The Development of the Gospels
Dev. of the Gospels
During the last third of the first century, after the deaths of Peter and Paul, Christians in various churches began to put into a new written form what they believed and taught about Jesus Christ. Eventually these writings became known as gospels, literally meaning "Good News." Soon these writings were considered to be as important as Paul's Epistles.
Composing the Gospels was a long process (they were not completed until about A.D. 100). People wrote down the Good News for two compelling reasons. One of the reasons was that only a few of the people who had known Jesus personally were still living. If the firsthand experiences about Jesus were to be preserved accurately, they had to be written down. Also, like Paul's letters the Good News in written form could reach many people throughout the Roman Empire.
In the first century there were no printing presses and, of course, no newspapers. Radio and television were probably not even dreamed of. Books were written by hand and were very expensive. For ordinary people they might as well not have existed. And, as we saw with Paul's Epistles, even letters were rare treats.
| 10 B.C. |
0 A.D. |
10 |
20 |
30 |
40 |
50 |
60 |
70 |
80 |
90 |
100 |
| Between 10 B.C. & 0 A.D. |
Between 10 B.C. & 20's |
In the late 20's to the early 30's |
Between the early 30's & the late 60's |
The late 60's |
In the early 70's to the early 90's |
In the early 90's to the early 100's |
| Birth of Jesus |
Hidden years in Nazareth |
Public life, death, and Resurrection |
Early Church; missionary activity; stories and sayings of Jesus recalled, shared, and collected |
Mark's gospel: first one written |
Matthew and Luke gradually develop |
John's gospel: last one written |
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Web page created by:
Griffin
Revised 5-24-01