Were the four Gospels influenced by Paul's letters since the Gospels were written after Paul's letters?

Answer 1

Another answer from our community:

It's possible, in theory, for the authors of the Gospels to have been influenced, somehow, by Paul's letters. Realize, though, that Team Xerox and the internet weren't quite as efficient as they are today; Paul's letters were sent to specific churches and individuals, who had them transcribed (enter Team Xerox :) ) and passed on to other churches (enter the early Internet :) ) by hand. More than likely the Gospel writers would have read Paul's epistles by the time they started their own writings.

Answer 2

Some close textual parallels suggest that each of the authors of the gospels may well have been influenced by Paul's letters. For example:

• some parallels have been detected between Mark and Romans. Mark's "he declared all foods are clean" ( 7:19) is considered to resemble Rom 14:14: "I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself."
• the eucharist in Luke 22:19-20 is based on Mark, but it differs in "my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me", which resembles 1 Corinthians 11:24-25. In fact, the eucharist in Mark 14:22-24 may also be based on 1 Corinthians, so that Luke was influenced both directly and indirectly.
• Whereas Paul, in his references to a risen body of Jesus, spoke of one that was spiritual and not flesh and blood [1 Cor 15:44,50], Luke was particularly insistent on the reality of Jesus' appearance. Luke may have been influenced, in that he rejected the Pauline version, rather than that he copied it.