Hi. I am loosely dispensational, being part of the Calvary Chapel movement for over ten years, but I confess that I do not fully understand dispensationalism. I am debating a SDA guy about the Law, and he has brought up an issue I can't resolve on my own right now.
Is there more than one gospel? If so, how do we deal with this passage:
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
(Gal 1:6-9)
Thanks in advance!
When Paul wrote that there were no written gospels. He is using the word in a generic sense to refer to his message of salvation. However, aside from the four canonical gospels, there are a total of perhaps fifty gospels in all. Some are quite childish --- the Infancy Gospels and the Gospel of Peter come to mind. A few are quite worthwhile --- for example the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary (Magdalene). In addition there are a great many other early Christian documents. What follows is a list of these together with their approximate date of composition. I hope that you find this helpful.
John Dominic Crossan has provided a detailed classification of our sources for the historical Jesus according to the chronological stratification of the traditions. For a brief discussion of each source, including the reasons for its proposed dating, see John Dominic Crossan, The Historical Jesus (HarperCollins, 1991) Appendix 1, pp. 427-50. All dates shown are C.E. (Common Era).
First Stratum [30 to 60 C.E.]
1. First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians (late 40s)
2. Letter of Paul to the Galatians (winter of 52/53)
3. First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians (winter of 53/54.)
4. Letter of Paul to the Romans (winter of 55/56)
5. Gospel of Thomas I (earliest layer of Thomas, composed in 50s)
6. Egerton Gospel (50s)
7. P. Vienna G. 2325 (50s)
8. P. Oxyrhynchus 1224 (50s)
9. Gospel of the Hebrews (Egypt, 50s)
10. Sayings Gospel Q (50s)
11. Miracles Collection (50s)
12. Apocalyptic Scenario (50s)
13. Cross Gospel (50s)
Second Stratum [60 to 80 C.E.]
14. Gospel of the Egyptians (60s)
15. Secret Gospel of Mark (early 70s)
16. Gospel of Mark (late 70s)
17. P. Oxyrhynchus 840 (?80s)
18. Gospel of Thomas II (later layers, 70s)
19. Dialogue Collection (70s)
20. Signs Gospel, or Book of Signs (70s)
21. Letter to the Colossians (70s)
Third Stratum [80 to 120 C.E.]
22. Gospel of Matthew (90)
23. Gospel of Luke (90s)
24. Revelation/Apocalypse of John (late 90s)
25. First Letter of Clement (late 90s)
26. Epistle of Barnabas (end first century)
27. Didache (other than 1:3b2:1, 16:35) (end first century)
28. Shepherd of Hermas (100)
29. Letter of James (100)
30. Gospel of John I (early second century)
31. Letter of Ignatius, To the Ephesians (110)
32. Letter of Ignatius, To the Magnesians (110)
33. Letter of Ignatius, To the Trallians (110)
34. Letter of Ignatius, To the Romans (110)
35. Letter of Ignatius, To the Philadelphians (110)
36. Letter of Ignatius, To the Smyrneans (110)
37. Letter of Ignatius, To Polycarp (110)
38. First Letter of Peter (112)
39. Letter of Polycarp, To the Philippians, 1314 (115)
40. First Letter of John (115)
Fourth Stratum [120 to 150 C.E.]
41. Gospel of John II (after 120)
42. Acts of the Apostles (after 120)
43. Apocryphon of James (before 150)
44. First Letter to Timothy (after 120)
45. Second Letter to Timothy (after 120)
46. Letter to Titus (after 120)
47. Second Letter of Peter (between 125 and 150)
48. Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians, 112 (140)
49. Second Letter of Clement (150)
50. Gospel of the Nazoreans (middle second century)
51. Gospel of the Ebionites (middle second century)
52. Didache, 1:3b2:1 (middle second century)
53. Gospel of Peter (middle second century)