What New Testament Book Was Written First?
The New Testament, the second part of the Christian Bible, contains the teachings, letters, and narratives of Jesus Christ and his apostles. It is a collection of 27 books, each written by different authors over a period of approximately 50 years. However, determining which New Testament book was written first has been a subject of debate among scholars for centuries. This article explores the various theories and evidence that help us understand the chronological order of the New Testament writings.
Early Theories and Evidence
The earliest written evidence of the New Testament comes from the early church fathers, who often referred to the books of the New Testament in their writings. Origen, a 3rd-century theologian, is believed to have compiled a list of the New Testament books, which included the Gospels, Acts, Paul’s letters, and the Catholic Epistles. However, this list does not provide a clear chronological order.
One of the most significant pieces of evidence for determining the chronological order of the New Testament books is the internal evidence within the texts themselves. For example, the Gospel of Mark is often considered the earliest written Gospel because it contains references to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in AD 70, which is thought to have occurred after the deaths of the other apostles. This suggests that Mark was written after the events it describes.
Chronological Order of the New Testament Books
Based on the available evidence, scholars generally agree on the following chronological order of the New Testament books:
1. The Gospel of Mark
2. The Gospel of Matthew
3. The Gospel of Luke
4. The Gospel of John
5. The Acts of the Apostles
6. The Letters of Paul (Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon)
7. The Catholic Epistles (Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude)
8. The Book of Revelation
Conclusion
Determining the exact order of the New Testament books is challenging, but scholars have made significant progress in understanding the chronological sequence based on internal evidence and early church writings. The Gospel of Mark is generally considered the first book written in the New Testament, followed by the other Gospels, Acts, and the letters of Paul. This chronological order provides a framework for understanding the development of the Christian faith and the spread of the Gospel message.
