Were all the writers of the Gospels Apostles of Jesus?

Answer 1

The quick answer to this question is "no" even if you believe that the Gospels were named after the writers (as I do).

The Gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Matthew was an apostle.

John was an apostle. (Some dispute that he was the author.)

Mark was not an apostle but tradition has it that he was the Apostle Peter's personal scribe, in which case this Gospel could be argued to have been Peter's.

Luke was not an apostle. He investigated and wrote of the events.

There is much more detail that goes into this though, such as the source of the similarity of Matthew, Mark, and Luke among other things...

So the answer is No. Hope it helps.

Answer 2

No; Luke, for one, was not one of Jesus' direct apostles. He got at least some of his information from the apostles themselves. Many believe that the Gospels of Matthew and Mark were handed down from Matthew and Mark, though not necessarily penned by them directly.

John, on the other hand, IS John, Jesus' favored disciple. He wrote the Gospel of John, the first, second, and third epistles of John, and the book of Revelation. It's comforting to me that one of the most prolific writers of the New Testament knew Jesus that closely. It gives me great confidence in the accuracy of what he had to say about Jesus. As far as the question of whether John's account rings true as an eyewitness account, one needs only to read the book. Many of the events detailed in it could only have been written by an eyewitness with an inside knowledge. For example, take how John accompanied Jesus to the various trials. It is only for this reason that we have an account of these trials. And notice the details given following the resurrection, many simple, inconsequential details, but ones that a person who was actually there might bother to include or remember. Those details would surely be omitted if it was simply a second or third-hand recounting.

And just for the clarification of several of the people who've posted answers here: Paul DID NOT WRITE a Gospel. There are four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It's too bad that people who are ignorant of the most basic details feel obligated to give answers to questions like this.

Answer 3

All the writers were apostles, but not all of them were among Jesus' original 12 disciples. An apostle is simply someone in leadership within the church. The Bible list 23 apsotles who were not among the original 12. Only two of the writers (Matthew and John) were among the 12.

If you were a historian who wanted to study a persons life, there are four different kinds of sources you would want to consider. What did those close to the person write about him. What did the public write about him. What have the scholars since then written about him, and is there a historical prespective of his live from someone close to him.

In Matthew you have the diary of one of his inner circle, who records the events and sayings as they happen.

In Mark, you have a young man who knew Jesus as part of the crowd who heard his messages. In fact, it was in Mark's parent's home that the Last Supper was eaten. But he was not one of the inner circle, and so he shows us Jesus through the eyes of the crowd.

In Luke you have a later convert, who ever knew Jesus while he was alive on earth. Rather (according to the opening 5 verses of his writing), his book is based on interviewing the people who were there. In Luke, you will find some of the details missing that are in the other gospels, because if he could not find an actual witness to an event or detail, he did not include it. He also includes details of Jesus' birth and childhood which the others did not. He gives us the scholarly research on Jesus' life.

Finally you have John, who wrote several years after all the others. It appears he had their books in front of him when he wrote, because he repeats almost nothing that is in their books. Instead he give us new material, framed in commentary and prespectives that helps us to see the meaning and affect that the life of Jesus had had in the world over the decades since he had taught. John give us the historical prespective on the life of Jesus that comes from nearly a century of living the Christian life.

So God deliberately choose the four people he had to write the gospels to give us four different prespectives on the life of Jesus. Two of them had to be "original 12 disciples", and the other two had to be "not originals" for us to get the whole picture of who Jesus is.

Answer 4

The gospels (translates GOOD NEWS) are the books Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They were all written or dictated by men who were firsthand witnesses to the life and ministry of Jesus. The disciples were the 12 men Jesus chose to be closest to him, serve alongside him and learn from him. The term apostle was used after the death, resurrection and ascention of Christ to refer not only to the original disciples but also the missionaries of the early church.

Answer 5

Apostles? No.

Desciples, Yes.

Answer 6

There is some debate about that. Staunch Christians will tell you yes, but many historians and literary critics will tell you that Mathew and John were transcribe from an unknown account called "Q" and that the other 2 are second hand accounts. There is reason to think that they were not written by eyewitnesses.

Answer 7

Matthew and John were of the 12 disciples of Jesus.
Mark was a disciple of Peter
Luke was Greek and a disciple of Paul & a physician

Answer 8

No. Paul certainly was not. And some scholers doubt that Matthew, Mark Luke and John were who they claimed to be.

Answer 9

Depends in whether you believe Paul actually saw Jesus during his heat stroke.

Answer 10

none of them, only paul claimed to be.