Christianity Today Book Awards Biblical Studies Award of Merit (2025) What are the key differences between the canonical Gospels and the apocryphal gospels? In this concise and engaging book, New Testament scholar Simon Gathercole shows that crucial theological features link Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John together--and also set them apart from other ancient accounts of Christ's life. Writing in a clear and highly accessible style, Gathercole analyzes the New Testament Gospels alongside some of the earliest and most controversial apocryphal gospels. He shows that the canonical Gospels share key elements of theological content--content that consistently aligns with what the apostles taught about Jesus. Specifically, what distinguishes Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is that they faithfully represent Jesus's messiahship, his saving death and resurrection, and his fulfilment of Scripture. This stands in sharp contrast to the apocryphal Gospels, which either represent such teaching incompletely, ignore it, or actively reject it. In short, what separates the canonical Gospels from their noncanonical counterparts covered in this book is that the former are faithful portraits of Christ the savior; the latter are less-than-authentic representations. The Genuine Jesus and the Counterfeit Christs will appeal to everyday readers who want to know more about apocryphal gospels, and to students in biblical studies who are interested in questions of authority and canonicity.
Simon Gathercole is professor of New Testament and early Christianity at the University of Cambridge. He is chair of the NIV translation committee and has served as editor of the Journal for the Study of the New Testament and New Testament Studies. His publications include The Apocryphal Gospels and The Gospel and the Gospels: Christian Proclamation and Early Jesus Books.
"In the academy, the parish, and the public square, one of the most persistent and pressing questions revolves around the trustworthiness of the Christian Gospels. Gathercole responds to that concern with The Genuine Jesus and the Counterfeit Christs, an inviting conversation built upon complex scholarship. Readers are not only assured that the four canonical Gospels are trustworthy, but are given the tools to understand why because they come to understand who the evangelists proclaim Jesus to be. I cannot wait to recommend this rich and accessible guide to students, parishioners, and neighbors alike." --Amy Peeler, Wheaton College "Simon Gathercole's The Genuine Jesus and the Counterfeit Christs gets to the heart of why the four Gospels are genuine: they embody the message of Christ and the apostles, a message that fulfills Old Testament expectations. The apocryphal gospels, though, don't reflect this message. This learned yet accessible volume deserves wide readership and belongs on the shelves of lay people, students, pastors, and teachers. Highly recommended!" --Benjamin L. Gladd, The Carson Center for Theological Renewal "In The Genuine Jesus and the Counterfeit Christs, Simon Gathercole debunks popular arguments about how various ancient sources rival the validity of the four New Testament Gospels. Gathercole concisely presents evidence that the four Gospels are early in composition, accurate in telling the story of Jesus, and united on the core truths about his life, teaching, and saving death and resurrection. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John deserve to be in a category of their own, and they belong in the New Testament as a fourfold witness to Jesus Christ. This is an excellent book to assign to students or share with fellow church members." --Nijay K. Gupta, Northern Seminary
