Who Wrote the Gospels?

The four canonical gospels are attributed to Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. Matthew and John are among the Twelve Apostles. Mark was a companion of Peter and Luke a companion of Paul. Nevertheless, none of the texts gives any indication that these characters are their actual authors. In fact, the texts originally circulated anonymously and were only assigned their present names by later copyists. John Hamer of Toronto Centre Place will look at the origins of the traditional designations, why none is likely to be an accurate identification, and what we can know from the texts themselves about the anonymous evangelists.

Save the date and join the livestream to participate in the discussion and to ask questions to our lecturer during the Q&A.

#newtestament #biblestudy #gospelmessage #exegesis

[marymagnuson]

Mr. Hammer is just amazing. I could listen to him all day. Sometimes I listen to several of his talks in an afternoon. Truly a gift from God to the world.

[songkhaitung]

As a teacher myself I admire Mr Hamer for his well executed presentation.

[unrecognizedtalent]

I have to literally check myself from watching too many videos like this! They're so addictive and well researched! I used to find the New Testament so boring, but now seeing it as non literal makes it ten times more interesting!

[beegee]

I really appreciate that you make a point of the fact that the Bible is not a history book. My dad and brother are both retired evangelical pastors who have always and continue to believe the Bible is to be taken literally historically and scientifically. My first high school biology class made it impossible for me to believe that. College science classes continued to reinforce that fact. The glaring historical errors cannot be ignored either. Eventually I had to abandon religion completely. Of course now (according to my family) I am at risk of going to Hell. I am perfectly happy to take that risk. It is still interesting to learn about religious mythologies though! Ohio, USA

[twinkletoes]

Clear and succinct speaker who handles the topic in a practical and pragmatic manner. I am researching the Book of Kells and Mr. Hamer situates the early authors of the Gospels which serves my purpose.

[petermackj]

While I have heard and read most of this before from mutliple sources, this is a easy to follow summary, which no doubt aids in its digestion and recall. Thanks John.

[peterhook]

I am mainstream and I will tell you emphatically, I am working on my spirituality, studying early christianity, Zoroastrians, Mithraism, Buddhism, Valentinism, 1st Temple Judaism (original) and Platonic Spiritual concepts as they relate to all these. I am no scholar nor academic and I will tell you this....Prof Hamer (or is it Doctor) is the perfect example of a truth seeker at all costs and caries the lineage and the office of seventy that was meant to be passed as part of the restoration better than any I have seen. Truth at all costs and personal spirituality. What a message. Amazing. A perfect example of what Mormonism or Restoration Christianity should embody. Truth! This is exactly the types of teachings the prophets of all ages teach the masses and get in trouble for..exactly. ty. Just bold, candid, fearless truth, the kind of truth there is no fear to teach. The creator would be/is proud of this kind of truth teaching imo. Please keep it up.

[garymensurati]

Thank you John. Heartfelt and beautiful. God bless All !

[Thomasyouareclearandbeau-tdox]

Harmer you are very good scholar well done for educating us

[Touchguitar]

Well done! Balanced, reasonable and helpful!

[BK_Beloved]

Hey Mr. Hamer, your content is excellent and really like your teaching style. Can you do a video on each Gospel’s christology and Paul’s christology showing example’s from the texts? It would be awesome if you can, thanks for your lectures 👍🏽

[WhoeverNevermind]

Incredibly interesting, thank you so much!

[dbarker]

Thanks for another great lecture.
Really appreciate the shout-out to John Dominic Crossan. It'd be wonderful if Mr Hamer and Mr Crossan could have an online discussion about the gospels, early Christianity, etc.
👍

[Findmylimit]

You looked way cooler from the side. I feel like this is an instructional video and I am supposed to focus solely on you and your gestures. Just something to think about. Thanks again for the content

[GeeThevenin]

At 59:35 is the best rebuttal of “but what about all the prophecies?” apologetic assertion that I have heard.

[michaelhenry]

1:24:31 I am loving this video. This great material.

Just a tiny nick-pick. Of the Three Bible citations referencing Luke, only one is authentically Paul, Philemon. Colossians and 2 Timothy are written by later disciples of Paul decades after his death. Paul never calls Luke a physician.

[RamismTamoid]

Eyewitnesses could not exist more than 60 -90 years after said events?! This is mythological! Why did they not record these things in 30 AD? These don’t appear until almost 80 years after the events!?

[RamismTamoid]

Paul died 40 yrs at least before ‘Luke’ appears!?

[craigluchin]

From about 150 to 160AD there were at least two complete Bibles, which were the old Latin Vulgate and the Syrian text, the Peshitta. Additionally, there was a text from about120 D., that much later on around the 12th century was called the Waldenian.

All these Bibles were complete with the gospels in the early second century.

It is also well documented that the gospels were written by the eyewitnesses to the life of Christ.

[wwiels]

Fantastic lecture again, John! (Nomen est omen?)

One issue I can't seem to shake off concerning Luke, though: wouldn't a woman of such high literary and historico-religious learning be exceedingly, almost impossibly rare in the Graeco-Roman world at the time? A fortiori in the context of a relatively early Christian community of converts or second/third generation Jesus believers. Being rich is one thing, writing literary Greek at Luke's level is another... Cheers and thanks again!