GOSPELS, THE. The first four books of the N. T. early received the name Gospels,' not as historical or biographical writings, but because they announce the glad tidings (dayylNzov) concerning Jesus as the Messiah, in the form of a historical demonstration of His Messiahship (Meyer). They are ascribed to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, respectively ; but instead of the genitive of author ship, the preposition Kara, 'according to,' is used in the inscription. The Gospel is properly the Gospel of God' or of Christ; ' and the Gospel according to Matthew' is the Gospel-message, as Matthew delivered it. The inscription in the Peshito (Syriac) version is, 'The holy Gospel, the preaching of the Apostle Matthew.' The integrity and genuineness of the Gospels admit of no reasonable doubt. The substantial sameness of the text from tbe beginning is proved by the agreement among the numerous manuscripts extant in various countries. This agreement, evi denced by a careful collation, is satisfactorily ac counted for only when we admit that the existing copies have been derived from the same common exemplar faithfully copied. The various readings, however numerous, are comparatively unimport ant, and do not affect the essential sameness of the books.
That the Gospels have been rightly ascribed to the writers whose names they bear, appears from the undisputed fact that they were regarded witb the highest reverence as genuine and sacred books by tlte great body of Christians during the last quarter of the 2d century (Norton). In support of this statement, Irenxus of Lyons, Theophilus of Antioch, Tertullian of Carthage, Clement and Origen of Alexandria, might be cited as witnesses. They all bear testimony to our present Gospels, although living in countries distant from each other, some in Asia, others in Africa and Europe. It should be remarked, further, that they \vere not only men of learning and ability, but that they re present the great body of Christians for whom they spoke, a circumstance which greatly enhances the importance of their testimony in favour of the Gospels. By way of example we shall quote Irenxus : Contra Hores, 1--` Matthew among the Hebrews published a Gospel in their own lan guage, while Peter and Paul were preaching the Gospel at Rome, and founding the church there. After their departure (death), Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, himself delivered to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. And
Luke, the companion of Paul, committed to writ ing the Gospel preached by him. Afterwards, John the disciple of our Lord, who leaned upon His breast, likewise published a Gospel, while he dwelt at Ephesus in Asia.' Ireirens elsewhere (iii. 2, S) assigns reasons why there can be neither more nor fewer Gospels than four. And (iii. 2, 7) he says, that these Gospels are so sure that even the heretics bear testimony to them, and attempt to confirm their own doctrine from them.
The personal relations of Irerreus strengthen his testimony. He was born in the first half of the 2d century, and died at the beginning of the 3d. lie had listened to the discourses of Polycarp, who had been a disciple of John, and conversant with others who had seen the Lord.
About A.D. 175 or iSo, then, or within a hun dred years of the period when the Gospels were written, they were generally received among Chris tians. They were even admitted as .genuine by Celsus, the opponent of Christianity, and the here tics who flourished about A.D. 140-150. NOW, it seems impossible to account for the early and gene ral reception of the four Gospels, and the reverence with which they were regarded in all parts of the world, except upon the supposition of their being known as the genuine productions of the writers whose names they bear.
Before passing from our brief survey of the direct historical evidence, we shall refer to two witnesses still earlier than those already mentioned. Justin Martyr was born in the latter part of the ist or the beginning of the 2d century, and flourished about A.D. 150. His quotations are taken from Memoirs by the Apostles, which are called Gos pels,' and which he further describes as composed by Apostles of Christ and their companions,' a description exactly applicable to our Gospels. Thoug,h Justin does not mention the names of the writers of our Gospels, his numerous quotations correspond to such a degree, both in matter and words, with the present Gospels, as to leave scarcely any room to doubt that it is from them he quotes. It is admitted that he did not always quote with verbal accuracy, but it was customary with most of the early fathers to quote loosely, as if from memory, and too much stress has been laid upon this circumstance in the case of Jus tin.