DIFFICULTIES IN THE BIBLE

“Merciful Father, as you have sent the Holy Spirit on Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, to write all that You wished and wanted, we pray You, send the same Holy Spirit on us, so that we may understand, appreciate Your Word, and make it our plan of life. This we ask for the merits of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.”

61 ……For which Community, where and when were the Four Versions of the Gospel written ?

The Gospel according to Matthew was written for the Mother Church at Jerusalem, the majority of whom was made up of Jews converted from Judaism to Christianity (followers of Christ),

Matthew presented Jesus as a Great Master.  The material and information is put down in an organized, orderly format. Yet, though his original Semitic version was the first to be written, from the four Versions, yet it did not see the light before the year 70 AD.

The original version in Semitic has been lost and what we have today is the Greek Version, worked in Antioch, Syria, and comprises a great part of Mark’s Version .

Mark wrote for the Christian Community in Rome, which was made up of gentiles (pagans) and Jews. Mark’s Version is the earliest in the form we know it now in our Bible. It was written in Rome, date uncertain, though it is believed to have been written between 60 – 70 AD. In his Version, Mark stresses Christ’s Divinity and Humanity.

Luke wrote for the converted of pagan origin, especially for those living in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). It was probably written in Greece between the years 70 – 80 AD. Luke presents Jesus as the Healer of Souls, it is also known as the Gospel of God’s Mercy.

The Gospel according to John, as we know it today, was written in Ephesus round about the year 100 AD. It is believed that John’s original has been retouched by one , or some of his disciples. But the Version we know, and have, is Canonical, that is, accepted by the Church.

Of the many miracles performed by Jesus, John chooses only seven. He quotes these miracles to prove Christ’s Divinity. His writings were intended for the Bishops and the Christians of Asia Minor.  /62