Bible Study How were the Gospels put together?

[Corn Pop]

So for example Matthew. Obviously the author themself was a second witness to most accounts they wrote, and maybe if they old man, eye witness to a couple of events as they probably lived during the time of Christ in the first century. Or even if it was written later after the fact, as a second witness.

So how did they put it together?. Did many believers and eye witness from many places, including the diciples, all get together to share there testimonys and everything they knew and had seen and the author penned it down to make a Gospel, as there are multiple eye witness's inside each Gospel.

Or did many people pen what they had witnessed, and someone put all the accounts together to make one book?

Ir was it just through word of mouth around that time?

There is no way the single author, Matthew, if that was even his name, was at every place, everytime and eye witness to all things.

I guess what im trying to say is, how did many eye witnesses get inside a book of the bible.

Its like some say Moses wrote the Torah, but I dont believe it because not only did he die before it had finished, the literery style did not change. I mean you can tell the difference between authors, just like John in rev is unique, he says I John seen this, so you know he is the one claiming to be author of the full book. Literery style.

 

[Eugene]

Good question Brother kiwidan. I too will just give an opinion, and yet there may be many recorded explanations for their similarities and yet different additional events described at times.

I’ll begin by giving 2 Tim 3:16, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. What can this mean? Did the Holy Spirit present with the prophets guide their thoughts and actions?

There is evidence in the gospels that the context used by the four writers showed different thoughts and characterizations of Jesus portrayed in their writings.

For instance, Matthew shows Jesus as the King, and gives His genealogy back to David.

Mark describe Jesus as our servant in Mark 10:45, For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Luke brings forth Jesus’ humanity as man, and traces His genealogy back to Adam. Now Jesus God but we also read in Php 2:6-7,
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.

John writes of the heavenly Jesus, or as my bible describes Him as being in His diety. In Jn 1:1 He is God, by Jn 1:3 and Jn 1:10 we see that He made all things.

These following types may be too remote to understand, but as we take on the image of Christ, the following type might become relevant as we read of the description of one group of His body; the four beasts as John described them in the very midst of Jesus’ throne in Rev 4:6. Rev 4:7 shows one like a lion; a King. The second as a calf, a servant of man, third comes one with the face as a man, and the fourth like a flying eagle much like Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

The Apostle Paul tells in Gal 1:11, But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man, and in Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Was this in any manner God’s dealing with others by dreams, personal visits, or even experiences?

 

[Corn Pop]

Each book must have had seperate witness to different events. I have said it in other threads before, like in one book there were two messengers at the tomb, and in another book there was only one messenger at the tomb, so this means they must have been two seperate eye witness's who gave there own accounts. When one person went there they seen two angels and another person only seen one. So there must have been many people sharing accounts.

Its like if you and me go to the beach and dolphins are swimming, you seen 5 dolphins but I only seen 2, yet we both give witness there were dolphins, just from our own accounts.

I dont think matthew, mark, luke and john were at the tomb, and was it not the woman who gave witness of the Angels?, so it could not have been the authors. And if the authors were inspired by the Spirit in a certain way, maybe the literary style would have be different, more like Daniel or John in rev, and Ezikiel gicing revelations.

 

[Eugene]

Each book must have had seperate witness to different events. I have said it in other threads before, like in one book there were two messengers at the tomb, and in another book there was only one messenger at the tomb, so this means they must have been two seperate eye witness's who gave there own accounts. When one person went there they seen two angels and another person only seen one. So there must have been many people sharing accounts.

Its like if you and me go to the beach and dolphins are swimming, you seen 5 dolphins but I only seen 2, yet we both give witness there were dolphins, just from our own accounts.

I dont think matthew, mark, luke and john were at the tomb, and was it not the woman who gave witness of the Angels?, so it could not have been the authors. And if the authors were inspired by the Spirit in a certain way, maybe the literary style would have be different, more like Daniel or John in rev, and Ezikiel gicing revelations.

Your guess is as good as mine for things not directly told us as to the how, what, where, and why of the matter. I know I remain amazed at how much of scripture matches when we compare it to our modern news agencies seldom getting anything matching in their accounts of events.

 

[Corn Pop]

I hear you there brother. I give the 4 Gospels in the bible full credibility, multiple eye witness's, who all give give there own accounts, that all match.

When you have a thinking mind, and I first thank Christ, and then Paul for the verse 'test the spirits', I dont know why but that is probably one of the verses that has stuck to me like glue. Its so easy with the advice of Christ and the Apostles to figure things out. Its jusr analising situations.

I was looking into something the other day, and I watched,and listened to all the witness's give there eye witness accounts, and they all contradicted.

One said he was taken in a helecoptor, another said ambulance, another person who was with him at the time of the accident said he drove him to hospital and they talked the whole way and even after surgery, another friend of his said he went straight to the hospital but couldnt talk to him as he was in a coma then passed away.

 

[JohnDB]

Luke never met Jesus personally. But he interviewed everyone.

Mark was Peter's cousin retelling of the stories Peter told of his time with Jesus.

Matthew was the tax collector Levi. It was originally written in Hebrew but Matthew translated it himself into Greek styled after the Septuagint.

All were written after the fact. Between 40-60 AD...possibly as late as 70 AD. Or later.

The Bible was complete by 90 AD and was circulating as such.

 

[Corn Pop]

I dont think, and please correct me if you think im wrong, any profe for the names of the authors of the Gospels. I mean, knowhere in them does anyone claim to be the authors, im not sure where matthew, mark, luke, and john come from. I have done some study and cant find any credible profe for those names as the real names of them who penned it down

 

[JohnDB]

Hebrews is the only book whose author is contested...

All the gospel's headings had the author's name as it was circulating.
Internal evidence usually confirms the author's identity. (Of the gospel's).

It's a long explanation and I'm on my phone.

But we have the most accurate Bible than at anytime in history without the autographs themselves.

Lee Strobel has got this down to a science.