# On The Gospels Origins In Justin Martyr's work **[[Martyr1930-dh.|The Dialogue with Trypho]]**, he makes mention on the Gospels and their composition: > [!quote] [[Martyr1930-dh.|The Dialogue with Trypho]] >...Memoirs which I say were drawn up by [Jesus'] apostles and those that followed him. A close look at his wording shows us that at least two apostles and at least two followers of these apostles had to have written the Gospels. This lines up with what we have today, two apostles - Matthew and John, and two of their followers - Mark and Luke. # On Marks Origins Sometimes the evidence we have for dating the Gospels and other historical sources comes from people quoting them, a casual reading of the following from Justin Martyr might have you missed the reference to [Mark 3:16-17](https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MRK.3.16-17). > [!quote] [[Martyr1930-dh.|The Dialogue with Trypho]] >When we are told that He changed the name of one of the Apostles to Peter, and we find it recorded in his Memoirs that this took place *(besides His having also changed the names of two other brethren, the sons of Zebedee, to that of Boanerges which is sons of thunder)* Justin Martyr was alive from about 100-166 A.D. This means that within 80 years of Jesus being on the earth Justin is well aware of the Gospel of Mark, showing us that the book had to have already been written and passed as scripture by the start of the second century.