When were the gospels written?

Question

Suggested dates for the writing of the Gospel of Matthew range from as early as A.D. 40 to as late as A.D. 140. This wide range of dates from scholars indicates the subjective nature of the dating process.

Professor Helmut Koester of Harvard University has suggested that the collection of sayings in the Gospel of Thomas, although compiled c. 140, may include some traditions even older than the gospels of the New Testament, "possibly as early as the second half of the first century" (50-100)--as early as, or earlier, than Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John.

So you see, some biblical scholars claim that the Gospel of Thomas Actually PREDATES Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/story/pagels.html

Answer 1

When ever the gospels were written, they were re-written at the council of Nicea.

"The Council of Nicea took place in 325 A.D. by the order of the Roman Emperor Caesar Flavius Constantine. Nicea was located in Asia Minor, east of Constantinople. At the Council of Nicea, Emperor Constantine presided over a group of Church bishops and leaders with the purpose of defining the true God for all of Christianity and to ***eliminate all the confusion, controversy, and contention within Christ’s church.**** The Council of Nicea affirmed the deity of Jesus Christ and established an official definition of the Trinity - the deity of The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit under one Godhead, having three co-equal and co-eternal Persona."

read more at the website. But obviously there was contempt for what had been written about hay zeus.

Answer 2

That is excellent. It is rather easy to now see why such as The Gospel of Thomas and others were expunged by the Council.
Subjectively dating the Gospels A.D. 49 - A.D.140 is acceptable. The Gospel of Thomas is so early that it should or could rightly be seen as a source for the accepted Gospels.

Example:

THE GNOSTIC SOCIETY LIBRARY
The Nag Hammadi Library
The Gospel of Thomas Translated by Thomas O. Lambdin
(3) Jesus said, " If those who lead you say to you, ' See, the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, ' It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty."

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/thomas.html

Listen to Luke' version,

The Bible Luke 17: 20 - 21
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, " The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ' Here it is,' or ' There it is, ' because the kingdom of God is within you.".

Have a pleasant day.

Answer 3

Most respected Scholars put the gospel of Thomas at 150. There are early Christian writings that denounce the gospel of Thomas because it was not written by Thomas. Mark was written in 60 By Mark. Mark is the earliest Gospel we have. By the time the Gospel of Thomas came on the seen The gospels were all written.

Answer 4

Does is matter? Since each of the texts could (if necessary) stand alone - I'm not sure it matters. The order in which the books were assembled was never meant to be chronological - just useful.

Answer 5

Well, if Koester said it, I guess that pretty much settles it. We might as well just go ahead and ignore the (vast majority of?) scholars who dispute his claim.

Answer 6

Think about this logically. If they were men that experienced it first hand wouldn't that make it from 33 A.D. to 90 A.D. when John died about...He was one of the last survivers from the adults that walked with Christ.

Answer 7

Some "scholars" also continue to believe in the easter bunny and the tooth fairy.

Get real.