Did Mark, Matthew and Luke use any pre-existing texts or stories to create their gospels?

The question of whether the Gospel writers Mark, Matthew, and Luke used pre-existing texts or sources in composing their gospels is a topic of scholarly debate within biblical studies. This debate revolves around the concept of "synoptic problem," which concerns the literary relationship between the three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).

The majority of scholars agree that there is literary dependence among these three Gospels, with Mark often considered the earliest and serving as a source for Matthew and Luke. This theory is known as the "Two-Source Hypothesis." According to this hypothesis, Matthew and Luke not only used the Gospel of Mark but also another common source, termed "Q" (short for the German word "Quelle," meaning "source"), which contained primarily the sayings of Jesus.

In addition to Mark and Q, scholars also suggest that Matthew and Luke may have drawn from other sources or traditions, such as oral tradition, written collections of Jesus' teachings, and their own theological reflections.

The Gospel of John, while sharing some material with the Synoptic Gospels, is generally considered to have been composed independently and later than the Synoptics. It has a different structure, style, and theological emphasis compared to the Synoptic Gospels.

Overall, while the specifics of the sources and their relationships remain subjects of scholarly investigation and debate, it's widely recognized that the Gospel writers likely used a variety of sources and traditions in composing their accounts of the life, teachings, and ministry of Jesus.