The Authorship of the Gospels

We are all familiar with the four Gospels. The Gospel of Matthew, Marc, Luke and John. 

But how do we know for sure that they were really written by these four Evangelists, and why do modern scholars begin to doubt about there authorship? Next to these "studies" that are made namely by Protestant, secular and atheist scholars, we also get critique from other religious groups, like Jewish and Muslim scholars, that the four Gospels are not written by these specific persons, but are written by anonymous people. So how do we as Orthodox Christians reply to these critics?

First and foremost, it is important for us to know who the Evangelist were. We all heard the names, but do we realize who they were and what their story is? Let us begin with Matthew, from the Orthodox Tradition, we know that Matthew was one of the original 12 disciples of our Lord Christ. Someone, who was personally chosen by the Lord Himself. The second Evangelist, Marc, wasn't one of the original 12 disciples, but he was a student of Saint Peter, and he got his Gospel from Peter. The third Gospel, that of Luke, was written by Luke, and Luke also wasn't an disciple in a direct sense like Matthew, but rather was a student of Saint Paul, Luke is also the writer of the Acts of the Apostles. The fourth, and last Gospel was written by the Apostle John, like Matthew, he also was personally chosen by Christ our Savior to be one of the Twelve original Disciples.  

Therefore, from the Orthodox perspective, the authorship of the Gospels is not in question. These were written by the four Evangelists who were either disciples of Christ or closely associated with the original apostles. The Orthodox Church has preserved and passed down this Tradition throughout the centuries, reinforcing the authorship of the Gospels by these specific individuals.

It is important to remember that the Gospels were not written as historical biographies in the modern sense, but rather as testimonies of our faith and accounts of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They were written to convey the message of salvation and the significance of Christ's life and ministry. 

While there may be differing opinions and interpretations among scholars and critics, the Orthodox Church holds firm to the belief in the authorship and reliability of the Gospels as handed down by the apostles and early Church Fathers. It is through faith and Tradition that we affirm the authenticity and authority of the New Testament scriptures.

In addition to the traditional understanding of the authorship of the Gospels, there are also internal clues within the texts themselves that support the belief that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were indeed the authors.

For example, Matthew, being a tax collector, was familiar with finance and numbers. This is reflected in his Gospel, which includes detailed accounts of Jesus' teachings on money and stewardship, such as the parable of the talents and the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew's Gospel also contains genealogies and lists of numbers, indicating his attention to detail and accuracy.

Luke, as a physician, was drawn to the healing miracles of Jesus and the compassion He showed towards the sick and suffering. This is evident in the Gospel of Luke, which contains many detailed accounts of Jesus healings and interactions with the marginalized and outcasts of society. Luke's emphasis on the humanity and compassion of Jesus reflects his background as a healer and caretaker.

Mark, being a student of Peter, was likely influenced by Peter's direct and impulsive nature. This is reflected in the Gospel of Mark, which is the shortest and most concise of the four Gospels. Mark's Gospel focuses on action and movement, with a sense of urgency and immediacy in its narration of Jesus' ministry and miracles.

As for John, the beloved disciple, his Gospel is characterized by a deep spiritual and theological insight into the divinity of Christ. John's Gospel emphasizes the eternal and cosmic significance of Jesus as the Word made flesh, reflecting his close relationship with Jesus and his deep understanding of Christ's teachings.

These internal clues within the Gospels themselves provide further evidence supporting the traditional authorship of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and highlight the unique perspectives and backgrounds of the Evangelists that shaped their portrayal of Jesus' life and teachings.

What is also important to bear in mind, is that all Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit. This means that every individual who wrote the Gospel and the Epistles, were inspired and lead by the Holy Spirit without being "taken over" by Him. The Holy Spirit spoke through them, but without "forcing" Himself on them, meaning they kept their own personality and their own character of how they spoke and wrote, without "loosing" themselves, which would mean that they would loose their free-will if He would force Himself on them.