What is the order of the gospels?

The order of the gospels refers to the sequence in which the four gospels of the New Testament are presented in the Bible. The gospels, which are the primary source of information about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The order in which they are presented in the New Testament is not necessarily chronological, and different Christian traditions may present the gospels in different orders.

The most commonly accepted order of the gospels is Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This order is based on the idea that Matthew was the first gospel to be written, followed by Mark, which is believed to be an abbreviated version of Matthew. Luke is believed to have used both Matthew and Mark as sources, and John is thought to have been written independently of the other three gospels.

However, some scholars argue that Mark may have been the first gospel to be written, followed by Matthew and Luke. This theory, known as the Two-Source Hypothesis, proposes that Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source, as well as another common source known as Q. This theory would suggest a different order of the gospels, with Mark being the first gospel, followed by Matthew and Luke, and then John.

In addition to these two orders, there are other variations that exist in different Christian traditions. For example, some Orthodox churches present the gospels in the order of Matthew, John, Luke, and Mark, while some Protestant denominations may present the gospels in the order of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John.