Dei Verbum

Chapter V of ‘Dei Verbum’ speaks of the New Testament. It goes from paragraph n.17 to n.20. N.18 is very clear in relation to the importance of the four Gospels in all of Scripture:

“It is common knowledge that among all the Scriptures, even those of the New Testament, the Gospels have a special preeminence, and rightly so, for they are the principal witness for the life and teaching of the Incarnate Word, our Saviour.

The Church has always and everywhere held and continues to hold that the four Gospels are of apostolic origin. For what the Apostles preached in fulfilment of the commission of Christ, afterwards they themselves and apostolic men, under the inspiration of the divine Spirit, handed on to us in writing: the foundation of faith, namely, the four-fold Gospel, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.”

The New Testament also contains the Acts of the Apostles, the epistles of St. Paul, other apostolic letters (Peter, John, James, Jude), the Letter to the Hebrews, and the Book of Revelation. These are also written “under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, by which, according to the wise plan of God, those matters which concern Christ the Lord are confirmed, His true teaching is more and more fully stated, the saving power of the divine work of Christ is preached, the story is told of the beginnings of the Church and its marvellous growth, and its glorious fulfilment is foretold.”