In Christianity, a gospel (from Old English, "good news") is generally one of four canonical books of the New Testament that describe the birth, life, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. These books are the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, written between 65 and 100 AD.[1] More generally, the term refers to works of a genre of Early Christian literature[2]. It originally meant the "glad tidings" of redemption.[3]
The first canonical gospel written is Mark (c 65-70), which in turn was used as a source for the gospels of Matthew and Luke.[1] Matthew and Luke may have also used the hypothetical Q source[1] These first three gospels are called the synoptic gospels because they share a similar view.[1] The last gospel, the gospel of John, presents a very different picture of Jesus and his ministry from the synoptics.[1] The canonical gospels were originally written in Greek.[1]
The synoptic gospels are the source of many popular stories, parables, and sermons, such as Jesus' humble birth in Bethlehem, the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, the Last Supper, and the Great Commission. John provides a theological description of Jesus as the eternal Word, the unique savior of humanity. All four attest to his Sonship, miraculous power, crucifixion, and resurrection.
Other gospels circulated in early Christianity. Some, such as the Gospel of Thomas, lack the narrative framework typical of a gospel.[3] These gospels are later than the canonical gospels, though in the case of Thomas, scholarship is divided on this point.