Here's a brief overview of the traditional authorship of each gospel:
1. Matthew: The Gospel of Matthew is traditionally attributed to Matthew, who is presented as a tax collector and one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. The authorship of Matthew is supported by various early Christian writings and church leaders.
2. Mark: The Gospel of Mark is traditionally attributed to Mark, who is closely associated with the apostle Peter. He is often referred to as John Mark, and he was a companion of Paul on some of his missionary journeys. Early church fathers such as Papias and Irenaeus attributed the Gospel of Mark to Mark.
3. Luke: The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts are both attributed to Luke, a physician and companion of the apostle Paul. While Luke is not explicitly named as the author in the texts themselves, early Christian writers such as Irenaeus and Origen attributed these works to Luke.
4. John: The Gospel of John is attributed to John, the "beloved disciple" of Jesus. Early Christian traditions and writings have consistently attributed the authorship of this gospel to John, the son of Zebedee, who is also presented as one of the twelve apostles.
It is important to recognize that the authorship of the gospels involves complex historical and textual analysis, and some scholars propose alternative authorship theories based on textual and historical evidence. Nevertheless, the traditional attributions to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John have endured throughout Christian history.