Around 85 CE is the estimated date for which Gospel?

• A. Gospel of Matthew
• B. Gospel of Mark
• C. Gospel of Luke
• D. Gospel of John

Answer: (A)

Dating the Gospels relies on how scholars see their literary relationships and the situation of early Christian communities. Mark is generally considered the earliest Gospel, likely written in the 60s–70s CE. Matthew and Luke appear to draw on Mark and on another source (often called Q) while shaping their own distinct portraits for different audiences. Because Matthew shows a readership with a strong Jewish background and a presentation of Jesus as the fulfillment of prophetic expectations, many scholars place its composition in the late first century, around the 80s or specifically about 85 CE. The Gospel of John, in contrast, is usually dated later, toward the end of the first century or into the early second century (roughly 90–110 CE). So an estimate around 85 CE best fits the Gospel of Matthew given these dating patterns and the Gospel’s distinctive emphasis.