Which Gospel was written first?

The Gospel According to Mark is widely considered by scholars to be the earliest of the four canonical Gospels.12

While the Gospel According to Matthew was traditionally placed first in the New Testament and historically viewed as the primary source, modern literary and source criticism—specifically the two-source hypothesis—identifies Mark as the earliest account. Most scholars agree that both Matthew and Luke used Mark as a foundational source when composing their own narratives, as a significant portion of Mark’s content appears in both of their accounts.13

Mark is believed to have been written during the decade preceding the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE, likely between 64 and 70 CE. By establishing the form of an extensive Passion account prefaced by narrative and teaching, Mark set the standard for the Synoptic Gospels and became the primary source for understanding the ministry of Jesus.124