According to Catholic tradition, the four Gospels were written by four individuals called the four Evangelists. Many scholars today, however, argue that the original authors were "anonymous," and that the names of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were only later connected with these four books. Which opinion is correct? Better yet, what difference does it make? This workshop will explain why it is important for all Christian teachers and students to know how, when, for whom, and by whom the Gospels were written.

Official Church Documents (click here):

Including:
• Dei Verbum (Vatican II: "Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation")
• Catechism of Catholic Church (§§ 51-141)
• Pontifical Biblical Commission: "Historical Truth of the Gospels" (4/21/64)
• Pontifical Biblical Commission: "Interpretation of the Bible in the Church" (4/23/93)

• Four-Fold Role of the Evangelists
• Ten Stages of Biblical Formation and Transmission
• Four Criteria for Canonicity
• Texts from Eusebius on the Authorship of the Gospels
• Historical-Critical Study of the Gospels' Authors and Recipients

Including:
• Biblical Background Texts on the "Four Living Creatures"
• Patristic Texts Connecting the "Living Creatures" with the Four Evangelists
• Artistic Images of the Evangelists and/or Their Symbols

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The Handout Distributed at the Congress:

Introduction: The "Catholic" Approach to All Theology

"BOTH/AND" rather than "either/or" (avoiding one-sided extremes; embracing both sides)

I) Revelation and Scripture: God as Author AND Humans as Authors

Documents:  Dei Verbum (Vatican II: "Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation"); Catechism of Catholic Church (§§ 51-141);
        Pontifical Biblical Commission: "Historical Truth of the Gospels" (4/21/64); "Interpretation of the Bible in the Church" (4/23/93)

Revelation of God's Self: in Creation, in Human Life, in the People of Israel, in God's Son Jesus
        Transmitting God's Revelation ("Tradition"): apostolic preaching, sacred scripture, church teaching

Revelation in Sacred Scripture: Written under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit, with God as Author
        "Catholic" Christian Canon: universal message and audience; God's truth "for the sake of salvation"

Revelation in Human Language: Humans as "true authors" using their own "powers and abilities"
        Awareness of Literary Genres; Four-fold Role of the Evangelists: selectors, arrangers, shapers, proclaimers

II) Evangelists as Authors of "Good News":

A) Literary / Textual

Four Stages of Gospel Formation (usually three; cf. DV 19, CCC 126):
        words and deeds of Jesus; oral traditions passed on; written collections compiled; full Gospels written

Original Titles are Unknown (cf. first verses or "incipits" of Gospels):
        canonical titles added later: literally the "Gospel according to ____" rather than the "Gospel of ____"

Initial Texts were Anonymous (the authors are not named in the texts):
        possible self-references: Mark 14:51-52; Matt 13:52; Luke 1:1-4; John 21:20, 24; 19:35 ?

B) Canonical / Traditional

Patristic Traditions: Papias (~125 AD; in Eusebius, E.H. 3.39.15-16); Clement of Alexandria (~180 AD; E.H. 6.14.6); etc.

Matthew - apostle (Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13); Galilean tax collector (Matt 9:9; 10:3; "Levi" in Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27?)
Mark - Jerusalem youth (Acts 12:12, 25 "John Mark"); missionary with Paul (Acts 13:5, 13; 15:36-40; 2 Tim 4:11; Phlm 24); "cousin" of Barnabas (Col 4:10); Peter's "son" (1 Pet 5:13); Peter's "interpreter" (Papias)
Luke - client of Theophilus (Luke 1:1-4); "co-worker" of Paul (Phlm 24; 2Tim 4:11); a Greek "physician" (Col 4:14)
John - brother of James, son of Zebedee (Mark 3:17, par.); the "beloved disciple"? (John 13:23; 19:26-27; etc.); the "elder"? (2John, 3John); the same "John" who wrote Revelation? (Rev 1:4,9) - probably not (see Eusebius, E.H. 3.39; 4.14; 7.25)

C) Historical / Critical

Various types of "authorship"; Multiple stages of composition and expansion; Implied authors
Communities to/for whom the Evangelists wrote; When/Where; Socio-historical context; Implied readers

Mark - bi-lingual Aramaic/Greek interpreter; persecuted Gentile community; late 60's (Rome? later Alexandria?)
Matthew - Jewish-Christian scribe; educated community arguing with other Jews;  70's-80's (Galilee? Antioch?)
Luke - Gentile Christian historian; wealthier urban community becoming complacent;  80's (Antioch? Greece?)
John - Jewish Christian believers, in conflict with the "synagogue across the street";  90's (Syria? later Ephesus?)

D) Symbolic / Spiritual

Four "living creatures"(Ezek 1:1-14; Rev 4:6-9; 6:1-7; etc.); Jerome (~398 AD; Preface to Comm. on Matt.)

Matthew - begins with the HUMAN ancestry of Jesus (1:1-18); ends with Jesus' promise to be "with us always" (28:20)
Mark - begins with John the Baptist, roaring like a LION (1:2-8); ends with challenge: "do not be afraid or silent" (16:1-8)
Luke - begins and ends in the Jerusalem Temple, where OXen are sacrificed and God is praised (Luke 1:5-23; 24:53)
John - begins like a soaring EAGLE: cosmic hymn to the Logos (John 1:1-18); ends with divine life (20:30-31; 21:24-25)

III) Why Should We Care?

Richness of the Four-Fold Gospel - Different Emphases for Different People in Different Situations:
        Multiple Levels of Meaning and Interpretation: Literary, Canonical, Historical, Spiritual - all valid and important
vs.
Poverty of One-Dimensional Views - Inadequacy of Uniform Harmonizations for Scripture and Religion:
        Overemphasis or neglect of history; Desire for immediate relevance or simplistic answers; Do you care enough?

IV) Questions and Discussion

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See my collection of Catholic Church Documents related to Biblical Studies

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