Who Wrote The Gospels ?

[modeller]

My granddaughter goes to a C of E school and amongst her RE homework were two questions which she apparently got wrong, despite the fact she had asked her Sunday School teacher.

1. What is meant by ' The Gospel Truth '.
2. Who wrote the 4 Gospels ?

I know the answers but I don't ever interfere and in any case I'm not sure what the school is looking for.
What do you think ?

[Peter Pedant]

Sorry Modeller - John probably WAS written by one person.
Style is very simple NT Greek and is the one new boys start with [in Greek].

Apocalypse may be by another person, and the three letters.

Wiki - goes from one person John - possibly an apostle ( I dont think so) to a committee. I mean it is a toss up really innit ?

[Mamyalynne]

I suggest the Child's parent asks the RE Teacher in a C of E School in what way the child's answers were wrong and why.

Maybe they have started teaching something different these days?

[mibn2cweus]

//2. Who wrote the 4 Gospels ?//

My answer has always been, "Whoever wrote the question obviously wrote '...the 4 Gospels' . . . but then they never credited me with 'Best Answer!' either. :o/

[naomi24]

‘The Gospel Truth’ is a phrase commonly used, but it’s misleading. I don’t know which specific Gospel it refers to, but a cursory examination of the Gospels reveals inconsistencies – therefore until such time as one is proven to be accurate all must be considered flawed. The Gospel Truth doesn’t exist.

What answers did your granddaughter give?

[mibn2cweus]

‘The Gospel Truth’ . . . tops my list of oxymorons.

[modeller]

naomi I think she said M,M,L,J which is the answer most people would give but unless you know how the full questions were asked and in the context of the lesson it's not possible to know what she apparently got wrong.

mibn2 ''‘The Gospel Truth’ . . . tops my list of oxymorons."
Yep ! That is a good answer !

[modeller]

mamy ''I suggest the Child's parent asks the RE Teacher ........................."

I don't think her mum ( my daughter ) thinks it worth bothering with.

[naomi24]

If we're never to know why her teacher marked her answers wrong what was the point in asking our opinions?

[modeller]

naomi "what was the point in asking our opinions? "
Because I value all knowledge . I learnt today from Peter not to carelessly muddle up the Apostles with the Evangelists and that John in fact may not have been written by the Society. Information I can pass on even if it doesn't result in any feed back. As I said earlier my daughter is unlikely to make an issue with the teacher on such a minor matter.

[Mamyalynne]

Not worth bothering with...ok.

I was very hands on in the education of my children and if they were confused by the markings of work only an explanation would clear it up (either a polite request from the child or myself or her father if necessary) - 'not worth bothering with' is not something that I ever entertained.

[modeller]

Quite right Mamy ! It's a question of judgement. I taught children from age 8 to adults of 40 plus, both in the civilian field and in the services. . My daughter also taught in primary, secondary and in further education.

[Khandro]

"1. What is meant by ' The Gospel Truth '.
2. Who wrote the 4 Gospels ?

I know the answers but I don't ever interfere .."
Then why don't you tell US at least?

[naomi24]

Modeller, //John's Gospel wasn't written by a single person but compiled by the Johaness Society. That's why its content differs so much from the others. //

Do you have a link?

[Peter Pedant]

wiki Naomi - Gospel of St John

I like Metzger - but it has a lot of modern criticism Ehrman and Bultman

It is not synoptic ( giving an overview or potted history )
and dives in at John the Bap - make straight the way of the Lord

Does not use the word miracle but uses the word 'sign' ( in Gk of course)
and only five of them - and it worth entering into the spirit of things and wondering why five and why those five....

all of which go to my mind to show it is different but NOT that it was written by a committee.

Bultmann's three phases was new to me - why only three ? or why as many as three ?

[Mamyalynne]

modeller thank you for your reply to me - has teaching dulled her sense of curiosity? For I would still have been interested in the teachers expected answers.

[naomi24]

Peter, I’m questioning Modeller’s reference to ‘the Johaness Society’.

[Khandro]

Does their names really matter? They were written by somebody and their names were not as we call them anyway, even Jesus wasn't called "Jesus" 'The proper name Jesus /ˈdʒiːzəs/ used in the English language originates from the Latin form of the Greek name Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous), a rendition of the Hebrew Yeshua (ישוע), also having the variants Joshua or Jeshua.' Matthew Mark Luke and John similarly.
(Also, he didn't walk "on" the water' but "by" the water.)

[modeller]

khandro The names wouldn't matter if everyone knew they were false, and that the Gospels were hearsay and written decades after the death of Jesus, but the reverse is the case.
I was at a meeting last week and everyone who spoke thought the Gospels were written by the Apostles, which is hardly surprising being as Matthew and John were also the names of Apostles. There were two vicars present who made no attempt to clarify what was being said.

[modeller]

Khandro " (Also, he didn't walk "on" the water' but "by" the water.) "
Really ! !
I don't know what version of the bible you are reading but all mine say.
Jesus Walks on Water .
Mathew 25, Mark 48, John 19
In Matthew it also says Peter joined him walking on the water but then sank and was rebuked by Jesus by saying " You of little faith ........"

[Khandro]

modeller: Yes of course it says that in the bible, but it is a wrong/ambiguous translation of the original, like so many others.