Basic Information

about the
Four New Testament Gospels

There are four NT Gospels, each named after an early

Christian person: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Which
two are names included in early lists of Jesus' twelve
disciples (apostles)?
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

 Click for the next slide and the answer.

 There are four NT Gospels, each named after an early
Christian person: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Which
two are names included in early lists of Jesus' twelve
disciples (apostles)? (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Answer:

 Matthew, John
 Which NT Gospel is named after a companion of Peter?
Which NT Gospel is named after a companion of Peter?
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Answer:

 Mark, known as John Mark.

 Which NT Gospel is named after a companion of
Paul?
Which NT Gospel is named after a companion of Paul?
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Answer:

 Luke
 Which NT Gospel is volume one of a two volume work
in the NT?
 Which NT Gospel is volume one of a two volume
work in the NT? (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Answer:

 Luke

 What is the name of volume two that "Luke" wrote

after writing "the Gospel of Luke"?

(Gospel of John; Acts of the Apostles; 2 Corinthians;

2 Peter; 2 John)
 What is the name of volume two that "Luke" wrote after
writing "the Gospel of Luke"?
(Gospel of John; Acts of the Apostles; 2 Corinthians;
2 Peter; 2 John)

Answer:

 Acts of the Apostles

 Which one of the four NT Gospels is not a "Synoptic"
Gospel?
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
 Which one of the four NT Gospels is not
a "Synoptic" Gospel?
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Answer:

 John
 Why are Matthew, Mark, and Luke called “Synoptic
Gospels”?
 Why are Matthew, Mark, and Luke
called “Synoptic Gospels”?

Answer:

 Because when “viewed” (Greek: optic) “with” (Greek:

syn) one another, they have many of the same words
and phrases.
 Most scholars accept the scholarly conclusion that
Mark was the earliest (ca. 70 CE), and Matthew and
Luke (ca. 80 CE) used Mark and a Sayings Source
called “Q” for wording when they wrote. There is,
however, extensive scholarly debate about these
things.
 Click on the next slide to see resources on the Web.
Right Click and select Open Hyperlink to view these
great resources and to study the relation of the
Synoptic Gospels, the content of the Sayings
Source “Q” and the debates.
Five Gospels Parallels on the Web
The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew; Mark; Luke)
Outline of the Contents of Sayings Gospel “Q”
The “Q” Source based on Luke
Resources for Research and Debate on “Q”
The Synoptic Problem Home Page (make your head spin!)
Click on each item to see it on the Web, then click for the
new question.
New Question: Which NT Gospel starts with: "The
beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God"? (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
 Which NT Gospel starts with: "The beginning of the
good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God"?
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Answer:

 Mark
 Which NT Gospel begins "An account of the
genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David,
the son of Abraham"?
 Which NT Gospel begins "An account of the
genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of
David, the son of Abraham"?
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Answer:

 Matthew
 Which NT Gospel begins "Since many have undertaken
to set down an orderly account of the events that have
been fulfilled among us … I too decided … to write an
orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus…"?
Which NT Gospel begins "Since many have undertaken to
set down an orderly account of the events that have been
fulfilled among us … I too decided … to write an orderly
account for you, most excellent Theophilus…."?
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
Answer:

 Luke
 Which NT Gospel begins "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God"?
Which NT Gospel begins "In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God"?
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Answer:

 John
 Which NT Gospel ends with "While he was blessing
them, he withdrew from them and was carried up
into heaven"?
 Which NT Gospel ends with "While he was
blessing them, he withdrew from them and was
carried up into heaven"?
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Answer:

 Luke

 Which NT Gospel ends with: "Now the eleven disciples

went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had
directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped
him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to
them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…."?
 Which NT Gospel ends with:
"Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to
which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they
worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and
said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit…."?

Answer:

 Matthew

 Which NT Gospel ends, in the earliest manuscripts,

with "So they [the women] went out and fled from the
tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and
they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid"?
 Which NT Gospel ends, in the earliest manuscripts, with
"So they [the women] went out and fled from the tomb, for
terror and amazement had seized them; and they said
nothing to anyone, for they were afraid"?
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Answer:

 Mark

 Which NT Gospel ends with "This is the disciple who is

testifying to these things and has written them, and we
know that his testimony is true. But there are also
many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them
were written down, I suppose that the world itself could
not contain the books that would be written"?
 Which NT Gospel ends with "This is the disciple who is
testifying to these things and has written them, and we
know that his testimony is true. But there are also many
other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were
written down, I suppose that the world itself could not
contain the books that would be written"?

Answer:

 John

 Some scholars think the author of the Gospel of

John used a “Signs Gospel” as a source. Click on
the following slide and see resources on the Web
to study it.
 Some scholars think the author of the Gospel of John
used a “Signs Gospel” as a source. Right Click and select
Open Hyperlink to view the items below and see
study resources on the Web.

 Reconstructed Text of Signs Gospel

 Signs Gospel Home Page

 There are many well-known Gospels that

were not included in the New Testament.
Click to the following slides and see the
names of some of them.
 Some of the Gospels not in the New
Testament (called Apocryphal or
Extra-Canonical Gospels)
Gospel of Thomas (Coptic)
Gospel of Peter
Infancy Gospel of Thomas
Infancy Gospel of James
Gospel of Mary
Secret Book of James
Dialogue of the Savior
Gospel of Truth
(Right Click and select Open Hyperlink on each item to see its Home
Page on the Web, then continue to “Fragments of Gospels” on the
next slide)
 Fragments of Gospels

Papyrus Fragments
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1224
Egerton Gospel
Fayyum Fragment
Oxyrhynchus 840 Gospel
Secret Mark
Fragments of Extra-Canonical Gospels
Gospel of the Egyptians (fragments)
Gospel of the Hebrews (fragments)
Gospel of the Ebionites (fragments)
Gospel of the Nazoreans (fragments)

(Right Click and select Open Hyperlink on each to see their Home
Page on the Web, then continue to the next slide)
 Congratulations!

Good Work!
You have completed the Basic Lesson
on the New Testament Gospels. This
also included a glimpse of Gospels
outside the New Testament. You are
now ready to move to the Intermediate
Lessons on the Gospels. Good luck
with your additional work.