Original Language of St. Matthew's Gospel.

Ir is not easy to tell precisely the times at which the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. After comparing all the collateral evidence, Lardner has come to the conclusion, that they were written nearly at the same time, and about thirty years after our Saviour's ascension. It does not appear, that the Apostles wrote any thing early. They were exclusively employed for several years in travelling and preaching. It is argued very justly, that the Gospels must have been written before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, because they contain many predictions relating to that event, which evidently had not come to pass. According to Josephus, the Jewish war, which terminated in the ruin of that nation, commenced A. D. 66. Several of the ancient christian writers testify, that Mark was solicited by the brethren at Rome to write for their benefit what Peter had preached to them. From the best accounts Peter must have gone to Rome about A. D. 63. Hence Lardner concludes, that Mark's Gospel was not written before this period; and also, that the Roman brethren did not then know of any written Gospel.