Why the Gospel have to be written
(reason)
- The delay of the
Parousia.
- To Preservation. To
preserve the tradition of Jesus:
The early church would not live on
its memory alone, as long as the believers could appeal to the eye-witness or
apostles when there were important questions to be answer but the death of the
apostles or ey witness warranted to fixed written document.
- Lithurgical: The
very form of Christian worship encourage the production of Christian
literature. The necessity of written gospel or the Christian worship was
derived from the Synagogue worship practices, they were liturgical and
were intended for corporate worship.
- Missional or
Mission of the Church:
The mission of the church
necessitate the production of the gospels and other NT groups.
- Instructional:
It was for catechism or
instruction. There was necessitate for collection of teaching of Jesus for
Catechical purposes as new members were added to the church.
- Apologetic and
Polemics purposes:
As the church grew there was also
the need for an official gospel a practical necessity as numbers of heresies
appeared. It was a defense against the forces within and outside the church.
- Persecution:
They have to be written in the
context of persecution within and outside (Judaism and Roman Empire). To prove
the innocence of Christianity and as a source of encouragement.