Canonical Gospels
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The four canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) were written by anonymous authors with the
headings of attributed authorship added, by some estimates, in the 2nd century CE. Depending on the Gospel, they are thought to have been composed between ~60 and 110 CE. The first
three Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) are known as the
Synoptic Gospels due to
similarities in wording and narrative structure. Because of this, there is a presumed literary relationship between them (e.g., the authors of
Matthew and Luke accessed copies of the Gospel of Mark before they finished their compositions). These Gospels were canonized (i.e, deemed
authoritative and worthy of inclusion in the New Testament) through a
process of growing consensus and Church Councils that took place over a few hundred years.