The Writing of the Gospels

QUESTION: (1) Which Gospel was first written? (2) Why were the Gospels not written earlier?

ANSWER; (1) Matthew first made a record of the sayings of Christ without any reference to their historical setting. This so-called Logia was probably written from memory not many years after the Ascension. It is now generally believed that Mark several years afterwards gave these sayings their historical setting under the guidance of Peter, between A. D. 60 and 65. This makes Mark's Gospel the oldest. (2) All the Oriental teachers taught extemporaneously, expecting their disciples to remember without the aid of notes. After the Ascension, it was not thought necessary to write the Gospel immediately because they supposed that Christ would return during the lifetime of his Apostles. But his delay convinced them of the necessity of writing the precious words of the Saviour, lest,  if left to tradition, they should be lost.

— Steele's Answers pp. 239, 240.

The Post-Resurrection Christ

QUESTION: (1) Why did not the disciples know Christ when he arose from the dead? (2) Did he have a glorified body?

ANSWER: The visible presence of supernatural power produces an instinctive chill in the spinal column, such as the sudden appearance of one known to be dead and buried, entering the room without opening the door, probably bloodless and pale as a ghost (see Bengel on Heb. 12:24,) in mysterious robes. This would startle the most courageous men. In the case of two disciples it is said "their eyes were holden (restrained) that they should not see him." (2) We do not know when his body met with the change called glorification. It is probable that it took place after his ascension. The only one who has since seen him was Saul near Damascus. The vision of dying Stephen and that of John in the Revelation were subjective, or in a trance. Christ's glorified person is too dazzling for mortals to see. It almost killed Saul.

— Steele's Answers p. 157.

When Did Christmas Festivities Originate?

QUESTION: I find nothing in the Bible about Christmas festivities. When and where did they originate?

ANSWER: Augustine (A. D. 354-430) considered the fast of Good Friday and the festivals Easter, Ascension and Whitsuntide (Pentecost) as the only holy days which had an apostolic origin. Christmas, he deemed to be of later origin and of less authority. This was because the day of Christ's birth was unknown. Neither did the Jews nor the great pagan nations make any record of the birth in a stable of a humble peasant babe. The various guesses were the 6th of January, the 20th of May, and the 20th or 21st of April. The 25th of December was conventionally chosen, I am sorry to say, because it was nearest to the pagan saturnalia to which the converts had been accustomed while heathens. Hence the purity of the day became sullied almost at the first by the revelry and unrestrained license of that period of seven days. The remedy is in joyful worship and in impressing upon the children especially, and all other receivers of gifts, that they are designed to remind them of God's great and unspeakable gift, of the world's Savior. If the gifts are of books, they should be such as relate to Christ. In this way the day may be rescued from follies and frivolities.

— Steele's Answers p. 145, 146.