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evidence repeats, or is in harmony with these four" (Introduction, the Gospel according
to Matthew).
In the first book of his Commentary on the Gospel, Origen (born about 185A.D.), says:
"I have learned from uniform testimony concerning the Gospels (the four namely
which are unchallenged, and are alone unchallenged throughout the universal church of
God), that the first was written by Matthew, formerly a tax-gatherer, but afterwards an
apostle of Jesus Christ."
Dr. J. Morison states in his Introduction to the Gospel:
"There is indeed no evidence that, within the circle of the early Christian church, it
was ever doubted that Matthew's Gospel was really Matthew's. There is still no more
reason to doubt it, than there is to doubt that Virgil's Aeneid was written by Virgil, or that
Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was composed by the tinker of Elstow."
Dr. A. T. Robertson says in his Introduction to Matthew:
"We know quite too little of the origin of the Synoptic Gospels to say dogmatically
that the Apostle Matthew was not in any real sense the author."
In these studies therefore we shall assume that Matthew the Apostle is the human
author under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Date of the Gospel.
The actual year cannot be decided with certainty. The modern tendency is to give an
earlier date to most books of the N.T. We shall not go far wrong if we say 60A.D. This,
incidently, is the opinion of Dr. A. T Robertson.
We have stated that the four Gospels give different aspects of the earthly life and
ministry of Christ, just as four great offerings in the O.T. are required to set forth all the
aspects of His atoning death. No one Gospel can completely set forth this perfect life and
service of the Lord any more than one view or aspect of a building can give a true idea of
it as a whole. The unity and diversity of the Gospels must be recognized, to be in line
with the divine purpose behind each one.
Many attempts have been made to create a harmony of the four. Scarcely two agree
and none are completely satisfactory. If one Gospel had been the best way of presenting
the truth of the earthly life and witness of the Lord Jesus, we may be sure this would have
come to pass under God's guidance. It is much more profitable to try to discover the
divine purpose behind each of the Gospels than to attempt to merge them all in one.