years later. Maybe even 60 or 70 years later. (Making them about 80 or 90 years old).

 

[Rhema]

I have seen videos of Muslims debunking Christianity as well. They sound convincing to those who do not know Jesus.

But did you watch the video? (And yes I know, Mr. Gibson is a lightening rod for all sorts of slander and misrepresentation since publishing his archeological evidence.)

But there are three major branches of Christianity, so which branch do the Muslims debunk? The Catholics? (So do the Protestants.) The Protestants? (So do the Catholics.) As an Acts 2:38 Christian, I have no affiliation with any of these three branches.

Now since I don't like my time being wasted, I would never recommend a video that would waste your time. (Or a book for that matter.)

God bless,
Rhema

 

[Rhema]

This is a great question for the Saint Timothy science people.

????

 

[Garee]

That could be. But does a generation mean 40 years, or does it mean the next group of people, no matter how long they lived?
Obviously Matthew and John knew Jesus first hand, being apostles.

Generation simply means "Let there be a beginning" or birth. From its root we get Genesis or in regard to creation Genesis's two beginnings (plural) .

Two throughout the bible two denotes Christ our Holy Father has spoken. By the mouth of one witness no judgment can be made.(Deuteronomy 17:6)

(1)The generation of Adam dying flesh and blood and (2) the generation of Christ the born again generation.

Genesis 2:4 These are the generations (two) of the heavens and of the earth when they (two) were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,

Genesis 5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

Matthew 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam (generation) all die, even so in Christ (generation) shall all be made alive.