The Gospel contains a documented record of the life of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. It tells about God walking among us as one of us. There are several gospels that people have written, but only four that have been accepted by the Church as authoritative and authentic.
Eusebius of Caesarea, in his Church History, mentions some gospels that were written by Gnostics and members of other heretical groups. He talks about the Gospel according Thomas, a Gnostic gospel, and the Gospel of Peter. He also mentioned the Gospel of Matthias. He said that these were written by heretics.*
In recent times, there has been some discussion about a Gospel of Judas. From what I have heard about this one, this is another Gnostic gospel that someone wrote in the fourth century.
There are only four that have been accepted by Orthodox Christians. These four are the only ones that the Church authorizes to be read in church. They are the Gospels according to St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John.
In the Old Testament, the Holy Prophet Ezekiel relates to us a vision that he had. He saw cherubim that had four faces: the face of a man, the face of a lion, the face of an ox, and the face of an eagle. (Ezek. 1:4-10) These same faces are described in the Book of Revelation. (Rev. 4:6,7)
According to Christian tradition, these faces represent the four Gospels. St. Irenaeus says that the one with the likeness of a man is St. Matthew's Gospel, the one with the likeness of a lion is St. John's Gospel, and the one with the likeness of an eagle is St. Mark's Gospel. Blessed Augustine says that the lion represents St. Matthew's Gospel, the man represents St. Mark's Gospel, and the eagle represents St. John's Gospel. According to St. Jerome, the man represents St. Matthew's Gospel, the lion represents St. Mark's Gospel, and the eagle represents St. John's Gospel. All three of these Church Fathers agree that the ox (or calf) represents St. Luke's Gospel.**
Old Testament prophecy indicated by the faces of the cherubim in Ezekiel's vision that there would be only four Gospels. St. John's vision of the four living creatures in Revelation chapter 4, likewise, says that there are only four.
The Church accepted these four Gospels as part of the Canon of Holy Scripture at a very early date. In the second century, practically every Orthodox church in the world was using only these four. A few were using one called the Gospel according to the Hebrews, but this one has never survived to this day. St. Irenaeus said:
It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. (Against Heresies, Book III, chapter 11, par. 8, by St. Irenaeus of Lyons, 120-202 A.D., vol. 1, p. 428, Ante-Nicene Fathers)
There are only four Gospels, then: the Gospels according to Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These four document God walking among us.
Steve
* See Church History, Book III, chapter 25, by Eusebius of Caesarea, vol. 1, pp. 156-157, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series.
** See Against Heresies, Book III, chapter 11, par. 8, by St. Irenaeus of Lyons, 120-202 A.D., vol. 1, pp. 428-429, Ante-Nicene Fathers; The Harmony of the Gospels, Book I, chapter 6, by Blessed Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D., vol. 6, pp. 80-81, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series; Against Jovinianus, Book I, chapter 26, by St. Jerome, 345-420 A.D., 260-340 A.D., vol. 6, p. 366, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series.
Ante-Nicene Fathers, edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D. & James Donaldson, LL.D., volumes 1-10, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Massachusetts
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D. & Henry Wace, D.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts
Eusebius of Caesarea, in his Church History, mentions some gospels that were written by Gnostics and members of other heretical groups. He talks about the Gospel according Thomas, a Gnostic gospel, and the Gospel of Peter. He also mentioned the Gospel of Matthias. He said that these were written by heretics.*
In recent times, there has been some discussion about a Gospel of Judas. From what I have heard about this one, this is another Gnostic gospel that someone wrote in the fourth century.
There are only four that have been accepted by Orthodox Christians. These four are the only ones that the Church authorizes to be read in church. They are the Gospels according to St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John.
In the Old Testament, the Holy Prophet Ezekiel relates to us a vision that he had. He saw cherubim that had four faces: the face of a man, the face of a lion, the face of an ox, and the face of an eagle. (Ezek. 1:4-10) These same faces are described in the Book of Revelation. (Rev. 4:6,7)
According to Christian tradition, these faces represent the four Gospels. St. Irenaeus says that the one with the likeness of a man is St. Matthew's Gospel, the one with the likeness of a lion is St. John's Gospel, and the one with the likeness of an eagle is St. Mark's Gospel. Blessed Augustine says that the lion represents St. Matthew's Gospel, the man represents St. Mark's Gospel, and the eagle represents St. John's Gospel. According to St. Jerome, the man represents St. Matthew's Gospel, the lion represents St. Mark's Gospel, and the eagle represents St. John's Gospel. All three of these Church Fathers agree that the ox (or calf) represents St. Luke's Gospel.**
Old Testament prophecy indicated by the faces of the cherubim in Ezekiel's vision that there would be only four Gospels. St. John's vision of the four living creatures in Revelation chapter 4, likewise, says that there are only four.
The Church accepted these four Gospels as part of the Canon of Holy Scripture at a very early date. In the second century, practically every Orthodox church in the world was using only these four. A few were using one called the Gospel according to the Hebrews, but this one has never survived to this day. St. Irenaeus said:
It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. (Against Heresies, Book III, chapter 11, par. 8, by St. Irenaeus of Lyons, 120-202 A.D., vol. 1, p. 428, Ante-Nicene Fathers)
There are only four Gospels, then: the Gospels according to Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These four document God walking among us.
Steve
* See Church History, Book III, chapter 25, by Eusebius of Caesarea, vol. 1, pp. 156-157, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series.
** See Against Heresies, Book III, chapter 11, par. 8, by St. Irenaeus of Lyons, 120-202 A.D., vol. 1, pp. 428-429, Ante-Nicene Fathers; The Harmony of the Gospels, Book I, chapter 6, by Blessed Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D., vol. 6, pp. 80-81, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series; Against Jovinianus, Book I, chapter 26, by St. Jerome, 345-420 A.D., 260-340 A.D., vol. 6, p. 366, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series.
Bibliography
Ante-Nicene Fathers, edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D. & James Donaldson, LL.D., volumes 1-10, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Massachusetts
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D. & Henry Wace, D.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts
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