When Were The Gospels Written?

[tadoran]

were they written over 70 years after Christ was on earth?

[tonyav]

I think that you may have been better of posting this in Religion and Spirituality.

[Peter Pedant]

but anyway the short answer is yes.

at different times and different people - one John is completely different in style and was probably written by one person alone. If you are gonna start with NT Greek start with this: the style is easier (than the others)

The other three have great similarities and are called synoptic. The current front runner is the two-source hypothesis and this means that one must have been written before the others. Mark. The second source is a document called Q which has not been found and is NOT the first oxyrhynch papyrus (The sayings of Jesus). Altho at the time 1895 they thought it might be. And all before 100 AD.

The most accessible and sensible writer on this is Bruce Metzger - a dead white theologian - but again you can't have everything.

[Zacs-Master]

Just after tea. On a Wednesday.