Introduction Jesus Christ (Jesus of Nazareth) was born between 4 BC and 7 AD and was a Jewish preacher and religious leader who was crucified by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem around 30-31 AD. Jesus, the central figure of Christianity, which is the religion with the most followers in the world today, has his life, teachings, death, and resurrection narrated in the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that make up the first four sections of the New Testament. However, during the time Jesus lived, there was no single book called the “Gospel.” His words and life were transmitted first through oral tradition and later through various written documents; which of these documents would be considered “sacred” was determined at the end of a long and complex canonization process that lasted about four centuries. The word “Gospel” comes from the Greek word “εὐαγγέλιον” (euangelion) and means “good news.” In this article, we will examine the process of the Gospel's compilation starting from Jesus's life, period by period, and in all its details. First Period: Historical Jesus and His Time (4 BC – 30 AD) Birth and Early Life The exact date of Jesus's birth is not known. According to the Gospel of Matthew, it is believed that he must have been born during the final years of King Herod's reign, that is, before Herod's death in 4 BC, so his birth is accepted to have occurred between 4 and 6 BC. The Gospel of Luke places the birth during the census conducted by the governor of Syria, Quirinius (6-7 AD). These contradictory datings show that the Gospels carry theological messages rather than presenting a historically precise chronology. Jesus grew up in the town of Nazareth in the region of Galilee as the son of Joseph the carpenter and Mary. Raised in a Jewish family, Jesus deeply absorbed the Torah and the prophetic tradition. By the time he reached his thirties, he began his public ministry after being baptized by John the Baptist. Public Ministry and Teachings The public ministry of Jesus lasted about two to three years. He preached in the regions of Galilee and Judea, proclaiming that the "Kingdom of God" was near, conveyed teachings through parables, and healed the sick. His teachings contained a radical message that challenged the official religious authorities of the time (Pharisees and Sadducees): the love of God, mercy, forgiveness, and social justice. He gathered twelve apostles (disciples) around him and commissioned them to spread his teachings. The Belief in Crucifixion and Resurrection Jesus' growing popularity disturbed both Jewish religious leaders and the Roman authorities. The Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, accused him of inciting rebellion against Rome and sentenced him to crucifixion around AD 30-31. His followers claimed to have witnessed his resurrection three days after his death, and this belief became a fundamental doctrine of Christianity. Second Period: Oral Tradition and Early Written Documents (AD 30 – AD 70) The Dominance of Oral Tradition In the early period following Jesus' death, his words and narratives about his life were primarily transmitted through oral tradition. The apostles and early followers spread Jesus' teachings, miracles, and testimonies of his resurrection by memorizing and recounting them to one another. This oral tradition formed the foundation of the worship and teaching activities of the first Christian community in Jerusalem. The reliability of oral transmission was ensured by the prevalence of oral culture at that time and the ritualistic repetition of the narratives. The Letters of Paul (AD 50-65) The first written documents of the New Testament are not the Gospels, but the letters of Apostle Paul. Although Paul did not personally see Jesus, he was the most effective missionary who claimed that the risen Jesus appeared to him and spread Christianity among non-Jews (Gentiles). Paul's letters were written between AD 50 and 65, approximately 20-35 years after the death of Jesus. These letters contained practical guides and theological discussions aimed at specific church communities rather than a systematic "Gospel" book. However, Paul's letters played a decisive role in shaping Christian theology and spreading interpretations of Jesus' identity. The Beginning of the Writing of the Gospels (AD 65-70) As the first generation of Christians (the apostles who personally saw Jesus) began to age and die, the need arose to put the oral tradition into writing. This need resulted in the writing of the Gospel of Mark. According to current academic opinion, the Gospel of Mark is the first Gospel written between AD 65-70 and has become one of the main sources for the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The Gospel of Mark begins with the baptism of Jesus and has a brief and dynamic narrative style. Third Period: Synoptic Gospels and Written Sources (AD 70 – AD 100) The Synoptic Problem and the Q Source The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the "Synoptic Gospels" (able to be seen together) because they show great similarities in content and arrangement. These similarities indicate that these three Gospels either share a common written source or have drawn from each other. The vast majority of scholars accept that Mark was written first and that Matthew and Luke used Mark as well as a lost document containing the sayings of Jesus known as the Q Source (German Quelle = source). The Gospel of Matthew (AD 80-90) The Gospel of Matthew was likely written around AD 80-90 in a large Jewish-Christian community such as Antioch. It presents Jesus as the completer of the Jewish prophetic tradition and a new Moses. By tracing Jesus' genealogy back to Abraham, it emphasizes his Jewish identity. The Gospel of Luke (AD 85-95) The Gospel of Luke was likely written around AD 85-95 for a non-Jewish Christian community. Luke attempts to arrange events in chronological order with the precision of a historian and emphasizes Jesus as the universal savior by tracing his genealogy back to Adam. Luke is also the author of the Acts of the Apostles . The Gospel of John (AD 90-100) The Gospel of John is quite different from the other three Synoptic Gospels. It uses a theological and symbolic language, more clearly revealing Jesus' divine identity. It is believed to have been written around AD 90-100, near Ephesus. With the writing of the Gospel of John, the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament were completed. Fourth Period: The Beginning of the Canonization Process and Apocryphal Texts (AD 100 – AD 200) The Concept of Canon and Early Lists “Canon” (Greek kanōn = ruler, standard) refers to the list of books that the Christian church considers sacred and recognizes as authoritative. In the early centuries, Christian communities in different regions accepted different writings as sacred texts. The canonization process was an effort to reach a consensus on which books were written under divine inspiration and held religious authority. Each section of the Gospel (4 Gospels, Letters, Acts of the Apostles, and Revelation) was a book in its own right; they were written at different times, in different places, for different audiences. Apocryphal and Pseudepigraphal Gospels In the early centuries, alongside the canonical four Gospels, there were numerous Gospels, letters, and revelation texts described as apocryphal (hidden, secret) or false. Among these texts were the Gospel of Thomas , the Gospel of Peter , the Proto-Gospel of James , the Gospel of Mary , and the Gospel of Judas . These texts dealt with subjects not found in the canonical Gospels, such as the childhood of Jesus, the life of Mary, or secret teachings. The Church Fathers rejected these texts, claiming they did not have apostolic origins or contained heretical teachings. Marcion's Challenge (AD 140-160) One of the most important catalysts in the canonization process was a theologian named Marcion of Sinope . Marcion viewed the God of the Old Testament (creator, angry, just) as completely different from the God of the New Testament (merciful, loving) and argued that the Old Testament was not binding for Christians. Around AD 140-160, he created his own Gospel canon: only the Gospel of Luke (purged of Jewish elements) and ten letters of Paul. Marcion rejected all other Christian writings. Marcion's initiative prompted the church to take action in determining its own official canon. The church not only opposed Marcion's list but also felt the need to define which books were truly sacred. The Muratorian Canon (AD 170-200) The oldest surviving list of New Testament books is the Muratorian Canon . This fragment is a Latin translation of a Greek original likely written in Rome around AD 170-200. The list includes the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), the Acts of the Apostles, the thirteen letters of Paul, the letter of Jude, the two letters of John, Revelation, and the Wisdom books. It also notes that some texts, such as the Revelation of Peter and the Shepherd of Hermas , could be read in churches but were not canonical. The Muratorian Canon affirms 23 of the 27 books of the New Testament. The Fifth Period: Formation of the Canon and Councils (AD 200 – AD 400) Establishment of Three Criteria In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, the church developed three main criteria to determine whether a book was canonical: Apostolicity: Was the book written by an apostle (a direct disciple of Jesus) or by someone closely associated with an apostle (for example, Mark was a disciple of Peter; Luke was a disciple of Paul)? Orthodoxy: Was the teaching of the book consistent with the general belief and tradition of the church? Catholicity: Was the book used by the majority of the church in worship and teaching? Contributions of Origen and Eusebius In the 3rd century, church fathers like Origen of Alexandria and Eusebius of Caesarea conducted extensive studies on the New Testament books. Eusebius classified the books into three groups: accepted (homologoumena), disputed (antilegomena), and forgeries (notha). Among the disputed books were Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and Revelation. The Council of Nicaea (AD 325) and Misunderstanding According to a common misconception in popular culture, the Council of Nicaea in AD 325 determined the New Testament canon or selected from among the Gospels. However, this is historically inaccurate . The main agenda of the Council of Nicaea was to resolve the Arian controversy regarding the divine nature of Jesus and to formulate the Nicaean Creed . The council did not make any decisions regarding which books would be included in the Bible, nor did it discuss this issue. What the council did not vote on, or even discuss, was the canonization of the Gospels. Athanasius' Easter Letter (AD 367) The first definitive list of the New Testament canon is found in the 39th Easter Letter of Bishop Athanasius of Alexandria in AD 367 . In this letter, Athanasius listed the 27 books of the New Testament as we know them today and stated that no other books should be considered sacred. This list was widely accepted in both Eastern and Western churches. The Council of Carthage (AD 397) The New Testament canon was officially approved at the Council of Carthage in AD 397 . This council confirmed Athanasius's list and finalized the 27-book New Testament canon. However, this decision was not to confer "holiness" on the books, but to officially endorse the books that had already been in use for a long time. Sixth Period: Manuscripts and Transmission of the Text (AD 100 – Present) Early Manuscripts The original texts of the New Testament have not survived to the present day; the oldest manuscripts we have date to the 2nd century AD , approximately 100 years after their original writing. However, the New Testament is supported by far more manuscripts than any other ancient text: there are a total of over 13,000 manuscripts , including more than 5,000 in Greek and over 8,000 in other