Origen of Alexandria

I think, indeed, that Jeremiah the prophet, also, understanding what was the nature of the wisdom of God in him, which was the same also that he had assumed for the salvation of the world, said, “The breath of our countenance is Christ the Lord, to whom we said, that under his shadow we shall live among the nations.” And inasmuch as the shadow of our body is inseparable from the body and unavoidably performs and repeats its movements and gestures, I think that he, wishing to point out the work of Christ’s soul, and the movements inseparably belonging to it and which accomplished everything according to his movements and will, called this the shadow of Christ the Lord, under which shadow we were to live among the nations. For in the mystery of this assumption the nations live, who, imitating it through faith, come to salvation. David also, when saying, “Be mindful of my reproach, O Lord, with which they reproached me in exchange for your Christ,” seems to me to indicate the same. And what else does Paul mean when he says, “Your life is hidden with Christ in God,” and again in another passage, “Do you seek a proof of Christ, who speaks in me?” And now he says that Christ was hidden in God. The meaning of this expression, unless it is shown to be something such as we have pointed out above as intended by the prophet in the words “shadow of Christ,” exceeds, perhaps, the apprehension of the human mind. But we see also very many other statements in Holy Scripture respecting the meaning of the word shadow, as that well-known one in the Gospel according to Luke, where Gabriel says to Mary, “The Spirit of the Lord shall come on you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you.” And the apostle says with reference to the law that they who have circumcision in the flesh “serve for the similitude and shadow of heavenly things.” And elsewhere, “Is not our life on the earth a shadow?” If, then, not only the law that is on the earth is a shadow, but also all our life that is on the earth is the same, and we live among the nations under the shadow of Christ, we must see whether the truth of all these shadows may not come to be known in that revelation, when no longer through a glass and darkly, but face to face, all the saints shall deserve to behold the glory of God and the causes and truth of things. And the pledge of this truth being already received through the Holy Spirit, the apostle said, “Yes, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet from now on, we know him no more.”

With respect to the New Testament also "many have tried" to write Gospels, but not all found acceptance. You should know that not just four Gospels, but very many, were composed. The Gospels we have were chosen from among these Gospels and passed on to the churches. We know this from Luke's own prologue, which begins this way: "Because many have tried to compose an account." The words "have tried" imply an accusation against those who rushed into writing gospels without the grace of the Holy Spirit. Matthew, Mark, John and Luke did not "try" to write. They wrote their Gospels when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Hence, "many have tried to compose an account of the events that are clearly known among us." …Our doctrines about the person of our Lord and Savior should be drawn from these approved Gospels. I know one gospel called "According to Thomas," and another "According to Matthias." We have read many others, too, so that we do not appear to be ignorant of anything, because of those people who think they know something if they have examined these gospels. But in all of these questions we approve of nothing but that which the church approves, namely, only four canonical Gospels.…
Luke makes his intention known by the word he uses; that is, "that have been clearly shown to us," a concept that the Latin language cannot express in one word. It means that Luke knew by firm faith and by careful consideration and did not waver on any point, wondering whether it should be this way or that.

"It seemed right for me, too, following the same course from the beginning." He makes his point and repeats it. He did not learn from rumors what he is going to write. He himself has grasped it from the beginning. Hence, the apostle Paul praises him deservedly when he says, "He is praised for his Gospel throughout all the churches." Scripture says this about no one else. It uses the expression only for Luke. "It seemed right for me, too, following the same course from the beginning, carefully to write down all those events for you in order, most excellent Theophilus." Someone might think that Luke addressed the Gospel to a specific man named Theophilus. But, if you are the sort of people God can love, then all of you who hear us speaking are Theophiluses, and the Gospel is addressed to you. Anyone who is a Theophilus is both "excellent" and "very strong." This is what the Greek word υεοφιλος [Theophilos] actually means. No Theophilus is weak. Scripture says of the people of Israel, when they were going out from Egypt, "There was no weakling in their tribes." I could say boldly that everyone who is a Theophilus is robust. He has vigor and strength from both God and his Word. He can recognize the "truth" of those "words, by which he has been instructed" and understand the Word of the gospel in Christ—to whom is glory and power for ages of ages. Amen.