New Testament that Luke the Evangelist, an associate of St. Paul who was probably not an eyewitness to Jesus' ministry, wrote the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. Scholars are also divided on the traditional claim that Mark the Evangelist, an associate of St. Peter who may have been an eyewitness to Jesus' ministry, wrote the Gospel of Mark. Scholars are more divided over the traditional claim that Matthew the Apostle wrote the Gospel of Matthew and that John the Apostle wrote the Gospel of John. Opinion, however, is widely divided on this issue and there is no widespread consensus.
New Testament people named Mary at least two occasions. "Mary and Martha" are mentioned by name in John 11:1–12:8 and in Luke 10:38–41. Three other passages, one each in Matthew, Mark and Luke, refer to an unnamed person identified by some but by no means all authorities as this Mary, or as Mary Magdalene, or both. Roman Catholic tradition in particular identifies the person in Luke with both Mary of Bethany and Saint Mary Magdalene. John describes two visits by Jesus to Mary and Martha. In , Jesus raises Mary's brother Lazarus from death. Mary, Martha and Lazarus already appear to be very close friends