What historical circumstances contributed to the origin of the Gospels and the Pauline Epistles?

The historical circumstances that contributed the origin of the Gospels and the Pauline Epistles can be stated into two aspects: the apostles were getting gone to death and the fast spreading of the Gospels to the Gentile world.

In the time of Jesus until the writing of Gospels, “oral tradition” is their way of passing information (Viertel, 108). Jesus did not write any book (Viertel, 104). However, He spoke many words and performed many wonders and ministries. When Jesus ascended, the disciples did not write immediately but rather they proclaim by their voice about the good news- the life and messages of Christ which is known as the gospel, because the writing is very expensive and slow and their expectation of Christ return was very near (Viertel, 108-09). In AD 66 – 70, when the rebellion of the Jews broke out against the Roman Government, persecution had come to the Jews including Christians (Viertel, 105). Here, apostles and Christians were disappearing through death. Viertel said that the death of the Apostles endangered the “source of authentic teachings” (Viertel, 109). William Farmer supported the same idea when he said; “the disappearance of the first Christian generation… endangered the continuity of oral tradition” that conveys the gospel of Christ (Farmer, 114).  Thus, Farmer added, “the urgency of producing more permanent vehicles of transmission for the Christian message appears in this context fully” (Ibid.). The need of concrete preservation through written form of testimony about the life and messages of Christ was urgent.

The Gospel was preached to the Gentile world unhindered. Thus, many Gentiles were coming to know Christ. The Gentiles who did not have background or copy of the Scripture or Old Testament needs authenticated reading materials to read and study (Viertel, 109). However, the life and teaching of Jesus were enough for them to know about the truth and salvation as Dr Janapin mentioned (Janapin, class). Thence, the Four Gospels were come into existence. The letters of Paul are also about the life and teaching of Christ. It was Christ was his inspiration in his writing. He became the “interpreter” of Christ’s gospel to the Gentiles, Viertel said (Viertel, 116). Here, it shows a reason that the letters of Paul were collected as Scripture for the Gentiles Christians and for all Christians.

References

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Farmer, William R. and Farkasfalvy, Denis M. The Formation of the New Testament Canon. New York: Paulist Press,                                  1983.

Michael R. Hanapin, Class notes for BI, Bible Introduction, PBTS, Baguio City, Philippines, June 2010. 

Viertel, Wieldon E. The Bible And Its Interpretation. Makati, Philippines: Church Strengthening Ministry, Inc., 1973.