4
Later, any reflection on his character is effectively removed by the gracious words of Paul (Col. 4:10; 2 Tim. 4:11).
It is the unanimous tradition of antiquity that Mark was the "interpres", the amanuensis, of Peter.
While it is evident that Matthew had Hebrew readers in mind we can deduce from the writing of Mark that
Gentile readers were before him. This would account partly for the omission of our Lord's genealogy, the general
omission of Old Testament citations, except, of course, where the Lord Himself is reported as quoting from the
Scriptures, and the interpretations offered of Hebrew and Aramaic expressions and the explanation of Hebrew
customs.
Luke. While the author of the third Gospel and of the Acts does not give his actual name, there can be no
doubt that Luke, the one spoken of in Colossians 4:14, is the writer. We find the writer of the Acts personally
associated with Paul in Acts 16:10, and at intervals afterwards, his personal presence being indicated by the
appearance of the pronoun "We". Unlike the gospels of Matthew and Mark, Luke's gospel was primarily written for
the benefit of one named Theophilus, but even if Luke had no other intention than that of helping this enquirer, God
intended that it should provide a companion to the Epistles of Paul, and when we exhibit the peculiar features of
Luke's gospel this will be made abundantly clear and we shall see that of the four, Luke's gospel should be the one
most studied by the Church of the One Body.
If the "Acts" is the second treatise written by Luke, and was published soon after the events recorded in Acts
28, it is evident that the gospel called "the former treatise" must have been published some time earlier, and Alford
by a series of arguments indicates A.D. 50-58 as the probable limits within which this gospel was published.
John. John is named the son of Zebedee, and was the brother of James. His family seemed to have belonged
to the middle class, as they had hired servants (Mark 1:20), and his mother was one of the women who ministered to
the Lord of their substance (Luke 8:3 and Mark 16:1). He seems to have been known personally to the high Priest
(John 18:15) and possibly had some place of residence in Jerusalem (John 19:27). He is identified as "the disciple
whom Jesus loved" and an eye-witness of the things recorded in his gospel.
Tradition places his closing years at Ephesus, where having outlived all the other apostles he died and was
buried at about the age of 94. By the many explanations that John offers of matters which would be common
knowledge among the Jews, together with the definite statements made in the gospel itself as to its scope, it is
evident that this message is addressed to "the world", its avowed object is to establish the truth that "Jesus is the
Christ the Son of God", so that "life" should be received "through His name" (John 20:31). The revelation of the
Person of Christ, "The Word, Who was with God and was God " Who became flesh and dwelt among us" is the
distinctive feature of this gospel, and where Matthew stresses "fulfilment" of the words of the Prophets, John
emphasises personal testimony " "one thing I know". There seems to be some reason, however, unstated but
generally known, that called forth the gospel so long after the synoptics had been written, and Irenaeus, Tertullian,
Epiphanius and Jerome taught that John wrote to controvert the teaching of Cerinthius and the speculations of the
Gnostics.
It has been put forward by one authority that there were three classes of writing that arose in the apostolic age
(1) the simple narrative, such as Matthew and Mark; (2) the compilation which attempted a more complete account,
set out "in order" " such as Luke; (3) the third class, which would arise out of growth in the faith, that would not
only desire historic fact, but would enquire into doctrinal meaning, and to this class John's Gospel belongs (see
Lucke, quoted by Alford).
Some features that are peculiar to John may well have become subjects of discussion among believers. For
example, the rejection of the Lord by the Jews and the need to establish the perfect sinlessness of the One thus
rejected. John stresses the fact that the Saviour "laid down His life of Himself", no man taking it from Him. Signs
are discovered in Paul's writings that believers were not above questioning the authority of the apostles and John
devotes several chapters in which the equipment by the "Spirit of Truth" was assured to the Twelve. These items lie
upon the surface, a deeper and more intimate acquaintance with this gospel reveals richer and fuller grace than could
have been called forth by mere controversy. To the "faith" engendered by the synoptic gospels, we may add
"knowledge" as we read John.
In the A.V. and R.V. these four gospels are denominated "the Gospel according to Matthew (Mark, Luke or
John)", Euaggelion kata Matthaion, Markon, Loukan or Ioannen. Euaggelion is Anglicised as the Evangel, and