The New Testament gives us four different accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. How do we know who wrote them? Are there reasonable evidences to determine the authors of the four Gospels?
The New Testament gives us four different accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Each account is a unique perspective of the most significant events in the history of world. All the four Gospels are named after men who lived during or shortly after the earthly life of Christ. However, not one of the Gospels comes with an attribution. So how do we know that the Gospels were written by the four men that tradition has always affirmed?
The Gospel according to Matthew: When we look at the earliest manuscript attributions that have survived, we find that it is always the Gospel according to Matthew. The Didache (ca. AD 110) has quoted Matthew more than any other Gospel. Several early church fathers like Clement of Rome, Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen referred to Matthew as the writer. The tax collector in Matthew 9:9 is called "Matthew" while the other Synoptic Gospels call him "Levi" ??? a key internal indicator. In keeping with the author's background as a tax collector, Matthew gives more specific details about money than any other Gospel writer.
The Gospel according to Mark: Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis (ca. AD 135-140) made the earliest known statement about Markan authorship. Later evidence comes from Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen. Mark is the only Gospel that narrates the story of the unidentified young man who fled naked at Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane (14:51-52) ??? this was probably Mark talking about himself. It is highly unlikely that the early church would have accepted this Gospel as authoritative without convincing proof that Mark actually wrote it.
The Gospel according to Luke: The early church fathers were unanimous in their voice that Luke "the beloved physician" (Col. 4:14) wrote the Gospel. The earliest evidence comes from the Muratorian Canon and the Anti-Marcionite Prologue (both dated AD 160-200). The vast majority of Bible scholars believe that the author of Luke also wrote the book of Acts. Luke was evidently a Gentile, confirmed by his use of polished Greek and his phrase "their own language" (Acts 1:19). Both Luke and Acts use specific medical terminology, confirming the claim that Luke the physician is the author of both.
The Gospel according to John: Irenaeus, the bishop of Lyons (ca. A.D. 130-200), mentioned that he had heard Polycarp, a disciple of John, affirm that "John, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned upon His breast, had himself published a Gospel during his residence in Ephesus in Asia." The author also witnessed Christ's glory (1:14) ??? a manifestation given to Peter, James and John on the mount of Transfiguration. John alone was at the crucifixion (19:33-35) and referred to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (19:26-27).
The evidence points conclusively to what the church has always believed: that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were indeed the authors of the Gospels.