When were the Gospels written?

TL;DR:

Although the date of authorship of the Gospels is not specifically recorded, they were written after the events occurred to record all Jesus did and said so that we would know Him and believe in Him.

Much research and many views have been proposed regarding the dates for the authorship of each of the four Gospels. Clearly, the Gospels were not written prior to the time of the events (approximately AD 27—33). If authored by the traditional authors, each Gospel must have been completed within their lifetime (no later than AD 100). While the reality that the Gospels were written within the lifetime of eyewitnesses to the events of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection helps demonstrate their veracity, the specific year in which they were written does not ultimately matter. The accuracy and authority of the gospel accounts does not rest on when they were written, but on God who inspired them (2 Timothy 3:16–17). We can have confidence and faith in their completeness and accuracy, knowing that they were written by “men … as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).

from the old testament

The Gospels are only found in the New Testament and were written about four hundred years after the close of the Old Testament, soon after the actual events occurred.

from the new testament

One of the promises Jesus gave His disciples was that He would send them “another helper,” the Holy Spirit, who would teach them all things and “bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit reminds us of the truth written in the Gospels and the rest of the Bible.
Whether the Gospels were written soon after the death and resurrection of Christ or not until thirty years after His death does not really matter because their accuracy and authority does not rest on when they were written but on what they are: the divinely inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16).
We can have confidence and faith in the completeness and accuracy of the Gospels because “no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).

implications for today

Matthew authored his Gospel with dates ranging from the 40s to 80s. If one accepts that Jesus foretold of the destruction of the Jewish temple, which occurred in AD 70, then Matthew was likely written prior to that since he doesn’t mention it as fulfilled prophecy.

Mark was likely the first written gospel, penned by John Mark, cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:3). According to tradition, Mark died in or near Alexandria, Egypt in AD 68. Though uncertain, there is no strong reason why this could not have been the case.

Luke is perhaps the gospel with the strongest evidence regarding the date of its writing since Luke and Acts were written as two parts of a single work (Acts 1:1–3). Acts concludes with Paul under house arrest in Rome in approximately AD 62, so many scholars believe Luke–Acts was written during this general time period.

John was likely written after the other four gospels, something affirmed in early church history. Since church history also records him living until near the end of the first century, John could have been written any time between the 60s and approximately AD 100.

What is clear is that all four gospels were written by apostles or those associated with them to present the life and teachings of Jesus Christ so others may believe. As John 20:31 notes, "these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." The Gospels invite us to know and recognize Jesus as the long-awaited, promised Messiah. Each gospel presents a unique perspective on Jesus—His compassion, authority, sacrifice, and resurrection—from a different point of view and to a different audience. This full view of who Jesus is invites us to respond personally to who He is and to His offer of salvation for all who will believe. Jesus calls us to a restored relationship with God on the basis of His sacrifice on the cross and calls us to follow Him and experience the transformation and abundant life found by believing in Him.

understand

The Gospels were written after Jesus's ministry (27—33 AD), within the apostles' lifetimes.
The Gospels were written before AD 100.
The Gospels each reveal Jesus as the Messiah and invite us to respond to who He is and what He has done to save us.

reflect

How does knowing that the Gospels were written by eyewitnesses or those close to them influence your view of their reliability?
In what ways do you find it significant that the Holy Spirit inspired the Gospel writers to remember and record Jesus’ life?
How does reading the Gospels encourage you to trust in Jesus more fully?

engage

The Gospels, written within thirty to seventy years after Jesus' life, are closer in time to the events they describe than most ancient biographies, such as those of Alexander the Great, which were written centuries after his life. This close dating, combined with multiple eyewitness accounts and consistency across manuscripts, strengthens the credibility and historical reliability of the Gospels. How can the historical timing of the Gospels’ writings help us trust in the accuracy and integrity of these accounts?
What aspects of Jesus’ character, as portrayed in each gospel, deepen our understanding of who He is?
How can we encourage others to explore the Gospels' relevance for our lives today?