Difficulties in the Holy 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.”

60 … Difficulties in the Holy Bible

Why is it that there are four Gospels and not one or more ?

Strictly speaking we have to say that there is only ONE Gospel, because, the ‘Good News’ about the Kingdom of God on earth is only one.

But because this Good News was passed on to us from four different aspects, accounts (quadriforme evangelium), from various authors, we can also say that there are four versions of the Gospel.

The Church has declared that the four versions of the Gospel are ‘Canonical’, (which means they are included in the list of Sacred Books). Not one of the Apostolic Fathers has ever quoted from any other book, except the Four, as if quoting from a holy book.

In the days of St.Justin, middle of the 2^nd century, there were many  writings, called ‘apochryphal’ . They sprouted like mushrooms, but these were not ‘sacred’ writings, there were ‘other’ gospels. But the Church never used nor acknowledged any other gospels but those four as recognized to be ‘canonical’

In the year 170 A.D., the disciple of St.Justin, Taziano wrote the well-known, ‘Diattesseron’. In this work he compared the four versions, what we today call the Concordance.

How were the four versions written ?

The Teachings and Miracles performed by Jesus were spread about to the first Christian Communities by means of writing or by word of mouth.

The apostles or their disciples chose from the existing writings the material needed to adapt them to the needs of their communities. Whilst remaining faithful to the truth. Then they recorded their choice by writing them.

In the process under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they could add or change anything for that they were writing from the Apostolic Writings…..as long as this was done during the apostolic Age, that is when the last Apostle was still alive.

It was the Church that collected and chose from the various gospels written during the era of the first Christians, and then declared the four versions of the Gospel.

So, the four versions of the Gospel were compiled by the Church, by people of the Church, accepted by the Church, taught, explained, treasured and defended by the Church…./ 61