Acceptable or Not?

[NewHopeR]

You know there are Four Gospels in the Holy Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. I told a Chinese the other day that Mark's Gospel could just be called as "Mark's" for convenience, and so were Matthew's, Luke's and John's, because in my memory, the Four Gospels are remembered as Matthew's Gospel, Mark's Gospel, Luke's Gospel and John's Gospel, not just Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

I wonder whether I've told the Chinese the right thing.
Your opinion will be appreciated.

 

[5jj]

They are generally referred to either in full, "The Gospel according to Matthew", etc" or simply as "Matthew", etc.

 

[NewHopeR]

They are generally referred to either in full, "The Gospel according to Matthew", etc" or simply as "Matthew", etc.

Does the expression Matthew's work as well?

 

[5jj]

No

 

[NewHopeR]

But in the context of Bible?

Do I have to tell the Chinese to say Mark's Gospel?

If not in this context, can you understand what "Mark" mean?
If in the context Bible, Matthew can be understood as Matthew's Gospel, why Matthew's can't? Since either Mark or Matthew can just the name of their person.

 

[5jj]

But in the context of the Bible?

Do I have to tell the Chinese to say Mark's Gospel? No, you don't.

If not in this context, can you understand what "Mark" means? Yes
If in the context of the Bible, 'Matthew' can be understood as 'Matthew's Gospel', why can't 'Matthew's' [STRIKE]can't[/STRIKE]? Since either 'Mark' or 'Matthew' can just be the name of the[STRIKE]ir[/STRIKE] person.

It is possible to say Mark's Gospel, but, as I said in post #2, we generally to the gospels either in full, "The Gospel according to Mark", etc" or simply as "Mark" .

If I say, "Mark was not one of the Apostles", then clearly I am talking about the person. If I say, "John was written several years after Mark", then I am clearly talking about the gospels.

We do not refer to the gospel just as as Mark's, unless we have previously used the word 'gospel': "The four gospels were written at different time; Mark's was the first". Even then, we'd be more likely to say just 'Mark'.

 

[SoothingDave]

It is not the Gospel that belongs to Mark. It is the Gospel according to Mark. Meaning this is how the Gospel is stated, or reported, by Mark.