Gospel Authorship According to the Church Fathers

2022-05-13

Commentary

While the writings quoted below are not Scripture and not perfect, they demonstrate that there is a general consensus that the gospels were written by the traditional names given. It was not until the last 200-300 years when the authorship of the gospels was questioned.

Authorship of Matthew

But concerning Matthew he writes as follows: “So then Matthew wrote the oracles in the Hebrew language, and every one interpreted them as he was able.” (Eusebius, Church History 3.39.16, quoting Papias, second century A.D., https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.viii.xxxix.html).

Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome, and laying the foundations of the Church. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.1.1, second century A.D., https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/irenaeus-book3.html)

And the rest of the followers of our Saviour, the twelve apostles, the seventy disciples, and countless others besides, were not ignorant of these things. Nevertheless, of all the disciples of the Lord, only Matthew and John have left us written memorials, and they, tradition says, were led to write only under the pressure of necessity. For Matthew, who had at first preached to the Hebrews, when he was about to go to other peoples, committed his Gospel to writing in his native tongue, and thus compensated those whom he was obliged to leave for the loss of his presence. (Eusebius, fourth century A.D., Church History 3.24.5-6, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.viii.xxiv.html)

Among the four Gospels, which are the only indisputable ones in the Church of God under heaven, I have learned by tradition that the first was written by Matthew, who was once a publican, but afterwards an apostle of Jesus Christ, and it was prepared for the converts from Judaism, and published in the Hebrew language. (Eusebius, Church History, 6.25.4, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.xi.xxv.html, quoting Origen, third century A.D.)

Authorship of Mark

Mark recorded, who was called stumpy finger (Colobodactylus), because he had fingers that were too small for the height of the rest of his body. He himself was the interpreter of Peter. After the death of Peter himself, the same man wrote this gospel in the parts of Italy. (Anti-Marcionite Prologue to the Gospel of Mark, second century A.D., https://www.julianspriggs.co.uk/Pages/AntiMarcionitePrologues)

This also the presbyter said: Mark, having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately, though not in order, whatsoever he remembered of the things said or done by Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor followed him, but afterward, as I said, he followed Peter, who adapted his teaching to the needs of his hearers, but with no intention of giving a connected account of the Lord’s discourses, so that Mark committed no error while he thus wrote some things as he remembered them. For he was careful of one thing, not to omit any of the things which he had heard, and not to state any of them falsely. (Eusebius, Church History 3.39.15, quoting Papias, second century A.D., https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.viii.xxxix.html)

After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. Luke also, the companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel preached by him. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.1.1, second century A.D., https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/irenaeus-book3.html)

And so greatly did the splendor of piety illumine the minds of Peter’s hearers that they were not satisfied with hearing once only, and were not content with the unwritten teaching of the divine Gospel, but with all sorts of entreaties they besought Mark, a follower of Peter, and the one whose Gospel is extant, that he would leave them a written monument of the doctrine which had been orally communicated to them. Nor did they cease until they had prevailed with the man, and had thus become the occasion of the written Gospel which bears the name of Mark. (Eusebius, Church History 2:15, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.vii.xvi.html)

The second is by Mark, who composed it according to the instructions of Peter, who in his Catholic epistle acknowledges him as a son, saying, ‘The church that is at Babylon elected together with you, saluteth you, and so doth Marcus, my son.’ (Eusebius, Church History, 6.25.5, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.xi.xxv.html, quoting Origen, third century A.D.)

Authorship of Luke

The third book of the Gospel, that according to Luke, the well-known physician Luke wrote in his own name in order after the ascension of Christ, and when Paul had associated him with himself as one studious of right. Nor did he himself see the Lord in the flesh; and he, according as he was able to accomplish it, began his narrative with the nativity of John. (Muratorian Canon, https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/muratorian.html)

Luke also, the companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel preached by him. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.1.1, second century A.D., https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/irenaeus-book3.html)

Now, of the authors whom we possess, Marcion seems to have singled out Luke for his mutilating process. Luke, however, was not an apostle, but only an apostolic man; not a master, but a disciple, and so inferior to a master--at least as far subsequent to him as the apostle whom he followed (and that, no doubt, was Paul) was subsequent to the others; so that, had Marcion even published his Gospel in the name of St. Paul himself, the single authority of the document, destitute of all support from preceding authorities, would not be a sufficient basis for our faith. There would be still wanted that Gospel which St. Paul found in existence, to which he yielded his belief, and with which he so earnestly wished his own to agree, that he actually on that account went up to Jerusalem to know and consult the apostles, “lest he should run, or had been running in vain;” in other words, that the faith which he had learned, and the gospel which he was preaching, might be in accordance with theirs. Then, at last, having conferred with the (primitive) authors, and having agreed with them touching the rule of faith, they joined their hands in fellowship, and divided their labours thenceforth in the office of preaching the gospel, so that they were to go to the Jews, and St. Paul to the Jews and the Gentiles. Inasmuch, therefore, as the enlightener of St. Luke himself desired the authority of his predecessors for both his own faith and preaching, how much more may not I require for Luke’s Gospel that which was necessary for the Gospel of his master. (Tertullian, Against Marcion 4.2, https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/tertullian124.html)

And the third by Luke, the Gospel commended by Paul, and composed for Gentile converts. (Eusebius, Church History, 6.25.6, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.xi.xxv.html, quoting Origen, third century A.D.)

Authorship of John

Last of all [Gospels] that by John. (Eusebius, Church History, 6.25.6, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.xi.xxv.html, quoting Origen)

And hence the holy writings teach us, and all the spirit-bearing [inspired] men, one of whom, John, says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,” showing that at first God was alone, and the Word in Him. Then he says, “The Word was God; all things came into existence through Him; and apart from Him not one thing came into existence.” The Word, then, being God, and being naturally produced from God, whenever the Father of the universe wills, He sends Him to any place; and He, coming, is both heard and seen, being sent by Him, and is found in a place. (Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolyous 2.22, second century A.D., https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/theophilus-book2.html)

The fourth Gospel is that of John, one of the disciples. When his fellow-disciples and bishops entreated him, he said, “Fast ye now with me for the space of three days, and let us recount to each other whatever may be revealed to each of us.” On the same night it was revealed to Andrew, one of the apostles, that John should narrate all things in his own name as they called them to mind. (Muratorian Canon, https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/muratorian.html)

Afterwards, John, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned upon His breast, did himself publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.1.1, second century A.D., https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/irenaeus-book3.html)

John accordingly, in his Gospel, records the deeds of Christ which were performed before the Baptist was cast into prison, but the other three evangelists mention the events which happened after that time. (Eusebius, Church History, 3.24.12, quoting Clement of Alexandria, third century A.D., https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.viii.xxiv.html)

Texts Discussing Authorship of Multiple Gospels

We lay it down as our first position, that the evangelical Testament has apostles for its authors, to whom was assigned by the Lord Himself this office of publishing the gospel. Since, however, there are apostolic men also, they are yet not alone, but appear with apostles and after apostles; because the preaching of disciples might be open to the suspicion of an affectation of glory, if there did not accompany it the authority of the masters, which means that of Christ, for it was that which made the apostles their masters. Of the apostles, therefore, John and Matthew first instil faith into us; whilst of apostolic men, Luke and Mark renew it afterwards. (Tertullian, Against Marcion 4.2, third century A.D., https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/tertullian124.html)

Clement of Alexandria (third century A.D.) via Eusebius’ Church History talks about the authorship at length. See https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.viii.xxiv.html.

Anti-Marcionite Prologues to the Gospels has Mark, Luke, and John authorship notes. See https://www.julianspriggs.co.uk/Pages/AntiMarcionitePrologues.