The Gospel of the Lord by Michael F. Bird

Author:Michael F. Bird [Bird, Michael F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Published: 2014-08-22T00:00:00+00:00

Excursus

Patristic Quotations on the Order of the Gospels

The following collection of patristic quotations about the origins of the Gospels is not an exhaustive listing of traditions and speculations about where the four Gospels came from in the opinion of Christian writers. Due to limitations of length, the collection includes the better known references to the origins of the Gospels according to Christian tradition.227

Papias (ca. 70-155)

In his writing he also passes along other accounts of the sayings of the Lord belonging to Aristion, who has been mentioned above, and the traditions of John the Elder, to which we refer those interested. For our present purpose we must add to this statement already quoted above a tradition concerning Mark, who wrote the Gospel, that has been set forth in these words: “And the elder used to say this: ‘Mark, having become Peter’s interpreter, wrote down accurately everything he remembered, though not in order, of the things either said or done by Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor followed him, but afterward, as I said, followed Peter, who adapted his teachings as needed but had no intention of giving an ordered account of the Lord’s sayings. Consequently, Mark did nothing wrong in writing down some things as he remembered them, for he made it his one concern not to omit anything that he heard or to make any false statement in them.’ ” Such, then is the account given by Papias with respect to Mark. But with respect to Matthew the following is said: “So Matthew composed the oracles in the Hebrew language and each person interpreted them as best he could.” The same writer utilized testimonies from the first letter of John and, likewise from that of Peter. He has related another account about a woman accused of many sins before the Lord, which the Gospel according to the Hebrews contains. And these things we must take into account, in addition to what has already been stated.228

Irenaeus (d. 202)

So Matthew published a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own language, while Peter and Paul were preaching at 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 the book the Gospel preached by him [Paul]. 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.229

Clement of Alexandria (ca. 150-215)

This extract from Clement I have inserted here for the sake of the history and for the benefit of my readers. Let us now point out the undisputed writings of this apostle [John]. And in the first place his Gospel, which is known to all the churches under heaven, must be acknowledged as genuine. That it has with good reason been put by the ancients in the fourth place, after the other three Gospels, may be made evident in the following way.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.