Why four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)? Why not one or ten or some other number?
Doe scripture say anything about it? Does tradition?
Doe scripture say anything about it? Does tradition?
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Why Four Gospels?
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Walter Kovacs
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Because those are the four recognized from the beginning by the early Christians as being authentic.
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Rdr Iakovos
Well-Known Member
Without Tradition, there would be no reason to accept/follow the Canon.
But that simple reality does nothing to debunk the myth of Sola Scriptura.
But that simple reality does nothing to debunk the myth of Sola Scriptura.
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Walter Kovacs
Justice is coming, no matter what we do.
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FYI there are lots of other 'Gospels', they were just seen as not being the real deal.
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Maybe they were recognized for their profundity, for their theology, or preserved because of the sway the authors had in the areas that produced each Gospel. Some church fathers took a different approach when they talked about why the four gospels were chosen in particular, and compared the four gospels to four representative animals, or to the four winds, representing completeness.
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OpenDoor
Faith + Hope + Love
The Gospels could not possibly be either more or less in number than they are. Since there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the Church is spread over all the earth, and the pillar and foundation of the Church is the gospel, and the Spirit of life, it fittingly has four pillars, everywhere breathing out incorruption and revivifying men. From this it is clear that the Word, the artificer of all things, being manifested to men gave us the gospel, fourfold in form but held together by one Spirit. As David said, when asking for his coming, 'O sitter upon the cherubim, show yourself '. For the cherubim have four faces, and their faces are images of the activity of the Son of God. For the first living creature, it says, was like a lion, signifying his active and princely and royal character; the second was like an ox, showing his sacrificial and priestly order; the third had the face of a man, indicating very clearly his coming in human guise; and the fourth was like a flying eagle, making plain the giving of the Spirit who broods over the Church. Now the Gospels, in which Christ is enthroned, are like these.
St. Irenaeus
Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies)
Apparently for its time this was a very good argument
St. Irenaeus
Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies)
Apparently for its time this was a very good argument
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M
Memento Mori
Guest
The Gospels could not possibly be either more or less in number than they are. Since there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the Church is spread over all the earth, and the pillar and foundation of the Church is the gospel, and the Spirit of life, it fittingly has four pillars, everywhere breathing out incorruption and revivifying men. From this it is clear that the Word, the artificer of all things, being manifested to men gave us the gospel, fourfold in form but held together by one Spirit. As David said, when asking for his coming, 'O sitter upon the cherubim, show yourself '. For the cherubim have four faces, and their faces are images of the activity of the Son of God. For the first living creature, it says, was like a lion, signifying his active and princely and royal character; the second was like an ox, showing his sacrificial and priestly order; the third had the face of a man, indicating very clearly his coming in human guise; and the fourth was like a flying eagle, making plain the giving of the Spirit who broods over the Church. Now the Gospels, in which Christ is enthroned, are like these.
St. Irenaeus
Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies)
Apparently for its time this was a very good argument
I like it. It sure beats "because that's the way it is."
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OpenDoor
Faith + Hope + Love
Do you want to know why a fire engine is red?I like it. It sure beats "because that's the way it is."
Because there are twelve inches in a ruler, Queen Elizabeth was a Ruler, her ships sailed the seven seas, there are fish in the sea, fish have fins, Fins hate the Poles, Poles hate the Russians, the Russians are Reds. That is why a fire engine is red.
Illogical reasoning even if backed up with reason is still illogical...
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heymikey80
Quidquid Latine dictum sit, altum viditur
There's a reason by a church father. So that's the tradition?According to St. Irenaeus since there are 4 points on a compass there should be 4 gospels...
It may become an example of why tradition isn't considered a good enough reason.
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T
Thekla
Guest
The "four living creatures" are found in Revelation:
And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast [was] like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast [was] like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 4:6-8
And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast [was] like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast [was] like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 4:6-8
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M
Memento Mori
Guest
It's only a problem if you think he is trying to divine the mind of God. The Fathers make all sorts of analogies in Scripture. That's only illogical if you can't distinguish between an analogy and an assertion.
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Thekla
Guest
So Irenaeus relates the number of the Gospels to this; I don't understand why that is a problem
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